Brian Robson

When you see some of the PBSA in northern cities, I'm not sure it could get *more* functional/stripped back :-0

I think that's what Carney's proposed in Canada - some kind of bulk/guaranteed order. Be interesting to see how that goes.

I think HE need to decide what their role is in relation to MMC. They've tried investing in factories with disappointing results. Perhaps time to think about what they could do on demand side.

😬

Interview: "So, I see you've worked in a system in crisis, in which demand for accommodation far exceeds supply, and in a system shaped by short-term politics. Just what is it about this experience that prepares you to work in the English housing system?"

Beyond... parody?

Homelessness Minister Rushanari Ali quits Homelessness Minister Rushanari Ali quits

Well... Probably the right thing to do given the difficulties in working with the homelessness sector after the rental story. Refreshingly prompt resignation. But the brief really needs a longish term minister.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Celebrating 40 Years of The Waiting Room Vegetarian Restaurant The Waiting Room is an award winning, all natural vegetarian and vegan restaurant, established in 1985. Serving homely slow-cooked food, The Waiting Room is a neighbourhood family restaurant in Eagles...

in case for the defence, as well as being mighty convenient for a haircut and the train, it's a few doors down from a *brilliant* vegetarian restaurant and micropub (and I say this as a non veggie) www.thewaitingroom.uk

'Housing affordability and availability may end up being the biggest political issue of our lifetime'

Last of the true believers in that kind of nonsense... What I find really frustrating is that - if he wanted to write about a transport related boondoggle in the Tees Valley - he didn't have to look far from Darlo station for a genuine one ✈️✈️✈️

Incredibly obvious yet conveniently ignored by Tim... The works at Darlo include a multi storey car park to better serve that catchment, and changes to platforms so that longer local trains are possible without them blocking the path of long distance trains...

Housing is where the buck stops Over the next few years, it will be the most politicised business sector in America

'If I were to pick a single business that will be at the nexus of economic and political controversy in the coming years, I’d say it would be the housing industry'

<< interested to see this in the FT - the political and economic power of those priced out being recognised.
on.ft.com/3J035zg

July's reading

Standout was Small Rain -a book set in a hospital room with one visitor per day shouldn't be this good... But it really is. James as good as everyone says. Couple of work-related ones which were vg. And A Thousand Moons good but not quite as good as I remember Days Without End being.

Not one mention of social or affordable housing. Asking about 3 sites out of over 20 in town submitted so far.

Sad thing is the old district council here had a pretty good record on housing growth.

I feel an email coming on.

Sadly, we're at the stage in the electoral cycle where local politicians pick the most controversial sites offered up for housing in the call for sites and launch a 'survey'

Vividly remember this conspiracy theory going round my school as Sunderland's first Maccies opened in the late 80s.

My trade unionist Dad was more concerned about the demarcation involved in clearing your own table.

it needs to go hand in hand with stuff like Darlo. I did a faststream summer placement. The folks at DWP in Newcastle were lovely but it was clear from the 1 day of the placement I spent in Whitehall that I'd had quite a different experience to those who were able to to spend a summer in London.

View of Wensleydale, rolling green gills punctuated by the odd tree, dry stone wall and stone farm building.

This year marks ten years living in Yorkshire for us. Not sure we'll ever be considered locals (or that this Mackem really wants to be) but I still feel very lucky to get to share this beautiful part of the world.

Happy #YorkshireDay !

The era of inquiries: could we be doing it better? 47% of all the inquiries ever established under the Inquiries Act 2005 are currently either underway or pending. This is a huge opportunity for democratic scrutiny, but could we be using it better?

The era of inquiries: could we be doing it better? open.substack.com/pub/peteapps... << interesting read, and good to see Pete reiterate his support for the National Oversight Mechanism proposed by @inquest-org.bsky.social -which would help make sure inquiry reccs are implemented, not just accepted.

Housing Emergency: inclusion thrives in the ordinary - Homeless Network Scotland: we are all in Maggie Brunjes, chief executive of Homeless Network Scotland, on why the housing emergency can’t become a cover for deepening exclusion.

"We have a progressive homelessness sector which has delivered major changes to modernise its response over many years.

"But there is a risk this direction of travel is forced to retreat by a deepening set of housing challenges that will only mask the extent of deepening exclusion."

Read more 👇

Really interesting. Deep vs shallow subsidy has been a live debate in England in recent years. Your piece really reinforced for me how the policy options here have been shaped by the financial capacity (or lack of) at the HA providers.

Trump's homelessness executive order is 'cruel,' says Alexandria, Va. mayor Alexandria's Mayor Alyia Gaskins discusses how a Housing First approach has helped her city — and why President Trump's executive order on homelessness could hurt efforts to house people.

Alexandria's Mayor Alyia Gaskins discusses how a Housing First approach has helped her city — and why President Trump's executive order on homelessness could hurt efforts to house people.

Hurrah, the instagram-ification of the FT app has ceased.

"the solution to this problem is staring us in the face — the economic potential of the majority of the British people who don’t live in Greater London." 👏👏👏

Screen grab from fairphone app. 'If you're thinking about upgrading to the Fairphone Gen 6 we recommend it ONLY if you really, really need to'. Instead, they're offering 20% off batteries and other spare parts for existing Fairphones.

Had a @fairphone.com for nearly two years now and still very happy with it.

Takes a little getting used to though - when was the last time a phone manufacturer said 'Please don't buy our new phone, have 20% off a new battery for your existing phone instead?" 💚

DC, earlier this month.

We all want to live in communities where all our neighbors have a safe place to call home and are treated with dignity. But yesterday, Pres. Trump issued an executive order that will worsen #homelessness and punish people simply for being poor and unhoused. This is wrong.

Trump’s new Executive Order directs states to treat homelessness and mental illness as crimes - National Homelessness Law Center Trump’s new Executive Orders direct states to treat homelessness and mental illness as crimes (WASHINGTON, D.C - March 28th) Everybody needs a safe place to live. Across America, sky-high rents are…

BREAKING: Trump’s new Executive Order directs states to treat homelessness and mental illness as crimes. Criminalization doesn’t help anyone – we need housing and healthcare, not handcuffs and budget cuts. #HousingNotHandcuffs

Our statement: buff.ly/JlcAsF4

Trump signs order pushing cities and states to remove homeless people from streets President Trump wants to make it easier for cities and states to move homeless people to treatment centers under new executive action he's taking.

"'The safest communities are those with the most housing and resources, not those that make it a crime to be poor or sick,' said Jesse Rabinowitz of the National Homelessness Law Center" (@homeless-law.bsky.social)‬
www.usatoday.com/story/news/p...