The Hills Shire Council, one of the central local governments of Sydney’s expanding northwest, has been a subscriber of NAMS.PLUS since 2008. Since then, it has been able to manage all of its assets in a proactive and strategic manner.
According to Sarah Barwick, the Principal Asset Management Coordinator at Hills Shire Council, the asset management planning that took place beforehand was reactive and based on incomplete information.
“The council’s strategic asset management framework was not well documented, so decisions were made on a reactive basis, given the lack of data to aid in the decision making process,” she says.
“This is no longer the case. The council’s asset management plans are linked to our long-term financial and strategic plans within an integrated planning framework.”
Barwick says the adoption of NAMS.PLUS was “straightforward” and made even easier by attending the regular workshops held by the IPWEA to cover the essential information.
“It was important for Council to have Asset Management Plans aligned with the International Infrastructure Management Manual (IIMM),” she says. “The process has been straightforward and there has been support along the way from the NAMS.PLUS ‘help desk’.
“The program teaches participants sustainable asset management practices which are industry recognised.
“Using the templates has allowed council to break the process down step by step and tailor the program to suit our needs.
“It has given us tools to improve the quality of our asset data, develop asset management plans and model operating, maintenance and capital renewal expenditure funding.”