Dean insisted that she was not 鈥済iving a nod and a wink鈥�. But she told the National Housing Federation voluntary board members conference, 鈥渟ome of the bigger associations may now be competing with other organisations, such as National Health Service trusts, which do pay their governing bodies鈥�.
Delegates who argued that the corporation should have settled the issue long ago, were told 鈥測ou will not be criticising me for that next year鈥�.
Andrew Ketteringham, chair of Paradigm Housing Group, told her: 鈥淚f I don鈥檛 have people on the board who have equal expertise to our executives, they cannot be challenged.
鈥淚 am disappointed the corporation has adopted a 鈥楽ir Humphrey鈥� attitude of yet another round of consultation. The permissive regime must be right.鈥�
Dean replied: 鈥淚f it sounds like the 鈥楽ir Humphrey鈥� style, one reason is that the sector is split. There is no overwhelming majority for either option.鈥�
She had earlier laid out the competing arguments 鈥� the tradition of voluntarism against claims that more could be demanded of board members who were paid.
National Housing Federation policy director Liz Potter said: 鈥淭his has long been a controversial and uncertain area. A way forward from the corporation will be helpful, but it should be for individual boards to decide for themselves.鈥�
And Chartered Institute of Housing president Richard Kitson said: 鈥淭he institute welcomes the idea of housing associations being able to pay voluntary board members if they wish to do so. We first made this proposal ourselves two years ago.
鈥淢odest payments would help associations to retain the number and quality of board members.鈥�
Lenders have been calling for some means to attract competent board members as the sector becomes more diversified and complex.
Source
Housing Today
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