Asset Management Roles and Responsibilities Framework: Manage

Manage

Asset management responsibilities and leadership

Corporate

Corporate staff provide access to Technical Leadership Coaches, who are former school leaders. They provide support to school leaders, business managers, and aspiring leaders in areas of asset management strategy and policy.

Corporate staff provide schools with support through:

Bricks and Mortar workshops
facility management coaching – working with a technical leadership coach to establish effective facility management processes in managing a school’s facilities
the development of School Maintenance Plans
advice regarding the implementation of School Maintenance Plans
the development of Asset Management Planning Phase 1 for Capital works funding
advice on school led Planned Maintenance Program projects
the effective use of Asset Information Management System (AIMS)
monitoring and advising on the management of assets in the Annual Contracts schedule
advice and support in the implementation of the Rolling Facilities Evaluation program.

Principal

Principals are responsible for ensuring they and their staff have appropriate asset management knowledge, skills, and experience.

Principals’ responsibilities in these areas include:

attending and/or providing access to relevant staff to participate in Bricks and Mortar workshops. A member from each school is required to complete Bricks and Mortar training at least once every 5 years
attending and/or providing access to relevant staff to participate in the Rolling Facilities Evaluation/School Maintenance Plan 2.0 Pre-engagement Workshop when invited. Schools are generally invited to this session a term before their next Rolling Facilities Evaluation is to be held
attending and/or providing access to relevant staff to participate in School Maintenance Plan workshops – conducted once every 5 years after schools accept their Condition Assessment Report following their Rolling Facilities Evaluation
attending and/or providing access to relevant staff to participate in Asset Management Planning phase 1 for Capital works, if an announcement is made
ensuring AIMS is used to plan and deliver their facility management at their school. If required, encouraging staff to attend AIMS training.

School councils

School councils are responsible for general oversight of maintenance activities to ensure school buildings and grounds are kept in good condition and should do so in consultation with the principal.

School councils determine the level of school council oversight for maintenance activities and should do so in consultation with the principal. For example, at one meeting each year, school councils may review the number of maintenance tasks completed in the School Maintenance Plans' associated budget for the upcoming year.

Maintenance (including Rolling Facilities Evaluation and School Maintenance Plans)

Corporate

Corporate staff are responsible for allocating supplementary maintenance funding and undertaking high-risk and/or high-value priority maintenance projects on schools’ behalf as part of VSBA-led maintenance programs (such as the Planned Maintenance Program, Emergency Maintenance Program and Make-safe program).

Corporate staff administer backup programs to address school defects, risks, or issues that need to be managed at the system-level (for example, asbestos removal) or where principals and school councils are either unable to respond to the issues, or it would be inappropriate for them to do so.

Corporate staff are also responsible for the delivery of audit programs such as the Rolling Facilities Evaluation, which delivers condition assessments to every government school across a 5-year cycle in order to collect condition data on school assets and identify and prioritise defects for repair. This information is then incorporated into school’s School Maintenance Plan, which enables them to address the defects identified by the Rolling Facilities Evaluation, schedule, undertake and record routine-maintenance activities, plan their SRP expenditure, and record and manage any asset hazards unique to their specific sites.

Corporate staff are responsible for supporting schools during the development of their School Maintenance Plans and for providing advice regarding their implementation.

Corporate staff are also responsible for reviewing and approving schools’ School Maintenance Plans.

Corporate staff are responsible for assisting schools with implementing the Solar Inspections Program. The Greener Government School Buildings and Solar Inspections Program takes a pro-active approach in investigating solar power systems at schools and ensuring that existing solar power systems are compliant and operate safely, while providing detailed information in relation to the condition and status.

Principal

Principals are responsible for asset management activities, which include overseeing, planning and managing the maintenance of school facilities. This includes routine maintenance activities to prolong asset lifespan, prevent asset deterioration and reduce reliance on reactive maintenance activities.

Principals are also responsible for following the steps of the Rolling Facilities Evaluation program, which include

attending the Rolling Facilities Evaluation/School Maintenance Plan 2.0 pre-engagement session
completing a pre-assessment questionnaire
reviewing, providing feedback (where required) and accepting the school’s Condition Assessment Report.

