…but the greatest
of these is…

There can’t be many industries that can claim more activity on the charity front than anywhere else, so we have something to be rightly proud of.

Of course, leading the way is the irrepressible Gary Morton, not only launching GM Fundraising’s toughest cycling challenge ever but another resounding success for the organisation’s Golf Day, the news that Veka cyclists have trebled their target with a bit of pedalling of their own, plus a few familiar superheroes at Bison Frames pitching in for MADi, another charity close to the hearts of the industry.

Less exciting but probably more consequential, it looks as though the repercussions of the Budget and post-budget statements are not going to go away that easily, with not only the National Housing Federation adding further gloom to the new home target predictions but also the Lords Built Environment Committee continuing to ask some sticky questions on that same new home target, not to mention brownfield planning, the prospect of Londoners adding an extra storey to their homes and a few other associated matters.

So, whether or not you have Faith in the Government delivering on its promises or Hope that their Lordships will get some straight answers, this week we can all be proud that, in the words of St Paul: “But the greatest of these is Charity.”

Chris Church Editor

Please send all your news stories to news@the-glazine.com

This Week's News

Homes deficit from
council rent cuts could
be double – NHF

Chancellor George Osborne’s plan to reduce social housing rents in England by 1% a year for four years may have nearly double the impact on the affordable homes target, according to the National Housing Federation.

The Office for Budget Responsibility had estimated that 14,000 fewer affordable homes will be built as a result to this change but a statement from the NHF replied: “We estimate this will prevent housing associations from building 27,000 homes, but in practice this figure could be much higher, particularly when considering other factors such as changes to working age benefits and extending the Right to Buy to housing association tenants.

“The impacts on housing associations are likely to be varied. We expect that:

• Most if not all associations will need to revisit their business plans
• Some may move developments away from affordable housing towards home ownership
• Loan covenant compliance may be under threat for some
• Increased perception of risk among some investors which may impact cost and availability of finance.”

Read the Rest Here...

Even more time to shine – G15 deadline extended

Still rushing to get your G15 Award nominations in on time? Don’t worry, you’re not alone, so the organisers have given you another week’s breathing space and pushed the deadline forward to July 31.

“We’ve had a fantastic response this year,” said G-Awards organiser Tony Higgin, “But we know it’s the start of the holiday season and lots of people have more on their desks than usual. Everyone deserves a chance to be recognised for their achievements so we want to make sure they get it.”

But he warned: “This really is your last chance and it has to be our very final deadline so there’s still no time to lose”

Nominations can be submitted at www.g-awards.com and with twelve categories, from environment and training to products and promo, there is the chance for just about any company in any part of the industry to be recognised for their achievements.

Read the Rest Here...

Scrappage scam
– over to you

It looks as though the GGF report on the ‘window scrappage’ scam (see story here) has hit a note among a few industry people and homeowners alike, with quite a few calls, emails and tweets to the Federation reporting similar incidents.

Has anyone else out there come across anything on this scam – perhaps taken calls at home from the scammers or maybe heard something via industry connections? Why not keep us informed – either for publication or just for reference – at news@the-glazine.com

This is not about those companies that may have dubiously but legally used the word ‘scrappage’ as a marketing euphemism for giving discounts. This is a specific con where homeowners are told that a third party, such as the GGF, will pay them for their old windows.

Read the Rest Here...

Lords committee to resume on housing targets

The House of Lords Built Environment Committee is due to resume tomorrow (Jul 22) with the third of its public sessions taking evidence on planning issues and the Government’s response to ‘challenges in built environment policy’.
The committee has been questioning a number of senior figures on issues such as:

•  Why does the UK consistently fail to meet house building targets?
• Are new housing and commercial developments of a satisfactory quality?
• What will be the effect of new proposals to allow additional storeys to be added to buildings in London without planning permission

Read the Rest Here...

GM Fundraisers launch Border2Border, their biggest challenge yet

Over 2,000 miles, nearly 100,000 feet of climbing across seven mountain ranges, spanning a whole continent – GM Fundraising has launched what will be its toughest challenge yet, the Border2Border Cycling Challenge, sponsored by Deceuninck.

Launched at the National Velodrome, Manchester, the event will take place over 11 days next June, from Vancouver, Canada to Tijuana, Mexico, the ride is being described as the ‘Toughest Yet’ for good reason.

Read the Rest Here...