Leading energy specialist ENGIE has been awarded a £25 million maintenance and repair contract in Kent.

The 10-year agreement with Ashford Borough Council will see the firm handle repairs for 5,500 council-owned homes.

Previously the council worked with up to 12 suppliers to deliver housing maintenance and repairs across the borough.

Welcoming the news, Sharon Williams, Head of Housing at Ashford Borough Council, said: "Integrating all that work through one supplier is already bringing considerable benefits to the council, while tenants are also enjoying improvements in the service they receive.

"ENGIE is hugely experienced in providing property support services to the housing sector, including some of the biggest housing associations in Kent and across the UK. By engaging them we are reaping the benefits of their experience and the specialist resources they can provide," she added.

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ENGIE and Ashford have already integrated their contract management system and housing repairs system, helping to streamline administration and reduce paperwork. As part of this "smarter way of working", ENGIE now has 10 staff embedded within the council's housing repairs team at the Civic Centre.

Service improvements include faster response times for urgent repairs, with the out-of-hours response time reduced from a maximum of four hours to two hours. More choice and flexibility are also offered to tenants making appointments, with appointments now extended.

As part of the contract, ENGIE has committed to utilising a local supply chain to put back into the local community, while offering 40 work experience placements for young people in the region, five apprenticeship schemes lasting two years each and a further five traineeships. The apprenticeships will be arranged in conjunction with Ashford College.

The company has also proposed a waste recycling target of 95% for year one, moving to 100% in year two as part of its ambitious energy efficiency targets.