We have appointed four new Board and Committee members to provide strategic leadership to Local Space. We’re pleased to welcome Sue Bunt, Marie Li Mow Ching and Sarah Beckwith as Board members and Shaun Carr as an independent member of our new Customer Services Committee.
Local Space’s Board has strong skills in housing management and our new Board members complement these skills with their experience in HR, business transformation, asset management and finance and treasury gained from both the housing and private sectors. The new appointments further expand the balance of the Board, with 55% female representation. This strengthens our Board making them highly collaborative and communicative, empathetic and diverse.
Shaun Carr will join our new Customer Services Committee which will review operational service standards and core landlord services to ensure that Local Space has the strategies and policies necessary to meet residents’ needs. The committee, made up of Board and resident members, will make recommendations to the Board about service improvements and ensure that Local Space is accountable to its residents.
Josie Parsons, Local Space’s Chief Executive, said: “We are delighted to welcome Sue, Marie and Sarah to the Local Space Board. They have a strong track record and impressive expertise in the sector, along with a passion for the work we do, each bringing invaluable experience and knowledge to the Board. We are also pleased to welcome Shaun to our new Customer Services Committee, where he will put residents at the heart of driving service improvements to benefit those living in a Local Space home.
With record numbers of people already being housed in temporary accommodation and with signs that the economy is slowing, we expect 2025 to be a very challenging year from a tackling homelessness perspective. Our new Board members will make a significant contribution to Local Space and help us to continue our crucial work in addressing homelessness and helping families and those in need, by providing settled accommodation and a stable and firm foundation.”
Meet the new members
Sue Bunt, Head of Organisational Development at the Hyde Group, joins the Board and becomes the new Chair of Governance & Remuneration Committee. Sue has 20 years’ experience in social housing and specialises in organisational culture, leadership development, strategic human resources and diversity and inclusion.
Marie Li Mow Ching, Board member at Selwood Housing Society and Estuary Housing Association and Chair of Gravesend Churches Housing Association, joins the Board and Audit & Risk Committee. Marie has over 10 years’ experience in the social housing sector, in various roles such as Board member, Vice-Chair and Chair of the Board. Marie specialises in governance, financial and risk management, housing services, asset management and development.
Sarah Beckwith, a chartered surveyor, joins the Board and Audit & Risk Committee. Sarah has worked in the property industry for over 20 years with a portfolio career in property consultancy and Board roles. She specialises in strategic property and asset management and governance across the private, public and charity sectors.
Shaun Carr, Director of Homes at Phoenix Community Housing, joins the Customer Service Committee. Shaun has worked as a senior leader in residential, care and mental health organisations for the last 15 years. Shaun specialises in business transformation and was instrumental in establishing Greener Futures Partnership, a 300,000 homes partnership aimed at leading the sustainability agenda in the housing sector.
We look forward to working together to provide safe and quality homes for those in need.