Part 6: Questions decision-makers should ask themselves

Reflections from our audits: Investment and asset management.

6.1
Throughout this report, we have posed a number of questions that we think decision-makers in public entities need to be able to answer about investing in and managing assets. These questions are important if public assets are to continue to deliver essential public services over the long term.

6.2
Those questions are:

  • Have you openly engaged with the right people about the right issues in making your significant investment decisions?
  • How will you continue to engage with people about those decisions and the services the assets provide?
  • Do you clearly understand, and have you considered, the challenges and opportunities you face?
  • Do you regularly review challenges and opportunities to inform your investment and asset management decisions?
  • Do you have a compelling case for investment?
  • Have you been realistic and used reasonable assumptions?
  • Have you planned for the entire life of the asset?
  • Have you looked at how to join up with others and maximise value?
  • Have you clearly defined the benefits you are seeking and how you will measure those benefits?
  • Do you have the right information about assets to make good decisions?
  • Do you have systems where the data about assets can be readily analysed and used to manage those assets?
  • Have you involved the right people in the decisions about assets?
  • Are you receiving the information needed to monitor how effectively assets are managed?