At IPWC25, AssetFuture had the pleasure of hosting a fireside chat with Darren Lister and Yvette Gates from Hornsby Shire Council (HSC). Building on a partnership of more than 15 years, the session highlighted how HSC has put community voice at the centre of Asset Management, supported by quality data and committed leadership.
Quality data builds confidence
Kicking off the insightful discussion, Yvette explained how quality data is foundational to supporting an unbiased narrative across the community, executives and service managers for different asset classes. HSC knew that a maintenance approach reliant on reactive spending was unsustainable for an ageing asset base. Year after year, the council received the same reactive budget, with no clear method for how funds were allocated. The result was exposure to sudden failures – a single unexpected breakdown could wipe out a significant proportion of their annual budget overnight and derail planned works.
Recognising the need to move to integrated planning, Darren highlighted that the council compiled a complete asset register with AssetFuture. Having digitised their assets, the platform provides visibility of the entire portfolio and tools to interpret the data, informing decisions even in constrained funding environments.
Community engagement sets the direction
For HSC, Yvette emphasised that community engagement is the driving force behind their process. Surveys and feedback establish minimum levels of service, from acceptable condition to accessibility and utilisation. With AssetFuture, these expectations are integrated into strategy, budgeting, planning, and operations, creating a clear line of sight between what the community values and what the council delivers.
Darren noted that the result is stronger transparency. Budgets are forecasted more accurately, works are planned to minimise disruption, and investment decisions are clearly tied to community priorities. Residents have direct input into the process, which has increased trust and given the council confidence that funds are distributed fairly across asset classes. It has also strengthened alignment between strategy and operations, ensuring day-to-day delivery reflects long-term goals. Looking ahead, the council is preparing to introduce works packaging, grouping projects such as roof renewals, HVAC replacements and park amenity upgrades to sharpen forecasts and reduce community disruption.
From executives to service officers: leadership makes it work
Yvette explained that HSC made a deliberate choice to empower Service Officers with the information they need to define service levels and develop their own business cases. Officers gained efficiency, with work delivery streamlined and supported by clear asset condition data. Finance gets consistency, and operations get clarity – a win-win.
This approach has created accountability across all departments. Knowledge is shared, processes are embedded, and decisions are transparent. Committed leadership and deliberate change management have ensured the organisation is aligned and that improvements are sustained, not just on paper but in practice.
Building trust through changE
Change is never easy, but HSC’s commitment to leadership, collaboration across teams and consistent, high-quality data has been critical. Visibility of assets has enabled better decision-making and created a stronger foundation for sustainability. With AssetFuture as a partner, HSC has moved from uncertainty to confidence, delivering transparent decisions and stronger community trust.