We have recently issued invitations to ARCH member councils to
renew their ARCH membership for 2021/22.
ARCH is the only organisation that has the sole interests of
stock retained councils and their tenants at heart and we continue
to press the case for council housing. Our primary focus continues
to be to respond to the Government's housing policy proposals, to
help our members prepare for impending changes in housing
legislation and to continue to embed and improve on our member
offer.
The ARCH Board continues to work hard to raise the profile and
reflect the significant achievements of the stock retained sector
and influence Government thinking at the highest level. We have met
with Ministers and have regular dialogue with senior officials in
various Government departments including at MHCLG, DWP, HM
Treasury, BEIS and the Home Office. We also represent stock
retained councils on various Government working groups including
the Decent Homes Review Sounding Board and the DWP Strategic
Landlord's Forum.
With the implementation of the Residents Charter and Social
Housing White Paper proposals, the Building Safety and Fire Safety
Bills, the Decarbonisation agenda and the need to build more social
housing, the sector is facing a number of significant challenges
over the next few years and it is vital that the voice of the stock
retained sector is heard as these changes are implemented. We have
established regular liaison with the Regulator for Social Housing
and the Housing Ombudsman and will continue work with our member
councils to share learning and experiences as the new regulatory
framework evolves.
ARCH membership continues to offer excellent value for money and
our membership fees have once again been frozen this year and
remain considerably lower than equivalent "trade bodies" such as
the National Federation of Almos and National Housing
Federation. In addition to being part of a strong organisation
representing the collective interests of stock retained councils
and their tenants, additional benefits of ARCH membership
include:
- A fortnightly e-bulletin providing up-to-date information on
all matters affecting local authority housing, available free with
no restrictions on numbers, to elected members, tenant
representatives and officers of ARCH member councils.
- Access to up to date news and policy briefings via the ARCH
website.
- Access to advice and guidance on national policy issues from
the ARCH Chief Executive and Policy Adviser.
- Attendance at ARCH events on key subject matters with limited
free places for ARCH member councils.
- Attendance at the annual two-day ARCH national chief officers
conference with a programme of key speakers on housing issues.
- Access to the ARCH Exchange to pool knowledge and experience,
share best practice and reduce duplication of effort.
- Attendance, free of charge, for up to 5 tenant representatives
at the Annual ARCH Tenant Conference.
- Opportunity for a nominated tenant representative to stand for
election to join the ARCH Tenant Group.
We believe that ARCH membership represents excellent value for
money and we are inviting ARCH member councils to renew their
membership again this year - the Association currently has a
growing membership of 69 local authority member councils and as the
only organisation with the sole interests of stock retained
councils and their tenants at heart, the greater our membership,
the louder our voice!
We have written to the lead contact at each of our member councils
to invite renewal of their ARCH membership for 2021/22 by
contacting Julie Morton on julie.morton@arch-housing.org.uk
by Friday 30 April 2021.