More of What Matters
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Dedicated to giving our best C M From achieving recognition as a real living wage employer, to protecting Y K the environment. PMS ??? We make a difference PMS ??? Strengthening our community commitment with Dementia UK. PMS ??? PMS ??? Fighting online fraud Non-printing Investing in new technology to make Colours your online experience even safer. COLOUR COLOUR JOB LOCATION: PRINERGY 3 More of what matters 1 AGM 2020: Make your vote count Read more inside LDS00099_M43099A-Mag2020.indd 1 20/02/2020 15:51 2019 Highlights Savings 46,000 £88.5m new savings annual benefit to members our savers Mortgages helped helped over 36,000 10,000 more people people buy their have the home first home they want People over 91% 6,000 member volunteering hours satisfaction invested by our rate* colleagues Environment We’ve purchased 96% CO2 emission 100% reduction between renewable 2016 and 2019 electricity kg *2 Overall member satisfaction is 91% in a survey of 5,948 members from January - December 2019. LDS00099_M43099A-Mag2020.indd 2 20/02/2020 16:38 Contents Highlights 2019 Highlights 2 Welcome from our Chairman 4 2019 CEO Review 6 2019 in Review Working for you 10 Doing more of what you want 12 Making a difference where it matters 14 Dedicated to giving our best 16 helped over AGM 10,000 people buy their Attending the Annual General Meeting 18 first home You vote, we donate 19 Notice of Annual General Meeting 20 Financial Statement Board of Directors 22 Summary Financial Statement 25 Directors’ Remuneration Report 28 Get involved. You have a say in the way we do things – so make it count! We’ll make a charity donation of 10p for every paper form and 20p for every online vote returned. Find out more about this year’s AGM on pages 18–21 or vote online now at www.leedsbuildingsociety.co.uk/voting kg More of what matters 3 LDS00099_M43099A-Mag2020.indd 3 20/02/2020 15:51 Welcome from our Chairman Year ended In my final year as Chairman, I’m pleased to report Leeds Building Society has once 31 December 2019 again delivered a good financial performance in 2019 despite intense competition in our core savings and mortgage markets, prolonged uncertainty around the UK’s future relationship with Europe and a snap General Election. We remain focused on sustainable growth by delivering value to our members and helping them save and have the home they want. As a result our assets increased to over £20 billion for the first time in our history. This, combined with a focus on efficiency and managing costs led to a good level of profit, enabling us to increase our capital and reserves, and further invest in improving our technology and service for the long term benefit of our members. Economic background The uncertainty around the UK’s expected Rates paid to savers increased modestly departure from the EU has prevailed for at the start of the year but have since over three years and continues to influence reduced as providers reacted to the economic landscape. Consumer competitive market conditions10. confidence remains weak1 and market activity has been subdued. Regulation Growth of the UK economy has continued The busy regulatory agenda shows no sign to slow in 20192. Unemployment levels are of abating. Your Society has continued to at near record lows, however, earnings review and prepare for any changes, as well growth slowed in the second half of the as monitoring the key areas of focus of the year and earnings in real terms have only BoE, Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) recently recovered to levels seen prior to and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). 3 the 2008 to 2009 recession . Inflation The FCA mortgage and savings market remained close to the Bank of England’s reviews continued to progress, with a (BoE’s) 2% target until July then fell particular focus on better access to consistently month-on-month ending the products and services for consumers. We 4 year at 1.3% . Inflation is projected to remain committed to providing products remain below the BoE’s target this year and that meet the needs of our members and 5 most of 2021 . will continue to review these in line with any Bank Base Rate (BBR) remained at 0.75% emerging regulatory guidance. throughout 2019 and market expectations Throughout the year we have also reviewed 6 indicate a fall to 0.5% by Q3 2020 . and refreshed our approach to customer The UK mortgage market has contracted vulnerability, enabling us to identify and with gross lending of £268 billion in 2019, respond to customer needs more quickly down 0.4% year-on-year7, and buyer and effectively. demand remains subdued despite an uplift in enquiries at estate agencies in the final month of the year8. Intense competition in the mortgage market remains with average new mortgage rates falling further9. 4 More of what matters LDS00099_M43099A-Mag2020.indd 4 20/02/2020 15:51 We continue to monitor and plan for He was Chief Executive of Yorkshire Welcome from BoE, PRA and FCA joint proposals on the Building Society between 2003 and 2011, operational resilience of firms and financial and has also held a number of non market infrastructure. This remains a key executive posts including Treasury Select our Chairman priority and is being managed through a Committee Special Advisor and programme of continuous improvement Independent Director for the PRA. and investment. We are also continuing to Iain brings a range of knowledge, skills and prepare for the discontinuation of the In my final year as Chairman, I’m pleased to report Leeds Building Society has once expertise to the role and I know he will focus London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) again delivered a good financial performance in 2019 despite intense competition in on delivering continued success as we from the end of 2021 and transition our core savings and mortgage markets, prolonged uncertainty around the UK’s enter a new decade. future relationship with Europe and a snap General Election. to Sterling Overnight Interbank Average Rate (SONIA). Summary We remain focused on sustainable growth by delivering value to our members and helping them save and have the home they want. As a result our assets increased to During 2019, the EU finalised amendments I am able to retire as Chairman in the over £20 billion for the first time in our history. This, combined with a focus on to the Capital Requirements Directive IV confidence that your Society is in a strong efficiency and managing costs led to a good level of profit, enabling us to increase our and the Capital Requirements Regulation, position. Savings and mortgage balances capital and reserves, and further invest in improving our technology and service for which will be fully effective from 2021. The are at record levels and we have achieved the long term benefit of our members. Society is well capitalised and expects to be good levels of profitability against a able to meet the regulatory requirements backdrop of intense competition, enabling in full. us to increase capital and reserves. Succession Competition in our core markets looks set Rates paid to savers increased modestly to continue and uncertainty around our This will be my last Chairman’s Welcome, as at the start of the year but have since future relationship with the EU remains. I will retire at the Annual General Meeting reduced as providers reacted to Nonetheless, while we anticipate more (AGM) in April. Well managed succession competitive market conditions10. modest growth in the coming years, and planning is key to our long term success and lower but still robust levels of profit, our in line with best practice, recommended by Regulation strategic approach means we’re well- the UK Corporate Governance Code, we placed to withstand economic shocks and The busy regulatory agenda shows no sign must maintain a high level of skill and continue to invest in the long term future of abating. Your Society has continued to expertise on the Board. review and prepare for any changes, as well of the Society. Richard Fearon became only the eighth as monitoring the key areas of focus of the I would like to extend my best wishes to my CEO in our 145-year history last February. BoE, Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) proposed successor, Iain Cornish, and know He is proving to be an excellent leader. and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). that my colleagues, led by Richard Fearon, The Society faces intense competition have all the attributes needed so that your The FCA mortgage and savings market combined with economic and political Society continues to be successful. reviews continued to progress, with a uncertainty, and he has set a clear strategy particular focus on better access to so your Society is capable of meeting the Finally, I would like to thank you, our products and services for consumers. We challenges and opportunities both now members, for all your support and remain committed to providing products and in the future. commitment. Leeds Building Society that meet the needs of our members and would not exist without you and I have Iain Cornish, who joined the Board in will continue to review these in line with any been privileged to serve you as Chairman January last year, is proposed to succeed emerging regulatory guidance. for the last seven years. me as Chairman. He has over 30 years’ Throughout the year we have also reviewed experience working in financial services. and refreshed our approach to customer Robin Ashton vulnerability, enabling us to identify and Chairman respond to customer needs more quickly 25 February 2020 and effectively.