Councillors Campaign For Balanced Communities Annual Meeting - A Message From Richard Tyler

Dear all, on Thursday last week, 13 March, in Nottingham, the Councillors Campaign for Balanced Communities annual meeting was held in parallel with a meeting, hosted by the Nottingham Action Group on HMOs, of the National HMO Lobby.  85 delegates registered, including 35 activists.  The conference was intended for council members & officers and community activists (there were one or two interlopers from HE).  Community activists came from Leeds, Nottingham, Leicester, Canterbury, Southampton, Manchester, Loughborough, Swansea - it was good to see so many new faces!
 
The morning was supposed to be about Perspectives on Balanced Communities, but few speakers actually addressed the issue.  Maya Fletcher (NAG) spoke about 'getting upstream of the problem' - ie tackling the original causes, rather than mopping up after the event.  Cllr Alan Clark (Nottingham CC) spoke about his Council's efforts.  I used the opportunity to launch the National HMO Lobby's publication Balanced Communities & Studentification.  Derek Goss (Kent Uni, Canterbury) spoke about addressing effects, and entirely missed the point about loss of balance.  Finally, Roberta Blackman-Woods MP (Durham) spoke about the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Balanced Communities (which she chairs) and the need for legislation to address concentrations of HMOs (not only student houses).  Between the presentations, there was opportunity for questions and discussion - taken up avidly by community reps.
 
After lunch, the councillors met separately, and heard presentations on studentification, accreditation, and managing noise & rubbish.  Meanwhile, the Lobby held its own meeting.  We had our own presentations on noise and waste (from Joe McElhinney and Paul Riley, officers in Nottingham CC).  Andrew Crates (Community Planner, Leeds CC) spoke about the planning framework within which local authorities can adopt policies on HMOs and other relevant issues.  Finally, Darren Smith (Brighton Uni, who invented 'studentification') spoke on the politics of studentification, arguing for a much more radical approach to the issues [some of which have been taken up by the Lobby].  Again, there was opportunity for discussion, though not as much as we would have liked.
 
After tea, Richard Tacagni (LACORS) spoke about the benefits of the Housing Act 2004 (which introduced HMO licensing).  The meeting closed with a few words from Cllr Dave Trimble (Nottingham CC) and from Maya.  I thanked Unipol, Nottingham and NAG for putting the conference together.
 
At one level, the conference was invaluable for meeting colleagues and reinforcing the solidarity of the Lobby - it gives you strength to persevere knowing you are not alone.  Also, it was invaluable for exchanging info on what can be done, and what current developments there are - even though some of these are frustrating.  Finally, I think three valuable lobbying opportunities emerged -

#1  Roberta Blackman-Woods took up my proposals for tripartite delegations to the Ministers for Planning and for Universities (comprising APPG, CCBC and Lobby) to lobby for action.  I shall pursue this with Roberta.

#2  Roberta is convinced that the PRS Review is crucial, and that further lobbying here is needed.  I'll write separately about this.

#3  The launch of Balanced Communities & Studentification gives us, not only a position statement from the community's point of view, but also a publication which visually demonstrates that the Lobby (and its members) is a serious organisation - do use this publication to wave under the noses of your local council, universities, landlords, students, etc, to show we are serious [it's received several compliments from these quarters].  Again, I'll write separately about getting hold of copies.
 
Cheers, Richard