Property and asset management service plan 2025-28
A. Overview
Organisation chart
Achievements in 2024/25
Asset Management Team
Secured a further lease extension to 31 March 2027 for our investment site 160-163 Friar Street achieving an annual income of £515k for a further two years.
Evaluated 18 and identified 2 RBC owned assets to support the need for Children’s homes and identified a further privately owned property that the Council are now purchasing.
Achieved Capital receipts of £4.086 million against a 2024/25 MTFS original target of £1.844 million which was increased to £3.861m under the transformation pressures.
Identified and progressing new or existing asset disposals as a GOLD project to generate in the region of £11.75m capital receipts over the next 3 years to contribute to the transformation board objectives.
Successfully negotiated 154 Assets transactions. The increased income resulting from these transactions helped to achieve a revenue income of £4,862,733 as at December 2024/25.
Achieved a total business rates savings made from the 2017 rateable value of £659k including a landmark case on the old town hall of £529k resulting in an overall reduced rates bills of circa £330k.
Appointed commercial agents to deliver rates saving on the 2023 rating lists of circa 225 assets.
Reviewing the planning viability process generating more income and securing affordable housing. Generating £31,644 fee income since April 2024.
Made good progress in populating the new Civica Assets Management software enabling automation of Asset Management processes.
Implemented several tasks identified in the action plan that form part of the Strategic Assets Management Strategy and commenced strategic portfolio reviews on Children’s homes, Car Parks, Pavilions and Libraries along with Community Buildings.
Completed a service review of the Asset Management Team, resourcing the service to respond to the need for additional income generation.
Completed a further 25 complex historic landlord and tenant cases outstanding from 2014.
Successfully assessed 186 properties to establish energy ratings and MEES compliance to ensure the councils leased out properties are an E or above rating and are compliant.
Supported Finance as joint lead in tendering for a new 5-year Asset Valuations Contract and continued to provide client advice, support, and technical input to address audit queries on, 2021/22 and 22/23 accounts and commenced 23/24.
Agreed heads of terms for sale of 16 Bennet Road to progress a capital receipt of £1 million.
Supported the acquisition for Housing of: – one buy back (in legal), one completed and two in legal for LAHF (Local Authority Housing Fund); and four in legal and one completed for SHAP (Single Homelessness Accommodation Programme).
Completed Insurance valuations in-house working alongside the property services team, delivering savings from not outsourcing the work.
Managed a high influx of Right to Buy application following the change in legislation by central government due to the reduction in discount brought about by the budget. This has generated circa. 200 applications to home ownership team and subsequently resulting in progressing around 110 valued by Assets compared to the usual annual amount of 25 to 30.
Completion of the 3-year project to deliver the new River Academy secondary school working with 5 partners including Reading Festival and a complex land contract delivery structure.
Adopted at Proactive approach to estates management identifying capital receipt opportunities such as right to light and lease restructures achieving in excess £100,000.
Completing a master way leave agreement with City Fibre enabling city wide 5g to be delivered to RBC residents.
Engaged on and progressing major development projects at Minster Quarter, The Oracle and Broad Street Mall.
Managing the valuation and sale/purchase element of the Homes for Reading portfolio transfer to the HRA of circa 90 units.
Working with the Highways Team as they install vehicular and pedestrian gates at St Marys Vicarage service yard to resolve a longstanding issue of rubbish, parking and general use of the yard and introducing stiffer controls on the yard use.
Corporate Property Services
Continued service transformation to improve service delivery.
Maintained service delivery with three vacant posts.
Successful delivery of multiple capital projects enhancing building condition and operations including Town Hall roof works, response to RAAC, expansion and refurbishment of the vehicle maintenance workshop at Bennet Road.
Completed refurbishment of 27 Cressingham Children’s home providing improved sensory room, bathroom and outdoor play area.
Completed whole floor replacement to Southcote Children’s centre following floods.
Providing a fully refurbished play area to Kennet Day nursery within the Civic offices
Provision of relocated visitor parking to enable library works to the civic offices.
Completion of planned Phase 1A Cremator replacement, refurbishment and extension works.
