Retiring Hugh laid the housing foundations

EARLY retirement . . . Hugh Broadbent

‘I’m proud to have played my part in what has been achieved’

OLDHAM will witness the end of an era tomorrow when Hugh Broadbent, in all probability with a heavy heart, walks away from his role at the helm of social housing provision in the borough.

For 15 years, this adopted Oldhamer whose love of real ale initially brought him among us, has been in charge of the the council’s homes and apartments, not to mention sheltered housing accommodation.

Tomorrow, the 58-year-old will take early retirement, handing over the reins to a new chief executive just as Oldham’s largest social housing provider enters yet another new era.

Over a lovely cup of frothy Lavazza coffee — which he makes himself as this is a personal touch — in his office at Medtia Square, Mr Broadbent, said: “The time is right — I have had 15 years at the helm of housing in Oldham, 15 wonderful years and I am proud to have played my part in what has been achieved.

“But as of next Wednesday, when the council is due to formally accept the wishes of the vast majority of our tenants, First Choice Homes will be changing once again and the board saw the benefits of suggestion that I should take early retirement and put a new leadership in place ahead of the change.”

A Leeds man who was educated at Newcastle University, Mr Broadbent, who now lives in what he smilingly calls “Animal Farm” in the valley between Delph and Denshaw, arrived in Oldham via Prestwich, where he originally lived with his wife Wendy.

“As an adopted Oldhamer I have come to call this my home. It was a happy circumstance that I came to work here in 1995,” he added.

In that year he was appointed director of Housing at Oldham Council, joining from Bolton where he spent 11 years in the housing department.

Prior to that he had worked in Newcastle, starting the local authority’s planning section before making a proactive move into housing “because in housing you can make things happen, you can make a positive difference to people’s lives,” he said.

Mr Broadbent has “absolutely no regrets” about choosing a professional life in the demanding sector of social housing provision and has many happy memories.

He said: “There is a feeling that unless you are an owner- occupier then you are somehow not doing the right thing.

“Successive governments have promoted the idea of home ownership and Oldham’s housing stock has been been diminished by the Right to Buy scheme, among other reasons.

“When I came to Oldham the council had 18,000 properties, now that figure is down to 11,800. And while it isn’t a bad thing, not everyone wants to own their own home.

“I have spoken to a great deal of our tenants over the years and asked why they haven’t applied to buy their homes and the great majority have described being a tenant of FCHO as being ‘hassle free’.

“That’s a lovely testament to all the staff — we take our jobs and our role seriously and we’re proud to provide that service.”

That service will be changing as of mid-January, 2011, all things being equal, when Mr Broadbent will watch with a detached air as he takes to his mountain bike and looks after the family’s array of animals. He won’t be entirely inactive, he has already been appointed to the role of part-time chairman of Six Towns Housing, Bury’s equivalent of FCHO, and is looking forward to bringing his experience to that job.

“It’s supposed to be two or three days a month, but I know from experience that won’t be the case, not at all. . .” he adds.

That experience includes being at the forefront when Oldham Council was one of the first local authorities in the country to respond to a government initiative to create an ALMO — an arms-length management organisation.

The incentive was to achieve service standards to a two-star level — which FCHO managed within 12 months. This in turn led to national government investment of £84 million in Oldham’s council housing stock via the Decent Homes programme.

Without making a success of the ALMO, these funds —which were applied to the external fabric of every property to make them wind-proof, waterproof and insulated — that money simply would not have been spent in Oldham.

“The next stage is to fix the interiors — new bathrooms and kitchens are what our tenants want and what they get once we become a Registered Social Landlord,” he added.

Mr Broadbent is also aware that Oldham’s new RSL must look ahead to finding more homes — after all, there are 11,800 properties in the portfolio and 6,000 people on the waiting list.

Only last week he took delivery of the keys to 32 new homes in Hollinwood — “the first time in my career in housing that I have been involved in supplying new homes.”

Hopefully all that is about to change. Hugh Broadbent has laid the foundations. Oldham can be grateful for his contribution.

And the real ale connection? He used to visit the Ram’s Head at Denshaw which led to he and Wendy spotting a house for sale which they subsequently bought. The rest, as they say, is history.