High Peak Borough Council

The committee focused on housing governance, tenant engagement, antisocial behaviour and neighbourhood management policies, damp and mould compliance, consumer standards improvement, rent income performance, and a detailed repairs/compliance update. The most procurement-relevant items were the Acuity tenant profiling exercise, the new True Compliance software rollout, accelerated electrical remedial works and related contractor/resource support, a planned fire alarm system upgrade at Hartington Gardens, and a future deep dive into repairs service delivery. Overall, the meeting showed active policy change and several compliance-driven operational actions affecting housing contractors and service delivery arrangements.

The Corporate Select Committee discussed workforce development and succession planning in the context of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). Notable points include a significant rise in staff expenditure (around a 66% increase), deployment of apprentices (two in customer services and finance) and career grading to create progression paths, with the alliance investing in these efforts. The discussion signals potential procurement opportunities for training providers and apprenticeship programmes aligned with LGR preparations, and highlights how future contracting could be shaped by the workforce strategy.

Three procurement- and policy-relevant signals emerged from the Housing Board agenda. First, a tenant profiling exercise is planned to identify vulnerabilities and diverse needs, to be carried out by Acuity, with a 2–3 month fieldwork window and a commissioning deadline of 2026-03-31. Second, a stock condition survey program aims for 100% stock coverage over two calendar years (70% by December, then 100%), with a 2027 rollout of 20% per year, informing a substantial asset-investment program. Third, the Housing Ombudsman Code (introduced April 2024) reshapes complaint handling, requiring annual self-assessment and enhanced transparency, driving future training, reporting, and procurement of improvements.

The meeting produced three high-value procurement signals: (1) Waste policy rollout with a go-live for weekly food waste collections dated 2026-09-14 and a new chargeable garden waste service (£46 per bin, 12-month cycle from 2026-09-14 to 2027-08-31, with a 3-month renewal reminder), plus identifier-labeling for subscribed bins and online subscription via Bartek/Incab tech; (2) Pavilion Gardens faces phase one roof works and boiler works with completion anticipated within 9-12 months, creating operational disruption and potential partial/full closures that could affect weddings and events revenue; (3) A plan to re-engage Stockport NHS Foundation Trust (and possibly other health bodies) at the May committee meeting with a written response to council concerns, indicating inter-authority engagement and potential cross-agency procurement/partnership considerations.

The Standards Committee discussed governance policy changes and training improvements rather than procurement-specific decisions. Key items included updating the Local Ethical Framework with a new gifts and hospitality code (endorsed by group leaders) and noting pending government consultations, plus a delegated action granting a dispensation for dual-hatted members to participate in discussions on local government reorganization. The training and development update highlighted in-house programs, intranet enhancements, and flexible delivery (recordings and online resources) to keep costs down and improve access.

High Peak Housing Board meeting covering damp and mold management improvements, sensor installation for property monitoring, building bridges veteran support facility, consumer standards improvement plan targeting C1 grade, and tenant engagement activities. Key procurement involves smart sensor systems (AKO), ventilation solutions (PIV units), contractor services for mold remediation through Alliance Norse, and capital programs for fire safety, electrical testing, and energy efficiency. Performance metrics show strong rent collection (98.84%), addressing void property turnaround issues, and accelerated stock condition surveys revealing damp/mold as primary compliance issue.