Housing associations have been warned that they need to do more to ensure the success of the In Business for Neighbourhoods campaign to rebrand the sector and raise its profile

Speaking at the opening session of the National Housing Federation鈥檚 annual conference in Birmingham on Wednesday, NHF chair Richard Clark said the first year of In Business had reached 鈥渃ritical mass鈥� and presented a 鈥渕ajor opportunity to make progress鈥�.

鈥淎ssociations should feel rightly proud about what they have achieved so far 鈥� improved homes and services and increased recognition of the value of their work. But there is still more to do,鈥� he said.

鈥淲e need to look out and not simply inward if we are truly to succeed in getting our message across about what we offer.鈥�

Clark pointed to the NHF document One Year On and last night鈥檚 In Business Awards as examples of how the campaign had progressed.

The NHF has also demanded that the main political parties clarify how they will boost affordable house building in the next parliament.

Jim Coulter, chief executive of the NHF, said: 鈥淚n the run-up to the next election the political parties must consider the delivery of sustainable communities as a priority for the future. A roof alone is not enough.鈥�

The NHF has published a Manifesto for Neighbourhoods. It calls for Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats to develop planning policies and design codes for properly mixed communities and to bolster the Supporting People programme

Source

Housing Today