The Government announced the creation of a new Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) under the leadership of Ruth Kelly. The new DCLG takes over from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM).
The DCLG is larger than the ODPM was, with a new remit to promote community cohesion and equality, as well as the inherited responsibility for housing, urban regeneration, planning and local government. The Department will unite the communities and civic renewal functions previously undertaken by the Home Office, with responsibility for regeneration, neighbourhood renewal and local government (previously held by the ODPM).
The DCLG will also bring together responsibility for equality policy, including policy on race, faith, gender, and sexual orientation. These functions were previously split between several government departments.
Additionally, it will be the sponsor department for the new Commission for Equality and Human Rights.
Ruth Kelly has also been appointed Cabinet Minister for Women.
Asit Acharya was appointed as the new Managing Director of LHA-ASRA. Having worked in the social housing sector for 23 years, his expertise includes housing management, neighbourhood renewal, and housing policy. Since January 2004 he has been the Director of Supported Housing and Community Development at Stadium HA.
The Welsh Federation of Housing Associations appointed Nick Bennett as its new Chief Executive. He comes to the Federation without direct housing experience, having previously worked as a special advisor to the Welsh Assembly's Deputy First Minister.
The new Chief Executive at Calico Housing is Michael Birkett, who was previously the Association's Director of Housing & Regeneration.
John Foxall was appointed as Managing Director at Catalyst Communities Housing Association. He was previously Managing Director at Kensington Housing Trust.
Shaks Ghosh announced her intention to stand down as Chief Executive at Crisis. She has decided to move on but will stay with Crisis until a replacement is found.
Steven Jackson, who has been Acting Chief Executive at Equity Housing Group, was appointed to the post permanently.
Michele Low was internally promoted from Policy Manager to head the Housing Corporation's new centre for research and market intelligence.
Coventry-based housing performance improvement service HouseMark appointed Samantha McGrady to the new role of Director of Strategy. She has spent the last two years working as a consultant and interim manager in housing associations, a local authority and an Arm's Length Management Organisation (ALMO).
Stephanie Miller was appointed as Chief Executive at Homes in Havering. She moves there from her current role as Director of Operations at Habinteg Housing Association in June.
Nigel Poole moved up from Director of Housing Services to Chief Executive at Kelsey Housing Association.
The new Director of Social Housing at IT company Northgate Information Solutions is Alan Powell, who is currently Director of Information Systems at Hanover Housing Group.
Mark Reeves moved from his post as Tribal HCH Director of Care to join St Christopher's Fellowship as its new Director of Corporate Services.
David Tolson stepped down as Managing Director at Tribal HCH, following a reorganisation he assisted in drafting. The housing consultancy will rebrand as 'Tribal' in June.
We continue with our series that offers training providers the opportunity to discuss their training programmes, ideas, initiatives, approaches, etc. This month's article comes from Michael Guest Associates.
The Times, They Are (Always) A-Changing. With all due apologies to Bob Dylan, and as another thinker wrote - There is nothing permanent but change. This may seem a bit philosophical for a journal such as this, but the matter of change, how to plan for it and use it effectively, is central to how we run our organisations, whether in the housing sector or elsewhere.
It is apparent the housing world is one that involves the need to plan for constant change. Many will observe that the pace has quickened over the years. The future clearly holds even more. So how do we help our organisations and the people who work within them to make the most of this?
At Michael Guest Associates, we have plenty of experience in advising and supporting housing organisations to plan for and manage effective change. For example, our team members have designed and led programmes to achieve new ways of working in local authorities.
There is the need to properly prepare and implement such approaches in a wide range of organisations, but it is perhaps when stock transfers are being undertaken, or Arms Length Management Organisations are being launched that the need is most acute. In both, staff are moving to a new employing body that, whilst in the same business, is subject to different pressures - those on stock transfer include becoming an independent body, privately funded, regulated, still inspected and having to at least achieve its business plan. Add to this, of course, tenant expectations rightly raised because of transfer or ALMO. The short-term pressure on ALMOs to achieve their required inspection ratings is also a major change factor for them.
So what is the challenge, because it is not just about new structures, procedures, IT and offices? A major factor is the 'collective head' of those involved, crucially the staff who are there to deliver. There are 'cultural' and 'attitudinal' matters to be addressed to help ensure people move on from an essentially public sector environment into the requirements of the new social business environment as easily as possible. Where this is not properly addressed, it is not unusual for new housing organisations, after a time, to find they have two 'cultures' within their organisations: one where people have adapted to the new environment, former local authority staff who have moved on plus new appointees, and another group for whom the change was and continues to be difficult.
Call it what you will - Change Management, Organisation Development or whatever - businesses need to recognise the differences bought on by the direction they are moving in and plan to make the move as effective as possible for everyone involved.
How? We recommend being clear about the new business's vision, values and objectives, from board and executive, to management and throughout the staff, from the beginning. This can be achieved though workshops enabling staff to participate in the interpretation of these factors within their role in the business. It is also important to ensure that the way in which job roles are established and the person requirements set are entirely in tune with the business objectives of the organisation. If they are not, adjustments will probably need to be made. This is not just a paper exercise and again staff should be participants in determining what changes are best. Next is being clear on what the organisation possesses by way of skills and knowledge, against what is required to meet its objectives. This is now in relation to the new business environment.
There is bound to be a gap between the old and the new, and that is where the business needs to prepare an organisational development strategy - to address the gap. This will vary from place to place, but may be a combination of training and other development, coaching, mentoring, shadowing colleagues, changes to work methods and procedures - but all under clear direction of where the business needs to move to be successful in its new environment.
At Michael Guest Associates, we are currently advising on and supporting two 'change programmes'. Both are in housing transfer situations: one to a 'stand alone' housing association, and one into a housing group. At both it has been recognised that moving the human resources of a business on to a new environment does not happen without specific action from the board and executive, throughout the management and with the engagement of staff.
As a part of this work, we also find we are able to bring knowledge of the often forgotten practical details involved in launching new housing organisations.
Back to Mr. Bob Dylan, he warned in the context of change: Get out of the new road if you can't lend your hand. But he perhaps did not recognise there is much to be done to develop people so that they can 'help.'
Of course, he also threatened: We'll come shake your windows and rattle your doors. But hopefully Decent Homes Programmes are now dealing with that!
Article by Michael Guest of Michael Guest Associates
