An all-star line-up of speaker sat CIH Harrogate 2009 is testament to a year of financial gloom, writes Rodney Dykes
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It's that time of year again my, how the years roll by. Forget the twittering, blogging, writing on cyber walls and other social networking, and try the real thing CIH Harrogate 2009.
Over the years, we have seen it all - or so we think. The housing minister who spoke at last year's conference, then just four months into office, is today's window dressing. So, we are promised two new faces both of them a week into office. Messrs Healey and Austin - that name rings a bell - will perform centre stage.
Can you recall previous memorable line-ups? The professor from Kent who could not stand still? The senior civil servant who confided that the government's rural housing policy was often influenced by Radio 4's The Archers?
Then the exhibition: men in white coats, scalextric, and drummers from Liverpool, who I thought at the time were in the wrong place - surely they thought they were auditioning for Britain's Got Talent.
Freebies galore, all dispensed with a wink and a nod to 'put them in your freebies register'.
This year's pre-conference publicity offered us change. More speakers from outside the housing sector, innovation sessions, an emphasis on the results of the credit crunch, such as debt advice and counselling.
The predictable increase in demand in rented housing also figures. The man responsible for branding Orange and Virgin will talk image (see page 8), and the management gurus will talk management.
This year's pre-conference also features a more informal approach - Monday night featured a bistro with a celebrity chef menu, more than 250 diners and the Harrogate High School band.
Chartered Institute of Housing president Steve Benson raised more than £700 for his appeal - Crisis Changing Lives - which helps homeless people achieve vocational goals and independence. The cash takes him to within spitting distance of his £40,000 target.
During a 'heads and tails' game for the diners, at least one consultant offered advice with a 50/50 probability of success - better than usual for consultants some would say.
Pre-dinner entertainment for me included the tenant chair duo of Jennie Ferrigno of High Wycombe and Maureen Ford of Wokingham. These two are first timers at the conference and come to learn about tenant-led stock options.
Both were keen to see if the Tenant Services Authority's pink van would be here. I doubt it - nowhere to park!
It was good to see the international delegates. Taiwan sent its first attendee. Saul Ramirez, chief executive NAHRO USA, with president Renee Rooker, represented the American contingent. Mr Ramirez explained that they came to learn from the success of the conference and to observe whether we were recovering from the cold we caught when the USA sneezed. His Thursday session shouldn't be missed.
On to the conference's opening session. The stage was calmer than in previous years and the moshpit was replaced with tables and chairs - surely a sign of middle age. Then the brave move - men in suits wearing ties (three economists -how many does it take to change a light bulb?) and a very establishment BBC chair, Peter Day. First, Dr Ian Shepherdson (global economist variety). 'We are doomed,' he said, with references throughout to how we had failed to learn from lessons of the past. Many references too to the situation in the US, from where we first heard the phrase 'mortgage delinquency'.
The 'doomed' scenario included a woeful story of increasing unemployment with the spectre of 3.5 million people in the dole queue.
Particularly relevant to us was his prediction of increases in repossession rates, despite the recent slow down. A reminder that not for the first time homeowners relied upon the equity in their homes for new cars and foreign holidays. The banking sector is clearly on a support system, with taxpayers putting money into a hole with nothing coming out the other end.
This thesis was also embraced by Martin Gahbauer, from Nationwide, itself a strong supporter of the non-profit housing sector. He painted several scenarios including what seemed to be a given - that we still do not know the extent of the British banking crisis. So let's hear it, folks, for regulation and the Financial Services Authority.
Finally in the economist trio, Stephen Howard. He's an economist, lawyer, Anglo-American, director of this and that and non-executive director of the other. Prince Charles in the morning, the prime minister at dinner, and the homeless and helpless in between - what a job description he must have! He was sincere, though.
Not only is work good for you, he said, you need to wake up wanting to do the right thing.
Reach out for the kids and let's have less of the 'I have done nothing wrong, I stuck to the rules,' he added.
I wonder who he was referring to? This kid from Detroit should be encouraged to spend more time with us.
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