The Acuity SPBM conference for 2020 is cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. We are delighted, however that our speakers will instead be running a series of one-hour webinars in May, so you will still get the chance to hear from them and out questions to them in the Q&A.  The register for these webinars please click here.

Click here to register for the webinars  >>

The programme

All the sessions will seek to make sense of the operating environment and its implications from a smaller housing association perspective:

• The latest on housing policy, political and economic landscape and regulatory direction of travel from the CIH and Regulator of Social Housing
• Getting it right when things go wrong from the Housing Ombudsman Service
• repeated breakout sessions mean you can choose two from four options:
  • Realising smaller housing associations’ development potential
  • Satisfaction surveys: are you up to date?
  • VFM compliance: getting it right
  • Community investment: making your resources go further

There will be ample opportunity to network with colleagues over lunch and at the break.

In the interests of open exchange and transparency, the event will operate in accordance with the Chatham House rule.
Click here to download the programme  >>

Speakers confirmed

Click here to book  >>

• Jonathan Walters, Deputy CEO, Regulator for Social Housing
• Emma Foxall, Deputy Ombudsman, Housing Ombudsman Service
• Senior Policy Speaker, CIH
• Sarah Finnegan, Head of Member Relations and Lawrence Morris, Policy Officer, NHF
• Robin Roberts, CEO, Sutton Housing Society
• Denise Raine, Director, Acuity
• Steve Smedley, Associate Director, Acuity
• Luke Southall, MD, Oaks (part of the Aquila group)
• Rahul Bissoonauth, Director of Business Development, Oaks

Chair

• Martin Collet, CEO, English Rural

Who should attend?

This event is targeted at those who lead smaller housing associations: Board and executive officers

Cost

With VFM in mind we’re keeping costs down compared to similar events whilst not compromising on quality:

• SPBM members £230 plus VAT (early bird £210 on bookings received before 6 March 2020)
• Non-members £265 plus VAT (early bird £240 on bookings received before 6 March 2020)
• Additional places from the same organisation £30 discount

Date & time: Thursday 23 April 2020. 9:45 am Registration; 10:15 am Start; 15:40 – 15:50 pm Close

Venue: National Council For Voluntary Organisations, 8 All Saints St, London N1 9RL (Kings Cross)

The Acuity SPBM conference explores the horizon from a smaller housing association perspective so that you are in the best possible position to respond positively to the challenges.

Click here to book  >>

The programme

All the sessions will seek to make sense of the operating environment and its implications from a smaller housing association perspective:

• building an organisation your customers will love
• the latest on housing policy from the CIH and regulatory developments from the Regulator of Social Housing
• repeated breakout sessions mean you can choose two from four options:
  • what does robust risk management look like for smaller associations?
  • the benefits of implementing a values-driven culture
  • making satisfaction surveys fit for the future
  • diversity and growth

For the draft programme click here >>

There will be ample opportunity to network with colleagues over lunch and at the break.

In the interests of open exchange and transparency, the event will operate in accordance with the Chatham House rule.

Chair

Clare Norton, CEO, Peter Bedford Housing Association

Speakers confirmed so far

Click here to book  >>

• Oke Eleazu, Chief Operating Officer, Bought By Many and Bromford Group Board Member
• Gavin Smart, Deputy Chief Executive, CIH
• Chris Meskill, Head of Small Providers, Regulator for Social Housing
• Andy Roskell, Managing Director, DTP
• Denise Raine, Director, Acuity
• Anne Taylor, CEO, Thorngate Living
• Nick Chambers, Chief Executive, LACE
• David Chaffey, Director of Housing & Property, BHT

Who should attend?

This event is targeted at those who lead smaller housing associations: Board and executive

Cost

With VFM in mind we’re keeping costs down compared to similar events whilst not compromising on quality:

• SPBM members £205 plus VAT
• Non-members £240 plus VAT
• Additional places from the same organisation £30 discount

Date & time: 9:30 – 15:45, Thursday 25 April 2019

Venue: National Council For Voluntary Organisations, 8 All Saints St, London N1 9RL (Kings Cross)

Click here to book  >>

Acuity will run these two CORE workshops next in November/December 2019 at Senate House, University of London, Russell Square, London WC1E 7HU.

Dates are yet to be confirmed – please contact us if you would like to be notified of future dates.

