1. home and garden

The Conference ‘Getting It Right- A Community Approach: A National Context’ will be
a two day national event held in Manchester with a view to sharing best practice in
relation to off campus activity within the context of the HEI sector. The format will
follow on from the Reading Conference held in 2013.
This conference will bring together colleagues from universities, local councils and students'
unions to examine the latest trends in university and community engagement and provide an
opportunity to share best practice with those working in the field. The conference will build
on the discussions held last year to determine how key players are ‘getting it right’ from both
a national and international perspective. Sessions will be held to share unique ways to
respond to the impacts on housing and neighbourhoods where students have a strong
presence. We will discuss how universities, local authorities, residents and other agencies
are working together to overcome challenges and ensure that communities benefit from and
value their universities.
The event will be held at Chancellors Hotel and Conference Centre - a Grade II listed
mansion set in 5 acres of gardens, the hotel is a 3 star AA rated establishment owned and
managed by The University of Manchester
Conference Price, including accommodation and meals, is £235.00 inc. VAT
We’re delighted to have some excellent confirmed speakers from across the UK and United
States.
Guest speakers include:
Sir Howard Bernstein
Chief Executive, Manchester City Council
Sir Richard Leese
Leader, Manchester City Council
Professor Rod Coombs
Deputy Vice Chancellor, The University of
Manchester
Will Spinks, Registrar
Chief Operating Officer, Secretary, The
University of Manchester
Professor Jean-Noel Ezingeard
Deputy Vice Chancellor, Manchester
Metropolitan University
Mary Heaney
Director of Services, Manchester
Metropolitan University
Professor Kevin Ward
Professor of Human Geography, The
University of Manchester
Beth Bagwell
Executive Director of the International
Town and Gown Association
Susan Stafford
Director of Off-Campus Housing &
Neighbourhood Relations and winner of
the Larry Abernathy Award, The University
of Colorado, Boulder
Carolyn Uphill
Chairman of the National Landlords
Association
Melanie Futer MBE
Off Campus Student Affairs Manager,
University of Nottingham
Ann Westgarth
Community Relations Manager, University
of Reading
Alison Barlow
Community Relations Officer,
Loughborough University
Professor Darren Smith
Social Population Geographer and
Associate Dean, Loughborough University
Michelle Slater
Service Manager, Snug, Sheffield City
Council
Mark Glynn
Strategic Area Manager, Manchester City
Council
Trevor Seeley
Head of Stakeholder Relations, The
University of Warwick
Sian Astley
Property expert, TV presenter, community
campaigner
Amanda Jackson
Community Engagement Manager,
University of Leeds
Dee Corbett
Community Affairs Manager, Queen's
University Belfast
Conference Agenda
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
08.45am to 09.45am
Coffee and Registration
09.45am to 10.00am
Welcome and Introduction:
Carolyn Uphill, Chair
10:00am to 10.30am
Opening Statements:
Will Spinks, Registrar, Chief Operating Officer, Secretary, University of
Manchester
Sir Howard Bernstein, Chief Executive, Manchester City Council
10.30am to 11.00am
Presentation:
Professor Kevin Ward, University of Manchester ‘ Future Cities’
11.00am to 11.30pm
Presentation:
Rod Coombs, Deputy Vice Chancellor, University of Manchester, ‘ Town
and Gown’
11.30pm to 12.00pm
Summary of ‘Getting It Right: A Manchester Perspective’:
Carolyn Uphill, Chair
12:00pm to 1.00pm
Lunch
1.15pm to 2.30pm
Breakout sessions: ‘ Getting It Right: A National Perspective’:
A. Dee Corbett, Communications and External Affairs, QUB
B. Carolyn Uphill, Chairman National Landlord Association
C. Trevor Seeley, Head of Stakeholder Relations, The University of
Warwick
D. Michelle Slater, Service Manager, Snug, Sheffield City Council
E. Mark Glynn, Strategic Area Manager, Manchester City Council
2.30pm to 2.50pm
Summary of the ‘ Getting It Right: A National Perspective’:
Carolyn Uphill, Chair
2.50pm to 3.10pm
Break
3.10pm to 4.25pm
Presentation:
Beth Bagwell, Executive Director of the International Town and Gown
Association (USA)
Susan Stafford, Director, Off Campus Housing & Neighborhood
Relations, University of Colorado Boulder
4.25pm to 4.45pm
