New chair of West Yorkshire Housing Partnership appointed
The West Yorkshire Housing Partnership (WYHP) has announced Rachael Dennis as its new chair.
Rachael, who is chief executive of Incommunities, will lead the partnership which was established five years ago to enhance the provision of high-quality affordable housing across the region.
She becomes the third person to chair the WYHP which includes 13 housing associations and two stock-holding local authorities in Leeds City Council and Kirklees Council.
Rachael said: “I am delighted to chair this important partnership in West Yorkshire. Having dedicated partners around the table, and strong stakeholder relationships, are crucial in promoting housing and supporting the Mayor's commitments.
“I am confident our work will benefit communities across the region as we remain committed to building more affordable homes, decarbonising existing ones, and supporting dementia-ready housing while tackling homelessness.
“I look forward to continuing this vital work with all our partners and stakeholders.”
Rachael has taken over from Andrew Wallhead who has resigned from his roles as chair and chief executive of WDH. Meanwhile, Nick Atkin, chief executive of Yorkshire Housing, remains as vice-chair of the WYHP.
With over 20 years of leadership experience in social housing, Rachael’s career has spanned across various roles covering operations, strategy and finance. She has also held non-executive roles in housing, the NHS and with arts charities.
As chief executive of Incommunities - which owns and manages more than 22,000 homes primarily in Bradford - she has led the organisation through a major transformation with a focus on driving positive change for the area’s diverse communities.
Her appointment as chair comes as the WYHP has launched a new website and annual report which sets out how its members are building the affordable and sustainable homes people desperately need.
In 2023/24, the WYHP delivered 1,436 homes with over 1,800 more projected for 2024/25. In total, its partnership members own and manage more than 167,000 homes across West Yorkshire.
This is in direct response to the housing crisis which has left around 85,000 West Yorkshire households on waiting lists for housing.
With high inflation and cost of living rises over the past few years, many people have been priced out of homeownership and the private rental market. This means the need for more high-quality affordable homes is greater than ever.
The WYHP is committed to meeting this demand by working together with its partners including the Mayor of West Yorkshire, West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Homes England to deliver on its five key priorities.
These priorities include building affordable homes; driving quality and regeneration, tackling the climate emergency; creating inclusive communities; and connecting housing, health and homelessness.
For more information, go to the West Yorkshire Housing Partnership website.