Purpose

Tameside Council  progressed with Registered Provider partners and introduced a Common Housing Allocation Scheme to modernise housing allocations, improve transparency and provide residents with a single point of access to social housing and imely interventions that addressed both housing insecurity and wider social care needs.

Current arrangements involved multiple housing registers and allocation processes operated across a number of housing providers.  This created fragmentation, duplication and inefficiencies for both applicants and partner organisations

Following soft market testing, supplier demonstrations and evaluation involving Housing Services, Digital Services, ICT and Information Governance representatives, Locata Housing Services Ltd had been identified as the preferred supplier.  The proposed solution best met the Council's operational, technical, accessibility, security and partnership requirements.

The proposed contract sought to enable:

•          A single housing application process for residents.

•          A common housing register and allocation policy.

•          A borough-wide Choice Based Lettings service.

•          Improved access to available social housing stock.

•          Enhanced reporting, workflow management and performance monitoring.

•          Improved accessibility through WCAG 2.2 AA compliant services.

•          Integration between homelessness and housing allocation services.

The procurement route sought a direct award through the CCS G-Cloud 14 Framework, providing a compliant and efficient route to market and avoided the cost and delay of a separate procurement exercise.

Decision

1. That approval be given for a contract for the provision and implementation of a borough-wide Choice Based Lettings (CBL) system be awarded to Locata Housing Services Ltd through the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) G-Cloud 14 Framework.
2. That approval be given for the Council to enter into the necessary contractual arrangements with Locata Housing Services Ltd for the implementation, hosting, support, maintenance and ongoing operation of the CBL platform.
3. That approval be given that the Locata platform is implemented as the Council's housing allocations system to support delivery of the Common Housing Allocation Scheme and the establishment of:

•          A single housing register;

•          A common housing allocations policy;

•          A shared Choice Based Lettings service across Tameside; and

•          Improved digital access for residents seeking social housing.

1. The associated expenditure be given approved from existing approved budgets identified within the Common Housing Allocation Programme and Housing Service budgets.
2. These recommendations provide the formal authority required to appoint Locata and proceed with implementation of the new borough-wide housing allocations and lettings platform.

Reasons for the decision

To seek approval to award a contract to Locata Housing Services Ltd for the provision and implementation of a borough-wide Choice Based Lettings (CBL) solution through a direct award under the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) G-Cloud 14 Framework (RM1557.14).  The contract will support delivery of the proposed Common Housing Allocation Scheme and provide a single digital platform for housing allocations across Tameside.

The new platform will enable the establishment of a common housing register, common allocation policy, accessible housing register and a shared system for housing applications, advertising, bidding, shortlisting and reporting.  It will also support integration between homelessness and housing allocation services, reducing duplication and improving customer journeys 

Alternative options considered

Option 1: Do nothing:

This option was rejected as it would prevent the implementation of the Common Housing Allocation Scheme and the associated borough-wide Choice Based Lettings (CBL) service.  Tameside residents would continue to experience a fragmented approach to housing allocations, with multiple systems and application processes operated by different landlord partners. This would undermine the objectives of improving customer access, transparency and consistency across the housing allocation process

This option was considered but rejected due to the impact on project timescales and costs.

Option 2: Procure Through G-Cloud 15 Following Expiry of G-Cloud 14

The current procurement opportunity under the G-Cloud 14 framework provides a compliant route to market and enables implementation to commence within the timescales required to support the introduction of the Common Housing Allocation Scheme.

Deferring the procurement until the implementation of G-Cloud 15 would delay contract award and system mobilisation, creating a significant risk to the planned delivery timetable for the Common Housing Allocation Scheme.  A delay would also require the Council to extend its existing housing allocations contract and associated support arrangements to maintain service continuity whilst a future procurement exercise is undertaken.

This would result in:

•          Additional expenditure through the extension of existing contractual arrangements.

•          Delayed realisation of service improvements and efficiencies associated with the new system.

•          Increased project costs through the continuation of legacy systems.

•          Risks to the implementation timetable agreed with Registered Provider partners.

•          Delayed delivery of the Common Housing Allocation Scheme and associated transformation programme.

For these reasons, awarding the contract through the current G-Cloud 14 framework represents the most cost-effective and timely option available to the Council.

Option 3: Undertake a Full Open Procurement Exercise

This option was rejected because a full procurement exercise would significantly increase procurement timescales, resource requirements and associated costs when compared to the use of an established compliant framework.

A delayed procurement process would adversely affect implementation of the Common Housing Allocation Scheme and could similarly require the extension of existing contractual arrangements, resulting in additional financial costs to the Council.