First APPG meeting of the new Parliament announced

| |by

The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Housing in the North will meet on Wednesday, 18th October 2017 for the first time in the new Parliament.

The APPG remains a vital part of the NHC’s work to represent member’s views at the highest levels of Parliament and government. As Secretariat to the group, the NHC uses the APPG to raise issues of concern and initiate debate. Most recently, the group has been key in promoting and gaining support for the findings of our Commission for Housing in the North which, through close consultation with our members and industry leaders, put forward recommendations on what is needed to address the housing challenges faced in the Northern regions.

The APPG for Housing in the North was established as a forum for parliamentarians to look closely at the impact of housing policy in the North and to set an agenda that addresses the needs and ambitions of our communities. As members will know, the challenges faced in the North require a more nuanced response to the housing crisis which has until recently centred on building more homes. Increasing supply is one part, but our region requires a greater balance between building homes and revitalising the assets we already have.

With this in mind, the theme for this meeting is regeneration. How can we reconnect the areas that have fallen behind to the growing economic opportunities that exist in surrounding towns and cities? Moderated by the APPG’s Chair-Designate Ian Mearns MP, a range of guest speakers will discuss the transformative projects they have been involved in across the North East, North West, and Yorkshire and Humber. Together, the group will continue the work being done to underline just why regeneration is important to the North and understand how those best placed to deliver this change can be brought together to do so.

The next meeting of the APPG for Housing in the North will take place Wednesday 18th October 2017.  Meeting Notes will be published on the NHC website’s dedicated page or look out for our APPG Recap in a future edition of the eZine.

DCLG Secretary announces “wide-ranging” green paper on social housing

| |by

The Government will publish a “wide-ranging” green paper on social housing, the communities secretary announced this week.

Speaking at the National Housing Federation (NHF) annual conference on Tuesday, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Sajid Javid said it is clear there needs to be a “fundamental rethink of social housing in this country”.

The green paper will be a “wide-ranging, top-to-bottom review” of the issues facing the social housing sector and will be the “most substantial report of its kind for a generation”, he said. It is intended to “kick off a nationwide conversation on social housing – what works and what doesn’t work, what has gone right and what has gone wrong”.

The green paper will not only look at the safety of social housing following the Grenfell Tower fire, it will also cover the quality of social homes, “many of which are now beginning to show their age”, Mr Javid said.

It will include a look at the management of social homes, the rights of tenants and how complaints are handled.

Mr Javid said the green paper would not be “rushed” because it would take time to get this “substantial piece of work” right.  He admitted that “successive governments” have not done enough to take social housing “seriously”.

The Government will seek the views of tenants alongside the views of housing associations and other stakeholders. The NHC is delighted to be facilitating a landlord and tenant engagement session on Thursday, 26th October in York with Alok Sharma MP, Minister of State for Housing and Planning. The Minister will speak directly with social tenants, to hear their views and to help build a picture of the common concerns that can help inform a national approach going forward.

For more information on the DCLG landlord and tenant engagement session on 26th October, please contact Member Engagement Manager Callum Smith  or call 0191 566 1029.

Housing’s role in the Northern Powerhouse

| |by

On 7th September, the NHC facilitated a members’ roundtable session (hosted by Newcastle City Council) with Jake Berry, Northern Powerhouse Minister, when he visited the North East. The Minister was keen to emphasise his commitment to the devolution agenda and his passion for the role as a Northerner, and talked enthusiastically about the need to build a compelling narrative for the ‘whole North’.

Members’ discussed some of the challenges faced, including inefficient legacy stock, skills shortages, pressures on supported housing, and the need for regeneration to reconnect economically isolated communities. There was recognition of the many untapped market opportunities and the desire and will amongst members to do more if some of the key levers could be put in place – such as longer term funding programmes, rent certainty, and pump-priming for more challenging sites. The Minister acknowledged the need for regeneration and emphasised the combined importance of housing, skills, jobs and transport, describing the potential offered by Transport for the North’s 20-year plan as ‘transformative’.

The Minister also encouraged members to come forward with ideas that would help drive growth in house building, and for suggestions that would address the issue of graduate retention across the North, as well as evidence around the threats posed by changes to funding for supported housing. The NHC is happy to collate any evidence or suggestions that Members wish to put forward to the Minister – please email Senior Policy Adviser Karen Brown: Karen.brown@northern-consortium.org.uk.

