Asset management has long been a background function in local government – necessary, but rarely strategic.
Not anymore. Across the UK, councils are paying closer attention to their land, buildings, infrastructure, and community facilities. How these assets are managed now has a direct bearing on financial resilience, service delivery, climate targets, and public trust.
What counts as an asset, and why do they matter?
Asset management is often overlooked at local authorities, even though they hold some of the most diverse asset portfolios in the country. These include town halls, depots, schools, housing stock, libraries, parks, cemeteries, allotments, play areas, trees, car parks, leisure centres, vehicles, and even digital licenses and datasets.
These assets underpin essential services and community wellbeing, but they also carry major responsibilities. Councils must maintain them, ensure compliance with health and safety regulations, improve energy performance, and plan for accessibility.
Okay, but why is asset management moving up the agenda?
We have already seen the benefits of digitising core asset records. As of March 2025, 110 councils have migrated over 7.2 million local land charges to HM Land Registry’s national digital register, cutting search times from days or weeks to instant access.
Aside from that, several converging factors mean asset management can no longer be ignored.
Financial pressure: The National Audit Office’s 2025 report highlighted that councils spent more than £21 billion on capital assets in 2023–24 alone. Assets must generate value through lettings, income, or commercial activity. At the very least, they should be rationalised if under-used. Tight budgets are driving councils to re-evaluate how assets are used, whether surplus properties can be sold, and how estates can generate income.
Regulation, risk, and compliance: Regular inspections (e.g. asbestos, legionella, fire safety, tree surveys) are essential to avoid liability. Events such as Grenfell have heightened scrutiny of building safety, with councils expected to prove compliance across their estates.
Climate and net zero: Assets require upgrades for energy efficiency, carbon reduction, EV charging, and sustainability. Buildings and fleets are major carbon emitters, and councils must track performance and plan retrofits.
Community impact and public expectation: Facilities like play areas, allotments, and village halls are vital to local identity and wellbeing, making decisions about them politically sensitive. Residents demand transparency about how assets are maintained and invested in, particularly community facilities.
Councils face real barriers to effective asset management
Legacy systems do not talk to each other. Staff have limited digital skills. Councils maintain incomplete records, and budgetary constraints. Rationalising community assets often carries political risk.
The core question for leaders is simple: “How well do you know your assets? Are you managing them digitally in a way that saves money, keeps people safe, and supports long-term goals?”
This is why councils are turning to digital transformation
Historically, many authorities relied on spreadsheets, siloed databases, or even paper records. This led to incomplete information, missed inspections, and a reactive rather than proactive approach. Today, councils are beginning to embrace digital asset management, which offers:
Centralised Registers: a single source of truth across property, highways, open spaces, cemeteries, and more.
Mobile Access & Inspections: staff log visits, upload photos, and capture GPS data in real time.
GIS & Mapping Integration: assets visualised on maps for planning, ward reporting, and transparency.
Lifecycle Planning: tracking condition and predicting repairs, replacement, or disposal.
IoT & Sensors: monitoring bins, air quality, flood risk, and energy usage.
Automation & Alerts: reminders for inspections, certifications, and lease renewals.
Self-service & Transparency: publishing asset data for residents and councillors.
AI-supported Decision Making: predicting failures, spotting under-used property, or prioritising investment.
Asset management will grow in strategic importance over the next few years
If there was still room for doubt, you may have overlooked the King’s Speech (not the movie) back in 2024 which announced a new National Underground Asset Register to digitally map utilities, underlining the importance of shared, reliable data for asset management. Councils that modernise now will be better placed to deliver cost-effective and safe statutory services, release value from surplus or under-used assets, meet net zero obligations through smarter energy and fleet management, and demonstrate accounability and transparency to residents.
For local authorities, assets are no longer just things they own. They are critical levers for financial resilience, environmental progress, and community confidence. The councils that act now to modernise their approach will be those best equipped to meet the challenges of the coming decade.
