It’s probably a good time to shout about New Forest District Council Housing Team’s achievements in creating an integrated portfolio of housing modules to aid our ongoing #transformation over the last few years.

We have implemented Locata Housing Services Limited’s Homelessness and Housing Register modules, alongside a move to digital applications and a new Allocation Policy.

However, the real innovation has come in procuring 2 further bespoke solutions to match our specific needs. Firstly, we took the brave step to design a new Private Sector Housing System with Locata and their developers at Sector [UK] Limited, who were all as equally brave enough to expand their own reach.

Even braver, was the decision to replace our #HousingManagementSystem with another bespoke and newly designed Locata solution which went live in April, following a much larger scale project.

Our Customer journeys, now start and end in one system. Whilst we’ve not finished with the tweaks, we are already seeing efficiencies created and we’re all set for the years ahead with an integrated set of modules which will help us grow and deliver better service to our customers.

A lot has to be said for a real collaborative and partnership approach to design and implementation, rather than the relationships that seem the norm in system delivery.

Huge credit for that goes to the people at Sector [UK] Limited especially Kate Nash, David Robertson (who knew..! 😉) and Luke Hatfield who has the patience of a Saint, alongside our own ICT team including Teresa Russell, Nick Medway and Gipali Begum, and Housing staff including Pete (Angie Richards) Richards and others.

What we also proved is that the people at New Forest District Council can achieve anything.

We’re off now to take a look at the repairs system… 🫣

Richard Knott
Assistant Director – Housing BSc CIHCM