West Midlands member groups

If you have any questions about our groups, contact our External Affairs Manager for the West Midlands:

• Kate Warburton, 07919 110536

West Midlands Regional Committee

The West Midlands Regional Committee brings together leaders from housing associations across the region to help shape and deliver our work both in the region and nationally. Here's the latest update from the group.

Chair

• Boris Worrall, Group Chief Executive, Rooftop Housing Group
• Gary Fulford, Group Chief Executive, Walsall Housing Group (Vice Chair)

Members

• Ursula Bennion, Chief Executive, Trent & Dove Housing
• Stuart Fisher, Executive Director of Resources, Accord Group
• Wayne Gethings, Managing Director, The Wrekin Housing Trust
• Charley Gibbons, Director of Strategy & Communications, Orbit Group
• Sue Harrison, Director of Finance & Planning, Bromford Housing Group
• Wayne Hughes, Managing Director, Aspire Housing Association
• Joe Reeves, Executive Director of Corporate Affairs, Midland Heart
• Pete Richmond, Chief Executive, Bournville Village Trust
• Kevin Rodgers, Group Chief Executive, WM Housing Group
• Amanda Tomlinson, Group Chief Executive, Black Country Housing Group
• Anna Walsh, Chief Executive, Churches Housing Association of Dudley & District (CHADD)
• Simon Wilson, Chief Executive, The Pioneer Group 

Interest groups

Midlands Communications Network

This network provides an opportunity to share expertise and good practice as well as joining forces for specific projects and campaigns and participating in National Housing Federation media campaigns.  It is a great way to meet comms people from other member organisations and understand the shared challenges the sector is facing.

Chair: Mark Brookes, Midland Heart

Federation contact: Andrew Carruthers

Midlands Development Group

The group meets four times a year to discuss the latest development issues and input into national and local policy work.  The group is for senior managers with strategic development responsibility in their organisations and has guest speakers who bring their expertise and experience to share.  It is a great way to learn more about what is happening in development across the Midlands and meet development people from other member organisations.

Chair: Chris Jones, EMH group 

Federation contact: Hannah Crossan-Smith

Midlands Finance Forum

This group offers finance and resource directors the opportunity to share best practice, keep abreast of current developments, and network with colleagues from other organisations.

Chair: Stuart Kellas, WM Housing Group

Midlands Governance Group

Aimed at company secretaries and others in related roles this group provides an opportunity for discussion of issues related to governance and compliance matters.  The group invites a guest speaker to each session, to share their expertise on specific topics, and is a great way to meet governance professionals from other member organisations to develop peer support networks.

Chair: Joanne Tilley, EMH

Midlands Health, Care and Support Group

This group offers providers of care and support a forum to discuss issues related to all elements of supported housing including health and care integration, welfare reform, homelessness and contracting and commissioning, as well as sharing good practice and raising common issues for discussion and guidance.  It is a great way to meet people from other care and support providers and understand the shared challenges the sector is facing, with input from guest speakers at every session.

Chair: Jo Grainger, EMH

West Midlands Housing Asset Management, Maintenance and Repair Group

The Housing Asset Management, Maintenance and Repairs group aims to provide an environment within which organisations and individuals can share information and assist in the development of good practice, as well as raising the profile of maintenance and asset management as a specialist but integral function for housing associations.

Chair: Wayne Gethings, Wrekin Housing Trust

West Midlands HR Forum

This group meets quarterly to share best practice and expertise with other HR professionals in the sector. Meetings include lively debate around topics of interest to the group as well as updates from Federation staff.

Chair: Helen Watkins, Housing Plus

West Midlands Investment Group

The Investment group is a meeting of the HCA's West Midlands key development partners and promotes affordable housing development in the West Midlands.

Chair: Alan Yates, Accord Group

Midlands Network for Resident Involvement

The Midland network for resident involvement (MNRI) group has more than 60 member organisations represented, this group shares best practice and also resources, getting better value for money and encouraging partnership working. The group also delivers joint events and has recently launched a joint training academy.

Joint Chairs: Sally Debiage, Longhurst Group, and Jess Allan, Optima.

West Midlands Smaller Housing Association Group

The West Midlands smaller housing association group shares good practice and improves opportunities for networking among small housing associations in the West Midlands.

Contact: Jean-Luc Priez, Lench's Trust

Midlands Welfare Reform and Financial Inclusion Group

This group brings together practitioners from housing associations to discuss and share current financial inclusion activity and support people in planning their work with financially excluded tenants. As well as promoting joined up working, sessions involve external specialist speakers and look ahead to the challenges posed by external factors such as welfare reform and changes in financial legislation. The group meets four times a year at venues across the Midlands.

Chair: Martin Jones, Midland Heart

Associated groups

Birmingham Social Housing Partnership (BSHP)

BSHP is a partnership of housing associations that work together to improve and influence how housing is delivered in Birmingham. To see the events calendar and details of the partnerships work please go to www.birminghamshp.co.uk or follow @Bhamshp.