New phase for agency as Peter Denton joins Homes England

Peter will join the Government’s housing delivery agency later this year following the departure of Nick Walkley in February.

Gordon More, who has been acting as Chief Executive, delayed his retirement plans to support the Agency pending this appointment.

Chair of Homes England, Peter Freeman, said:

“Peter brings two powerful qualities to Homes England. He has deep experience of real estate banking and investment, including raising funds and managing portfolios across Europe. This will be invaluable in raising additional capital from the private sector to support Homes England’s Government funded work.

“Secondly, in leaving a successful career in the commercial sector to join a major Housing Association, first as CFO and then as CEO Peter has displayed an enormous personal commitment to marrying financial discipline and social purpose. I have no doubt that he will be an outstanding leader, with his unique skillset helping us build the homes the country needs.”

Peter Denton said: “The Government has an ambitious agenda of not just more homes but decent, affordable, safe, energy efficient ones that sit well in their community and landscape. I cannot wait to help realise that ambition.”

Prior to joining the Hyde Group, initially as Group Finance Director in 2017, Peter worked in a broad range of strategic leadership roles, amassing 26 years of pan-European real estate experience.

He has a strong track record of working in strategic leadership and Board roles at large scale global real estate, banking and not for profit organisations.

Before joining the housing sector, Peter spent his early career in investment banking and then moved to global real estate investment management firm Starwood Capital. During these investment years, Peter handled over €25 billion of lending, and had significant exposure to investors and fundraising on a global scale, working as a ‘bridge’ between the public, private and third sector.

In addition, he has also held senior EMEA real estate investment banking roles at BNP Paribas, Barclays, Deutsche Bank, Eurohypo and WestImmo. Peter is also a non-executive Real Estate IC member for Eurazeo, the Global Investment Company.

The Rt Hon Robert Jenrick, Secretary of State for Housing, said:

“I am delighted to welcome Peter Denton as Chief Executive of Homes England, as part of an important reset for the organisation.

“Together with Peter Freeman he will lead the renewal of Homes England, focussing on levelling-up and regeneration, high quality new housing and infrastructure and supporting small and medium builders to create a more dynamic and competitive housing market.”



Forces families benefit from upgraded homes at RAF Waddington

The 37 Service Family Accommodation properties at RAF Waddington are part of nearly 600 homes being upgraded for RAF families, with around 3000 improved for the Armed Forces nationally.

The work, known as Project Speed, is being undertaken by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) and contractors Amey, thanks to £200-million of funding for military accommodation which was announced by the Chancellor and Secretary of State for Defence in July 2020. £122-million is being invested in the Service Family Accommodation programme, which will significantly improve living conditions for thousands of military personnel and their families. Some properties are receiving a full refurbishment, while others will see smaller but still significant improvements with a minimum investment of £25,000 per property. Part of this funding is also being invested in children’s play areas.

On 25th May, Air Commodore James Savage, DIO’s Head of Accommodation, visited homes at RAF Waddington to see the good progress for himself. He was accompanied by Gp Capt Steve Kilvington, RAF Waddington’s Station Commander, Air Cdre Alan Opie, the RAF’s Assistant Chief of Staff for Personnel Delivery, and Gp Capt Colin Owen, the RAF Housing Colonel. The group toured several of the properties currently being renovated and discussed the wider improvement programme. Most importantly, they welcomed Chf Tech Brindley and his family to their newly refurbished house.

Air Cdre James Savage, DIO’s Head of Accommodation, said:

It was a great pleasure to welcome Chf Tech Brindley and his family to their newly-renovated home. I’m sure they will be very happy there. This additional funding allows us to target some of the homes most in need of improvement and really make a difference to the home lives of people like Chf Tech Brindley and his family.

It’s fantastic to see how the works at RAF Waddington are transforming the homes of our military personnel and their families into attractive, modern living spaces.

Chf Tech Brindley said:

I am really pleased with our refurbished house. It’s been completely redecorated and finished to a high spec with a new kitchen and bathroom. It also has modern features I appreciate, like USB ports, and new windows which make it look smarter and will keep the house warmer in winter. I’m looking forward to some family time in our new house and I think these refurbishments will definitely benefit future families moving to RAF Waddington.

Group Captain Steve Kilvington, RAF Waddington Station Commander, said:

It is fantastic to see the results of Project Speed first hand, this is a significant whole force effort that directly impacts our service personnel and their families for the better. At RAF Waddington one of my key priorities is to look after our people and I know these improvements will have a hugely positive benefit, not just here but across the MOD.

Air Cdre Alan Opie, the RAF’s Assistant Chief of Staff for Personnel, said:

I was absolutely delighted to see the first handover of a refurbished home to an RAF family under Project Speed. It is the first of nearly 600 homes for RAF families that we will be modernised as part of this key programme and is exactly the type of improvement that our families are looking for. It is particularly fitting that the first investment in RAF homes was made here at RAF Waddington where our people continue to be committed extensively in support of military operations throughout the world.