NEA’s ‘Improving Energy Efficiency In Communities’ Project

| |by

In 2017-2018 National Energy Action will build upon its partnership with EDF Energy to deliver another year of its Improving Energy Efficiency In Communities Project which aims to reduce the wider impacts of fuel poverty for households across England.

The project provides FREE basic energy awareness training to frontline practitioners within voluntary and statutory organisations.   Training aims to equip individuals with the skills and knowledge to better identify and assist households who struggle to manage their energy needs and to maintain a warm and healthy home.

Organisations can also benefit from FREE energy advice surgeries/ awareness sessions to help their service users to better manage their energy use, access appropriate energy tariff and payment options as well as insulation and heating schemes, income maximisation, money and debt advice services.

NEA is providing all trainees and energy advice recipients with copies of a bespoke information leaflet to aid service signposting and referral.

As part of EDF Energy’s commitment to provide a more holistic service, EDF Energy customers accessing NEA advice services can also benefit from a range of Priority Services, which includes access to Warm Home Discount rebates, money advice, trust fund grant assistance and the Priority Services Register.

The Improving Energy Efficiency In Communities project is national but has a key focus in the North East, North West, London & South East, South West and the Yorkshire & the Humber areas.

For enquiries about FREE energy advice surgeries /energy awareness sessions in these areas contact:

For enquiries about awareness/ advice sessions in all other areas (and all general enquiries) contact Malcolm Dove at NEA on 0191 269 2932 (email: Malcolm.Dove@nea.org.uk).

For enquiries about FREE basic energy awareness training for frontline practitioners across England contact Tracy Norris, Business Support Officer at NEA on 0191 269 2946.

NEA is grateful for support from EDF Energy for this project.

Join the NHC Board – Apply to be a director today

| |by

2017 Election of Directors

The overall management and strategic direction of the Northern Housing Consortium is entrusted to the Board of Directors who are subject to election each year from Full Member organisations.

Under the Consortium’s governance arrangements, all nominations for the position of Director will be reviewed by the Board (or their nominated representatives), against a Skills Matrix for Directors to ensure that they meet the Board’s requirement to fill any vacancies – a Skills Matrix and Board Director Role Profile are enclosed in the Board Director Nomination Pack.

In accordance with a procedure agreed by the Board, and to ensure a regional geographical balance across the Northern region, we are seeking nominations for a total of four new Directors’ places to be filled for the three-year period 2017-2020.

There are also three Directors who are retiring this year but who wish to stand for re-election they are as follows:

  • Chris Smith, Executive Director of Service Delivery and Development, Thirteen Group
  • Nick Atkin, Chief Executive, Halton Housing Trust
  • Bob Taylor, Group Chief Executive, First Ark

The Board have confirmed their support for the re-election of the above candidates.

Should the number of successful nominations exceed the vacancies available, a postal ballot will be arranged and the results announced for formal approval by the Full Members at the Consortium’s Annual General Meeting on 16th November, 2017 in York.

A nomination form is included in the Nomination Pack, and I invite you to consider and make nominations of candidates no later than 18th August 2017.  Please note that you can nominate more than one candidate but in doing so you should note the conditions for nominating candidates included in the Nomination Pack.

Download the Nomination Park here.

An application form for nominated candidates is included here.  This must be completed by the nominee and returned with the nomination form no later than 18th August 2017.

Download the application form here.

If you would like to discuss your nomination for the position of Director, please contact:-

Jo Boaden
Chief Executive
T: 0751 5991731
E: jo.boaden@northern-consortium.org.uk

Guest blog: Campbell Tickell – Housing an ageing society

|, |by

Housing an Ageing Society

We live in a rapidly ageing society. A girl born today has a 50% chance of reaching 100. By 2024, one in four of us will be over 60 and 2m people will be over 85. Although many will start our ‘old age’ healthy and active, we will inevitably become frailer as the growth in total life expectancy outpaces the growth in healthy life expectancy. As we live longer, more of us will suffer dementia at a time when social services are at breaking point.

