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Case Studies

PORT OF LEITH HOUSING ASSOCIATION
PLACE MAKING VEHICLE

Port of Leith Housing Association (now Harbour Homes) commissioned MainStreet to research, cost and recommend the most suitable organisational vehicle and structures enabling the Association to deliver on place-making and shaping activities within Leith and North Edinburgh.

Our work included a series of consultations with key stakeholders on priority activities for the new vehicle, a detailed options appraisal of different potential structures, and a five-year business plan to show that the subsidiary is financially sustainable. Our recommendation was approved by the board, and the new organisation – now named Harbour Connections – was set up in October 2016.

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“We were delighted with MainStreet’s work in making our Place Making Vehicle project happen. They engaged well with staff, Board members, tenant representatives and our partner organisations in what is very a complex environment and a potentially difficult initiative. Their subsequent work on our Business Viability Assessment has given us a solid foundation for the new organisation that we will launch in 2016.”

Claire Ironside, Director of Customer Services, Port of Leith Housing Association

KINGDOM HOUSING ASSOCIATION
STRATEGIC REVIEW

MainStreet Consulting was commissioned by Kingdom Housing Association (KHA) to provide an impartial and objective assessment of its Support & Care Service.  Over the past few years, this service has faced several sector pressures including increasing costs and flat revenues, questioning the viability of the service.

Following our detailed situation review, the KHA Board approved a detailed options appraisal to identify and assess the best future option for the service.  Given the specific KHA circumstances, a Community Interest Company (CIC) was the preferred option and we then developed a detailed 15 year financial model to support a business plan for the service to operate as a stand alone subsidiary of KHA.  The business plan was approved by the KHA Board and is now being implemented with a functioning subsidiary delivering the service on behalf of KHA by April 2017.

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“We would be happy to work with MainStreet Consulting again, and have no hesitation in recommending the company to other Housing Associations.”

Norah Smith
Director of Housing and Care
Kingdom Housing Association

GOVAN HOUSING ASSOCIATION
STRATEGIC REVIEWS

Govan Housing Association required our support to assess Govan Home, their in-house labour organisation, and their factoring service.  For both services, we undertook an extensive set of interviews, desktop research and identification of good practice.  This work was necessary to assess the current situation and the possible options for service development that the Association could consider.

Following an options appraisal with Govan’s Senior Management Team, we created a financial model for the Govan Home service and wrote a 5 year business plan for it to operate as a stand alone subsidiary as part of a new Govan Housing Association.  The factoring service will be retained in the Association, and MainStreet is currently developing a comprehensive internal transformation plan.

NORTH AYRSHIRE
COUNCIL
STRATEGIC REVIEW OF CARE AT HOME SERVICES

MainStreet was commissioned by the new Health & Social Care Partnership to review the partnership’s CAH provision, on which it spends £14m per annum. In delivering the review, MainStreet conducted interviews with over 100 CAH, wider NAHSCP professionals and service users (with a special focus on whether services assist in meeting wider partnership outcomes); and to outline and assesses possible alternative ‘good practice’ organisation and delivery models for CAH and its interfaces with health. MainStreet’s comprehensive report was delivered and presented to the Integrated Joint Board.

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“MainStreet’s work was excellent: they engaged well with all our key groups and presented considered and well-evidenced findings and recommendations. They’ve given us a firm foundation for future development of CAH locally.”

David Rowland
Head of Service Health & Community Care
North Ayrshire Council

NORTH AYRSHIRE HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE PARTNERSHIP
LEARNING DISABILITY STRATEGY

MainStreet was commissioned by North Ayrshire Health & Social Care Partnership (NAHSCP) to provide strategic planning support across various services within Learning Disabilities in North Ayrshire. This involved determining the ‘why, what, who, how & when’ components of how NAHSCP designs, commissions and delivers services (directly or with its partners) over the coming years. As well as providing a framework for further discussion: NAHSCP, users and partners will continue to plan service re-design and other changes.

In doing so, MainStreet engaged with key staff, partners (including providers), service users and their support networks.

RENFREWSHIRE
COUNCIL
BUDGET SUPPORT

MainStreet Consulting supported Renfrewshire Council (RC) by undertaking research into potential options, relating to vehicle maintenance, the use of buses and taxis, and school catering, that the Council could undertake to realise efficiency savings.

This work was carried out at short notice, to tight timescales. Our research gave RC the necessary financial, organisational and best practice details. MainStreet also assessed the options and made recommendations on the best options for RC to progress.

SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT VIA SOPRA STERIA
ESTABLISHING AN ORGANISATIONAL DESIGN PRACTICE

MainStreet worked with Sopra Steria on a project with the Digital Ecosystem Unit (DEU) of the Scottish Government. The brief was to advise on the creation of an Organisation Design & Development (OD&D) practice within the unit, an advisory function for designing, building, running and scaling digital transformation initiatives for Scottish public services.

