duration

Location
Virtual

May’s local elections will be the first real acid test of Reform’s rise. New local relationships will need to be formed with a raft of new councillors. This session will share advice on how to approach housing PR in the new political environment.

  • Read more

    Local and national politics are shifting rapidly. Long-established assumptions of how areas might be governed no longer holding true.

    This session will explore what the declining dominance of the Labour and Conservative parties, alongside the rise of challengers such as Reform and the Greens, means for housing providers. As political fragmentation increases, councillors in once-safe seats are under greater pressure to demonstrate responsiveness to local concerns – often leading to tougher stances on issues such as planning, allocations and repairs.

    We will examine how a more contested political landscape is reshaping council decision making, creating new risks, expectations and opportunities for landlords.

  • Our speakers

    Bobbie Hough, Managing Director, Hough Bellis Communications
    Bobbie is the lead HQN Associate for the Estates Services Hub and the Housing Management Network as well as an expert in strategic planning and crisis communications.

    Bobbie is also Managing Director of Hough Bellis Communications, where he has worked with some of the UK’s most recognised brands overseeing successful mergers, high-profile media campaigns and managing crisis scenarios. He works with companies to help align communications and business strategies.
  • Session outline

    Welcome and introductions

    Key insights

    • An overview of the current political landscape – why these local elections in May are so important nationally, regionally and locally for the social housing sector.
    • What is predicted to happen!! What do the polls tell us?

    Practical takeaways / what to do next

    • The practical impact for landlords in the build up to the elections – councillors fighting for their future, increasingly combative and performative politics on the ground, and housing getting caught in the crossfire
    • What might the future hold – more councils with no overall control, more Reform councils, a change in strategic direction (or no direction at all)? This will mean updating our risk registers and reviewing our approach to engagement.
    • This isn’t going away, as soon as the 2026 elections are over, we can expect cllrs whose seats are up in 2027 to start campaigning.

    Discussion / Q&A

  • Cancellations and substitutions

    If you are unable to attend an event or public training course, please let us know in writing (email is fine) at least 48 hours before. Please email [email protected]

    Otherwise, a cancellation fee of £60 plus VAT will be chargeable.

    If you are using a package place to attend and do not inform us within the agreed time frame, then a place will be taken to cover your non-attendance.

    Cancellations must be made in writing, and will be acknowledged by HQN Limited.

  • Price and booking

    Bookings are closed for this event.

    If you experience any issues when submitting your booking, please email [email protected] with the name and date of the session along with the delegate name(s), email address(es) and job title(s) and we'll process the booking for you.

Dates



 

Making a booking:

You don’t need to be logged in to make a booking.

Step 1: Select the number of delegates you would like to book on this session
Step 2: Complete the delegate details
Step 3: Check the details, tick the consent box, and press the book now button
Step 4: Member discounts will automatically be applied on the next page
Step 5: To use a coupon code please enter this at the top of the checkout page by clicking on the link
Step 6: Complete the booking details
Step 7: Confirm your booking
Step 8: You will receive a confirmation email with an order number, if you don’t receive this within 24 hours please get in touch with us – [email protected]