Member Article

Rixonway wins contract with West Lancashire Borough Council

Dewsbury-based Rixonway Kitchens has won a five year contract worth £3.2m to supply new kitchens to West Lancashire Borough Council as part of the biggest ever housing regeneration programme to take place in the area.

Rixonway will supply 3,788 new kitchens which will be installed in council homes by Lovell and Wates across the borough after the Council pledged to invest £55m over five years to transform its social housing stock.

Thousands of tenants stand to benefit from the improvements that will also see 4,864 bathrooms replaced, new doors and windows fitted to properties and the installation of new energy efficient heating systems during the same period.

Work to replace the kitchens is scheduled to start in April and Rixonway’s team of onsite designers have begun to visit tenants to help plan the layout of their new kitchens. In total 1,400 kitchens will be installed in the first year. Tenants will be able to talk to designers about how they want their new fully fitted kitchen to look and will have a choice of five options for replacement doors, door handles, worktops, wall tiles, flooring and decor.

The contract was awarded to Rixonway following a competitive tendering process through the national Fusion21 Supplier Framework run by procurement organisation Valueworks which will ensure the smooth-running of the contract. During the tendering process, Rixonway were recognised for the company’s strong track record in social housing as well as competitive products, pricing and a commitment to environmental practices.

During the tender process, residents were consulted on the options available to them including at a dedicated residents’ open day.

David Anderson, sales and marketing director at Rixonway Kitchens, said: “This is a very significant refurbishment project for the council and we are delighted to have won a contract of this size which is a real achievement for our business. This is a great scheme to be involved in that will make a huge difference to people’s lives. Some of the kitchens we’re replacing have been there for 30 years, so we’re very happy to play our part in regenerating the area.”

Councillor Adrian Owens, West Lancashire Borough Council portfolio holder for Housing (Finance), Regeneration and Estates, said: “We are investing £65 million into our housing stock over five years and £15.5 million in the financial year 2013/2014, which will be our biggest ever works programme in a single year. We are aiming to being a top-performing landlord by 2020 and installing the new kitchens is a key part of our improvements programmes.”

Councillor Val Hopley, West Lancashire Borough Council portfolio holder for Landlord Services said: “Many tenants have told us that installing new kitchens for them should be one of our top priorities. We have listened to what they want and now they will reap the benefits of this new investment.”

Rixonway will now work with housing refurbishment specialists Lovell and Wates who will install the kitchens on their behalf. The housing programme is being financed through changes to the way councils are funded following the introduction of new self-financing rules in April 2012. This has enabled the council to set its own budgets and invest in their housing stock.

Rixonway Kitchens is one of the largest suppliers of kitchens in the social housing sector and the company has worked with many of the largest social housing providers in the area including Riverside Group, The Regenda Group and Liverpool Housing Trust. However this is one of the largest contracts the company has won with a retained council housing provider.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Elizabeth Pokorny .