About us

The Board

Council Directors

The following are the Homes for Islington board directors from the Islington Council.

Councillor Jyoti Vaja
jyoti.vaja@islington.gov.uk

Cllr Vaja has been a Liberal Democrat councillor for Bunhill ward since 1998. From 2006 to 2007 she was Mayor of Islington. Previously, she was Executive Member for Housing and Community Safety from 2002 – 2004  years and from 2000 - 2002 Chaired Contracted Services Committee which was responsible for the three large contracts of the council - leisure services, street cleaning and refuse collection and housing and building repairs. Cllr Vaja has lived most of her life in Islington on the St Luke’s Estate with her family where she went on to be elected as Chair of the TRA (tenant and residents association) and gained valuable on the ground housing experience. Professionally, Cllr Vaja is an accountant and works part-time for a Charitable Organisation.

Councillor Richard Greening
Richard.greening@islington.gov.uk

Cllr Greening has lived in Highbury for over 20 years. He is a Labour councillor currently representing Highbury ward and before that Gillespie ward. He takes a close interest in housing matters within Islington, having chaired the Council's Housing Committee from 1998 to 2000 and outside it as the current chair of the Labour Housing Group. He is currently deputy leader of the opposition at Islington.

Cllr Greening is employed by the Improvement and Development Agency for local government, which works with councils throughout England to spread good practice and improve their services to the public. He is currently working with councils, which were awarded beacon status by the government for their work in private sector housing renewal, and in the new Supporting People grant system for support to vulnerable tenants. Cllr Greening was appointed to HFI Board 11 May 2004.

Councillor Barbara Sidnell
barbara.sidnell@islington.gov.uk

Cllr Sidnell is a Labour Councillor representing Finsbury Park. Barbara is a Council tenant who has lived in the area all her life and has a long history as a local community activist, being involved with Local Area Forums and Housing Panels.

Cllr Sidnell has worked with the Transport General Workers Union for the last 26 years. She was acting vice-chair of the Council’s Housing Committee and chair of the Women's and Equalities Committee. Cllr Sidnell was appointed to HFI Board 31 July 2006.

Louise Round
louise.round@islington.gov.uk

Louise is the Director of Law and Public Services at Islington. She qualified as a solicitor in 1987 and has worked in private practice as well as for two other local authorities, leaving Hammersmith and Fulham for Islington in 2001.

Throughout her local government career she has taken an interest in housing-related law and wider issues and is pleased to be given this opportunity to help make a difference to the quality of housing in the borough. At Islington, she is also responsible for the Community Safety Partnership unit and will be working with Homes for Islington to develop a coherent response to the problems of antisocial behaviour in the borough. Louise was appointed to HFI Board 18 March 2004.