Essex CC, has contracted a management firm to oversee £2.4bn worth of assets. The council has selected Real Asset Management (RAM) to provide a centralised asset register and improve back-of-house processes. The deal, the latest in the council's bid to increase private sector outsourcing, is expected to achieve a saving of £50,000. The council's fixed assets total more than 900 properties, 561 items of vehicle plant and equipment, 1265 hectares of land and 7399 km of road. Anna Sallis, finance manager at Essex, said: ‘We are also considering future system developments such as allowing other finance team transparency.'