Management Information Sheet

Premises maintenance

MI Sheet TypeInformation
MI Number:169/19
Publication Date:01/11/2019 12:00:00
LA Contact:John Atkins/Isabel Horner/Chris Snudden (01603 222028)
Audience:Headteacher

Premises maintenance

As you will be aware, premises maintenance is a devolved matter for Governing Boards to manage alongside their other responsibilities, and as has been the case for many years. We appreciate that in times of budgetary constraints it can be difficult to give priority to the longer term investment. As custodians of the buildings, however, it is a matter for Governing Boards to make their own arrangements to discharge these responsibilities.

I would like to take this opportunity to encourage you to consider the opportunities for support offered by schemes such as the Building Maintenance Partnership (BMP). This is about to launch its fifth scheme, relieving schools of many maintenance and compliance issues. While acceptable alternative arrangements are available, the pooling of funds offered by the BMP does allow for flexibility between member schools, while ensuring a guaranteed level of spend at each school. The BMP is overseen by a Board of school governors, headteachers and Local Authority officers from premises and finance and Norfolk Property Services as the delivery mechanism.

Where necessary the LA is prepared to hold schools to account for the way premises are maintained; schools are public assets and the public funds devolved to Governing Boards must allow for appropriate maintenance to be carried out. It is not appropriate for the LA to dictate to schools to sign up to BMP5, but we would urge schools to consider seriously the advantages of a scheme of comprehensive maintenance support, with named surveyors.

We will be seeking information regarding the arrangement governors put in place from each LA maintained school.

In parallel with the scheme, the Local Authority has separately commissioned a regular cycle of condition surveys of all schools within its estate. This will inform the strategic planning of condition works, but also will be shared with schools to ensure that they are undertaking the regular maintenance regime. We will provide further detail early next year regarding business continuity planning in relation to a premises matter which might go beyond the scope of a school to manage through its own business continuity plans.

The DfE has published a guide on Good Estate Management for School which is a helpful reference document for all those with responsibility for managing school buildings. It is available at www.gov.uk/guidance/good-estate-management-for-schools/maintaining-the-estate