Principals are responsible for developing and implementing a School Maintenance Plan for their school. This includes attending a School Maintenance Plan workshop, developing a School Maintenance Plan(with support from corporate staff), and submitting it to the VSBA for review/endorsement. Once the School Maintenance Plan has been endorsed, the school is responsible for ensuring the maintenance activities outlined within its School Maintenance Plan are completed according to their respective timeframes where their maintenance budget allows except for VSBA-led condition-based maintenance works funded through Planned Maintenance Program.

Principals are also responsible for regularly using AIMS to organise works, which will be automatically updated as complete if paid correctly in CASES21 (adding new activities as required). This enables monitoring of maintenance activities so that asset planning and investment decisions are informed by the most up-to-date and accurate information about the maintenance needs of each school.

Principals are responsible for ensuring that school funding is optimised to prevent decline in asset condition and effectively manage ongoing school maintenance.

Principals are responsible for endorsing and supporting the implementation of the Solar Inspections Program at their school, including working with contractors to enable the inspections to be undertaken.

School councils

School councils are responsible for general oversight of maintenance activities to ensure school buildings and grounds are kept in good condition and should do so in consultation with the principal.

School council financial delegates must follow requirements under the Ministerial Directions for Public Construction Procurement in Victoria. School council financial delegates should refer to the Procurement of Low-value Construction Works or Services Policy to determine what maintenance works are subject to mandatory requirements.

Planned Maintenance Program

Corporate

Corporate staff are responsible for allocating Planned Maintenance Program funding to address high-priority defects identified through the Rolling Facilities Evaluation and other audit programs (that is, Ramps Safety Audit Program and Hydraulic Fire Safety Systems Program).

Planned Maintenance Program projects may either be school-led or VSBA-led.

Corporate staff are responsible for contacting the school to provide guidance on Planned Maintenance Program projects, including informing schools of the process, requirements to access allocated funds, and how to update AIMS and School Maintenance Plans throughout the process and when project milestones are achieved.

The VSBA will lead RFE projects in circumstances where:

shelter-in-place works are required
there are defects requiring a specialist trade investigation
the school has an overall condition rating less than 3.25 or
the nominal project value is greater than or equal to $50,000.

For VSBA-led projects, corporate staff undertake Planned Maintenance Program projects delivery and update AIMS/School Maintenance Plans on behalf of schools.

Corporate staff are also responsible for taking over delivery of a school-led project upon request by the school.

Principal

In line with the Credit Carryover Policy, where a school has a cash balance of more than $2 million or 6 times their operating reserve, they may be required to make co-contributions to PMP projects

School-led Planned Maintenance Program works

Schools will lead projects in circumstances where they receive up to $50,000 in PMP funding for visual defects identified through the RFE.

Where funding is allocated for a school-led Planned Maintenance Program project, the principal must actively engage in the process and complete all relevant Planned Maintenance Program documentation to obtain the Planned Maintenance Program funding allocated to their school.

To access the school’s allocated funds, principals must complete and submit for approval a funding declaration form attesting that they will spend the Planned Maintenance Program allocation on the Priority 1 and 2 tasks identified in the Rolling Facilities Evaluation within 6 or 12 months, respectively.

Once approved, schools engage contractors via AIMS in accordance with the department’s Procuring Low-value Construction Works or Services policy.

Principals are responsible for ensuring the completion of school-led works and once these work orders are approved in AIMS and paid correctly in CASES21, the work orders will be marked as Financially Complete.

Schools can contact the VSBA regarding their Planned Maintenance Program project via email at amp.coordinator@education.vic.gov.au

Schools may also request their project to be led by the VSBA at any time if desired.

As outlined in the Planned Maintenance Program policy, schools may be required to make co-contributions where their cash balance exceeds the departmental thresholds.

VSBA-led Planned Maintenance Program works

For VSBA-led Planned Maintenance Program projects, the school will be allocated a project officer who will work with the principal throughout the delivery process. The principal must actively engage in the process.

School councils

School councils should not rely on the department’s Planned Maintenance Program for alternative uses, as funding is allocated to ‘high priority defects’ identified through the Rolling Facilities Evaluation and other audit programs.

