We’re now less than a month away from Housing Executive: Future Foundations, a full day of discussion taking place at Bolton Wanderers Stadium on October 6th, bringing together a packed exhibition hall with a busy agenda discussing some of the social housing sectors most pressing priorities. You can secure your tickets for Housing Executive: Future Foundations here.
The speaker panels throughout the day will be taking place over three dedicated zones, each covering a different subject: Governance & Resilience, Tech, Data & Innovation and People, Homes & Communities. The full conference agenda can be found at our website, detailing the full list of panels and speakers as well as the timings for the days discussions. Below are just some of the key speakers taking to the stage at Future Foundations in zone one, Governance & Resilience.
Paul Smith, Head of Frameworx, NHMF Frameworx
With over a decade of experience in public sector procurement, Paul Smith is in charge of leading strategic direction and day-to-day operations at NHMF Frameworx, focused on delivering best procurement support, the most effective supply chains, and greatest social value to their members. Paul will be taking to the stage at Future Foundations to discuss the impacts of Awaab’s Law roughly one year since the implementation of the law, and what providers should be focused on ahead of the implementation of phase two. With the scope of Awaab’s Law expanding over the course of the next two years to incorporate more hazards within it’s strict timeframes, landlords will be met with further pressure on already stretched resources, and preparation will be key to navigating the incoming challenges.
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James Batchelor, Founder of Alertacall
As the founder of Alertacall and the inventor of its “OKeachday” technology, James has emerged as a pioneer in the world of housing technology when it comes to elderly care. James is a staunch advocate for the role of social housing providers in preserving the dignity and agency of older residents as they navigate complex support needs, and is keen to open up a dialogue at Future Foundations that can lead to further synergy between housing and health outcomes for our older generations. With the UK’s population currently undergoing significant demographic change, and over 65s becoming the fastest growing age group, landlords need to begin to prepare now for the population of tomorrow, a subject that will be explored by James in panel two of zone one, Future proofing social housing for an ageing Britain. James will be joined on stage by Lauren McKechnie, CEO of AgeUK Bolton and Sally Parsons, CEO of Alpha Living to discuss the importance of ensuring our housing system can adequately care for our older generations moving forwards.
Helen Whittingham, Chief Financial Officer, Your Housing Group
Social landlords find themselves pulled between two competing objectives: maintaining and improving their current housing stock and services for existing residents, and expanding their housing stock to provide the much-needed new homes to tackle the ongoing housing crisis. Against the backdrop of a cost-of-living crisis and stagnating economy, housing providers are burdened with making strict budgets stretch across multiple priorities. Helen Whittingham is the CFO of Your Housing Group, overseeing the financial strategy of the organisation and ensuring that their investments return the strongest possible benefits for their residents. Helen will be taking to the stage at Future Foundations to discuss innovative practices within the finance department, and how providers can do more with less when allocating their social housing budgets.
Dr Frances Harkin, Head of Services, HACT
Social value is an instrumental aspect of the social housing industry, representing all the measures undertaken by housing providers that go beyond providing the bricks and mortar that make up the nations social homes. Social value has transformed over recent years from a footnote in the agenda of housing organisations to a key indicator of a landlords positive impact, a quantifiable sign of the benefit landlords contribute to the lives of their residents and the communities they serve. As Head of Services at HACT, the creator of the social value bank, Dr Frances Harkin will be taking to the stage at Future Foundations to discuss how organisations can embed social value strategy from the ground up, and ensure that as well as creating homes they are cultivating thriving communities.
These are just a few of the speakers leading the discussion across a number of topics at Future Foundations in Bolton, with our full agenda available here. You can secure your place in the conversation at our website.
