Interim chief exec of scandal-hit housing association steps down as she admits there's a 'way to go'

Rochdale Boroughwide Housing's (RBH) interim chief executive has stepped down after being brought in to turn the housing provider around following the death of tragic Awaab Ishak in 2020.

Yvonne Arrowsmith was appointed last December to the organisation which has more than 12,000 homes in the Rochdale area, as it was dealing with the aftermath of an inquest into Awaab's death.

Ms Arrowsmith has led RBH's recovery plan after it was found by the Regulator of Social Housing that the organisation 'missed opportunities' over a two-year period to tackle mould and damp issues.

READ MORE: He was Rochdale's forgotten boy... but now Awaab Ishak will always be remembered

She said: "This year, we have made significant progress on our recovery plan. We have made significant steps to make sure that your voice as tenants is heard, and we continue to make changes to improve our homes and the services that we provide. I can honestly say that RBH is in a much better place than it was.

"I know that there is still a way to go to embed the changes we have made and ensure that tenants remain at the centre of all we do."

In November 2022 the coroner's verdict linked mould and damp within the home to Awaab's death from a respiratory condition. After that it was revealed that hundreds of RBH homes still had mould and damp issues which needed to be dealt with.

As part of the RBH recovery plan, the board agreed to invest millions in improving existing homes, and it also brought forward plans to replace kitchens, bathrooms, and central heating systems in properties.

Following the tragic death of the two-year-old toddler, Awaab's family accused RBH of racism and called on the housing provider to "stop providing unfair treatment" to people