Management Committee

Role of the Management Committee
The Association is managed by a voluntary Management Committee, who meet on a quarterly basis, and work with the Management Team and Staff to ensure the effective operation of the Association.

The principal functions of the Management Committee are to:

To assist with the effective running of the Association, delegated responsibility has been given to three sub-committees who also meet on a quarterly cycle. These sub-committees and their principal areas of responsibility are:

Corporate Services:

Housing Services:

Development:

Committee Members

Naheed Asghar - Member since May 2006
Naheed is currently a board member of both the Chartered Institute of Housing and Apna Ghar. She has worked within housing for over 10 years with experience ranging from managing a supported accommodation project for Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) homeless young people to managing sheltered housing. She currently coordinates housing information and advice to the BME community throughout East Renfrewshire.

Naheed hopes that her involvement as a member will help inform the Association about the needs and aspirations of BME communities. Naheed is a member of the Housing Services Sub Committee.

Donald Buchanan - Member since September 2002
Donald was employed as a Civil Engineer and has experience in housing construction and developing serviced house plots. He has reported on housing defects, subsidence investigation and has completed soil reports for sites. Donald was involved in the design of simple structures and designs on roads and drainage. Donald’s main interests lie with Developments and Maintenance Services and is a member of the Corporate Services, Development and Housing Services Sub committees.

Philip Croft OBE - Member since 1996
Philip had a career in banking with Natwest International Banking Division in London, with a six month secondment to the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation in Borneo. After 25 years, Philip had a career change and joined the Thistle Foundation in Edinburgh in 1977 as Director where he stayed for 14 years until he retired in 1995.

He joined our Management Committee in 1996 and is also a member of the Corporate Services and Development Sub Committees. He is a strong supporter of Horizon’s policy of Barrier Free Housing and the provision of good quality wheelchair housing for people with physical disabilities. He is also involved in Committee Work for other Charities. In June 1997 Philip was awarded an OBE for services to people with physical disabilities.

William Gunn - Member since February 2004
William was employed for 23 years as a Sample Development Engineer. He gave up work in 2001 to become a full time carer for his disabled son and is a Director of Renfrewshire Carers in Paisley. William is a tenant and is Chairperson of the Management Committee, Convenor of the Housing Services Sub Committee and is a member of the Corporate Services and Development Sub Committees.

Neil Hall - Member since 1994
Neil is the Director of Finance and Corporate Services of Link Group Limited. He is a qualified accountant (FCCA) and a Trustee of the Lintel Trust. He has served on various Scottish Federation of Housing Association panels over the years and is a former trustee of the Scottish Federation of Housing Association’s Pension Scheme. Neil is the convenor of the Corporate Services Sub Committee.

Ankhra Laan-Ra – Member since February 2008
Ankhra worked in housing and the voluntary sector for 15 years latterly as a manager. She is a qualified housing professional and also gained an MBA. She has worked in both Edinburgh and Glasgow and her main interests in housing are quality services, affordability and alleviating homelessness. She has been a representative on working committees during her housing and voluntary sector career.

She had a career change in 2000 and since then has worked as a trainer, complementary health therapist and writer.

Shirley Lenehan - Member since October 2005
Shirley retired in March 1988 as a Medical Records Administrator with the NHS in Glasgow due to deteriorating health. Formerly was vice chair of school board in Williamsburgh Primary School, Renfrewshire, member of Glasgow Children's Panel, founder field worker for Child Aid, a children's charity based in Cambuslang Glasgow, and most recently, vice chair of a carers’ support group of the Princess Royal Trust for Carers. Shirley first became a member of Horizon’s Management Committee in September 1998 and resigned as a result of major health problems in 2001/02. She rejoined the Management Committee again in September 2005.

As a tenant of Horizon, Shirley is very happy with the new life her tenancy has given both in terms of independent living and enhancing the quality of life for her husband and sons. She cares very strongly about Horizon and its commitment to providing barrier free wheelchair housing for disabled people giving back independent living to people who would otherwise be housebound, as she was before becoming a Horizon tenant. Shirley is a member of the Development and Housing Services Sub Committees.

Cecil Meiklejohn - Member since May 2004
Cecil has a long association with Horizon stretching back 18 years. Her husband is disabled and he was a previous member of our committee. Cecil has a special interest in housing for people with special needs and was previously involved with the Disabled Persons Housing Service.

She is currently employed as a Housing Occupational Therapy Assistant and her areas of expertise are in housing for special needs, adaptations to people’s homes and Inclusive Design. Cecil is Vice Chairperson of the Management Committee and is a member of the Corporate, Development and Housing Services Sub Committees.

Mary Potter - Member since September 2006
Mary has been a tenant, and member, of Horizon since 1998. She became a member of the Management Committee following her election at the Annual General Meeting in September. Mary lives in our Kilsyth estate.

Margaret Prior - Member since May 2007
Margaret has worked in housing since the early 70’s. She is a corporate member of the Chartered Institute of Housing and has worked for a range of local authorities and housing associations, and currently works as Community Regeneration Manager with Thenew Housing Association in the East End of Glasgow. She has always been committed to community development and is a strong advocate of tenant and resident involvement in housing.

Frank Rochford - Member since 1994
Frank is a retired teacher. He is a former Chairperson of the Management Committee and also a Former Chair of Cruise Bereavement Care, East Lothian. Frank is a member of the Development and Housing Services Sub Committees.

Mark Rodgers - Member since August 2007
Originally a civil servant working for the Benefits Agency, Mark has worked in housing since 1993. He initially worked in the supported housing field, specialising in working with vulnerable street homeless persons, persons with multiple substance abuse issues, adults with learning disabilities, and adults with minor to moderate mental health issues. In 1997 he transferred to general needs housing, and has worked for a variety of housing associations and local authorities from the small to large in size in both England and Scotland since, specialising in general housing management, rent arrears and housing litigation work.

Mark is a corporate member of the Chartered Institute of Housing and holds a BA (Honours) degree in Housing Policy and Management. He returned to live in Scotland in 2004 and is currently employed by the City of Edinburgh Council as the Housing and Regeneration Manager for the east area of Edinburgh, where he is responsible for the management of approximately 3500 properties, 22 staff, and he works with local partner RSL's in the demolition and reprovision of new social housing in the east area of Edinburgh.

[Back to top ] [Previous Page] [Next page]