Grounds Maintenance Conference
Achieving value, improving performance and meeting regulatory requirements Wednesday, 23rd May 2012, York Racecourse
Housing providers need to achieve value for money in delivering grounds maintenance contracts, whilst also improving the quality of services, as value for money is to be a key requirement in the 2012 regulatory framework for social housing. The Northern Housing Consortium’s (NHC) annual grounds maintenance conference: Achieving value, improving performance and meeting regulatory requirements will cover all of the key issues including: Best practice in procuring and securing value for money in grounds maintenance contracts Using grounds maintenance contracts to incorporate apprenticeships and work experience for their communities TUPE and contract management Latest techniques of performance management and benchmarking How tenants and community groups have shaped and scrutinised grounds maintenance services, hearing first-hand from experts The law relating to service charges and how to manage problems which arise
Who should attend? Anyone working to procure, deliver or manage grounds maintenance contracts, and those who have an interest in managing services at a neighbourhood level who want to hear the latest thinking.
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Delegates will be able to record 4 Continuing Professional Development hours for attending this conference.
Programme
9.30
Registration, refreshments and exhibition viewing
10.15
Chair’s introduction and welcome Ian Brown, Head of Communities, Livin
10.20
Getting value for money from your contract Andrew Carlin, Executive Director (Commercial), Northern Housing Consortium Achieving value is a regulatory requirement. Andrew will explain how to achieve this including: An overview of the NHC’s procurement work and achieving value for money How to procure a grounds maintenance contract Contract specification and content Evaluation of contract work Neighbourhood approaches to contracts
10.45
The role of the Board in contract management, instigating TUPE in contract management and managing the people issues Andy Ballard, Housing Solutions and Chair of Herefordshire Homes Andy, a qualified Solicitor, consultant in people solutions, and chair of Herefordshire Homes will discuss: The role of the Board in contract management How to manage changes in contracts TUPE and people management issues in contract changes Motivating staff and enlisting their support for change
11.10
The role of housing providers in supporting small and medium enterprises (SME’s) Rosemary Kay, RLK Partnerships Ltd To help understand how small and medium sized enterprises (SME’s) can become involved in bidding for public sector work, Rosemary will share outcomes from recent research with 49 SMEs, covering: How you can assist SMEs not to waste effort Monitoring sub-contractors How the removal of internal barriers can support local enterprise and innovation
11.35
Question and answer session
11.50
Refreshments and exhibition viewing
12.10
Professional practice sessions A. Setting up an ‘in-house’ social enterprise to deliver grounds maintenance and environmental improvement Wayne Gales, Director of Operations, South Liverpool Housing South Liverpool Housing (SLH) works in a challenging area where unemployment is high and it aims to reinvest in its own community. SLH have established a social enterprise to support local people into work, whilst at the same time employing them to improve their own community. Wayne will discuss: Lessons learned in setting up a social enterprise Creating work opportunities and apprenticeships for your community Working with customers and partners Measuring performance and delivering local value B. The Green Space Service: improved landscape management through facilitating community ownership Liz Ackerley, Green Space Manager for Helena Partnerships and a Chartered Landscape Architect In 2008 tenants told Helena Partnerships that they wanted the organisation to deliver better environmental services and improve neighbourhood landscapes. As a result, the in-house Green Space Service (GSS) was developed in close association with residents and teams across the organisation, before officially launching in January 2010. This session will cover The approach to improved and more sustainable landscape management Increasing resident ownership of green spaces and developing more diverse and interesting landscapes Using the Green Base to engage with volunteers and help communities to improve spaces in their neighbourhoods C. Bringing your grounds maintenance service in house Teresa Tierney, Director of Housing Services, Halton Housing Trust Halton Housing Trust has recently brought their grounds maintenance services in house. This session will cover: The rationale and the implementation plan The scope and the support they sourced The set up of the in house team and the associated staffing issues Identifying potential cost savings and early benefits
