Our governance

Information on the MHCLG board and its sub-committees.

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The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is now the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities please see our latest governance page


MHCLG board

Role

The board’s role is to advise and support ministers on the operational implications and effectiveness of policy proposals, focusing on getting policy translated into results. It operates according to these recognised principles of good corporate governance in business:

  • leadership - communicate a clear vision for the department
  • effectiveness - challenge and scrutinise performance
  • accountability - promote the government’s goal of transparency through clear and fair reporting
  • sustainability - take a long-term view about what the department is trying to achieve

Responsibilities

It advises on 5 main areas:

  • strategy - setting the vision and ensuring all activities, either directly or indirectly, contribute towards it
  • commercial sense - approving the distribution of responsibilities and ensuring sound financial management
  • talented people - ensuring the department has the capability to deliver and to plan to meet current and future needs
  • results focus - agreeing the operational business plan and monitoring and steering performance against the plan
  • management information - ensuring clear, consistent, comparable performance information is used to drive improvements

However, the board’s primary focus is on delivery performance.

Board minutes

Read the board minutes.

Board members

The Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, chairs the board. Other members are:

  • The Rt Hon Christopher Pincher MP, Minister of State for Housing
  • Luke Hall MP, Minister of State for Regional Growth and Local Government
  • Eddie Hughes MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Minister for Rough Sleeping and Housing
  • Lord Stephen Greenhalgh, Minister of State for Building Safety and Communities
  • Jeremy Pocklington, Permanent Secretary
  • Catherine Frances, Director General, Local Government and Public Services
  • Richard Goodman, Director General, Building Safety, Grenfell and Net Zero
  • Emran Mian, Director General, Decentralisation and Growth
  • Matt Thurstan, Director General, Chief Financial Officer
  • Tracey Waltho, Director General, Housing and Planning
  • Lise-Anne Boissiere, Director, Strategy and Private Office
  • Simon Claydon, Director of People, Capability and Change
  • Michael Jary, Lead Non-Executive Director
  • Pam Chesters, Non-Executive Director
  • Mary Ney, Non-Executive Director
  • Dame Alison Nimmo, Non-Executive Director
  • Jeffrey Dodds, Non-Executive Director
  • Lord Gary Porter, Non-Executive Director

Executive Team

The Executive Team is responsible for managing the daily business of the department.

Members of the Executive Team are:

  • Jeremy Pocklington, Permanent Secretary
  • Catherine Frances, Director General, Local Government and Public Services
  • Richard Goodman, Director General, Building Safety, Grenfell and Net Zero
  • Emran Mian, Director General, Decentralisation and Growth
  • Matt Thurstan, Director General, Chief Financial Officer
  • Tracey Waltho, Director General, Housing and Planning
  • Lise-Anne Boissiere, Director, Strategy and Private Office
  • Simon Claydon, Director of People, Capability and Change

Audit and Risk Assurance Committee

The Audit and Risk Assurance Committee is a sub-committee of our board. It is responsible for assessing and assuring the department’s overall risk management framework and for ensuring financial propriety.

The committee gives independent advice to the accounting officer on the adequacy of audit arrangements (internal and external) and on the assurances received on the existence and effectiveness of systems for accountability and control in the organisation.

The committee’s core membership is entirely non-executive to ensure independent advice. Mark Sheridan and Susan Barratt are the external Committee members.

The Permanent Secretary and the Finance Director also attend meetings.