The Housing Assurance Board (HAB) provides independent oversight and assurance of Dudley Council's housing services and delivery, helping to ensure homes and neighbourhoods are safe and a good place to live, that services are effective and meet the needs of residents and that tenants and residents are engaged and receive high-quality support.
The Board, while not a decision making board, serves to provide 'assurance' to tenants, the Council and Regulators that housing services are meeting legal, regulatory and performance standards.
A key role of the Board is to monitor the performance and outcomes of all services provided by the Housing and Assets Group, to challenge areas where improvement is needed, and to oversee the delivery of improvement and compliance programmes. The Board reviews performance, financial management, procurement, risk, building safety, landlord responsibilities and regulatory compliance to help ensure services are delivered to a high standard that meets the needs of customers and that any issues are identified and addressed promptly. This enables the Board to provide assurance to the Councils Cabinet and Scrutiny committee that the service is working as they would expect it too.
Tenant engagement is central to the Board’s work. The Board receives assurance and feedback from the Customer Assurance Board, including findings from tenant-led reviews and scrutiny undertaken by the Customer Scrutiny Involvement Group. This helps ensure that residents’ experiences, views and priorities directly influence decision-making, service improvements and future policy development.
The Board promotes a culture of continuous improvement by considering emerging risks, regulatory changes and sector best practice, while supporting the Council's wider governance and accountability arrangements. Through its work, the Housing Assurance Board helps ensure Dudley's housing services remain transparent, accountable and focused on delivering positive outcomes for residents.
I am proud to serve as the Chair of Dudley Council's Housing Assurance Board (HAB) since its inception in December 2023.
I am a retired housing professional with a 2:1 Honours Degree in Housing and am a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH). I served on the CIH Board for six years.
Throughout my career, I have worked at a senior level within a Unitary Authority, a Metropolitan Council and a Borough Council. Prior to my retirement, I was extremely proud to have served as Chief Executive Officer of Stafford and Rural Homes, a registered social landlord based in Stafford for over fourteen years.
The Housing Assurance Board provides independent oversight of Dudley Housing and Asset Group, helping to ensure housing services are safe, effective, and meet all legal and regulatory standards. The Board monitors performance, compliance, and improvement activity, including the Housing Compliance Recovery Programme, to ensure that issues are identified, addressed, improved and that lessons are learned.
A key focus of the Board is ensuring that tenants' voices are heard and that tenants are engaged in all aspects of service delivery and improvement and are able to influence services in a way that responds to their needs. The Board reviews customer feedback, tenant-led scrutiny and assurance activities, and uses this insight to challenge performance, help shape improvements, focus on outcomes and the delivery of high quality housing services that our residents expect.
I have been committed to working with my Board to ensure the Council, Tenants, Residents and the Regulator are assured that the HAB understands its role in gaining evidence to provide assurance and to respond to the Regulators expectations of a good housing service. Together with my fellow Board members, service leads and Council colleagues, we are committed to supporting continuous improvement and ensuring that Dudley's housing services remain safe, compliant, responsive and focused on delivering the best possible outcomes.
I am a proud housing professional with experience working across multiple housing associations and the Chartered Institute of Housing.
I currently work for a specialist supported housing provider as Operations Director, with strategic responsibility for housing management, property services and corporate services.
I chose to join the Housing Assurance Board as I am passionate about wanting to give back to the sector and make a difference.
Having worked in the Black Country, I can see the amazing impact having a place to call home can have. Being on the Board helps to deliver quality services to the residents of Dudley.
I am the Ward Councillor for Hayley Green and Cradley South. In addition to my ward role, I serve as Dudley Council's Cabinet Member for Housing and Homelessness.
As Cabinet's representative on the Housing Assurance Board, my role is to seek professional assurance that the Council's housing service is operating effectively, meeting its regulatory responsibilities and complying with the standards set by the Regulator of Social Housing. I work alongside fellow Board members to provide strategic oversight, constructive challenge and assurance around performance, governance, compliance and continuous improvement.
Through the Board, I want to ensure Cabinet receives robust assurance that services are safe, well governed and improving, while strengthening transparency, accountability and tenant confidence and keeping tenants' needs at the heart of decision-making.
Details to follow.
Details to follow.
I spent 17 years in the Army Cadet Force as man and boy, this gave me discipline and organisational skills with a good sense of confidence and communication skills. It was a pleasure being part of a team teaching and training teenagers to become good citizens with confidence and pride.
I also worked in photographic printing, which developed my eye for detail. This is a skill that has benefited me throughout my personal and professional life.
For the past 25 years, I have worked as a property maintenance contractor, carrying out work on behalf of letting agents. This has given me extensive experience of housing issues and a strong understanding of the importance of maintaining homes to a high standard.
I am passionate about the quality of housing and the services we provide to residents. I am particularly interested in how we can continuously improve our services to enhance residents’ quality of life and demonstrate that we genuinely care about their needs and wellbeing.
I joined the Board because I believe I can bring valuable experience and practical knowledge of housing related challenges, as well as contribute towards finding effective solutions. Through my involvement in scrutiny, I believe I would be in a position to make sure residents' concerns are heard, understood and acted upon.
I believe one of the Board's most important responsibilities is to ensure that the quality of our services not only meets but exceeds residents' expectations, while driving improvements wherever they are needed.
I hope that my involvement will support and enhance service improvements, helping tenants and residents receive the high-quality housing services they deserve.
I have been a dedicated tenant representative for more than 23 years, working to ensure that tenants' voices are heard and represented in housing services across the borough.
Before becoming disabled following a motorbike accident in 1997, I worked as an electrician for Sky TV for 23 years.
I have been a volunteer with Dudley Federation for over 23 years and was elected Chairperson in 2013, a position I continue to hold today. During my time with the Federation, I have helped keep members informed about local and national housing issues and have represented tenants at regular partnership meetings with Building Services and its contractors. I have also attended numerous Tenant and Resident Association (TRA) meetings, supporting residents and helping to address issues raised within local communities.
In 2026, I was selected to represent tenants on the Customer Assurance Board and was subsequently elected Chair of the Board. My role on the Customer Assurance Board enables me to represent tenants' views, share information with Federation members, and engage with tenants across the borough through meetings and other engagement activities.
Throughout my time with Dudley Federation, I have undertaken a wide range of training alongside fellow board members to strengthen my knowledge and skills. This training has helped me to effectively represent tenants and residents, understand how the Council and its services operate, and ensure that tenants have a strong voice in shaping housing services. I am proud to have represented tenants and residents for more than 23 years and to continue supporting and championing their interests.
