A PROCUREMENT consortium has launched a multi-million pound collaboration agreement to help social housing in the North-East.

NE Procurement has launched a contractor framework worth £400m, for use by social landlords and wider public sector organisations.

24 North-East companies have secured places in the framework, including Darlington-based R Bland, Vision Building Services in Stockton and Middlesbrough-based J Gunn Scaffolding and Total Solutions.

Bosses said the four-year framework covers the three main areas of a social landlord’s remit, including investment works, responsive repair and maintenance, and specialist services which includes scaffolding, flooring, glazing and fencing.

Formed in 2008, NE Procurement is a consortium that was set up by a number of North East based social landlords.

The consortium enabled landlords to purchase labour, products or materials for the maintenance or development of their housing stock through their frameworks – in a bid to reduce costs.

Rod Brasington, chief executive of NE Procurement, said: “We spent a lot of time working with our partners when creating the framework to ensure it created innovative procurement options, whilst still being straightforward to implement and use.

“The framework tender process was thorough and has resulted in quality contractors, who all have a track record for high-quality delivery, securing places on the framework.”

The framework, launched earlier this month, was developed with NE Procurement members to ensure it met the needs of those who will be using it and attracted quality contracting organisations both regionally and nationally.

Mr Brasington added: “Feedback so far has shown that there’s a real appetite for this kind of strategic procurement and I’m looking forward to working with our partners in the future to create significant efficiencies from which the communities of the North East will benefit.”

A percentage of the money saved by using these frameworks is invested into various North East social regeneration initiatives.

Bosses said in the past eight years, this contribution has been worth more than £1.3m to North East communities.