Colleagues, let me welcome you again to the Institute’s 2008 Annual Conference and Exhibition.
I’ve very pleased that Stewart Maxwell, the Minister for Communities and Sport, has been able to join us today and I’m certainly looking forward to what the Minister has to say. We’ll hear from the Minister in just a few minutes.

What an event we have for you this week.

• We’ve got a packed Conference programme
• Interesting and stimulating speakers
• An exhibition that provides a broad range of high quality products and services and
• An extensive social programme – all of which I’m sure you’re going to enjoy.

Once again, you have a packed mini-theatre programme which supplements the main Conference programme. The mini-theatre is in the middle of the Exhibition Arena and really cannot be missed.

The Exhibition Arena is where you’ll:

• Get coffee, tea and lunches
• Be able to pick up breakout tickets
• Check your e-mails at the internet zone and
• Where you’ll find the Institute’s stand.

Please take the opportunity to go round the exhibitors – not only will you see and be able to talk about the impressive range of products and services, you’ll also have the chance to win some fabulous prizes.

I’d like to thank all the exhibitors and sponsors for their continued support – without their support this event would not be the success it is. I’d like to particularly thank Connaught for being our overall sponsor this year.

I’m sure that many of you are aware by now that each Chair of the CIH in Scotland adopts one or two charities to support in their time in office. My charities this year are the Robina Goodlad Memorial Trust and Scottish Women’s Aid. I’m extremely pleased to tell you that we raised almost £1000 for these charities last night – so thank you for that. I’d also like to say a big thank you to everyone who has already contributed over the year by attending the charity golf event, the quiz night and the Presidential Dinner – so far these events raised over £6,000.

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The last 12 months

It hardly seems a year since our last Conference and John Mills was on this stage giving his Opening Address and contemplating the Scottish Parliament and local government elections and what result they might bring for the people of Scotland and for housing.
One thing we can be sure of when working in housing is change and we’ve had our fair share over the last 12 months.

Firm Foundations

And with the launch of Firm Foundations towards the end of last year, the Government is suggesting significant change for the sector as we know it.

Firm Foundations has featured in much of our thinking since it was launched. Indeed Firm Foundations features heavily in this Conference in sessions looking at:

• How we unlock land for new housing
• Whether its possible to develop with less subsidy
• Whether the proposals really mean the end of community-based associations
• Delivering zero carbon homes.

I’d like to pick up on a few issues in the Document.

New housing

We can all get really bogged down in discussions on the numbers of new housing and the split between social rented and other affordable housing – you know what I mean, we say this number the Government says another number. It doesn’t take us very far just throwing numbers at each other and yet targets are important. They’re important because we need more affordable housing; they’re important for those who are homeless, for those who are languishing on housing lists or who are priced out of home ownership and they’re important because we all need to hold Government and other agencies to account.

But setting targets is the first step in getting the right houses in the right places. The delivery of these targets is key to achieving success, and land supply is vital to this process. The Institute has welcomed the creation of the Housing Supply Task Force and looks forward to its recommendations for addressing land supply issues in the different parts of Scotland and ensuring affordable housing delivery in the places where it is needed.

Efficiencies

Some of the biggest concerns about Firm Foundations has been about the focus on cutting the cost of development and management. The Government’s view is that subsidy costs are too high and this is making it difficult to deliver housing.

Since it took power last May, the Government has flagged costs as a major issue. As this has been an issue in the rest of the UK for some time, with far lower levels of HAG and preferred developers in England, it really should not have been a surprise that Scotland’s Government would propose something similar. Particularly with the Government having such a tight budget over the next three years.

Yes we do have concerns about lead regional developers, yes we have concerns about how we deliver good quality, well-designed, sustainable housing with lower levels of Grant. And yes, the idea that the subsidy costs will be reduced through competition for grant is really questionable. The Institute is concerned that the Government may be putting all its eggs in one basket with its lead developer and competition proposals. The reasons for the rising costs that the Government points to are not entirely clear and cannot realistically be placed solely at the door of inefficiencies in development. The Institute would like to see the Scottish Government undertake some work to establish what savings or efficiencies could be delivered through a competitive regime. A better understanding of the reasons behind the rising subsidy costs is also important so the Scottish Government and the housing sector can move forward together in delivering housing and sustainable communities.

However, it is clear housing organisations will have to demonstrate they can operate even more efficiently and this is going to be a real challenge. But this doesn’t mean, and shouldn’t mean, the end of the world or the end of community-based associations that some have been predicting.

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Tenants
Firm Foundations says: “We put the interests of tenants – current and future – first.” Well we’ll see whether Government actions really do put tenants first.

However, what is positive is the support to Registered Tenants Organisations because of the voice they provide tenants. Tenants need a voice at the local, council or organisation-wide level and the national level and it’s important that Government, the regulator and housing organisations really ensure this.

In any change in regulation it is crucial that there are higher levels of engagement with tenants and greater tenant involvement in the regulatory process. And, as a tenant participation officer in a former life and a strong supporter of the tenants’ movement, this can only be positive in my view.

