Robin Lawler, CIH President
Presidential Dinner speech, Natural History Museum, London
8 February 2012
Distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, as President of the Chartered Institute
of Housing, I'm delighted to address you this evening.
I’m very pleased that we are joined by colleagues and friends from across the
housing sector.
I would like to welcome in particular Sir Bob Kerslake in his new capacity as Head of
the Civil Service and Permanent Secretary at the Department of Communities and
Local Government.
I’d also like to welcome Peter Schofield - who will soon take up his role as Director
General at DCLG - Peter, welcome to housing! I and my colleagues at CIH look
forward to working with you, and we wish you well.
Baroness Hollis and Lord Best join us this evening- following many months of
scrutiny of the welfare reforms- thanks to you both for your work to ensure a fair and
effective welfare system.
The welfare reforms are arguably the biggest challenge facing the housing sector
just now- we will need huge collective capacity to cope with their effect on
households across the UK.
I would also like to send my special thanks to Lovell and Stewart Davenport for their
continued support of this dinner.
In this speech, I will outline my vision for the CIH - and for our work to support
housing professionals.
The Chartered Institute of Housing is at its best when it focuses on people. And
now, more than ever, the most vulnerable people in society must be foremost in our
minds and must be the focus of our actions.
As you will be aware the much contested Welfare Reform Bill will be back in the
House of Lords on Tuesday (February 14) and will soon get Royal Assent.
Throughout my whole housing career - I don't remember a time when it has been so
important for the sector to work together to challenge some of the key assumptions often misplaced assumptions - about
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who benefits from welfare,

who should benefit and
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just what the role of the state should be supporting and helping those most in
need.
Several times already this year we have heard pointed and inaccurate comments
from ministers, including the Prime Minister, regarding the state of the housing
market and the likely impact of their package of reforms.
Housing charities have been accused of 'over egging' the scale of problems so that
benefit changes could be viewed as disproportionate.
How disappointing that so soon after the Prime Minister personally committed to
improving England’s housing situation, ministers should (intentionally or otherwise)
create unnecessary confusion around rents, mobility, and homelessness;
rejecting evidence and objective expertise; and ultimately deflecting from the real
issue - which is the significant challenge that thousands of households face in
accessing and retaining affordable, good quality housing.
Problems which will undoubtedly be compounded by recent and impending reforms.
Nevertheless, I applaud the commitment that people working in housing all over the
UK have shown to finding new solutions, working constructively with new powers,
and continuing to get the basics right despite standing on shifting sands.
Your ambition and vision are commendable.
My job, and the job of the CIH is to support you, as you strive to deliver these
changes, in the toughest of environments.
Never has it been more important for housing professionals to get the support they
need to be “brilliant” – as Sarah Webb so aptly put it!
And it has never been more timely for the CIH to work within a coalition of housing
organisations to make the strongest case possible for housing.
These missions are at the heart of what we do - but their significance has never
been greater.
For me, I approach this year with some clear objectives.
I am a passionate advocate of the importance of using the collective knowledge and
experience of our members to improve standards in housing. As President I look
forward to playing my part in bringing members together to influence a more
effective and better functioning housing sector.
I am very much looking forward to CIH’s Annual Conference in Manchester in June,
and see this relocated and refreshed event as the perfect opportunity to reignite the
CIH’s role in bringing professionals together to achieve change.
With excuses for the cliché, we are genuinely greater than the sum of our parts- our
conference in Manchester gives us just the opportunity to prove what we can do
when we work together.
As professionals, we all know the difficulties faced by people on low incomes and in
housing need across the UK.
We know, because we work with families and communities on a daily basis.
Unfortunately 2012 looks set to be an even more difficult year.
It is all the more important then, that governments recognise the valuable
contribution that housing makes to the economy and to the wellbeing of
communities.
For my part, a critical priority for me will be to promote the benefit of the housing
sector:
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to governments,
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to other professions and sectors, and
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to the wider world.
I am committed to building and sustaining the reputation of housing professionals
and putting us in the strongest possible position to ensure that investment in
housing- financial and otherwise- is valued by governments across the UK.
There are growing differences in the political priority given to housing in the four
countries of the UK, and across CIH our response to securing influence is
diversifying to reflect this.
I am proud that, regardless of where they work and the ideology of their politicians,
my colleagues work very closely with their respective Governments to effect
improvement across the housing system.
And that they work with so many professionals- many in this room - to support
delivery in the public interest.
And there are clear success stories –

in England we have a housing strategy which, whatever we think of the
content, looks across all tenures for the first time in years;

this April heralds a new financial future for council-owned housing; and

housing professionals are feeding practical experience into the design of the
Universal Credit.
The scale of innovation to respond to spending cuts, economic change, and social
pressure is inspiring.
And the refreshed 2012 UK Housing Awards will help us to identify and showcase
more.
Looking back for just a moment, you will know that 2011 was a year of mixed
fortunes for the CIH.
We all miss Sarah Webb greatly, and many of you have asked how CIH will
commemorate her.
Sarah was a visionary leader, a passionate advocate for housing, and an intellectual
heavyweight but with a common touch.
We wanted our tribute to her to recognise this.
Tonight I’m pleased to tell you that we will introduce an annual Sarah Webb Lecture;
the first of which will be held later this year.
The lecture will reflect Sarah’s passion and commitment to new and ‘game changing’
ideas that will form and inform our future.
Drawing on Sarah’s legacy;

building on the increased engagement with members stimulated by our VicePresidential campaign; and
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making the most of our formidable staff, volunteers and supporters,