Completed internal refurbishment works to 4 No. Schools to provide SEND/ARP places.
Completed the repurposing of the mayor’s toilet within the Civic to provide a 3- person office space.
Completed refurbishment to Prospect Park Ranger station additional office space and reconfiguration of existing space to increase play provision for children with Social, Emotional Mental Health (SEMH) in young people.
Improved Security, CCTV and lighting systems across our depot, keeping staff and operational service equipment safe.
Installation of charging points and Solar PV in our continued strive towards this being a Net-Zero carbon depot.
Carrying out rebuild evaluations of all the properties within our estate, to ensure more accurate insurance provision. Creating approximately £1,000/property savings in fees.
Structural Conservation and improvement work to Reading’s iconic Cemetery Junction archway and gates.
On-going response to Reactive Repairs and emergency works to resolve issues ranging from heating to blocked drains and pipework.
Procured and commissioned new term contractors for Statutory Compliance Services, Reactive Repairs and Planned Preventative Maintenance commissioned for all 16 areas of compliance. Re-Procurement of Asbestos and Reactive Repairs Measured Term contracts is underway.
Leading the Directorate’s Health and Safety Committee to monitor and drive compliance in the operations and use of our built estate.
Met with the HSE who reviewed our management of Asbestos across our estate at corporate and operational level. HSE commented on our ‘mature’ processes for monitoring and managing this and early feedback on follow visits to a select number of sites suggests no concerns with the management of asbestos in our publicly accessed buildings.
Education Property Development Team
Successful delivery of the Education Capital Programme, projects including –
Newbridge Nursery window replacement
Parklane remodelling
Whitley Park Boiler room refurbishment
Alfred Sutton Junior Block roof replacement
Flat roof replacement at Geoffrey Field Juniors
Flat roof replacement at Geoffrey Field Infants
Salix projects for Led lights in 13 schools
Geoffrey Field Juniors boiler replacement
Norcot Nursery fire alarm upgrade
Micklands fire alarm upgrade
Katesgrove SEN ARP provision
Thameside SEN provision
Whitley Park SEN provision
St Mary and All Saints SEN provision
Thameside External play refurbishment
Whitley Park external SEN play
Oxford Road External SEN play
TVS provision for SEN at Ridgeway
Caversham Primary flat roof replacement
Ranikhet school refurbishment
Culvert upgrade at Alfred Sutton
Wilson roof replacement design
Alfred Sutton pitched roof replacement started
RIBA Stage 0-1 Feasibility completed for new SEN school
Facilitated and coordinated the delivery of the new River Academy School
Facilities Management and Contracts Service
Delivered improved corporate community centre facilities through team reprofiling and improvement plan with FM Supervisor recognised in TEAM Reading Awards in the ‘Dare to Try’ category.
Delivered improved housing community centre facilities by adopting the Corporate Facilities Management approach of compliance, maintenance and sustainability at Coley, Whitley, Hexham Rd and Lyndhurst Rd. Achieved via direct inputs from FM staff and supervision with regular collaborative meetings with the Housing operations teams.
Collaboratively delivered the Civic Offices Library and Reception enabling works phase opening the temporary Customer Service space without any down time requiring closure of the front door to customers. The phase included successfully moving staff to new locations in the Civic Offices, relocation of the Chief Executive Offices and the BFfC CSPoA office as well as the Registrars and main customer entrance.
Completed the final Changing Place facility at Civic Offices resulting in Changing Places being provided at multiple Council buildings including Rivermead, Palmer Park and Prospect Park funded by grant funding.
Completed the refurbishment of the Civic Offices staff and public toilets resulting in much improved facilities that will complement the new Civic Centre with the Library and enhanced reception.
Increased Community Hire income through improved spaces.
Reduced local printing restricting colour and high volume from local assets saving money.
Reduced unviable hot drink vending machine from 14 to 4 machines reducing Council spend.
Fuel improvements including implementation of FM related fuel audit recommendations. Safety and compliance enhancements including new fuel pump. Successful retendering of the council’s fuel supply contract and moving budget to Commercial Services.
