Broadland supervised as Corporation steps in to push through reforms

The Housing Corporation placed the East Anglian registered social landlord under supervision and made three statutory appointments to its board: Caroline Pickering, chair of Stonebridge Housing Action Trust; John Synnuck, chief executive of Swan Housing Association and Nick Abbey, chief executive of Hereward Housing Association.

Officially, they are there to provide "additional skills and expertise", but it is understood that they will help to vote through a reform programme that has been repeatedly opposed by a minority of board members.

The changes could be voted on at the board's next meeting on 5 May.

The board will consider recommendations made by housing consultant Julian Ashby, in a report commissioned after pressure from the Housing Corporation. Ashby's recommendations, which were opposed by a section of the existing board, included restricting board members' terms of office and updating rules on external board recruitment.

We have concerns about the effectiveness and strength of Broadland’s board

Housing Corporation assessment report

The corporation has been aware since 2002 of governance problems at Broadland, which manages about 3000 homes in Norfolk and Suffolk. In that year, the RSL pulled out of merger talks with Ipswich-based Orwell Housing Association at the last minute.

A corporation assessment report released last Tuesday said: "[We have] concerns about the effectiveness and strength of Broadland's board and its failure to provide clear leadership." And in a letter to the RSL informing it of the supervision, the corporation referred to the need to reform Broadland's "dysfunctional board".

Broadland's problems are likely to heighten concerns about governance that were sparked last October, when major RSL Places for People was placed under supervision (HT 17 October 2003, page 7). Like Places for People's, Broadland's supervision has nothing to do with financial or operational weaknesses.