Housing Business Planning in an Uncertain Environment

Seminar

November 2017

We are holding seminars on ‘Housing Business Planning in an Uncertain Environment’ during November 2017. These seminars will look in depth at how local authorities can update their housing revenue account business plans.

Business Planning has been an important element of the management of council housing for some time. However, we are now operating in a very uncertain environment. There is a minority government; the Housing & Planning Act will not be implemented in full; the future funding of supported housing is under threat; and the implications of the vote for Britain to leave the European Union are not clear.

The public finances are weak; welfare reform - inclusing reform of housing benefit - is a ‘work in progress’; government policy on rent reductions, ‘right to buy’, new development and the integration of housing, social care & health are all unclear. Demographic change continues to put pressure on housing services.

This requires a new way of business planning including a robust approach to the development of strategy, financial forecasting, sensitivity analysis, risk management and contingency planning.

• What are the key elements of a good quality housing revenue account business plan?
• What is the political, economic, social and technological environment in which local authority housing services operate? What are the key uncertainties?
• How can councils develop effective self-financed business plans that will address the new uncertain environment in a robust way? What assumptions should be made in the financial model? How can uncertainties be managed?
• What business planning techniques are now required including for strategy, financial forecasting, sensitivity analysis, risk management and contingency planning?

Who should attend?

All those with an interest in business planning in local authority housing, including Managers in Local Authorities and Arm’s Length Management Organisations, Elected Members, ALMO Board Members, Housing Accountants and Tenant Representatives.

The session is interactive, includes specific practical examples and is accompanied by a very useful book entitled: “Housing Business Planning in an Uncertain Environment”

Venues and Dates:

• London: Novotel Hotel, Waterloo – Tuesday 7th November 2017
• North: Novotel Hotel, Leeds – Tuesday 21st November 2017

The price of the seminar in London is £250 plus Value Added Tax, a total of £300. The price of the seminar in Leeds is £195 plus Value Added Tax, a total of £234. However, there is a £20 discount for people who book a month or more in advance making the cost £230 plus Value Added Tax in London and £175 plus Value Added Tax in Leeds.

To make a booking, please click HERE

To download a copy of our brochure, please click HERE

More information about Business Planning

To find out more about management advice and assistance that AWICS provides with business planning, please click HERE

The following briefing papers are freely available on our website. To download a copy please click the link:

• Business Planning in the Housing Revenue Account
• Self-Financing Budgets and Business Plans