Appointment of Mo Baines as Lead Non-Executive Director
Mo Baines has been appointed as Lead Non-Executive Director for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
We are pleased to announce that聽Mo Baines has been appointed as Lead Non-Executive Director (NED) for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). Her appointment聽will be聽for a聽three-year term聽up to 15 March 2029.聽聽
Steve Reed, MHCLG Secretary聽of State聽said:聽
鈥淚 am delighted that Mo Baines will be聽continuing in her聽role of Lead Non-Executive Director. Mo has already made a strong contribution to the department during her interim tenure, bringing valuable insight from her extensive work across local government and the wider public sector.聽
鈥淗er continued leadership on the Board comes at聽an important time聽for MHCLG, and I look forward to working closely with her, our聽ministers聽and our Executive Team as we build on our progress and strengthen how we deliver for the communities we serve.鈥澛犅�
MHCLG Lead Non-Executive Director, Mo Baines said:鈥�
鈥淚 am honoured to be聽substantively聽appointed as the Lead Non-Executive Director for MHCLG. Having served聽as Interim聽Lead NED聽since October 2024, I have seen first-hand the dedication and professionalism of colleagues across the department.聽I am delighted to continue working聽the Ministerial Team,聽Executive聽to support strong governance, provide聽constructive聽challenge, and contribute to the important work we deliver for communities nationwide.鈥澛�
For more information:聽
About Mo Baines聽
Mo Baines joined the Board of the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government in October 2024.鈥�
Mo has extensive experience of working in public policy and local government, with a particular background in service delivery models, local government聽finance聽and聽research.鈥� She is the Chief Executive at the Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) and visiting professor at the University of Staffordshire鈥檚 Centre for Business,聽Innovation聽and the Regions.鈥�
Mo has served in聽a number of聽other public sector roles over the course of her career, including as Head of Communications and Deputy Chief Executive of APSE, prior to her appointment as Chief Executive. Mo has authored and contributed to聽a number of聽public policy research papers and publications on service delivery and insourcing,聽housing聽and planning, workforce matters and local government finance. Mo has throughout her career worked closely with public sector trade unions, local councils and councillors across the UK and is passionate about the value of local government services to communities.鈥�
As Lead NED, Mo will continue to play聽a central role聽in supporting the Secretary of State, Permanent Secretary and Executive Team by:聽
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providing聽independent advice, challenge and assurance on departmental strategy, performance,聽risk聽and governance聽
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supporting the effectiveness of the MHCLG Board and its聽sub鈥慶ommittees聽
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working closely with fellow NEDs to bring external insight and聽expertise聽to the department鈥檚 work聽
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advising on leadership, organisational聽capability聽and delivery聽
About the MHCLG Board鈥�
The Departmental Board is chaired by the聽Secretary of State, and聽comprises聽all junior ministers, senior officials, the Lead Non-Executive聽and non-executive board members (appointed by the聽Secretary of State聽in accordance with聽Cabinet Office guidelines).鈥� The board meets quarterly, with overarching responsibility for departmental performance and delivery.鈥�
The Board provides overall leadership for the department鈥檚 business, as well as advice, support and challenge on the delivery and performance of key policy areas and programmes against priority outcomes.