Written evidence from The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (NED08)

Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee

The Role of Non-Executive Directors in Government inquiry

Introduction

1. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities welcomes the opportunity to submit evidence to the Committee’s inquiry into the role of Non-Executive Directors in Government. This evidence is intended to complement that submitted by the Cabinet Office.

The roles and activities of non-executives

2. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities supports communities across the UK to thrive, making them great places to live and work. Our work includes investing in local areas to drive growth and create jobs; delivering the homes our country needs; supporting our community and faith groups; and overseeing local government, planning and building safety.

3. The department currently has five Non-Executive Board Members (NEBMs) on its Board. The Board’s primary focus is on assessing delivery performance and it advises on five main areas:

• Strategy - setting the vision and ensuring all activities, either directly or indirectly, contribute towards it.

• Commercial matters - approving the distribution of responsibilities and ensuring sound financial management.
• Capability - ensuring the department has the capability to deliver and to plan to meet current and future needs.
• Performance - agreeing the operational business plan and monitoring and steering performance against the plan
• Management information - ensuring clear, consistent, and comparable information is used to drive improvements and monitor performance.

4. NEBMs provide advice, challenge and rigour on the Department’s strategic aims and assess and enhance delivery performance. They use their external expertise to inform the department’s decision-making processes and are encouraged to support cross-cutting activities where they can add value. NEBMs are asked by the department to provide advice on specific issues related to their individual skillsets such as digital, local government, and corporate governance.

5. In addition to their roles and responsibilities as departmental board members, all NEBMs are members of the Non-Ministerial Board (comprised of NEBMs and the Executive Team) and several are also members of the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee. They sit on departmental portfolio boards and meet monthly to provide challenge on the department’s Performance Report. NEBMs also undertake or assist on a range of departmental activities and projects based on the department’s priorities and the individual NEBM’s area of expertise. NEMBs also play a crucial role in the assurance process for major projects, by scrutinising projects and programmes selected for review each quarter by the Accounting Officer.

Experience and expertise

6. To support the department to deliver its business and strategic aims, NEBMs are required to possess:

• Board-level experience in executive or non-executive leadership roles from the public, private or voluntary sector
• An understanding of the key issues facing the civil service and/or public sector and an ability to influence and shape these challenges
• An understanding of the sectors and partners with which the department operates, and their commercial drivers 
• The ability to challenge received wisdom by scrutinising advice and decision-making.
• Sound judgement, integrity and an understanding of and commitment to the Seven Principles of Public Life.

7. To assist the department in delivering its programme of work we also look for NEBMs to bring particular knowledge or experience of its core business areas including:
• Local and devolved government, with a strong focus on the Levelling Up agenda
• Housing, planning and building safety
• Working with communities, tackling religious extremism
• Regional policy including relating to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
• Corporate matters such as governance and assurance.

July 2022

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