Regional experts and youth charity founder among four new appointments to MHCLG board

Dame Sarah Healey, permanent secretary, said the quartet will “play a vital role” in helping the department achieve its core missions, which include delivering more affordable homes, as well as boosting economic growth and supporting strong local government.

The ministry is also set to hire a new permanent lead NED as the term of current interim lead Mo Baines will end in April 2026, and will launch a recruitment campaign “shortly”.

Two of the new NEDs have backgrounds working in local government in the North East of England. 

Mr Forbes is the former leader of Newcastle City Council and the Labour Group of the Local Government Association (LGA), and Ms Burns is the former chief executive of Darlington Borough Council and currently chairs Teeside University’s board of governors. 

Ms Longlands is the chief executive of Manchester-based charity the Centre for Local Economic Strategies (CLES) and former director of the think tank IPPR North, and Mr Bokhari is the chair of the National Citizen Service Trust and founder of the Patchwork Foundation,a UK-based charity that supports young people from disadvantaged and minority communities to take part in democracy.

News of the appointments comes a month after Homes England announced it would be hiring regional directors as it moves to a new model. 

MHCLG has also seen a recent ministerial shake-up with Steve Reed appointed housing secretary and new holders of the homelessness and building safety portfolios confirmed in September.