On Wednesday I spoke at the Housing Forum's National Conference to launch Better Procurement for Better Homes: a Housing Forum guide for helping housing associations and local authorities procure for best value, quality and sustainable communities. I led a cross-sector working group to develop the themes of this document over the last 18 months.

We have set out a series of guidelines for improving design and construction quality, avoiding costly mistakes and managing risks. The guide provides pointers on the contractual tools that can underpin a more collaborative approach.

This guide advocates a set of values and behaviours founded on collaboration between clients, consultants and contractors. It suggests a partnering ethos and builds on it, to provide a procurement framework that will result in safer, higher-quality homes and better places to live.

Thank you to the Housing Forum and the other contributors. We hope this proves to be a useful and comprehensive guide to collaborative procurement for public sector commissioners.