School councils should be made aware of any funding allocations made to a school under the Planned Maintenance Program. School councils determine the level of school council oversight for matters that relate to condition-based maintenance issues funded under the department’s Planned Maintenance Program and should consult with the principal in doing so.

Student Resource Package – Maintenance

Corporate

Corporate staff are responsible for allocating funding under the SRP. This includes funding for maintenance and minor works, grounds, and annual contracts. Corporate staff are also responsible for the allocation of cleaning funding for regional schools.

Corporate staff are also responsible for monitoring and advising schools on the management of assets in the maintenance schedule.

Principal

Principals must ensure facilities-related SRP allowances (including for maintenance, grounds, and annual contracts) are fully expended on routine, low priority and preventative maintenance, repairs and Essential Safety Measures rectification works in accordance with the department’s policies (refer to ESM section for details regarding principal responsibilities).

Costs associated with repairs are funded within the SRP Maintenance and Minor Works line.

Costs associated with routine servicing, inspection, and testing of various items both essential and mandatory are funded within the SRP line.

Principals are also responsible for ensuring this expenditure is accurately reported in CASES21 (the administration and finance system for Victorian government schools).

The finance manual sets out the key obligations and conduct expected of principals in relation to financial management.

School councils

Under the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic), school councils must ensure that all monies coming into the hands of the school council are expended for proper purposes relating to the school. This includes the SRP maintenance allowance.

The Finance Manual – Financial Management for Schools sets out the key obligations and conduct expected of school councils in relation to financial management.

Emergency Maintenance Program (EMP)

Corporate

Corporate staff operate an EMP to address unforeseen maintenance matters that pose immediate and serious risks to health and safety, where the school does not have the funds to complete the work themselves. The program is application based for last-resort assistance.

Principal

Principals must exhaust safe and available means to prevent and respond to maintenance issues. They can discuss any proposed applications with their regional provision and planning team prior to submission to ensure it will meet the criteria.

Where an emergency maintenance issue arises that cannot be managed locally, principals are responsible for applying to the VSBA to access additional emergency maintenance assistance. Applications are made in AIMS.

School councils

School councils are responsible for general oversight of maintenance activities to ensure school buildings and grounds are kept in good condition.

School councils are required to proactively manage maintenance and should not rely on the department’s EMP for responding to foreseeable maintenance problems that become emergencies.

School councils should be made aware of any application to the EMP and should be consulted before principals apply where time allows, and it is safe to do so.

Make-safe Program

Corporate

Corporate staff are responsible for administering the Make-Safe Program for managing clean-up and make-safe works to facilities damaged by vandalism, flood, fire or storms. This includes a 24-hour hotline.

Principal

Where a Make-safe need arises, the principal must contact the contracted service provider for support via the 24-hour hotline 1300 133 468.

School councils

Where Make-safe Program activities occur, school councils determine the level of school council oversight for matters related to make safe issues.

Refer to the later section for school council responsibilities associated with Security and Insurance.

Accessible Buildings Program

Corporate

Corporate staff must comply with the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) to ensure that students with disabilities can participate in education on the same basis as their peers.

In line with the Disability Discrimination Act 1992, the Accessible Buildings Program (ABP) can provide funding to enhance existing facilities. The ABP operates on an ‘as needs’ basis rather than providing portfolio wide modifications.

Principal

Principals and corporate staff are responsible for ensuring compliance with minimum requirements and ensuring that students with disabilities can participate in their education, which may include reasonable modifications to physical premises in some circumstances.

Principals (or their delegate) should make an ABP application in AIMS with associated documentation in line with the policy should modifications be required.

School councils

School councils determine the level of school council oversight for matters related to the ABP and should consult with the principal in doing so.

Asbestos management

Corporate

Corporate staff are responsible for administering a state-wide asbestos management program of Division 5 asbestos audits, providing labels to schools, and providing advice and training support.

Corporate staff are also responsible for allocating funding for the removal of A3-related Asbestos Containing Material (ACM) identified in the Division 5 asbestos audits. The VSBA is responsible for the delivery of these removal works.

Corporate staff are responsible for the 24-hour Asbestos Make-safe hotline, which schools can contact on 1300 133 468 to report any occurrences of disrupted, damaged, degraded or suspected ACMS.

