13th Annual Local Government Asset Management Conference

About

Mark your calendar for the 13th Annual Local Government Asset Management Conference. This two-day event features 7 case studies and plenty of interactive sessions, and will highlight important matters in asset management such as regulatory changes, LTCCPs, privatisation, and the RMA.


Exciting new additions to the 2010 event include:
• Keynote Ministerial Address from: Hon Rodney Hide, Minister of Local Government
• Roundtables, panel discussions and Q&A’s; allowing greater networking opportunities and the chance to learn from both experts and peers.


Informative and interesting case studies will be presented by:
North Shore City Council • Auckland City Council • Rotorua District Council • Tasman District Council • Waitakere District Council • Dunedin City Council • Nelson City Council


To facilitate and expand industry knowledge it’s essential to draw together a range of asset management stakeholders so that important discussions and debate can occur. This is the event just for that. This conference provides you with the opportunity to hear from others in asset management and expand your network. Attend this conference and gain new knowledge that can be taken back and applied to your own asset management activities.

Agenda

Agenda: Day 1

8.30

Registration and Coffee

9.00

Opening remarks from the Chair

David Jeffrey, Principal Infrastructure Strategy Consultant, GHD

The Implications of Change on the Asset Manager Role

9.10

Keynote Ministerial Address: Exploring the amendments to the Local Government Act and the transition towards a Super City in Auckland (Ministerial Address)

Hon Rodney Hide, Minister of Local Government, Minister for Regulatory Reform and Associate Minister of Commerce

9.30

Q&A Session

Exploring the amendments to the Local Government Act and the transition towards a Super City in Auckland.
A chance to put your questions to Hon Rodney Hide, Minister of Local Government

9.40

The Super City and its implications for local government asset management


As Auckland edges closer to the Super City those within asset management face real uncertainty. This session will discuss some of the challenges of combining asset management systems and asset ownership structures. It will also consider the options that may be available for ownership and management and ways in which the issues can be addressed.

Ian Reid, Principal, Urban Economics Strategies

10.25

Morning tea

10.45

The impacts of the RMA and its multitude of modifications

Changes to the RMA invariably affect most who work within asset management. How are local government authorities affected by these changes and how will the RMA landscape look in the future?
• Why we needed change?
• How well has Phase I been enacted into practice?
• The progress made since Phase II was introduced and the progress of the RMA Technical Advisory Group
• Has the Simplifying & Streamlining Bill actually made working under the RMA more cost effective and assisted in economic recovery as it was proposed to do?
• The EPA: If infrastructure decisions are centralised, what does that mean for asset managers at a local or regional level?
• LTCCPs: what are the implications of the 10 year full plan reviews no longer being required for councils?
Andrew Braggins, Senior Associate, Buddle Findlay
Patrick Mulligan, Partner, Buddle Findlay
The future of our water assets

11.35

Panel Discussion: The implications of privatisation of local government assets in New Zealand (Panel)

Privatisation is a contentious issue due to amendments in the Local Government Act 2002. Water will be the first area of local government which will move towards privatisation but what about the rest of local government controlled functions? What will the impacts be on asset management if more functions become commercialised in the future?
Dr Laura McElhone, Asset Planning Manager 3 Waters, Dunedin City Council
Grant Hewison, Senior Associate, Kensington Swan
Ian Reid, Principal, Urban Economics Strategies

12.20

Lunch

1.10

Case Study: Implementing a sustainable water infrastructure in Dunedin (Case Study)

The 3 Waters Strategy is a 50 year strategy relating to the sustainable management of water, wastewater and stormwater in Dunedin. This case study will look at the process involved in developing the Strategy, the integrated approach taken and the collaboration between the City and Regional Councils. It will also look at what the implications may be on the Strategy if the provision of water services becomes more ‘flexible’.

Dr Laura McElhone, Asset Planning Manager 3 Waters, Dunedin City Council

Pressing issues facing Asset Managers in 2010

1.50

Consideration of changes to Local Government Act and future of AM Systems

Two topics will be discussed. The Local Government Act 2002 was a radical and successful step forward in Local Government administration. Now however political agendas are seeking changes – will these have an effect on asset management planning? Asset Management systems and corporate management systems – do they lie in the same space? Should they be integrated?
• Brief overview of some of the changes in the LGA
• Consideration of the challenges facing achieving meaningful benchmarking
• Case study: benchmarking in the Water industry
• Where do Asset Management systems lie in relation to Corporate Management Systems?
• Is there a case for systems integration?
Chris Jenkins, Director, SPM

2.35

Afternoon tea

2.55

Case Study: Asset management in a shared services environment – adding value and improving efficiency (Case Study)

Shared services are a collaborative way of providing better information without the need for duplication; reducing costs wherever possible. Councils which are located in close proximity to one another allow certain staff and projects to be shared between several organisations. This case study will examine which areas the council has collaborated on successfully and how the asset management plans have been affected.
• What services were shared?
• How the collaborative framework was developed?
• The need to be accountable for budgets
• Focus on strategic direction of infrastructure and service delivery
Michael Schruer, General Manager, Nelson Regional Sewerage Business Unit

3.45

Roundtables: Prominent issues in asset management

Break out into smaller groups to discuss the issues that interest you and are most applicable to your role. With the help of an expert facilitator, you will learn from your peers as you exchange practical ideas.
• Roundtable 1: Asset management issues specific to smaller councils – will they have less control in the future?
– facilitated by Michael Schruer, General Manager, Nelson Regional Sewerage Business Unit
• Roundtable 2: What do the RMA changes mean for asset management? – facilitated by Buddle Findlay
• Roundtable 3: Asset Management planning and service affordability – facilitated by

Nina Sardareva, Asset Management Team Leader – Water, North Shore City Council

4.30

Closing remarks by Chair

4.35

Networking drinks Relax, unwind and network with speakers and colleagues over complimentary drinks.

