I was surprised to see the headline on your leader in last week’s publication (“Wanted: chief snake-herder”, page 5).

I have never referred to Federation members as “snakes”. The expression I own up to is “herding cats”. “Humour” is my stock in trade: pejorative language is not.

The sector and my successor face many challenges together. One of the results of our successful influence in getting housing associations to centre stage is an increase in the demands government makes on us.

The only way we can face up to those is by working together and I am hardly likely to risk throwing away years of hard work in creating a disunited approach by the use of loose language.

Jim Coulter, chief executive National Housing Federation

Source

Housing Today