Principal

Principals are responsible for the management of asbestos. This includes development and annual review of an asbestos management plan and appointing an asbestos coordinator even if no known asbestos is recorded on the school site. Guidance and implementation resources for asbestos management are available on the department’s policy on Asbestos Management.

Under the Asbestos policy, regardless of if there is asbestos on site or not, all principals and asbestos coordinators must complete the Managing Asbestos in Schools eLearn module (at least every 3 years) and attend the Asbestos Management Information and Training session provided as part of the department’s Bricks and Mortar Asset Management Workshop on commencement of their role and at least once every 5 years.

Quarterly visual inspections are scheduled for schools that have asbestos onsite in the school’s OHS Activities Calendar, and work orders in AIMS are approved once undertaken. Inspections are recorded on the Asbestos register and Asbestos label register within AIMS. Where deteriorated or damaged asbestos is identified, principals or delegates must call the 24-hour Make-safe hotline on 1300 133 468.

School councils

School councils determine the level of school council oversight for matters related to asbestos management and should do so in consultation with the principal. For example, at one meeting each year, school councils may present an overview of the school’s asbestos management plan to understand requirements and to seek regular updates.

Occupational health and safety

The Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OHSMS) outlines how schools can meet their health, safety and wellbeing obligations. This includes how schools conduct regular workplace inspections to identify health and safety hazards in schools.

Corporate

Corporate staff are responsible for maintaining an OHSMS to assist school principals to provide a healthy and safe environment for all employees, students, contractors, volunteers, and visitors.

Corporate staff are also responsible for ensuring that contractors engaged directly by corporate staff on behalf of the department conform to contractor safety management requirements and have established appropriate safety processes and capabilities.

To assist principals to meet this requirement, corporate staff provide OHS policies on the Policy and Advisory Library (the OHSMS), a telephone support line (OHS Advisory Service), and on-site support from consultants and/or regional based support staff (for example, OHS Services Program).

At the site level, the OHS Assurance Program is conducted by the department’s Employee Safety, Wellbeing and Inclusion Division to provide proactive support to confirm schools are implementing the department's OHSMS consistent with the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic).

Principal

Under clause 11.2.2(8) of Ministerial Order 1038, principals are responsible for ensuring safe work practices at their school in accordance with the requirements of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic).

Principals are responsible for providing and maintaining a safe working and learning environment, including the management of contractors engaged by the school to ensure that appropriate safety processes and capabilities are established.

Principals are responsible for ensuring the implementation, continuous monitoring and execution of OHSMS activities.

Principals must follow any OHS assurance recommendations and ensure evidence of action is uploaded to the OHSMS.

Performance and activity of each school is monitored by the department’s Employee Safety, Wellbeing and Inclusion Division and reported to the department’s regional offices.

School councils

Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic), school councils must ensure that the school (as a workplace) is, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe and without risks to health. This duty extends to all matters which school councils have management and control, including engagement of goods and services, oversight of the management of contracts, and the maintenance of school buildings, grounds and facilities. This extends to all persons affected by school conduct, including students, parents, visitors and contractors.

Essential Safety Measures

Corporate

Essential Safety Measures (ESM) are the fire, life safety and health items installed or constructed in a building to ensure adequate levels of fire safety and protection from other dangers. They include all traditional building fire services such as sprinklers and mechanical services, and passive fire safety such as fire doors, fire-rated structures and other activities such as paths of travel to exits.

Corporate staff are responsible for coordinating qualified ESM service providers to undertake school ESM inspections, testing and annual essential safety measures reporting (AESMR). Providers have been appointed for programs and operate in specific regions and areas.

Corporate staff monitor compliance with ESM requirements through provider reports and service records.

Corporate staff support schools to be compliant Schools can request support by contacting essential.safety.measures@education.vic.gov.au

Principal

Principals will be notified ahead of ESM testing and inspections or annual audit by the provider allocated and coordinated by corporate staff. The outcomes of annual audits (reports) will be stored in AIMS and will be accessible by the school. Service reports from inspections and testing will be provided directly to schools. This will support schools in undertaking any maintenance or rectification works of ESM items.

