Longhurst Group's Movers and Shakers

This year has probably been the most challenging in Longhurst Group’s nine year history, with the recent economic recession and subsequent changes to the housing sector. However, thanks to staff’s fundamental support and enthusiasm and movers and shakers, they’ve adapted to the challenges and achieved many successes, including:

• Spire Homes’ successful Rutland County Council stock transfer vote which saw 87.1% of tenants voting yes for the transfer of their homes to Spire
• Group achieving 73.5% employee satisfaction in their employee satisfaction survey, placing them in the top 16% of all companies
• The amalgamation of member companies Longhurst Homes and Havelok Homes to form Longhurst & Havelok Homes at the beginning of October
• Group exceeding all development targets, with completions 17% above target for the year
• Friendship Care and Housing receiving recognition from Birmingham City Council’s Supporting People team for delivering excellent support services, based on an in-depth review and stakeholder and service user feedback

A number of new roles have been created to enable the Group to create efficiency savings to allow them to redeploy key staff and equip them for the future.

Peter Osborne has been appointed Managing Director. Peter’s new role will see him work to continuously improve all the services Group provide and ensure they have a clear business excellence agenda. He joins Longhurst Group from the position of MD at Havelok Homes.

Yvonne Lowe also joins Longhurst Group from Havelok Homes where she was the Director of Housing, Maintenance and Business Support. Yvonne’s new role of Director of Business Excellence will see her question the systems, policies and practices used across the Group and support the business to ensure that all member companies deliver the best possible services to their customers and implement best practice.

Another recent key change is the retirement of Longhurst Group’s Chairman, Barrie Gosling. Barrie has stepped down as Chairman to take a new role of President, a less involved role that will see him continue in the business for the next two years.

David Armes takes over as Chairman of Longhurst Group following 12 years as Chairman of Longhurst Homes.

Barrie said: “I have enjoyed my role immensely and believe that Longhurst Group is in good shape to face the challenges ahead and will continue to flourish in the future.”

The finance function across the Group has also been centralised with all member company finance staff transferred to the parent company.

Longhurst Group is the parent company of dynamic team of housing companies including Longhurst Homes & Havelok Homes, Friendship Care and Housing, Spire Homes and Keystone Developments.