Focus notes

Set up

Focus promo: sits at the top right of the home page, consists of a treated image from the lead focus article, and the text ‘Focus on… xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx’. Also an explanation of what Focus is. Links to:

Focus page: Spin 2 page, including: explanation of what focus is, updated flag, lead focus article, related articles on IH, related articles elsewhere on the web, forum block, twitter feed? Ad spot. Link to more focus articles

More focus articles: html block on the NTK page listing each focus article

Lead focus article: accessible on home page through analysis or NTK block, normal article page, but with internal and external links that mirror those on the Focus page. Focus promo is included to link to Focus page

How will you get focus articles onto the focus page? Use title in advanced page set up.

Topics

Ideas to start off:

LEPS – how can housing associations get involved, could be written by one of the two housing association figure who are on LEP boards

Tenant cashback – case study from one of the pilot schemes

Empty homes – case study of a scheme where homeless people have done up homes so they can use them, example of the sort of thing the government wants to encourage

Under-occupation – case study of more positive approaches to downsizing, looking at offering financial rewards and support rather than using sanctions. Eg Edinburgh (I think)

ECO – briefing on why this is important, probably from a lawyer

Renewable heat – case study from a housing provider that is using the renewable heat premium payment

Allocations – a look at how a council is revising its policy using the Localism Act powers, Newham, Westminster, not Wandsworth…

Stock transfer – case study of a successful transfer. Wycombe?

Regulation – One for next year, but something we should do to tie in with the end of the TSA. Could be a kind of historical thing, how it has changed over time.

Component accounting – component accounting begins in April, and will change how housing association balance sheets look. Some providers have already introduced the model early, so it would be interesting to compare two different balance sheets from this year and see how they look. Real Asset Management would help with this.

HRA reform – another obvious one for next year. Could do a different perspectives thing, contrasting a council that is going to do well, and another that is taking on a lot of debt.