Westward welcomes new board members
Westward Housing Group has welcomed Jane Alderman and Jon Foster to the Westward Board as non-executive directors.
These latest appointments will further strengthen Westward’s governance by adding to the board’s existing skills and experience for robust risk aware, social and commercial expertise.
Chair of the Westward Board, Robert Stronge, said, “Our board members play a key role in shaping our organisation’s direction and ensuring customers are at the heart of that. We’re pleased to welcome such experienced leaders to the board at a time when we are embarking on an ambitious/exciting plan to provide more affordable homes in Cornwall and Devon and further enhance our service offer to our customers.
“Both Jon and Jane bring exceptional qualities, along with a strong commitment to Westward’s ambitions. We feel fortunate to have their skills supporting our continued good governance and helping us make a positive impact as providers of affordable housing in the south west.”
Jane and Jon are joining one of the highest performing social landlords in the south west region. Westward holds the highest rating for viability, governance and consumer standards from the Regulator of Social Housing. They assessed Westward as being a customer-focused and listening organisation with a V1, G1 and C1 rating.
Jane Alderman has extensive experience from more than 20 years in managing large development programmes in the affordable and market sectors, with professional expertise in property development, social housing and regeneration.
She is currently a senior housing consultant in the social housing sector, providing advice on strategy, policy and governance. She has extensive experience as a non-executive director in a number of organisations and is currently a member of the group board at Abri, where she chairs the investment committee.
Jane is passionately committed to the importance and fundamental right for everyone to have a safe and affordable home to live in, she has a strong belief in the positive role that social housing can play in promoting equality, wellbeing and contributing to building resilient communities.
Jon Foster is an independent consultant and executive coach specialising in risk, governance and organisational improvement across the housing, public and charity sectors. Jon brings a strong focus on customer safety, effective governance and ensuring organisations remain connected to the people and communities they serve to the Westward board.
Before establishing his consultancy, he spent six years as director of operational risk at Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing. His career has included senior roles in housing and local government, including work on the Grenfell recovery programme, alongside experience supporting organisations through complex, high-profile challenges and driving lasting improvement.
Jon speaks of the huge impact a life-changing role from joining the council after the Grenfell Tower fire had on him, both professionally and personally.
He says, “The work brought home so strongly to me both the impact of historic poor practice, but also the incredible value that the right approach can bring - ultimately in the interests of both current and future residents.”
Jon currently serves as a non-executive NExT Director on the board of the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust and was recognised in Inside Housing's 40 Under 40 list for his contribution to the housing sector.
He says, “Since moving to Cornwall, I’ve developed a much deeper understanding of the specific challenges facing housing in the south west - not just in terms of affordability and land values, but the interaction between seasonal economies, the private rented sector, and the challenge of creating and maintaining genuinely sustainable communities. I’ve seen first-hand the impact this can have on individuals and families, and it is this that drives my interest in contributing to an organisation that is both rooted in, and actively shaping, communities in the south west.”