We had another productive and insightful day focused, as usual, on upholding best practice and this time, lots of conversation about developing technologies within the sector, thanks to the special focus sessions on AI.

Introduction & welcome

It’s always a positive start to any meeting to welcome new members, and this time we were delighted to say hello to Faithorn Farrell Timms (FFT).  Lee from FFT has been supporting the members on the Procurement Act changes (read on for more).

We were also pleased to share that the last SPF session reports are available in the Members’ area on the website. Each report contains highlights of the presentations with supplementary information and useful links, and we will soon be sharing the latest summary from this meeting.  

Skills shortage and training

Always a hot topic, our first session The Skills Shortage and Training, delivered by Langley’s Dean Wincott (Chief Executive Officer) and Neel Bidessie (Director of Social Value and People Development), was certainly thought-provoking.

In a post Grenfell world, operational competency is more important than ever and in tandem with the changes in the Building Safety Act and the imminent removal of Grandfather Rights (31^st December 2024) as an exemption to the new legislation, “skills” are becoming an even more contentious topic.

While the removal of Grandfather Rights may well push the older generation to take early retirement, and thus the loss of years of experience, it could also be viewed as a welcome change. The Langley team believes it will strengthen operational competency and safety standards throughout the industry, and also potentially improve the younger generation’s perception of the social housing sector.

An update on NHMF Frameworx

Frameworx Directors’, David Miller (M3 Chair) and Neil Watts (Director of Service Delivery, Peabody Maintenance) gave us an update on the positive performance of NHMF Frameworx.

To date, there have been 56 contract awards through Frameworx and interestingly, only one of which was through competition. There are also some new agreements coming online this year, covering: Damp, Mould & Condensation Works, Structural Repairs & Civil Engineering, Security Access & Life Support Services, Subcontract/Specialist Services, Vehicle Supply, and Estate Services inc Grounds Maintenance & Building Cleaning.

Contract Award Clients include London Borough of Lambeth, London Borough of Hackney, Aster, Southern Housing Group, Radius Housing (Northern Ireland), Brighter Places, Clanmil Housing (Northern Ireland), Islington & Shoreditch, Freebridge Community, Housing Plus, Hyde, Bedfordshire Pilgrims, Dorset Council, and Norwich City Council.

David reiterated the benefits of working with Frameworx, with the most relevant being the attractive minimum fee of 1.5%.  Frameworx is also the only procurement provider to be aligned with M3NHF Schedule of Rates.

He then asked the question: which other workstreams would members like to see procured next?

If you have any suggestions, reach out to David Miller by emailing david@nhmfframeworx.org.uk.

Conflicting views on AI

Likely the most anticipated topic of the day, A Simple Guide to AI saw Kim Newman (Managing Director, PML Group) chair a discussion on the increasing prevalence of AI with some of the sector’s experts:

• Dylan Chipp (Founder, Smart Housing Consultancy and Insights) was very enthusiastic about the future of AI. He believes it has huge potential for the sector, not only as a money-saving tool but as a means of pushing things forward. He even demonstrated the power of AI by using a Text-to-Speech (TTS) bot to deliver his presentation!
• Shaun Lotay (Technical Director, Langley) says AI can be used to improve accessibility. Langley is using AI to simplify technical documents, labelling them as ‘Plain English’. The results for Langley are improved communication throughout businesses and clarity for both operatives and the residents they serve.
• Neal Forse (Founder & CTO, IoT Solutions Group) shared how IoT’s AI environmental monitoring tool, COSIE homes, is currently helping to improve living standards in homes across 19 London boroughs.
• Ettan Bazil (Founder, Help me Fix) picked up on this theme by sharing how AI is helping them diagnose issues within a resident’s home. The improvements and savings ‘Help Me Fix’ can offer are impressive.
• Andrew Parsons (Analogue Migration Manager, London Borough of Southwark) offered a somewhat differing view on AI. He warned fellow panelists that, though AI has some benefits, to fully embrace it is the wrong approach. AI is only a benefit to residents if it’s delivering the right results. He urged providers to ensure that their focus is not solely on margins but on the positive experience and outcomes for residents.

In summary, there was widespread agreement that AI will only increase in significance as we move forward. However, the ways in which we use it are still up for debate. What should be done by an operative and what should be done by AI? This question still hasn’t been answered, but this fascinating panel raised a lot of questions for attendees to consider.

NHMF Working Groups update

Felicity Newman (Strategic Director, Aster Group) gave a whistlestop tour of the NHMF Working Groups’ progress, sharing that regional groups are growing in popularity and several new workshops are in the pipeline.  Felicity urged SPF members to get involved as the service providers’ perspective is a valuable addition to the conversation.

Dates for new Procurement Act drop-in sessions revealed

Moving to the upcoming procurement changes, Lee Maskell (Equity Partner, FFT) and his colleague Karen Weeks (Associated) reported back on the first procurement focus session:  Excluding Suppliers / Debarment, which was well attended and generated lots of discussion. The next dates for the diary are:

• 25^th September – The Central Digital Platform (CDP)
• 25^th October – Conditions of Participation
• 22^nd November – Contract Notices

We’ll be producing a paper sharing Karen’s advice, and to gain a deeper understanding of the implications of the Procurement Act, register for the drop-in sessions by emailing aimen.khalil@m3h.co.uk

Time for some fun too

The day was rounded off by our annual networking drinks at the 1864 Rooftop Bar. Despite the downpour, lots of networking and sharing of ideas on how best to move the sector forward – with a drink in hand, of course – was wonderful to see!

Have your say

Another annual event happening now is our Member Survey, which gives you the chance to tell us what you’d like to discuss next year. Watch out for the link on LinkedIn and please take a moment to complete the survey and help shape the Service Provider Forum of 2025.

Thank you to all that attended the meeting - we look forward to seeing you again at the NHMF Conference, on the 22^nd & 23^rd January in Stratford upon Avon.

Melissa Woodall, Chair

If you’re not a member of the SPF, and you want to be among the first to learn about how we can collaboratively tackle the challenges facing us as a sector, now is the time to join. Call us on 020 8274 4000 or click here to find out more.