Ashfield District Council - Housing Stock Partnership

Ashfield District Council - formerly Ashfield Homes - is a housing organisation managing council homes in Ashfield, North Nottinghamshire. J Tomlinson has had a positive long-term relationship with the organisation stretching back over more than ten years. The firm has undertaken a range of maintenance and repairs contracts, including providing a comprehensive 3* domestic gas servicing, maintenance, and repairs service, securing consecutive contract renewals through consistent high quality workmanship, excellent customer service and strong safety standards.

In 2015, J Tomlinson was appointed to carry out more than £30m worth of improvements to the housing stock - the company’s largest ever single contract. The work involves replacing kitchens, bathrooms, central heating systems, electrical installations, roof coverings, windows, and external doors. It also includes scope to undertake other improvement works to benefit tenants’ homes and their surroundings, including carbon and environmental efficiency saving measures.

As Ashfield District Council’s capital works partner, J Tomlinson is refurbishing a wide range of housing types, including high and medium-rise buildings, plus sheltered housing and in particular the firm is responsible for upgrading a high proportion of post-war, non-traditional homes.

The majority of the client’s 7,000 properties are concentrated within the three main towns of Sutton-in-Ashfield, Hucknall, and Kirkby.

As with all J Tomlinson contracts, each project undertaken on behalf of Ashfield District Council is delivered under J Tomlinson’s ethos of ‘approaching everything together’. Some of the many benefits of the partnership include:

A collaborative approach - prior to each project, J Tomlinson agrees clear plans with quantified targets, covering all aspects of delivery. The client is kept updated through a daily tracking system, weekly meetings, and high-level director’s reports.

Co-location - each member of contract management team spends at least two days a week at Ashfield’s head office, helping to ensure immediate and effective communication, increase efficiency and a truly collaborative partnership.

Tenants interaction - J Tomlinson works hard to establish relationships with tenants and ensure minimal disruption is caused when improvements are taking place. Tenants are assigned a Resident Liaison Officer, who assists with everything from moving furniture to acting as a friendly and approachable point of contact, whether for question or just a chat. The company also organises coffee mornings and fish and chip lunches prior to and during work taking place, giving tenants a chance to engage with the people enhancing their homes, as well as bringing the community together.

Cost efficiency - J Tomlinson undertakes excellent cost management via expert resources, a comprehensive IT database and through full transparency.

• Enhanced living conditions for residents.

• Upgrading of central heating systems, new external wall insulation, and double-glazed windows and doors has created warmer homes and is reducing fuel bills.

• Improved aesthetics with new windows, doors, and external finishes transforming estates and helping to instil pride in the community.

• Significant community and social value initiatives, including school activities, work experience opportunities, educational visits, litter picking projects, fun days, and job centre engagement.

• Hiring of local apprentices - at least 12 over five years.

• £30 million - client investment.

• Current KPI of progress against planned work - 99.4%.

• Significant results for completion, for example the external wall installation, new doors and windows, and roof works improvements on the 114 properties on the Carsic Estate phase were completed ahead of schedule and within half of the allotted time.

• Estimated carbon savings of work carried out in 2016/2017 alone is circa 620 tonnes per annum.