Summary of ‘Getting It Right: An International Perspective’
Closing statements:
Carolyn Uphill, Chair
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
07.30am to 9.00am
Breakfast and Checkout
9.30am to 10.00am
Opening Statements:
Carolyn Uphill
10.00am to 11.00am
Presentation:
Mary Heaney, Director Services, Manchester Metropolitan University
Professor Jean-Noel Ezingeard, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Manchester
Metropolitan University, ‘The Birley Project’
11.00am to 12.00pm
Presentation:
Professor Darren Smith, Loughborough University ‘ Destudentification’
12.00pm to 1.00pm
Lunch
1.00pm to 1.45pm
Presentation: Sir Richard Leese, Leader, Manchester City Council
1.45pm to 2.45pm
Breakout sessions: ‘ Getting It Right: A National Perspective’:
F. Amanda Jackson, Community and Housing Lead, University of
Leeds
G. Melanie Futer, MBE, Manager of Off Campus Student Affairs,
University of Nottingham
H. Alison Barlow, Community Relations Officer, Loughborough
University
I. Sian Astley, Property Expert, TV Presenter, Community Campaigner
J. Ann Westgarth, Community Relations Manager, University of
Reading
2.45pm to 3.05pm
Break
3.05pm to 4.30pm
4.30pm to 4.45pm
Panel Q & A Session:
Panel Members will include:
Beth Bagwell
Melanie Futer MBE
Susan Stafford
Mark Glynn
Professor Darren Smith
Ann Westgarth
Summary of Day 2 ‘Getting It Right’
Closing statements :
Carolyn Uphill, Chair
Sir Howard Bernstein Chief Execu ve Manchester City Council Sir Howard Bernstein joined the City Council as a Junior
Clerk and
became its Chief Executive in 1998. Following the terrorist bombing of
the city ce ntre in 19 96 he was appointe d Chief Executive of
Manchester Millennium Ltd, overseeing the rebuilding of the City. He is
known for his business acumen; for forging partnerships with the City’s key players; and for successfully
attracting millions of po unds into the City. He played a key role in the regeneration of Hul me and
continues to play a key role in area regeneration initiatives, most recently in East Manchester.
Other
key major projects include the Bridgewater Hall, the Velodrome, the
Arena, Manchester Central/the
International Convention Centre, City of Manchester Stadium and Sportcity Complex, the City Art Gallery.
Sir Howard was instrumental in securing Manchester as Host City for the XVII Commonwealth Games in
2002.
He has bee n Clerk to Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority (now GMIT C) since the mid
1980s where he has taken a leadin g role in intr oducing metrolink, the first UK on-street public t ransport
system. He was involved in the est ablishment of Manchester Airport as a plc in the mid-1980’s and has
driven the expansion of the company into the next stage of commercial and physical development.
Sir Howard has been involved in several extern al appointments and is currently Non-Executive Chair of
Manchester Academic Health Science Centre and Deputy Chair of the HS2 Growth Task Force.
Sir Howard was knighted for his services to Manchester in 2003.
Sir Richard Leese Leader of the Council Manchester City Council Sir Richard Leese was born and brought up in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. After graduating from the
University of Warwick, he worked as a tea cher in Coventry and as a n exchange teacher in the USA
before moving to Manchester to ta ke up a post as a youth worker. He was employed variously in youth
work, community work, and education research between 1979 and 1988, and was elected to Manchester
City Council in 198 4. He became L eader of th e Council in 1996, having prev iously served as Deputy
Leader (1990 – 1996), Chair of t he Education Committe e (1986 - 1 990) and Chair of the Finance
Committee (1990 - 1995).
Sir Richard’s political interests in clude the lin ks between economic developmen t and socia l policy,
developing open demo cracy and the place -making and communit y leadership role of local authorities;
and the role of cities in creating a sustainable future. He has a number of ad ditional responsibilities
including Director of Ma nchester Airport Holdings Ltd, Vice Chair of the Greater Manchester Combined
Authority, Chair of the North West Regional Leaders’ Board, and Chair of the Core Cities Cabinet.
His interests outside politics include walking, cinema, music, and sport (as a spectator, principally
Manchester City football and cricket). He is a regular runner and cycles to the Town Hall most days.
