How do you think Housing Governance has changed over the past few years?

I think there has been a greater focus on governance and this started back in 2018 following the publication of the Social Hosing Green Paper. The sector has done a lot of work thinking about how resident voice is incorporated into the governance of housing associations in particular. There has also been a focus on diversity in all its forms too, with the complexity of what housing association do and how they do it ever increasing having different people from different backgrounds with different perspectives and skill sets has become more important and the sector is still working out new ways to enhance diversity.

What do you think are the biggest challenges going into our conference this year?

The economy and inflation being high means that housing associations in real terms are having to do more than ever with less. Governance teams are having to take on new challenges as the regulatory standards get revised and building safety and the associated assurance that boards are seeking presents it’s won challenges. Data governance is becoming more important but as a specialist area not all organisations are equipped to get this right.

The agenda for Governance 2023 is built around the idea of amplifying residents’ voice, what does that mean for you?

It’s not just about having residents on the board it’s about understanding what’s important to residents and that underpinning the organisational culture and decision making.

Why should people attend the conference this year?

Taking time to see what others are doing is always so valuable and the opportunity to learn from others both within the sessions and networking breaks will give anyone who attends new ideas that they can take back to their organisation.