Housing Corporation News Release

Kate Barker appointed to head OFTENANT transition team

17 January 2008         ref: 05/08

The Housing Corporation has today welcomed the  appointment of Kate Barker as Chair of the Transition Project Board for the Office for Tenants and Social Landlords (OFTENANT).

Kate Barker  will chair the transition project board which reports into the CLG programme board to oversee the preparations for the establishment of the new Regulator.  Other members of the project board are Peter Marsh, Peter Ruback, Clare Miller and Roy Irwin.

Kate is a Housing Corporation board member and a member of the Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee since 2001.

Kate has been an advisor to the Government on UK housing supply policy and planning policy and led the Review of Housing Supply, commissioned by Government, and published in 2004. Kate has also been Chief Economic Advisor at the CBI and on the board of the Yorkshire Building Society and is Chair of Governors of Anglia Ruskin University.

Housing Corporation chairman, Peter Dixon said, "Kate Barker brings a wealth of experience from housing as well as other walks of life to this crucial role . The Board and I look forward to working with Kate through the exciting challenges that lie ahead."

Kate will chair the project board until a permanent chair is appointed.

Ends.
 
For more press information please contact Sandra White on 0207 393 2094

Notes to editors:

1)The Housing Corporation is responsible for regulating housing associations, which provide some two million homes across England. 

2)The Housing Corporation is the Government's national affordable homes agency, responsible for investing in new affordable homes and regulating nearly 2,000 housing associations across England. The Corporation's £8 billion investment programme for 2008-11 is its biggest ever. Its previous investment programme of £3.9 billion for 2006-08 is funding 84,000 homes; 49,000 of these are for affordable rent, and 35,000 are for affordable sale through the Government's HomeBuy initiatives, helping people to get a foot on the property ladder.

3) The Housing Corporation is working with English Partnerships and Communities and Local Government to establish the proposed Homes and Communities Agency and Office for Tenants and Social Landlords.