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
Providers in the social care sector are facing an increasingly challenging outlook. There are growing strains on funding, increases to employer’s National Insurance contributions, the National Minimum Wage is rising and workers rights are being strengthened. Providers may feel they are being asked to do more for less and HR leaders are asked to balance financial constraints with the need to recruit, retain and engage a resilient workforce.
In our annual health and social care employment law update, our employment team will cover:
- Managing workforce changes and financial pressures. This includes avoiding legal pitfalls when changing roles, terms and conditions, handling restructures and managing service transfers (TUPE).
- Future employment law changes including how best to prepare. We will also discuss the Employment Rights Bill and key legal risks for social care employers.
- The legal duty to prevent sexual harassment and how HR teams can comply with the law and mitigate risks in social care settings.
Our experts will also provide strategic insights and practical guidance to help HR professionals navigate these challenges with confidence.
Who should attend?
This session is designed for senior HR leaders looking to future-proof their workforce strategies while ensuring compliance and sustainability in an evolving legal and economic landscape.
Speakers
Anna Dabek, partner
Jackie Morris, senior associate
Hannah Bollard, associate
Registered providers are required to have a robust understanding of their corporate structures – including any separate legal entities – and to keep this under regular review. This includes a clear rationale for why they exist, what function they fulfil and crucially, how they interact with regulated entities in the group. The flow of risk and how this is managed must be clear and transparent, as must their governance. Entities that are not being used properly can create and import risks and those which are not needed create bureaucratic drag.
Our guest speaker, Paul Medford from Aspire Housing, will share Aspire’s experiences of undergoing such corporate reviews and reflect on how to do them well.
Who should attend?
Company secretaries, heads of governance, heads of legal, heads of risk and compliance
Speakers
Paul Medford, group company secretary, Aspire Housing