The project involved establishing an Outline Business Case (OBC), using HMT’s Five Case Model, for the OD&D practice, as well as associated roles, priorities and a roadmap to set up an effective practice. The work also included outlining processes, profiles and analysis criteria for assessing, establishing and moving to relevant organisational structures, and ensuring all guidance was aligned with the new Scottish Government 2017 digital strategy.

SCOTTISH NATURAL
HERITAGE
SOCIAL HOUSING & GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE RESEARCH

MainStreet was commissioned by Scottish Natural Heritage, together with Scottish Government, SFHA, Architecture and Design Scotland, the Central Scotland Green Network Trust, and the Glasgow & Clyde Valley Green Network Partnership, to research opportunities to deliver multiple benefits through the good design and maintenance of green infrastructure associated with new and existing social housing in Scotland.

The main focus of the research was on green infrastructure within the footprint of social housing sites, whilst also considering the role of adjacent green infrastructure and green space likely to be used by tenants. The study addressed how to deliver better GI in new social housing and how GI could be retrofitted in to existing social housing and integrated into existing regeneration schemes.

Publication of the research was announced by Roseanna Cunningham, Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform at the CSGN Forum on 14 June 2018.  The research report can be found by clicking here.

GLASGOW CITY
FOUNDATION
BUSINESS PLAN CONSULTANCY SERVICES

In November 2015, Glasgow City Foundation (GCF) appointed MainStreet Consulting to support it in its planning for the development of a new multi-purpose community facility in the Auchinairn area of East Dunbartonshire.

GCF is the charitable arm of Glasgow City Football Club, Scotland’s most successful woman’s football club, and its aims are to advance public participation in sport, education, learning and employability and provide recreational facilities for community participation. As well as a nursery and community centre, the Auchinairn facility will also be the UK’s first purpose built woman’s football stadium.

The project partners also include East Dunbartonshire Council (EDC) and East Dunbartonshire Leisure and Culture (EDLC). Our work included three phases and identified the optimum model for the partners to operate the facility together, the development of a business plan and a financial model.

MANCHESTER METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY
STRATEGIC PROCUREMENT ADVISORS – STUDENT JOURNEY TRANSFORMATION PROGRAMME

MMU initially invited MainStreet to undertake an options appraisal on how best to procure a technical supplier to its Student Journey Transformation programme. We supported the University to identify the most appropriate ways of commissioning that long-term support, recognising MMU’s desire to move quickly.

We were subsequently engaged by the University to run the near six-month procurement exercise: covering a range of activity including programme planning, supplier due diligence, pre-tender market engagement, documentation development, assessment design and pre-contract debriefing. MMU appointed a partner to the programme in late 2017.

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“MainStreet were a key procurement partner for our student journey transformation programme. Their guidance, support and true partnership approach proved invaluable before during and after the key procurement processes.”

Andrew Kemp
Programme Director Student Journey Transformation Programme
Manchester Metropolitan University

UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS LONDON
PROCUREMENT OF STUDENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS

MainStreet is supporting the University of the Arts London (UAL) with its procurement and implementation of new Student Information Systems. Our work to date has been to deliver a detailed 9-month plan, begin drafting the relevant documentation (PQQ, ITPD, ISFT), and to design and lead briefings on the Competitive Dialogue process for key stakeholders. We led the dialogue sessions in summer 2016 with senior academic and administrative staff and helped the University evaluate suppliers before appointment in late 2016. We are now supporting mobilisation and implementation efforts through to mid 2017.

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“We enjoyed working with the MainStreet team. Their experience, expertise and advice really helped us make an informed decision on replacement of our records system. And they were great to work with: reassuring, flexible and good fun throughout.”

Peter Watson
Academic Registrar

UNIVERSITY
OF HULL
PROCUREMENT OF STUDENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS

As part of a wider technology refresh at the University, MainStreet led the development of a business case and subsequent Competitive Dialogue procurement of £5m of new Student Information Systems. Lead director David Welsh worked with over 60 senior academics, technical and support staff on the full procurement lifecycle.

The University appointed a preferred supplier at the end of the process and has subsequently undertaken a technical discovery stage and begun the phased implementation of a range of software modules designed to deliver a ‘recruitment to alumni relations’ solution for the institution. The programme remains on plan to deliver by the end of the 2018 academic year.

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“This was a terrific procurement exercise: very well-planned and managed, built on robust analysis and communicated across many stakeholders at the University. It was also a pleasure working with David and his team: they were personable, unflappable and good fun throughout. I would happily work with them again.”

Brian Pundyke
Core Systems Refresh Director
University of Hull

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