Table of Contents
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1. Introduction and Overview
Introduction - BRC's Asset Management Plans are based on the minimum requirements for Asset Management Plans in Queensland as detailed in the Asset Management Advancement Program.
1.1 Scope
Scope - This plan covers all of the assets in the Buildings Asset Class, i.e., all of the assets contained within the "Buildings", "Ponds" & "Other Structures" Categories in Council's Asset Management System.
Examples include:
- Buildings (Libraries, community centres, public toilets, administration buildings, etc.)
- Communication Towers
- Landfills
- Ponds

Structures not covered by this plan include:
- Water Towers
- Buildings on Council controlled land that are totally funded and administered by third parties.
1.2 Building Hierarchy
Building Hierarchy - BRC breaks buildings into three major categories; community, corporate & commercial:
- Community Buildings
- Halls
- Community Centres
- Information Centres for Tourism
- Libraries
- Museums
- Senior Citizens Centres
- Emergency Facilities
- Public Facilities (toilets)
- Corporate Buildings
- Administration Buildings & Service Centres
- Depot Buildings
- Commercial Buildings
- Caravan Park Buildings
- Learning Centres
- Shops & Commercial Buildings
- Airport Buildings
- Cemetery Buildings
- Aged Care Buildings
- Waste Management Buildings
Ideas for a building asset hierarchy are being collated and shared with other councils here
1.3 Quantitative Data
1.3.1 Buildings
Number of Buildings - Council is responsible for approximately;
- 680 buildings and structures.
1.3.2 Waste Management Facilities
Waste Facilities Inventory Summary - Bundaberg Regional Council currently operates;
1.4 Links to Other Documents
Buildings Related Documents - The following documents have been referred to in developing this plan.
General Documents
- Bundaberg Regional Council Long Term Asset Management Plan (LTAMP)
- Bundaberg Regional Council Asset Management Policy
NOTE: The BRC Asset Management Policy is a Draft version and will be set up to be adopted by Management /Council and incorporated into the LTAMP
Building Specific Documents
- None
1.5 Legislative and Regulatory Requirements
Legislative and Regulatory Requirements - The principal relevant statutes regulating the asset management practices of Councils are:
- Queensland Local Government Act 2009
- Queensland Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995
- Queensland Industrial Relations Act 1999
- Queensland Environmental Protection Act 1994
The Department of Infrastructure and Planning requirements for asset management plans include:
- description of the maintenance program
- timing of program
- maintenance expense per asset class and sub-class
Legislative and Regulatory Requirements For Buildings - Acts & regulations pertaining specifically to buildings include;
2. Service Levels
A Customer Satisfaction Survey is conducted annually to gauge community expectations. The results of these surveys are taken into account when setting service levels.
2.1 Strategic/Community Service Levels
Strategic/Community Service Levels for Buildings - The Strategic Community Service Levels listed below are draft only, they have yet to be approved by Council.
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2.2 Technical/Maintenance Service Levels
Maintenance Service Levels for Buildings - At this point in time we are still brain storming possible failure modes and service level measures. The intervention levels & response times mentioned below are for discussion purposed only they have not been adopted. (In some cases the response times are intentionally lengthy)
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3. Future Demand
3.1 Future requirements associated with corporate plans or operational plans
Future Requirements for Buildings - No future requirements associated with the corporate plan or the operational plan have been identified.
3.2 Known or possible areas for expansion
Expansion - There are several factors that may affect the demand for and on Council assets.
3.2.1 New Subdivisions
New Subdivisions - Council is gifted infrastructure on a regular basis, with a significant number of new subdivisions coming off maintenance each year.
3.2.2 Population Growth
Population Growth - According to the OESR Queensland Regional Database & Google Public Data Explorer Bundaberg Regional Council's estimated population has increased from 78,943 in 2001 to 95,132 in 2009.
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3.2.3 Changes in Land Use
Changes in Land Use - Bundaberg Regional Council has yet to finalise a consolidated Planning Scheme for the amalgamated Council. If any changes in land use affecting future demand are included in the new scheme they will be identified here.
3.2.4 Changes to Government Buildings Policy & Regulations
No changes to government policy or regulations have been identified in this plan.
3.3 Asset classes and potential acquisition dates
New Asset Classes - It is not anticipated that any new asset classes will be acquired within the time frame of this plan.
3.4 Cost estimates
Cost to Buildings of Future Demand - The costs of changes in the future demand on building assets have yet to be calculated.
3.5 Impact of future demand on service levels, asset lifecycle and financial considerations
The impact of future demand on service levels, asset lifecycle and financial considerations has yet to be ascertained.
