Construction consultancy appointed as council’s further assurance partner

Construction consultancy Frankham has been appointed by Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council as their further assurance partner.

With a clear commitment to strong governance and resident safety, the Council has engaged Frankham across a range of specialist areas including building safety, compliance assurance, data auditing and mock inspections.

The appointment follows the growing pressures facing housing associations and local authorities.

Regulatory change following the introduction of the Building Safety Act 2022, coupled with rising demand for safe, affordable and sustainable housing, has placed unprecedented responsibility on those managing housing portfolios.

In 2023, the Regulator of Social Housing reported that approximately 168,000 social housing properties were significantly affected by damp and mould, reinforcing the importance of Awaab’s Law.

Government figures published in 2025 also identified more than 5,000 residential buildings over 11 metres in height with unsafe cladding.

Over the past year, Frankham has listened closely to clients and partners and has developed their Critical Friend service in response.

The model provides targeted, proportionate support, working alongside in-house teams to add value where it is needed most.

John Powell, managing director of Frankham Risk Management Services, said:"The role of the Critical Friend is not to replace in-house expertise, but to complement it with independent challenge and additional capacity."