Minor Works Program procedure

Audience

Department-wide

Purpose

Identifies responsibilities and processes regarding Minor Works Program approved in state schools. All state schools, students, staff and members of these school communities are affected.

Overview

The Department of Education (DoE) is committed to providing high-quality facilities to support effective teaching and learning in a safe environment. DoE will, through the Minor Works Program, respond to this commitment through minor new works and minor maintenance activities.

DoE's commitment to the delivery of the Minor Works Program includes funding support and specialist facilities advice for schools. Funding provided under this program is tied to facilities activities.

Minor works relate to minor maintenance and new work activities up to the value of $100,000 which may be arranged by a school community, independent of or in conjunction with other departmental or school works programs.

The following activities are outside the scope of the program:

• Acquisition of curriculum- or administrative-based equipment e.g. computers.
• Funding for staff positions e.g. Schools Officer.
• Activities covered by other non-facilities school grants.
• Activities included under the school’s general grant for example, carpet cleaning and pest control.

Key principles to deliver effective and efficient minor works programs include:

• Works are planned and integrated in support of school master planning or overall school strategic facilities planning.
• Planning activities include school community and regional facilities manager consultation.
• The primary purpose of minor works funding is for the acquisition or construction of minor capital items, built assets and infrastructure, therefore funding should be prioritised for this purpose.
• Sound internal controls are required regarding compliance with legislation and standards.

Schools may apply Minor Works Grant funding as a shared contribution for the completion of activities partially funded from special Capital Works Programs or the School Community Capital Improvement Grant. Schools may utilise this grant to supplement over-expenditure of their annual Asset Maintenance Program allocation.  Annual Minor Works Grants may be accumulated to enable larger projects with an upper financial limit of $100,000 to be undertaken.

Funding is subject to annual checks by internal auditors to ensure that:

• The funds have been accounted for separately.
• The funds have been expended on bona-fide activities under this policy.
• The process used to expend the funds is in accordance with standard financial management and purchasing practices.

Responsibilities

Principals:

• Prioritise work covered under Minor Works Program, in consultation with school community.
• Document planned activities as part of annual school planning. Highest priority should be given to workplace health and safety issues.
• Ensure work is undertaken by a qualified tradesperson or professional, where required by statute.
• Ensure approvals are secured and compliance is effected, where activities involve siting or planning approval or compliance with the Building Act and/or Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011.
• Ensure that trade practices guidelines are followed.
• Ensure that minor works activities are consistent with Minor New Work Activities which include:
  • Additional general power outlets
  • Additional furniture (e.g. classroom furniture, filing cabinets, shelving);
  • Battening under relocatable buildings;
  • Installing drink bubblers
  • Lighting
  • Access paths
  • Grounds development (e.g. seating, paving of pathways)
  • Shade areas
  • Provision/movement of whiteboards, blackboards and notice boards
  • Additional signage
  • Minor security issues
  • Ceiling/wall fans
  • Classroom comfort features
  • Additional bells and sirens
  • Internal communication systems
  • Storage sheds.
• Ensure that minor works activities are consistent with Minor Maintenance Activities which include:
  • Refix locks
  • Supply of cabinet locks
  • Supply and fitting of light tubes and globes
  • Repair window dressings or treatments
  • Replace castors to chairs
  • Repaint signs or blackboards
  • Replace cabin and coat hooks
  • Minor repairs to furniture
  • Clean off minor graffiti
  • Re-screw internal door hinges
  • Replace ceiling tiles
  • Clean out gutters (where safety equipment is not required)
  • Landscape maintenance
  • Refix hand basins to walls (excluding plumbing)
  • Replace tap washers
  • Replace signs (e.g. block and room signs)
  • Minor wall, ceiling and door repairs (e.g. dents, scratches and small holes)
  • Replace sand or playground area flooring matter
  • Minor repairs to fencing
  • Replace toilet seats
  • Trim trees overhanging buildings
  • Adhere to department design guidelines for new construction or refurbishment works.
• Comply with Purchasing and Procurement procedure.
• Ensure that all activities undertaken using the Minor Works Grant require certified tradespeople to have and produce for school sighting:
  • Queensland Building Services Authority Builders Licence
  • Workcover Compensation Policy
  • Insurance for loss of items and/or damage during construction and
  • Public Liability cover (current requirement $10 million).
• Obtain the following when activities involve new buildings or extensions/alterations to existing buildings, structures or infrastructure:
  • Written approval to proceed from the relevant Region, through a siting application
  • Building Act Compliance certification through the relevant Region.

Infrastructure Services Branch

• Ensure that policies, procedures and advice are in place for the delivery of the program by schools.
• Allocate and distribute funds to schools.

Regions

• Provide direct advice to schools regarding the management of Minor Works Program projects.
• Assist with advice to schools regarding the Building Act Compliance process and project fees and approvals.
• Attend to siting requirements before construction projects commence.

Process

See above in responsibilities.

Definitions

Not applicable.

Legislation

• Building Act 1975 part 1-8
• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld) Part 3
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld)

Delegations/Authorisations

• Nil

Other resources

• Resource replacement scheme procedure
• Equipment management for schools procedure
• Asset maintenance and school swimming pool operation procedure
• Purchasing and procurement procedure
• School security procedure

Forms

• Siting Approval Application - Minor Building Works (DoE employees only)
• Siting Approval Application - Play Areas (DoE employees only)

Supporting documents

• School Managed Facility Project - Instructions (DoE employees only)

Superseded versions

Previous seven years shown. Minor version updates not included.

Nil