Bradford’s potential must be properly harnessed – New Year message

The Chair and Chief Executive of Manningham Housing Association (MHA) have described Bradford district as “a place of great talent and limitless potential.”

In a joint New Year message, Barrington Billings and Lee Bloomfield also pledged on behalf of the association to continue speaking up for those who struggle to be heard and to make a positive difference to people’s lives in Bradford and Keighley where MHA manages more than 1,400 homes for over 6,000 residents.

In their statement, they said:

“Despite the huge challenges, 2022 was another successful year for MHA with several award wins and the retention of the association’s accreditations for diversity and inclusion, and also customer excellence where we achieved a compliance plus rating in 11 individual areas of work.  

“The beginning of a brand a new year should be a time for collective renewal and high expectations for the 12 months ahead.

“Instead, as the cost of living crisis tightens its grip and with Government Ministers admitting the country is likely to be in recession for the whole of 2023, reasons for optimism are difficult to find.

“With our partners, MHA is motivated by a burning desire to improve the lives of our tenants in Bradford and Keighley and address the needs of the surrounding communities.

“These are areas which were supposed to be at the top of the list for levelling up and it remains our hope that promises made will be delivered, including better rail links and a new station for Bradford.

“Being UK City of Culture 2025 should be the catalyst for a new era for Bradford district and its people who have so much to offer the country culturally, socially and economically.

“It is a place of great talent and limitless potential.

“But these attributes must be properly harnessed regionally and nationally if that potential is to be fully realised. 

“MHA is keen to partner with any organisation which is committed to boosting the quality of lives here.

“That may include helping us to provide more high quality affordable homes, supporting neighbourhood skills improvement programmes or getting involved with community engagement schemes which do so much to raise physical and mental wellbeing.    

“MHA is under no illusions about how tough 2023 will be for so many.

“However, we are resolute in our determination to make it a year we will look back on with pride.

“Over the next 12 months, the association will continue to speak up for people who often struggle to be heard.

“But we will do much more than talking.  Working in partnership with those who share our vision, we will improve lives, we will raise aspirations, we will make a positive difference.”