Support services - Estates policy (U01)

1.1 This policy has been updated as follows:

• the review period has been changed from two years to three years
• the policy has been amended throughout to clarify two separate heads of Estate Services for each force
• details regarding new procedure/SOP U 1010 relating to disposals is given within section 3
• the protected characteristics within the EIA section have been updated

2.1 This policy will explain the purpose of the procedures/standard operating procedures (SOPs) which sit under it. They cover all the main aspects of property issues affecting Essex Police and Kent Police and are divided in to seven procedures (Essex)/eight standard operating procedures (SOPs) (Kent).

2.2 The lead department in many cases is the Estate Services Department under the respective head of estate services. However, in a number of cases other departments, in particular Business Services under the Head of Business Services, are responsible.

Compliance with this policy and any linked procedures is mandatory.

3.1 The management of the Essex Police and Kent Police Estates cover different aspects. The areas are described below together with what the procedure (Essex) and SOP (Kent) will cover:

• procedure/standard operating procedure 1 - estate management
  This Procedure/SOP covers the strategic management of the Essex Police and Kent Police estates encompassing the full range of professional property work together with space use and type databases, benchmarking and estate strategy and is overwhelmingly managed by the Estate Services departments
• procedure/standard operating procedure 2 - facilities management
  This procedure/SOP covers a wide range of day to day property related issues, many of which fall under the direct control of the Estate Services departments or, although dealt with by another department such as Business Services, are property driven
• procedure/standard operating procedure 3 - building works
  This procedure/SOP covers repairs and maintenance to the Essex Police and Kent Police Estates along with alterations and new builds. It also encompasses major plant and machinery refurbishment, replacement and installation and is overwhelmingly managed by the Estate Services departments
• procedure/standard operating procedure 4 - police housing
  This procedure/SOP covers the use of the police housing stock that remains occupied and is overwhelmingly managed by the Estate Services department
• procedure/standard operating procedure 5 - asbestos
  This procedure/SOP will be withdrawn in the near future and replaced by a new free-standing policy and procedure/SOP
• procedure/standard operating procedure 6 - Legionella
  This procedure/SOP will be withdrawn in the near future and replaced by a new free-standing policy and procedure/SOP
• procedure/standard operating procedure 7 - key management
  This procedure/SOP sets out procedures in relation to the key management, ensuring that there is a comprehensive record of keys for all of the buildings under the forces’ control and that there are always at least two key holders available to attend a property at any one time
• procedure/standard operating procedure 8 - quiet rooms
  This procedure/SOP sets out procedures in relation to the quiet rooms that identify quiet and private places, which can be used by staff for varying purposes including private contemplation, observations of faith and for use at times of bereavement or other crisis

4.1. Finance/staffing/training/other
4.1.1.  This policy requires additional resources for full implementation.

4.2. Risk assessments
4.2.1 There is no risk with this policy. Each associated procedure/SOP will identity their own risks.

4.3. Equality Impact Assessment (EIA)
4.3.1 An EIA has been carried out and shows the proposals in this policy would have no potential or actual differential impact on grounds of race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, transgender, disability, age, religion or belief or sexual orientation.