Development of guidance on professional practice in partnering for registered social landlords

Project details

Full project title: Best practice in partnering: development of guidance on professional practice in partnering for registered social landlords (RSLs)

Duration: October 1999-December 2001

Funded by: Housing Corporation

Project lead: Martyn Jones

Project summary

This project investigated the adoption and implementation of partnering in RSL-led partnerships in order to deliver quality based solutions and continuous improvement in social housing schemes whilst addressing the issues of best value and probity.

Aims

• Developed forms of RSL-led partnering appropriate to social housing scheme developments.
• Investigated their strengths and weaknesses, prerequisites and the difficulties involved
• Developed appropriate practice guidance for practitioners on their adoption and implementation in scheme developments.

Synopsis

Partnering aims to break down the traditional barriers between the parties in the development process through the building of longer-term and more collaborative relationships. It was given considerable impetus by the publication of the Latham Report in 1994 and by Sir John Egan’s Construction Task Force with the publication of its report, `Rethinking Construction’, in 1998, which identified 'partnering in the supply chain’ as one of its four priorities for change.

Within the social housing sector, the Housing Corporation actively promoted the use of partnering for scheme developments 'provided it is implemented in a well-planned way that clearly demonstrates value for money and addresses the issue of probity’. This project investigated the most appropriate forms of partnering for RSLs, their prerequisites, and a framework for their adoption, implementation and subsequent evaluation.

The guide contains a framework for change and a number of management tools including positioning matrices, risk registers, process mapping, continuous improvement, relationship monitoring and key performance measures.

Scale

This research project was undertaken by the members of the Best Practice in Partnering Group (BPiPG), which comprised four RSLs, three consultants, three contractors/developers, a representative of the Construction Industry Training Board and a researcher from UWE Bristol (Martyn Jones).

The project was funded by an Innovation and Good Practice Grant (IGP) awarded by the Housing Corporation and by contributions in kind from the members of the group. The total cost of the project was £21,000.

Project outcomes

• A desktop guide for practitioners, reports to the Housing Corporation plus associated research papers.
• Information and case illustrations on the nature of partnering, its prerequisites, benefits and concerns have been used in teaching on a number of undergraduate and postgraduate modules.