Our Board

Our Board is made up of representatives from three groups: tenants, council nominees, and independent members of the community. Their role is to set our strategic direction and monitor our progress towards achieving our Corporate Plan and Strategies.

Becoming a Board Member is an excellent opportunity to get involved with the running of the Trust by helping to set the ongoing strategic direction. Vacancies will be advertised on this site.

For more information email Suzanne Nowell. 

Chair of the Board, Member of the Group Governance & Remuneration Committee.

Jim is a retired Housing Consultant.  He has worked as Head of Service in a local authority and as a Housing Manager, Director and Interim Chief Executive for housing associations and as a Managing Director in the private sector. 

 Deputy Chair of the Board, Chair of Group Governance & Remuneration Committee.

Rachael is an accountant (CIPFA), having qualified with Ernst & Young and subsequently working at Pricewaterhouse Coopers.  Rachael has over 17 years of experience in external and internal audit, strategic planning, performance reporting, business risk management and corporate governance and is currently Assistant Director of Finance for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Rachael was previously Head of Internal Audit for Vale Royal Borough Council. 

 Member of the Group Governance & Remuneration Committee, Chair of Weaver Horizons.

Jacqui is a qualified Chartered Accountant, and has spent over 15 years in accountancy practice, working her way up from graduate trainee to partner before moving into industry. She has been Managing Director for the past 10 years of a management consultancy which provides learning and development services to multinational blue chip companies, public sector entities and large SMEs. She is also a Governor and Finance Committee member at a further education college in Lancashire. Jacqui brings her broad range of financial expertise, strategic planning and leadership skills and is known for her passion for people development and helping build businesses.

 Member of the Development/Tender Panel, Member of the Group Audit & Assurance Committee, Member of the Complaints Panel. 

Peter has held a number of senior executive positions with several registered housing providers throughout his 26 year career in the housing sector. As a qualified accountant (CIPFA), he has been Group Finance Director for Signpost Housing Group, Dane Housing Group and more recently with Plus Dane group. During his time with Dane Housing Group, he also held directorships overseeing the New Development team, the Housing and Supported Housing teams as well as the repair and maintenance team.

Having recently retired from his latest position with Plus Dane Group as Managing Director with responsibility for managing a £100m Housing management contract with Cheshire West and Chester Council, Peter brings a wide range of housing and financial experience and knowledge.

 Member of the Development/Tender Panel, Member of Weaver Horizons, Member of the Complaints Panel. 

Andy has recently retired after working in the Construction Industry for over 40 years having started as an Apprentice Joiner and moving up the ranks. He has held Managing Director and Executive positions since 2002 within the Housing Sector. His specialisms are directly employed Building Companies, Asset Management and New Build Development. Andy has also been appointed a Trustee of Age UK in his local area.

Chair of the Group Audit & Assurance Committee, Member of the Complaints Panel.

Paul is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, with an honours degree in Civil and Structural Engineering.  He has over 30 years’ experience in audit and risk, gained across a wide range of sectors and businesses.  For the last ten years Paul has worked primarily in social housing, initially as an external provider of risk and internal audit services to a range of housing associations in the North West and as Director of Assurance at one of the largest providers of social housing in the UK. 

Paul is currently working as a Risk & Assurance Consultant. Paul also sits on the Audit Committees of two Universities in Manchester and York. For the last fifteen years, Paul has lived in the Vale Royal area and takes a keen interest in local issues.

 Chair of the Development/Tender Panel & Chair of the Complaints Panel

Barbara has been self employed most of her working life and then went on to work in credit control within the Winsford, Northwich and Crewe areas for 6 years prior to her retirement.  After retirement Barbara found she missed being part of a business and wanted to be involved with something she cared very much about. Barbara became a volunteer member of our Tenant Consultative Committee for two years prior to her joining the Board.

Independent Board Member

Mike is a solicitor with 35 years’ experience working in and with the housing sector. He is currently the managing partner of Trowers & Hamlins' LLP’s Manchester office, where he has led its extensive team since 2006. Mike is currently also the Chair of Leeds & Yorkshire Housing Association and Chair of the Old Trafford based charity TLC : Talk, Listen, Change which works to support people have safe, healthy and happy relationships. He has previously been Chair of Trafford Housing Trust and a Board Member of Manchester Care & Repair.

External Independent - Group Audit & Assurance Committee Co-Optee

Patrick has worked in social housing for over 30 years, having worked for four housing associations, all of whom were stock transfer.  He previously worked in the private sector in the engineering and iron and steel industries, and is a qualified accountant (CIPFA and CIMA).