Linc Cymru Asset Management Team – Listening To Us
Blog post by Kevin Lawrence, Chair of the Linc Cymru Tenant Panel
The Tenant Panel and staff of Linc Cymru spent a very interesting day together on Monday 22nd February. The task was to mark tenders submitted to Linc for the new Reactive Repairs Contract. In advance of the day, Tai Pawb had created a bespoke workshop for Linc Cymru staff, based on our procurement framework, to help us understand what equality and diversity considerations we should be mindful of when marking the tenders.
With the support of the Community Engagement Team, we started the day with a brief overview of the process by the Head of Asset Management, Stacy Thomas, followed by a few words by Hugh James Solicitors who were taking care to ensure a fair and transparent process was followed.
The day started at 10am and we were put into three teams. The teams consisted of tenants and staff. Having been liberally plied with tea and coffee (other beverages were available) we bravely tackled the tenders.
We were asked to mark the tender against the marking criteria. Our secondary task was to also have a look at what our training package for the new Contractor would look like in terms of Equality & Diversity, which the Tai Pawb workshop had also helped prepare us for.
We used the E&D session to explore any questions raised but mainly to draw upon our understanding that all Linc’s tenants are different and therefore we didn’t all want to be treated the same!
At the marking session in February as we scoured the documents being constructively critical where applicable and making comments about the answers that had been submitted by all of the bidders. By the end of the marking sessions we had successfully selected a Contractor as well as understood what the training plan needed to look like for our new Contractors. We know that together with Linc, we’ll be working to make sure that equality and diversity and the customer experience are at the heart of our reactive repairs service.
It was a good, productive few days that once again enabled the Tenant panel to voice their opinion and feel part of the process and decision making. It was real, and to us it was working together to come to a decision. Our comments held weight putting tenants at the heart of the decision, just as it should be!
Our experience and our skills all coming together – we are assets too!