Caerphilly County Borough Council has announced that VINCI Facilities is to be one of the contractors working in partnership to transform around 10,000 homes in an investment programme worth £200m.
VINCI Facilities’ teams will be refurbishing kitchens and bathrooms and providing new wiring and heating for homes across the borough in the Upper Rhymney Valley area of Caerphilly in a £15m deal over a six year contract period.
The scheme is part of a commitment from Caerphilly County Borough Council to continue upgrading its social housing to meet Welsh Quality Housing Standards (equivalent to Decent Homes in England) in line with the Welsh Government’s strategy to provide quality, energy efficient homes for the people of Wales. VINCI Facilities work with Caerphilly County Borough Council complements the existing internal works and improvements of homes with Cardiff Council and builds upon the ten year partnership with Sandwell Borough Council.
The overall project is about more than just providing quality homes. A core element of the work is building community value into the contract. VINCI Facilities will form links with schools, local voluntary groups and SMEs to link the overall refurbishment works with a regeneration of the area and community-based projects that will make a real and long lasting difference to the people of Caerphilly. This could range from going into schools to talk about site health and safety issues and investing in the local economy through tangible training and employment opportunities to working with their local supply chains to support community facilities that will continue to deliver benefits for local people long after the improvements programme has been completed.
Tony Raikes, managing director of VINCI Facilities said: “This is a great project to be involved with and it plays to VINCI Facilities’ strengths – our commitment to the people affected by the work we do and a passion for delivering social value through partnerships. The refurbishment of homes in Caerphilly County Borough Council would never succeed if service providers failed to support the wider regeneration strategy. We welcome the opportunity to play our part in creating better homes and communities wherever we are working. What’s more, this project reflects that our customers recognise our experience in this field.”
The overall scheme is a significant project for Caerphilly County Borough Council. Analysis of current housing stock indicates that there are just over 4,000 homes that require renewal of all key internal components - Kitchens, Bathrooms, Rewiring and Heating, just over 9,500 homes that require a new kitchen and around 8,500 homes that require a new bathroom.
Cllr Gerald Jones, Deputy Leader of Caerphilly County Borough Council and Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “Our WHQS programme is a major scheme with a commitment to transforming homes, lives and communities, with properties across the borough are set to benefit from significant investment. We welcome the commitment of VINCI Facilities, along with fellow contractors Keepmoat and Contract Services, to the project and look forward to a productive and collaborative working relationship with all parties.”
