Meet the Board

Our Board is made up of people from a wide range of backgrounds. In this section, we include details on each Board Member.

John Anderson, Independent Member

Originally from the North East, John lived for most of his educational years and much of his working life in the Glasgow area. He qualified as a chartered accountant in 1968 becoming a member of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland. On qualifying, John left the profession to work in industry. He has many years experience of financial management and strategy planning gained at a senior level (Company Secretary/Finance Director) working in manufacturing, contracting, distribution and wholesaling environments.

He has worked with a variety of private sector organisations varying from a smaller independent company to large multi-nationals. He was Finance Director of an independent PLC and played a leading role in its successful flotation. In addition, he has had direct exposure to general management.

In 1993, John moved from the private sector into social housing. Since that time, he has been Director of Finance of a leading registered social landlord in the North West. He has seen the association grow considerably over the past 10 years through organic growth, stock transfers and transfers of engagements and it is currently one of the Housing Corporation's main partnering associations for the delivery of new social housing. In addition to being responsible for the finance function, John has also had responsibility for the association's IT and HR activities.

"I believe that I can bring to Six Town Housing wide experience and understanding in terms of financial management and business planning gained in both the private and the pseudo-public sectors. Working in social housing for a little over 10 years (and mainly within deprived urban areas), I come with an appreciation of the sector and the problems it faces. I welcome the challenge that lies ahead."

John Ball, Tenant Member

John first became involved with housing and the homeless over 22 years ago in his home town of Barry, South Wales.

He was involved in setting up a drug help/rehab walk-in centre in Cardiff called PILLOW, which helped people overcome their addictions and house them successfully.

John has been a Council Tenant in Bury for 5 years, and has been involved with both the Bury Metro Tenants Panel and with the Tenants and Residents Consultative Committee (TRACC), amongst many other committees’.

"Coming onto the board as a tenant member, gives me the chance to help what I believe to be a great new company, helping to bring standards up and giving tenants a decent home and environment, they can be proud to live in. I can give my experience of working with tenants and residents associations and local authorities, over the last 22 years."

Roger Brown, Council Member

Roger was born in Gloucester and moved to Lancashire in 1976. He is a practising barrister in Manchester specialising in crime and regulatory law which includes housing. He has been a Councillor in Tottington since 2004

Wilf Davison, Council Member

Wilf Davison was born in Liverpool in 1938 and came to live in Prestwich in 1978. He has been married to Maureen for 43 years and has five children and six grandchildren. Formerly a lecturer in Economics, he was upon retirement a Director at Manchester College of Arts and Technology.

Wilf has been a councillor since May 1996 and represents Holyrood Ward in the township of Prestwich. He was Mayor of Bury in 2003-2004, and is currently Deputy Mayor. He is also a member of the Economy, Environment and Transport Scrutiny Committee, The Planning Control Committee and Prestwich Area Board

Peter Dawson, Independent Member

Peter has lived in Prestwich and Whitefield for the last ten years. He has worked in social housing for twenty five years for a variety of large landlords and is currently the Performance Development Manager for a large Housing Association in West Yorkshire.

Although his background is in housing management, Peter wants to help make sure that Six Town Housing is about more than repairs and improvements, important though these are.
"I want to help create estates and neighbourhoods where people want and choose to live, rather than wishing they could move to somewhere nicer.

I am also keen to get the best possible value from the investment money. This means things like creating jobs and opportunities for local people - especially those who may not yet have the skills modern employers demand, using local suppliers and so on.

The new Board looks to have a good mix of skills and enthusiasm and I am really looking forward to creating something we can all be proud of."

Brenda Headley, Tenant Member

Brenda was elected to the Board following a tenant ballot in her area of Bury West, Ramsbottom and Tottington.

She was formerly secretary of the Tenants and Residents Associations Consultative Committee (TRACC) and has worked as a volunteer for many organisations and housing related groups. She says she is looking forward to bringing her experience to the new challenge.

