Lily Smith has been chosen as Ridgehill Housing Association's new chief excutive.
Smith, currently the association's director of housing services, beat external competition to succeed Roger Watson, who died in December 2001.

Smith joined Ridgehill five years ago from Dacorum council, Hertfordshire, where she was group housing manager. She will take on the role at the end of August.

Ridgehill is experiencing its third bout of Housing Corporation sanctions. It was put under supervision after Watson's death due to concerns about its governance. As part of a strategy to lift Ridgehill out of supervision, Smith will be steering the association into joining the Network Group later this year. The move will not affect the association's autonomy.

An inquiry by consultant Sue Marshall found the association had made extra pension payments totalling £1.6m to 18 departing staff. The payouts were in breach of the 1996 Housing Act and against corporation rules.

Smith will take over from Julian Ashby, managing director of consultant Hacas Chapman Hendy, who is standing in as Ridgehill chief executive. Ashby said the deal for Ridgehill's future will go through once Network has completed its reorganisation.

Source

Housing Today