Features

Making a bid for the future

It may only be a small estate-based RSL, but Walsall’s Beechdale Community Housing is looking at the bigger picture. With one major partnership secured, it’s looking now to team up with a fellow RSL to bring forward its vision for the community

New deal for social housing

The death knell was sounded for the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) subsidy system when the Government announced the new “self-financing” system for council housing

Darling puts his stamp on preelection budget

A Stamp Duty holiday for first-time buyers, an extension of the Support for Mortgage Interest Scheme and plans to exclude the most expensive properties in an area from the Housing Benefit calculation were among the measures announced by the Chancellor in his preelection budget

Mucking out the mundane macabre

There is cleaning – and then there is cleaning. When it comes to the worst cases of grot, a strong constitution and specialist expertise is a must. One might hope they are never needed, but the specialists are ready, willing and able just in case. Welcome to the world of extreme cleaning. Mark Cantrell reports

Sizing up services

East Cambridgeshire District Council’s housing services is proof that bigger is not always better. The small department is punching way above its weight in its bid to provide affordable housing for local people

More than decent performance

Newark and Sherwood Homes will meet its Decent Homes target this month, not only on time and within budget but with a range of extras to boot

Leading ladies

Women from across the housing and construction sectors were honoured when Northern, Southern and Midlands Housing, once again teamed up with sister title Builder & Engineer for the Women in Construction awards at the Palace Hotel in Manchester.

Practice fulfils for needs

A long-standing firm of chartered quantity surveyors, Downey & Warren in Ipswich has charted not only the changing approach of social housing, but the way this has fostered an evolution in the role and practice of the profession

Thinking about the future now

Recessions tend to focus the mind on immediate cost-savings at the expense of potential long-term problems, but according to contractor Axis, best value – not straightforward cuts – is the key to surviving to deliver long-term quality of service