Professor Rod Coombs Deputy President and Deputy Vice Chancellor University of Manchester Rod Coombs has a BSc in Physics, and MSc and PhD degrees in the
economics of innovation and technical change. After a short period at
the beginning of his career working in laboratory research, he switched
to social science. Thereafter he worked for over 25 years on analysing
the role of technical change in the economy; the management of R&D and innovation processes in large
companies; and the role of government policy in promoting innovation in the economy. During much of
this time he was in the School of Management at UMIST, becoming its first Professor of Technology
Management in 1993. During that period he initiated and ran several large collaborative research
programmes, and also worked as a consultant to a number of large research-intensive companies, as
well as advising national and European government agencies.
In 2002 he became a Pro-Vice-Chancellor of UMIST, and thereafter was heavily involved in the project to
merge UMIST with the former Victoria University of Manchester in order to create a new University of
Manchester (which legally came into existence in October 2004).
In 2004 he was appointed as one of the Vice-Presidents of Manchester University and had responsibility
for various aspects of Knowledge Transfer, Research and External Relationships.
In August 2010 he became Deputy President and Deputy Vice Chancellor of Manchester University.
Will Spinks Registrar, Secretary and Chief Opera ng Officer University of Manchester Will Spinks is the Registrar, Secretary and Chief Operating Officer at
the University of Manchester and took up the role in August 2011. In
this capacity he is both Head of the Professional Support Services for
the University and Secretary to the Board of Governors.
Prior to joining Manchester, Will was the first Chief Operating Officer
of Loughborough University. In this role he was responsible for all of the service functions and the
commercial activities of the University. In addition, he chaired and served on a number of wholly-owned
subsidiary companies and the Manufacturing Technology Centre.
Will is a member of the National Executive and Northern Convenor of the Association of Heads of
University Administration (AHUA), and a UUK nominated member of the USS Pension Fund Joint
Negotiating Committee. He is also Chair of the Students' Union Evaluation Initiative panel.
Before moving into the Higher Education sector, Will pursued a career in ICI, Zeneca and AstraZeneca,
working in a number of businesses and functions in both the UK and USA. This culminated in him
establishing a Business Services organisation providing HR, Finance, Purchasing, Communications,
SHE, Facilities Management and Site Services to all AstraZeneca's UK sites. From 2001-2007, he also
acted as Site General Manager at AstraZeneca's R&D site at Alderley Park, Cheshire.
Will's external activities include acting as Chair and Trustee Director of a number of community groups.
He is a graduate of the Common Purpose 20:20 Programme.
Will is married with three children. He is a lifelong Newcastle United supporter and regularly watches
Macclesfield Town.
Carolyn Uphill Chairman Na onal Landlords Associa on Carolyn Uphill has extensive experience operating as a professional
landlord with a Manchester based portfolio of Private Residential
Family Homes, Student HMO's and Industrial Property
Carolyn joined the Board of the National Landlords Association in July 2011, having worked as a Local
Representative in Manchester since 2010. She became Deputy Chairman in December 2012 and took on
the role of Chairman in July 2013. The NLA is the UK's leading Independent Trade Association for
Landlords in the Private Rented Sector. Working directly with over 52,000 landlords it is committed to
both supporting them and raising standards.
Carolyn has been at the helm of several successful business enterprises. Having established her own
business in 1978, she successfully developed it from being a hirer and reseller of third party equipment,
to become a leading equipment manufacturer with a seven figure turnover.
In addition to running her own manufacturing business, Carolyn served as President of the Stockport
Chamber of Commerce and on the Boards of several Training, Enterprise and Educational bodies. She
now shares her expertise as a Leadership Mentor and Non-executive Director.
Breakout Session B
Student Landlords - Part of the Problem or Part of the Solution?
Carolyn Uphill, Chairman of the National Landlords Association, will consider how landlords in the Private
Rented Sector have traditionally operated and what drivers make them improve their offering.
She will go on to explore how it is possible to engage with them, via appealing to their bottom line, to
strive for further improvements in standards while encouraging students to be better neighbours.
Susan Stafford Director ‐ Off campus Housing and Neighbourhood Rela ons University of Colorardo Susan Stafford is the Director of Off-Campus Housing & Neighborhood
Relations at the University of Colorado Boulder. She has been with the
university for 27 years and holds a Master of Arts degree in counselling and student personal
development.
Susan also has Bachelor of Arts degrees from the University of Central Florida in legal services, political
science and elementary education. As the director of Off-Campus Housing & Neighborhood Relations,
Susan is responsible for strategic planning and designing and developing programmes to meet the needs
of off-campus students.
