Over the past 12 months a dedicated group of officers from The City of Busselton’s engineering team have developed an overarching Asset Management Plan that has since been endorsed by Council.
Directly aligned to the City’s Long Term Financial Plan, the Asset Management Plan will guide asset development, renewal and replacement over the next decade.
Developing the plan involved undertaking detailed condition assessments of roads, parks and building infrastructure to give an accurate determination of the current condition of these assets.
Underlining the Asset Management Plan are detailed technical documents for each of these assets. These individual plans are summarised in the overarching plan and given a five year priority project rating.
CEO Mike Archer said that while it was a painstaking process, the City has established firm parameters for future asset planning and expenditure.
“We have a clear understanding of what will need upgrading, when it will need upgrading and how much it will cost.
“Failing man-made or natural disaster, we’re not expecting too many surprises in the future.”
The Asset Management Plan was developed in close consultation with City Councillors.
The Asset Management Team benefited from Council guidance and Councillors gained a good knowledge of the factors driving asset renewal figures generated to determine future expenditure.
This close working arrangement enabled the City to plan ahead both in terms of the scheduling of works and raising additional funds required to manage the assets.
After reviewing the condition of local roads, Council adopted a 1% pa rate increase for a period of six years to provide extra funds specifically for road renewal.
These funds will be quarantined in a road funding reserve and spent as they are required.
The Asset Management Plan forms part of a suite of corporate planning documents all of which were undertaken in-house.
The plan was developed in parallel with the City’s Strategic Community Plan, Workforce Plan, Corporate Business Plan and Long term Financial Plan.
The Asset Management Plan will be the subject of ongoing review including an annual review of the five year plans prior to the budget process.
The plan’s development and implementation is a fantastic example of team-work, Mr Archer said. “There isn’t a footpath, road, bridge, round-about or stretch of kerbing that hasn’t been included in the plan and this is due to the diligence of our Officers and the foresight of our Council.”