Principals are responsible for ESM defect rectification works and receive funding for rectification work through the Maintenance and Minor Works budget line in the SRP.

School councils

ESM compliance is required by law. The Building Regulations 2018 (Vic) made under the Building Act 1993 require the owner, the school council with delegated authority from the Minister, to oversee general and specific inspections, testing, maintenance and record-keeping activities for ESM.

ESM testing and associated record keeping is a Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority requirement for school registration.
The oversight of ESM is also required under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic). School councils must ensure that the school (as a workplace) is, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe and without risks to health.

School councils are required to ensure the schools AESMR is presented at a school council meeting at least once each year.

Gas heater management

Corporate

Corporate staff are responsible for supporting schools through the regular review of the Gas Heater Management policy and assisting schools to meet their mandatory obligations.

Corporate staff are responsible for providing schools with allocated funding for routine inspection of gas heaters via the SRP Annual Contracts line. Costs associated with the repair of gas heaters are funded within the SRP Maintenance and Minor Works line.

Corporate staff can assist schools when they have insufficient funds for critical repairs costing $5,000 or more. Schools may apply for assistance through the Emergency Maintenance Program.

Corporate staff monitor compliance with gas heater requirements through the Asset Information Management Systems (AIMS).

Corporate staff support schools to be compliant. This support can include one-on-one assistance for schools that request it.

Principal

Principals are responsible for ensuring the school complies with the Gas Heater Management policy.

Principals are responsible for first identifying gas heaters at the school and knowing if they are Type A or Type B.

Principals must ensure that:

all Type A gas heater appliances are inspected, serviced and cleaned once every 2 years by a qualified gas plumber
all Type B gas heater appliances are inspected, serviced and cleaned at least once every year by a qualified gas plumber.

To enable monitoring and attesting of compliance with mandatory gas heater maintenance requirements, principals are responsible for retaining all documentation on gas heaters (service reports, invoices and any issued statements of compliance) and providing them on request. Principals are required to upload this documentation into AIMS.

Gas heaters that have not been serviced for more than 2 years (or in the case of Type B gas heaters, 1 year) or have been declared unsafe for use by Energy Safe Victoria must have clear signage stating, ‘Do not use this heater. It has not been serviced and is not safe to use’.

When a gas heater reaches the end of its functional life, schools are strongly encouraged to consider replacing it with an electric equivalent.
Schools are also encouraged to replace gas heaters with an electric one when planning heating system upgrades, whenever possible.

All rectification works must comply with the National Construction Code, the Building Quality Standards Handbook, and Victorian government purchasing and procurement standards.

School councils

School councils should be aware of gas heater matters and participate in decision making associated with gas heater management.

School councils determine the level of school council oversight for gas heater matters and should do so in consultation with the principal. School councils should request regular gas heater management updates from the principal.

Water – Private Drinking Water policy

Corporate

Corporate staff are responsible for supporting schools through the regular review of the department’s Water – Private Drinking Water policy and assisting schools to meet mandatory requirements for the management of private drinking water supplies.

This includes support to develop a private drinking water supply management plan (for schools with a private drinking water supply), and support when non-compliance is identified. Corporate staff are also responsible for providing support to schools through the allocation of funding via schools’ School Resource Packing (SRP) for the ongoing maintenance and testing (Annual Contracts funding) and repair of private drinking water supplies, such as rainwater tanks and bores.

Corporate staff monitor compliance with the private drinking water requirements through AIMS.

If a school requests an emergency water supply, corporate staff provides this through the VSBA Make-safe service provider.

Principal

Principals are responsible for ensuring the school complies with the department’s Water – Private Drinking Water policy.

Principals are responsible for ensuring any private drinking water supply will not pose a risk to human health.

Principals are responsible for first identifying their private drinking water and requirements in the school.

Principals must manage the safety of the private drinking water supply through development of a Private Drinking Water Supply Management Plan. The plan involves undertaking regular inspection and maintenance activities as set out in the plan, including flushing stagnant water from systems after prolonged shutdown periods (such as school holidays), as well as water testing.

Principals are required to upload the school’s Private Drinking Water Supply Management Plan into AIMS.

