UK company law is changing – are you ready?
Join us for an informative and practical session exploring the key changes introduced by the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA 2023) and what they mean for your business.
We’ll cover:
- The purpose behind ECCTA 2023 and an overview of the new powers granted to Companies House.
- What your business needs to do to stay compliant.
- How to navigate the transition period and prepare for further changes coming into force.
Who should attend?
Corporate advisors, directors or business owners.
Speakers
Abbey Jones, associate
Monique Gill, solicitor
Hollie Gould, trainee solicitor
All large registered providers have already been, or will be, inspected by the Regulator of Social Housing in the next three years. The governance team often holds the reins on an inspection by coordinating the information required by the Regulator, preparing boards and colleagues for inspection processes, managing these processes and overseeing the delivery of any follow-up actions afterwards.
ACsess Governance Club member Thirteen Group went through its inspection earlier this year. They achieved a clean sweep of 1’s, including a coveted C1 for consumer compliance. In this session, we will be joined by Thirteen’s director of governance, Charlotte Burnham. She will share her wisdom, learning and tips on how she and her governance team supported Thirteen with gaining a successful outcome.
Who should attend?
Company secretaries, heads of governance, heads of legal, heads of risk and compliance
Speakers
Victoria Jardine, partner, Anthony Collins
Charlotte Burnham, director of governance, Thirteen Group
This session will be an exploration of the innovative funding products available to social housing providers. We will be lifting the lid on the distinction between (and the opportunities available under) both ‘on’ and ‘off’ balance sheet funding options.
During this session attendees will hear from a variety of ‘on balance sheet’ funding providers and learn about the benefits of such products. Attendees will also get a unique insight from Centrus on what ‘off balance sheet’ funding is, how it might benefit social housing providers and how it can be applied to the social housing sector in the future.
Who should attend?
Finance directors and treasury teams
Speakers
Jonathan Spearing, Director, Centrus Advisors
Gavin Richards, Head of Relationship Management, The Housing Finance Corporation
Nick Keeling, Strategic Director, Arlingclose
Richard Leighton, Relationship Manager, Unity Trust Bank
Jon Coane, Partner, Anthony Collins
Michael Nutman, Senior Associate, Anthony Collins
Our new webinar series, ACsess Risk, guides housing providers through the actual and potential risks they face. Sessions focus on insights from our experts on a key risk area, with attendees encouraged to share their experiences, observations and ideas. We also host sessions with external experts who can provide their own unique outlook on risk management.
Our second session focuses on how housing providers can effectively handle complex complaints. We will discuss the Housing Ombudsman and Complaint Handling Code, the interplay between complaints and legal claims (including in respect of disrepair), when the Regulator of Social Housing needs to be notified and our tips for complaint investigations and responses.
We are also delighted to be joined by Rachael Brooks of Pearl Comms, an award winning PR agency based in Birmingham, who will be discussing PR and handling media enquiries in respect of complex complaints.
Who should attend?
Company secretaries, heads of governance and legal, executive directors, senior leaders for regulatory and risk and compliance and leaders and managers with a responsibility for customer experience and complaints handling.
Speakers
Victoria Jardine, partner
Lorna Kenyon-Pain, senior associate
Bethan Jones, associate
Christopher Bowen, associate
Rachael Brooks, account director, Pearl Comms
The Employment Rights Bill (ERB) promises ‘generational change’, but what does that look like for the housing sector? In this informative, sector-specific and practical session, we will focus on the issues affecting the housing sector the most. We will advise on the content of the ERB and provide recommendations on the measures providers can start to take in preparation for its implementation.
We will cover the following:
- Day-one rights
- Changes to trade union rights
- The duty to prevent sexual harassment
- The two-tier workforce code
- Our ERB hub and subscription service
Who should attend?
HR professionals across all levels, particularly those in housing organisations
Speakers
Katherine Sinclair, legal director
This webinar will be a three-month review of the Procurement Act 2023. We will review how the Act is going, what is still to come and will share early experiences both good and bad. There will be a chance to hear about live experiences of procuring under the new regime. We also will be seeking your experiences and providing time to share this during the session.
Who should attend?
Contracting authorities and organisations bidding for public contracts (particularly local authorities and housing providers) who are looking to gain a better understanding of the Act, as well as sharing experiences, challenges and opportunities the Act presents.
Speakers
Join our first session of ACsess Development Club hosted by Suzanne Gregson, joint head of housing litigation and Lucy Worrall, partner in our property development team. They will discuss the impact of Awaab’s Law on defects procedures in development agreements for the acquisition of new residential units. Discussion topics will include:
- A summary and the likely timescales of the proposed legislation
- The effect of Awaab’s Law
- Emergency repairs
- The expected extension of Awaab’s Law in 2026 and 2027
- The impact of existing arrangements in development agreements
- The gap between Awaab’s Law, standard DFLP and structural guarantees
- Practical steps to take
- Governance issues, including your risk register
There will be time for discussion and questions.
Who should attend?
Development directors, heads of development and executive directors
Speakers
Lucy Worrall, partner
Suzanne Gregson, partner
Tom Starkey, partner
AI is moving fast and it’s set to reshape how housing associations are run and governed. This session will demystify what AI is, why the topic is so important now and what it means for governance professionals. We’ll explore the new opportunities and risks that AI presents to housing sector. We will also discuss how company secretaries and governance leads can play a key role in helping their organisations respond, adapt and thrive in this new era.
Who should attend?
Company secretaries, heads of governance, heads of legal, heads of risk and compliance
Speakers
Victoria Jardine, partner, Anthony Collins
Michael Appleby, managing director, Altair Consulting
Join our new webinar series, ACsess Risk, which will guide housing providers through the actual and potential risks they face. Sessions will focus on insights from our experts on a key risk area, with attendees encouraged to share their experiences, observations and ideas. We will also host sessions with external experts who can provide their own unique outlook on risk management.
Our first session focuses on managing contractors. With the introduction of Awaab’s Law on the horizon, as well as further fire and building safety changes, the Procurement Act 2023 now applying to contract management and the consultation on the new Decent Homes Standard, the pressures on housing providers are increasing. Growing issues with delivery by contractors could have wide-ranging ramifications for providers.
We will explore how housing providers can best manage their contractors to ensure compliance as well as the safety and satisfaction of residents. We will also advise and discuss how providers can protect themselves should something go wrong.
Who should attend?
Company secretaries, heads of governance and legal, executive directors, senior leaders for regulatory, risk and compliance and asset management.
This session is also aimed at leaders and managers with a responsibility for property management, maintenance, asset management and health and safety.
Speakers
Suzanne Gregson, partner
Paul Slinger, partner
Andrew Millross, consultant
Lorna Kenyon-Pain, senior associate
Elizabeth Massey, solicitor
In the current challenging environment, it is time for housing association Boards to look beyond individual Board member skills and competencies to focus on how they forecast and plan, exercise appropriate controls and deliver assurance as an effective team. This requires reflective reviews of contribution, performance and need at Board level in the context of the external environment.
David Levenson of Coaching Futures will lead an interactive session on how Boards can review their own performance and identify where there may be emerging gaps in expertise and need. David will refer to two successful reviews undertaken by Boards of different housing associations and the lessons learnt by both.
Attendees will also be able to share reflections confidentially on their recent Board reviews and the emerging skills needs for housing association Boards. Chatham House rules will apply to all discussions.
Who should attend?
Company secretaries, heads of governance, heads of legal, heads of risk and compliance
Speakers
David Levenson, founder, Coaching Futures