Contract Management, Procurement and Commissioning processes embedded and successfully delivered.
Contracts Pipeline for all services & works contracts – visibility on start & finish dates, values, key stakeholders, ODNs and uploads on Intend.
Business-as-usual services
Asset Management Team
Delivery of Assets Strategy action plan.
Maximising use, income & social value from the council’s estate.
Management of Assets Data through the Civica Asset Management Software.
Commercial Investment Management & Development.
Commercial and Residential Valuations, development & planning viability appraisals.
Delivery of land and property matters in respect of disposals and acquisitions, leases, licences and way leave agreements, easements, covenants, encroachments.
Responding to the public in relation to ownership enquiries and questions of boundary responsibility, FOI’s and Cllr enquires (over 50) on assets held in the general fund.
Responding to applications for Asset to be listed as Assets of Community Value
Maintain the rent roll and invoice for rents / service charge on behalf of Service areas.
Monitoring debt and assisting accounts receivable in the collection of overdue accounts.
Day to Day management of Acre Business Park and St Marys Service Yard, including statutory compliance.
Responding to requests for consent from social housing providers (as tenant or successor in title) to vary shared equity structure in social housing schemes where RBC retains controlling interest and Right to Buys.
Corporate Property Services
Planned Preventative Maintenance, Reactive Repairs and Statutory Compliance Management of over 120 Corporate and Community Buildings.
Providing a Customer First service by daily monitoring of calls raised to our CAFM system to ensure all items are followed through to rectification.
Continuously monitoring trends in Fabric and MEP items reported to Planet for the potential to proactively package these for possible Capital pipeline works.
Managing projects through the RIBA Plan of works on behalf of client services across RBC.
Managing 8 measured Term Contracts for building services planned preventative maintenance and reactive repairs to ensure statutory compliance and safe service operations.
Managing 5 measured Term Contracts for building fabric reactive repairs for continued safe service operations.
Providing in-house expertise to wider RBC teams for all issues relating to buildings and services within, including Assets, Facilities, Schools and Brighter Futures for Children.
Lead on the Directorate’s Health and Safety committee to drive compliance in all services.
Provide systematic and structured in-house Architectural, Building Surveying, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering as well as Project Management services.
Plan and deliver a rolling programme of building improvement works based on stock condition surveys, client service operations requests and asset strategy, net zero carbon aspirations as well as Health and Safety.
Education Property Development Team
Delivery of Schools Capital and Revenue Projects
Schools Stock Condition Surveys and Works
Schools Statutory Compliance and Sustainability Works
Partnership Working with DFE to deliver major schools delivery projects and secure grant funding.
To work with schools and Governors to promote good Estate Management and Financial Planning for capital works.
Facilities Management and Contracts Service
Full facilities management of 13 FM buildings, 15 empty properties and 19 compliance only/part facilities managed buildings.
Management and delivery of cleaning services and a central printing, scanning and post services.
Management and provision of various council wide corporate FM contracts such as stationary, security, vending, courier, and other FM contracts.
Leading technical support for buildings whether fully or part managed.
Number of tenants having rent arrears overdue by more than 90 days. Income (Total no. of tenants 265)
£
Smaller
Monthly
Cumulative
40
30
20
N
Dee Maddox-Hinton
Landlord & Tenant
Number of Leases holding over beyond the lease expiry date pending renewal.
No.
Smaller
Monthly
Flat
50
40
30
N
Dee Maddox-Hinton
Education Property Development Team
Measure
Definition
Unit
Better (bigger or smaller)
Frequency (monthly, quarterly)
Target type (flat or cumulative)
Normal level/Target 25/26
Normal level/Target 26/27
Normal level/Target 27/28
Council Plan KPI (Y/N)
Data provider
Delivery of the Education Capital Programme.
Delivery of projects through DFE Basic Need funding and condition funding.
%
bigger
Annual
flat
100%
100%
100%
N
Linda Church
School condition improvements.
Number of school condition improvements which support the fabric first approach for the Climate Strategy.
