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How we're governed

How we’re governed 

Our executive team, board and committees are made up of people who really care about our customers, our colleagues and our communities.  

We’re lucky to be able to tap into so much amazing expertise, knowledge and experience.  And together, we’re working to the highest levels of rigour, governance and accountability.   

But don’t just take our word for it. We’re reviewed regularly by the Regulator of Social Housing, and by external auditors who report directly to our Audit and Risk Committee which keeps us on our toes!  

Want to find out how we’re doing?  Check out our various reports about our performance. 

Our independent committee members

Find out more about our independent committee members who work alongside our executive team and our board.

Kevin was deputy chief executive of Salford City Council, which was just one of the senior positions he’s held in local, regional and central government.  

He’s got heaps of board level experience across the public, private, not for profit and higher education sectors. He’s currently a board member of Livv Housing and an independent member of Transport for the North’s audit and governance committee.  

Kevin’s also chair of the trustee board of Henshaws, a charity that supports people living with sight loss and other disabilities. 

Kay’s got a broad range of experience in finance, strategic planning, organisational delivery, change management, corporate governance and risk management.  

She was an executive director of the UK Commission for Employment & Skills and the Sector Skills Development Agency. Before that she worked for a range of private sector companies and spent ten years in the health service. 

She’s currently chair of Sheffield-based social housing provider Arches Housing, a trustee of the educational charity the NOCN Group and a trustee of Voluntary Action Sheffield (VAS), which works to improve the quality of life for the city’s communities by supporting voluntary and community action. 

Nick’s passionate about improving services, delivering growth and creating great places.  

He’s a member of the Royal Town Planning Institute and has worked in both the private and public sectors. His main expertise is in environmental, planning and housing issues. 

He started his career with Mason Clark Associates before joining Hull City Council to lead its plans for large scale neighbourhood regeneration. He’s now assistant director for neighbourhoods and housing, responsible for delivering a range of housing and community functions in the city. 

Jim knows the private housing sector like the back of his hand. He’s got 35 years’ experience under his belt, working at senior director level with Keepmoat Homes and Strata Homes, driving their growth and strategy ambitions. 

He was a committee member of the Home Builders Federation for 10 years, focussed on general housing issues and emerging government policies.  

Jim was also a member of an advisory group that was set up to help Doncaster and Wakefield Council  achieve their social housing targets. 

 

Matt is Chair of YH Residentials board and a member of the Growth and Investment committee. He's a Chartered Management Accountant with more than 20 years’ experience in a variety of treasury, accounting and analytical roles in the UK’s non-bank mortgage market.  He was previously director of treasury for Together Financial Services and is currently treasurer at Pepper Money.   

Matt’s also a member our Finance Plc board. 

Lisa is a member of the Group Business Assurance Committee and the Yorkshire Housing Finance Plc Board. She’s got over 30 years’ experience in finance in the commercial and not-for-profit sectors. She was chief financial officer at Look Ahead Care, Support and Housing. She’s also an associate of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants. 

She’s chair of the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee at Arches Housing and treasurer of Inspire North, a Yorkshire-based supported housing provider.  

Our boards & committees

The Yorkshire Housing Limited board oversees the activities of the Yorkshire Housing Group. 

The board sets our corporate strategy, forms policy, oversees our activities, and makes sure we’re complying with all our legal and regulatory obligations. It challenges us to go onwards and upwards and be the best we can be for our customers, our colleagues and our communities.  

In a nutshell, it’s the board’s job to make sure we’re working to the highest standards of governance, accountability and integrity.   

Members: 

  • Ingrid Fife (chair)
  • Leann Hearne (vice chair)
  • Matthew Blake 
  • Lisa Bradley 
  • Ian Costigan 
  • Jacqueline Esimaje-Heath
  • Russell Galley
  • Isabel Hunt
  • Ellie Stead

The main role of our homes and places committee is to support our board in achieving our business strategy priorities - with a big focus on delivering our ‘customer obsessed’ and ‘homes and places to be proud of’ priorities.

The committee also looks at how we operate through our customers’ eyes, and makes sure their voices influence decisions and shape our strategy through the Customer Voice and Review Committee and Scrutiny Review.  

Members:

  • Leann Hearne (chair)
  • Ian Costigan
  • Isabel Hunt
  • Phil Cooke
  • Sarah Atta-Nugent
  • Juliana Bell

The main role of our Audit and Risk Committee is to provide assurance to our board on the suitability and effectiveness of the systems we use for governance, risk management and internal control.  And to ensure we maintain our current and future viability. 

Members: 

  • Russell Galley (chair) 
  • Kevin Brady 
  • Kay Dickinson 
  • Ellie Stead 
  • Lisa Bradley

Our Growth and Investment committee advise the Boards of Yorkshire Housing Limited and Yorkshire Housing Residential on priority areas for investment so that we can deliver growth across the Yorkshire region and improve our existing homes.

The committee provides recommendations for development and new business opportunities, identifying and reporting risks so we can continue to meet and adapt to our customers’ changing expectations and needs.

Members: 

  • Jacqueline Esimaje-Heath (chair)
  • NicHarne
  • Ian Costigan
  • Jim Wren
  • Matthew Blake

The main role of our Governance and People committee is to make sure we’ve got the right skills on our board, now and for the future.  And to drive the delivery of our people strategy. 

It’s also responsible for deciding on the right levels of reward and payment for staff, the executive team, board and committee members, ensuring our approach is in line with our values and business strategy. 

Members: 

  • Ellie Stead (chair)
  • Ingrid Fife  

The main role of our Residential board is to oversee the management and delivery of non-social housing activities, which are delegated to it by the board of Yorkshire Housing Limited.  

Members 

  • Matt Blake (chair)
  • Isabel Hunt 
  • Andy Oldale 
  • Charles Dunn

Declarations of interest

In line with our chosen Code of Governance, declarations of interest are held on a register that’s reported annually to the board.   

Our declarations of interest register is available for anyone to see. Just drop an email to Governance@yorkshirehousing.co.uk and we’ll send you a copy. 

Interested in joining us? 

From time to time we’ve got places available on our boards and committees.  

If you’re interested in being considered or want to find out more, we’d love to hear from you! Drop us an email and we’ll get in touch with you shortly.  

You can also sign up for alerts on our careers pagewhere all our vacancies are listed.