DD2288 Homes for Londoners Conference 2019

A Homes for Londoners Conference is planned to be organised in autumn 2019 where the GLA Group, investors, homebuilders, developers, housing associations, and London Boroughs can meet to discuss the Mayor’s and the wider public sector’s plans for housing development in London.

The event will be designed to reflect the Mayor’s theme of ‘good growth’ and explore proposals to maximise the provision of genuinely affordable homes across London. It will offer both the public sector and the planning and development industry an opportunity to discuss developing affordable housing and ‘good growth’ in London to ensure Londoners gain maximum benefit from new development in consultation with the Deputy Mayor for Housing and Residential Development.

It will be the first-ever event of its kind and is being designed to be a busy ‘working’ conference with around 500 attendees, with a mix of keynote speeches, smaller meetings breakout/round table sessions, a major borough and GLA family exhibition, off-site tours of the Royal Docks, and a networking reception.

Given the resources and specialist knowledge that this would involve, we have been working with New London Architecture on the curation of this event. We are now proposing to contract with NLA to continue with the curation of and organisation of this event.

The NLA has unique experience of running similar scale and types of events dealing with housing and the built environment. The ability and reach that the NLA has to promote and showcase the conference via their communication channels including its programme of activities and on its website, and its well-developed stakeholder relationships cannot be provided by another supplier. As such, an exemption is required under section 9 of the GLA Contracts and Funding Code.

In summary, NLA is:

• Uniquely placed to organise this event given their experience of similar events and the capacity to deliver both the curation and event management aspects;
• Able to utilise their database of contacts for both attendees and speakers;
• Able to promote the conference at their other industry specific events targeted at a similar audience; and
• An existing curator of a borough exhibition which we will be able to use (with minor updates) saving on a large amount of time and resources.

Part of the focus of the conference will be on the Royal Docks as a major development area in London. As such, we are proposing to hire The Crystal as the venue. This is ideally located within the Royal Docks and has adequate space for the format and numbers for our conference. Having completed enquires no further venues are available in this area that would be of an appropriate format for the conference. We will work with TfL procurement to put the hire contract in place.

The objectives for the conference are:

• Provide a valuable forum for the GLA and wider London government to showcase its commitment to new housing, affordable homes and ‘good growth’ to a wide range of key investors and partners;
• Show London is open to secure investment for much needed homes and highlight new development and regeneration opportunities;
• Support London boroughs in finding development partners and promoting investment opportunities to create new homes and jobs;
• Engage with and influence professionals across the planning and development sector; and
• Highlight the Royal Docks as a key development and investment area.

Under Section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, as a public authority, the GLA must have ‘due regard’ of the need to:

• Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation; and
• Advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between people who have a protected characteristic and those who do not.

Looking at the objective for the conference there is a strong focus on engaging with the property industry, supporting boroughs in finding development partners and showing London is open to secure investment for much needed homes. Increasing the supply of affordable housing will help to alleviate poverty. Specific groups are more likely to experience poverty, including households headed by minority ethnic individuals, young people and disabled people, refugee and asylum seekers, travellers and gypsy groups, and workless households.

We will ensure gender balance across the speakers at the conference.

In addition, this work forms part of the implementation of the Mayor’s Housing Strategy priorities. The impact assessment for the Housing Strategy can be found here: /sites/default/files/2018_lhs_impact_assessment.

Timing is critical for the planning of this event to ensure it is delivered on time. To mitigate risks, a detailed project plan outlining timescale will be created. Contingency time will be incorporated into the project plan to manage over-runs.

A detailed budget will be created and closely monitored. We will look to obtain sponsorship to reduce the net cost to the GLA. We will also look to use in house resources for certain elements where appropriate.

To mitigate the risk of poor attendance we will be working with a strong database of contacts (from both NLA and GLA) and using a variety of channels to communicate to the target audience. We are also giving a long lead time to ensure we can get the date booked into senior management level diaries.

This decision requests approval for revenue expenditure of up to £145,000.

a) £95,000 to procure the New London Architecture (NLA) using single source procurement, to partner with us on the planning, organisation and delivery of this event (£31,850 in 2018/2019 and £63,150 in 2019/2020); and
b) £50,000 to hire a venue for this conference. (£15,000 [30% deposit] on signing the contract in 2018/2019 and £35,000 [70% prior to the event] in 2019/2020).

The above expenditure will be funded from the Housing and Land Management and Consultancy budget with £46,850 incurred in 2018-19, and £98,150 in 2019/2020.

The decisions requested of the Director (in accordance with the GLA’s Contracts and Funding Code) concern the exercise of the GLA’s general powers, falling within the GLA’s statutory powers to do such things considered to further or which are facilitative of, conducive or incidental to the promotion of economic development and wealth creation, social development or the promotion of the improvement of the environment in Greater London; and in formulating the proposals in respect of which a decision is sought officers have complied with the Authority’s related statutory duties to:

• pay due regard to the principle that there should be equality of opportunity for all people;
• 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 consult with appropriate bodies.

In taking the decisions requested, the Director must have due regard to the Public Sector Equality Duty; namely the need to eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010 and to advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic (race, disability, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief, pregnancy and maternity and gender reassignment) and persons who do not share it (section 149 of the Equality Act 2010). To this end, the Director should have particular regard to section 5 (above) of this report.

Officers should ensure that the any services are procured by Transport for London Procurement who will determine the detail of the procurement strategy to be adopted in accordance with the GLA’s Contracts and Funding Code. Officers must ensure that appropriate contract documentation is put in place and executed by the successful bidder(s) and the GLA before the commencement of the services.

Section 4.1 of the Contracts and Funding Code (the ‘Code’) requires the GLA to Seek a call-off from a suitable framework, where possible, or if not, undertake a formal tender process which will be managed by TfL in respect of the services. However, the director may approve an exemption from this requirement under section 5 of the Code upon certain specified grounds. One of those grounds is that there is a complete absence of competition. Officers have indicated at paragraph 1.5 and 1.7 of this report that this ground applies and that the proposed contracts affords value for money.

On this basis the director may approve the proposed exemption if satisfied with the content of this report.