Our Housing Advisory Board is made up of 14 volunteers, dedicated to improving their community and the lives of residents in north Manchester.
They oversee the delivery of services to the Council’s housing stock by reviewing performance in all areas and overseeing our resident engagement activities.
The board is Chaired by Councillor Gavin White, our Executive member for Housing and Development. He is joined by local councillors, residents and professionals.
Watch this space for more about them and their motivations and aspirations for their communities.
- Cllr Gavin White
- Cllr Veronica Kirkpatrick
- Cllr Naeem Hassan
- Cllr Paula Sadler
- Cllr Paula Appleby
- Cllr Sam Lynch
Cllr Gavin White
"I believe it is really important that everyone in our city has access to a decent, safe, affordable and sustainable place to live - a place they can truly call home.
Serving as chair on the housing advisory board, alongside other residents, councillors and other board members is one of the key ways we can achieve that for our 12,500 households in North Manchester.
I love North Manchester, it has a really strong sense of identity. Our council homes should be at the heart of these areas in our city, and provide homes that help our residents to live in vibrant, healthy and sustainable communities."
Cllr Veronica Kirkpatrick
Cllr Naeem Hassan
Cllr Paula Sadler
I’m Paula Sadler and I’m a Councillor for Higher Blackley. I’ve lived in Collyhurst Village for the past 40 years so I have a strong connection to north Manchester.
I worked for Manchester City Council for 24 years firstly as an information officer, then a housing officer and then a rehousing officer so I got a real insight into housing during my career.
I joined the board because I wanted to build on this experience and to make sure residents are treated fairly. The current climate is difficult with many people needing a home and so few homes available.
I’d like to see more homes being built, specifically more one-bedroomed properties to free up family homes and reduce overcrowding.
I feel very privileged to be working on behalf of tenants and residents. Sometimes it can be frustrating when I can’t do things for them. I am hopeful that being on this board will give me more opportunities to be in a position to help.
Cllr Paula Appleby
I am Paula Appleby, Councillor for Moston Ward since 2015.
I have lived in Moston all my life and my aim and determination is to make Moston and New Moston a better place for all residents to live, work and play.
I am very pleased that Northwards Housing is now back with the Council and I am very proud and excited to be on the first Board.
My first three priorities (I have many more) for Moston Ward are:
- to reduce the time, it takes for a vacant property to be ‘ready to let’ and for a family or new resident to take up occupation in as short a time as possible
- to ensure the Council services and former Northwards services come together as one, one Council delivering to all residents, I want to see an end to “that’s Northwards responsibility” or “that’s Council’s responsibility”
- to ensure our environment is maintained to a high standard, clean streets, well-maintained communal spaces and residents and the Council working together in making our environment better.
Cllr Sam Lynch
The independents
Safeena Rather
I have worked in the housing sector for over 15 years, and I am passionate about social housing and social justice. My focus on the board in an advisory capacity will be around how we improve the delivery of services to residents and how we can make the customer journey easier for people.
I have experience in delivering a new service delivery model and I’m excited about how the board will develop to suggest improvements for the future.
I currently work in the housing sector where I am responsible for the delivery of key business priorities, objectives and performance indicators within Neighbourhoods. This includes responsibility for the effective delivery of services covering Neighbourhood & Tenancy Management, Anti-Social Behaviour, Income Collection and Allocations.
I live in North Manchester and have an understanding of the challenges we face; therefore I want to help shape great services in an area that I love.
Stephen Repton
I was born in Harpurhey and raised in Moston so I know the area well and understand the challenges faced by people in the community.
I am passionate about social housing. In my career, I have worked on transformation projects on IT and digital within the sector and I’ve seen for myself the benefits digital inclusion brings to communities, making a difference in everyday lives.
I want to share my skills and knowledge with young residents, to help them to build up decent careers and sustain their homes, and I’m keen to see environmental improvements, improve the look and feel of neighbourhoods, helping to build safe inclusive communities.
Chris Forrester
I have been working within the social housing sector for almost a decade. Most of which has been spent working in Manchester. I started my career as a Strategic Housing Apprentice at Derby City Council.
I then moved into various roles across the sector from Supply Chain to Governance and Housing Management to Development. My current role is Group Sales and Marketing Manager at Incommunities (a housing association across West Yorkshire).
My personal passion is helping people onto the property ladder and this can also help free up social homes for people who really need them.
I wanted to get involved with the board to help improve the housing service in my city. I feel I have a lot of experience and passion to give and see my role as helping to support the other members.
The tenant representatives
Susan Taylor
I’ve lived in north Manchester all my life and for the last 15 years I’ve lived in Ancoats to be closer to my family. I love how unique the area is and how our industrial heritage surrounds us, I like the sympathetic developments that have taken place. Generations of my family lived here and I feel like I belong.
I feel there is a lack of affordable housing in north Manchester and I’m sad to see many facilities have gone such as shops, libraries and community centres. I’d like to see more opportunities for people to come together and get to know each other.
I joined the board so I could be a voice for my community and to get a greater insight into the council and how things work, I’d like to see more people get involved and take pride in where they live and I want to help to shape a better future for younger residents.
Norman Hesketh-Hart
Being a tenant of 25 years with past involvement in many committees has given me insight into how the structures work and how to encourage change to happen. I feel now there is a great opportunity to reset the goals and I’ve noticed a willingness to do so.
I would like to help establish better relationships between residents and the landlord and to see communication improve.
New methods are needed, old methods need revising, and a new, better rapport needs to be established. I hope to be instrumental in this area.
In a broader sense, I hope to achieve a better relationship between tenants and our landlord, with tenants having confidence that our landlord is making every effort to encourage a feeling of genuinely being at the heart of how the organisation works.
Christine Leyland
Mohammed Ali
Since 1995, I've called the Cheetham area home, and each day is a vibrant full with bustling activity that I deeply look forward to. The rich cultural interwoven community, where I not only reside but also work for a local organisation. Whether it's socializing, utilising the local amenities, or simply walking down the street, there's a sense of belonging here that's truly special.
My involvement goes beyond mere presence; it's about actively shaping the narrative of our community. That's why I serve on the board, driven by a profound passion to effect positive change. I believe in fostering unity and understanding among residents, advocating for both the current and future generations, as well as our aging population.
Elaine Horne
I have lived in Victoria Square in Ancoats over 10 years now. It has many positives and several negatives, but it is in walking distance to the city centre.
I used to drive until about five years ago when my sight began to deteriorate, now walking is my only means of getting around, and that was when I started talking notice of the state of pavements.
Having had COVID I developed knees and other joint pains, so I use a walking. I now find lifting the stroller up and down pavements and preventing falling I am building some great muscles in the upper arms.
I'm on the HAB to help draw attention to some issues that may be overlooked or regarded as unnecessary.
