Matthew Walker – independent member (Chair)

A Fellow of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants, Matthew has worked in housing organisations at a senior level since 1991, including as Finance Director, before becoming Chief Executive in 1994. Matthew is passionate about improving the quality of people’s lives through helping to provide homes that people want to live in, in areas other people will want to move to. Alongside that work, Matthew seeks to provide people with the opportunities for them to improve their own lives through employment and training opportunities. In following a lifelong commitment to learning, Matthew achieved Corporate Member status of the Chartered Institute of Housing in 2012.

Richard Joy – LMT resident member

Richard is committed to tackling social injustice, social exclusion and inequality in society. He believes that good quality social housing can be a springboard to help people out of poverty.  Prior to commencing as a student social worker in September 2012, Richard spent 12 years in various housing support roles, helping some of the most vulnerable members of our society. In addition to this, Richard is a Single Shortbreak Foster Carer for Barnado’s Fostering; Independent Visitor for Voiceability, providing mentoring and support for young people in residential care; school governor, and Vice Chair of one of Incommunities Local Management Trusts.

Alex Brown – LMT resident member

Alex has a long history of involvement in both the tenant and community movement. He is a great believer in community development and has chaired two separate community associations. In addition to this he has, for several years, had a seat on the Bradford Housing Partnership; is Chair of the Bradford and District Tenants and Residents Federation and was a founding Member of the Yorkshire and Humber Tenants and Residents Regional Federation. Since February 2009, Alex has been a self-employed adviser to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.  He works closely with Bradford University Department of Peace Studies and their participation team on various projects.

Judith Courts – independent member

Judith’s early experiences as a trustee of a city farm; director of a women’s centre and journalist on a community newspaper provided her first experiences of communities in need. Since that time Judith has committed herself, both in employment and in a number of voluntary roles, to empowering people to make change for themselves. Her experience of the local, regional and national not-for-profit sector is extensive and for the last 13 years Judith has worked as a freelance charity and social economy consultant with specialism in supporting organisations to develop partnership and collaborative working. Judith has been a Board Member of Incommunities since 2006.

Ruby Bhatti – independent member

Ruby is a highly successful Consultant Solicitor with 20 years’ experience in the legal field. She has over 16 years’ experience of various non-executive directorships. Her roles have included Chair of a BME Housing Association, until she had to step down having met the limit allowed for years in that position, however she still Chairs the Audit Committee of that Association. Ruby is also Vice Chair of the Quality and Safety Patients Panel; a board member of a women’s refuge; a member of the Association of Women Solicitors; the Law Society; Bradford Council’s Education Appeals Admission Panel and sits as an independent panel member of the Mental Health Department, Bradford NHS Foundation Trust, a role which enables patients to have their cases considered independently.

Simon Wilson – independent member

Simon is a successful housing professional, (currently a Director of Housing), with over 15 years of experience and a track record of delivering high quality housing and customer services. He has worked in some of the most challenging areas of multiple deprivation and diverse neighbourhoods and has a strong commitment to customer service, community development and diversity.  Simon achieved the Dip HE Housing in 2000, with Leeds Metropolitan University and is a Corporate Member of the Chartered Institute of Housing.

Debbie Davies - council nominee

Debbie is a nominee of Bradford Council, and is on a number of panels and committees, including: Education Appeals Panel; Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee; Shipley Area Committee; Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee (DCh) and Social Services Appeals Panel. In addition to this, Debbie is a member of the Adoption Panel; West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Authority and the Shipley Glen Tramway Cinnamon Trust.

Khadim Hussain – council nominee

Khadim is a nominee of Bradford Council. He is on various Committees including: Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee; Keighley Area Committee (DCh); Miscellaneous Licenses Panel(DCh) and the Social Care and Scrutiny Committee. Khadim is also a member of the Integrated Transport Authority and the University of Bradford Court & Council. In February 2013 he was selected for the role of Lord Mayor, which he described as a “tremendous honour”. In addition to his Council duties, Khadim has been a local magistrate for more than 17 years.

Vacant – LMT resident member

Vacant – LMT resident member

Amanda Topham – Co-optee

For the last 22 years Amanda has been practising in projects, non-contentious construction and engineering law, ICT, procurement and development work.  Specialising in PFI and major projects work, advising on procurement strategies and structures in relation to complex building and infrastructure projects and providing innovative drafting solutions.  Amanda has acted on a variety of PFI, DBFO, BOOT and other major schemes.  Since 2006, Amanda has owned her own company and has been engaged by clients to work on a wide range of projects including: outsourcing; development of new leisure centres; Academy programmes; Street Lighting and Schools PFIs and acquisition of land. In addition to her involvement with Incommunities since 2009, Amanda is also a  Co-opted Governor on a Primary School Governing Body.