Tim Redfern, Amey’s Managing Director Defence, said:

As Project Speed moves at pace, we continue to welcome Service families into their newly refurbished properties, providing them with bright, modern and energy efficient homes that will enhance their lived experience and drive down utility bills. We remain focused on our commitment to support DIO and the MOD to improve the quality of Armed Forces living accommodation across the UK.

The investment programme will provide work to dozens of companies, many of which will be small and medium enterprises local to the area. Project Speed will employ around 5000 people nationally.

Alongside the spending on family homes, DIO is investing £38-million of the £200-million funding on a nationwide Net Carbon Accommodation Programme and £6-million on refurbishing accommodation at Longmoor Training Camp. This will improve facilities for troops when they are training away from their permanent base. The remaining £34-million will be used for improvements to some Single Living Accommodation facilities in Army barracks, RAF stations and naval establishments.



OPSS Regulatory Excellence Awards 2021 winners announced

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) Regulatory Excellence Awards were held online this year with its largest ever audience of more than 250 people able to attend, including representatives from business organisations and public sector regulatory professionals.

Paul Scully MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and Minister for London, provided the opening address.

He said: “Thank you to all the organisations that have entered this year’s Regulatory Excellence Awards and for the cooperation and partnership working you were involved in with the Office for Product Safety and Standards. This year it is particularly important we celebrate outstanding regulatory practice in supporting businesses and protecting consumers.”

There were five award categories: Coronavirus, Better Business for All, Primary Authority, Innovation and Technical, and Product Safety.

Coronavirus

The winners demonstrated excellent regulatory practice in response to the pandemic. This included helping keep people safe whilst businesses trade, supporting businesses to comply with new regulations, and aiding recovery by helping them reopen.

Winner: Oxfordshire Coronavirus Regulatory Partners

Oxfordshire Regulatory Partners quickly realised that the challenges of coronavirus were best met jointly and developed a regulatory network together with public health partners. Sweeping away any barriers to collaboration, they built on local knowledge and expertise, used Government funding to increase coverage and influenced through regulatory excellence. They shared engagement and learning outcomes and partnered with national advisors and coordinators.

See the Oxfordshire Coronavirus Regulatory Partners Video

Highly Commended

Primary Authority Supermarket Health and Safety Covid Expert Panel

Directors of Public Protection Wales

Chorley and South Ribble Council

Environmental Health and Trading Standards Covid19 Expert Officer Group – ETC19

Commended

Lichfield District Council & Central England Co-op

Better Business for All

The winners delivered outstanding regulatory support at a local level.

Winner: Heart of the South West Better Business for All

Heart of the South West Better Business for All brought partners together from local authority economic development, trading standards and environmental health teams and business representatives. They produced and delivered guides and webinars for the business community and acted as a one stop shop for all things EU-Transition.

See the Heart of the South West Better Business for All video

Highly Commended

Cumbria Better Business for All Group

Commended

Sussex Better Business for All – Charcuterie

Primary Authority

The winners demonstrated exceptional achievements in using their primary authority partnerships to make regulation work for businesses.

Winner: Wakefield Metropolitan District Council & EC4 Hotel

The impact of coronavirus is huge on the hospitality sector’s income and that of their suppliers. EC4 Hotel Limited and their PA, Wakefield Council, took steps to mitigate this with:

  • A new delivery concept seizing the opportunity to use less productive time and empty rooms.

  • Working together on procedures to provide COVID safe accommodation and facilities to support haulier drivers who tested positive for COVID following a Lateral Flow Test.

  • Specifically targets drivers who do not have a UK residence to self-isolate or access a confirmatory PCR test.

  • Supporting infected drivers and keeping communities safe from COVID spread.

See the Wakefield Metropolitan District Council & EC4 Hotel Video

Highly Commended

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service in Partnership with NatWest Group

Commended

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association primary authority partnership with Salford City Council on behalf of the Greater Manchester Regulatory Centre of Excellence and the Shared Regulatory Services of Bridgend, Cardiff, and the Vale of Glamorgan

Innovation and Technical

The winners developed novel or technical solutions that contributed to protecting consumers and supporting business.

Winner: Glint Media Ltd t/a Menu Guide and Milton Keynes Council

Menu Guide delivers an innovative technical solution to managing allergens. This new tool helps food businesses create, edit and share interactive allergen menus online 24/7, via a scannable QR code or website short link.

By providing a single digital reference point for allergen information, Menu Guide saves time, supports staff training, reduces errors, and minimises risk. It’s a cost-effective way to fulfil legal requirements, keep customers safe and ensure repeat business.

See the Glint Media Ltd t/a Menu Guide and Milton Keynes Council Video

Highly Commended

Elmbridge Borough Council Food Team (in Environmental Health)

Commended

Bartosz Machelski – SSE/OVE Paul Brison – British Gas Callum Sheen – E.ON John Barden – EDF Dave Wright – Npower

Product Safety

The winners all made a significant contribution to product safety.

