A potted History of FPS 1988 – 2016

The Federation of Property Societies (FPS)

It is with some sadness that the board of the FPS has decided to wind up its operations from the 5th April 2016. It was felt that the dramatic change inside Local Government and the changes within the Local Government Professional Societies had reduced the FPS’s relevance.

  • FPS began its work around 1988 meeting twice a year to discuss property issues and to:
  • Act as a focus for discussion on all matters affecting local government property;
  • Co-ordinate the views and actions of the different professions and bodies involved in local government property;
  • Provide a consolidated response to general or common issues affecting local authority property to Government and other national bodies.

In 1996 due to issues such as CCT and Best Value the board started meeting four times a year with two representatives from each of the societies. It was formed of ACES, CBSS, COPROP, CLAW,   SCEME, SCALA and SCQS, and for the last four years has been joined by a representative of the RICS. The Institute of Clerks of Works were also members for a period.

During the last twenty years the board has been able to contribute to managing the gap between Central Government and Local Authorities and has achieved a number of significant milestones often working closely with partners such as CIPFA.

  • Assisting the then DETR to produce the first Asset Management Guidance in 2000
  • Running a number of seminars for DETR on the “Single Capital Pot”
  • Regularly producing seminars on property matters in conjunction with FPS Conferences
  • Helping to develop Property bench marking in conjunction with The National Best Value Benchmarking Scheme (NBVBS)
  • Working with the Audit Commission on both their reports into Property
  • Setting up a sister organisation FPS Scotland
  • Working with Audit Scotland on their Property Reports
  • Assisting the Scottish Government in the development of Asset Management in schools
  • Assisting the DfE in numerous reports including the recent School Condition Surveys
  • Partnering CIPFA in the development and delivery of the Asset Management Network
  • Assisting the LGA with the Joint Contacts Tribunal Panel
  • Producing a wide range of important reports such as
    • Whole Life Appraisal
    • Whole Life Procurement
    • Measuring Suitability
    • Glass in Schools
    • Property Management in the Public Estate
    • Extended Schools (community Use)
    • Flexible Organisations
    • Corporate Manslaughter
    • Guidance on the Preparation of Access Statements and Plans
    • Soft Market Testing
    • Benchmarking
    • Hearing in classrooms (Optimised Classroom Acoustics)
    • Funding Streams
    • Compliance Monitoring in LA Buildings (versions for both England/Wales and Scotland)

Copies of all these reports will be remaining freely available via the societies and CIPFA.

The board are proud of what they have been able to achieve over this period on behalf of all the Property Societies and wish them all well into the future.

Alan Tyler
Secretary to the FPS Board

Thanks go to all of those that have represented the former societies of SPACES at the meeting, namely, Geoff Robinson, Roosje Barr, Chris Hibbard and Phil Zjalic.