3.6 Technological Change Forecast
Technological Change Forecast - The past few centuries have seen enormous technological advances, and in computing, nanotechnology & biological science the current rate of advancement is exponential. (e.g. Moore's Law.) If this trend continues the impact on Local Government is potentially enormous, and obsolescence could become the main factor in determining the useful lives of many asset classes.
There are a number of key areas in which this rapid technological advancement could affect the way assets are constructed and maintained.
3.6.1 Energy
Energy - The availability or lack of availability of relatively cheap energy will have a huge impact on the cost of and need for infrastructure assets into the future.
Oil reserves are a finite resource, and transport systems will almost certainly become more and more dependent on synthetic fuels, bio-fuels and/or electrical power in the medium to long term.
If the cost of transport increases the cost of constructing infrastructure assets is likely to increase commensurately.
On the other hand, there are a couple of possible reasons that energy might actually become cheaper in the medium term which would drive construction costs down.
The amount of solar power being generated is increasing exponentially, and there are number of reasons to suspect the efficiency of solar power generation will improve markedly in the short to medium term.
Commercial fusion power is not expected to be available until at least 2040, but its impact if and when it does become a reality could be enormous, given that there is enough heavy hydrogen in the oceans to satisfy mankind's energy needs for millions of years.
3.6.2 New Materials & Construction Techniques
New Materials & Construction Techniques - It is possible that Automated Construction Techniques like D-Shape & Contour Crafting will have a significant impact on the construction of civil assets in the not-to-distant future. Given the long lives of some civil assets it is feasible that by the time they are due to be replaced automated construction techniques will enable them to be replaced for considerably less than their current replacement cost.
High tech materials like carbon nanotubes could result in decreased construction costs.
3.6.3 Increased Collaboration & Knowledge Sharing
Collaboration & Knowledge Sharing - Increased collaboration & knowledge sharing via the internet has the potential to reduce overhead costs significantly by reducing the amount of duplication of effort between Councils.
3.6.4 Artificial Intelligence & Expert Systems
Artificial Intelligence & Expert Systems - Some observers believe that human level general artificial intelligence could be a reality as soon as 2030.
4. Lifecycle Management and Financial Considerations
4.1 Useful Life
Building Useful Life - The useful life of most assets covered by this plan will depend on a range of environmental factors. The estimated useful lives given below which have been extracted from the Assetic Asset Management System are best guess averages.
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4.2 Valuation
4.2.1 Building Valuation
The 2010 Building Valuation figures below were extracted from the June 2010 Financial Reconciliation Report.
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4.2.2 Market Value Building Valuation
The 2010 Market Value Building Valuation figures below were extracted from the June 2010 Financial Reconciliation Report.
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4.2.3 Ponds & Other Structures Valuation
The 2010 Ponds & Other Structures Valuation figures provided below were extracted from the June 2010 Financial Reconciliation Report.
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4.3 Maintenance
4.3.1 Maintenance Activities
4.3.1.1 Exit Light Performance Tests
Exit Light Performance Tests are scheduled with the AMMS. The Exit Light Performance Test program is in response to the regulatory requirement that Council's buildings with exit lighting are inspected and tested to ensure the exit lighting is operational in the event of a power outage. A Scheduled Activity Reports are generated monthly, and the information is sent out to the Contractor who carries out the performance test. All relevant test records are noted against the AMMS component number. Some facilities have records on site of the number and type of exit lights, while Trade Services maintains a list of fittings at other sites. Records of inspections are kept by Trade Services in spreadsheet form.
4.3.1.2 Gas Appliance Inspections
Gas Appliance Inspections are scheduled with the AMMS. The Gas Appliance Inspection Program is in response to the regulatory requirement for owners of gas appliances to inspect them at least annually. The qualified gas fitters from Trade Services are responsible for undertaking the inspections and details of the work is recorded against the components in the AMMS. The component type varies but they are all gas fired and include items such as Gas Barbeques, Hot Water Systems, Ovens, Gas Burners, Boilers and Clothes Dryers. The maintenance cycle is generally every 26 weeks, but the components that are battery powered require checking on a 13 week cycle.
4.3.1.3 Hazard Risk Inspection Program
The Hazard Risk Inspection Program is a notice for the Trade Services Administration section to prepare the inspection sheets as a notice is to follow from the Workplace Health and Safety office. The notices are for the Trade Services Work areas.
4.3.1.4 Saftey Switch Push Button Tests
Safety Switch Push Button Tests are scheduled through the AMMS as per the frequencies specified in the Queensland Electrical Safety Act 2002 and the Queensland Electrical Safety Regulation 2002.
