governance

We have effective governance arrangements in place to ensure we meet legal and regulatory requirements while working to achieve our ambitious plans.

Governance

our governance

believe housing is a Community Benefit Society registered with the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH).

We annually review and report on our compliance with the RSH regulatory framework, as well as our adopted code of governance – the National Housing Federation Code of Governance 2020.

Our governance arrangements are established by our rules and determined by our Board and are supported by a committee structure as detailed in the image.

National Housing Federation

Learn more about our adopted code of governance the National Housing Federation Code of Governance 2020.

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our board

The Board sets and actively drives the organisation’s social purpose, mission, and values, and through these, embeds within the organisation resident focus, inclusion, integrity, openness, and accountability.

The Board is ultimately responsible for the overall control of strategy, resources, legality and monitoring performance (operational performance being regularly reviewed by the Performance and Standards Committee). The Board must steer and direct the business to achieve its corporate objectives in line with our social purpose, values, vision and mission, the views and needs of our customers and in compliance with the appropriate regulatory and legal frameworks.

The following representatives make up the Board: Judith Common (Chair), Doug Ross (Senior independent director), Hazel Dale, Gurpreet Jagpal, Kevan Wales, John Marshall, Rob Auty, David Clouston, Kelly Henderson, Monica Burns, Faye Gordon and Alan Smith.

meet the Board
believe housing branded documents and mug

our executive management team

Our Executive Management Team consists of Chief Executive Alan Smith; Executive Director of Investment, Growth and Performance Faye Gordon; and Executive Director of Communities and Customer Services Nik Turner.

Working with our Board, the executive team provide strategic focus for believe housing’s work while ensuring that we put our tenants at the heart of what we do.

meet the team
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customer voices

We also have our Customer Voices group comprising of a well-resourced, trained panel of customer, two independents and employee members. Its purpose is to ensure our core values “Do the right thing for our customers, our people and our business” are intrinsic to everything we do and to hear the true voice of the customer gaining insight to drive the business forward. It has direct links to Performance and Standards Committee and the Board as appropriate.

find out more

our committees

Responsibilities include:

  • Approving the appointments of internal and external auditors.
  • Monitoring the implementation of audit recommendations.
  • Overseeing arrangements for internal controls and risk management.
  • Reviewing the organisation’s financial controls and reporting mechanisms.
  • Monitoring numerous policies for:
    • Anti-Bribery.
    • Anti-Fraud and Corruption.
    • Anti-Money Laundering.
    • Data Protection.
    • Whistleblowing and Probity.
  • Monitoring Health and Safety performance.
  • Reports on safeguarding issues and reviewing the organisation’s Business Continuity Plan.

Responsibilities include:

  • Reviewing and updating HR and People policies and other Board delegated policies.
  • Monitoring the development and performance of our people.
  • Reviewing our Equality and Diversity performance and actions.
  • Setting and overseeing appropriate and effective appraisal mechanisms for Board, committees, the Chief Executive and Customer Voices Group.
  • Approving and monitoring training and development programmes for Board, Committee and Customer Voices Group members.

Responsibilities include:

  • Overseeing, monitoring and scrutinising the organisation’s financial position and performance against the Performance Management Framework.
  • Approving the organisation’s approach to customer satisfaction.
  • Monitor the delivery of the organisation’s corporate strategies.
  • Considering feedback and monitoring recommendations from the Customer Voices Group, implanting and/or reporting to the Board as appropriate.

Responsibilities include:

  • Overseeing, monitoring and scrutinising believe housing’s development programme.
  • Approving development schemes and investment.
    • Overseeing believe developments limited.

The committee is responsible for decisions relating to the Covid-19 pandemic which cannot be made in a timely manner by either the Board, other committees or the Customer Voices group.