2011

Fire beacon – G0065/011211
This authority wants to buy a Fire Beacon (free standing brazier on a pole) to erect on top of a hill as part of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations next year. They are struggling to find where they can buy one.

Any advice or experience of where to buy one would be gratefully received.

Advertising manager post – G0064/281111
This authority is recruiting for the position of Operations Manager for a newly created street cleansing and grounds maintenance service. They are wondering which websites and publications other authorities use to advertise this level of post for this service area? Please could you respond with any guidance or suitable advertising locations as appropriate.

Natural water features– G0062/171011
This local authority parks and sports service would like to know how other local authorities manage natural water features i.e. ponds, lakes, streams & rivers, which are unmanned with no programmed maintenance carried out, but are on council land.

Libraries Service Reviews/G0063/011111
This member authority is considering a range of possibilities for its Libraries Service and would welcome details from other councils that have recently reviewed their Libraries Service including those that have considered and either opted for, or rejected, a social enterprise model for this service and the reasons behind their decision.

GO57 051011 - ISO9001
This local authority would like to know if any member, in any service, but particularly parks, streets or waste is using an ISO9001 compliant Quality Management system, certified or not. They would like to find out which system you use, whether this has been designed in-house or purchased from a supplier.

Lights on refuse/recycling collection vehicles – G0056/220611
This Local Authority would like to enquire if any other Local Authority have had to adapt their refuse/recycling collection vehicles with additional lights, or any other adaptation in order to meet the needs of working backshift or nightshift operations.

Parking charges - G0053/140611
A member authority is reviewing its car parking charges following the experience of a sustained fall in revenues from car parks?

They would like to hear from other member authorities who have experienced similar difficulties and what measures have been taken to address the issue.

• What do you put the fall down to:
• State of the local economy
• Adverse local press publicity
• Shoppers diverting to other shopping locations
• Other?
• What did you or do you propose to do to avert the fall?

Combined property and related services– G0052/090511
This council is undertaking a review about delivery of its facilities management and related service and would like to hear from other members who have combined some or all of the following functions into a single service.

• Catering (schools, civic, meals at home, residential and events)
• Cleaning / janitorial (schools and civic buildings)
• Cash Collection
• Civic Drivers
• Drivers and Couriers
• Building and Civic Building Management
• Building Services / Maintenance (no housing stock)

They would be interested in talking to anyone who has experience of putting together some or all of the above services.

Using CAFM - computer aided facilities management systems – G0051/190411
This authority is looking to procure a computer aided facilities management system for hard and soft facilities management services. This includes services ranging from asset and estate management to reactive maintenance and soft FM areas such as building cleaning, janitors, grounds maintenance and catering. They are interested in how other authorities manage their help desks, property and assets, and other related functions. Is this done in an integrated way on the same computer system across the areas?

Trading and shared facilities management services – G0050/230311
This authority is looking to develop opportunities for trading and shared services for hard and soft facilities management services. This includes services ranging from asset management, estate management, and architects through to caretaking in schools.

Local Authorities, Police and Fire and Rescue Partnerships Group Household Sprinkler systems – Fire prevention in vulnerable households – G0049/220311
The APSE Local Authorities, Police and Fire and Rescue partnerships group is exploring arrangements fire prevention arrangements in households for vulnerable people. They are particularly interested in the following:

• Do you install or contract to have installed household sprinkler systems in cases where there are known fire risks which cannot be ameliorated by simply fitting smoke detectors.
• If so what is the average cost of fitting a household system? Have you managed to negotiate any reductions as technology develops?
• What criteria do you use to determine if a system should be fitted? E.g. lone household with alcohol dependency and a smoker?
• Have you or are you considering the provision of smoke detector pendants / personal alarms linked to call centres. If so what are the costs and arrangements?

Transfer of Assets to communities including play parks and playing fields – G0047/090211
This member local authority is exploring the transfer of assets such as play parks and playing fields into the community. They would therefore welcome information from other APSE Member authorities that have explored  this option including responses to the following questions:

• Have you transferred or are you considering the transfer of day to day responsibility for the running of the assets to the community?
• Have you transferred or are you considering the transfer of the freehold or leasehold title of the land to a community group?
• Have you or are you considering a lease arrangement such as a full repairing and maintenance lease to a community group to divest responsibility / liability away from the local authority?

Specifically this member would like to know the outcomes of such arrangements including

• Financial impact
• Quality / service continuity issues
• Any specific positive or negative outcomes
• Any specific experiences from local authorities in Scotland