Lettings and Social Housing Mobility: Implementing change in challenging times Thursday, 26th May 2011, York Racecourse in conjunction with:
LETTINGSnet
supported by:
With the radical reform of social housing and significant public sector spending cuts, public services across the board are facing a tough challenge to deliver even more for even less. Lettings services have been hit hard with the impact of change and dramatically reduced resources to meet the new agenda, whilst continuing to meet housing need at a local level. This conference will improve understanding of the recent, and dramatically different, government policy direction on letting homes in the social housing sector. Delegates will hear key messages from government, sector experts and peers with the opportunity to pose questions, as well as choosing from a range of professional practice workshops tackling the ‘how to’ of implementing change. Delegates will have the opportunity to learn from positive practice in lettings and be lead through facilitated discussion and debate around what works in order to consider the potential for cost efficiency and positive change in their own organisation. This event will cover: • The Social Housing Reform agenda and its impact on lettings Choice Based Lettings (CBL) vs. ‘traditional’ lettings methods • Social housing mobility and the Government’s national home swap concept • Mutual exchange in action • Welfare benefit reform and impact on work incentive • Efficiencies in service delivery Worklessness and lettings Pilot Findings Showcase The Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) and the Northern Housing Consortium have delivered a social housing mobility pilot – JobMoves which ended on 31st March 2011. Hear the findings, lessons learned and how social housing moves for employment reasons are an important factor in the future of lettings. Exhibition A lettings and social housing mobility exhibition will also allow delegates to interact with ICT suppliers providing house exchange solutions.
Who should attend?
This conference is a must for everyone working in lettings services in the social housing sector that would like to develop their knowledge and understanding of the changing lettings landscape and the challenging times ahead, including Allocations and Lettings Officers and Managers, CBL Officers and Managers, Heads of Housing and Chief Executives.
Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
Delegates will be able to record 3.5 Continuing Professional Development hours for attending this conference.
Programme
9.45 am
Registration, refreshments and exhibition viewing
10.15 am
Chair’s welcome and introduction
10.30 am
Social housing reform and lettings
Angela Raper, Policy Advisor, Housing Management and Performance Division, Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) Nicki Goddard, Policy Advisor, Housing Management and Performance Division, Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) This session will provide: A government overview of the current position on social housing reform An overview of the future policy direction and vision including localism progress, local decisions consultation feedback, and the national home swap scheme An insight into the wider context of social housing reform in relation to influencing wider policy areas such as welfare reform
11.00 am
The future of choice based lettings Robin Newby, Independent Consultant on Choice Based Lettings In this session Robin will give his independent views on Choice Based Lettings (CBL) including: What is the future for CBL under the new social housing reform agenda? Will CBL still be fit for purpose as the vehicle for delivering lettings services on the ground? What are the opportunities for CBL to further develop into the future of social sector lettings?
An alternative approach
Andy Milne, Acting Head of Housing, London Borough of Barnet The social housing reform agenda has seen some authorities abandon choice based lettings in favour of a move back to alternative lettings methods. In this session, Andy will: Provide ideas and thinking about alternative ways to deliver lettings services in the new and emerging landscape Demonstrate that CBL is not the only solution to allocating social homes
11.30 am
Professional practice sessions 1. Mutual exchange – aiding national mobility Kevin Millard, National Account Manager, Abritas Barry Lowther, CBL Project Manager, Your Homes Newcastle (for the Tyne and Wear Sub Regional CBL Scheme) Mutual exchange aids social mobility by providing a viable housing option to social tenants seeking a new home. The principal of a home swap is simple, but it is important to get the systems and processes right to maximise customer access and usability, and facilitate smoother moves for social tenants. Barry and Kevin talk us through: The benefits of mutual exchange How mutual exchange can work well in practice on a sub regional basis Their insight as steering group representatives on the forthcoming government concept of a new National Home Swap Scheme How Tyne & Wear will embed mutual exchange as a key component of its sub regional CBL scheme on its implementation
2. Social housing mobility – employment moves Rachel Collings, Performance and Practice Manager, Northern Housing Consortium Barney McGhee, Housing Management & Performance, Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) Following the 31 March 2011 end to the Northern Housing Consortium’s DCLG funded JobMoves employment mobility pilot, Rachel will showcase: The JobMoves final report highlighting findings and learning from the pilot Northern trends in employment related mobility Lessons learned and how these will translate in the new lettings landscape (with the introduction of concepts such as fixed term tenancies in the social sector potentially serving as a disincentive to work) Positive practise sharing on tackling worklessness and aiding social housing mobility Barney will also share an update on the government’s view of the future of employment related mobility, how this fits with social housing reform and the development of a national home swap scheme.
3. Efficiencies in delivering lettings services Paul Knight, Voids Improvement Programme, InCommunities Grahame French, Area Housing Manager, Tristar Homes Budgetary cuts and the continued expectation to deliver high quality services means there are pressures on letting services to do ‘more with less’. This session looks at: Deliver great services that are both effective and efficient Focusing on positive outcomes for service users/tenants Generating cost savings to the organisation Sharing of positive practice and learning from peers
4. Enhancing housing options within choice based lettings
Andrew Burnip, CBL Manager, Durham County Council
County Durham, as a former Department for Communities and Local Government Enhanced Housing Options trailblazer, continues to tackle worklessness as a priority area under their lettings and housing options umbrella. Andrew will explain how County Durham: Acknowledges the importance of linking economic mobility with social housing mobility for greater opportunity Demonstrates how a housing provider can successfully deliver a raft of training and employment advice and support embedded within its CBL scheme Offers a seamless service to residents through Durham Key Options, the sub-regional CBL scheme for County Durham, through the use of its easy to use ‘options wizard’ delivering bespoke advice on housing and employment options
12.30 pm
Lunch and exhibition viewing
1.30 pm
Professional practice sessions (repeat of morning sessions)
2.30 pm
Refreshments and exhibition viewing
2.50 pm
Tackling the social housing reform agenda head on
Ian Wright, Director of Performance and Practice, Northern Housing Consortium With the radical reform agenda for social housing there are huge pressures on lettings services to deliver high levels of performance with excellent outcomes for service users. With restricted budgets and scare resources, how can this be achieved? The Northern Housing Consortium will conclude the conference by sharing its thoughts on delivering letting services in these adverse economic conditions, with a positive attitude and creative solutions. The strength of the housing sector is in its ability and willingness to work together, sharing experiences and, in this way, change the shape of lettings for the better.
3.20 pm
Chair’s closing remarks
3.30 pm
Close of conference
Lettings and Social Housing Mobility: Implementing change in challenging times Thursday, 26th May 2011, York Racecourse Delegate fees
Early booking discount: book before 13th May 2011
Northern Housing Consortium Member
£199
£179
Non Member
£249
£229 All delegate fees are shown excluding VAT
LETTINGSnet Members Subscribers to NHC’s lettings network will receive a 20% discount off full delegate fees. (cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer (including early booking discount) and is limited to one delegate per organisation)
How to book Online To book your delegate place at this event and to view our full terms & conditions and cancellation policy, please click below.
Book Online
Telephone To make a provisional booking please telephone our events team;
0191 566 1000 Please note any telephone reservations are made on a provisional basis and must be confirmed in writing within 2 working days.
Contact us For further information or if you have a query please contact a member of the events team: Telephone: 0191 566 1000 Email: events@northern-consortium.org.uk
Download a copy of the programme here