The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) announced the death of its Chief Executive, Sarah Webb. This followed a period of ill health.
The CIH issued a short statement - "Sarah's death is an enormous loss and we are incredibly sad. We can think of no better colleague, no better inspiration and to many of us no better friend. It has been a privilege to work with Sarah".
Sarah Webb joined CIH eight years ago and took over as Chief Executive in 2008. Before joining CIH, she worked as a senior civil servant at the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, was Head of Strategy at Birmingham City Council. Before that she was Chief Executive of a community-based housing association in Scotland.
Sarah was also Chair of the Black Country Housing Group. In 2010 Sarah was awarded a CBE in the Queen's birthday honours list.
[Link2] Super-Vision - Super-ALMO's .
In the Housing sector, the acronym "ALMO" is as familiar as the 'Battle of the Alamo' is to American citizens, but East Kent Housing is not just an Arms Length Management Organisation - it is the first "Super-ALMO".
Lewis Hulatt of Michael Guest Associates interviewed its Chief Executive, Brendan Ryan, and asked him for his thoughts on East Kent, the past and future of the social-housing sector and his views on training.
[Link2] Universities Drop Housing Courses.
The number of undergraduate and postgraduate housing courses offered by UK universities has dropped dramatically in the past year. Inside Housing 2 September 2011.
David Orr, National Housing Federation:
"It doesn’t have to be like this. It's not inevitable. There is a simple and straightforward answer: build more homes."
Iain Duncan Smith, Work and Pensions Secretary, in an article for the The Times on the recent riots:
"For years now, too many people have remained unaware of the true nature of life on some of our estates.
"This was because we had ghettoised many of these problems, keeping them out of sight of the middle-class majority. But last month the inner city finally came to call, and the country was shocked by what it saw."
Ed Miliband, Labour Party Leader, addressing delegates at the Labour Party Conference:
"People who 'show responsibility' by being in work and contributing to their community should get priority access to social housing."
Liam Byrne, Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, as reported in Inside Housing:
"What [Mr Miliband] was saying is that we need to restore some of the bargain in the welfare state and what that means is rewarding contribution.
"When we are allocating that particular type of tenure, lets look at someone's need for sure but lets look at their contribution too.
"It's about making sure the welfare state works for working people. What we are saying is let's build a bigger bargain where working people have a welfare state that works for them because right now they think that bargain is broken."
Caroline Flint, Shadow Communities Secretary, speaking at the Labour Party Conference:
"We have ambitions for social housing - to once again serve its original purpose. A positive choice for many. Homes for heroes, homes for those in need, homes for the hardworking."
