About us

The Board

Independent Directors

The following are the independent members of the Homes for Islington Board.

Adam Borrie
adam.borrie@homesforislington.org.uk

Adam was elected as chair of the Board in December 2007.  Adam is currently employed by Peabody Trust, one of the largest and oldest registered social landlord’s in London, as a system developer where he specialises in the design and development of bespoke housing IT applications. Additionally, Adam works for the Prince’s Trust as a business mentor, providing business advice, guidance and counselling to young persons in receipt of business start-up funds in the early stages of self-employment in his home county of Kent.

Adam holds an MSc in Social Policy and Planning from the London School of Economics and a BA from Brunel University where he studied the development and implementation of housing policy, maturing social security systems, redistributive economics and politics in the UK, Europe and North America. Adam was appointed to the HFI Board 3 October 2005.

Ann Lucas
ann.lucas@homesforislington.org.uk

Ann was chair of the Board from 1st December 2003 to December 2007. Ann is a qualified accountant with in excess of 20 years experience of financial management. She is currently vice-chair of a registered social landlord in Islington (Circle 33). She is also working as a consultant with Hounslow Homes and has worked on the development and procurement of their investment programme for Homes for Islington. Ann has worked closely with Homes for Islington board and resident representatives on the Best Value inspection where they were awarded two stars, with good prospects for improvement. Ann was appointed to HFI Board 18 March 2004.

Claudia Webbe
claudia.webbe@homesforislington.org.uk

Claudia has extensive experience and background in both the voluntary and the public sectors. She is a full-time advisor to the Mayor of London with specific responsibility for race equality, having been the former Director of Westminster Race Equality Council and Bath and North-East Somerset Race Equality Council. Claudia is an Islington resident. Her involvement in the voluntary sector is extensive. To name only a selection, Claudia was the former UK chairperson to the Council of Europe, an advisory member to the Joseph Rowntree research project looking at the experience of racist victimisation, an independent advisor to the Metropolitan Police, was previously an executive member of the Federation of Black Housing Organisations and currently the chairperson of Positive Action Training in Housing (West Midlands). Claudia was appointed to HFI Board 18 March 2004.

Kate Barns
kate.barns@homesforislington.org.uk

Kate has a wealth of experience in the public sector. Prior to starting her own housing consultancy, she had a career spanning some 26 years, in the last 18 years working for Hackney Council. Kate has extensive experience of working within the voluntary sector and was the chair of Victoria Park Home Ownership until December 2004, having been on the board for over 10 years. She has been a member of several committees and working parties, including working with the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, and was a board member of Keep London Working, an organisation created by Peabody Trust to provide homes for London’s key workers. Kate is currently on retainer to Genesis Housing Group and works extensively within East London and Thames Gateway. Kate was appointed to HFI Board 3 October 2005.

James Simpson
james.simpson@homesforislington.org.uk

James is a corporate member of the Chartered Institute of Housing. He has a wealth of experience in the voluntary and public sectors, having worked both with and for housing and regeneration agencies.

He has previously worked for the Housing Corporation, the Government’s national housing agency, several inner city local authorities and a community based housing regeneration company, formulating and delivering housing and regeneration programmes.

He works for the London Borough of Hackney, leading the team that works with affordable housing providers to deliver more affordable homes and high quality services.

He has extensive experience of housing development and developing effective partnership arrangements between affordable housing providers and local authorities. He has also worked for, and been a Board Member of a number of small and medium-sized community based Registered Social Landlords based in London.

James was appointed to the HFI Board in January 2008.