News

Seven senior figures from public sector organisations across Great Britain have been appointed to a not-for-profit construction framework provider’s top table.

The new non-executive directors hail from housing associations across England, Scotland and Wales are welcomed among a series of significant, positive developments at LHC Procurement Group (LHC). These include a name change from LHC, effective 1 April 2023.

The announcement also signals LHC’s move from a Joint Committee structure to a company limited by guarantee (CLG) and its own legal entity. This galvanises its status as a procurement solutions provider exclusively to the public sector and a contracting authority governed by public law.

New non-executive directors on the LHC Board are:

• Laurie Carberry, Procurement & Performance Director, Wheatley Housing Group
• Nile Istephan, CEO, Eildon Housing Association
• Paul Read, Director of Sustainability and Investment, Magna Housing Group
• Tom Cadwallader MCIPS, Head of Procurement, Pobl Group
• Andrew Thomas, Procurement Manager, Tai Tarian Ltd
• Conan McKinley, Director of Asset Management, Your Housing Group
• Kathryn Stevens, Head of Procurement, Moat Housing Association

LHC group director Clive Feeney said:

“We’re thrilled to welcome our seven non-executive directors to the board. At the start of this process, we were clear that having senior representatives from public sector organisations across Great Britain was important in directing and shaping the future of LHC, ensuring its continued growth and success.

“The new Board will continue to depend on our regional committees and look forward in 2023 to welcoming new committee partners from our CPC and LSE business units. Collectively, they are critical to our organisation’s future success, as they help us fulfil our commitments to answer the public sector’s needs, understand the issues they face and foster true collaboration.

“The changes are fundamentally about driving positive change and excellence in public sector procurement for the construction marketplace and supply chain, and further support our journey to becoming a ‘Gold Standard’ framework provider. Our Board and not-for-profit CLG structure will also enable us to work more effectively at a regional level to drive jobs creation, push for higher standards against legislation and guidance, and encourage collaboration to promote innovation and mutual growth.”

Marking the completion of a Governance Review at LHC from 1 April 2023, the new non-executive directors join current LHC Board directors acting chair Mandy Clarke, acting vice chair Nick Abbott, group director Clive Feeney, executive director Jennifer Castle and board-level employee representative Dean Fazackerley.

Mandy Clarke, acting chair, added:

“As LHC Procurement Group, we will continue to work with social housing providers, local authorities, schools, healthcare organisations and other bodies to build places where people want to live, work and grow.

“Making our commitment to improving lives in local communities a core part of our vision means it can be woven into the core of our procurement solutions we provide to the public sector.”

LHC’s new vision places a sharp focus on directly improving local communities across the country through its frameworks and Community Benefit Fund. This offers grants for community-related projects through its business units South West Procurement Alliance (SWPA), Scottish Procurement Alliance (SPA), London and South East (LSE), and Welsh Procurement Alliance (WPA). Consortium Procurement Construction (CPC), which covers the Midlands and North of England, will also see the development of a Fund in its area.

To support LHC’s transition, new company secretary Kalwant Grewal joins LHC from one of the largest NHS Trusts in England West London NHS Trust, where he shaped, designed and influenced health and care outcomes for children, young people and adults. He brings non-executive and committee chair experience from Grand Union Housing Group, PHA Homes, and Sapphire Independent Housing, as well as senior leadership experience with older people’s charity Age UK.

LHC Procurement Group is also currently recruiting a permanent chair to move the organisation into its next phase following the completion of its governance review. An announcement on the new chair will be made in May.

LHC’s website is now live at www.lhcprocure.org.uk