Board and governance
Governance
The companies within Progress Housing Group that are registered providers of social housing operate on a single board structure. The companies within this structure are Progress Housing Group Limited (Parent company) and Progress Housing Association Limited. The above companies are registered with the Financial Conduct Authority under the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014. The Parent company is registered with non-charitable Rules, and Progress Housing Association Limited is registered as an exempt charity.
The board has several sub-committees to which specific areas of responsibility are delegated, for example, the Audit Committee. The board can create working parties with specific terms of reference to deal with particular tasks and projects. Progress Housing Association Limited trades as Progress Housing Group.
In addition to the above, there are three other Group companies: Key Unlocking Futures Limited is a company limited by guarantee without share capital and a charity registered with the Charity Commission.
Key Unlocking Futures Limited has a separate board of trustees that operate independently of the registered provider companies. Key Unlocking Futures Limited’s board also includes a representative from the Parent board.
Concert Living Limited is a company established to deliver homes for outright sale and has a separate board, which operates independently of the registered provider companies. The board includes two representatives of the Parent board and two members of the Group’s Executive Team, in addition to independent members.
New Progress Housing Association Limited is a dormant non-trading company that sits within the Group structure. Both Key Unlocking Futures Limited and Concert Living Limited operate within a legal framework that joins them into Progress Housing Group.
This structure provides a degree of separation between the elements of the business that are regulated by the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH), and those are subject to other forms of regulation, for example, by the Charity Commission.
All of the boards have adopted a code of governance appropriate to their area of operation, and compliance is tested regularly. The Group also has an adopted form of compliance reporting covering regulatory, legal, statutory and other compliance-related matters.
For further information on the Group’s legal structures, non-executive directors and other governance information, please visit our website.
The boards and Executive Team wish to thank the following non-executive directors and trustee directors, who have stood down during the year, for their commitment and dedication to the Group:
Janet Hale Sallie Bridgen Isla Wilson Lauren Liles
Legend
- Parent - Progress Housing Group Limited
- PHA - Progress Housing Association Limited
- KEY - Key Unlocking Futures Limited
- CLL - Concert Living Limited
- AC - Audit Committee
- R&N - Remuneration & Nominations Committee
Nigel Wright - Group Chair (Parent, PHA) Nicola Bevan - Parent, PHA, AC Gavin Cawthra - Parent, PHA, CLL Adam Dennett - Parent, PHA, R&N Yasmin Fearon - Deputy Group Chair (Parent, PHA) Andrew Greenhill - Parent, PHA, R&N, CLL Phil Hodgett - Parent, PHA, AC Deborah Shackleton - Parent, PHA, AC Deputy Chair Maggie Shannon - Parent, PHA, R&N Deputy Chair Neil Townsend - Parent, PHA, Key Kaye Grogan - Independent - R&N Chair, Key Kylie Blackham - Independent - R&N Brian Ricketts - Independent - AC Chair Suzanne Horrill - Independent - AC Geoff Fogden - CLL Chair Gwynne Furlong - CLL Deputy Chair Lynne Cubbin - Key Chair Anne-Marie Bancroft - Key Ronald Barham - Key Esme Davies - Key Michelle Hallmark - Key Samantha Haslam - Key, Shadow Non-Executive Director (Parent, PHA)
Achieving board diversity
As part of our commitment to creating a stronger organisation, we teamed up with Together Housing Group and the Housing Diversity Network to pioneer a project, Achieving Board Diversity. Through mentoring, coaching and training, our scheme aims to identify the next generation of influencers from all walks of life, supporting and developing them into candidates who are board-ready and promote diversity of thought, experience and skills across the housing sector. Our three trainees have successfully been appointed to boards, either within the Group or elsewhere in the sector. We would like to thank them for their hard work and commitment to the programme. The Group has committed to extending the project, creating more opportunities for individuals and customers in the coming years.
“It has been a pleasure working with Progress Housing Group, as one of two pathfinders for the HDN Board Diversity Programme. Progress Housing Group has worked tirelessly to invest and develop three board trainees on the programme. All three reached the highest level of success on the programme. We would be proud to recommend their contribution as board members to any organisation. It has been a pleasure working with you, the trainees are a credit to you.”
Yvonne Davies, Housing Diversity Network
“Collaborating with Progress Housing Group (and Housing Diversity Network) on the Board Diversity Programme over the last two years has been stimulating and rewarding. It has been an excellent example of collaboration and partnership working, with all parties working together to improve their own, and each other’s, governance. The outcomes have benefitted all involved and will hopefully lead to further improvements in the governance of the social housing sector.
Adrian Gordon, Governance Manager, Together Housing Group