The theme of week 1 is ‘Cities and Devolution’. Here we will be exploring where and how decision-making about housing takes place. The week will see our first plenary which will look at the issue of politics. Drawing on the experience of Cllr Paul Dennett, Professor Mark Stephens and Tamsin Stirling we will explore how decisions about housing are made in a political context across Scotland, Greater Manchester, and Wales, and the ‘messiness’ that can occur within the context of national and regional devolution.
The workshop sessions will continue these themes, looking at where regional and national devolved powers have enabled places to tackle housing and related issues differently. The context of the city will be explored as a site of power and decision-making, and both international and UK examples of this will be discussed. Sessions are united by their focus on the development and experience of policies and strategies. A number of sessions will also consider issues related to groups often marginalised from mainstream policies within this context including Gypsies and Travellers and people who are homeless.