Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2010 - Falkirk Council
Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2010 - Falkirk Council
Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2010 - Falkirk Council
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
7.5 The <strong>Council</strong> will continue to liaise and co-operate with the Scottish Government’s<br />
<strong>Housing</strong> <strong>Investment</strong> Division (HID) and with the local RSL Forum to consider the<br />
options for joint/streamlined procurement processes in terms of the projects<br />
outlined in this SHIP. The <strong>Council</strong> will continue to engage with its RSL partners<br />
and HID to develop a procurement framework that will underpin the preparation of<br />
future SHIPs.<br />
7.6 Over the past 4 years the average grant requirement per unit for social rented units<br />
delivered in the <strong>Council</strong> area through the AHIP has reduced year-on-year from an<br />
average of £83,260 per unit in 2006-07 to an average of £66,562 in 2009/10<br />
(Appendix 9). The <strong>Council</strong> will continue to promote and support efficiency savings<br />
which, if this trend continues, will allow more new affordable homes to be delivered<br />
during the impending period of budget contraction.<br />
Community Benefits from Procurement Processes<br />
7.7 <strong>Falkirk</strong> <strong>Council</strong> is actively working towards embedding a community benefits in<br />
procurement approach within <strong>Council</strong> Services and with other public sector<br />
organisations to expand the scope and quantity of employment and training<br />
opportunities linked to the local action plans for increasing skills and employability<br />
for those priority clients of working age who are currently unemployed (Workforce<br />
Plus and More Choices, More Chances).<br />
7.8 A presentation outlining the process and benefits of adopting a community benefits<br />
in procurement approach was presented to the <strong>Falkirk</strong> RSL Forum meeting on 13 th<br />
May <strong>2010</strong>. The <strong>Council</strong> is fully committed to working with RSLs in order to<br />
incorporate local community benefits into their procurement processes.<br />
7.9 This is evidenced in the following ways:<br />
• The <strong>Council</strong> includes community benefit clauses in its building contracts for new<br />
council housing and/or maintenance/repair which require the successful<br />
contractor to provide training opportunities dependent on the size and duration<br />
of the build, e.g. the contract to build 8 new homes at Sawyers Avenue, Denny<br />
required at least one training opportunity to be provided throughout the duration<br />
of the contract,<br />
• The contract for the extensive refurbishment of the high rise flats at Eastburn<br />
Tower, <strong>Falkirk</strong> requires the successful contractor to provide at least four training<br />
opportunities for the duration of the contract,<br />
• Following the success of the Link Group’s projects at Lomond Drive, Langlees<br />
and Wood Street, Grangemouth which provided 9 pre-apprenticeship training<br />
places, a good working relationship has developed to ensure future building<br />
projects incorporate community benefits into the procurement process. A<br />
further example of good working relationships with Link Group resulted in<br />
Persimmon Homes providing two training opportunities at the housing<br />
development at Bellsdyke, Larbert,<br />
53