Welcome Letter from Alan Leicester

Thank you for taking the time to explore this opportunity to join West Lancashire Borough Council ( “ the Council”) as our new Assistant Director of Housing.

Housing is one of the most important services we deliver and one of the areas where the Council has built a particularly strong reputation. Every day, our housing teams make a tangible difference to people's lives, whether by providing high quality homes, supporting vulnerable residents, tackling homelessness, investing in communities, or driving regeneration and growth. The service sits at the heart of our ambitions for the region and our commitment to improving outcomes for residents.

There is much to celebrate with our housing service. It has earned a strong reputation for delivering customer focused services whilst embracing innovation and continuous improvement. In February 2025, we achieved a C1 Consumer Grade from the Regulator of Social Housing, placing us amongst the first local authority landlords in the country to secure the regulator's highest rating. This achievement reflects the dedication of our teams, the strength of our governance arrangements and our unwavering commitment to excellent outcomes for tenants and residents.

Alongside this, the service has gained national recognition for its achievements, including receiving a Silver Award at the LGA Awards for recognition as Best Medium Team of the Year and has also been shortlisted for several other awards. These accolades reflect our strong culture of collaboration, innovation and pride in our service delivery. Perhaps most importantly, they show what a positive difference our teams make, with tenant engagement continuing to grow and residents playing an increasingly important role in the design and improvement of services.

This is a pivotal time to join us. Local Government Reorganisation is creating a once in a generation chance to help redefine the delivery of local public services. Subject to Parliamentary approval, the Council will become part of a new unitary authority bringing together Chorley, South Ribble and West Lancashire. As we embark on this transformational journey, housing will remain a critical strategic function. As the only one of the three councils currently operating a Housing Revenue Account, the Council is uniquely positioned, and I anticipate the successful candidate will play a key role in supporting the development of housing services across a significantly larger organisation.

This role encompasses a broad portfolio extending beyond traditional housing management to include homelessness services, repairs and maintenance, strategic housing, asset investment, property compliance, facilities management, corporate buildings and commercial assets. It is a highly visible leadership position with substantial responsibility both within the Council and across the wider housing and local government sector.

Looking ahead, we have ambitious plans. We manage almost 6,000 homes and have bold aspirations for regeneration, investment, new housing delivery, shared ownership opportunities and sustainability. Our commitment to achieving EPC C standards across our housing stock by 2030, alongside wider development and regeneration programmes, presents a significant agenda for the years ahead. You will inherit a high performing service and have the scope to lead its next phase of development at a defining moment in its journey.

This position offers the chance to make a genuine and lasting impact. You will join a supportive organisation with strong political and corporate backing, experienced senior leadership colleagues and a culture that values collaboration, innovation and continuous improvement. As a strategic leader, you will help ensure that we continue to deliver outstanding services for our communities.

I am looking for an inspiring and forward thinking housing leader with strong technical expertise, commercial awareness and a genuine passion for public service. Whether you are already operating at Assistant Director level or are an ambitious senior housing professional ready to take the next step in your career, this role represents a unique platform to provide leadership during a period of significant change, growth and ambition.

Following an initial discussion with the Resourcing Solutions Team, I would be delighted to speak with prospective candidates about the role, our ambitions and how you could contribute to the continued success of the Council and the future South Lancashire Council.

Alan Leicester
Acting Deputy Chief Executive
West Lancashire Borough Council