Housing unknown John Carleton has been appointed to succeed Max Steinberg as northern director of investment and regeneration at the Housing Corporation.
Although the 47-year-old Carleton has an impressive pedigree as an England rugby star – 26 caps for his country and a place in the 1980 Five Nations Grand Slam-winning team – he is new to the social housing sector.

Charismatic Steinberg, who is now to head the East Lancashire market renewal pathfinder, will be a hard act to follow.

Carleton is a property finance consultant living in Wigan, with a background in private sector property banking. He last worked for Barclays and also counts Bank of Ireland and Lehman Brothers among his previous employers.

Some in the sector have raised concerns that someone with little public sector experience will fill such a vital role.

One highly placed source said: "Everyone's been scratching their heads about this one and no one can place him.

"If he hasn't got a public sector background, he'd better be able to get used to it very quickly."

Carleton will have to work quickly with the regional housing boards, and learn the issues facing the market renewal pathfinders – seven of which come under his jurisdiction.

Alan Kelley, head of operations at trade body the Northern Housing Consortium, said: "It doesn't matter where he's from if he's good enough, but it's really time now to concentrate on delivery of the Communities Plan."

In his new job, Carleton will oversee a budget of £124m. He will take up his post in August.

Source

Housing Today