End of an era as housing boss Peter bows out

Wigan has said goodbye to the man who led the most extensive facelift of council homes in the borough’s history.

Tributes have been paid to Peter Gee, retiring chief executive of Wigan and Leigh Housing, by councillors, colleagues and tenants.

Mr Gee stepped down this week after 42 years of service to public housing – most recently as boss of the ‘arms length’ organisation (ALMO) that has overseen a multi-million pound transformation of the borough’s council stock, but previously as the council’s director of housing since 1994.

Friends and colleagues praised the man described by his deputy, Tony Gerrard, as a “perfect gentleman and a great colleague and boss.” He added: His commitment to Wigan, its tenants and his colleagues has been exemplary.”

John Roe, joint chair of Wigan and Leigh Housing, revealed it was only the prospect of renewing his working relationship with Peter – the two had worked together in Bolton - that tempted him into accepting the position.

Mr Roe said: “It’s not everyday you get to spend millions of pounds of government money, but Peter has been a marvellous leader of the organisation and it was a privilege to work with him.”

Tenants’ representative Des White, chairman of FOTARA, the Federation of Tenants and Residents Associations, paid Mr Gee a moving compliment. He said: “Many council tenants would love to be here in my place today.”

Quoting from the film ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ – a copy of which he presented to Peter on behalf of the borough’s tenants – Mr White said: “One man CAN make a difference. One man did.”

Colleagues past and present attended Mr Gee’s farewell party, and at a cabinet meeting later in the day, council leader Peter Smith praised Mr Gee’s influence on housing in the borough. He said: “It would be remiss of us if we didn’t put on record our thanks to Peter Gee for his many years’ outstanding contribution to the council and the tenants of our borough.”

Note to editors

1. Peter Gee is retiring after 42 years service in local government housing, most recently at the head of an organisation that won £137m to transform the borough’s council homes. Wigan’s ‘ALMO’ (arms-length management organisation) was set up under his watch and is still regarded as one of the best-performing in the country.
2. He first worked in Wigan during the 1970s and oversaw the large slum clearance programmes in Scholes and Wallgate, followed by a large programme of new council house building in Scholes and Worsley Mesnes.
3. After a spell with Bolton Council, he returned to Wigan in 1987 as deputy director of housing, taking over as director in 1994. He was responsible for introducing neighbourhood services across the borough in the mid 1990s.
4. Peter was appointed as first chief executive of the council’s arms length management organisation, Wigan and Leigh Housing, in 2001 and pioneered the establishment of the ALMO.
5. Mr Gee’s successor as chief executive of Wigan and Leigh Housing is Ashley Crumbley. Mr Crumbley was previously Wigan Council’s deputy director of community protection.