PRESS RELEASE: NHC Releases On-the-Day Housing White Paper Briefing

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The 2017 Housing White Paper

Today saw the publication of the long awaited, much trailed Housing White Paper.  Announced by Sajid Javid, Secretary of State as

“ambitious proposals to help fix the housing market so that more ordinary working people from across the country can have the security of a decent place to live”

Read the NHC’s full on-the-day White Paper briefing here.

The White Paper acknowledges the scale of the housing crisis facing the country and recognises the fact that governments of all persuasions have not been able to sufficiently ramp up house building to meet with the backlog of under supply and projected future need. The Government’s White Paper aims to change this but the discussions in advance were focused on whether the proposals set out today are the catalyst needed or is the housing industry the proverbial slow turning oil tanker?

The White Paper sets out a series of recommendations addressing common approaches to planning for housing need, barriers in the planning process, support for Local Authorities in speeding up delivery of new homes, and the need to bring new entrants to the market place. Underneath the headlines there is a significant amount of detailed policy proposals that the Northern Housing Consortium welcomes.

The White Paper also rebalances policy focus away from home ownership and acknowledges the need to ensure the rental market is operating efficiently providing good quality secure accommodation for those who choose to rent.

The NHC is pleased that we have this Housing White Paper. It is a mature acknowledgement of the benefits that a shared approach to policy development can bring. We will work with the Government and our members to support this White Paper and work collaboratively to help refine and improve where we believe policy initiatives need further consideration.

The NHC has worked with members and sector experts to deliver the Commission for Housing in the North and we are pleased that the White Paper reinforces messages from the Commission such as consideration of wider tenure issues, the need to ensure quality across the rental sector, and capacity support for local authorities to ensure the right housing is delivered in the right place. The White Paper is not unsurprisingly light on issues around regeneration but we call upon the Government to ensure the Northern Powerhouse Strategy – released alongside the Autumn Statement – picks up this mantle to ensure that housing and regeneration are recognised as tools to support the economic renaissance of the North.

The NHC looks forward to working with members and government on our detailed response to the White Paper and more details on our forthcoming member engagement roundtables are available on our website www.northern-consortium.org.uk

 

For further information please contact Member Engagement Manager, Callum Smith, on 0191 566 1029 or email callum.smith@northern-consortium.org.uk

Get your Tenants Online in an Easy and Affordable Way

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We have always worked hard to ensure we provide useful services and affordable solutions to our membership to help them cope with the ever-evolving needs of the sector they operate in.

Digital inclusion has become a real need in recent years and we are happy to offer some fantastic opportunities for our members to get their tenants online and therefore help them receive the knowledge and experience they need to live better lives.

We have put an offer in place to allow tenants to get the training, hardware and broadband access they need to be able to get online, address some of the barriers and to access a wide range of products and services. We offer the following courses and services:

  • 6-12 week basic group courses
  • One-to-one in-home tuition
  • Digital champion workshop for staff/volunteers
  • E-learning modules
  • Vital digital (full time telephone and live-chat support line)
  • Equipment
  • Equipment and handling fee
  • Engagement support
  • Evaluation

We have also negotiated exclusive, super-efficient broadband deals in a bid to help our members tackle digital exclusion amongst their tenants in the most effective and financially advantageous way. The latest deals that we have available are:

  • Fast Broadband (introductory offer) – £18.75 a month includes line rental
  • Faster Fibre Broadband (introductory offer) – £25.00 a month includes line rental
  • TV with Fast Broadband – £22.95 a month includes line rental
  • TV Plus with Fast Broadband – £28.50 a month includes line rental

If you would like to receive more information on both offers, please contact us on 0191 566 1000 or email us at solutions@consortiumprocurement.org.uk

NHC Chair Receives OBE for Services to Housing in the North

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NHC Chair Tom Miskell OBEThe Northern Housing Consortium (NHC) today welcomed the honouring of figures from the worlds of housing and local government across the North in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List.

In particular we are delighted that NHC Chair and Accent Group Chair Tom Miskell’s longstanding work in housing has been recognised as he receives an OBE for services to housing associations in Northern England. As Chair of the NHC and the NHC Commission for Housing in the North, we have seen first-hand his commitment to housing and his enthusiasm to drive forward innovation and creativity across the North.

Tom Miskell is not the only NHC member to be honoured by the Queen this year. Ian Munro, Chief Executive of New Charter Group, and Keith Loraine, previously Group Chief Executive of Isos Housing also receive OBEs for their services to Housing.

Jo Boaden, Chief Executive, commented “The Government has rightly recognised the importance of housing contributing to economic growth and supporting thriving communities. We are therefore pleased that the New Year’s Honours List acknowledges this through conferring well-deserved honours to many in the industry including Tom, Ian and Keith.”

Notes for editors

Tom Miskell has been a member of the NHC Board since October 2006 and was elected Chair in November 2015. The NHC Commission for Housing in the North released its full report in November 2016, which can be read in full via the NHC website here.

(Download press release pdf here)

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For further information please contact David Hetherington, Marketing Officer, on 0191 566 1038 or email david.hetherington@northern-consortium.org.uk

For more detailed information on the NHC Commission for Housing in the North please contact Charlotte Harrison, Executive Director (Policy & Public Affairs), on 0191 566 1034 or email charlotte.harrison@northern-consortium.org.uk