RBH appoints chief executive

Amanda Newton will join the housing association from her role as executive director at Livv Housing in the autumn, replacing Yvonne Arrowsmith.

Arrowsmith took on the role of interim chief executive of Rochdale Housing Group in December 2022. She replaced Gareth Swarbrick, who was removed from the position amid an investigation into the death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak from prolonged exposure to mould at an RBH home.

The government investigation found “significant failings” in how the company dealt with mould and dampness at its properties. An independent Housing Ombudsman report in March confirmed the government’s results and concluded that there were issues with how RBH treated its tenants.

In her new role as permanent chief executive of RBH, Newton will lead the team of 550 and continue to deliver their recovery and improvement plan.

Newton was the special projects manager for the government’s Social Housing Regulator from December 2008 until December 2012, before moving on to director roles at Plus Dane Housing and First Ark.

Newton said: “Having the opportunity to lead an organisation like RBH, which is anchored in its communities and has a real ambition to do great things for its tenants, is an honour and a privilege.

“I’m looking forward to moving forward with the recovery plan – working alongside the board, the representative body, and brilliant colleagues to rebuild an organisation that focuses on its tenants, the quality of its homes, and the value that it brings to the wider community.”

Newton’s hire follows the appointment of Kevin Brady as the new chair of RBH in April in an effort to ‘rebuild trust’.

Brady welcomed Newton’s appointment: “I am looking forward to working together to drive forward our recovery plan at pace and embed our new governance arrangements.

“Amanda brings a wealth of experience from across the public, private, and social housing sectors”, he continued.

“Her experience in implementing large-scale transformation programmes, aligned to an unrelenting customer focus, will be a formidable asset to RBH as we reshape our services around our tenants and the quality of our homes.”