Winner: The Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association

The Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association is the UK trade association for the cosmetics and personal care industry and has worked since the referendum result to prepare the industry for the impact of Brexit. As the UK moved towards leaving the EU, much of 2020 was dedicated to ensuring the UK regulatory framework for cosmetics remains risk-based and science-led, ensuring consumer safety.

See the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association Video

Highly Commended

Electrical Safety First

Commended

Hillingdon Trading Standards

Outstanding Contribution to Local Communities

FareShare and the Royal Borough of Greenwich

An additional special award for Outstanding Contribution to Local Communities was given to the primary authority partnership between FareShare and the Royal Borough of Greenwich.

FareShare is the UK’s national network of charitable food redistributors, working with over 11,000 charities and community groups.  During Coronavirus, Fareshare was supported by its primary authority partnership to expand and vary its operations significantly to cater for the increased need for products from the charitable sector.

See the FareShare and the Royal Borough of Greenwich Video

Follow #RegEx2021 on Twitter to read more about the winners’ achievements.



Research by Dstl supports race to improve antibiotics

News story

A scientist at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) has revealed promising results during research study to improve antibiotic based therapies.

Scientist Adam Taylor in front of computer screens in the laboratory

Using a bacterial disease found in the tropics, Dstl scientist Adam Taylor has been working with Burkholderia pseudomallei, a bacterium that causes the disease melioidosis. This disease currently kills almost 90,000 and infects an estimated 165,000 people every year, symptoms including abscesses and pneumonia are common. Treatment of this disease is complex and lengthy; the bacterium is resistant to several antibiotic therapies.

The research is in two parts: phase 1 is researching how well existing antibiotics work, and phase 2 is improving the effectiveness of these antibiotics by specifically targeting them to infected immune cells using antibodies. This approach has the potential to reduce side effects, increase antibiotic effectiveness, increase specificity and reduce overall antibiotic use during therapy.

Adam Taylor said:

This work is absolutely crucial, we all know that antibiotic resistance is increasing all the time and the amount of new antibiotics cannot keep up with the pace of bacteria becoming resistant, so the global urgency is on to find new ways of treating antibacterial diseases.

I am among only a few scientists currently carrying out this research with this particular disease and I’ve already seen some really promising results. During the studies, I have captured data that shows we can improve how well the existing antibiotics used to treat this disease perform by linking them to an antibody.

It is thanks to the world-class facilities at the Dstl Porton Down site that Adam is able to carry out his research. The bacterium is extremely hazardous, however Dstl’s state-of-the-art high containment facility and its cutting edge equipment ensure this work can be carried out.

The research requires specialist imaging equipment and techniques. For example, a confocal microscope can be used to look inside the cells of the immune system, and by using florescent macrophage cells to simulate a bacterial infection the researcher can see what is happening inside the cells more easily.

Adam added:

It’s really exciting when you see positive results, sometimes you don’t believe what you’ve seen, so you do the test again, but it’s a really good feeling when you have discovered something that could really make a difference.

Adam’s PhD research is sponsored by the London School of Tropical Medicine, with initial results from the study expected for release in 2021.

Published 10 June 2021



Manchester man given suspended sentence for providing unqualified immigration advice and services.

Press release

Registration had previously been cancelled by the OISC.

A 36-year-old man who pleaded guilty at Manchester Crown Court, to two counts of providing unqualified immigration advice and two counts of providing immigration services, has received a suspended prison sentence.

Yasser Mahmood of Heywood Street, Manchester, was given a six-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, 20 days Rehabilitation Activity Requirement, 100 hours unpaid work and ordered to pay £480 compensation on 8 June.

Mr Mahmood provided unqualified immigration advice and services between October 2016 to February 2018 from offices in Cheetham Hill Road, Manchester despite his registration having been cancelled by the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) .

Specifically, he gave immigration advice about visa and entry clearance applications when not qualified to do so and corresponded on behalf of others with the Home Office, again when he was not qualified to do so.

Recorder Prior QC said: “You caused [a complainant] substantial difficulties and upset. He lost the right to work. He had to become dependent on benefits. He was categorised as an overstayer, which caused him some shame, and he was obliged to report to the immigration authorities. He tells us he lost his income as a result. The consequences for him were very substantial indeed. “

Immigration Services Commissioner John Tuckett said: “Mr Mahmood dishonestly allowed people to put their trust and future in him when he was not regulated and even misled a client.

“This sentence clearly demonstrates that if people are considering providing immigration advice, they must ensure that they are lawfully qualified to do so.”

Notes to Editors

  1. The OISC is an independent public body, established under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, to regulate the provision of immigration advice and services in the UK.

  2. Media queries to Cornelius Alexander, Corporate Communications Business Partner at the OISC via communications@oisc.gov.uk.

Published 10 June 2021