When the idea of the extension of ‘right to buy’ to housing associations was first floated housing association representative, including David Orr, head of the National Housing Federation (the ‘trade organisation’ of housing associations) were talking of fighting the…Read more…
London Reception #Lab15
After arriving at the hotel in Brighton and picking up my delegation pack from unison office, I went to my first conference event, the London Labour Party reception.
This is the annual shin dig for London delegates and Party members. London Labour Cha…Read more…
Housing Associations: Don’t Give in to Right-to-Buy Sell out!
Normal 0 false false false EN-GB X-NONE X-NONE …Read more…
Select Committee on Future for Housing Associations – Have your say
My UNISON branch Greater London Housing Associations and the national UNISON Community Service Group Executive are asking members to make submissions to the Parliamentary Select Committee investigation into the future of Housing Associations. See below…Read more…
The Future of Housing Associations & Social Housing
Yesterday we had the news that Genesis, a large Housing Association is to stop building homes for rent following the recent Government budget.
Today, Inside Housing magazine reports that other housing associations are seeking advice on how to deregist…Read more…
“LOBOs and the confessions of an ex-auditor”
Check out this article in the local government finance online site “Room 151”. Former auditor, Stephen Sheen, looks critically at the decision making process that resulted in Councils taking out LOBOs (Lender Option; Borrower Option) in the first place…Read more…
Why “Right to Buy” will be another nail in the coffin of the Housing Association movement
The 1966 BBC television play “Cathy Come Home” about homelessness and its back drop is credited with with kick starting many modern day Housing associations.
Sadly, some (not by all means all) have forgotten their social mission and instead become mon…Read more…
UNISON NEC Elections 2015
Tomorrow (April 7) ballot papers should be starting to drop though the home letter boxes of 1.3 million UNISON members up and down the country.
Every 2 years all members of the UNISON National Executive Committee (NEC) are up for re-election. The UNIS…Read more…
Don’t believe the baloney – SHPS Pensions are not doomed. Accountants can’t count
“Inside Housing” on Friday had another gloomy article on the problems facing the Social Housing Pension Scheme (SHPS).
The “deficit” is apparently getting bigger and some Housing Associations are so worried that they are thinking of joining others who…Read more…
UNISON Community Conference 2015
On the train back to London with UNISON delegates after our annual National Seminar and Conference in Bradford. See previous posts on the Seminar which took place immediately before here and here.
The Conference was chaired by UNISON Vice Presid…Read more…
Union Rights are Human Rights
This is me speaking last week at our UNISON London Regional Council AGM.
The motion was on “Union busting by UK public service providers” (see link for wording).
There a number of completely rogue and fascistic large UK Charities and Housing …Read more…