D. Managing contracts and planning for extreme weather Richard Forster, Service Director (Neighbourhoods), Wakefield and District Housing We like surprises, but when it comes to extreme weather it is best to be prepared and ready to deal with extreme conditions. Wakefield and District Housing have reviewed their approach in the last two years and are better able to manage and review risks as a result. This session will cover: Planning for extreme weather, where to get information and external advice How landlords planned and reacted to continue service delivery Internal procedures for fulfilling duties and managing risk What went well, what did not, hints and tips Supporting the most vulnerable tenants Reviewed success and reporting on lessons learned 13.00
Lunch and exhibition viewing
14.00
Professional practice sessions E. Setting up an ‘in-house’ social enterprise to deliver grounds maintenance and environmental improvement Wayne Gales, Director of Operations, South Liverpool Housing South Liverpool Housing (SLH) works in a challenging area where unemployment is high and it aims to reinvest in its own community. SLH have established a social enterprise to support local people into work, whilst at the same time employing them to improve their own community. Wayne will discuss: Lessons learned in setting up a social enterprise Creating work opportunities and apprenticeships for your community Working with customers and partners Measuring performance and delivering local value F. The Green Space Service: improved landscape management through facilitating community ownership Liz Ackerley, Green Space Manager for Helena Partnerships and a Chartered Landscape Architect In 2008 tenants told Helena Partnerships that they wanted the organisation to deliver better environmental services and improve neighbourhood landscapes. As a result, the in-house Green Space Service (GSS) was developed in close association with residents and teams across the organisation, before officially launching in January 2010. This session will cover The approach to improved and more sustainable landscape management Increasing resident ownership of green spaces and developing more diverse and interesting landscapes Using the Green Base to engage with volunteers and help communities to improve spaces in their neighbourhoods
G. Bringing your grounds maintenance service in house Teresa Tierney, Director Housing Services, Halton Housing Trust Halton Housing Trust has recently brought their services in house. This session will cover: The rationale and the implementation plan The scope and the support they sourced The set up of the in house team and the associated staffing issues Identifying potential cost savings and early benefits H. Tenant scrutiny of grounds maintenance in practice Tenant Scrutiny Panel, New Charter Housing Trust The Scrutiny Panel delivered one of their most significant pieces of scrutiny when they reviewed grounds maintenance. The panel chose this topic for their first scrutiny review as they understood tenants were not satisfied with the standard of service provided. The Panel will take you through their approach to the Grounds Maintenance Review including: How they conducted the review How they involved other tenants Lessons learnt and top tips for success 14.50
Performance management and excellence in grounds maintenance Mo Baines, Principal Advisor, The Association of Public Service Excellence In providing an overview of the work of Association of Public Service Excellence and their performance networks relating to ground maintenance, this session will cover: The importance of sustainability of public space on housing estates Benchmarking Good practice in the sector
15.30
Charging for services - the law, the issues and how to manage them Charlotte McMurchie, Partner, Dickinson Dees LLP Providing a legal update on legislation affecting charges for services, Charlotte will discuss: The law which surrounds the management of service charges The pitfalls for landlords How to manage service charges and service charge increases, within the law
16.05
Chair’s closing remarks
16.10
Close of conference
Grounds Maintenance Conference Achieving value, improving performance and meeting regulatory requirements Wednesday, 23rd May 2012, York Racecourse Delegate fees
Early booking discount: book before 18th April 2012
Northern Housing Consortium Member
£219
£199
Non Member
£269
£249 All delegate fees are shown excluding VAT.
How to book Online To book your delegate place at this event and to view our full terms & conditions and cancellation policy, please click below.
Book Online
Telephone To make a provisional booking please telephone our events team;
0191 566 1000 Please note any telephone reservations are made on a provisional basis and must be confirmed in writing within 2 working days.
Contact us For further information or if you have a query please contact a member of the events team: Telephone: 0191 566 1000 Email: events@northern-consortium.org.uk
Download a copy of the programme here