Pinnacle appoints ex-Haringey council leader as housing director

Claire Kober, the former head of Haringey council who resigned earlier this year over a controversial £2bn housing venture with Lendlease, has joined housing group Pinnacle.

Pinnacle said Kober, who becomes the London firm’s housing director, had been appointed for her “leadership skills and her experience as an innovator”.

Perry Lloyd, the group’s chief executive, said Kober’s skills and understanding of the sector “are exactly what we need to develop our housing management services division.

“Housing is a complicated business with a broad range of stakeholders. Our aim is always to get the best people to drive the group forward in the best possible way and we know we have this in Claire.”

Speaking about her new job, Kober (pictured) said Pinnacle had a long track record in providing housing services and she was “looking forward to helping the company grow and develop its offer by creating sustainable communities where people want to live”.

Kober left Haringey council in January amid an increasingly bitter row over the Haringey Development Vehicle (HDV), a 50:50 private-public partnership between the council and Lendlease.

Under the plan, the HDV is proposing to build 6,400 homes in the borough as well carry out improvements to community facilities and public spaces.

But opponents have accused the council of looking to privatise its assets and say the plan will price locals out of the area.

Labour’s National Executive Committee, which is dominated by Jeremy Corbyn supporters, had urged Haringey to drop the scheme.

A decision on its future will be made by the new council leader and council cabinet who are due to be sworn in later this month.

A number of newly-elected councillors pitching to become leader campaigned to scrap the HDV.