PlaceShapers Summer Leaders Event
16 July 2024
A very useful day had been spent exposing issues which are often glossed over or set aside in the too difficult or too sensitive folder.
It's over four years since I’ve attended a PlaceShapers event (apart from a drinks reception at Manchester in the CIH days) so I was pleased to be back in the room with colleagues on the mean streets of Bristol.
The event was kicked off by Paul Smith from Elim Housing (that’s me) who shamelessly abused the hospitality of the Placeshapers Massive by promoting his book on 1950s failed place-shaping, “Hartcliffe Betrayed” (available from good book stores etc...)
PlaceShapers CEO Catherine Ryder gave us all a low down on the recent general election, spoiler alert, Labour won. People in the room confirmed this to be true reporting on losing their local MP to the oranges, reds and, where we were meeting, the greens. This mix of colours was very much on message as the previous weekend was the Pride march and celebration in Bristol.
Catherine’s aim was to get behind the headlines and to spark a discussion about the need to ensure that place making is not lost in the desire to maximise numbers and the vital role of PlaceShapers in this. It was useful to explore how the role of PlaceShapers complements the role of others, including the NHF, regional groups and other special interest groups. There will be times it is useful for these organisations to reinforce a particular message, like the call for a long-term plan for housing, and times where it will useful for them to differentiate their work, so there isn’t duplication or confusion. Perhaps a Venn Diagram is in order.
At this point profiteroles arrived and the gathered hordes dissipated.
With the help of a ladder and a hoist Chair Matthew Walker ascended a vertigo inducing stool for a conversation with the soha Chief Executive, Kate Wareing. This was a deep dive into how the demographics of customers being allocated through the lettings has changed over the decades and the implications for housing providers.
Mathew Walker and Kate Wareing
It was recognised that many of the support services have declined and that housing associations are often left as the last service working with people with support needs. There is also an impact upon the social sustainability of some communities where social housing is the dominant tenure. There was a wide-ranging discussion around this key issue which I’ve not seen at more traditional get togethers for some time and the safe place created by PlaceShapers.
After lunch (no profiteroles left) Kevin Rodgers, Chief Executive at Citizen, opened a discussion on the impact of regulation on the sector. The comments made in the following discussion have been largely redacted but there was a concern that the weight and cost of regulation and the ombudsman service could have the unintended consequence of distracting organisations from service delivery and also divert much needed resources from repairing and building homes.
As even the fruit had all gone by this time we all left feeling that a very useful day had been spent exposing issues which are often glossed over or set aside in the too difficult or too sensitive folder.
The day was the second in a series of three Leader's Events planned for this year. There has been tremendous appetite for these sessions which provide a unique space for chairs and chief executives to come together to talk, network, learn and be inspired. The final one of the year will be held in London towards the end of the year, more details coming soon.
By the way my book is great!
