Welcome to the Neighbourhood takeover of NUS!
This week, we will be sharing a number of resources on all things housing and community for students’ unions on www.nusconnect.org.uk, and a number of new advice and features pages for students on www.nus.org.uk.
Why is this important?
Since Grant Shapps’ change to legislation in September 2010 that granted local authorities individual power to restrict the development of HMOs (via an ‘Article Four Direction’), we have seen a number of local authorities opt to introduce this change.
Areas include:
Newcastle, Hull, York, Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield, Preston, Northampton, Oxford, Canterbury, Portsmouth, Bournemouth and Exeter.
Unless, as a movement, we demonstrate the value of students in the community, we will continue to see more attacks on our right to live where we choose.
How you can help us
-
Fill in our Living Together, Working Together Survey – this is mainly multiple choice and should only take five to ten minutes to complete;
-
Send us your consultation responses, pictures, campaigns, feedback on what’s happening in your communities;
-
Let us know if your council is considering consulting on the introduction of an Article 4 Direction for HMOs
-
Keep in touch with us – questions or comments – on neighbourhood@nus.org.uk.
How we can help you:
-
Provide information and support when responding to consultations, or engaging with your local authority;
-
Sharing resources with you;
-
Helping you to network and share best practice with one another;
-
Keeping you up-to-date with developments nationally.
List of resources available:
NUS Connect
-
Living Together, Working Together: A collection of best practice on building partnerships and projects with your institution.
-
Working with your local council: Guidance on how local authorities work, and some tips on how you can engage with them.
-
Responding to consultations: Guidance on what consultations are, and some tips on how to approach them.
-
Article Four Direction update: Update on current planning powers, step-by-step guide on what do if it’s happening in your area, and a model press prelease to circulate.
-
Winning the arguments: Key arguments you may want to use when discussing student housing with local authorities, local residents, or other groups.
-
Planning and Partnerships: Guidance identifying key groups you should be building partnerships with, and ideas on areas of joint working.
-
Making a difference: A collection of best practice from across the student movement.
NUS.org.uk:
-
Updated housing advice section
-
House hunting checklist
-
Dealing with problem landlords
-
Tips on being a good neighbour
-
Information on Energy Performance Certificates
-
Housing glossary
-
Bullying in halls – case study
If there are any resources you feel that you need for your housing or community campaigns, then please email neighbourhood@nus.org.uk. Please keep us updated with what you are doing in the community - we can only make improvements to communities if we work together.
Ben Whittaker | Vice President (Welfare)
Susan Nash | Vice President (Society and Citizenship)