Summary
Overview
Work history
Education
Skills
Affiliations
Hobbies and Past times
Timeline
Generic

MELVILLE ELLIS EVANS

Rhuthun,Sir Ddinbych

Summary

PROFILE SUMMARY


  • Inspirational and authentic housing leader driven by values with over 25 years experience as housing professional working in the housing association, local authority and commercial housing sectors


  • Extensive knowledge of the Welsh and UK housing sectors


  • Passionately committed to Welsh communities and affordable housing sector, in particular, the material positive difference positive work which the sector made to people's lives and communities


  • Senior leader with impressive track record of delivering major programmes of change, whilst working successfully with a broad range of partners and stakeholders, successfully balancing competing agendas and service priorities.

Overview

27
27
years of professional experience
11
11
years of post-secondary education

Work history

Interim Chief Executive

Grwp Cynefin
03.2023 - Current
  • Have led the Grwp Cynefin Group following self referral to the Welsh Housing Regulator in March 2023


  • Role has required strategic management of up to 330 staff and an annual turnover of £.. and a loan portfolio of £.... keeping to our core values and principles as a Welsh-speaking organisation committed to the success of our communities and people


  • Successfully directed staffing requirements, managed priorities and coordinated workflows to uphold commitments made within the Voluntary Undertaking, Corporate Objectives and other service priorities


  • Re-set the culture and vision for the Group and newly established Senior Leadership Team during this period which have stabilised the organisation, ensuring it has continued to deliver key services and programmes of work during a period of unprecedented financial, regulatory and service risk and uncertainty for the business and our customers and stakeholders


  • Led negotiations and discussions with lenders transparently and consistently since March 2023, advising them of the regulatory down-grading situation, the causes, the impacts, actions and progress being taken to address the problem. This approach has instilled confidence in Grwp Cynefin


  • Informed and led the recruitment of new Chair and co-option of 5 new Board Members to the Grwp Cynefin Board during the last 9 months which have increased skills and knowledge in key areas of housing finance, governance, risk management, governance and organisational change.


  • Have continued to lead the Innovation and Growth Department throughout this period

Director of Innovation and Growth

Grwp Cynefin
Denbigh
09.2021 - Current
  • Support the Board and former Senior Leadership Team to define and deliver Grwp Cynefin's Corporate Plan, facilitating workshop sessions with senior managers and staff on revised Corporate Objectives for 2023/24 to agree on new priorities for the organisation


  • Provide vision, leadership and ensure the delivery of new homes into management, identifying opportunities and for further sustainable growth in partnership with housing associations, developers and Welsh Government


  • Led on the successfully completion of the previously stalling Extra Care scheme at Awel y Dyffryn Denbigh and bringing forward Llys Awelon Phase 2, Ruthin which had stalled for over 3 years;


  • Led on the development of Grwp Cynefin's first Sustainability Strategy and successful bid of £5.4M to Welsh Government to secure Retrofit Programme Funding to decarbonise tenants' homes


  • Led on the rationalisation of Grwp Cynefin's office space consulting with affected staff, leading to the disposal of two existing offices, with a further 3 scheduled for disposal this financial year (23/24)


  • Became Board representative for Grwp Cynefin on Canllaw and Denbighshire and Conwy Care and Repair agencies in September 2022.

Housing Development Manager

Clwyd Alyn Housing Association
St Asaph
05.2021 - 08.2021
  • Led planning and development teams in achieving key business objectives


  • Evaluated project progress and implemented tactics to achieve growth targets.


  • Implemented a number of plans to deliver 400 social homes and intermediate new homes in Anglesey, Denbighshire and Flintshire


  • Ensuring community value is built into every development; shaping places, investing locally, providing opportunity and raising aspirations.

Service Manager Housing Programmes

Flintshire County Council
06.2015 - 03.2021


  • Responsible for a wide range of housing services with a significant budget (£6m per annum revenue budget, and capital budget £30M a year) and responsibility for 35 staff


  • Including Strategic Housing and Regeneration Programme (SHARP), Housing Strategy, Homelessness and Tenancy Deposit Scheme, private rented sector, Syrian Refugee settlement Programme,, Gypsy Strategy, including management of Council-run sites and dealing with unauthorised encampments


  • Led the establishment and running of commercial housing company North East Wales Homes in 2015 (the first of its such in Wales), with remit to improve offer for households looking to enter the intermediate rented sector in Flintshire whilst generating a surplus for the Council Fund


  • By the end of 2021 Financial Year End (FYE), Northeast Wales Homes managed 216 units andachieved an operating surplus of £120K for Flintshire County Council (as its sole shareholder)


  • Led on the development of a Development Agreement between Council and private developer on Council-owned land, delivering 160 private and affordable sales units, together with capital receipt of £3.2M to the Council, plus premium from every private property sold on the open market.

