Altogether having spent twenty three years as a Councillor for my beloved Blackpool I have served on Housing, Social Services and Education for most of those years.  Looking after and helping people as much as I can this is my way of thanking Blackpool for the sixty odd years living here.

I was on the first Board of Blackpool Coastal Housing and here I am back with you again and looking forward to helping with the good work being done (although I never really went away, being a Portfolio Holder for the last four years kept me involved with Housing, Social Services and Education).

I also serve as Chairman of Governors for Highfield Humanities College and I am a Governor of Park School.   I am Hon. President of the Blackpool Scouts Association, a member of St. Christopher’s Church, and I really enjoy all I am involved with.

I’m very proud to be a member of the board of Blackpool Coastal Housing. I’ve a wealth of experience in housing; I’ve been a housing officer, a councillor for a ward with over 500 council houses and a student of housing policy and practice. In 2000 I completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Housing Policy and Management at the University of Northumbria. In 2001 I became a Corporate Member of the Chartered Institute of Housing, having passed the Test of Professional Practice.

I was recently elected to Blackpool Borough Council, representing Layton ward. I believe councillors should always remember they are there to represent the people to the Council not the Council to the people. As a board member I’ll be asking the necessary awkward questions and representing the interests of the customers at all times.

I believe decent housing conditions are essential for human dignity and I am dedicated to achieving the maximum for our customers. Building new social housing and making all of Blackpool’s housing decent are my priorities.

I was born in Blackpool and have lived most of my life in the Layton and Greenlands area.

Before being elected as Councillor for Greenlands I have been involved in the voluntary and community sector for over 15 years.  I was a founder member of Grange Park Residents Association and also the Blackpool Residents Federation of which I am still the Treasurer.

I am also the Treasurer for a residents group in my area and the coordinator for the Blackpool Private Tenants Forum. I am also the secretary of Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde Fibromyalgia support group.

Over the past few years I have chaired both the Local Area Forum and the Greenlands PACT meetings.

As a Councillor I am the Vice Chair of Planning and I also sit on the CVS board of directors to name but a few.

I would like to think I can bring my many years of experience in housing and working with residents to the BCH boardroom.