The monitoring of maintenance expenditure and its subsequent performance has become a key element of many authorities quest for improved value for money.

Benchmarking this important area has always been a problem as there has never been a comprehensive set of indicators available. The current NaPPMI (National Property Performance Management Initiative) indicators which have been endorsed by DSCF and CLG only cover the basic area of stock condition in the category areas ABC and D.

It was against this background that the CBSS (Chief Building Surveyors Society) and the NBVBS (National Best Value Benchmarking Scheme Ltd) decided to work together to produce a comprehensive set of maintenance indicators that would allow authorities to compare themselves against other authorities and then through the CBSS meetings work to improve performance.

The module is endorsed by the NaPPMI Steering Group as providing the additional information required to review maintenance activity correctly.

The elements covered in the new Maintenance Module are:

• Maintenance spend per square metre
• Total required maintenance per square metre
• Current required maintenance per square metrev
• Ratio of spend to required maintenance
• % GIA in condition category C and D expressed as %age of total GIA of the property estate.
• Ratio of planned maintenance to responsive maintenance
• Servicing costs per square metre

The module is completed online and the analysis which is carried out by IPF (Institute of Public Finance) is available in real time. All information is also validated to ensure consistency in the benchmarking process.

Further information on the scheme is available from the web site www.NBVBS.co.uk or from Alan Tyler 01438 718954