Our Board Members

Eden Housing Association has a proud and longstanding reputation as a community rooted social housing landlord, delivering tenant focused services. We work across the Eden Valley in North Cumbria where we own and manage around 2,000 homes.

What are the Board’s responsibilities?

The Association’s Board of Management serves to ensure that the Association operates effectively, having regard to its objectives and its legal and moral obligation to tenants, those in housing need and the communities in which it operates.

It is responsible for setting, monitoring and reviewing the overall aims, objectives and policies of the Association and overseeing its performance. It is supported by the Audit & Risk Committee, Governance & Remuneration Committee, and Operations and Consumer Committee.

Our Board Members

The Board currently consists of 9 Members (maximum number of 12), all of whom are recruited on the basis of their skills, experience and knowledge and to reflect the communities the Association serves. They are drawn as widely as possible to reflect the Association’s responsibility to all of its stakeholders, including tenants, local residents and others interested in furthering social housing objectives locally.  So who are our Board Members?

Members of the Board of Management

(Chair) Douglas Ross : Appointed September 2020 – Previously employed primarily within the public and social housing sectors.  Doug, prior to retirement, was most recently employed as Finance Director and subsequently Managing Director of a Housing Association based in the North East of England.

(Vice Chair and Senior Independent Director) Stephen Colclough : Co-opted to Board November 2022, Appointed to Board September 2023 – As a retired member of the RICS, Stephen has over 40 years’ experience as a Chartered Surveyor, having provided property asset, regulatory, development and other business advice to organisations in the private, public and third sectors, lastly with The Guinness Partnership and Forestry England. Previous Board experience has been as a Trustee of Railway Paths Limited, and Contour Homes (including chairing the Audit and Risk Committee). A member of the Eden Rural Community Fund Committee. Stephen is keen to play a part in providing guidance on internal controls, governance, asset and risk management, and to ensure there is safe affordable housing within the Eden Valley and wider Cumbria area.

Michael Baker : Appointed September 2020 – With 40 years in the construction industry, Mike has been a Director in both public and private sector organisations.  Mike’s relevant areas of expertise are in capital development, procurement and contract management, building standards, and current good practice and approach to these. Mike was formerly a Member of the Association for Project Management and a Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers.

Sarah Nye : Appointed September 2022 – As a chartered member of the Institute of Internal Auditors, Sarah has over 20 years internal audit experience across a variety of industries, and has been working within the housing sector since 2015. Sarah has a wide range of knowledge across all elements of governance and risk management and strives to help improve efficiency and Value for Money where possible.

Alex Rocke : Appointed September 2022 – Has worked in social housing for local Councils and as an independent consultant and interim manager. He is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Housing. He served as a member of the First Tier Tribunal (Local Government Standards) for ten years and he was a member of the Cumbria Police and Crime Commissioner’s Ethics and Integrity Panel for eight years.  Currently he is an Independent Person (Standards) for the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority.

Elspeth James : Appointed to Board September 2023 – Chair of Audit & Risk Committee – Has worked in the Building Society sector for around 30 years, and is currently the Chief Financial Officer at Penrith Building Society. A Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales, Elspeth brings extensive audit and risk experience from a variety of sectors and has previously provided external audit services to housing associations in Scotland. She is an active member of the Penrith business community and has working knowledge of the housing challenges facing local people in the Eden Valley and more widely across Cumbria.

Sue Powell : Appointed to Board January 2025 – Has worked in the social housing sector for 40 years. Starting her career in front line service provision, Sue then took on policy and strategic roles, firstly with the Northern Housing Consortium and then the North West Housing Forum, representing Local Authorities and Housing Providers on the former Regional Housing Board and lobbying Government for changes to legislation and funding. She now runs her own successful business, offering a bespoke consultancy and interim service and has delivered training on leadership and values across a range of organisations. Sue has worked in the Eden Valley on a number of occasions in interim roles for the Local Authority and has a good understanding of the housing issues and challenges of the area. She is a former Non Executive Director at The Riverside Group and is a strong advocate for the voice of tenants within housing organisations.

Paul Vines : Appointed to Board January 2025 – Is a qualified solicitor with 20+ years experience in senior leadership roles in the technology and financial services sectors, and in practice in the City of London.  Most recently, Paul was General Counsel and Secretary at Cumberland Building Society.  He is an expert in legal, data protection and governance matters and has a deep knowledge of people matters and strategic projects.  Paul lives in the Eden Valley and is a passionate champion of affordable housing in the area.

Lynette Francis : Appointed to Board September 2025 : Recently retired after working in administration at Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service Head Quarters and previously working in Cumbria’s Children’s Service’s Safeguarding Hub, Newton Rigg College in Student Services and Facilities Management.  Lynette also worked as a Volunteer for the Road Safety Charity- BRAKE – in conjunction with Cumbria Fire Service and Cumbria Police on Educating Young People on Road Safety. Lynette has worked with EHA on the Complaints Panel and the Repairs Panel and feels that this has given her a good insight as to how EHA and the Board work in looking after and meeting tenants’ needs. Having been an Eden District Council tenant, a private tenant and now an EHA tenant, Lynette feels she would like to use her skills and experience in helping EHA provide safe, secure and comfortable homes for tenants, listening to tenants’ requests, thoughts and views, resulting in trying to ensure their needs are meet.

Kate Elder : Appointed to Board May 2026 : Kate is a qualified chartered governance professional, with over 30 years’ experience in corporate and service-delivery roles across local government and social housing. She has worked fully in the social housing sector since 2014, and has held leadership responsibility for a range of corporate service areas, where she is responsible for a range of corporate service areas, including strategy, governance, regulation, risk, assurance, and legal services. Kate is passionate about governance, risk and assurance being practical and values-led, and linked clearly with the voice of the tenant and service delivery outcomes.  Kate is also a trained coach and mentor, and lives in the North-East of England.

Rebecca Sedgwick : Appointed to Board May 2026 : Rebecca has over 30 years’ experience in the rural social housing sector, beginning her career in housing management before progressing into senior roles focused on engagement and insight. She is deeply committed to delivering services and initiatives that make a meaningful difference to the lives of tenants in rural communities. A passionate advocate for tenant voice and service improvement, Rebecca brings both strategic perspective and practical experience to her work. She is a member of the Chartered Institute of Housing.