She works with the city of Boulder’s University Liaison, Municipal Court, Police and Rental Licensing
offices as well as property managers and neighbors to help resolve student related neighborhood issues.
Susan is very active with the International Town Gown Association and has served as President as well
as an instructor for the town/gown certificate program.
Breakout Session
Improving Town Gown Relations
Effective Programmes and Partnerships
Cities where university students comprise a significant percent of the population face special
issues. Quality of life issues like noise, over-occupancy, parking, excessive littering, and alcohol use may
create friction between university and city management, as well as student renters and permanent
community members.
This workshop will describe how the City of Boulder and the University of Colorado Boulder have
addressed quality of life issues through changes in city ordinances and in judicial process. The workshop
will review programs the city and the university have developed to give students a better understanding
about the responsibilities of living off campus and becoming community members.
Examples include: restorative justice, community living, party registration, move-in orientation,
walkabouts, welcome bags, lease disclosure, sofa ordinance and six-day review.
Beth Bagwell Execu ve Director ITGA Beth Bagwell, MPA, is the executive director of the International Town
& Gown Association.
She has 15 years of teaching experience and has worked in the nonprofit sector for almost a decade. She holds a Masters' Degree in Public Administration with a
concentration in non-profit Management from Clemson University.
Ms. Bagwell also has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Elementary and Early Childhood Education from
Lander University in Greenwood, SC.
Her work in the public sector and post-graduate position at the Strom Thurmond Institute of Government
and Public Affairs at Clemson University helped prepare her for her current position with the Association.
Breakout Session
The Joint City University Advisory Board Model for Town & Gown Relations in the US
Collaborating for Mutual Benefit
This session explores how the Clemson JCUAB developed a model for collaborating on common
services, programs and citizen issues at a community level and implemented on a larger scale through
the International Town & Gown Association, a non-profit (Association) that focuses on quality of life issues
in college towns.
Attendees will learn about data collected through the ITGA Annual Survey and information shared among
colleagues at the 2014 ITGA Conference, including the health and legal implications of marijuana in the
US, economic development partnerships and environmental strategies for addressing excessive use of
alcohol in college towns.
Mary Heaney Director of Services Manchester Metropolitan University Mary Heaney is a member of the Manchester Metropolitan University
(MMU) Executive team and has responsibility for the strategic direction
of infrastructure services.
Mary joined MMU in 2006 from the University of Wolverhampton where she was Director of Learning
Centres. Her prior career spanned 16 years with BBC Scotland in Post-Production Facilities, followed by
2 years as Director of Administration at St Andrew’s College of Education in Glasgow.
A languages graduate born in Dublin , she holds Fellowships of the Royal Society of Arts and the Higher
Education Academy. She has worked in the UK since 1978.
Mary represents MMU on the Executive of the Corridor Manchester, a knowledge-based partnership with
the City Council, the University of Manchester and the Central Manchester NHS Foundation Trust,
committed to economic growth, regeneration and innovation in the North West Region.
Keynote Title: Birley Fields Regeneration
Social, educational, economic & employment
Birley Fields is exemplary in the way it has been developed as a new model of learning district,
embedded in the local community to actively reinforce and promote physical, social, educational and
employment links between the university and the community of Hulme and Moss Side wards –areas of
multiple deprivation in the City.
The campus accentuates MMU’s commitment to the growth of the city’s accessible knowledge-based
economy. The development is injecting new vitality and activity into the area, supporting local shops and
services and improving security. It has radically improved the physical environment and involved
investment in sustainable transportation networks.
Participation rates in higher education for Hulme and Moss Side are well below average for the wider
region. The new campus has the potential to increase the take up of higher education places among local
young people as well as re-engage adults in Hulme and Moss Side by:
Providing positive local role models;
Giving confidence for progression into higher education; and
Raising aspirations for higher education among local young people.
Professor Jean‐Noel Ezingeard Deputy Vice‐Chancellor Manchester Metropolitan University Jean-Noël Ezingeard is responsible for Strategic Planning and
Research at Manchester Metropolitan University. An Engineering
Science graduate from Ecole Centrale de Lille, he obtained an MSc in
Advanced Manufacturing Systems and PhD from Brunel University.
