South Lakes Housing - Grounds Maintenance Review, Procurement Consultancy & Contract Management
Introduction:
South Lakes Housing faced a common challenge in the social housing sector - finding a grounds maintenance solution that delivered both value for money and quality service to residents. Like many housing providers across the UK, they had defaulted to the industry-standard approach of contracting with a large national provider. This one-size-fits-all approach wasn't delivering the responsiveness and community connection their residents deserved. South Lakes Housing sought a fresh perspective on their grounds maintenance provision, and our procurement consultancy team, led by Steven Higginbottom, Head of Social Housing Consultancy, embarked on a comprehensive review and procurement process.
The Challenge: Breaking from Convention
The existing grounds maintenance contract with a major national contractor was approaching its renewal date, presenting an ideal opportunity to reassess the approach. Our initial assessment revealed several significant challenges with the existing arrangement that needed addressing, including limited visibility of work completion, inconsistent service quality across different geographical areas, a disconnect between the national contractor and local community needs, rigid service specifications, and minimal opportunities for local employment and economic benefits.
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Contact us todayOur Methodology: A Ground-Up Review
Detailed Service Review and Options Analysis
Steven Higginbottom worked closely with South Lakes Housing to begin with a detailed review of the current grounds maintenance provision, examining performance metrics, historical costs, and resident satisfaction data. This foundation informed a complete options appraisal that considered various delivery models, including traditional contracting, in-house provision, joint ventures, and innovative partnership approaches.
On-the-Ground Budget Development
Steven conducted extensive site visits across the diverse South Lakes region to assess actual conditions, identify site-specific requirements, and understand the practical challenges contractors would face. This hands-on approach proved invaluable in developing realistic budgets based on actual conditions rather than desk-based estimates.
Resident Consultation
We facilitated a series of consultation sessions with residents to gather genuine insights on current service levels, expectations, and future priorities. These sessions ranged from formal focus groups to informal discussions at community events, ensuring diverse perspectives were captured and incorporated into the specification development.
Targeted Pre-Market Engagement
One of the most important elements of our approach was conducting targeted pre-market engagement. We researched and identified local SME contractors who might not typically participate in procurement, providing information sessions, one-to-one discussions, and guidance materials to explain the opportunity and build confidence in the process.
Dynamic Purchasing System Approach
After evaluating several compliance routes, we used the Procurement Assist Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) as the overall best procurement vehicle for this contract. The DPS provided a fully compliant framework while offering significantly greater flexibility than traditional frameworks, allowing engagement with a wider range of providers, including local SMEs who could join the system specifically for this opportunity.
Implementation: From Award to Operation
Following a thorough evaluation process that balanced quality, social value, and cost considerations, the contracts were awarded to two local companies: J R Vegetation Ltd and Alben. This dual-contractor approach allowed for geographical specialisation while providing contingency through healthy competition.
We provided extensive mobilisation support to ensure a smooth transition from the previous national contractor. The mobilisation period was carefully structured to allow for knowledge transfer, staff training, and equipment deployment, ensuring service continuity for residents while the new contractors established their operations.
This included new arrangements such as the implementation of customer portals by both contractors, providing complete transparency on scheduled work dates, completion records, and photographic evidence of completed work. This transparency has dramatically reduced queries and complaints while building trust in the service.
Outcomes Beyond Cost Savings
The contracts, worth up to £300,000 per annum over a potential five-year term, now directly benefit the local economy through multiple channels, including increased local employment, use of local supply chains, and retention of profits within the region. This economic multiplier effect extends the value of the contract well beyond the direct service provision, creating wider community benefits that align with South Lakes Housing's social purpose.
Beyond competitive pricing, the new arrangements deliver better overall value through reduced management overhead, increased first-time completion rates, higher resident satisfaction, and prevention of minor issues developing into more significant problems. The transparent reporting systems eliminate disputes about work completion, streamlining the invoice and payment process.
Ongoing Support and Contract Management
A key element of the project's success is the ongoing support and mentoring provided by Thornton & Lowe. Steven Higginbottom and Patrick Collins will continue to work with South Lakes Housing to ensure the effective management of the service going forward, providing contract management mentoring, performance monitoring assistance, and guidance on continuous improvement.
A Procurement Model to Consider?
This case study demonstrates what can be achieved with the right preparation and a highly practical approach to procurement. The upcoming Procurement Act encourages prior engagement, use of local contractors, and increased scrutiny over effective contract management, aligning with the approach taken in this project.
You may also be interested in our PME article - preliminary market engagement.