When private drinking water systems are no longer used for drinking water purposes, principals must restrict access to the equipment and any outlets/taps retained for non-drinking purposes to ensure untreated water cannot be used for drinking by staff and students.

Principals must make an IRIS alert if a gastro outbreak is suspected.

Principals may request an emergency water supply through the VSBA’s Make-Safe service provider on 1300 133 468.

School councils

School councils determine the level of school council oversight for matters related to the management of private drinking water supplies and are encouraged to request regular compliance updates from the principal on private drinking water supply management.

Heritage buildings

Corporate

Corporate staff are responsible for ensuring compliance with the Heritage Act 2017 (Vic).

Corporate staff provide advice and support to schools regarding the appropriate management, conservation, and maintenance of heritage-listed buildings.

Corporate staff are responsible for obtaining approval from Heritage Victoria before commencing VSBA-led works on Victorian Heritage Register listed buildings.

Principal

Principals must not allow Victorian Heritage Register listed buildings to fall into disrepair or fail to maintain those buildings to the extent that their conservation is threatened.

Principals must obtain approval from Heritage Victoria before commencing school-led works on Victorian Heritage Register listed buildings. Principals may receive this approval as a permit or exemption.

Principals are encouraged to consult with their local council before undertaking school-led works on buildings with a Heritage Overlay to ensure the works are consistent with the intent of the heritage overlay.

School councils

School councils provide oversight and consult with the principal on the maintenance and conservation of heritage buildings.

Cleaning

Corporate

Corporate staff are responsible for the state-wide allocation of funding for school cleaning.

Regional schools

Corporate staff are responsible for providing support to regional schools on the requirements to engage a cleaning service and offering ongoing cleaning advice and support as needed.

Metropolitan schools

Corporate staff are responsible for entering into cleaning services contracts and for all contract administrative functions including performance and relationship management and payment of services.

Corporate staff are also responsible for conducting cleaning quality audits at metropolitan schools.

Principal

Principals are responsible for ensuring the school environment is clean.

Regional schools

Principals are responsible for entering into a School Council Agreement for the Provision of Cleaning Services (cleaning contract) with a cleaning service provider or other approved cleaning arrangements. Principals are also responsible for the upload of contractual documentation onto AIMS.

Metropolitan schools

Principals must work collaboratively with their school cleaning service provider to ensure a cleaning services plan for their school campus(es) is completed and agreed upon.

Principals must participate in an annual performance review of cleaning standards with the service provider.

Principals must communicate minor cleaning requests or issues with their service provider’s local cleaning team and/or the service provider’s area supervisor/manager. If the request or issue is more significant, principals should formalise this by raising a cleaning incident in AIMS.

School councils

School councils are responsible for organising the cleaning and sanitary services that are necessary for the school. School councils determine the level of additional school council oversight required and should consult with the principal in doing so.

Regional schools

In accordance with the department’s policies, regional school councils are responsible for entering into school council agreements with cleaning contractors.

Regional school councils must submit an exemption application if alternative arrangements are necessary due to sourcing challenges.

Metropolitan schools

Metropolitan school councils must accept school cleaning in accordance with the department’s approved cleaning arrangements, under clause 6(1) of the Ministerial Order No. 1127 of the Education and Training Reform Act.

Security and insurance

Corporate

Corporate staff are responsible for policies and programs to support principals and school councils to remove, reduce and mitigate risks, including through the delivery of the School Equipment Coverage Scheme.

Corporate staff are also available to assist all government schools to understand the department's insurance arrangements and ensure that they have sufficient building insurance.

Principal

Principals are responsible for ensuring each foreseeable risk is removed, reduced or appropriately mitigated in accordance with the department’s policies. This includes maintaining an emergency management plan. Principals must ensure incidents involving property loss, damage, or personal safety are reported to corporate staff through ISOC. Schools can reach ISOC by calling 1800 126 126.

To be covered by the department’s School Equipment Coverage Scheme, the principal is responsible for maintaining records compliant with the Finance Manual – section 13 Asset and Inventory Management.

Applications to the School Equipment Coverage Scheme are made in AIMS.

School councils

School councils should be aware of security and insurance matters, what is and is not covered under the department’s insurance arrangement and participate in decision making associated with security and insurance. This includes deciding whether additional insurance arrangements should be purchased by the school.

