Peter Housden has been appointed to the top civil service position in the ODPM, taking on the job of Mavis McDonald, who retires in October.

The ODPM’s new permanent secretary comes to the post from the Department for Education and Skills, where he worked as director-general for schools alongside then schools minister David Miliband – who is now communities minister at the ODPM. Housden has spent the bulk of his career working in education and local government (see “Who is Peter Housden”).

The appointment gives a clear indication that Miliband is assembling his own team at the ODPM’s Eland House headquarters. Miliband has already appointed Janet Coulltrisic from the DfES as a special adviser.

Housden will be responsible for administering the department’s £50bn annual budget, much of which is filtered through to housebuilders and contractors by local authorities, housing associations and regeneration agencies.

Housden’s appointment came as a surprise as three senior officials within the department, Richard McCarthy, Neil Kingham and Joe Montgomery, had all been tipped for the appointment.

Who is Peter Housden?

  • Started his career as a comprehensive school teacher in Shropshire and worked as education officer in local education authorities before becoming Nottinghamshire’s director of education.
  • In 1994 became chief executive of Nottinghamshire council, guiding the council through a period of modernisation.
  • Joined DfES in 2001 as director general, schools, with responsibility for raising standards in England’s 27,000 schools.