CASE STUDIES

Saxon Weald, established in 2000, is a housing association who provide affordable rented and shared ownership homes across Sussex and Hampshire. They are a charitable Community Benefit Society, which means the money they make from rent is re-invested into the managing, maintaining and building of homes. The association possesses a fleet of 84 vehicles, with their core fleet being light commercial vehicles, which they use to serve the communities they’ve built.

We’ve spoken to Amy Filkins, who is Saxon Weald’s Logistics Manager within the business support team. She’s spent over eight years at the organisation. However, she started her current role in August 2020. Formally employed as a ‘Purchasing Manager’, her current role represents the multifaceted nature of Amy’s involvement. This includes managing the fleet and coordinating logistics. She also manages contractors. Additionally, Amy has discussed the recent fleet procurement project with us. She described the logistical challenges of Electric Vehicle (EV) integration into their current fleet.

Challenge

Saxon Weald currently operates a sizeable and geographically dispersed fleet, although it has not yet incorporated any electric vehicles (EVs) into its replacement programme. Over the past five years, the organisation has actively explored the potential for EV integration. They have undertaken research to understand how these vehicles could align with internal operations. A key challenge has been the fragmented nature of existing van contracts, which has complicated procurement. However, efforts have been made to consolidate demand and move toward bulk purchasing to improve efficiency.

Engagement with operatives has played a central role in this process, including surveys, webinars, and open discussions. Feedback has highlighted significant barriers. Only a very small proportion of respondents indicated they have sufficient driveway space to accommodate two vehicles. Many operatives also expressed uncertainty about adopting EVs. Operational concerns persist, particularly around vehicle downtime, charging reliability, and the risk of operatives being unable to charge vehicles. Additionally, ChargePoint infrastructure presents logistical challenges, since most operatives take their vehicles home. With the organisation covering a wide area within East & West Sussex and Hampshire, it is difficult to identify a suitable central depot location. While there is a clear interest in transitioning to EVs, these combined logistical and operational constraints currently limit viability.

Opportunity

When reprocuring fleet contracts, Saxon Weald prioritised securing vans that are fit for purpose and capable of supporting the day-to-day demands of their maintenance and repairs teams. Achieving value for money was a key consideration, particularly in the context of significantly increased post-COVID vehicle and leasing rates. The association also focused on reducing long-term maintenance costs by investing in newer, more efficient vehicles. During the process, manufacturers required the acquisition of minimum EV volumes to meet VETS mandate requirements.. This requirement meant Saxon Weald had to consider which manufacturer could best meet their key objectives. While there were initial concerns about transitioning to other manufacturers, these concerns have gradually reduced over time. This is because confidence in the vehicles has improved.

They had worked with TPPL in 2022 to reprocure their fleet. This meant they had prior knowledge of our expertise in public sector fleet procurement. They had also received positive recommendations from both members and suppliers who we’ve worked with previously.

Benefits

Saxon Weald found the process of preparing vehicle specifications, documentation, and managing the tender to be highly effective. TPPL provided valued support and expertise throughout the process. They were particularly appreciative of the support provided by Sam Hook, Jack Stubbs, and Peter Vickers, whose knowledge and guidance helped streamline the process. The team used pre-prepared specifications to make the initial stages more efficient. In addition, advice from TPPL, particularly from Peter Vickers, enabled the organisation to order vans ahead of appointing a leasing provider and racking supplier. This ultimately saved valuable time. TPPL also added value by offering detailed feedback on tender documentation, helping to refine content to make it more accessible and appealing to the market. They drew on lessons learned from previous procurement challenges. TPPL effectively managed the numerous changes to the contract throughout the process, ensuring the project stayed on track.

TPPL also provided targeted support in shaping robust contractual terms and key performance indicators (KPIs), ensuring that Saxon Weald could clearly define expectations for service delivery. Through this guidance, we helped structure a contract that aligned closely with the association’s operational objectives. It also strengthened accountability for the appointed supplier. In particular, this support enabled Saxon Weald to mobilise a contract that not only met their day-to-day requirements but also committed the winning bidder to improved service levels. Furthermore, our expertise ensured that these contractual elements remained commercially realistic and achievable. We struck an effective balance between enhanced performance standards and supplier feasibility.

The mobilisation of Saxon Weald’s new fleet is progressing well, with 80 vans included in the programme. The supplier has delivered most vehicles, with further deliveries still to come.. Saxon Weald expects the full fleet to be in place within a year. TPPL has continued to provide extensive support during this phase, helping to navigate initial challenges with the incumbent lease supplier. This ensured a smooth transition overall. Peter provided reassurance and remained actively involved throughout the project, offering practical support and serving as a trusted sounding board for decision-making. Amy clearly stated her stance: ‘Force the change when it’s needed and let it roll’. Operatives have now become more familiar and fonder of the new vehicles, especially due to their enhanced features.

Conclusion

The primary benefit of procuring through TPPL Frameworks has been access to specialist expertise. Amy praised TPPL’s expertise in navigating complex fleet procurement, particularly in niche areas that are not always well understood elsewhere, commenting, ‘Expertise is the major player.’

This level of insight and technical capability has made a significant difference to the success of the project. As a result, she would confidently recommend TPPL to other housing providers and public sector organisations. She noted that it is rare to find a framework provider with such a strong grasp of fleet-specific challenges. Reflecting on the project, Amy mentioned that she would not change anything about TPPL’s processes. Instead, she identified only minor adjustments to their own internal processes and timelines for future procurements.