4.3.1.5 Electrical Condition Inspections
Electrical Condition Inspections are carried out annually or more frequently in accordance with the cycle documented in the AMMS. The Electrical Condition Inspection of Switchboards containing Safety Switches will include a performance test of the Safety Switch. This is to be managed by the work instruction for this activity.
Depending on the asset, various checks are undertaken.
The following documents detail these checks:
4.3.1.6 Passive Asset Condition Inspection Program
The Passive Asset Condition Inspection Program schedules a formal inspection and report of the condition and any required budget works for Water and Wastewater buildings at facilities. Trade Services print the AMMS notice and attach an inspection sheet before passing this to Water and Wastewater Section. Water and Wastewater section arrange for the relevant pump attendants to undertake the inspections as part of their daily work. It is envisaged this program would be managed by Water and Wastewater totally once the AMMS programs function is made available to multiple sections.
4.3.1.7 Painting
Painting is the process of applying a coat of paint to a building or structure. [1]
Painting of Council Buildings for the most part is programmed on a fairly ad-hoc basis.
Venues & Facilities are currently unable to schedule proactive inspections to assess the condition of painted surfaces due to resourcing issues. Inspections are carried out on an ad hoc basis if requested, but typically requests are received only after the condition of the paint work has deteriorated badly. The section has indicated that they would prefer to change over to a "time basis when a new building is handed over or if an existing building is repainted, then life expectancy timeframes would need to be set to determine when inspections should commence and then the ongoing condition monitored so that we intervene before it gets really bad."
The Environmental Services Section does schedule some painting, notably the decks at the riverside centre and the bargara streetscape, and timber CBD seats. The majority of painting is done on an ad hoc basis as it is identified. The section indicated that they would like to schedule all painting, and have suggested cycles of every 7 years for structures, and every 2 or 3 years for picnic tables.
4.3.1.8 Termite Treatment
Termite Treatments - Termite infestations should be treated within three months of the infestation being noticed.
4.3.1.9 Roof Repairs
Minor Roof Repairs - Minor works to mitigate the effects of leaks in roofs the vicinity of electrical equipment, or within a Service Centre or a Community Facility should be undertaken ASAP, but due to the nature of some leaks it may not be possible to fix them completely, until the problem is researched, and money is allocated in a budget.
4.3.1.10 Window Repairs
Window Repairs - Smashed windows should be boarded up within 24 hours. Broken glass that could endanger the public should be removed asap.
Cracked windows and boarded up windows should be replaced within 2-4 weeks.
4.3.1.11 Air-Conditioner Repairs
Air Conditioner Repairs - The time taken to repair an air-conditioner is usually around 2-3 days depending on;
- available finance
- parts availability, and
- contractor work load
A reasonable KPI may therefore be :- 90% of air conditioner break downs to be fixed within 5 working days.
All air-conditioner maintenance is currently carried out under a maintenance contract which covers programmed maintenance and breakdown repairs. This contract is soon to be reviewed to incorporate the amalgamated areas.
4.3.1.12 Lift Repairs
Lift Repairs - BRC has very few buildings with lifts. Obviously if any defects are identified they should be made safe ASAP. Major repairs may need to be referred to the following years capital works program.
If passengers are trapped within the lift emergency services should be notified immediately.
Each lift is subject to individual maintenance arrangements as per the suppliers recommendations and carried out by the suppliers preferred service providers.
4.3.1.13 Corrosion Treatments
Corrosion Treatments - Corrosion on structural supports should be assessed immediately & if repairs are required they should also be carried out ASAP.
Corrosion of non-structural elements should be assessed within 3 months. The repair time frame will vary depending on what is corroded and how poor a condition it is in.
4.3.1.14 Building Vandalism Repairs
Building Vandalism Repairs are any repairs carried out to a building or structure as a result of damage caused by vandals.
Examples of Building Vandalism Repairs, include;
All reports of vandalism should be investigated and assessed within one week.
The repair time frame depends on nature of property damage.
4.3.1.15 Building Ground Maintenance
Building Ground Maintenance - Grounds need to be kept in a clean and tidy appearance and maintenance should be carried out within 1 month in summer and within 3 months in winter depending on weather conditions.
4.3.1.16 Emergency Lighting Repairs
Faulty emergency lighting should be replaced or repaired urgently. (Within 24 hours ?)
4.3.1.17 Cold Room Repairs
Cold Room Repairs - Faulty cold rooms located within a commercial facility such as a kiosk or restaurant, should be repaired urgently (Within 24 hours?)
If they are located in a hire facility they should be repaired within 1 month due to hiring requirements.
