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Increasing Housing affordability and supply

Structure

The NHPAU is an advisory Non-Departmental Public Body sponsored by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG). It is independent from the DCLG and has its own role and responsibilities. The annual budget for the NHPAU is up to £2m. The Chair and 5 members make up the Expert Panel/Board of the NHPAU and are ultimately responsible to Ministers for the NHPAU's performance.

These are the first appointments to the Expert Board of the NHPAU and will provide the opportunity to lay the foundations for the effectiveness of this body and the advice it provides. The Board will steer the work of the supporting technical analytical unit of 10-12 staff. The supporting unit will be headed by a senior civil servant and will include economists, statisticians, researchers and support staff. The unit is expected to be in place by November.

The Board will comprise leading experts from the field of housing who will help to build intellectual consensus on issues associated with housing market affordability and to ensure the credibility of the advice published by the Unit. The Panel will be the public face of the NHPAU and may be called upon to appear at the Examination in Public stage of the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) process. As part of RSS process, the Secretary of State for DCLG may appoint a panel to hold a Public Examination into the draft Strategy. The panel selects matters and participants for the Examination. The Secretary of State then consults on changes to the draft strategy in light of the panel's recommendations and issues the final version.

In setting up the new Board, the Chair and Board Members are being recruited at the same time. For future appointments, the Chair will play a role with DCLG in the selection process.