No.
bigger
Annual
flat
8
8
8
N
Linda Church
Property Management
Measure
Definition
Unit
Better (bigger or smaller)
Frequency (monthly, quarterly)
Target type (flat or cumulative)
Normal level/Target 25/26
Normal level/Target 26/27
Normal level/Target 27/28
Council Plan KPI (Y/N)
Data provider
Statutory Compliance and Planned Preventative Maintenance
Compliance completed in all 17 areas in line with regulations.
%
bigger
monthly
flat
92%
94%
94%
N
Yvonne Mubanga
Facilities Management
Measure
Definition
Unit
Better (bigger or smaller)
Frequency (monthly, quarterly)
Target type (flat or cumulative)
Normal level/Target 25/26
Normal level/Target 26/27
Normal level/Target 27/28
Council Plan KPI (Y/N)
Data provider
Fully managed, empty and compliance only FM buildings
Number of fully managed, empty and compliance only FM buildings.
No.
Bigger (more productive_ smaller (less cost)
monthly
flat
16 full FM 11 empty 17 compliance
17 full FM 8 empty 15 compliance
17 full FM 8 empty 15 compliance
N
Glyn Bethell
Unplanned days lost in a corporate FM building
Number of unplanned days lost in a corporate FM building because of a facilities management or maintenance issue.
No.
smaller
monthly
flat
0
0
0
N
Glyn Bethell
Unresolved official complaints
Number of unresolved official complaints in FM
No.
smaller
monthly
flat
0
0
0
N
Glyn Bethell
C. Objectives for 2025-25
Objectives (one objective per row)
Council Plan objective? (Y/N)
Relevant Council Plan priority
Support prevention of the escalation of children’s needs through developing family hubs.
Y
Safeguard and support the health and wellbeing of Reading’s adults and children
Continue moving towards a net zero, resilient Reading and Council by 2030.
Y
Promote a sustainable and healthy environment and reduce Reading’s carbon footprint
Continue to support delivery of quality cultural and leisure services and facilitate exciting improvements to our cultural offer through grant-funded projects.
Y
Secure Reading’s economic and cultural success
Ensure safe and statutory compliant buildings to support the provision of all RBC services operations.
N
Ensure Reading Borough Council is fit for the future.
Adopt afabric first approach that supports efficient thermal insulation, heating, lighting and control systems when designing, refurbishing and maintaining buildings.
N
Ensure Reading Borough Council is fit for the future.
Provide sufficient pupil places in schools
N
Safeguard and support the health and wellbeing of Reading’s adults and children
Maintain school buildings to provide a safe educational environment
N
Safeguard and support the health and wellbeing of Reading’s adults and children
Lead on Priority Gold and Silver projects towards developing a portfolio of children’s homes and SEND provision within the Borough.
Y
Safeguard and support the health and wellbeing of Reading’s adults and children
D. Projects
Property Services
Project name
What will this deliver and what will the benefits be?
Start date (month-year)
End date (month-year)
Budget
What resources is this project dependent on? (e.g. finance, legal, IT)
Relevant Council/Service Plan objective (from table above)
Council Plan project? (Y/N)
Data provider
Town Hall & Museum Roof and external fabric Conservation Improvement Works
Roof improvement works to seal building fabric and reduce water ingress to museum and other areas affecting the level of services an internal environment of the venue
July 2024
March 2027
£1.5m
Finance Legal Procurement
Promote a sustainable and healthy environment and reduce Reading’s carbon footprint
N
Yvonne Mubanga
Education Assets Mechanical & Electrical capital projects
Buildings fitted with LED lighting, Thermostatic Radiator Valves (TRVs) and Building Management Systems (BMS) and updated fire alarms where appropriate.
March 25
March 26
TBC
Finance Legal Procurement
Promote a sustainable and healthy environment and reduce Reading’s carbon footprint
N
Yvonne Mubanga
The Hexagon Theatre Fabric, Structural and M&E works
Medium to long term Asset Management considerations, following completion of RAAC surveys, to ensure the continued safe use of the theatre alongside the new extension, once completed.