Before joining MMU in 2013 he was Executive Dean of Kingston Business School in London where he
oversaw a £30m transformation of the School’s buildings, a significant growth in research activity and
enhancements to teaching and the curriculum. As Executive Dean he continued to teach on the MBA
programme and to supervise doctoral students.
His early career was as a lecturer and Course Director at Brunel University. He joined the Faculty at
Henley Business School and served as Professor of Processes and Systems Management and
Academic Dean. He researches in the area of technology management, applied to Information Systems,
Information Assurance and Security, and Logistics Information Management.
Keynote Title: Birley Fields Regeneration
Social, educational, economic & employment
Birley Fields is exemplary in the way it has been developed as a new model of learning district,
embedded in the local community to actively reinforce and promote physical, social, educational and
employment links between the university and the community of Hulme and Moss Side wards –areas of
multiple deprivation in the City.
The campus accentuates MMU’s commitment to the growth of the city’s accessible knowledge-based
economy. The development is injecting new vitality and activity into the area, supporting local shops and
services and improving security. It has radically improved the physical environment and involved
investment in sustainable transportation networks.
Participation rates in higher education for Hulme and Moss Side are well below average for the wider
region. The new campus has the potential to increase the take up of higher education places among local
young people as well as re-engage adults in Hulme and Moss Side by:
Providing positive local role models;
Giving confidence for progression into higher education; and
Raising aspirations for higher education among local young people.
Professor Darren Smith Associate Dean Enterprise Loughborough University, School of Social, Poli cal and Geographical Sciences Professor Smith is Associate Dean Enterprise at Loughborough University, in the School of Social,
Political and Geographical Sciences. He has undertaken research on studentification and town:gown
relations in UK,
Ireland, Canada, Australia and China. He is currently analysing 2011 UK census data to identify the
changing geographies of studentification in the UK, and reveal new frontiers of studentification. Other
current research projects include an analysis of the deployment of Article 4 Directions to regulate the
concentrations of Housing in Multiple Occupation.
Professor Smith has recently been awarded a ESRC-ORA project to examine gentrification in UK, France
and USA.
Dee Corbe
Community Affairs Manager
Queen’s University Belfast
I have been the Community Affairs Manager at Queen’s University
Belfast for three years having joined the University in 2008 as an
Assistant Estates Manager for Security.
The purpose of my role is to help the University maintain good relations with its neighbours in the South
Belfast area. I liaise on a daily basis with key stakeholders, including local residents, community groups,
businesses and statutory agencies, on issues which have a direct impact on the local area. These range
from planning and car parking issues to anti-social behaviour and student discipline. Public engagement
is evolving into a key part of my role.
I have over 30 years experience in policing and security in Northern Ireland and have extensive
knowledge of liaising with local community groups, working in partnership with statutory agencies and
engaging with Police Services. Building trust and developing good relations with all these groups is
essential to the role.
Breakout Session A
Restorative Approach
What are you doing at University?
Alcohol usage among young people and how it impacts on student behaviour is a big challenge and
during the past year we have introduced an Alcohol Awareness programme for students.
The programme is open to students who have received a penalty form the University under the Conduct
Regulations. Students can offset the penalty by attendance and successful completion of the course
programme.
The programme has three key messages:
1.
Health
2.
Giving students a greater sense of belonging-Collegiality
3.
Inspire them to be more involved in volunteering, clubs and societies and enterprise opportunities.
See the time at University not as the end of an academic career but the preparation for their futures.
Trevor Seeley Head of Stakeholder Rela ons University of Warwick After a career involving a variety of communications roles in the public,
private and charity sect ors, Trevor moved to th e University of Warwick
in 2003 to become its first ever Community Rela tions Manager. In that
role he developed and managed re lationships with local or ganisations
and people, including council officers and members.
Amongst other things he helped to secure local author
development plans.
ity consent for the University’s campus
Now, as the Head of Stakeholder Relations, he is responsible for coordinating Warwick’s relationships
with a wide range of local and regional bodies, including local strategic partnerships and the Local
Enterprise Partnership
Breakout Session C
The Leamington Street Marshals Scheme
How Warwick responded to local residents’ concerns about students’ behaviour after a night out
Working in partnership with the local council, police and our Students’ Union, Warwick set up, piloted and
ran an innovative “Stre et Marshals” scheme in Leam ington Spa in 2013-14. The workshop will look at
how the scheme was conceived and operated, and what it achieved.