"I am deeply committed to Six Town Housing and all of its tenants and would like to thank everyone who voted for me. I look forward to working with tenant, independent and council Board Members on improving the Borough for everyone who lives here"

Andy McGiffin (Vice Chair) Tenant Member

Andy has lived in Prestwich all his life and has been a Council tenant since 1970. He joined the Board in 2005, and is currently in his second year as Vice Chair.

Andy is committed to achieving and delivering an excellent housing service, for tenants in the Borough.

He is an active member of Downham Tenant Resident Association, and is proud to have helped build garden furniture for the local Community Garden

Chandrakanthi Pathinige, Tenant Member

Chandrakanthi has had a successful introductory tenancy from July 2007 and became a secure tenant in July 2008.

In her home country she worked with bomb blast victims and survivors from 1991-2003 when her country was having problems with military groups. She also worked in schools doing voluntary teaching of maths and English from 1987-1991. She is a full time care worker with Social Services, and has been involved with the Repairs Action Group meetings to help shape and improve the repairs service for our customers.

She is very community orientated and wants to contribute to building a safer, caring community for Bury Council tenants.

Larry Patrick, Independent Member

Larry was born in 1957 in Glasgow. After leaving school he worked for Glasgow City Council before moving to Manchester in 1978 and going on to complete an honours degree in Politics.
He worked for Manchester City Council from 1982 until 2006, and has held most housing jobs. He was an Assistant Director of Housing for 12 years before moving to the newly created Northwards Housing and his current role as Director of Property Services where he is responsible for ensuring that Northwards tenants receive a first class repairs service, delivering quality home improvements beyond Decent Homes.

He is married to Chris and has a daughter and son.

Outside of work, Larry likes to listen to Soul and Blues, Kayak, play alto saxophone and is very Francophile.

Dr Sharif Salim, Independent Member

As an independent member of the Six Town Housing Board, Sharif is keen to contribute to the work of the Board to make it successful so that it serves the needs of the tenants and the community.

His experience working as a manager for British multinational chemical companies both in the U.K. and U.S.A, as well as doing voluntary work for the past 25 years in Bury, should assist him in this endeavour so that the Organisation achieves at least a 2 star rating and obtains the necessary funding resources to meet the Decent Homes Standard at the earliest opportunity.

John Smith (Chair) Council Member

John Smith is a native of Jarrow-on-Tyne, and moved to the North West at the age of 18 to study Chemistry at UMIST in Manchester. He became a chemistry teacher working in various secondary schools and moved to the Bury area in 1969 when he married his wife Stella. He has four children and two grandchildren, and has lived in Ainsworth Road, Bury since 1976.
John represented Church Ward from 1994 – 1998, and became a councillor in Redvales in 1999. He was Chair of Housing and Environmental Services from 1995 – 1998, Lead Member for Housing from 2000 – 2002, was Mayor of Bury from 2002-2003, then Deputy Mayor from 2003-2004.

John has also been a member of the Local Government Association Housing Committee is Chair of the Healthier and Safer Communities Scrutiny Commission and is a member of the Housing Advisory Group.

His hobbies include going to the theatre, reading, crosswords and football – in particular Bury and Newcastle United.

John was elected as Chair of the Shadow Board of Six Town Housing in July 2004 by his fellow Shadow Board Members, and was subsequently elected as Chair of the Board in April 2005 when Six Town Housing went live. He says "I am passionately committed to working with tenants to provide decent homes in a pleasant environment. I am very excited at the possibilities afforded for Six Town Housing to change the lives of our tenants for the better"

Janette Taylor, Independent Member

Janette is currently Head of Housing for Housing Pendle which is a newly formed registered social landlord set up in 2006 to manage the stock previously owned by Pendle Borough Council. Janette was closely involved in the stock transfer process and the setting up of Housing Pendle.

She has extensive experience in Housing Management and has worked for both Registered Social Landlords and Local Authorities throughout the North West. During her career she has been involved in all aspects of Housing and regeneration, and is committed to working closely with customers to ensure that services provided reflect their wishes and aspirations.

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