Review of the Civil Courts in Scotland
On the subject of protecting tenants many of you may remember that in 2004 the Institute commissioned Derek O’Carroll and Suzie Scott to consider the resolution of housing disputes between landlords and tenants. The resultant publication – A Housing Tribunal for Scotland? – recommended the need for a move away from the Civil Courts for resolving housing disputes toward a tribunal system. Such disputes could cover eviction actions, repair issues, discrimination, and issues arising from the housing legislation covering for example lettings or homelessness decisions.

Time has moved on since that publication but Lord Gill has now been asked by the Government to review Civil Courts in Scotland and he is asking whether a tribunal system could be the future approach for housing disputes. Derek O’Carroll, Advocate and member of the Private Rented Housing Panel believes that this is the best opportunity we have had to improve the way we resolve housing cases in Scotland, ensuring both tenants and landlords have a system that is accessible, fair, transparent and in the first instance can seek to resolve cases via mediation. The Institute agrees with him, and I would urge delegates to respond to the Civil Courts review consultation. You can find a briefing on it at the Institute’s Stand and on the website. Minister, I would urge you to work with your colleague Kenny MacAskill, Cabinet Secretary for Justice, and move toward expanding the role of the Private Rented Housing Panel to improve the way we resolve cases.

Other policy issues

The last year has been an extremely busy one for the Institute, as well as for all of you, because we didn’t only produce a very comprehensive response to Firm Foundations.

Temporary accommodation Action Plan

In December we launched the first in a series of Action Plans. This focused on standards in temporary accommodation and was supported by Orchard and Shipman. It set out the case for developing a standard in Scotland and put forward a number of action points to move in this direction.

There has been an increase in homeless presentations since the legislative changes of 2001 and 2003, with more than 9,000 households in temporary accommodation in March 2007. This has more than doubled in five years.

In the Action Plan we suggested elements for a standard that would cover the physical condition of the accommodation. In addition, service standards and ensuring the wider needs of households, such as distance from a child’s school, would be taken into account. We circulated the Action Plan widely and were pleased to receive a positive response from many, including the Minister. The Minister suggested that we seek views from our members on a temporary accommodation standard, which we’ve done, and we’ve also canvassed views from non-members.

Stewart, we’ve been heartened by both the quantity and the quality of the response and thank those who took the time to complete it. The respondents were from across the sector, from front line staff to academics:

• 97% agreed with the introduction of the standard
• 85% agreeing that the standard should cut across all types of temporary accommodation and
• 82% that these standard should apply to all aspects of the temporary accommodation.
Further analysis of the survey and the comments made will soon be available.

We are delighted to receive such a clear mandate from colleagues and look forward to discussing this further with you Minister.

Two more Action Plans
This week we’re launching two more Action Plans. With the support of West Lothian Council, we’re launching an Action Plan on a Standard for Community Environment. It is intended to push forward the debate on ensuring people live in high quality neighbourhoods to go along with their quality homes delivered through the Scottish Housing Quality Standard. If you want to find out more about this then please attend this afternoon’s session ‘Everyone needs good neighbourhoods’.

The second Action Plan promotes the role of RSLs and local authorities in social enterprise, going beyond meeting just the housing needs of people. You will be aware there is a significant debate going on about the links between social housing and worklessness. Whilst I think none of us believe social housing encourages worklessness, we do know that many tenants are unemployed, are on very low incomes or are dependent on benefits. The Institute believes this gives housing organisations a moral responsibility to look at what more they can do for the communities they work in. This Action Plan has been developed with support from Govanhill Housing Association for which we are grateful. If you want to find out more about this then please attend the session Helping Sustain Tenancies on Thursday.

I hope Stewart, that you’ll give these an equally warm reception.

Housing Manual

The Institute’s Housing Manual is a must for all housing professionals and an important part of the Institute’s work in helping ensure the profession is equipped to do the job by providing a high standard in housing services and delivery. I’m pleased to say that the Institute has continued to develop the Manual’s Scottish content throughout the last year – you’ll find a flyer in your delegate bags. The most recent additions have been chapters on rent arrears, resident involvement, repairs and maintenance and managing tenancies. Delegates can try the Manual out at the Institute’s stand in the exhibition arena or attend the mini-theatre presentation on Thursday lunchtime.

Before I finish, I’d like to draw your attention to the session on Wednesday morning called Skills for the Future. Over the years, the CIH in Scotland has undertaken surveys to find out the education and training needs of Scottish housing organisations and their staff. The last survey took place ten years ago. There have been significant changes in housing since then, as well as the discussion about the future of the sector and the publication of Firm Foundations. Against this backdrop it is now timely for the Institute to undertake new research into the learning, development and skills required to equip staff for the future. So watch out for more information about the work and I hope you’ll be able to input to it.

I’d like to finish by expressing my personal and heartfelt thanks to:
• The Minister and the Provost
• All the speakers in advance for their presentations
• Connaught and other sponsors and exhibitors for all their support, which we really appreciate
• My business partner in Twogether, Anne Skelly, for doing more than her fair share of the work, whilst I have been carrying out Institute duties
• The three Vice-Chairs and other Board members; our Director Alan Ferguson and his staff for their hard work in lead up to the Conference and for their support to me throughout the year
• And of course I’d like to thank all of you for attending this year’s Conference and Exhibition

I hope you get the chance to meet up with old acquaintances, make new friends and contacts and most importantly learn from the event.

Thank you and enjoy the next few days at Conference.