THE SOCIAL HOUSING DECENT HOMES PROGRAMME HAS BEEN RUNNING THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY FOR SOME TIME NOW; BUT JUST WHAT IS INVOLVED IN THE DECENT HOMES STANDARD?
The standard states at its core that the property should not be considered unfit under housing legislation, it should have:
- A kitchen with adequate space and layout;
- A reasonably modern kitchen (20 years old or less);
- A reasonably modern bathroom (30 years old or less);
- An appropriately located bathroom and WC;
- Adequate insulation against external noise (where external noise is a problem);
- Adequate size and layout of common areas for blocks of flats. Both effective insulation and efficient heating.
For some time Shelforce has been working with local authorities and social housing organisations to deliver the windows and doors element of the decent homes programmes. Over the last few years there has been a shift in the measures of best value and good practice in procurement. What public bodies have to demonstrate in ever increasing levels is how through their procurement they are supporting local industry and promoting social inclusion for all members of society. What Shelforce offers is links to the local businesses through its own procurement chain and social inclusion through its disability employment initiatives.
EACH LOCAL AUTHORITY MUST GATHER INFORMATION TO ESTABLISH THE SIZE OF THE PROBLEM IN THEIR AREA AND ARE THEN LEGALLY REQUIRED TO ASSIST THIS GROUP
One arm of Shelforce’s business delivers support to people with disabilities seeking employment, it acts as an agency that identifies recruits and facilitates their movement into employment. When this has happened Shelforce continues to support the individual and their new employer for as long as is required to ensure the employment is sustained.
In addition to social housing controlled by local authorities or social housing organisations the Decent Homes targets also want to improve conditions for vulnerable households and families with children in privately owned housing. Each Local Authority must gather information to establish the size of the problem in their area and are then legally required to assist this group. Shelforce has been working with Sandwell Council on various regeneration projects aimed at improving the private properties and the local environment. The first phases of this programme have seen Shelforce provide windows and doors that bring Victorian properties back to their former glory with modern low maintenance alternatives to wood or aluminium.
Shelforce has worked in partnership with a number of local construction partners to deliver these projects for Sandwell. The results are clear to see; Sandwell have regenerated local areas by using local businesses that employ local people to, in some cases, improve their own local communities. This type of partnership and procurement of products and services was vindicated late in 2007 when the Audit Commission reported on activities of Sandwell Council’s regeneration programmes, the report made particular reference to the best value and best practice of Sandwell Council using local organisations and particularly Shelforce who support disability employment initiatives and where over 75% of the employees have a disability that would make it difficult for them to secure and maintain employment without a high degree of support.
Good procurement for housing is about partnerships, but it’s about much more than the product or the price paid for the product or service. Public bodies and the power of the procurement activities they are involved in can be used to deliver so much more than they are aware of. Partnerships like the one with Sandwell Council and Shelforce demonstrate that if procurement officers and their organisations look beyond the initial requirement and link their activities into the wider social environment they can deliver so much more and contribute to the whole regeneration and social inclusion agendas.
