Members only

Council housing budgets have been under pressure for some time, but recent cost rises combined with rising expectations from the Regulator of Social Housing and tenants are testing the HRA business plan like never before.

More than 20 years after the introduction of the Decent Homes Standard and the self-financing settlement and with many homes needing major investment to make them more energy efficient and deal with damp and mould, it is time to review your risks and HRA business plan and look at your realistic options for the next 5 to 10 years.

Join Alistair McIntosh, HQN and Steve Partridge from Savills for this one-off council housing workshop bringing you the added value of their combined expertise and knowledge. This special event is a must for all council housing finance directors, and anyone involved in council housing business planning as the sector faces some of its most difficult financial challenges and risks for decades.

Steve Partridge will draw on his significant knowledge and experience in council housing finance to highlight the recent regulatory changes and what they mean for the HRA as well as providing an overview of the HRA and business planning. He will provide insights into what the sector as a whole is looking like and what issues are proving the most challenging across the country. He will then look at how councils can stress test the pressures and what techniques you can use to help improve the financial position.

Alistair McIntosh will take a look at the risks that the sector is facing from the obvious ones the Regulator of Social Housing sets out to the less likely but higher impact ones which may be around the corner. In light of London Councils warning of a ‘£700m budget black hole’ and councils across the country facing a collapse of local services and declaring themselves effectively bankrupt he will also focus on the potential implications of the particular pressures that councils are facing both on the General Fund and the HRA.

What will be covered:

• Regulatory changes and the impact on the Housing Revenue Account (HRA)
• An overview of HRA business planning
• Insights into the national picture for council housing finances
• Highlighting the risks for the sector as a whole and councils in particular
• How you can stress test your HRA
• What techniques can be used to improve the financial position.

Essential for:

• Council Housing Finance Directors
• ALMO Housing Finance Directors.

10.30 Introduction from Chair

• • Chloe Fletcher, Director, HQN

10.35 Regulatory backdrop

• • Steve Partridge, Partner, Savills

11.00 HRA and the business plan

• • Steve Partridge, Partner, Savills

11.30 Break

11.40 Risk assessments – what councils should consider

• • Alistair McIntosh, CEO, HQN

12.10 Key financial pressures / sensitivities and stress testing

• • Steve Partridge, Partner, Savills

13.00 Thoughts on improving financial outcomes

• • Steve Partridge & Alistair McIntosh

13.25 Chair’s round up

• • Chloe Fletcher, Director, HQN 

13.30 Close

Alistair McIntosh, Chief Executive, HQN

Alistair McIntosh is one of the social housing sector’s most respected and best known personalities.

As founder and Chief Executive of HQN, he is regarded as one of the foremost advisers on governance and regulation, specialising in VfM and stress testing. His hands-on approach sees Alistair leading on all HQN’s in-depth assessment mock exercises and support work, designing and running the popular Iron Grip sessions and chairing/speaking at conferences and events.

Career highlights include setting up and running the National Federation of ALMOs, leading the popular consultation on the regulatory standards for housing, and developing an approach to VfM that won praise from the housing minister.

A regular contributor to the housing press, Alistair’s columns are known for their humorous, pointed and painfully accurate assessment of the state of social housing.

Chloe Fletcher, Director, HQN

Chloe has worked in the social housing sector for over 25 years since her first role in housing management with JSS Pinnacle as a trainee housing officer. She completed a Masters in Housing with Professional Qualification at the London School of Economics in 1998 and then moved into housing policy, working on behalf of the London boroughs, initially for London Housing Unit and then London Councils. She joined the National Federation of ALMOs (NFA) in 2007 working with members, government officials and wider housing stakeholders to develop NFA policy and support the ALMO movement.  She has recently left her role as Policy Director at the NFA and joined HQN as Director, working across the business and bringing her knowledge and experience to the wider sector.

Steve Partridge, Savills

Steve is a national expert in housing finance with over 25 years’ experience in public and private sectors in business planning, Investment appraisal, financing and development of new homes.

Steve specialises in working with housing providers to build their financial capacity, to assess options for, and then implement the delivery of, new and better housing through all routes including: “traditional” public and private finance, new housing companies and joint ventures, and innovative ways to bring new sources of private finance into affordable housing. His high profile roles have included: finance manager of £220m turnover landlord; senior consultant to hundreds of local authorities and housing associations; government adviser with key role in conceiving, promoting and then delivering council housing finance reform in England and Wales; private sector CFO raising £30m Investment via new models for equity funding and bank lending into affordable housing.

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.