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CIH VP election candidates make their pitch

With just days left to vote in the Chartered Institute of Housing’s vice-presidential election, the two candidates say why you should vote for them

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CIH VP election: which candidate will get your vote?


A Twitter debate with the two candidates will take place tomorrow at 1pm. The hashtag is #CIHVP2017

 

The closing date for voting for the vice-president closes on 31 July. To vote click here

 

 


 


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Paul Butterworth
Paul Butterworth

Paul Butterworth

They say two heads are better than one; my multi-disciplinary career gives me a deep understanding of what the housing industry is concerned about and how we can all work together to create a Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) for the future – including the not-for-profit, public and private sectors and advisors to the industry.

Coming from outside the core housing profession, but having worked within and with the profession for nearly 30 years, I know what’s really driving everyone forward.

“My first objective is to make housing a ‘destination career’.”

With this experience, and sitting on the CIH South West board, I can see a number of critical areas that must be addressed within what I believe will be a landmark term as CIH vice-president.

My first objective is to make housing a ‘destination career’ and to support the long-term success of the CIH.

The housing profession lacks the appeal of other professions, such as surveying, but it should be seen as an exciting, diverse and honourable career with significant opportunities for advancement that will have a lasting impact on this country.

This is about actively engaging with and listening to young people, for example by appointing a young person’s representative to the main board and convening a focus group at the outset; forging alliances with other professions such as accountancy and surveying to refresh qualifications; and appealing to a wider base, including private sector landlords, such as through a new accreditation scheme for private rented properties, setting clear standards across the industry.

My mission is for the CIH to be at the forefront of housing issues in the public eye and to modernise its appeal as a career that is equal in stature to better-known professions.

Another objective is to work with the industry to address the root cause of a lack of housing in the UK and find appropriate solutions that will have a positive impact on us all.

“I stand for putting the right issues under the microscope and bringing together all stakeholders.”

A lack of public money needs to be reconsidered. The combination of welfare reform and a rent regime that has seen rent increases to near market levels is making rent unaffordable. This may lead to more repossessions, which only exacerbates the issues that are so prevalent.

We need to recognise the scale of the homelessness crisis in the UK. We need to develop a system that acknowledges why this is happening and stymies this trend.

This will require the CIH to challenge some unhelpful misconceptions about homeless people and develop care and support initiatives to help the most vulnerable. We need to encourage people to think beyond temporary housing solutions and recognise the broader role of care and support services.

The housing sector is going through one of its most fundamental periods of change in recent history, and with change comes new challenges and opportunities.

I stand for putting the right issues under the microscope and bringing together all stakeholders in housing and other disciplines to provide a holistic approach to the crisis; there is no one-size-fits-all solution.

 

Paul Butterworth, head of social housing, TLT

 

Jim Strang
Jim Strang

Jim Strang

I began my housing career in the autumn of 1978 as a housing benefit officer with Glasgow City Council and have enjoyed every single unique day ever since.

I hold great pride in our profession and over these years I have had the privilege to work alongside some truly remarkable people.

I have worked in the greater part of my career for local authorities, but for the past 10 years I have had the honour of being chief executive of Parkhead Housing Association in Glasgow.

“We need to make sure that the needs and aspirations of our members are understood.”

I have built a robust set of skills and a wealth of experience from starting at the bottom and working my way up the ladder to finally lead my own organisation. By doing so, I have worked in and experienced the day-to-day issues our members face every single day, being there for all the highs and lows that the sector has witnessed during this time.

I first became active in CIH governance in 2000 by joining the Scotland board.

Over the years I have been chair of the Scotland board, a member of the old CIH council and a founding member of the new governance structure. I was instrumental in the move to allow for the direct election of the president by the members to ensure that the golden democratic thread of CIH is maintained and strengthened.

I am very well versed in the governance system of the CIH and I have a strong link with the Northern Ireland board, as I was the governing board’s link to them. I also spent some time in a similar role for the London board.

“We rarely get the recognition that other professions receive.”

During my time on the governing board, I made sure that despite being based in Scotland, I was fully aware of the issues affecting our members in all parts of the country and used my skills and experience to ensure that the governing board looked at housing issues across the whole of the UK.

I seek to become vice-president to support the work of the incoming president, Alison Inman, and to continue the fight to win housing the recognition it needs and deserves.

We need to make sure that the needs and aspirations of our members are understood by both the sector and the government and that we continue to make our voice heard for housing solutions that will bring this country sustainable prosperity.

The tragic events that have affected our sector recently have marked a sea change in attitudes to housing; I will seek to ensure that the CIH leads that change.

The tangible difference our profession can make to the lives of millions of our fellow citizens is significant, yet we rarely get the recognition that other professions receive; my mission will be to start to change that.

We need leadership today so that we may enjoy a better tomorrow – so that we may overcome the challenges facing the sector and country as we seek to build and maintain the homes we all need for the 21st century and beyond.

Jim Strang, chief executive, Parkhead Housing Association


The closing date for voting for the vice-president closes on 31 July. Click here to vote

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