Prime Focus chief to go for top job at NHF

A new candidate has joined The race to become chair of the National Housing Federation after an early favourite dropped out.

Richard Clark, chief executive of Birmingham-based Prime Focus Regeneration Group, is to put his name forward to succeed current chair Richard McCarthy when McCarthy steps down in October.

McCarthy is to join the ODPM, where he will head a unit presiding over implementation of the Communities Plan.

Clark said he would campaign for the job on the basis of "being able to carry forward the Housing's Better Future agenda".

He added: "There is a need to make Housing's Better Future relevant to those associations that still have doubts. It's important that we gather support behind the moves to regain a community focus, to make stakeholders identify more positively with housing associations."

Clark was directly involved in developing the Housing's Better Future ethos as chair of the local focus group, one of four committees that have shaped the programme's detail.

Meanwhile Deborah Shackleton, chief executive of Riverside Housing Association, has confirmed that she does not intend to stand for the job. She cited the rapid expansion of Riverside as preventing her from devoting enough time to the NHF and will back Clark.

She had expressed interest in becoming chair of the NHF when news of McCarthy's departure broke in July (HT 18 July, page 9).

The process of selecting the NHF's chairman will begin after the body's annual general meeting in Birmingham on September. All candidates must have their nominations proposed and seconded by 1 October.

If more than one candidate stands, the 54 members of the NHF's national council will elect the new chairman by postal ballot. The deadline for votes is 7 October and the result would be announced on 9 October.

If no other candidate emerges before next month, Clark will become chair automatically.