Martin has degrees in Law and (at Masters level) Urban Policy & Regeneration.
It is estimated there are more than 200 councils in the UK who have already established housing delivery vehicles. With housing issues arguably more at the forefront of local government thinking than for a generation, many councils – whether they have established them or not – are reviewing their activities in this area.
In response to this clear need from the sector, we have relaunched an updated version of our Housing Delivery Vehicle Toolkit. It is free to download.
We also ran a webinar about ‘The future of housing delivery vehicles’ webinar. Our team of experts discussed on the following; considerations in establishing delivery vehicles, how to review progress and the experience so far: lessons learned and good practice. Please find the replay below as well.
Many councils and housing delivery vehicles have faced significant challenges in developing new housing businesses, often from scratch, especially at a time of wider economic challenges. Many are finding that the pace of delivery has been significantly slower than anticipated, and an increasing number of councils appear to be downsizing or closing their delivery vehicles.
Meanwhile, other councils without delivery vehicles continue to review what their role in the local housing market should be
– and if so, what should that vehicle look like?
The toolkit is designed to help councils on an end to end journey in the establishment, delivery, and review of housing delivery vehicles: from scoping, through market engagement, vehicle development, procurement, and operations and review.
It has been comprehensively reviewed to reflect: common lessons learned; changes in the law (and government policy); changes in the wider operating context (such as pressures around homelessness and temporary accommodation); and how to review the progress of existing delivery vehicles and respond accordingly.
Discover guides, toolkits and case studies that build on this topic
The Climate Adaptation and Resilience Matrix is a practical tool designed to help local authorities understand, assess and respond to the potential impacts of climate change and extreme weather on waste services and supporting infrastructure.
The matrix considers a range of climate-related hazards, including heatwaves, flooding and extreme cold, and their potential implications for collection services, household waste and recycling centres, transfer stations, operational depots and key supply chain facilities. It provides a high-level checklist of both short- and longer-term adaptation and mitigation measures that authorities can consider to strengthen the resilience and continuity of their services.
Drawing on research, case studies and stakeholder engagement, the matrix brings together practical actions and considerations in one place. It is not intended to prescribe a single approach; rather, it provides a flexible framework that local authorities can adapt to reflect their own climate risks, infrastructure, service models, geography and local circumstances.
The toolkit also highlights opportunities to embed climate resilience into existing organisational processes and decision-making, rather than treating adaptation as a standalone activity. This includes considering resilience measures through procurement and contract management, budget and capital planning, policy and strategy reviews, asset management, service transformation programmes and wider operational planning.
By using the matrix as a prompt for discussion, review and forward planning, local authorities can identify vulnerabilities, prioritise appropriate interventions and progressively build greater resilience into waste services, infrastructure and supply chains.
With NESO inviting participation in RESP Strategic Boards and Working Groups, this guide helps local and combined authorities consider what they need to put in place to take an effective role in regional energy planning.
Drawing on interviews with local authorities, it sets out practical approaches to:
An accompanying executive summary provides a concise overview for senior leaders and elected members, explaining why RESP matters, the risks of limited engagement and the organisational arrangements needed to respond effectively.
The guide was funded by West Midlands Combined Authority and draws on learning from the Planning Regional Infrastructure in a Digital Environment (PRIDE) project.
The Greenhouse Gas Accounting Tool has been developed by Local Partnerships in collaboration with the Local Government Association (LGA) to provide councils with a straightforward and consistent approach for calculating their carbon baseline and annual emissions reporting.
For assistance and feedback, please email ghgaccounting@localpartnerships.gov.uk
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