New NHF head wants to keep a strong voice

3 Mar 05
Housing associations must fight off further bureaucracy while continuing to influence policymaking, according to the new chief executive of the National Housing Federation.

04 March 2005

Housing associations must fight off further bureaucracy while continuing to influence policymaking, according to the new chief executive of the National Housing Federation.

David Orr, who has led the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations for the past 14 years, will succeed Jim Coulter as the NHF's chief executive in July.

Speaking to Public Finance after his appointment was confirmed on February 28, Orr said social landlords must seize the opportunity following the general election to discuss new ways of moving forward.

'Housing associations must have a strong voice in negotiations with the government,' he said. 'As a sector, right across the UK, we have become more influential during the past few years but it may be at the expense of our independence and with a burgeoning regulatory regime.'

Orr, who was previously chief executive of Newlon Housing Group in Hackney, London, said he would spend the first three months listening to the views of NHF members and learning more about the system in England.

'I want to stretch myself again,' he said. 'I have watched with considerable interest the way that things have developed in England and felt that I needed to have a go.'

In spite of its name, the National Housing Federation only represents social landlords in England.

It had been reported to be considering people from outside housing for the post Coulter has held for 16 years, but Orr said he had no idea who the other candidates had been.

NHF chair Richard Clark said Orr's brief was to 'refresh and reinvigorate our transactions with government and its agencies and reinforce the positive contribution housing associations make to people's lives'.

PFmar2005

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