Social animal

We had the breast time

Face-pulling, rude photographs and riotous behaviour … it must be the National Housing Federation chief executives’ conference. Kate Hull-Rogers, director of consultant HumourUs, dragged Passmore Urban Renewal chief executive Jai Dosanjh up on stage to show how to turn glum expressions into happy faces. But her performance wasn’t a laugh for everyone: consultant Greg Campbell was left red-faced when his mobile went off during her speech. Hull-Rogers seized the phone and took a picture of her chest, with the words “try explaining that at home!”

Kingpins

Also at the NHF chief executives’ conference last week, delegates were treated to a talk on the leadership qualities displayed in Shakespeare’s Henry V. Social Animal hears the seminar went down a storm, so expect the chief executive of your housing association to add a thespian touch to proceedings in future. I can just imagine staff appraisals from now on – “You were marrrrrvelous, darling!”

No parking here

Parts of Cornwall have been setting aside new properties in national parks for long-time residents for a while. But Penwith council has decided to take the policy a step further, turning its attention to parks for cars. Apparently, rented parking spaces in St Ives are to be reserved for people who live or work in the town for more than six months of the year. That should drive the part-timers out.

Clear as mud

Another week, another misleading government statistic. Last week, we reported the ODPM’s skilful deployment of percentages to fudge its failure to meet targets for green space; but the government has also been muddying the water on its targets for preserving the greenbelt.

The Communities Plan promised that 60% of new development would take place on brownfield land, and ministers enjoy nothing more than slapping down NIMBY concerns by claiming it has exceeded it by 6%.

What they don’t mention is that this was in 2002, the year before the plan. There isn’t a more recent figure available and, according to the ODPM press office, there’s no plan to release one either.

Stepping out

A couple of weeks ago, Social Animal observed that Peterborough council had issued staff with pedometers to encourage them to get fit. They would have come in useful for staff of Anglia Housing Group recently when they were forced to evacuate Tower Bridge – the location for the association’s annual reception – owing to a security alert. With the lifts out of action, Anglia employees were forced to trudge up 210 steps. And once outside, they kept walking – as far as the nearest pub anyway.