Introduction/Refresher – morning session – £125

For those new to CORE or staff who wish to refresh their knowledge of the system – this session is not computer-based however participants may bring their laptop and CORE log-in password if they would find it helpful

• Background to CORE – why the information is collected and what it is used for
• Best practice in the collection of CORE data
• Terminology
• The type of lettings that require completion of a CORE log
• The purpose of Management Group Schemes
• Step-by-step guide to completing the lettings log
• Demonstration of the CORE online submission system
• Questions and answers

Using and managing the CORE system online – afternoon session – £145

For CORE Co-ordinators, Team Leaders, Managers, Policy & Research staff – this session will be mainly computer-based and participants will need to bring their CORE log-in passwords

• Background to CORE
• Illustrations of the use of CORE data
• The questions data providers find the most common difficult to answer
• The role of the Administrator/Co-ordinator(s)
• Navigating around the CORE website
• Using CORE data in-house

These are 3 hour workshops running from 10am to 1pm and 1.30pm to 4.30pm.

If you wish to discuss the course content prior to booking please contact Heather Metivier on 01273 287114.

Date: TBC 2019,

Morning session: 10:00 – 13:00

Afternoon session: 13:30 – 16:30

Venue: Senate House, University of London, Russell Square, London WC1E 7HU

Cost (morning session): £125 (+VAT)

Cost (afternoon session): £145 (+VAT)

Click here to book >>

For booking enquiries please contact Heather Metivier heather.metivier@arap.co.uk or 01273 287114

A one day workshop for housing professionals in non-technical roles to improve their knowledge of repairs diagnostics; equipping staff with key knowledge to be effective in their role

Learning Outcomes :

The workshop will cover:

• Naming and recognising structural and service elements in a house
• Knowing the jargon – how to use a guide to understand trades such as heating, plumbing and joinery
• How to diagnose repairs using a step by step method
• Asking the right questions for an effective repair specification

Who should attend

All housing professionals who need a working knowledge of repairs diagnostics

Date: Tuesday 10th April 2018,

Time: 10:00 – 16:00

Venue: Waltham Forest HA, 31 Church Hill, Walthamstow, London E17 3RU

Trainer: Nitin Parmar

Cost: £135 (+VAT)

Click here to book >>

This half-day workshop examines how landlords can minimise the risk and costs of managing their repairing obligations and legislatory and statutory controls.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the session you will have:

• Understood the landlord’s responsibilities in respect of repairing obligations
• Understood the difference between improvements and major repairs
• Assessed the consequences of non-compliance with repairing requirements and defence
• Explored other aspects which relate to disrepair
• Assessed the importance of content in tenancy agreements and tenant handbooks in relation to repair responsibilities

Date: Tuesday 6th March 2018

Time: 10:00 – 13:00

Trainer: Nitin Parmar

Venue: Waltham Forest HA, 31 Church Hill, Walthamstow, London E17 3RU

Cost: £95 (+VAT)

Click here to book >> 

Aims

To provide key knowledge and a practical understanding of data protection and the General Data Protection Regulation 2016. We will follow a timeline in the development of data protection, supported by real life case studies to provide you with a handy list of do’s and don’ts.

This one day course provides Housing Association staff with key knowledge and a practical understanding of data protection focusing on the existing UK Data Protection Act 1998 and the new legal framework in the EU – General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) 2018 which came into force on 25 May 2018.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the session you will have:

• Explored the 4 dimensions of confidentiality, the 8 principles of data protection and the 7 rights of data subjects
• Discussed the consent standards in dealing with general and sensitive personal data in preparation for GDPR requirements
• Gained knowledge of exemptions, processing conditions, storage and sharing of data
• Gained an insight into 10 changes and preparing for GDPR in 12 easy steps
• Outlined do’s and don’ts of best practice

Who should attend?

This course is for staff responsible for handling or managing personal information.

Dates

Wednesday 30 March

Click here to book >> 

Cost

£295 per person

Aim

To provide an update on recent statute and housing case law and the implications for tenancy management

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the session you will have :

• Revisited security of tenure and the implications of recent changes in law
• Explored changes to law covering tenancies, anti-social behaviour, succession, squatting, subletting and relevant case law
• Updates from the Supreme Court
• The implications for tenancy management and future changes

Who should attend

Board members, Chief Executives and any staff who need a refresher in recent housing law.

Date: Tuesday 6th March 2018

Time: 14:00 – 17:00

Venue: Waltham Forest HA, 31 Church Hill, Walthamstow, London E17 3RU

Trainer: Nitin Parmar

Cost: £95 (+VAT)

Click here to book >> 

Once again the Acuity SPBM conference for 2018 will explore the horizon from a smaller housing association perspective so that you are in the best possible position to respond positively to the challenges.