4.3.2 Maintenance Expenditure
Building Maintenance Expenditure is detailed in the table below.
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4.3.3 Maintenance Practices
BRC's Building Maintenance Practices have been evolving slowly since the Regional Council was created in March 2008.
In theory there is a client-provider split in the responsibilities for building maintenance, but in practice there are still a number of grey areas.
The client side managers (Venues & Facilities, Community Care, Library Services, etc) are responsible for maintenance budgets. The Venues and Facilities section has one carpenter, who carries out some minor maintenance work, but in most cases the provider side managers (Trade Services & Building Projects) are responsible for scheduling and carrying out or contracting out any major maintenance works.
A lot of maintenance work is carried out by internal staff, but some maintenance is carried out by contractors, including all work on air-conditioners, and electrical work in the Childers and Gin Gin areas.
Maintenance inspections of Water & Wastewater buildings are scheduled using the AMMS. Water & Wastewater staff carry out the inspections, and enter the results back into the AMMS. The results of these inspections are used to identify maintenance work. Any works that are identified are passed onto either the Trade Services or Building Services section for action.
In the case of Administration buildings, and maintenance issues are reported directly to the Venues & Facilities section.
In the case of halls and other buildings used mainly by non-council staff, the need for maintenance is usually identified as a result of a follow up inspection in response to a user logging a complaint or service request through a Customer Service Officer and via the CRM. In the case of some Community Care Buildings complaints and service requests are channeled through a liaison officer.
The Trade Services Section schedules all of its programmed maintenance using the AMMS.
4.4 Building Renewal & Replacement
Building Renewal & Replacement - Council's Renewal-Replacement-Plan is loosely based the estimated RULs of individual assets in Council's Asset Register. The RULs are calculated using condition information, and the valuation pattern associated with that asset.
4.4.1 Building Condition Scoring System
Building Condition Scoring System - BRC currently uses the following 11 point condition scoring system when assessing buildings.
0H - Brand Spanking New
0M - New
1H - Very Good
1M - Very Good
2H - Acceptable
2M - Acceptable
3H - Acceptable, but with some issues
3M - Acceptable, but with some issues
4H - Barely Acceptable - should be in a programmed for works that will extend its life.
4M - Barely Acceptable - should be in a programmed for works that will extend its life.
5 - Unacceptable
Typically buildings with a component condition scores of 4H or lower will be considered for inclusion in a renewal program.
4.4.2 Condition Distribution
Building Condition Distribution - The graphs below are based on Building Condition Distribution Data extracted from Council's Asset Management System on 26 August 2010







4.4.3 Renewal Expenditure
Building Renewal Expenditure - The table below shows the amounts set aside for building renewal in Council's Ten Year Capital Funding Statement.
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More work needs to be done matching these figures to specific projects, but a number of first cut renewal programs are under development.
4.4.4 Gap Analysis
Building Renewal Gap Analysis - In the absence of more detailed analysis, given that the annual depreciation on buildings is $1,151,769.53, and the building condition profiles show most of the building stock to be in quite reasonable condition, the proposed renewal expenditure above seems to be sufficient to keep the building stock in serviceable condition.
4.4.5 Building Renewal Options
4.4.5.1 Re-stumping
Re-stumping is a renewal activity sometimes applied to buildings with elevated floors. It involves temporarily lifting & supporting the building, and replacing the existing stumps with new timber, concrete or steel stumps.
BRC's building stock includes a number of buildings that have been constructed on stumps, and may require re-stumping at some time in their lives.
Re-stumping is currently carried out on an ad-hoc basis.
4.5 Building Construction & Acquisition
Building Construction & Acquisition - The table below shows the amounts set aside for building upgrades and the construction of new buildings in Council's Ten Year Capital Funding Statement.
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4.6 Building Disposals
Building Disposals - At this point in time no building disposals are planned for the next 10 years.
4.7 Risk Management
Risk Management - Council recognises 4 levels of risk, low, medium, high and extreme. These risk associated with a given hazard is calculated in accordance with Council's Risk Management Policy using the following risk matrix.

All identified risks are recorded in Council's Risk Management System. The system contains a hazard register and a rectification action plan.
Council typically adopts one or more of the following risk handling options when risks are identified.
- accepting risk;
- reducing likelihood of event;
- reducing the consequences of event;
- transferring the risk;
- sharing the risk;
Risks
Hosting the plan online and backing it up locally should ensure that the plan content is safe even in the case of a server failure.
Internet outages can restrict access to the live version of the plan from time to time, but the data itself should be very safe.
