Sussex Estates and Facilities takes up its new role on 1 January
Sussex Estates and Facilities - the new partnership between support-services and construction company Interserve and the University of Sussex – takes up its responsibility for facilities services at Sussex on 1 January.
Sussex Estates and Facilities (SEF) will be responsible for providing all facilities services on campus: including cleaning, commissioning and managing minor and major works, fire safety services, grounds maintenance, health and safety advisory and auditing services, laundrette, laundry, mailroom, maintenance, management of carbon reduction, portering, security, print and reprographics, transport, utilities management, and waste disposal and recycling.
Following the announcement in October of the new partnership between the University and Interserve, the two organisations have been working together with staff and teams who are transferring, and preparing all the activities and systems needed for smooth transfer.
Mark Stimpson, Partnership Manager at SEF, said: “Although there will be some service improvements from January around the role of the new SEF service centre, the initial emphasis will be on a smooth transition.
“Our teams will be putting in place improved processes, systems and technology, which should enhance the way in which teams run and operate.
“More extensive development and improvements will take place as new systems and specific investments are made over time.”
The main initial change from 1 January relates to the important and enhanced role played by the helpdesk – which will become the Service Centre for SEF, as the first point of contact for access to services, and will extend its core hours of service, from 8am-6pm, with 24-hour support from the York House team.
Mark Stimpson said: “The Service Centre will play a more active role co-ordinating facilities management on campus. The aim is to make campus operations smoother and facilities services easier for everyone on campus.
“It will also serves as the communication hub for facilities and the first line of contact for any maintenance-related emergencies and escalations.”
The Service Centre continues to be based on and run from campus. As soon as requests are logged with the Service Centre, staff will receive an email notification with a job reference number and the Service Centre will notify users by email when the task is complete and seek feedback via email.
More information about services will be provided by SEF on their webpages from 1 January.
All staff who are transferring to SEF have had one-to-one meetings with Interserve colleagues to discuss ideas and new opportunities, as well as receiving reassurance on the protection of core terms and conditions and the pension arrangements that the University agreed with the trades unions.
John Duffy, Registrar, said: “Interserve are a high-quality, experienced partner who will help to deliver best-practice systems, processes and technology to support improvements in services to campus over the coming period.
“I want to pay tribute to all the staff at Sussex and at Interserve involved in the preparations for the transfer, and to our campus trades unions who have continued to play a professional role.
“Facilities staff will continue to be a key part of the community on campus, supporting the professional operation and development of the University.”