Click here to download the presentations from all the plenary and breakout sessions >>

The programme

All the sessions will seek to make sense of the operating environment and its implications from a smaller housing association perspective:

• the latest on housing policy from the NHF and regulatory developments from the Regulator of Social Housing
• an exploration of the future of social housing and tenant participation post-Grenfell by CIH and TAROE (Tenants and Residents of England)
• Breakout sessions will be repeated so you have more choice over the content:
  • Getting it right: lessons in good (and bad) governance from the downgrades
  • Developing a bespoke, costed IT Strategy to meet your needs and resources
  • New supply: overcoming the obstacles
  • Telling a better story: communicating the value of smaller housing associations

Click here to download the full programme >>

There will be ample opportunity to network with colleagues over lunch and at the break.

In the interests of open exchange and transparency, the event will operate in accordance with the Chatham House rule.

Chair

Claire Warren, CEO, Pickering and Ferens Homes

Speakers

Click here to download the presentations from all the plenary and breakout sessions >>

• • John Bryant, NHF
  • Rob Dryburgh, Regulator of Social Housing
  • Melanie Rees, CIH
  • Darren Hartley, TAROE
  • Alun Hughes, Wirral Methodist HA
  • Anne McLoughlin, Innisfree
  • Colin Sales, 3C Consultants
  • Peter Moore, Cornwall Rural Housing Association
  • Martin Collett, English Rural Housing Association
  • Clare Norton, g320 & Peter Bedford Housing Association
  • Sam McGrady, DTP
  • Angela Gascoigne, SHAL Housing
  • Andrew Hillier, Hillier Consulting

Who should attend?

This event is targeted at those who lead smaller housing associations: Board and executive

Cost

With VFM in mind we’re keeping costs down compared to similar events whilst not compromising on quality:

• SPBM members £195 plus VAT
• Non-members £225 plus VAT
• Additional places from the same organisation £25 discount

Date & time: 9:30 – 16:00, Thursday 19 April

Venue: Westminster University, Marylebone Hall (Baker Street), London NW1 5LS

Click here to download the presentations from all the plenary and breakout sessions >>

The SPBM Annual Report for smaller housing associations will be published on our website and available in hard copy at the Smaller Housing Associations’ Conference and Exhibition 2017 in London on 2 November. We’ll be there too (Stand 9).

This year’s report has plenty of good news for smaller associations, including

• Smaller associations costs and performance compare favorably with the rest of the sector
• What we have learnt from the Sector Scorecard pilot
• The latest on salaries, terms & conditions
• Insights and good practice from leaders of smaller associations
• Smaller associations contribution to supply
• Going digital – how realistic is this for smaller associations?
• Are smaller organisations better at listening to residents?

Please contact us if you would like us to send you a copy of the report when it is published.

Links

Just when you thought things couldn’t get any more bewildering along comes Brexit, Trump and the departure of the architects of recent housing policy. The Acuity SPBM conference for 2017 will explore the new horizon from a smaller housing association perspective so that you are in the best possible position to respond positively to the challenges.

The programme

All the sessions will seek to make sense of the operating environment and its implications from a smaller housing association perspective:

• the latest on housing policy from the NHF and regulation from HCA
• interactive sessions that explore how smaller housing associations are reflecting the changes in revised business strategies, with a panel of CEOs and strategy, governance and finance specialist DTP
• Breakout sessions exploring:
  • the implications of deregulation for board members, risk management and assurance
  • cracking digital service provision
• the latest on how smaller housing association can contribute to supply

There will be ample opportunity to network with colleagues.

In the interests of open exchange and transparency, the event will operate in accordance with the Chatham House rule.

Acuity Click here to download the programme event booklet

Click here to buy tickets >>

Speakers (invited)

• John Bryant, Policy Lead, NHF Click here to download presentation
• Sam McGrady, Director, DTP Click here to download presetation
• Colin Sales, MD, 3C Consultants Click here to download presentation
• Alistair Smyth, Head of Policy, NHF  Click here to download presentation
• Keith Bovill, Head of Housing, Racing Homes
• Craig Glasper, CEO, King Street Housing
• Peter Moore, CEO, Cornwall Rural HA Click here to download presentation
• Nick Chambers, CEO, LACE Housing
• Steve Smedley, Associate, Acuity Click to download presentation

Who should attend?

This event is targeted at those who lead smaller housing associations: Board and executive

Cost

With VFM in mind we’re keeping costs down compared to similar events whilst not compromising on quality:

• SPBM members £170 plus VAT
• Non-members £210 plus VAT
• Additional places £25 discount

Date & time: 9:30 – 16:00, Wednesday 26 April

Venue: Judges Court, Browns, Covent Garden, London (Leicester Square tube)

Click here to buy tickets >>