About Us

PfH is run by the social housing sector, for the social housing sector. An Advisory Committee representing member organisations steers PfH strategy and will be accountable to an annual meeting of members. Agreements are decided upon by product groups, made up of specialists from the sector.

Collective Enterprises Ltd

Following an open tendering procedure through the Official Journal of the European Union, Collective Enterprises Limited (CEL) was awarded a six-year contract to manage PfH from 31st March 2004. CEL has significant experience of collective purchasing in both the public and private sectors.

The National Housing Federation (NHF) and the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) back PfH, and their joint performance improvement subsidiary, HouseMark monitors and assures the quality of CEL's work.

The PfH Advisory Committee

PfH's Advisory Committee assists with the consortium's strategic route. Committee Members include representatives from the NHF, HouseMark, the Housing Maintenance Contractors Forum, the Direct Works Forum, the ALMO sector and PfH Member organisations. The seven individuals from the latter group are nominated and elected by PfH Members. Elected Committee Members are representative of the sector not only in terms of geography but also in the type of housing organisation they work for.

Role of the Committee

• To act as an ambassador for PfH in the social housing sector.
• To advise on the strategic direction and planning of the consortium.
• To monitor the performance of the consortium against plans.
• To ensure that appropriate codes of practice are in place and adhered to.
• To appoint Members of the Product Groups.
• To steer and evaluate the work of the Product Groups
• To advise on Members' rights and duties and their terms of membership.
• To encourage the observation of the rules and core values of Procurement for Housing among Member organisations.
• Wherever possible, to utilise PfH agreements within own organisations.

Committee Members

• Brian Cronin (Chair), Chief Executive, Arena Housing Association Ltd
• Alan Ballantine, Group Procurement Manager, Sunderland Housing Group
• Martin Cawthorn, Head of Group Procurement, Genesis Group
• Paula Chakkar, Purchasing and Supplies Manager, mhs homes
• Ross Fraser, Chief Executive, HouseMark
• Sean Gallagher, Assistant Director - Asset Management, Peabody Trust
• Jane Greenoak, Director Corporate Services, National Housing Federation
• Chris Judson, Director of Resources, Eden Housing Association Ltd
• Sue Millar, Head of Facilities and SHE Management, Look Ahead Housing and Care
• Dave Cook, Director of Asset Management, Melin Homes
• Bob Nally, Purchasing Manager, Sandwell Homes

Working together achieves benefits for everyone

Collective purchasing through PfH can achieve:

Cost reductions through the negotiation of better unit prices and the streamlining of the purchasing process

Higher quality performance standards from suppliers, as housing organisations become more important customers

New products or methods of delivery resulting from a better understanding of sector needs by suppliers

The opportunity to support local regeneration initiatives by passing on savings on repairs materials to local contractors

An opportunity to buy for tenants in the longer term

Equal benefits throughout the sector as both the largest and smallest housing organisations experience improvements in cost, service and administration