The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) and Orbit Housing Group have launched plans to encourage housing leaders to work together to transform the sector.

The Change Network was announced at a roundtable discussion hosted by CIH and Orbit at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester, where politicians and housing leaders met to debate the future landscape of housing.

The network aims to recruit forward-thinking leaders in each region to form a forum to enable housing providers to explore, deliver and manage strategic change in their own organisations.

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CIH and Orbit invited MPs and councillors to get involved in the network to help to shape the key issues they are focused on such as localism, civic engagement, community investment and jobs, training and social enterprise.

CIH has already hosted a meeting with a number of housing leaders interested in running regional forums and is keen to hear from others wishing to get involved.

Abigail Davies, CIH Assistant Director of Policy and Practice said: "At a time of reducing public investment in affordable housing and growing housing need, we must grasp this opportunity to re-think the way we do business as a sector. This is vital, not only to ensure we meet the needs of our communities long term, but also to build wider confidence in our sector as one that is equipped for a significant shift in the way it works. Incremental change, improvement and the ability to adapt to new challenges has always been a hallmark of the way housing organisations operate, but the future we all face means that this will no longer be enough."

(CD/BMcC)