INSIDE LOOKING OUT
In this InFocus section we report on news involving suppliers of products and services to the housing sector.
If we have contact details in our Featured Websites (FW) section for any of the organisations featured, we include a hyper-link at the end of the article.
That link will also access details of any associated feature articles in our Spotlight section.
Destin Sponsors CIH Conference Workshop
Fabrick Covers More By Changing To 1st Touch Mobile
First Adapt Welcomes Salix Homes as a New Customer
Law Firm Devonshires Joins National Green Group
Livin Becomes First Adapt's Latest Client of Procurement Map
Minimising the Risks of Localism - Help is at Hand!
Sustainable Homes: February and March Events Programme
Willmott Dixon Wins £15 million Guinness Repair Contract
Sustainable Homes: February and March Events Programme
February 2012
09/02/2012 Passivhaus training
20/02/2012 Reducing emissions from existing homes and SHIFT awards
24/02/2012 How to build to the code for sustainable homes cost effectively
06/03/2012 Code for Sustainable Homes Assessor Training
14/03/2012 Understanding Housing Quality Indicators
FW Sustainable Homes contact details.
Fabrick Covers More By Changing To 1st Touch Mobile
February 2012
Fabrick Housing Group has changed its mobile systems supplier to 1st Touch as part of an expansion of PDA based technology usage throughout the organisation.
The Group, made up of parent company Fabrick and partner companies Erimus Housing and Tees Valley Housing, provides homes for rent and affordable home ownership across an area spanning North Tyneside to York.
While Erimus Housing owns and manages more than 10,000 properties and Tees Valley Housing has around 4,000, the majority of the stock is located in and around Teesside.
The partner companies in the group, which first engaged with mobile systems in a limited capacity four years ago, will now use 1st Touch software in both its responsive repairs and gas servicing operations.
The Group is also actively considering rolling out 1st Touch for use by its voids operatives, housing officers, estate managers and those working in its supported housing team.
Initial annual savings, obtained in the first phase of the move to 1st Touch, are expected to be in the region of £300,000.
The main drivers behind the decision to go with 1st Touch were the system's ability to encompass all the business demands that the chosen technology solution needed to fulfil, together with the software's ability to integrate seamlessly with Fabrick's existing Aareon QL Housing Management system.
1st Touch is an existing partner of Aareon, which has also helped streamline the working relationships between those involved in managing the installation process. Fabrick was also impressed by the ability of 1st Touch to work effectively in geographically poor signal areas through its unique use of the latest Smart Airtime technology.
FW - 1stTouch contact details.
Minimising the Risks of Localism - Help is at Hand!
January 2012
Many local authorities are welcoming the Government's enthusiasm for transferring power to a local level. There would seem to be a lot of sense in giving the bodies with local knowledge the ability to respond to local needs and circumstances.
However, with power comes responsibility and risk. To manage risk, Councils need the ability to access accurate data about their citizens, and quickly model the impact of changes.
EVOLVE has been developed by Destin Solutions Ltd., whose consultants know local government inside out. It's a state-of-the-art tool to help Local Authorities to view and manipulate information they collect in a range of different systems.
The Government has also overhauled the funding of Council housing. The Localism Act 2011 has brought in financial autonomy for Councils owning their own housing stock.
Government has made certain assumptions about reasonable ongoing income and expenditure for the housing service, and has established a 'buy out' figure that will allow them to exit the current subsidy regime. They will then need to rely on the robustness of their own business plan to ensure they are managing their own risk from that point.
Ruth Trown a Director of Destin Solutions said:
"Clearly, there is an even higher incentive to manage costs tightly and to provide increasing efficiencies, to make sure the business plan stays on track without impacting on essential services. EVOLVE can provide the information that social landlords need to achieve this."
FW - Destin Solutions contact details.
Law Firm Devonshires Joins National Green Group
December 2011
Devonshires Solicitors, a long established City law firm with a track record in the social housing and projects sector, has become the first legal advisers to sponsor Sustainable Homes' nationwide initiative, Sustainable Homes Index For Tomorrow (SHIFT).
