HCLG Committee Backs Blakeway As Housing Ombudsman

Richard Blakeway has been backed by the HCLG committee as housing ombudsman – but he’ll have to resign from roles with Homes England and a London borough council and face future committee evaluation. The committee has confirmed its support for Blakeway, despite pulling him up earlier this week over past “highly derogatory” views of social tenants. And the committee has told government of its “disappointment” that MHCLG neglected to consult members on the proposed selection process for housing ombudsman prior to the start of the recruitment campaign, and failed to send information set out in the Cabinet Office guidance within seven working days of the scheduled pre-appointment hearing. Read more on 24housing.

https://www.24housing.co.uk/news/hclg-committee-backs-blakeway-as-housing-ombudsman/

Ombudsman Candidate Grilled By MPs Over Comments On Social Tenants

London’s former deputy mayor for housing and the government’s preferred candidate for the Housing Ombudsman has been grilled by MPs over past comments about social tenants. Richard Blakeway faced a pre-appointment hearing at the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee. Bob Blackman, a Conservative MP and member of the committee, read from a 2009 Inside Housing article that quoted Mr Blakeway as saying: “The quality of life is a joke. Forty-six per cent of social tenants love their dog more than their neighbour. Why? Largely because of the total absence of the market.” Read more on Inside Houisng.

https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/ombudsman-candidate-grilled-by-mps-over-comments-on-social-tenants-62150