The female of the species
Chelsea girl
Margaret Ford's revelation that she supports Chelsea got Social Animal thinking of the similarities the team shares with the other outfit with a claim on her affections: English Partnerships.

EP, like Chelsea, had a reputation as a flashy under-achiever, unable to convert resources into results. The fortunes of both organisations have been turned round by an injection of cash and a new sense of purpose. Like Chelsea, EP has spent lavishly on foreign talent, though Australian David Higgins' salary is unlikely to equal that of star Argentinean striker Hernan Crespo. Like Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich's impact on Chelsea, the appointment of Ford has raised the ambition levels to a point where, for the first time, anything seems possible for the regeneration quango.

Life is like a box of chocolates
Genie Turton's retirement will give her more time to add to what she calls her "Forrest Gump moments". Former US vice-president Al Gore once showed her the desk in the White House where Richard Nixon was taped, leading to Watergate. She also has had a brush with another former president, although this time in person: Mikhail Gorbachev, at a talk in Oxford. "I asked him what he'd gotten wrong and he replied, 'the power of localism'." Puts Whitehall's passion for regional devolution in a whole new light.

Wake-up call
Last week's launch of the homeownership taskforce in the House of Lords was nearly abandoned halfway through. The sudden sounding of alarms drowned out Baroness Brenda Dean, in full flow at the time. Several members of the audience headed directly for the exits but, before they could make their escape, the indomitable Dean called them back. "It's just the traditional test to see if the Lords are still awake," she assured everyone.

Trashy present
What birthday present do you get for the housing professional who has everything? Steve Gregory, Sandwell's executive director of urban form, has a suggestion. At last week's Housing Today gathering in Birmingham, he confessed the highlight of his birthday earlier this year was being given responsibility for rubbish and bins.

Consensus politics
David Curry is not the only new Tory appointee struggling to get to grips with his brief. Last week's Westminster Hall debate on the draft Housing Bill offered shadow John Hayes his first crack at housing minister Keith Hill. Hayes was anxious to make his mark.

"I thought I did rather well, what did you think?" he asked Hill afterwards. The genial Hill agreed: "Yes, very well. First day? Very well." Is this the start of a beautiful friendship?

Booze cruise

When Asra held an autumn party last week, the black and minority ethnic housing association was determined to get its guests rolling around the aisles. So it did the only sensible thing: it hired a boat. Chief executive Atul Patel commented: “I can see that you’re all swaying. I know that some of us don’t drink, so I just thought if we had the party here, everyone could get a feel for what it’s like when you’ve had a few.”

Source

Housing Today