Report of the Board and Operating Financial Review
Introduction
The Board of Management presents its report and audited consolidated financial statements for Accord Housing Association and its
subsidiary undertakings (operating as Accord Group) for the year ended 31 March 2016. The principal activity of the Accord Group is the
provision and management of housing and appropriate support services for people in need.
This financial year has been a year of both opportunity and challenge for the Accord Group. The continuing contraction of public sector
finances has seen pressure on pricing and service continuity for Local Authorities and other commissioning bodies. Throughout this
period of financial change in the public sector Accord has worked to protect services for the benefit of communities and commissioning
bodies alike. This has been achieved through working closely with commissioning partners to understand the real needs of the
community and developing innovative service models which meet these needs in a way which ensures demonstrable value for money.
Delivering the social and moral obligations which lie at the heart of Accord’s values and objectives have been successfully balanced with
a responsible approach to the Group’s financial management. Whilst remaining financially strong Accord has delivered significant housing
and care services to our communities whilst supporting the government in the delivery of new housing supply.
Corporate governance
The Group is controlled and governed through the Group Board of Management which comprises the following non-executive members
and one executive member.
Group Board
Group Finance, Risk and Audit Committee
Group Remuneration Committee
Akshay Parikh
Chair/NED
Barrie Blower
NED
Shahana Khan
Deputy Chair/NED
Andrew Potter
NED
Ghulam Shabar
NED
Elisabeth Buggins
Deputy Chair/NED
Lola Abudu
NED
Simon Eastwood
NED
Jon Crockett
NED
Chris Handy
ED
Chair
Chair
NED – Non Executive Director ED – Executive Director
The Group Board of Management meets formally four times a year in addition to a number of training and briefing sessions. Members
also attend conferences and training courses where appropriate and where demonstrable added value is achieved. The Accord Group is
committed to the principles of good governance and a high standard of business integrity in everything it does; as a result the Group has
adopted the NHF Code of Excellence in Governance. This Code sets out a number of principles outlined below, which the Group Board of
Management assesses its compliance against:
n Compliance with the code
n Conduct of the Board and Committee business
n Constitution and composition of the Board
n Audit and risk
n Essential functions of the Board and Chair
n The Chief Executive
n Board skills, renewal and review
n Conduct, probity and openness
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Accord Group