Somer Housing Group's Board
We know that what we do matters. The
pressures of factors such as an ageing population, increasing
household formation, aggravated affordability across the region,
and the widening poverty gap, all mean that there is a desperate
shortage of the sorts of homes and services we provide. We are
responding to this challenge in three main ways. Firstly by
concentrating on delivering excellent services; secondly, by
ensuring that we deliver as much new housing as we can; and
thirdly, by ensuring that our staff are motivated to take on the
difficult jobs they have to do.
Tony Trott, Group Chair
There are nine members of the Group Board.
Tony Trott (Group Chair)
Tony is an independent
Board member. Tony has 30 years experience in working with tenants
and landlords in the provision and management of social housing. He
has assisted in the setting up and running of numerous community
based projects such as a law centre and housing co-operatives. He
runs a consultancy supporting effective social interventions, and
is the author of several publications on housing.Tony is a member
of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
Juliet Bligh (Group Vice Chair)
Juliet is a
self-employed housing consultant, specialising in work on housing,
care and support for older people. She has a particular interest in
the development of strategy and performance management. She
previously worked for housing associations in both Bristol and
London, and has a range of experience in both general needs and
older people’s housing management and development. Her voluntary
experience includes committee membership for other housing
associations, and voluntary groups, ranging from an after school
club for primary school children to a mentoring scheme supporting
women working in housing.
John Bader
(Chair of Somer Community Housing Trust)
John retired from the
Welsh Assembly in 2005 where he was Director of the Social Justice
& Regeneration Department, after working as a housing
professional for over 40 years. One of his responsibilities with
the Assembly was the regulation of registered social landlords in
Wales, so he has a strong interest in good governance of housing
associations.
Margaret Connor
Margaret is
a Tenant Trustee with Somer Community Housing Trust and also Tenant
Representative for Keynsham and Villages. She has been a tenant
since 1976 and was active with the options appraisal process and
the residents’ steering group prior to transfer. She was previously
Chair of the Somer Residents’ Committee before her appointment to
the Board.
Trevor Drury (Chair of Lantern Homes)
Trevor is a managing director and professional consultant
with over 20 years experience. He established his own consultancy
company in 2003 having been an executive director of an
international consultancy and provides training, procurement, and
project management, commercial and contractual advice in the
construction/property industry. In addition to being a Chartered
Quantity Surveyor, Trevor has a Masters degree and is currently
studying for a law degree. Much of his work for clients involves
troubleshooting projects that require solutions.
Roger Hill
(Chair of Bath Self Help Housing Association)
Roger is a fellow of
the Institute of Environmental Health and has worked for Bath City
and Bath and North East Somerset councils for 31 years. At
retirement he was the Private Sector Housing Manager and since then
has worked in both South Gloucestershire and West Wiltshire housing
departments in various housing roles, including for a time the
Principal Housing Services Manager. He has been a Board member of
Bath Self Help for 17 years and has a long-term interest in housing
for the disadvantaged.
Paul Hoddinott
Paul is an associate
of the Chartered Institute of Bankers and has held various
management roles across the branch network and in head office
departments of the Lloyds TSB Group. Since retiring from the bank,
he undertakes freelance finance consultancy and project
commissions.
Barbara Julian
(Chair of Redland Housing Association)
Barbara owned and
managed a family firm of monumental masons and funeral directors.
During this time she became involved in a project looking to
provide accommodation for single young homeless people in the
Kingswood area. This awakened a realisation that everyone is
entitled to a decent home at an affordable rent. Barbara was one of
the founder members for this organisation which was named Kingswood
Young Homeless Project. Together with the backing of Bristol
Churches HA, Barbara and her colleagues managed two large houses in
Kingswood to home eight young residents. This project is still
thriving today and has grown to include other properties. Barbara
was Chair of KYHP for 12 years. She joined Redland as a Board
member in 1992 and has been Chair since 1998. Barbara also works
for a nationwide charity, Volunteer Reading Help. This charity
sends volunteers into schools to help with children on a
one-to-one-basis. She has been doing this for over six years at
Staple Hill Primary school and thoroughly enjoys helping children
to progress.
Victoria Smith
Victoria is a
chartered quantity surveyor and project manager in the construction
industry. Projects have included new builds in the community and
refurbishments. Victoria is particularly interested in estate
maintenance and management, capital development projects and
accessibility issues.