GETTING LAMBETH ‘RETROFIT READY’
Client | Lambeth Borough Council
Project purpose | GETTING READY FOR RETROFIT
Using Ghosts & Gaps methodology, Polln was tasked with creating a safe space for housing teams to explore past issues, build bridges and identify ‘quick fix’ solutions ahead of Lambeth’s next big wave of retrofit funding.
Project summary | THE PROBLEM & OUR APPROACH
In early 2024, Polln was engaged by Lambeth Borough Council to deliver a pre-emptive workshop to align internal teams ahead of their SHDF Wave 2.2 retrofit grant.
Universally, grant-funded retrofit has proven to be complex and demanding for social housing providers - and Lambeth’s first grant-funded retrofit project had been no exception. With another multi-million pound grant imminent, and a highly ambitious programme of works, it was deemed critical to address any organisational tensions before work began.
Polln drew on their root cause analysis of other SHDF projects - including an evaluation of Lambeth’s first wave of funding. We brought this wealth of operational, technical and relational insights to help inform our Theory of Change for an internal Ghosts & Gaps workshop.
We centred the participant journey around the need for a shared understanding before seeking commitment to retrofit - leading to co-creation of workable fast-track solutions ahead of the next tranche of retrofit funding.
A SAFE SPACE for A DIFFICULT CONVERSATION
Acknowledging the different starting places and experiences across the teams, we set the scene with our ‘Retrofit 101’ briefing. We outlined some organisational fundamentals, such as the contrast between pricing, planning, and delivering retrofit v ‘business as usual’ works (repairs and maintenance)
We then surfaced the issues inherent in the retrofit grant structure - stop/start funding, compressed timelines, the uncertainty of stock condition. We shared our insight that many other social housing providers reported similar issues - disruption to business as usual, top-down pressure, onerous compliance demands - and it had taken a toll.
This new perspective diffused any notions of blame, and created a safe space for the teams to open up about their shared experience and acknowledge past pain points.
Building on mutual trust
We build on this new shared understanding and trust, employing Ghosts & Gaps to constructively interrogate themes in small breakout groups: Understanding our Stock, Fit-for-Purpose Procurement and Aligning Internal Stakeholders’
These activities helped cement a renewed willingness for collaboration around shared goals and understanding of the retrofit imperative. People who walked into the room - understandably hesitant and unsure about engaging for more than a few hours - became so enthused, we extended the workshop (at their request) - and still had trouble getting them to leave at the end of the day! Numbers were exchanged. Commitments were made. Their principle ask was resoundingly ‘more meetings like this’ and a regular forum where they could learn from each other and continue the conversation.
Analysis of the workshop outputs and discussions identified five key areas for organisational strengthening:
Internal communication and engagement - the key priority
Integrated stock management - a new approach to planning and delivering
Resident communication and engagement - engaging ahead of time and maintaining that momentum
Contractors’ procurement, communication and training - embedding resident satisfaction and retrofit skills into contract terms
Internal resource management and training - top down alignment and organisation-wide commitment to retrofit skills
Lasting Change
The council implemented a range of immediate and medium-term recommendations that emerged from the Ghosts & Gaps process, which lead to smoother programme delivery and reduced internal conflict when the SHDF funding landed.
Whilst we were able to guide some strong ‘quick fixes’ the Ghosts & Gaps workshop also exposed some deeper systemic issues, prompting Lambeth to commission further research into the longer-term integration of retrofit and asset management across the Borough.
This forward-thinking approach - informed by their early Ghosts & Gaps work - will ensure the Borough has a joined-up, systems-informed approach to maintaining social housing whilst scaling up retrofit to meet ambitious net zero and resident well-being targets.