I'm expecting CIH to go from strength to strength over the next year.
In particular I'm very pleased that so many high calibre people have joined the new
Governing Board of the CIH.
We will make use of their knowledge and expertise as we plot a path for the housing
sector.
I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Sue Ratchford on her OBE in the
New Year’s Honours List.
Sue is my boss and the Chair of Northwards Housing- a 3 Star ALMO in North
Manchester.
I can say that without doubt that in Sue’s case OBE does not stand for Other
Buggers Efforts! She is tireless in her work within & for the community in North
Manchester.
Well done & well deserved Sue!
Finally, I’d like to thank you in advance for your support for my Presidential Appeal.
Helen Collins the outgoing President & I are jointly supporting the Foyer Federation.
This year, more than ever the work of Foyer Federation is invaluable, in supporting
vulnerable young people in their transition to independence.
Envelopes are at your table- any contribution you can make would be greatly
appreciated, and put to excellent use.
In the meantime, I hope to meet many of you this evening and throughout my
Presidential year. I wish you well, and look forward to seeing you in Manchester in
June.
The final part of this evening’s presentations is dedicated to the next generation of
housing professionals… I am delighted to announce this year’s CIH student prize
winners.
Education is at the core of what the CIH is all about. We are, after all, an educational
charity. Given the challenges of last year it is wonderful to report that 2011 was a
particularly successful year for CIH Education.
Over 4000 people studied for a CIH qualification – among that cohort are many
stories of personal success and achievement, but tonight we want to acknowledge
the outstanding achievements of four people.
Our first prize is for outstanding performance by a student registered with CIH’s
Distance Learning Centre.
Elsa Ward works for Broadway, the London homelessness charity, where she is the
Young Person’s Specialist Advice Manager.
Broadway specialises in young persons’ projects aiming to prevent homelessness
among young people through advice and guidance, and promoting engagement.
Elsa has worked in homeless services for 16 years- in fact she herself left home
aged 16. This has contributed to her passion for prevention services, and ensuring
that her vulnerable client group receive appropriate advice, guidance and support.
Elsa intends to build on her qualification by undertaking more policy and strategic
work. Elsa and her partner are in the process of adopting a child at the moment so
she expects to be kept busy at least for the next few years.
Our second award is presented jointly to two students who have demonstrated
outstanding achievement.
The first is to Janet Golding.
Janet achieved a first class mark and a distinction in her Post Graduate Diploma
undertaken at Sheffield Hallam University.
Janet is a Senior Housing Policy and Commissioning Manager working within
Strategic Housing at Stockport Council.
She is the primary carer for her husband who is profoundly disabled and is oxygen
dependent 24/7. Studying for the Masters is in addition to her full time role
professionally and as a carer. She is an example to us all.
The second person to receive the same prize is Alison Davies.
Alison Davies is a Local Government Officer for York City Council.
She completed her Foundation Degree in Housing in 2011 at Leeds Metropolitan
University. She is currently studying for her BA Honours in Housing Studies.
With no previous degree level education, Alison has shown an eagerness to critically
reflect and develop her academic skills and has shown a dedication to advancing her
knowledge by responding to further challenges set by her tutors.
Alison, has developed her own career plan and has been successful in her quest for
promotion to a senior management position as a Service Development Manager.
Her commitment to professionalism and her quest for success make her an
inspirational colleague.
Well done Alison, please come forward to receive your award.
I am now delighted to announce a new award – the Nicky Chapman Award, hosted
by Habinteg Housing Association.
I knew Nicky when we both worked in Leeds . She was the first openly disabled
peer to enter the House of Lords. As Baroness Nicky Chapman she was a
formidable disability campaigner. As Chair of Habinteg Housing Association’s Board
of Management from 2006 until her death in 2009, she was also an inspirational
leader.
It is apt that the award in her name is presented annually to the best performing
graduate from our Positive Action for Disability traineeship programme.
The PAfD programme as been running since 2009 and has trained 19 disabled
people to become housing professionals.
Four trainees were nominated:
Eileen Barron, nominated by Somer Community Housing Trust
Jayne Wallace, nominated by Gloucester City Homes
Debbie Smith, nominated by New Charter Housing Trust
Eliyas Rassool, nominated by The Community Housing Group
I am delighted to announce that the winner of the first Nicky Chapman Award is:
Debbie Smith.
Sadly Debbie is unable to be here tonight. However I am delighted to present the
award to Graham Findlay, CIH Positive Action for Disability Manager who will accept
it on Debbie’s behalf.
Congratulations to our award winners- they are an example to all of us.
This concludes the formal part of our evening.
I wish you well for a successful 2012- a very good evening to you.