The challenge of ensuring there are more good quality and affordable social homes is not unique to the UK or Ireland, or so many other countries. It’s one thing to want to do it though: it’s another altogether to deliver it practically and cost-effectively. In this issue, we focus on critical actions and solutions that government, housing providers and funders are – or could be – taking to meet the expectations and demands of people in housing need.

In particular, we look at what is happening in Ireland (both South and North), as well as what’s happening in other UK jurisdictions. Regulation is an increasingly important area for Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) in the Republic of Ireland. Alongside that, we look at homelessness, tenancy management and tenant participation North and South of the border, as well as housing transfers between AHBs in the context of sector consolidation. In Northern Ireland, we look at housing development, as well as approaches to risk, highlighting the Sector Risk Profile that CT recently developed for the Department for Communities.

Alongside this, we cover the questions of how to fund the development of affordable housing, particularly in England, as well as how we get the workforce we need to build and manage the homes the country desperately needs. While we consider the growing trend for housing providers to look at whether their housing stock footprint makes sense, or whether it is time to rationalise.

More broadly, and beyond housing, we consider risk and assurance – a growing area of CT’s services for a wide range of organisations in different sectors (and look out for more on this soon from CT!) – and how board away days are critical to effective governance and boards that are fit for purpose.

At the same time, we profile the crucial work of Men Who Talk, one of CT’s charities of the year, who focus on men’s mental health issues.

There’s plenty to read and reflect on in this issue of CTB. If you have a view on any of the issues we tackle here – or indeed if you’ve got something to say on a subject you recognise as important – please get in touch: comms@campbelltickell.com.