Monday 12 September
Early start, papers to finish and numbers to crunch for the Repairs and Maintenance benchmarking workshop this afternoon, plus Sheffield City Council Commercial Services all-morning Team meeting to go to if I have time.
I don’t have time…
Straight off to the R&M Workshop at The Source, Meadowhall, to get the discussion flowing digging deep into how R&M works in our member organisations. How do Sheffield Homes do repair diagnostics compared to Hull and St Leger? Lessons learned by all, certainly by me!
Tuesday 13 September
Another early start and another workshop this afternoon. Today it’s all about the Learning Academy and how members can collaborate and bring added value to the Learning and Development field. It’s only our second meeting, but already user engagement is positive and our members are keen to work together.
Just time for a quick lunch before heading off to St Leger Homes in Doncaster.
Plenty of enthusiasm and willingness to share practices today; one of our members has just potentially saved her organisation over £200 just from being at the meeting and finding out about a course being run by one of our other members for a much more competitive price – bonus!
Wednesday 14 September
Another early start. (Spotting a pattern here?) Off to Wakefield and District Housing in Castleford for a Best Practice Workshop this morning. Special session focussing on solar PV and our learning to date and to find out where our members are as well.
Lots of lessons learned. It’s clear we need to work closely together to make sure knowledge can be shared and we don’t miss anything obvious. Need to push on District Network Operators (DNOs), metering, converters and structural surveys. At the same time everyone’s got an eye on the DECC website (www.decc.gov.uk) to see what the new Feed In Tariffs (FITs) will be from April 2012.
Thursday 15 September
8am, just arrived and sat down at my desk. Lie-in. Result! Just over 4 hours left to finish and finesse presentations for the Efficiency North Executive Board this afternoon. Presenting on the Learning Academy and also giving updates on the EN Procure Elemental Works and the Re:allies Materials Frameworks, as well as our Green Deal options and strategic direction.
Last minute alterations and additions and our Board ask pertinent questions, they’re there to challenge us after all, so we didn’t expect an easy ride. Plenty of positive outcomes and actions agreed and targets set for us to work towards as well.
Friday 16 September
Early start. On the road to Leeds this morning for a Re:allies Shadow Board meeting, for a gathering of the Northern social housing clans, bringing together our colleagues in Procure Plus and North East Procurement. Today is more of a learning day, finding out more about the relationship we’ve cultivated over the last few years and how we move forwards to strengthen it.
Just time for a quick lunch then straight off to sunny Scunthorpe to meet up with our new members North Lincolnshire Homes to plan out their first call off from the Re:allies Materials Framework. Meeting arranged at their stores centre at 2pm
2.10pm – The sat nav calmly informs me that I’ve arrived at my destination. I search the road in vain for signs of any building with a North Lincs logo, not quite so calm.
2.11pm – I dial the number to call my contact to find out where the meeting is, look up and see the blatantly obvious sign hanging right above me – DOH!
Excellent meeting. North Lincolnshire Homes are chomping at the bit to call off and also can’t wait to use the EN Procure Framework as well. The weekend is in sight!
Footnote
Not every week is like this one; in fact no two weeks are ever the same. Between workshops and Board meetings I do some actual work as well. It’s all about creating more opportunities to work together, finding out how we are working and looking at ways of making us all more efficient. That’s a much longer story, with lots to look forward to in the next chapter.