Michelle Slater Service Manager Sheffield City Council Michelle Slater has 20 years’ experience working as a housing
professional. Having worked for a number of different Local Authorities
and Housing Associations; she has been responsible for a range of
work areas including Housing and Tenancy Management, Community
Development, Strategy and Corporate services. Professionally accredited with the Chartered Institute of
Housing, she gained an honours degree in Housing Studies from Sheffield Hallam University.
Key achievements have been leading the Sheffield Option Appraisal process, ALMO bids and carrying
out seven partial stock transfers of around 7,000 Sheffield City Council homes to 4 different housing
associations. As Head of Business Improvement in North Lincolnshire, she had responsibility for
organisational learning, communications and marketing, performance, strategy and policy development
and negotiations with the Regulators.
Since 2008, Michelle has been instrumental in modernising the culture and improving performance of the
Private Sector Housing team in Sheffield. She has carried out two service restructures; and has
succeeded in improving staff morale, raising performance, lowering public complaints and developing a
range of partnerships with landlords, Shelter and Central government. She is delighted and proud of the
most recent partnership with Sheffield Hallam University and the Hallam Union.
Breakout Session D
Snug
Approving student homes - the Sheffield way
Take 3 completely different organisations with different cultures, and add a generous sprinkling of private
landlords. A recipe for disaster?
Sheffield has a population of around 60,000 students at any one time. The quality of student homes is
therefore high on the agenda for the Council and the University. A traditional property accreditation
scheme had been tried – until Michelle controversially shut it down in 2011. This equal partnership
between the Council, Hallam University and the Hallam Union is the first of its kind in the country. Not
without its initial teething problems – find out why it’s now working so well…
Mark Glynn Strategic Area Manager Manchester City Council Mark Glynn has been a Strategic Area Manager for Manchester City
Council for almost 3 years, with responsibility for neighbourhood
management across 10 wards in the south of the city.
His team work closely with the city's universities to manage the quality of the private housing stock,
oversee the street environment and promote good neighbourliness between student and non-student
residents. Prior to this, Mark has worked in housing for local authorities for 20 years.
Breakout Session E
Students in the community
Students in the Community - How the City Council works with the Universities to support students living in
the community and to minimise the negative impacts on other residents.
He will discuss partnership arrangements in place, innovative measures taken, what works and what
doesn't and the views of students, non-students and elected members.
Amanda Jackson Community and Housing Policy Officer University of Leeds Amanda Jackson is the Community and Housing Policy Officer at the
University of Leeds, and is currently responsible for leading and
developing the University’s policy on community relations, Private
Rented Sector student housing and local planning, to foster good
relations with the local community and ensure that our students are welcomed and active citizens.
In the 10 years that Amanda has worked on community relations at the University, she has overseen the
development of the agenda to one of more strategic importance whilst maintaining a focus on relationship
management and developing trust in the communities of Leeds where the majority of our students live.
Key achievements include: overseeing the delivery of the Leeds Universities and Colleges
Neighbourhood Helpline, initiatives to support and encourage students’ integration in to local
communities, multi-agency partnership work to ensure local services are responsive to the needs of our
students and reports on the University’s social, economic and cultural contributions to Leeds through the
Local Impact Report. Acting as the main liaison with the local community Amanda has successfully built
a reputation of understanding and trust in her balanced and fair approach.
Amanda has worked for the University on a number of projects supporting local communities since
2002. Prior to joining the University, she worked in marketing roles including event management and
marketing for Newsquest North East Media Group. She gained a MA in Marketing and a HND in Business
and Marketing from Teesside University.
Breakout Session F
Community Relations: 10 Years On
Where Next for the Higher Education Sector?
Amanda Jackson discusses the transition of the Community Relations agenda at the University of Leeds
after more than a decade of engagement, with an insight into the future of community relations within a
sustainability framework.
She will share her experiences of Community and Housing strategy development, engagement with local
communities, student integration and involvement as active citizens, community complaint process and
partnerships to deliver local service responsive to students requirements.
Melanie Futer, MBE Off‐Campus Student Affairs Manager University of No ngham Melanie Futer has been the Off Campus Student Affairs Manager for
10 years at the University of Nottingham.
Her commitment to the local community has seen the perceived
boundaries between the University and its neighbours replaced with an
accessible point of contact for a range of important and sometimes contentious issues.
Melanie informs and influences the direction of the University Community Engagement Strategy and
represents the institution at a vast array of events, meetings, and formal police and local authority
groups.
