Informing our strategic future …
The Chinese curse, to live in interesting times, is upon us. We face slashed public spending, benefit cuts, loan re-pricing, the challenge of investment in quality and supply , the need for a sustainable revenue base, the challenge of an ageing society, the regeneration challenge in Wales, the big society debate in England and opportunities to fashion new mutual responses to housing, health and care.
The risks are aplenty – imagine a future with no new homes, huge numbers forced into bed and breakfast, the housing sector reputation torn by perception of fat cats – ‘money in bank but unwilling to do anything’, a reduction in Supporting People, little or no access to grant for all and in turn pressure on revenue to do more for less.
Wales faces huge challenges in public policy moving forward and Community Housing Cymru (CHC) members need to be at the vanguard of change, serving as they do some of the most social and economically disadvantaged communities in Wales.
Are we fit for the future? What’s worrying your organisation most? What support does your organisation most value? What should we concentrate on in the future? What should we leave behind?
These are just some of the issues that we’d like to get your views on. The conversation started at our National Council Meeting in September 2011 and over the next few weeks, we’ll be gathering views from a cross-section of housing association staff and stakeholders as we plan for the future.
To ensure respondents have the opportunity to offer their views confidentially, we have commissioned an independent contractor, Beaufort Research, to carry out this piece of work. Beaufort Research works strictly within the Market Research Society Code of Conduct. Member contributions will be completely confidential and any individual comments will be fully anonymised.
We will share the top line findings at our Annual Conference on the 24 November 2011 and then use the findings to help inform a consultation exercise with all members beginning in December through to January 2012. CHC will then put together proposals based on the consultation for agreement by National Council in March 2012.
We hope you are ready to join the debate – it’s your sector, your future – shape it.
Nick Bennett, Chief Executive and Peter Cahill, Chair Community Housing Cymru