TBC
March 2028
TBC
Finance Legal Procurement
Promote a sustainable and healthy environment and reduce Reading’s carbon footprint
N
Yvonne Mubanga
Henley Rd Cemetery
Design, expansion, and refurbishment of facilities at Henley Road Cemetery as well as installation of new cremator
TBC
tbc
£1 million
Finance Legal Procurement Customer
Ensure Reading Borough Council is fit for the future.
N
Yvonne Mubanga
Palmer Park Library Roof
Whole roof replacement to enable full use of public library and access to books, currently limited to avoid leaks damage
March 2026
March 2027
£400,000
Legal, Finance
Ensure Reading Borough Council is fit for the future.
N
Yvonne Mubanga
Assets
Project name
What will this deliver and what will the benefits be?
Start date (month-year)
End date (month-year)
Budget
What resources is this project dependent on? (e.g. finance, legal, IT)
Relevant Council/Service Plan objective (from table above)
Council Plan project? (Y/N)
Data provider
Disposal Package (Gold Project)
Arrange Disposal of current list of 9 sites
October 2024
Dec 2025
N/A
Legal Finance
Promote a sustainable and healthy environment and reduce Reading’s carbon footprint.
Y
Dee Maddox-Hinton
Broad Steet Mall Car Park – Disposal (Gold Project)
Capital receipt and facilitate regeneration of Broad Street Mall car park
Jan 2024
June 2025
Consultant fees total circa £50-60k
Legal Parking Services Finance
Ensure Reading Borough Council is fit for the future.
Y
Dee Maddox-Hinton
Implement the outcomes from the Strategic Assets Strategy and Action Plan.
April 24
Ongoing
N/A
All services
Ensure Reading Borough Council is fit for the future.
Ensure Reading Borough Council is fit for the future.
N
Dee Maddox-Hinton
Homes for Reading transfer (Gold project)
Progress transfer of assets back to RBC
November 24
2026/27
N/A
Legal
Develop fairer communities and affordable housing
N
Dee Maddox-Hinton
2023 Business Rates appeal (Gold project
Challenge Rating assessments
Q1 2025
2028/9
TBC
Finance Commercial agents
Ensure Reading Borough Council is fit for the future.
N
Dee Maddox-Hinton
Island Road (Gold Project)
Complete contracts to secure future capital receipts.
April 2024
March 2027
N/A
Legal Finance Commercial agents.
Ensure Reading Borough Council is fit for the future.
N
Dee Maddox-Hinton
Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard Regulations (MEES) implementation – Net Zero
Work towards minimum EPC C rating for commercial properties by 2027, before an ultimate target of minimum EPC B ratings by 2030. Aim higher than ‘C’ – ‘B’, ‘A’ for most properties.
Q3 2025
2030
TBC
Legal Procurement
Promote a sustainable and healthy environment and reduce Reading’s carbon footprint
N
Dee Maddox-Hinton
Facilities Management
Project name
What will this deliver and what will the benefits be?
Start date (month-year)
End date (month-year)
Budget
What resources is this project dependent on? (e.g. finance, legal, IT)
Relevant Council/Service Plan objective (from table above)
Council Plan project? (Y/N)
Data provider
Deliver a new Civic Centre, including a new Central Library and improved Registrars and Customer provision.
A new fit for purpose Reading Library that better meets customer needs.
Continue to deliver quality cultural and leisure services and facilitate exciting improvements to our cultural offer through grant-funded projects.
Y
Charan Dhillon
Education Property Development
Project name
What will this deliver and what will the benefits be?