Melanie was awarded an MBE in 2013 for services to higher education, transforming the University’s
engagement with its local community and educating students on their responsibilities as residents of that
wider community.
Breakout Session G
Nottingham 10 Years On
Overview of Nottingham ten years ago and now
Nottingham has seen some significant changes in the last ten years in the community areas surrounding
the University of Nottingham.
Rudyard Kipling wrote a short poem,
I keep six honest serving men
(They taught me all I knew)
Their names are What and Why and When
And How and Where and Who.
So what are those changes, why did they occur, when did the University recognise their part, how did we
address the concerns, where did we deliver the actions to address the changes and who is involved?
This session will also include some group work looking at a specific project undertaken by the University.
The groups will be asked to devised the best way of working, what should be undertaken to get the
project off the ground, who to include and why.
Ann Westgarth Community Rela ons Manager University of Reading Ann has wide experience in community development work. She
was Community Services Manager for a local authority for 11
years. She is now the Community Relations Manager at the
University of Reading where she has worked for seven years
developing what was a new role and initiating a number of successful projects.
Last year Ann organised a national conference for community engagement practitioners in HE and is
delighted to see this grow into an annual event for the sharing of ideas, information and practice.
Breakout Session J
From Many-Headed-Student-Monster to Welcome Student Neighbour– re-balancing communities without playing the numbers game
The stable door was shut and the horse bolted by the time the local authority came to implement an
Article 4 Direction in Reading. So I’ve been getting on with the job of promoting integration and cooperation and building community capacity to cope with the impacts created by the specific conditions
that exist when large numbers of students reside in your neighbourhood.
I’ll focus on some practical initiatives that have changed the way students are perceived, where greater
understanding has led to growing acceptance and which, who knows, might eventually lead to
celebration.
Alison Barlow Community Rela ons Manager Loughborough University As Community Relations Manager at Loughborough University I am
responsible for all aspects of the University community relations
activities. I provide strategic community relations advice to the
University’s senior leadership team.
I was appointed to the newly created post in 2003 and developed the University’s first ever community
relations strategy. I am responsible for its ongoing development and implementation.
My career background is in public relations and I developed specialist skills in community PR working on
major civil engineering projects in the construction industry and supporting planning applications for
power station projects in the electricity industry. My first position was in the marketing department of
leading conservation charity, The Woodland Trust.
Breakout Session H
Partnership Working
Sharing partnership working best practice
The workshop will seek to identify and share best practice examples of partnership working to address
community relations issues in University towns.
It will example how Universities can work with key stakeholders including local authorities, the police and
residents groups to address issues including noise and anti-social behaviour, waste and recycling and
parking issues.
Sian Astley Property expert, TV presenter, community campaigner Sian is an ex-Manchester University student, local resident &
entrepreneur based in Fallowfield.
On leaving University in 1993, she set up her own specialist building
company, and has worked as a lady builder since then, renovating
hundreds of her own and clients’ properties.
In 2001 she started building a rental portfolio and now self-manages 20 properties, with a strong
emphasis on interior design and personal contact management. She also runs a design consultancy
working with private clients and landlords. Much of her work has featured in the national press,
magazines and on television, notably C4’s Property Ladder, ITV’s May The Best House Win, and BBC2’s
How To Live With Women! She was recently the presenter for C5’s Half Built House.
Sian also writes a nationally recognised property and interiors blog, is a social media addict and is
Treasurer / community campaigner for a local heritage charity Love Withington Baths which is
campaigning to save a historic Edwardian pool and revitalise the site for the future.
Breakout Session I
Student Landlords - Rising up from Hell to Heaven
Don’t be part of the problem, be part of the solution
As an ex-Manchester University student, current local resident and professional private landlord, Sian has
a unique all round perspective on the issues and impacts created by student living/housing.
Feeding in views of local resident s and her experience of being a lan dlord living amongst students for
8yrs, expect straight talking, positive suggestions and an innovative approach for how landlords can work
with Universities and local re sidents to right the wrong s and create better local environments and
neighbourhoods.
Landlords - Do you laugh at the phr ase ‘good design’? I haven’t had a void period in 13yrs, can you say
the same?
Private landlords need to up their game and their attitude to realise short term profit can mean long term
loss, both f or them and the areas they operate in, but it
doesn’t have to be that way. Let’s do things
better.