School councils determine the level of school council oversight for security and insurance matters and should do so in consultation with the principal. It is recommended that school councils request regular updates from the principal.

For example, at one meeting each year, the principal may provide school council with an overview of security and insurance arrangements and update the school council on issues throughout the year.

Teacher housing

Corporate

Corporate staff are responsible for setting asset management policies and standards with respect to teacher housing. Corporate staff must enter into and effect Teacher Tenancy Agreements on behalf of the minister and hold the authority to terminate agreements.

Corporate staff provide all documentation required for the management of the tenancy, retain all tenancy datadata, and manage teacher rent payments through the eduPay system.

Principal

Principals (in consultation with the VSBA) are responsible for allocating teacher housing to teachers who meet the eligibility criteria.

Principals are responsible for ensuring that all necessary documentation for new tenancy agreements is completed, in particular the property condition report. Principals are responsible for ensuring that utilities are connected and any outstanding charges are defrayed (ongoing service utilisation is the responsibility of the tenant). Principals should contact the VSBA (Property Unit) to recoup defrayment charges.

Principals are responsible for ensuring that regular inspections of the teacher house occur and that the premises are clean and habitable at the start of each tenancy.

Principals are responsible for ensuring that regular maintenance occurs including regular planned maintenance activities such as the servicing of smoke detectors, air conditioners and heaters, the clearing of gutters, and organising cleaning and removal of debris.

In addition, principals are responsible for ensuring SRP funding allocated is used to manage required repairs and maintenance as outlined in their School Maintenance Plan.

School councils

School councils determine the level of school council oversight for matters related to the Teacher Housing Program and should consult with the principal in doing so.

Teacher housing is not generally available to non-teacher (sundry) tenants without written approval from both the VSBA and from the relevant school council.

Biodiversity

Corporate

Corporate staff are responsible for supporting the consideration of biodiversity when exercising asset management functions, as required under Section 4B of the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988.

Corporate staff are responsible for policies and programs to support schools to:

avoid or manage adverse biodiversity impacts
promote positive biodiversity impacts and
comply with relevant legislation and regulations relating to vegetation removal.

Principals

Principals are responsible for ensuring adherence with the department’s requirements for vegetation removal, including relevant legislation and regulations, and promoting positive biodiversity impacts on their own school sites. Principals may engage an arborist who can prepare a vegetation removal and retention report to assist in complying with relevant legislation and regulations relating to vegetation removal.

School councils

School councils should be aware that in decision making, school leadership must consider biodiversity before performing activities which may be reasonably expected to impact biodiversity on a school’s site.

Where possible, school councils should encourage understanding of existing site biodiversity and seek to enhance flora on school sites where practical.

School councils’ responsibilities for the biodiversity duty are in line with their responsibility to exercise oversight of the school building and grounds and ensure they are kept in good order and condition.

Ventilation and air purification

Corporate

Corporate staff are responsible for developing guidelines and resources to assist schools in managing ventilation and air purification, including conducting routine maintenance on air purifier units.

Corporate staff are also responsible for administering the Air Purification Program, including:

providing air purifiers to all new schools, kindergartens on school sites, new buildings and modular buildings
providing a limited number of filters to schools who are eligible
collecting surplus (un-opened) air purifier units from schools for redistribution.

Principals

Principals are responsible for ensuring classrooms are well ventilated to reduce the risk of transmission of airborne infectious diseases in schools in high-risk spaces and during higher-risk times.

Principals are also responsible for maintaining and cleaning their air purifier units, as part of regular maintenance of school assets.

School councils

School councils determine the level of school council oversight for ventilation and air purification related matters and should do so in consultation with the principal.

Repurposing and renaming of spaces

Corporate

Corporate staff are responsible for managing a land and building asset register. Data from the register informs policy, planning, funding allocations and financial reporting obligations.

Corporate staff review business cases for repurposing of spaces to ensure all changes to school spaces are appropriate and accurately recorded in AIMS.

Principal

Principals must contact their provision and planning team before repurposing a space, unless only changing a room name.

Principals must notify the department of changes to the purpose or name of spaces to ensure changes are accurately reflected in AIMS.

