Academy trusts visited by government capital cost-cutters to advise on better estates management look set to save £8 million.
But the future of the capital advisers’ programme looks in doubt after an evaluation report stated the current part of the scheme would be its “final phase of delivery”.
Last year, an evaluation of the pilot and first phase found four in five trusts did not have sufficient data on the condition of their buildings.
This was despite the government having conducted a survey of every school between 2017 and 2019, with reports shared with trusts.
However, the evaluation also found 12 trusts reported savings of £600,000 between them.
An evaluation of the second phase of the scheme, involving 64 trusts, found they believe they will make savings of more than £8.2 million over the next two years across energy (£2.5 million), project delivery (£3.6 million) and maintenance (£2.1 million) over the next two years.
Specific examples of potential savings were not included, and it remains to be seen whether the anticipated savings will come to fruition.
Sending in the cost-cutters cost £264,000.
‘Poorly-informed decisions’
Similarly to the pilot and phase one, the evaluation found trusts were “only partially implementing good practice in estates management”. Only around 40 per cent of trusts had fully adopted government guidance.
Eighty-four per cent of trusts involved in part two of the programme said they had “directly experienced detrimental impacts to their estate management operations due to current economic market conditions”.
The report also found that market conditions, “along with limited experience, have led trusts to make some poorly-informed decisions on cutbacks to focus on savings.
“This could potentially result in additional risks across the estate. Trusts were making cutbacks where possible to ease budget pressures and free up funds for other priority areas not relating to estate management.”
These impacts were “also found to cause wider issues for trusts, such as not having sufficient funds to recruit suitable professionals for estate management and difficulty with obtaining competent and qualified contractors”.
Overall, 94 per cent said the advisers’ recommendations would be “beneficial in helping them to more effectively identify and manage their key condition and compliance obligations across their estate”.
“Trusts tell us that these projected savings can be reinvested back into the school system to support a safe and effective teaching and learning environment.”
But the report says that part three of the programme, which will involve re-visits to part one trusts this academic year, will be its “final phase of delivery”.
However, this was only a “research phase”. The government has not said if it will commission the scheme more widely.
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