Call us on 020 8937 1200
Do it online | Help | Maps | My Brent

Joint commissioning

Joint commissioning helps develop more appropriate ways to identify long-term priorities for, and improve delivery of, social housing programmes. The Housing Corporation works with the council to jointly commission social housing programmes from Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) to:

  • improve the strategic planning and development programming process
  • improve the allocation of resources from all sources
  • reduce the time and effort associated with the bidding allocation process
  • ensure the efficient delivery of schemes and use of funding within the borough.

If these aims can be accomplished then the results should be:

  • a more efficient, effective and predictable development programme
  • a better match between supple of social housing and need and demand
  • better value for money in terms of public sector subsidy, rents and wider costs and benefits.

The policy and practice on Joint commissioning is continuing to evolve and develop within a context of changing government policy and Housing Corporation investment mechanisms.

Key themes:

The joint commissioners: the people with the grant funding and/or land, and/or buildings. (The council and the Housing Corporation)

The joint commissioning partners: the people with the development and management expertise. (A group of RSLs)

The strategy: a clear vision of needs, priorities and how these will be met. (Developed by the council's housing department)

The programme: a forward plan to meet key needs and deliver priorities from the strategy. (A three year development plan for new or refurbished social housing units)

The resources: grant funding, land and buildings. Council Social Housing Grant (LASHG) and/or Housing Corporation National Affordable Housing Programme (NAHP), Social Housing Grant (SHG) 

The scope: how much of the programme will be part of joint commissioning. (Limited by geographical location, specific type of housing, a percentage of the capital programme in the area)

The council has selected the following housing associations to be Joint Commissioning partners:


Discussions between the Housing Associations, the Housing Corporation and the council have resulted in the Brent joint commissioning partner agreement, 04/10/2001 (.pdf, 81Kb)