Principals must complete the Application for Repurposing Spaces when seeking to reclassify a space. If this is part of a school-led capital project, principals can seek reclassification through the business case.

Principals seeking to reclassify a space as part of a reconfiguration or refurbishment project must not proceed without a department-approved business case for repurposing of spaces.

School councils

School councils do not have responsibilities associated with repurposing school spaces or updating AIMS.

Hiring, licensing and shared use of school facilities

Corporate

Corporate staff are responsible for prescribing the minimum requirements and approval processes for shared use of school facilities.

Arrangements for the construction and long-term shared use of buildings or facilities require a Community Joint Use Agreement between the minister, the school council and the community partner. Corporate staff are responsible for briefing the minister and seeking their approval.

Corporate staff monitor compliance with mandatory requirements for community use of school facilities through AIMS.

Corporate staff also monitor compliance with this policy through the Integrity and Assurance Division (Annual Financial Audit).

The minister may delegate their approval to corporate staff to sign agreements and/or approve the proposed development and construction of new facilities.

Principal

Principals are not authorised to enter into agreements on behalf of school councils or the minister. Principals must ensure compliance with the department’s shared use policies and requirements.

If a request from a third party is for a purpose that is not educational, recreational, sporting or cultural, or involves the construction and long term shared used of buildings or facilities, the principal (as executive officer of the school council) is responsible for referring the request to corporate staff for consideration.

Principals are required to use the department hire and licensing templates.

Principals must upload copies of all hire and licence agreements and proof of insurance from third parties entering into hire and license agreements to AIMS.

Principals are required to annually review all of their hire and licence agreements to ensure they continue to follow all departmental policies and processes. This includes ensuring that parties hiring or licencing the facilities are using the facility for an approved purpose.

School councils

Under the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic), school councils have the power to enter into agreements with third parties for the use of school facilities for no more than 5 years when they are not required for ordinary school purposes. The proposed use must be for the purpose of educational, recreational, sporting or cultural activities for students, the local community or young persons. Any other purpose requires the Minister’s approval sought via corporate staff. School councils should use the department's templates for hire and licensing agreements with third parties.

School councils must not, without the minister’s approval, sought via corporate staff, grant a licence, or enter into a licencing arrangement which is for more than 5 years or has a total value of more than $500,000.

School councils are not authorised to independently enter into lease agreements to augment their own school sites or facilities. School councils should refer to the department’s Legal Division for additional guidance on the preparation and execution of documents related to hire and licencing agreements.

School councils must ensure they use the correct School Council Hire Agreement Template when entering into a hire agreement and the School Council Licence Agreement Template when entering into a licence agreement, both available on the Community Use of Schools – Hire and Licencing policy page on PAL.

The VSBA’s Property Branch is available to provide support to schools with department policies supporting shared community use of school sites.

Links

Guidance chapter outlining activities undertaken during the 'manage' stage of the school asset management lifecycle

Reviewed 18 March 2026

Asset Management Roles and Responsibilities Framework

On this page:

Manage

Asset management responsibilities and leadership

Corporate

Principal

School councils

Links

Maintenance (including Rolling Facilities Evaluation and School Maintenance Plans)

Corporate

Principal

School councils

Links

Planned Maintenance Program

Corporate

Principal

School-led Planned Maintenance Program works

VSBA-led Planned Maintenance Program works

School councils

Links

Student Resource Package – Maintenance

Corporate

Principal

School councils

Links

Emergency Maintenance Program (EMP)

Corporate

Principal

School councils

Links

Make-safe Program

Corporate

Principal

School councils

Links

Accessible Buildings Program

Corporate

Principal

School councils

Links

Asbestos management

Corporate

Principal

School councils

Links

Occupational health and safety

Corporate

Principal

School councils

Links

Essential Safety Measures

Corporate

Principal

School councils

Links

Gas heater management

Corporate

Principal

School councils

Links

Water – Private Drinking Water policy

Corporate

Principal

School councils

Links

Heritage buildings

Corporate

Principal

School councils

Links

Cleaning

Corporate

Regional schools

Metropolitan schools

Principal

Regional schools

Metropolitan schools

School councils

Regional schools

Metropolitan schools