From ambition to delivery – the Northern Housing Summit

Last week’s Northern Housing Summit brought together senior housing leaders from across the North. Our Chief Executive Tracy Harrison opened proceedings and set the scene for the day – saying that the focus is now moving from ambition to delivery. She outlined how the NHC has been working with the Government to move the dial on Northern housing policy and launched the Call for Evidence for our inquiry about housing-led regeneration, Renew. 

Up next was Leeds City Council Chief Executive Ed Whiting OBE who welcomed us to Leeds and shared how housing plays an important role in the Leeds Vision. He was followed by Selvin Brown MBE, from Department of Energy Security and Net Zero, who updated the audience on warm homes funding, finishing with a poignant tenant video which reminded everyone that warm homes really do improve lives. 

A panel discussion about “Beyond 1.5m homes: Once in a (re)generation?” with Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government’s Cathy Francis, Sheffield City Council’s James Clark, our Patrick Murray, Homes England Interim Chair Pat Richie and Karbon Homes’ Paul Fiddaman was next on the agenda. This looked at balancing long-term strategy with delivering immediate results. Panellists spoke about how regeneration is an integral part of delivering the homes communities need, especially in light of the recent Social and Affordable Homes Programme prospectus which offers more flexibility around net additionality requirements. 

A busy morning was rounded off with professional practice sessions around climate resilience, the Renters Rights act, regulation and the customer journey and the Green Book. Space was at a premium in the session on the Green Book which included Home England’s Chief Economist Andy Wallis. The Government recently reviewed it’s Green Book spending guidance following the NHC and others in the sector highlighting that rules, and the way they were being applied, was disadvantaging the North. 

In the afternoon the focus was on devolution. There was talk of a ‘devolution revolution’ and ‘devo delight’, as the North leads the way with devolved government. The social housing sector is well connected to this through housing partnerships, that cover the majority of the North. 

We were pleased to welcome Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin who was interviewed by NHC Chair Charlie about ‘Housing’s role in the Great North.’ She passionately put forward the case for collaborating to improve people’s lives – with housing heart of this. Tracy and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) work closely with the West Yorkshire Housing Partnership to deliver new social housing and warmer homes – with this set to ramp up when WYCA’s integrated settlement begins next April. 

Devolution was also discussed earlier in the afternoon with a panel session on ‘Mission Possible: Devolution and Better Places’. We heard from NHC Vice Chair Jane Everton CBE, Yorkshire Housing’s Nick Atkin, Greater Manchester Combined Authorities Warren Heppolette and Calderdale Council’s Robin Tuddenham about the impact devolution is having on communities, and how we can go further in the future.

We also had a series of professional practice sessions on housing, health and technology, building stronger communities and the temporary accommodation crisis in the North.

Thank you to all the event sponsors for making our Summit happen, and to all our speakers and delegates for being part of the day!