ADD2160 Future of London Housing Network

1.1 Future of London 2011 Limited (FoL), an independent not-for-profit policy network, runs two bespoke development programmes aimed at creating learning and development opportunities and a forum for networking and sharing of best practice for practitioners in the regeneration, housing and infrastructure sectors in London. These two programmes are primarily funded through FoL membership fees.

1.2 The GLA is a member of the FoL network and in Summer 2015, entered into contract with them to run the Housing Zones Network, a bespoke network for public sector officers working on Housing Zones to run alongside the life of the programme. This was approved by ADD367 and renewed for another year in 2016 by ADD2038.

1.3 Building on the Housing Zones Network’s success and feedback, it is proposed that the network is expanded to cover housing delivery beyond the zones, and be renamed the London Housing Network to engage with and support a broader base.

1.4 The next 12 months will see:

• More networking opportunities, including networking events and visits (participants are invited to all Future of London field trips; new trips would be hosted by borough leads).

• Follow-up on topics arising in FoL’s Housing Zones Report

• The continuation of expert-led workshops, introducing a new range of topics plus repeats of key topics such as viability, compulsory purchase orders and PRS delivery.

• GLA updates timed with key initiatives.

1.5 FoL relies primarily on membership and participation fees to fund their programmes. These sources of funding are not sufficient to fund the network unless the fees are significantly increased. This would dissuade take up and run counterproductive to the network’s aim of pulling together various stakeholders.

1.6 In recognition of the above benefits this decision seeks approval to contribute £15,000 which will bridge the gap between the participation fees and total costs of delivering the network for one year. This contribution will be reviewed annually and require a separate decision if made in future years.

Single Source Exemption

1.7 The GLA Contracts and Funding Code allows for a supplier to be selected without competition, if the supplier has previous involvement in a specific current project or continuation of existing work, which cannot be separated from the new work.

1.8 To this end, FoL has a membership that includes 27 London boroughs, Transport for London and a number of key housing associations and is already running a Housing Zones Network that can easily be adapted into a Housing Network. There are no other organisations in London with the same membership and programmes on offer.

1.9 Consideration was given to conducting an open tender; however, a prospective supplier would have to create a new network from scratch to involve the same organisations that are already actively involved in the FoL network. This would cause considerable delays to the formation of the network and would result in the network having limited influence supporting officers involved in time sensitive projects and initiatives.

Declarations

1.10 It is noted that David Lunts, GLA Executive Directorate for Housing & Land, is a Future of London Board Member. In order to avoid any potential or perceived conflicts of interest, The Executive Director was not involved in the decision by the GLA to continue and expand the network.

2.1 The London Housing Network will provide:

• Access to experts from a broad range of disciplines including planning, law, development, viability, design, governance, community engagement, transport and local economy.

• Updates from the GLA on key policy and funding initiatives.

• A regularly updated resource of online learning materials.

• Opportunities for small group work with peers and networking opportunities, including social events and visits, to gain exposure to different ways of working, best practice and innovation.

2.2 The expected outcomes will result in:

• Greater knowledge and skills around housing and major development specific issues.

• Officers better equipped to deliver competently and quickly as individuals and teams.

• More efficient sharing of successful ideas and practices; better chance of not repeating mistakes and avoiding pitfalls.

• Greater support to housing partners from the GLA.

• Ongoing external publicity of housing delivery progress, successes, outcomes.

2.3 The new network will also support the objectives set out in the Homes for Londoners Learning and Development Training Manual which has been designed specifically to assist Housing & Land (H&L) officers to acquire the full range of skills and knowledge that they require to undertake their duties. The objectives include enabling H&L to be more efficient in terms of managing training and learning events, ensure learning and development is taking place throughout the year and better identify opportunities, options and methods officers can utilise to gain the skills and knowledge they need to do their job well.

3.1 The public sector equality duty requires the identification and evaluation of the likely potential impacts, both positive and negative, of the decision on those with protected characteristics (age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, gender, religion or belief, sexual orientation) and set out how you are addressing the duties.

3.2 The public sector equality duty will be taken into consideration by Future of London in planning networking events and when participating with members.

5.1 This decision requests approval to expend up-to £15,000 to run London Housing Network for one year from Oct 2017 to Sep 2018. It also seeks approval of single source exemption in accordance with section 10 of the GLA Contracts and Funding Code.

5.2 The expenditure is available from Housing & Land Management and Support Consultancy Budget and will be spend in 2017/18 financial year.

6.1 Under sections 30 and 34 of the Greater London Authority Act 1999 (the “Act”), the GLA after appropriate consultation is entitled to do anything which is considered to further or which is facilitative of, or conducive or incidental to the promotion, within Greater London, of economic development and wealth creation, social development and the improvement of the environment.

6.2 Sections 1-4 of this report indicate that:

6.2.1 the decisions requested of the assistant director (in accordance with the GLA’s Contracts and Funding Code) relate to expenditure for the commissioning of supplies and services which fall within the exercise of the GLA’s general and subsidiary powers to do things considered to further or which are facilitative of and conducive to the discharge of its general functions; and

6.2.2 in formulating the proposals in respect of which a decision is sought officers have complied with the Authority’s related statutory duties to:

(a) pay due regard to the principle that there should be equality of opportunity for all people (further details on equalities are set out in section 3 above) and to the duty under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010 to have due regard to the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation as well as to advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not ;

(b) consider how the proposals will promote the improvement of health of persons, health inequalities between persons and to contribute towards the achievement of sustainable development in the United Kingdom; and

(c) consult with appropriate bodies.

6.3 Section 9.1 of the GLA’s Contracts and Funding Code (the ‘Code’) requires the GLA to:

• seek three or more written quotations where the estimated value of the services is up to £10,000; or

• call off the services from an accessible framework or by a formal tender where the services or supplies are from £10,000 to £150,000.

6.4 However, the assistant director may approve an exemption from this requirement under section 10 of the Code upon certain specified grounds. One of those grounds is that the supplier has previous involvement in a specified current project or the continuation of existing work, which cannot be separated from the new work. Officers have indicated the reasons in support of their request for an exemption from the requirements of the Code. Accordingly, the assistant director may approve the proposed exemption if satisfied with the content of this report.

Officers must ensure that appropriate contract documentation is put in place and executed by the Supplier and the GLA before the payment of any sums and the provision of any supplies or services.