The Legal Services Board (LSB) has announced Richard Blakeway as its preferred candidate for the post of chair of the Office for Legal Complaints (OLC).
The LSB’s recommendation, which came about after an open competition, has been approved by the minister of state for justice, Sarah Sackman KC MP.
Blakeway was appointed as housing ombudsman in 2019 and had previously announced he would step down after his second term. According to LSB communications, he led “major changes at the service following the Grenfell Tower fire, including an expansion of its role and powers as part of wider regulatory reform”.
Prior to that, Blakeway was chair of the Homes for London board and appointed deputy mayor for housing when investment and land regeneration powers were devolved to the Greater London Authority.
Other board roles past and present include The British Library, where he also sits on the audit and risk and capital projects committees, the Chartered Institute of Housing and government regeneration agency, Homes England.
Blakeway will now appear before the Justice Select Committee for pre-appointment scrutiny in March 2026. Subject to the committee’s scrutiny, he will succeed Elisabeth Davies, whose second term of office ends on 31 March 2026.
The OLC is the board of the Legal Ombudsman for England and Wales. The OLC chair commits approximately 60 days a year to their work on the board, for which an annual fee of £52,500 is paid.
