The Homes and Communities Agency has gained four new members as it continues its mission to deliver new homes
Communities Secretary Sajid Javid has confirmed four new appointments to the board of the Homes and Communities Agency.
Following a recruitment process that was in line with the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments, the board will gain Stephen Bell, Richard Blakeway, Councillor Simon Dudley and Councillor Teresa O’Neill OBE. The appointments follow the departure of Kevin Parry and Ian Robertson.
A wealth of experience
Bell has experience in the banking sector, having worked as Group Chief Risk Officer and Board Director for Ulster Bank and Wellesley Group. He will chair the HCA Audit and Risk Assurance Committee.
Blakeway has extensive experience in government, spanning some 20 years. His resume includes special adviser to the Prime Minister on housing, planning and regeneration and Deputy Mayor for Housing, Land and Property responsible for delivering the Mayor of London’s Housing Strategy.
Dudley is currently the leader of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead as well as Lead Member for Housing. His background as Executive Director of Global Capital Markets at Arcapita Ltd and Managing Director at Citigroup Global Markets Limited will bring a wealth of experience to the table.
O’Neill has been a councillor since 1998 and is currently leader of the London Borough of Bexley. She is Vice Chair and Conservative Group Leader on London Councils and a member of several London advisory boards. Her background is in financial services, where she previously worked for Merrill Lynch International.
The new board members will be in position for three years and will establish the strategic direction of the agency as it delivers more housing supply.
Key role for the Homes and Communities Agency
Javid said: “This is an important period for the Homes and Communities Agency as it plays a key role in delivering the homes this country needs.
“The agency will be vital for boosting housebuilding and speeding up the delivery of new homes so that everyone can benefit from having somewhere safe and secure to live.
“These appointments will bring new skills, knowledge and considerable experience that will be of real benefit to the HCA’s Board.”
Chairman of the Homes and Communities Agency Board, Sir Edward Lister expressed his delight at the new board members who will bring with them a “wealth of experience”.
He added: “I would like to take this opportunity to offer my best wishes to departing board members and offer my sincere thanks for their hard work and support over the past few years.
“Their work at the HCA has made a real difference to places across the country and hundreds of thousands of people have benefited from better homes and job opportunities.”
