Guidance

Governance and management frameworks for GovS 004: Property

Published 4 February 2022

1. Purpose

The government functional standard for property (GovS 004) requires a governance and management framework to be defined and established for:

• the management of property across government as a whole (the Government Estate)
• within each Department or Arm’s Length Body (any central government organisation) holding government property assets (4.1.1)

Each framework consists of all arrangements, processes and statements that are definitive for the work of the function.

Each organisation within government is expected to have, or to be developing, a governance and management framework suited to its property needs, with documentation consisting of a description of all arrangements, processes and statements that are definitive for the work.

2. Scope

This document outlines the governance framework for those parts of the government property function that are organised from the centre (Cabinet Office and HM Treasury) for cross-government purposes. It also outlines how the documentation of arrangements, processes and statements that define the work of the property function is expected to be organised.

This framework is complemented by other frameworks for Departments and Arm’s Length Bodies that have the main responsibility for property management and the accountability for their property assets. It should join efficiently and operate effectively in conjunction with them.

This outline, like the frameworks themselves, will be developed and updated from time to time.

3. Governance

3.1 Our operating model - broad hierarchy

3.2 Our operating model - table of boards

Name	Chair	Description
People for Places Ministerial Oversight Board	Minister for Cabinet Office	Provides ministerial oversight for the ‘People for Places’ agenda
Civil Service Board	Civil Service Chief Operating Officer	Provides operational management of the Civil Service, including transformation, planning, performance and risk
Location and Property Board	DLUHC Permanent Secretary (formerly MHCLG)	Board oversees delivery of the Government Estate Strategy and Property Programmes
People Board	DDCMS Permanent Secretary	Board oversees delivery of people-related strategies
Property Leaders	Director General for Government Property	Provides leadership of the function, oversees the delivery of the Government Estate Strategy and Function Plan, and assures compliance with the Property Functional Standard
Property Support Across Government	Director General for Government Property	Property delivery bodies sharing experience, challenges, capabilities and best practice across organisations
Property Profession Board	Government Chief Property Officer	Programme board for the Property Profession Programme
Property Sustainability Board	Government Chief Property Officer	Cross-departmental development and alignment of sustainability strategy and policies
Facilities Management Taskforce	Property Leaders on rotation	Cross-departmental board to establish the strategy, standards and improve user experience of Facilities Management (FM)
Construction Board	Infrastructure and Major Projects Authority (IPA) Construction Director	Oversees delivery of the Government Construction Strategy Note: The remit of the board is currently under review and being refreshed to reflect the changed policy landscape and interfaces with new programmes that in effect supersede the Government Construction Strategy. Key elements include: 1. Transforming Infrastructure Performance: Roadmap to 2032 2. Construction Playbook 3. National Infrastructure Strategy
InSite (d-NAR) Programme Board	Government Chief Property Officer	Programme board for the development of the InSite platform that will host a number of applications including a national property asset register
One Public Estate (OPE) Programme Executive Group	Director General for Government Property	Programme board for the delivery of OPE and Land Release Fund (LRF)
Place for Growth (PfG) Portfolio Board	Director General for Government Property	Oversees delivery of the PfG portfolios and projects

4. Documentation

For cross-government purposes, the documentation describing the governance and management framework comprises the revised functional standard (GovS 004 v. 2.0 with its Annexes) and any definitive statements issued through the relevant governance (indicated in section 3 above) as requirements or guidance. View the collection on GOV.UK.

The collection of documents describing the framework is expected to grow by the addition of ancillary standards and other advisory material, some of which already exists in an earlier form. Revision and replacement of this material will take place under the oversight of a new Policy and Standards Committee (an additional element for the organogram at slide 3), whose remit will be to organise the development of central policy, requirements and guidance, including any reviews of governance.

Concurrently, all Departments and Arm’s Length Bodies will manage their own frameworks.

4.1 Related cross-government organisations

A key part of the government’s property management model is the Government Property Agency (GPA), an executive agency sponsored by the Cabinet Office. The Agency manages some government property directly, on a portfolio basis, and also advises government departments on their property management. The Office of Government Property (OGP) has oversight of GPA’s policy objectives, whilst shareholder representation is provided by UK Government Investments (UKGI), an arm’s length body of HM Treasury.

The Infrastructure and Major Projects Authority, reporting to both the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury, supports the successful delivery of all types of major projects, including investment in new railways, schools, hospitals, housing, defence and IT, as well as major transformation programmes. It has professional interests in the construction sector, the provision of infrastructure and the project delivery function.

Both the GPA and the IPA have their own governance and management frameworks, and produce significant documentation to guide property and project management.