Meet The Board

Ian Munro

Chair

Until recently Ian had been the Chief Executive of New Charter, a highly successful and respected Housing Association in the Manchester area.

Ian has served as a non-executive director on the Board of SLH since September 2017 and as well as his significant housing pedigree he has set up and chaired a multi-academy education trust and a local media company.

Ian was appointed to the SLH Chair role from 1st May 2018. Ian has been a former board member of the National Housing Federation and was awarded an OBE for services to housing in the 2017 New Years Honours list.

Steve Bentley

Deputy Chair

Steve has over 35 years of experience in corporate banking, having qualified with the institute of bankers and was the former Relationship Director for Barclays specialised in supporting Social Housing providers in the North West before retiring in 2019.

He brings considerable corporate governance, finance and treasury management experience to South Lakes Housing. Steve lives just outside of Kirkby Lonsdale and is also the senior independent director at the ForViva Group, a social housing provider with wide-reaching commercial activities based in Salford.

Andy Oldale

Chair of Audit & Risk Committee

Andy was recently an Executive Director of Finance and Governance at Yorkshire Housing and has a breadth of strategic finance and governance experience having held a number of other senior positions within the sector and is also an independent member of the Audit and Risk Committee at Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

Before working in social housing, he led finance teams in customer-focused retail businesses.

Andrew is a qualified accountant and has a sound understanding of internal control, the sector and the regulatory environment and experience in health and safety and treasury management.

Silas Heys

Chair of Development Committee

Silas is a qualified solicitor who specialises in property law. He moved to Kendal in 2017 after working for international law firms in Manchester and Liverpool, where he acted for pension funds, retailers and large charitable and educational institutions on their property transactions and portfolio management. Silas is currently in-house Legal Counsel at Cumberland Building Society, where he advises the Society on all aspects of property, banking and finance and commercial law, as well as on corporate governance.

A geography graduate and fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, Silas has a keen interest in sustainability and the environment.

Susanne Long

Board member

Susanne has lived in Kendal since 2012, moving up from the south coast where she worked for IBM UK Ltd.

Susanne is a Councillor for both South Lakeland District Council (elected in 2019) and for Kendal Town Council (elected 2018). Susanne is especially interested in the areas of Planning and Housing and is also a Board member for Kendal Futures.

Susanne’s previous career was within the IT sector, working in various sales and sales enablement roles all of which were focused on Client Relationship Management (CRM). In her role as Business Transformation Consultant, Susanne worked with Clients to re-design & simplify processes, deliver the infrastructure to support their evolving business needs and to prepare them for the change required to ensure their successful adoption.

Nicola Haywood-Cleverly

Board member

With a background in engineering, Nicola has extensive knowledge of the technology industry and a wealth of expertise in implementing large-scale, complex change, often digitally enabled to deliver improvements and innovation across the public sector. She has been a Chief Digital and Information Officer in the NHS, integrated care, and policing.

With a passion for sustainability, supporting communities and doing what is right to care for and protect people, Nicola works as an advisor to the digital health and care sector, including the Institute of Engineering and Technology.

An experienced governor, NED and chair, her contribution to strategic development, resourcing and investment, risk and assurance, and the use of business intelligence and data is highly valued. She is a board member at OnGo Homes and a NED at University Hospitals Morecambe Bay, which complement and benefit her work at South Lakes Housing.

Nicola has a lifelong relationship with the region and welcomes this opportunity to give something back.

Tony Muir

Board member

Tony is a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, and he has worked in property asset management for over 30 years. His roles have spanned the private sector, public sector and over the last five years, Social Housing. Tony has worked in property consultancy working with various nationwide clients, advising on both the client side and delivering as a contractor or supply chain partner.

Tony is an experienced Statutory Company Director previously managing several property services companies delivering to major local authorities and housing providers. His most recent roles in housing have seen him operating at Director and Executive level reporting to the Board.

Sarah Swindley

Board member

Sarah is CEO of the Lake District Foundation, an independent charity working with the National Park Partnership to drive innovation in fundraising, grant making and new models of finance. Sarah is also a non-executive director of Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership.

She has a particular interest in connecting the natural environment with communities who do not traditionally access our national parks and with the wellbeing benefits of our natural world.

Steve Hughes

Steve Hughes leads Oldham Council’s Strategy, Public Affairs and Engagement, Transformation, Governance, and Data & Insight functions. He also serves as the Senior Responsible Officer (SRO) for the council’s digital programme, driving innovation and modernisation.

With 12 years’ experience in Chief Officer and Chair roles within the Citizens Advice network, alongside senior non-executive positions in housing and education, Steve brings extensive expertise in transformation, customer-focused services, operational management, and change leadership.

His 12-year tenure as a local government cabinet member highlights his deep commitment to public service. A passionate advocate for HIV awareness, Steve also serves as a trustee for national Citizens Advice, reflecting his dedication to social justice and community empowerment.

Charlotte Norman

Board member

Charlie has worked in the local authority and social housing sector  for over 30 years, across the North West and in Vancouver, Canada, with a background in community and co-operative development, neighbourhood management, supported housing and regeneration.

Charlie is honoured to be CEO of MSV, having worked for the business for over 20 years and committed to providing the best service possible for customers and communities. Charlie is proud to be the Chair of the Greater Manchester Housing Providers Partnership and Chair of the Northern Housing Consortium, as well as a charity trustee.

Working with a wide range of colleagues, customers, partners and community and voluntary sector colleagues, Charlie is a campaigner for social justice and tackling inequality.  She is also a firm believer in building a great work environment where people can flourish with a focus on flexibility, agility and creativity.

John Walker

Co-opted Board Member

I have 30 years experience working in a range of roles and housing organisations within the social housing sector.

Experience and key skill areas include corporate and asset strategy, business planning,  regulatory compliance, change management, stock rationalisation and growth. Further experience in policy development, research, public affairs and external engagement. Previous senior housing experience with Gentoo Group, Home Group, Derwent Housing Association and Director of JPW housing consultancy. Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Housing.

David Butcher

Independent Member of Audit and Risk Committee

David is a chartered accountant and has held various financial management positions in both private and public sectors.

He is currently Director of Finance and University Secretary at Leeds Trinity University, with responsibilities including strategic and operational financial management, strategic business planning and leading on the risk management processes. David grew up in and still has ties to the South Lakes area and is keen to support SLH in the key role it plays in the area.

Martyn Nicholson

Independent Member of Development Committee

Martyn was the Managing Director of a local housebuilding company (Russell Armer Homes) for 30 years before retiring in 2021. He originally trained as a quantity surveyor and was a Fellow of the RICS. He has lived in Kendal for over 40 years and has been on the board of Queen Katherine School, Kendal College and Kendal Futures.