A revised regulation plan from the watchdog reveals that Muirhouse has taken action to address the issues that led to the Regulator’s intervention.

The Regulator appointed a manager as well as three members to Muirhouse’s governing body in December 2014 after it identified serious weaknesses in the Association’s governance and financial management.

Muirhouse completed a strategic review of the organisation’s governance and financial management in spring 2015 taking into account the risks and weaknesses identified. It agreed a detailed action plan to address these issues and ensure Muirhouse complies with Regulatory Standards. During 2015 Muirhouse made good progress with its action plan and addressed the immediate issues that led to our statutory intervention. It recruited a new chair and began the process of recruiting new Board members.

The managerial appointment was ended in December 2015 following this progress.

The Regulator reviewed the statutory appointments to Muirhouse’s governing body again this month and found Muirhouse had further strengthened its Board and had worked on its programme of improvement actions to ensure it fully complies with Regulatory Standards. Muirhouse had improved its governance and financial management and had given assurance about its financial position. It recruited a new chief executive and finance and corporate services manager.

Due to these improvements the Regulator decided to end the appointments of the three additional members to the governing body.

Ian Brennan, director of finance and risk at the Scottish Housing Regulator, said: “We have decided not to extend these statutory appointments to the governing body because Muirhouse has taken the necessary steps to address the issues that led to our intervention.

“With the support of the governing body members and the work of the appointed manager, Muirhouse has made significant improvements in important areas of its governance and financial management. It is now in a much stronger position and it has clear plans in place to continue to improve.

“We would like to thank the three appointees to the governing body for the substantial contribution that they made in assisting Muirhouse.”

Muirhouse Housing Association chair, Bob McDougall, said: “It is immensely gratifying to see our hard work and efforts being rewarded with this reduction in oversight. It is tribute to the combined efforts of the staff and board to make Muirhouse an exemplar of good practice for the future.”

The Regulator will continue to have high engagement with Muirhouse in the coming months as it manages an intensive period of change and improvement.