Council to make property assets more effective, efficient and green
Kingston Council has agreed a new property asset strategy which will help it to continue providing first-class services, meet its commitment to reaching Net Zero and support regeneration and growth.
The council’s diverse property assets – excluding housing – range from schools and libraries to offices and industrial units. The strategy starts a process that will ensure the council’s assets support delivery of the best possible services, provide value for money and create a greener future for the borough.
The aim is to improve properties that are important for providing high quality services to residents and to consider how assets can support the voluntary and community sector, while providing a plan for those that are inefficient, expensive to run, no longer fit for purpose and surplus to requirements.
Not only will the initiative lead to better services for residents, but it is also set to generate around £40m over four years and savings of £1.1m to support the delivery of vital council services in an increasingly challenging financial environment.
Councillor Noel Hadjimichael, the council’s Portfolio Holder for Assets, Leisure and Commissioning, said:
“This new asset strategy is excellent news for residents and all our service users. It will mean we are making the most of all our properties so that our services are truly fit for the 21st Century, environmentally friendly, efficient and providing value for money to council taxpayers.
“Our strategy reflects our commitment to a greener, fairer and more secure borough by ensuring a decision-making process that values social, heritage, environmental and economic factors in a transparent way.
“This is not about selling essential or key valuable assets that residents need and rely upon, it is about improving and consolidating our vital assets whilst at the same time releasing capital by disposing of inefficient and unnecessary buildings and properties that are outdated and expensive to run.”