A good later life depends on health, financial security and social connections. Helping people to stay well and maintain independence will improve the quality of life and reduce pressure on health services. Good housing can make a fundamental difference to health and well-being. A fifth of people aged over 65 rent their homes from a council or housing association; and one-third of housing association tenants are over 65.

The housing we provide in the future needs to be suitable for changing needs as people go through the different stages of ageing. It should be attractive, spacious and well located, safe and secure, affordable, warm in winter and comfortable in summer. And as most of our older tenants will live in general needs, we need to improve the ‘90% offer’ for those not in specialist accommodation.

To prepare for our ageing population, we must be clear who the housing is for: gathering customer data in order to understand actual future needs rather than making decisions based on assumptions and stereotypes; recognising too that demand will vary between locations. This means examining population projections based on ONS, together with income levels, health statistics, tenure and social care needs.

There are over half a million sheltered homes in the social housing sector. Those with existing specialist stock need to assess its suitability. Does it comply with HAPPI standards? Are there bedsits and shared facilities? Is there lift access and communal areas for activities? Storage for large items like wheelchairs and buggies? Access to local amenities?

The options for such homes could be to continue as sheltered, convert to older person specific housing, remodel as extra care, or use for an alternative client group. Some sites could be redeveloped for general needs; some schemes will be suitable for more than one function. Adapting general needs properties would enable many to remain in their home environment comfortably and safely.

Just as important as the physical surroundings is the support for older people. This is not just professional help, but support from peers and volunteers. Loneliness is a major problem for many older people. Enabling connections between people and facilitating informal help plays a critical role in maintaining health and well-being.

In short, a great deal needs to be done, but much can be achieved at relatively manageable cost. First and foremost, we must refocus our thinking, recognise the challenge and display imagination.

–

Maggie Rafalowicz is an Associate Director at Campbell Tickell. For more information or to discuss this article, please contact maggie.rafalowicz@campbelltickell.com

Next Northern Reference Panel Meeting to be held at CIH 2017

|, |by

We are pleased to invite members based in/around the North of England to join us for our next Northern Procurement Reference Panel meeting. It is to be held at the first day of the Chartered Institute of Housing Annual Conference and Exhibition Tuesday, 27th June from 4pm within the main conference building.

We facilitate this informal network on a quarterly basis and we are pleased to say it provides a perfect forum for procurement professionals form our northern membership to meet, share best practice, discuss current and emerging procurement issues, and receive useful information about current and upcoming projects their peers are working on.

If you would be interested in finding out more about the Procurement Reference Panel or view minutes of previous meetings please contact Louise Chase – Procurement and Contracts Manager – nicola.benson@consortiumprocurement.org.uk

Second Procurement Reference Panel Meeting in the Midlands

|, |by

The Consortium has facilitated a series of Procurement Reference Panel meetings over the last six years. This informal network provides a quarterly forum for procurement professionals from our membership to meet, help shape our framework development plan; share best practice, discuss current and emerging procurement issues, and explore opportunities for collaboration.

Following the success of the Procurement Reference Panel meeting we held in Telford in March, we are planning to organise another meeting to be held on the 6th June. We would like to encourage our membership based in/around the Midlands area which would like to participate in our next meeting to let us know as soon as possible.

There is no obligation to attend regularly and we contact the group in advance for agenda items to ensure the sessions are focused and topical each time.

The last meeting’s agenda covered a range of topics, including:

 

  • Should Housing Associations still be contracting authorities / Are Housing Associations contracting authorities? And subject to the Public Contract regulations?
  • Procurement risks associated with Brexit – The HCA expect housing associations to be able to demonstrate that they have considered this
  • Current projects best practice – members of the panel advised on their current procurement projects with the aim of sharing any best practice, issues or general updates they think the group would find useful.
  • Social Value in procurement and Social Value Toolkit

 

There are only 20 spaces available for the session which is being held on Tuesday, 6th June 2017 at Walsall Housing Group offices (100 Hatherton Street, Walsall, WS1 1AB)

Please forward this information on to any colleagues within your organisation who may be interested in attending.

For more information please contact Nicola Benson on 0191 566 1000 or by email at Nicola.benson@consortiumprocurement.org.uk