Highlight wider role of housing, says council leader

Issues such as crime and the environment are seen as more important than housing by voters, while politicians are more interested in how housing measures will help boost the economy or reduce the welfare bill, he argued.

“If your sole relationship is with the housing minister or the Department for Communities and Local Government, you are not covering many bases,” he told delegates. “You have got to get on the agendas of other departments, including the Treasury.”

He added: “You need to understand what's important to government and provide an evidence base that demonstrates how what you do is key to delivering their objectives."