New Housing Secretary announced
Steve Reed OBE MP has been appointed Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.
It follows MP Angela Rayner’s resignation from the role after referring herself to an Independent Adviser to conduct an investigation into her personal financial circumstances following the purchase of a new property.
In a letter to PM Keir Starmer, Rayner wrote: “I referred myself to your Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards, Sir Laurie Magnus, to conduct a thorough investigation into my personal financial circumstances after I became aware that it is likely I inadvertently paid the incorrect rate for Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT).
“I have always taken my responsibilities as Deputy Prime Minister, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, as well as a Member of Parliament with the utmost seriousness. I have long believed that people who serve the British public in government must always observe the highest standards, and while the Independent Adviser has concluded that I acted in good faith and with honesty and integrity throughout, I accept that I did not meet the highest standards in relation to my recent property purchase.
“I deeply regret my decision to not seek additional specialist tax advice given both my position as Housing Secretary and my complex family arrangements. I take full responsibility for this error. I would like to take this opportunity to repeat that it was never my intention to do anything other than pay the right amount.”
The MP for Ashton-under-Lyne, since 2015, also stepped down as deputy leader of the Labour Party.
Steve Reed is the MP for Streatham and Croydon North. He was first elected to the seat in a by-election in 2012, and has been re-elected at four general elections since.
Following Labour’s election victory in 2024, Steve has served as Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. He was previously Labour’s spokesperson for Justice, and before that for Communities and Local Government.
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L&G announces new Head of Affordable Homes
Shaun Holdcroft has been appointed as Head of Affordable Homes at L&G.
He will lead the operational direction of L&G’s Affordable Housing business, which was established in 2018 as L&G’s developer and operator of affordable housing.
Holdcroft has been part of the business since its inception.
Ben Denton, who previously held the role, has been appointed as Head of Strategic Growth (Affordable Housing) within L&G’s Asset Management division.
Dan Batterton, Head of Housing (UK), L&G, said: “L&G’s Affordable Homes business has developed from a start-up into a market leader within the sector, and these changes reflect a natural evolution in its journey as we scale-up investment into our housing platforms.
“I look forward to continuing working closely with Shaun and Ben in this next chapter for the business.”
Shaun Holdcroft added: “I am delighted to be taking on the leadership of our Affordable Homes business.
“Having helped at every stage to create the business we are today; I have a deep understanding of the impact we make in the lives of our customers. I’m committed to building on that success through delivering and responsibly managing more affordable homes across the UK.”
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Peabody appoints third resident board member
Peabody resident and housing professional Nivene Powell has joined the board of housing association Peabody.
The social housing provider has 108,000 homes across London and the Home Counties.
Powell has lived in a Peabody home for more than three decades and has worked across the housing sector in leadership roles.
She is currently working as a resident empowerment manager at another housing association, leading programmes that build relationships between landlords and residents.
“I want to be able to amplify resident voices and bring them into the boardroom.” said Nivene.
“That means not just representing residents but helping the organisation understand what it feels like for residents day-to-day.
“A lot of feedback I hear is about communication. Residents want honesty and professionalism. That’s how you build trust,” she added. “I want residents from all backgrounds to see they can get involved.”
Nivene Powell joins two other Peabody residents on the board – Peter Baffoe and Matthew Martin.