Strategic Housing and Regeneration Programme Manager

Flintshire County Council
06.2014 - 06.2015
  • Set the vision and led the Council's Strategic Regeneration and Housing Programme (SHARP), the Council's first affordable housing development programme for a generation


  • Led on the competitive dialogue procurement process that was co‐developed with tenderers, over several months, developing alternative proposals in response to the Council's outline requirements for its housing construction programme including social investment


  • Successful delivery included completion of the Flint Master Plan Regeneration Programme, which included demolition of 240 council property low quality maisonettes and delivery of 100 new social and affrodable homes, Extra Care Centre and new medical centre. This project won the prestigious "Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) Wales for Planning Excellence" in 2018.


  • Up to 2021 the SHARP had completed 447 affordable and 112 private schemes.

Flintshire Connects Programme Manager

Flintshire County Council
05.2011 - 05.2014
  • Led on the organisational transformation programme, working closely with the Council Executive, Council Cabinet and service managers to deliver five new Flintshire in Connect Centre Hubs in Holywell, Flint, Connah's Quay, Mold and Buckley


  • The Flintshire Connects programme bought together Flintshire County Council, North Wales Police, Job Centre Plus and other partner organisations, to deliver high quality customer focused services to the public and vulnerable individuals in the community that find it difficult to access services online or by phone


  • Scheme generated significant efficiencies for the Council by bringing a broad range of customer-facing services under a single point of contact for the customer


  • Scheme supported the regeneration of town centres by sharing both capital and revenue costs with strategic partners and also bought previously redundant or under used buildings back into use.

Other Roles

Various Employers
09.1996 - 09.2011
  • September 2008 to April 2011 Housing Strategy Manager at Flintshire County Council, County Hall, Mold, Flintshire


  • June 2002 to August 2008 Senior Performance Officer at Cymdeithas Tai Clwyd / Cymdeithas Tai Eryri Housing Associations, 54 Vale Street, Denbigh, Denbighshire


  • May 1999 to May 2002 Senior Housing Officer at Cymdeithas Tai Clwyd Housing Association, 54 Vale Street, Denbigh, Denbighshire


  • June 1998 to April 1999 Rent Arrears Officer at Cymdeithas Tai Clwyd, 54 Vale Street, Denbigh, Denbighshire


  • June 1997 to January 1998 Graduate Trainee at Cymdeithas Tai Clwyd 54 Vale Street, Denbigh, Denbighshire undertaking a broad range of roles including housing management, repairs and maintenance, housing development and tenant participation.

Education

Postgraduate Diploma - Housing Management

University of Wales
Cardiff
09.1996 - 06.1998

BA (Hons) - Environmental Management

University of Wales
09.1992 - 06.1995

GCSEs -

Ysgol Brynhyfryd
Ruthin
09.1984 - 06.1991

Skills


  • Strong communications skills with the ability to constructively challenge ideas, articulate information through the medium of Welsh and English
  • Excellent networking and relationship building skills
  • High levels of personal drive with the ability to drive success, seize opportunities
  • Committed to excellence,
  • Strong problem solving skills with the ability to generate ideas, explore possibilities and develop tangible strategies
  • Advanced leadership skills with the ability to make decisions and empower others
  • Commercially astute whilst socially driven
  • Excellent emotional intelligence
  • Excellent team building skills

Affiliations

Member of Chartered Institute of Housing

Hobbies and Past times

I am passionate about being the best father and partner I can be to my wonderful family. I am extremely fortunate that I have a loving and supportive partner, Laura and two wonderful, happy and healthy children Gracie and Ellis.  I love living in beautiful North Wales and enjoy walking, cycling and paddle boarding with my family and friends.  I am passionate about the environment


I enjoy watching sport, particularly football and cricket - having played and managed at a decent level at both when I was younger.  I have also previously been the chair of Ruthin Memorial Playing Field Association.  

Timeline

Interim Chief Executive

Grwp Cynefin
03.2023 - Current

Director of Innovation and Growth

Grwp Cynefin
09.2021 - Current

Housing Development Manager

Clwyd Alyn Housing Association
05.2021 - 08.2021

Service Manager Housing Programmes

Flintshire County Council
06.2015 - 03.2021

Strategic Housing and Regeneration Programme Manager

Flintshire County Council
06.2014 - 06.2015

Flintshire Connects Programme Manager

Flintshire County Council
05.2011 - 05.2014

Other Roles

Various Employers
09.1996 - 09.2011

Postgraduate Diploma - Housing Management

University of Wales
09.1996 - 06.1998

BA (Hons) - Environmental Management

University of Wales
09.1992 - 06.1995

GCSEs -

Ysgol Brynhyfryd
09.1984 - 06.1991

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MELVILLE ELLIS EVANS