A groundbreaking approach to programme delivery has achieved awards acclaim at the Housing Executive Magazine Awards, hosted at the Toughsheet Community Stadium in Bolton.
The ten-year collaboration which unites Prosper, the North East Housing Partnership and Northern Housing Consortium with leading kitchen manufacturer, JTC Furniture, scooped the “Commended Award” in the Partnership of the Year category during an evening of sector celebration.
The planned investment programme was facilitated by collaboration creators, Prosper, and is expected to generate savings of over £10 million during a decade of transformation for social landlords.
Laura Balaam-Wiseman, Collaboration Director at Prosper said: “The ongoing success of the kitchen collaboration highlights the power of collaboration and the lasting value that can be created when organisations come together around a shared goal.
“Through standardisation and smarter procurement, our aim was to identify where cost, complexity or duplication could be reduced without compromising quality or service to residents, generating significant value benefits.”
The partnership is not only improving kitchen spaces for tenants across the North East, but has also created multiple local jobs.
Colin Tweddell, Executive Director – Social Housing, JTC Furniture said: “With thousands of homes across the North East projected to benefit, it made perfect sense to establish our regional kitchen assembly hub within the communities in which we serve.
“We’ve expanded our site in Cramlington by securing a 10-year lease for assembly and distribution, creating pathways into employment for locals including social housing residents. This includes the appointment of trainee warehouse operatives, a general manager, customer service administrator and three surveyors.”
The ripple effects are ongoing proof-of concept for Prosper’s innovative Opti-Value delivery model. Laura continued: “It was a thrill to see our shared value recognised at an emerging fixture in the social housing calendar.
“Our Opti-Value concept delivers a regional approach to supply and distribution and brings together planned investment across multiple landlords. It allows us to move away from fragmented, landlord-by-landlord procurement towards a coordinated, long-term model which can amplify the social value benefits.”
The evening marked the second iteration of the Housing Executive Awards which aims to shine the spotlight on the sector’s brightest talent. Prosper was also nominated in the Decarbonisation of the Year category for its work with the Synergy Partnership.
Laura concluded: “We’re enormously proud of the partnership which remains one of the first of its kind nationally and we look to go one better in future!”