The new Chair of Warwickshire Rural Housing Association (WRHA) says she is looking forward to working more closely with residents and stakeholders to meet a growing demand for good quality rural housing.
Ruth Bagley, who joined the Board of WRHA in 2017, paid tribute to former Chair and founding member, Derrick Dyas, after stepping into her new role in the Association’s 30th anniversary year.
She says: “Under Derrick’s leadership WRHA now provides homes to almost 600 families, couples and individuals in 43 communities.
“We have also embraced innovative building technologies with the launch of our first Passivhaus scheme in Wootton Wawen in 2018, for which WRHA received the 24 Housing Award for Best Green Scheme.
“However, there are new challenges to face and we cannot rest on our laurels. The demand for good quality housing for families and others unable to buy a home is increasing.
“This is made worse by high house and land prices in rural Warwickshire and by the sources of funding for rural housing dwindling nationally.
“I want WRHA to continue to support local residents and their communities.”
Ruth brings to the role a wealth of experience as Chief Executive to two councils over a 16 year period, leading innovation in housing, development and regeneration, economic growth and inward investment, transport infrastructure and strategic planning.
She says: “My housing interest and commitment arose from facing the biggest affordability gap in the UK in the early 2000s.
“My Council adopted the highest UK target for social and affordable housing and was awarded Beacon status for its vision and achievement.
“I also led the comprehensive development planning and creation of a public/private partnership to deliver Sherford new town, a sustainable new community.”
Now working in a range of Board, partnership and project roles, Ruth remains passionate about securing the long-term social, economic and environmental transformation delivered by good quality, accessible and sustainable housing.
Ruth says she is particularly looking forward to working in partnership with WRHA’s residents and partner organisations.
She says: “I wish us to work more closely with our residents who are a valued and valuable source of ideas, to ensure that we understand their needs, that we improve our services and respond in a customer-focused way.
“By building on the national Together with Tenants code we will achieve a Warwickshire Way of engaging with our residents wherever they are in the county.
“We have developed excellent relationships with our many partner and funding bodies. I want to deepen and grow our collaboration with public and private colleagues and work together in pursuit of our shared housing, social and economic objectives.
“WRHA has a passionate, hard-working and effective staff team. We have recently renewed our board membership, consolidating the experience of long-standing members and attracting new members with ideas, skills and a track record in housing and related fields.
“We are confident in our future viability, but we also wish to grow and re-invest. By providing new affordable housing we will ensure that local people can support their families, their communities and the rural economy.
“By maintaining and upgrading our existing homes we will seek to ensure that all our residents benefit from environmental improvements and reduced running costs.
“To achieve that, we must be innovative in the way we work, as we seek to provide and maintain much-needed affordable homes for local people and families who would not otherwise be able to afford to live in the communities where they have grown up, work or have close family ties.”
