Developing a strategic asset management framework

Abstract

Asset management is one of three core functions of local government today, along with service delivery and governance. Infrastructure asset maintenance is also recognised as the greatest threat to Western Australian local government sustainability and the development of best practice asset management principles and practices is key to an organisation's survival. The city of Joondalup has developed a strategic asset management framework comprising the ‘best of breed’ elements operating in both state and local governments today. A number of key success factors identified prior to its implementation were crucial to the success of this framework. The most important was that Joondalup has separated strategic asset management from the service delivery roles in order to provide a clear accountability and focus rather than centralising asset management among the day-to-day operational matters as many authorities do. This has assisted in ensuring a corporate approach by achieving executive support for the process, followed by the participation of staff right across the organisation. This paper discusses how Joondalup has developed its strategic asset management framework to date, the key success factors that have enabled its progress and the lessons learned so far.