Case study 8.3

Palmerston North City Council – A co-ordinated approach to improvement, with commitment from the top, gives asset managers the support they need

All of Palmerston North City Council's asset management plans have an improvement plan aimed at progressing practice specific to the particular asset group. However, where possible, improvement projects are run across all activities to ensure consistency and a similar level of advancement across the board. The improvement plans include specific projects and identify typical project details such as time, person-hours, and financial resources. The Council has a dedicated Special Projects Manager who is available to oversee implementation of these projects. The Council has arranged the skills and resources it has available to ensure that the improvement plans remain realistic. Furthermore, interest and commitment from senior management and councillors help ensure that improvement actions will occur.

The Council has a particular focus on:

• developing the scope and reliability of its asset information as a key plank underpinning its planning; and
• predictive modelling.

As a result of this focus on improvement, Palmerston North City Council has made significant progress.