YES, A LOT OF FINE WORDS BUT...

 

 

 Not much for the homeless in these

manifestoes

So now that the political parties have all issued their 2024 manifestos for the general election, can we be optimistic about the prospects for ending the homelessness and housing crisis, and for the future well-being of the social housing sector and its residents? 

 

 David Bogle(above) chair of Homes for Cathy, a national alliance of housing organisations, asks this question in an analysis of the homelessness policies – or lack of – in the leading parties’ general election manifestos.  His article,  from the magazine Inside Housing  goes on:

Well, having had a look at what has been issued by the major parties in England, the answer is, ‘Don’t get your hopes up too much’! 

As you would expect there are a lot of fine words, but almost all the ‘commitments’ lack the detail that would give us confidence that they can be delivered. 

With the exception of the Greens, housing and homelessness doesn’t feature prominently in the parties’ manifestos. For Labour, housing is not one of the “five national missions” or the six “first steps for change”. 

For the Conservatives, the housing promises don’t appear until Page 53 of the manifesto. For the Liberal Democrats, the housing section of the manifesto is at Chapter 14.

However, the three ‘main’ parties do all make commitments on homelessness. The bravest commitment comes from the Lib Dems, which promise to “end homelessness within the next Parliament”. Labour promises a cross-government strategy, while the Conservatives promise a continuation of their current programmes. 

On housing numbers, again the Lib Dems lead the bidding with a huge 380,000 homes a year, of which 150,000 a year are to be ‘social homes’. 

The Conservatives pledge 1.6 million homes over the next parliament, while Labour go for 1.5 million homes in the same period. Interestingly, neither Labour nor the Conservatives have committed on social/affordable housing numbers. 

 Community Voice Carlisle is the blog of Carlisle Tenants` and Residents`Federation. Information about the Federation is available on 01228 522277

SIX CHILDEN HOMELESS IN EVERY SCHOOL IS FORECAST

 

 

---

Bleak outlook if housing

crisis is not tackled

 As electioneering gets underway  for a general election on July 4 there were warnings today about the serious housing crisis and that the issue needs to be tackled.

Kate Henderson (left) chief executive of the National Housing Federation , said: “Without urgent action from the next government, by the end of the next parliament, one in five households will be in unaffordable homes and six children in every school will be homeless.

“This crisis is the result of decades of underinvestment in social housing and short-term, piecemeal approaches the housing policy, but it can be solved.

“The beginning of a new parliamentary term is the best time for bold action and long-term thinking, and our sector is ready to work with whichever party is in power to build the affordable homes the country needs.”

The NHF boss said the membership organisation will continue to call on all political parties to commit to a strategic and properly funded long-term plan for housing.

Barring a dramatic upset, all polling suggests Labour will form the next government. Kick-starting development will not be the only issue in the party’s in Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, the housing charity, said: “No political party can consider itself ready to lead the country unless it is willing to tackle housing head-on.

“Runaway rents, rising evictions and record levels of homelessness are destroying people’s lives; 145,800 children have been condemned to spend their early years in grotty, cramped hostels and B&Bs.

“Meanwhile, private renting remains completely broken, with tenants being forced to pay over the odds for homes that are often in dire condition. As voters gear up to head to the ballot box, lip service is no longer going to cut it – they need a genuine commitment from politicians of all stripes to end the housing emergency.”

 Community Voice Carlisle is the blog of Carlisle Tenants` and Residents`Federation. Information about the Federation is available on 01228 52

SECRET SPITFIRE CITY AND LAKES TOWN KESWICK

 

 

Garage classroom lessons to beat Hitler 

A television programme last week about  Battle of Britain Spitfires had an echo in wartime Keswick. Places in the town came to resemble the Wiltshire city of Salisbury where  an emergency method of manufacturing the planes was set up.

Derwentwater Hotel, Portinscale...once an army driving and maintainance school .

All the commercial garages  in the city were commandeered and converted into small units manufacturing Spitfires in the story told on Channel Five, “Secret Spitfires: how Britain Won the War.”

The same thing  happened at Keswick where, like Salisbury, all the commercial garages were commandeered. But not for Spitfires.. The garages were taken   to become”classrooms”, places to teach soldiers how to  care for army  vehicles, particularly on a battlefield.

 The garages became part of  a driving and maintenance school set up by the Royal Army Service Corps in the Derwentwater Hotel in  nearby Portinscale.

Dunbobbin`s garage in Helvellyn Street, Keswick Motor Company  premises in Penrith Road, Quirk`s garage in Main Street and the Cumberland bus garage in Tithebarn Street all  took on an army  khaki look as they became staffed  by soldier instructors.

And vehicle maintainance learned in Keswick garages kept the wheels turning on British army bren gun carriers, lorries, vans, tanks and Jeeps despite everything Hitler could throw at them.

Community Voice Carlisle is the blog of Carlisle Tenants` and Residents`Federation. Information about the Federation is available on 01228 52

 

NO BOX-TICKING...TAKE TIME TO ENGAGE!

---

 

Housing  and the Post Office scandal

As the next stage of the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry  gets underway, Yorkshire Housing chair Ingrid Fife (pictured) looks at the key takeaways for housing association boards and senior leadership teams.

If you didn’t watch Mr Bates vs The Post Office when it first aired, I am willing to bet that by now someone has persuaded you to. I was fascinated and shocked. How on earth was something on this scale allowed to happen and drag on over two decades?

 More than 700 innocent postal workers were accused of theft, fraud and false accounting. Many were sentenced to time behind bars and, tragically, others took their own lives.

 

 More than 700 innocent postal workers were accused of theft, fraud and false accounting. Many were sentenced to time behind bars and, tragically, others took their own lives.

Viewed by many as the most widespread miscarriage of justice in UK history, the Post Office Horizon scandal is complex and involved many participants.

And yet, when it is stripped back to its foundations, it is a case that’s built on a severe failure of governance by successive boards to thoroughly scrutinise a new IT system and listen to feedback from colleagues and their customers.

The role of housing association boards has come under increased scrutiny in recent years, particularly around hearing their customer’s voice. The tragic events laid bare by the Grenfell inquiry and the death of Awaab Ishak highlighted the importance of having the right governance structures in place, and what can happen when these don’t operate as they should.

The Post Office scandal should serve as a reminder for boards and business leaders to focus on their approach to decision-making and put people at the heart of everything they do.

I have watched as housing associations have worked hard to modernise their business models over the past decade. I have often been the voice promoting the benefits of adopting new technologies or processes to transform organisations, improving customer experience and creating a more efficient service. But do we fully appreciate the impacts?

So, what can housing associations learn?

Don’t just tick boxes – take time to engage with colleagues and customers. 

 Community Voice Carlisle is the blog of Carlisle Tenants` and Residents`Federation. Information about the Federation is available on 01228 52