Pat Ritchie has today been appointed as interim chief executive of the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA).

Ritchie is the HCA’s current director for the north-east and will take over from Sir Bob Kerslake as chief executive on 1 November.

Kerslake is moving to the Department for Communities and Local Government, where he will be permanent secretary. A permanent appointment will be made next year.

The HCA has been forced to cut £610m of funding for projects during the current financial year, and is likely to be shrunk as part of the October spending review in two weeks.

The HCA said Ritchie would lead it through a “significant period of change” including turning it into a smaller “enabling and investment organisation”.

It said it chose to recruit internally because it wanted a chief executive with knowledge of the agency to manage the transition.

Ritchie said: “The job will be extremely challenging, as we reshape the HCA to support the government’s commitment to localism and drive out the best possible value for public money.

“The HCA has an important long term role and a strong offer to make to local authorities to help deliver their ambitions.”

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