Backups of the plan are made regularly and stored in the directory: S:\Support Services\Assets\Asset Management Plans.
5. Asset Management Practices
5.1 Asset Management Systems
Asset Management Systems - Bundaberg Regional Council uses a the following software systems & databases to manage various asset management related tasks.
5.2 Standards & Guidelines
Standards & Guidelines - BRC has referred to a wide range of standards and guidelines in developing its asset management practices, including those listed below;
- AAS 5 - Materiality
- AAS 27 - Financial Reports by Local Governments
- AASB 116 - Property, Plant & Equipment
- AASB 1015 - Acquisitions of Assets
- AASB 1021 - Depreciation
- AASB 1041 - Revaluation of Non-Current Assets
- Asset Management Advancement Program
- International Infrastructure Management Manual
- Queensland Local Government Act 2009
6. Improvement and Monitoring
6.1 Known data quality issues
Building Data Quality Issues - The building data in the asset management system is on the whole thought to be reasonably accurate, but there are a number of minor quality issues.
- There are ome assets in the "other structures" table that should perhaps be transferred to the "buildings table".
- At least one building (the Elliott Heads Kiosk) that was being purchased at the time of the Council amalgamations "slipped through the cracks" and was omitted from the asset register.
6.2 Building Data Quality Improvement Plan
Building Data Quality Improvement Plan - The following data improvement measures are planned:
- Audit the "buildings" & "other structures" tables during the 2010-2011 financial year and transfer any incorrectly located assets into the correct table.
- Publishing as much existing data about building infrastructure both here and on the internal Wiki, and encouraging the readers and users of the AMP/wiki to advise the Assets Section of any errors or inconsistencies.
6.3 Estimate of Reliability
Estimate of Reliability - The majority of the figures used in BRC's Asset Management Plans are generated from Council's Assetic Asset Management System. The Assetic database was compiled from numerous databases and spreadsheets used by the former Councils of Bundaberg, Burnett, Isis & Kolan. The quality of the data available varied from Council to Council and asset class to asset class, and in some cases has been further degraded as a result of the aggregation process.
Council is in the early stages of developing and implementing long term management systems and as such expects the Long Term Asset Management Plan, incorporating this Asset Management Plan and associated expenditure programs, to change significantly over the next five years as these systems mature and better information becomes available.
It should be noted that Council has made significant advances in the reliability of the base data (quantity, location, condition and value) since amalgamation.
6.4 Buildings & Structures Improvement Suggestions
Buildings & Structures Improvement Suggestions - Below are is a list of suggested improvements to this plan and to the management of buildings & structures in general.
- Need to review the average annual renewal cost for toilet blocks. (Environmental Services)
- Need to review the decision to classify playground equipment with a value of less than $10,000 as non-financial assets. (Environmental Services)
- Link from Asset Management System to a full property details including; trust land & purpose, Freehold, RP No, Lot No, etc. (Venues & Facilities)
- Link from Asset Management System to user details, current leases, permits, and agreements. (Venues & Facilities)
- Inclusion of information in the Asset Management System about who occupies or operates the facility and which Council Department is responsible for it. (Venues & Facilities)
- Links from the Asset Management System to aerial maps of the where the facility is and the boundary of the property it sits on. (Venues & Facilities)
7. References
General References - The following references have been used in preparing this and other Asset Management Plans
8. Feedback
Feedback from ratepayers and any other interested parties about any aspect of this plan is more than welcome. If you have any comments about this page, please feel free to leave them below.
Wayne
Hope you do not mind my commenting on this AMP.
You invited me in on OzLoop. Nice to have a broader community involvement.
My comments come from my extensive experience in developing AMPs at WSC.
1 Very good job here. Might look to do this at WSC (currently all AMP on internal intranet)
2 Just a quick analysis of this plan;
Can I suggest you need to look at your annual depreciation amount ($1,151,769.53 - what accuracy!!)
It does not look right to me. It is the first thing I work out in an AMP and calculating Average Annual Asset Consumption (AAAC)
AAAC (= depreciation) = CRC value/Economic Life (all components then add) = approx $3.2M (my rough calc)
I then calculate Sustainability Index (not gap) as SI = (Maintenance expend + Renewal Expend)/(Maint + AAAC)
Basically compares (and smooths) the comparison of renewal to your depreciation and tells you how you are trucking.
Your SI = 0.78 (which is super - compared to alot of other Councils I have studied).
Well done to BRC. This way of looking at AMP performance provides a high level KPI that can be measured annually to monitor progress or regress.
Here endeth Lesson # 1
Regards
Darron (the phantom community member)
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