Articles

Don’t let drinking water harm your tenants

Awareness of the potential health problems caused by lead in the water supply, particularly in infants and children is growing.  Houses built before 1970 would have been constructed with lead water supply pipes and if still in place can be causing developmental harm to young occupants.

Although the use of lead in plumbing has been banned in the UK for more than 50 years, there are still many properties where a risk of lead contamination of water is a risk.  In some areas of the UK up to a third of these older properties are still receiving their water through these original lead pipes.

As 2022 draws to a close, what mentality must we adopt to achieve success as we fearlessly transition into the New Year? Housing Association Magazine's Joe Bradbury discusses:

The Housing Forum has now published: ‘Better Procurement for Better Homes Supplementary Guidance’.
This supplementary guide offers advice on how to procure in a hyperinflationary environment
 
The key audience for the new supplementary guidance is local authorities and housing associations who are seeking to procure new homes in the current economic climate.

Inflation is now at a 40 year high of 11.1%, fuelled by rising energy costs and global supply chain difficulties. This has created an extremely tough landscape for procuring construction work, threatening the prospects for new housing development. The Autumn statement offered little by way of help for the housing sector facing rising costs and an uncertain market.

Matt Sharp took up the post of Chief Executive Officer on 3rd October, taking over from Claire Heyes who has become Group President. 

CORGI Technical Services has appointed Matt Sharp as Chief Executive Officer. Matt has also taken up the CEO position at the Association of Safety and Compliance Professionals (ASCP) Group, for which CORGI are technical partners. He succeeds Claire Heyes who becomes Group President. 

Will a new Prime Minister mean a new housing policy?

George Clarke has some helpful suggestions for our new Prime Minister

So, after yet another Conservative Party leadership contest Liz Truss has walked through the doors of 10 Downing Street and will remain in the top job until the next general election, which is currently set for December 2024.

She will be a sitting Prime Minister with no mandate from the British Public, so it is inevitable that an early general election will be called well before that date.

Michelmersh has announced its successful bid to the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) UK Government, Industrial Fuel Switching competition to conduct a feasibility study to replace natural gas with hydrogen in the brick making process. The programme is part of the £1 billion Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP) which aims to provide funding for low-carbon technologies to decreasing the costs of decarbonisation.

The project represents a global flagship physical study to replace natural gas with hydrogen in brick manufacturing. Phase 1 of the project will demonstrate the viability of fuel switching and will see hydrogen used in the clay brick production process at Michelmersh’s Freshfield Lane site. The project aims to inspire radical change across the sector and present opportunities and evidence-based research to support manufacturers on their journey to heavily decarbonise the production processes.

After a wave of resignations from his government, PM Boris Johnson announced his exit from Downing Street. There is less than a month remaining in the contest to become the next UK Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister of the nation. What will this mean for housebuilding in the UK? Housing Association Magazine’s Joe Bradbury investigates:

Former exchequer chancellor Rishi Sunak and foreign secretary Liz Truss are the two contenders in the race to be the next PM of Great Britain. Both are competing for the support of the Conservative Party's 160,000 members. According to polling, Truss is currently the front-runner to win.