Agenda: Day 2

9.00

Opening remarks from the Chair

David Jeffrey, Principal Infrastructure Strategy Consultant, GHD

Does best practice Asset Management really exist?

9:05

Case Study: LTCCPs - the 2009-2019 report (Case Study)

This session will look at the approach and accompanying process which Waitakere City Council took when conducting their 2009-2019 LTCCP with a particular focus on the asset managers’ role. There will be a focus on the methodology of putting together the LTCCPs, the challenges involved and the decision making process.
• How Waitakere City Council dealt with the large amount of information relating to the conditions and capacity of, and the future costs and revenues associated with assets.
• Dealing with top down and bottom up politics
• What our asset manager learnt from the last LTCCP Audit
• Lessons learnt
• Challenges in integrating asset management with other functions including policy, strategy and finance
• Key drivers of asset upgrading and development needs
Andrew Crann, Senior Projects and Programme Manager, City Services, Waitakere City Council
Mark Abbot, Deputy Group Manager, Assets, Waitakere City Council.

9.55

When the rubber hits the road – Integrating AMPs and LTCCPs

Asset Management Plans provide critical information for the development of LTCCP, including key financial data but this often results in issues regarding integration of decisions. An effective long-term plan will help to align the decision making processes within Councils along with encouraging community well-being. Effective integration will ensure that the LTCCP paints a coherent and consistent picture about the local authority’s current situation and intentions for the future. Examples of effective asset management integration in LTCCPs will be demonstrated.
Philip Jones, Principal, PJ Associates
Philip recently assisted seven Councils in the development of their 2009 – 2019 LTCCPs. Between 1993 – 2007 Philip was the CFO for Western Bay of Plenty District Council, a key SOLGM Financial Working Party and their financial representative on NAMS.

10.45

Morning tea

Cost control and the impact of the financial landscape on asset management

11.05

Case Study: Optimising lifecycle costs – how to keep asset maintenance costs down whilst driving performance and best practice (Case Study)

North Shore City Council will present a case study about their efforts to keep asset maintenance costs down while operating in an increasingly difficult financial landscape.
• A specific look at water related projects undertaken at North Shore City Council where asset maintenance costs have been lowered / kept down.
• Lessons learnt during the decision making process
• Where to from now as we move out of the recession and into a Super City set up?

Nina Sardareva, Asset Management Team Leader – Water, North Shore City Council

11.50

Case Study: Achieving financial sustainability in AM projects and beyond (Case Study)

There are certainly many benefits to acting in a sustainable manner, both in the environmental and financial sense. This session will take an in depth look at being financially sustainable during these tough economic times where funding and budgets are tight. Auckland City roads networks will be discussed with a particular focus on how decisions were made, issues and challenges which were overcome and the reasoning behind why asset managers can learn a lot from looking at other projects.
Graham Southcombe, Senior Assets Analyst, Transport Assets Group, Auckland City Council
Glen Syred, Infrastructure Strategy Senior Consultant, GHD

12.40

Lunch

1.25

Reviewing a year of doing more with less in local government

There will be continued pressure on Councils to do more with less. What impact will this have on local government asset management and what are the decisions behind these changes.
• What are the impacts of the efficiencies required on those involved in asset management?
• Councils are being encouraged to focus on core services through amendments to the Local Government Act
• What impacts do other legislative changes, such as pre-election reporting requirements, have on asset management?
• What effects are we seeing on local government asset management after a year of “doing more with less”?
• How to manage external contractors when greater efficiency is required?

Grant Hewison, Senior Associate, Kensington Swan

2.10

Afternoon tea

2.25

Case Study: Decision making for capital projects (Case Study)

Rotorua Regional Airport underwent a runway expansion in order to become an international airport and accept trans-Tasman flights to and from Rotorua. The expansion is hoped to make Rotorua a more attractive tourist destination.
• Decision making process involved in establishing the project
• Reasons why the project was given the go ahead from a costing point of view
• Project progression - planning through to completion
• How ongoing maintenance costs will be dealt with?

Clayton Oldham, Asset Manager, Engineering

3.05

Panel Discussion: How accounting, engineering and valuation combine in asset management (Panel)

Our expert panel will discuss the variety of approaches which can be undertaken with regards to examining the same asset. The merits and downfalls of each will be discussed and debated.
• Accounting perspective – when is something considered an asset and how do we determine the life of an asset
• Engineering perspective – at what component level does an asset exist and how do we determine the life and value of an asset
• Valuers perspective – what data is required to value an asset, should valuers take an accounting or engineering focus.
Chris Jenkins, Directos - Asset Management, SPM Consultants
Trevor Walker, Director, Telfer Young
Philip Jones, Principal, PJ Associates

3.45

Closing remarks from the Chair and end of conference

Sponsors/Partners

Interested in sponsorship?

There are some exclusive opportunities to promote your company, and its products and services, at this leading event. Contact the sponsorship team below to request a prospectus or discuss the options, or view more about event sponsorship.