Rotherham recruits top executives to save failing housing service

Liverpool council assistant housing director Tom Cray is to take over as Rotherham's executive housing director. He was formerly head of economic regeneration and housing at Middlesbrough. Oldham council assistant housing director Simon Bunker has been appointed head of housing and building works and Blackpool's head of personnel Carol Mills is Rotherham's new executive director of resources.

One early task for the team will be to finalise a housing action plan which will include the future of the council stock.

A series of critical external reports has highlighted poor performance on housing management and low morale in the department. Earlier this year the Audit Commission said the council was failing to address the need to develop sustainable neighbourhoods. Its own stock needs £120m spent, but the commission "could find no evidence that it was seriously looking at options to release such resources. No real debate about the future of public sector housing was taking place." But there were "green shoots of improvement", the commission said.

Several top executives have left the council or taken early retirement in recent months, including executive housing director Rex Carter.

Council leader Mark Edgell said: "The directors have a wealth of experience in their respective fields, and will help us make the considerable progress we want to achieve."