Meet the board

Sarah Conway – Independent Member and Board Chair

Judith Burdett - Tenant Member and Chair

Sarah is an independent human resources consultant with over 20 years experience. She works with public sector organisations on a wide range of issues including performance management, employee relations, resourcing, human resources skills training, selection and assessment and equality in employment. She is also a lay member of the Employment Tribunals.

She became a Board member in 2005. As a Board Member, Sarah wants to make an active contribution to the community in the Harborough district, as well as combining her interests in housing and human resources.

Val Hammond - Independent Member and Vice Chair

Val has 30 years experience in Banking. As a Senior Corporate Manager, this experience included the management of corporate client relationships and National credit control, responsibility for lending to the Housing Association Sector. Upon taking early retirement from her banking career, she adapted her skills to a regulatory role with The Housing Corporation. Val also has previous experience of being a board member of a black and minority ethnic Housing Association based in Leicester.

With her background in financial, regulatory and governance aspects of the housing association sector, Val believes she can effectively contribute to the management and development of social housing in the Harborough district.

Tim Brown - Independent Member

Tim runs a research centre on housing policy at De Montfort University in Leicester. His professional background is in town planning and housing and he has also been the chairman of a housing association – Leicester Newark Housing Association.

Tim's research centre has worked with Harborough District Council on a number of projects – most notably the development and evaluation of Harborough Home Search, which was the first choice based lettings scheme in the country. Tim feels strongly that he can usefully contribute to the development and management of social housing in the Harborough district.

Amanda Burrell - LA Member

Amanda has been a District Councillor for the last 4 years. She was Executive Member for Housing and ICT for 15 months during which time stock transfer to Seven Locks was approved by the Council.

She retains a great interest in social housing and is delighted to be given the opportunity of joining the Board as a representative of Harborough District Council. She is also a member of the planning committee. A particular concern is the provision of sheltered and extra care facilities in the larger settlements of the District as well as affordable housing in rural areas. Amanda is keen to explore the ways to provide affordable accommodation in more rural settlements where there is very little building allowed currently. One way to do this is to identify rural exception sites where houses can be built with input from the local community and Parish Councils.

Freda Carnell - Tenant Member

Freda has been an active member of Harborough District Tenants’ Association since 1997 when she was elected to the position of Vice Chair. Freda then became Chair of the Tenants’ Association in 1999, a position she held until 2002.

Freda was involved with the stock transfer process for three years and has also taken part in some of the working groups set up to develop the first 10 policies for Seven Locks Housing.

Peter Fuchs - LA Member

Peter has 30 years of business experience in the construction materials industry, estate management and as a district councillor.

He is particularly interested in making sure that Seven Locks Housing provides tenants and residents with homes that far exceed the standard that the Council could ever provide.

Angie Hill - LA Member

Angie was elected as a District Councillor for the Market Harborough Ward of Little Bowden at the recent Elections in May. She is retired now after many years experience in office administration, the last 8 years being Treasurer of the Market Harborough Parish Church, and also a Pastoral Assistant for over 5 years. Both these positions have involved major contact with those more senior residents of Harborough, many of whom live in Council Properties.

Angie feels very strongly about the important issues which the Seven Locks Board face at this important time of change and uncertainty for local residents and looks forward to helping address the challenges which face us as Board Members in the months to come.

Valerie Hitchman - Independent Member

Val is currently the Community Services Director with a local authority, with 15 years experience in housing management.

Val has previous experience of being a Board member of a Housing Association and her particular interests lie in improving customer service, performance management and ensuring that the level of service that tenants get from Seven Locks Housing is continually improving.

Brian Smith - LA Member

Brian is the elected member for the Bosworth ward and was nominated by Harborough District Council to stand on the Board at Seven Locks.

He comes from a professional background as a chartered civil engineer, and feels that his engineering experience will be useful to Seven Locks Housing when housing projects are planned in future.

Ashraf Ahmed - Independent Member

Ashraf is the Resident Involvement Manager for the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH). At CIH he managed the Community and Local Governments Innovation into Action (IIA) grant programme and currently manages the Active Learning for Residents (ALfR) programme together with coordinating Equality & Diversity work.

He has extensive background in tenant participation both as a tenant representative where he was the Secretary of his local tenants association for 4 years and as involvement worker for a Housing Association and a Local Authority. This experience helps him empathise with tenants.

He has also served on the Management Committee of Hits Home Trust which manages furnished flats for young people and is a school governor at a school in Oadby. He brings a wealth of experience and skills to the Board.

John Chamberlain – Tenant Board Member

John was born in Leicester and currently lives in Hallaton. John who is retired began his career serving in the royal Marines. He then worked in the hotel trade and also worked with the County Library and Information Services. As a new tenant Board member John is committed to the principles of good governance.

Stewart Harrison – Tenant Board Member

Is retired and lives in Fleckney. Stewart served in the armed Forces for 16 years before joining the Prison Service where he was a Prison Officer for 14 years. After gaining a Masters degree in Forensic Psychology Stewart became the Head of Personnel and Training at HMP Whitemoor. As a Board member Stewart is committed to ensuring we continually improve the standard of affordable homes.

Mick McLaughlin – Tenant Board Member

Has lived in Kibworth for more than 15 years. Before giving up work to care for his wife Mick was a Commercial Manager, making use of his Honours Degree in Economics, with a large Leicestershire firm. Mick believes that a decent, secure and peaceful home is the greatest asset you can have in life and as a Board member he is committed to ensuring that Seven Locks Housing is a successful, financially sound organisation looking after tenants homes.