The regulatory regime firmly places the responsibility for compliance on the top people. They are the ones the Regulator of Social Housing will hold to account. For councils that’s the elected councillors. But they can’t do it alone; they need the right support, information and advice from their CEOs and directors.

The recent Grenfell inquiry report identified three essential requirements for robust governance:

• Strong oversight from scrutiny bodies (boards, cabinet, full council and council committees)
• An open and transparent relationship between managers, executive team and the governing body
• A strong, positive relationship between a landlord and its residents.

Getting the right structures in place to provide timely, accurate and relevant information is key to good council housing governance but it is not simple for councils where housing is just one of many services and responsibilities to juggle.

That’s why many councils are reviewing their arrangements and setting up dedicated “housing improvement boards” to provide that oversight. But is setting up a new board the answer? And, if so:

• What do they look like?
• Who sits on them? What skills and experience should they have?
• What information do they receive?
• What power and accountability do they have?
• How do they fit in with other committees, the cabinet, portfolio leads and other “bodies”?

If a board is not right for you, what other options are on the table to ensure the right ingredients for good governance are embedded in your existing structures?

We’ll look at different models including a directly run council housing department, a new improvement board and an ALMO and delve into how they operate.

Your services may be delivered directly or through an ALMO, TMO or PFI arrangement.  However, regardless of your approach to governance, council officers and politicians need to be more aware than ever of their responsibilities for housing.

As part of this event, we are inviting delegates to submit their governance arrangements on one page of A4 in advance. We will take a look at them and give you some feedback.

So, make sure that your arrangements are fit for purpose and book today.

What will be covered:

• The first principles of council governance
• How do you identify and manage risks?
• Gaining assurance on compliance – what does ‘good’ look like?
• Monitoring performance and driving improvement – options for governance and scrutiny
• Are housing improvement boards the answer?
• How do improvement boards fit in with other committees, the cabinet, portfolio leads and other ‘bodies’?
• What lessons do councils with ALMOs have for others?
• How to ensure the tenant voice is heard, listened to and acted on
• What information do tenants and councillors need to receive?

Essential for:

• Council chief executives
• Lead members for housing
• Council housing directors
• CEOs, MDs of ALMOs
• Members of housing improvement boards
• Resident scrutiny board members
• Governance, performance management/information and data teams.

10:30am Welcome and Introductions

• Chloe Fletcher, Director, HQN

10:40am What does good council governance look like?

• Alistair McIntosh, CEO, HQN

With council housing services being inspected for the first time since 2010 and only one achieving the top grade so far, HQN CEO Alistair McIntosh will share his thoughts on what councils need to focus on to ensure effective governance and good outcomes for tenants.  He will outline what good governance looks like in the council housing setting and draw out the issues that council officers and members need to consider to get clear oversight of the service, listen to tenants and get assurance that the service is delivering good outcomes for those tenants.

11:10am What works for councils with an ALMO?

• Amanda Garrard, Chief Executive, Berneslai Homes

Having gained the first council C1 rating from the RSH in their recent inspection, Amanda Garrard from Barnsley council’s ALMO, Berneslai Homes, will set out the pros and cons of the ALMO model in terms of governance for council housing.  She will share her experience of the recent inspection and discuss the importance of a clear governance structure, the role of timely and relevant reporting as well as effective tenant engagement in providing senior council officers and councillors with assurance about the housing service.

11:45am Break

12:00pm Lessons from a housing improvement board

• Martin Wheatley, Chair CHS Group and Croydon Council Independent Housing Improvement Board

When some of the worst housing conditions in homes owned and managed by Croydon Council were exposed by ITV in 2021, the council commissioned an independent investigation into the unacceptable conditions.  They then launched a major improvement programme across their housing services to address the underlying issues.  This improvement programme is overseen by a Housing Improvement Board which aims to provide evidenced, fair and honest feedback to the council’s cabinet on a quarterly basis.  Martin Wheatley, who leads the board will outline the improvement board’s role in driving improvements, how it fits with the governance arrangements of the council and what it has delivered for both the council and tenants.  He will also share his thoughts on the lessons that apply to all councils regardless of current issues.

