The Chief Officer Appointments Sub-Committee of Newham Council met on Tuesday 22 July 2025 to appoint a new Director of Housing Services. Following interviews with two candidates, the committee recommended Michael Kelleher for the role, subject to consultation with Cabinet members.

Appointment of Director of Housing Services

The Sub-Committee interviewed two candidates for the significant role of Director of Housing Services. The committee recommended Michael Kelleher, who is currently the Head of Planning and Housing at Durham County Council, for the position. This recommendation is provisional and will be subject to a two-working-day consultation period with all members of the Cabinet. During this time, Cabinet members can raise any objections to the appointment, which must be reasonable and based on material fact.

The meeting was chaired by Councillor Sarah Ruiz, with Councillors John Gray, Lester Hudson, Mehmood Mirza, and Blossom Young also in attendance. Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz OBE was present at the start of the meeting but recused herself from the interview process, delegating the chair to Councillor Ruiz. Councillor Blossom Young declared an interest as the appointment related to her portfolio.

The meeting was initially adjourned from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. due to a candidate's withdrawal and the availability of the remaining candidates. Subsequently, the press and public were excluded from the remainder of the meeting under the Local Government Act 1972, as amended, due to the confidential nature of the information concerning the candidates. This decision was made because the information was deemed to fall under specific paragraphs of Schedule 12A of the Act, and the public interest test for disclosure was not met.

The recruitment process for the Director of Housing Services role was supported by the executive search firm GatenbySanderson and Paulette Lindsay-Greenidge, the Strategic HR Business Partner. Councillor Amar Virdee and Mayor Fiaz were consulted on the recruitment process. Twenty-seven applications were received, with seven candidates longlisted. Technical interviews took place on 9 July 2025, with David Padfield, interim Director of Housing for Newham Council, and a representative from GatenbySanderson. The final shortlist was determined after an Assessment Centre, which included a Resident Panel, a Stakeholder Partner panel, and one-to-one meetings with Paul Kitson, Corporate Director of Inclusive Economy & Housing. The exempt enclosures to the report contained details of the longlisted candidates and their diversity profile.

The role of Director of Housing Services is a budgeted post, and salary costs will align with the Council's Pay Policy for 2025/2026. The recommendation of the Sub-Committee is in line with the Council's Constitution and the Officer Employment Procedure Rules.