The only initiative to provide a comprehensive environmental benchmark for affordable housing providers, SHIFT counts the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), WWF, the Mayor of London and UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) among its supporters.
Devonshires provides essential legal knowledge through its dedicated and growing energy and climate change practice. Currently the firm is advising a number of private sector, public sector and third sector clients on a range of energy and climate change matters, dealing with procurement, projects, commercial, finance, property and regulatory aspects.
Paul Buckland, Partner of Devonshires Solicitors, said:
"Devonshires has always understood and advised on all aspects of the social housing sector, especially community regeneration. With this understanding we host a full range of services which have achieved nationwide coverage and recognition.
"We are delighted to partner with SHIFT, not least as this offers means of further supporting our clients as they address issues such as fuel poverty, rising energy costs and the climate change agenda."
SHIFT is the comprehensive environmental benchmark for affordable housing providers. The SHIFT Index is administrated by Sustainable Homes. Members are accredited on a scale of Bronze to Platinum.
SHIFT was launched in 2008 and has grown in popularity since then and now have over 48 organisations involved. SHIFT is recognised by the Homes and Communities Agency as a useful tool to reduce environmental impacts and to improve 'place-making'. The Chartered Institute of Housing also recognises SHIFT as an environmental accreditation scheme.
FW - Sustainable Homes
Livin Becomes First Adapt's Latest Client of Procurement Map
December 2011
First Adapt has welcomed Livin as the latest customer to make the decision to implement the Procurement Map in line with their overall procurement strategy.
Established in 30 March 2009 following a stock transfer from Sedgefield Borough Council, Livin is a housing association, a charitable industrial provident society and a registered provider with the Tenant Services Authority.
It currently own in excess of 8,500 properties, 2,700 garages, and 60 commercial properties, as well as areas of land, making them the single largest registered provider of social housing in the Durham area.
First Adapt will start to implement the Procurement Map in the New Year.
FW - First Adapt Ltd
Willmott Dixon Wins £15 million Guinness Repair Contract
November 2011
Willmott Dixon Partnerships has won a five year contract worth £15 million with Guinness South, a member of the Guinness Partnership, to deliver responsive repairs to 6,500 homes.
The contract, which has an option to be extended to 10 years, will see Willmott Dixon responsible for Guinness South properties in the east and west of the country and includes voids as well as day-to-day repairs. The geographic spread will see the company cover Guinness South homes in Stevenage, Kings Lynn, Great Yarmouth and Basildon in the east, plus property in Milton Keynes, Aylesbury and Wycombe in the west.
Guinness South is responsible for over 17,000 properties owned or managed by the Guinness Partnership in the South East and East Anglia and will work closely with Willmott Dixon to ensure year-on-year improvements in service performance, tenant satisfaction and value for money. This will come through investment in systems, training and people development, building on the existing skills and expertise of the partners.
This new contract award brings to 150,000 the number of domestic properties that Willmott Dixon is responsible for.
First Adapt Welcomes Salix Homes as a New Customer
October 2011
First Adapt's latest customer for its popular Knowledge Maps is Salix Homes.
The Association manages around 10,500 council-owned properties across Central Salford and the Beechfarm and Rainsough Brow Estates.
With their vision of 'more than just a place to live', Salix Homes' focus is on their customers, to improve the quality of their homes and neighbourhoods and provide a housing service that really responds to their needs.
The Association will be implementing the 100 Questions Knowledge Map as part of their corporate plan to continuously improve services via their Customer Service Centres.
FW - First Adapt Ltd
Destin Sponsors CIH Conference Workshop
October 2011
Destin Solutions announced that it will again be offering sponsorship to the CIH Lettings and Homelessness Conference and Exhibition, which will be held on 23rd - 24th November 2011.
The event, which is key in the calendar for Housing Options and Housing Needs services across the country, will be held at Chesford Grange Hotel, Kenilworth.
Destin will be sponsoring a workshop entitled 'The perfect Housing Options, Homelessness and Lettings Service', led by Carolyn Howell MBE and Ruth Bamford from NHAS. This is a subject area that Destin specialises in and Directors will be on hand to discuss its products with delegates.
Click here for more information about the conference.
FW - Destin Solutions contact details.
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