12:30pm Lessons from a council housing department

• Darren Welsh, Strategic Director, Dacorum Borough Council

• Ada Terry, Improvement and Engagement Team Leader – Housing, Dacorum Borough Council

Darren Welsh and Ada Terry from Dacorum Borough Council will share their experience from a recent inspection where they were given a C2 rating and talk about the particular governance arrangements which contributed to that outcome. They will outline what their current arrangements are – what works well and what they are now looking to change in light of the judgement and the inspection process.  They will discuss how they involve residents at the moment and their plans for change this year as well as discussing their improvement plan and how that will be overseen to ensure delivery.

1:00pm Lunch

2:00pm Reflections on the role of senior council officers 

• Eamon McGoldrick, Managing Director, National Federation of ALMOs

Eamon McGoldrick has over 46 years’ experience in council housing and has worked across many London Boroughs in a variety of senior roles.  He now works with councils across the country through the NFA, ARCH and the LGA helping to support and advise councils facing challenging issues.  He will share his thoughts on the particular role of senior council officers in ensuring good governance within councils and using his experience over many years bring his top tips and advice to those looking at working effectively with politicians and tenants to improve arrangements in their own areas.

2:30pm Principles of governance and scrutiny

• Ian Parry, Director of Governance, Centre for Governance and Scrutiny

As a national centre of expertise, Ian Parry from the Centre for Governance and Scrutiny will outline the central principles of strong, transparent, and accountable governance.  He will talk about the structures and the culture that councils need to put in place to ensure they are well-informed, challenged constructively, and listen to voices that matter, elected representatives, those directly impacted, and key stakeholders alike. He will provide delegates with both overarching principles and practical advice to use when reviewing their governance in light of RSH judgements or preparing for inspection.

3:00pm Close

Chloe Fletcher, Director, HQN

Chloe has worked in the social housing sector for over 25 years since her first role in housing management with JSS Pinnacle as a trainee housing officer. She completed a Masters in Housing with Professional Qualification at the London School of Economics and then moved into housing policy, working on behalf of the London boroughs, initially for London Housing Unit and then London Councils.

She joined the National Federation of ALMOs (NFA) in 2007 working with members, government officials and wider housing stakeholders to develop NFA policy and support the ALMO movement. She brings her wide range of housing management and policy knowledge to HQN as Director, working across the business and bringing her skills and experience to the whole social housing sector.

Alistair McIntosh, CEO, HQN

Alistair McIntosh is one of the social housing sector’s most respected and best known personalities.

As founder and Chief Executive of HQN, he is regarded as one of the foremost advisers on governance and regulation, specialising in VfM and stress testing. His hands-on approach sees Alistair leading on all HQN’s in-depth assessment mock exercises and support work, designing and running the popular Iron Grip sessions and chairing/speaking at conferences and events.

Career highlights include setting up and running the National Federation of ALMOs, leading the popular consultation on the regulatory standards for housing, and developing an approach to VfM that won praise from the housing minister.

A regular contributor to the housing press, Alistair’s columns are known for their humorous, pointed and painfully accurate assessment of the state of social housing.

Amanda Garrard, Chief Executive, Berneslai Homes

Amanda is passionate about making sure Berneslai Homes provide the best services possible to tenants. She inspires the team with inclusive leadership and coaching, not being afraid to challenge the norm and try new things.

Amanda is a firm advocate of professional coaching and loves seeing people develop – reaching their potential whilst having fun and making a positive difference to others. Her favourite of Berneslai Homes’ 3Cs is ‘can do’ because she likes to get things done and encourages everyone at Berneslai Homes to keep a growth mindset – continuing to improve and always learning from best practice.

Martin Wheatley, Chair CHS Group and Croydon Council Independent Housing Improvement Board

Martin has been Chair of Croydon Council’s Housing Improvement Board since November 2021.  He is also currently Chair of CHS Group, a housing association with homes in and around Cambridge, and an independent researcher and adviser on housing and public service reform.