Start date (month-year)
End date (month-year)
Budget
What resources is this project dependent on? (e.g. finance, legal, IT)
Relevant Council/Service Plan objective (from table above)
Council Plan project? (Y/N)
Data provider
Deliver new SEN pupil places through refurbishment of existing schools
High needs block savings. Local places for SEN pupils. Use of spare capacity in existing school buildings
Oct 2024
2026/27
TBD
Legal Finance Procurement Valuations Planning
Safeguard and support the health and wellbeing of Reading’s adults and children
Y
Linda Church
SEN Additional Resourced provisions
High needs block savings. Local places for SEN pupils. Use of spare capacity in existing school buildings
April 2025
March 2026
TBD
Legal Finance Procurement Valuations Planning
Safeguard and support the health and wellbeing of Reading’s adults and children
Y
Linda Church
Park Lane Primary School
Improved School buildings
On site
July 2025
£3.2m
Legal Services. Finance Service. Procurement. IT Planning Transport Climate
Safeguard and support the health and wellbeing of Reading’s adults and children
N
Linda Church
School Fabric Condition Programme Delivery Mechanical and Electrical programme across school Estate Delivery. Adopting a Fabric first approach to support Climate Strategy
Delivery of 3-year programme of major capital works across the RBC School estate
Ongoing
March 2026
£1.2m
Legal Services. Finance Service. Procurement. IT Planning Transport Climate
Promote a sustainable and healthy environment and reduce Reading’s carbon footprint
N
Linda Church
Delivery of Education Capital Programme
Delivery of Education Capital programme
Ongoing
March 2026
£4.2m
Legal Services. Finance Service. Procurement. IT Planning Transport Climate
Safeguard and support the health and wellbeing of Reading’s adults and children
N
Linda Church
Annex: Council Plan priorities and objectives
Vision:Our Vision is to help Reading realise its potential and to ensure that everyone who lives and works here can share the benefits of its success.
Priority 1: Promote affordable housing and more equal communities
Tackle economic inequality by taking a place-based approach to how we deliver all our services, and enhance access to education, skills, and training opportunities.
Deliver new energy efficient council homes and improve tenant satisfaction with social housing.
Prevent the escalation of children’s needs through developing Family Hubs.
Promote best practice across Reading’s schools, helping to improve educational attainment and narrow the gap for disadvantaged and vulnerable children.
Prevent and reduce health inequalities within the population of Reading and improve and protect the health and wellbeing of all its communities.
Through the community safety partnership, focus on reducing community-based drug activity, knife violence, violence against women and girls and youth reoffending.
Work with partners to prevent homelessness, provide value for money accommodation for those that are homeless, and move people onto settled accommodation as quickly as possible.
Priority 2: Secure Reading’s economic and cultural success
Enable the delivery of over 800 high-quality new homes a year in Reading, along with the infrastructure to support new development.
Promote the economic success of Reading by working with councils across Berkshire and the wider Thames Valley.
Maximise the benefits available for Reading from opportunities arising from the English Devolution White Paper.
Continue to deliver quality cultural and leisure services and facilitate exciting improvements to our cultural offer through grant-funded projects.
Priority 3: Promote a sustainable and healthy environment and reduce Reading’s carbon footprint
Make use of central government funding to deliver improvements to public transport, cycling and walking infrastructure in Reading.
Keep Reading moving by delivering investment in highways, including roads, bridges, streetlighting and traffic signals.
Continue moving towards a net zero, resilient Reading and council by 2030.
Further improve the physical environment of Reading by improving air quality, access to green space, and the quality of public spaces.
Deliver major changes to our waste and recycling service to ensure compliance with new legislation.
Priority 4: Safeguard and support the health and wellbeing of Reading’s adults and children
Reduce the number of children in care and the number of children in residential care.
Improve our local Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) offer and support education settings to develop inclusive practice, so children receive high quality education locally, and achieve their potential.
Support those who need social care services to live as independently as possible in a place they call home with improved wellbeing.
Improve our offer for unpaid Carers, ensuring they are supported to live well and can sustain their caring role.
Work with our partners in health and the voluntary sector to provide support solutions for those with complex health and social care needs to improve outcomes.
Priority 5: Ensure Reading Borough Council is fit for the future
Deliver good, accessible services for our customers.
Invest in technology that is secure and helps deliver effective services.
Use procurement of goods and services to secure greater social value and spend locally.
Bring Brighter Futures for Children (Children’s Services) back to the council.
Be a fair employer with an attractive and competitive offer and a workforce that is representative of the local community.
Last updated on 19/11/2025
Property and asset management service plan 2025-28
