This is South Yorkshire Police’s Statement of Agreed Policy on Estates and Facilities Management. This policy relates to localised procedures only and therefore not supported by Authorised Professional Practice (APP).
This policy covers the management, compliance and governance arrangements for all properties that are owned or leased by South Yorkshire Police (SYP), either for the purpose of conducting business or for dwelling. In addition, it also covers the provision of hospitality on police premises and the administrative processes undertaken in support of the operational activities relating to Dangerous Dogs, Recovery and Retention of Motor Vehicles and Boarding Up of Premises.
Management of Police Estate
Premises used for conducting police business will be managed in accordance with the SYP Estates Plan 2021-2026. The plan comprises a policy, strategy and action plan and is CIPFA compliant. The action plan enables delivery of key agreed estates-based priorities and progress is monitored and reported on a monthly and quarterly basis.
Estates and Facilities Management Department (E&FM) are responsible for the SYP estate, including:
- Procurement, acquisition and disposal of property which is fit for purpose and supports operational policing,
- Property leases and licensing,
- Building repair/maintenance/alterations,
- Repairs to heating and ventilation systems, power and utilities,
- Waste management,
- Buildings health and safety and compliance,
- Occupation and space planning,
- Planning, development and implementation of Capital Project works
The associated procedural instructions that support this section are:
- Pi27.2 - Property Management
- Pi27.3 - Accommodation, Equipment and Furniture – Moves and Changes
- Pi27.5 - Sustainability & Waste Management
Managing Contractors
SYP is responsible for the management of all contractors involved in work on sites owned or used by SYP.
SYP has specific duties under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and all subsequent legislation where contracted work is carried out to ensure that all relevant legislation is adhered to. SYP’s Procedural Instruction, Pi27.4 - Managing Contractors, and associated documents sets out the framework to these duties on all parties.
SYP also has a duty where construction or maintenance falls within the scope of the Construction Design and Management Regulations 2015, to submit a notice of the work to be undertaken (form F10) to the Health and Safety Executive who are the enforcing authority and to produce the relevant documentation i.e. pre tender health and safety plans.
SYP believes that the safety of staff, customers and visitors is an issue of fundamental importance and contractors working on sites managed by SYP can create risks. It therefore follows that caring for all personnel and minimising risk is inseparable from all other SYP objectives. To achieve this, SYP accepts that the safe management of contractor’s requires a high level of management commitment, professional competence, adequate resources and the strict adherence to the Standard Operating Procedure for Managing Contractors.
This standard operating procedure, with its associated documents and forms, applies to all sites and premises within SYP at which new construction, refurbishment and maintenance work is undertaken or any other contracted services provided. As SYP’s duty of care, it also applies to all employees of SYP; agency staff; other police forces and persons affected by our safety arrangement, that is, visitors; contractors; staff and anyone else who has cause to be on SYP’s property.
The associated procedural instruction that supports this section is: Pi27.4 - Managing Contractors
Asbestos Management
This section of the policy describes the procedures that should be followed and the factors that should be considered by all South Yorkshire Police employees and contractors when dealing with asbestos risk. The policy addresses the obligations of South Yorkshire Police under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 and associated approved codes of practice and guidance.
All employees are required by law to co-operate with South Yorkshire Police on health and safety matters. This includes compliance with this policy.
South Yorkshire Police occupies a variety of properties of different age and construction types. It is known and recorded that asbestos containing materials (ACM’s) are present in a number of these premises.
It is the primary aim of this policy to ensure that South Yorkshire Police complies with all applicable legislative controls relating to the management of asbestos containing materials and does not compromise the health and safety of any employee or other person through any uncontrolled exposure to asbestos fibres. This will be done by ensuring a systematic assessment and abatement of risks in relation to ACM’s present in force buildings is undertaken with the intention of ensuring the health and safety and welfare of employees and others arising from activities undertaken within the organisation.
South Yorkshire Police will safely manage asbestos containing materials (ACM’s) and presumed asbestos containing materials in premises where the organisation has ‘Duty holder’ responsibilities under Regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 (CAR 2012) - ‘Duty to Manage in Non-Domestic Premises’.
Please refer to the Asbestos Management page for further details of the Asbestos Management Statement and Asbestos Management Plan.
Provision of Hospitality
Any contracts for the supply of goods and services with external providers must be undertaken in compliance with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and in the case of food deliveries relevant food safety and food hygiene regulations. This places a duty on contractors supplying goods and services on SYP premises, and is in place to safeguard our employees and visitors from their activities.
SYP employees have a responsibility to meet their own needs for food and drink, other than food and drink provided as part of a pre-planned operational duty or claimed under subsistence allowance in line with the employees' terms and conditions of service.
Formal meetings, either with members of the public or the workforce, should be held in venues where drinks and (in the case of longer meetings – food) are available to purchase by the individual (e.g. from a canteen, kitchen or food vending machine).
SYP will supply refreshments to formal meetings in certain circumstances as detailed in the associated procedural instruction.
The associated procedural instruction that supports this section is:
- Pi27.9 - Provision of Hospitality by SYP
Recovery and Retention of Motor Vehicles
In response to any vehicle seized under policing powers, South Yorkshire Police will recover and retain vehicles in line with the local Vehicle Recovery Scheme.
Details can be found in the associated procedural instruction that supports this section:
- Pi27.7 - Recovery and Retention of Motor Vehicles
Emergency Board Up Service non-police premises
Emergency boarding up can be facilitated through SYP as a result of a police incident and is intended to ensure, in certain circumstances i.e. where the property is unoccupied or contact cannot be established with the property owner, that premises are secured temporarily. The owner/occupier is responsible for making independent arrangements for a permanent repair, and boarding up is not intended to be a long-term solution. Emergency boarding up will consist of the boarding up of all damaged doors and windows (this does not include glazing or repairs). Where it is necessary and appropriate a padlock will be fitted to allow access to the property.
The associated procedural instruction that supports this section is:
- Pi27.8 - Emergency Boarding-Up Service
Dogs: Dangerous, Injured or Diseased
This section informs all staff of the legal and administrative procedures to be adopted when dealing with dangerous, suspected banned breeds, aggressive, injured or diseased dogs.
The main aim is to ensure that the South Yorkshire Police (SYP) response to incidents involving dangerous, aggressive, injured or diseased dogs is lawful, reasonable, proportionate and consistent and that we diligently and expeditiously pursue each case to its earliest conclusion, having regard to animal welfare, whilst protecting the public from injury or fear of injury by dogs.
Specific objectives for SYP are:
- Reduce and minimise the risk of harm to the public
- Reduce the opportunities for the criminal use of dogs
- Maximise the number of dog related incidents detected by bringing those responsible to justice
- Reduce the number of incidents of anti-social behaviour involving dogs
- Maintain the highest standards of professionalism
- Maintain a victim orientated approach to such incidents
The associated procedural instruction that supports this section is:
- Pi27.6 - Dogs: Dangerous, Injured or Diseased
Other relevant SYP policy documents you may wish to consider are:
P7 - Information Management