He has a background in housing, social policy and public service reform in the Civil Service and local government.

Darren Welsh, Strategic Director, Dacorum Borough Council

Graduating with a first-class honours degree in Housing Studies, Darren has worked in local government for over 30 years and been a Chief Officer/Director in six local authorities, specialising in housing, regeneration, and service change and transformation.

During this time, he has also set up and chaired a development company, an award-winning homelessness joint venture, and started one of the first young persons’ foyer projects in the country. In addition, he has been co-Director lead for Retrofit London; a member of the national reference group on homelessness; and pan London housing lead for adult safeguarding.

He is currently Strategic Director for Housing and Property Services at Dacorum Borough Council in Hertfordshire, which, earlier this year, was one of the first councils in the country to be inspected by the Regulator for Social Housing.

Ada Terry, Improvement and Engagement Team Leader – Housing, Dacorum Borough Council

With over 20 years of experience in social housing, Ada is a dedicated professional with a deep passion for tenant engagement and community investment. Her extensive career spans both front-line and leadership roles, working for esteemed housing associations, including G15 member Affinity Sutton, and since 2019, Dacorum Borough Council.

Ada has demonstrated her commitment to creating impactful community initiatives, such as establishing a swap shop in a deprived area to provide much-needed support to local tenants. Her expertise covers both general needs and supported housing, with a strong focus on driving regulation and quality assurance. Most recently, Ada played a key role in supporting Dacorum Borough Council through its RSH inspection and subsequent improvement activities.

Ada actively collaborates with organisations such as HQN, regularly sharing her insights at sector events. Her presentations over the past year have focused on the inspection process and strategies for delivering lasting improvements.

Ada’s extensive experience, combined with her commitment to tenant-focused initiatives and professional development, makes her a highly respected figure in the social housing sector.

Eamon McGoldrick, Managing Director, National Federation of ALMOs

Eamon has over 46 years’ experience in housing, having started at the Greater London Council in 1977. He then worked for the London Boroughs of Brent, Hillingdon, Barnet and Islington

Eamon was appointed Chief Executive of Homes for Islington in 2004 and retained that position until March 2012. During that period, he was responsible for the management of 35,000 homes

Eamon is now an independent consultant and is currently Managing Director of the National Federation of ALMOs which is the trade body for all ALMOs.

He is also Chair of the Barnet Group, Chair of a Homeless Charity and a Fellow of both the Chartered Institute of Housing and the Chartered Management Institute

Ian Parry, Director of Governance, Centre for Governance and Scrutiny

Ian leads on the development, delivery and client liaison for CfGS’s consultancy and training work, supporting organisations across the public, private and voluntary sectors to make better decisions through improved governance.

He has led many reviews in governance and change in a wide variety of organisations including local councils, non-profit and charitable organisations, housing associations, royal colleges and royal charter organisations.

Ian has a background in the private sector and public service and was formerly a county council deputy council leader and cabinet lead for finance and transformation. His public sector experience also includes serving on a district council, police authority (as chair of audit), fire authority and over ten years as a high school chair of governors. He is an LGA peer mentor and has taken part in several peer reviews of councils.

Ian has specialised in local government finance, strategy and change and has led major transformation programmes in a large local authority. He has also worked extensively in the social care and health sector and has helped to drive several initiatives to improve social care and health integration and restructuring of care services.

His business experience has focused on marketing, communications and business development. He also spent several years working in business development and marketing of industrial products, working on both UK and international markets. He holds a marketing and business degree and an MBA.

If you are unable to attend an event or public training course, please let us know in writing via email or letter at least 48 hours beforehand. Please email [email protected]

Otherwise, a cancellation fee of £60 plus VAT will be chargeable.

If you are using a package place to attend and do not inform us within the agreed time frame, then a place will be taken to cover your non-attendance.

Cancellations must be made in writing, and will be acknowledged by HQN Limited.