English Rural has adopted the National Housing Federation’s Code of Governance to ensure the highest standards of governance and accountability are achieved. Our Board has overall responsibility for our activities and strategy, consisting of highly competent Board Members who contribute their skills and expertise for free. The Board is subject to regular internal audits, examining areas such as succession planning, skills and structure.
Maintaining excellent governance is a priority for English Rural and forms part of our 2024-2029 Strategic Ambitions.
In addition to regular board meetings, English Rural’s governance arrangements also benefit from an Audit and Standards Committee and Finance and Resources Committee, enabling some core areas to be covered by Board Members in greater detail.
Mark currently heads Pragmatix Advisory which he founded in 2020. Commissions have included ‘Rural Recovery and Revitalisation’ partly funded by English Rural. Before setting-up his own business Mark had a distinguished career in economic consultancy including as a Director of Strategy for Capita Economics. Projects have included advising and working for amongst others the National Housing Federation, Joseph Rowntree Foundation as well as national and local government. Mark is also an Independent Governor/Trustee for the agricultural college Writtle University.
Henry is a former employee of Hastoe Housing, where his role included leading external affairs, policy, media and communications. Henry has an excellent working knowledge of affordable rural housing, housing standards and worked with Hastoe’s Chief Executive in preparing their Corporate Plan. More recently Henry has worked within the office of the Lord Mayor of London, supporting all aspects of the Lord Mayor’s programme.
Graham has over 30 years’ experience as a Chartered Accountant, latterly helping Housing Associations to connect finance function more closely with operations, from planning through processing to reporting and monitoring. He has achieved this through interim and contract assignments, non-executive positions and through consultancy work, working with associations of all sizes from less than 1,000 properties to G15 London associations. He has a keen interest in developing people to meet their full potential, and in making finance more understandable for non-financial people, recognising that most decisions in organisations have a financial impact.
Philip has been closely involved in the social housing sector for over 30 years – most recently managing a housing portfolio of over 5,000 homes. Starting his career as an Environmental Health Officer he has seen at first hand some of the appalling housing conditions that some have to endure, both in urban and rural environments. He has worked hard to address not only housing but also the social needs of communities. As a Director of Community Services he has seen statutory agencies recognise the pivotal role housing agencies have to play in improving the well-being of some of the most vulnerable members of our communities. As a chartered surveyor with a local authority, he was fortunate to have the opportunity to be involved in both residential and commercial development programmes delivering both homes and employment for residents. He has seen at first hand the challenge meeting the housing needs of rural communities and that organisations such as English Rural can make a real difference to a project succeeding.
Jessie has a professional background in teaching and, for the past four years, has held a focus on marketing. She brings a strong blend of communication expertise and community insight to the Board. Having experienced first-hand the difference English Rural can make, enabling her to remain in the village where she grew up when market housing was out of reach, Jessie is committed to ensuring resident perspectives shape decisions and the overall experience of living in an English Rural home.
Beyond her role at English Rural, Jessie serves as chair of her local parish council and is actively involved in community initiatives, particularly those supporting young people. Away from meetings and projects, she’s happiest in the countryside with her dogs and loves adventuring with her two young boys.
Jenny brings a wealth of experience in social care, accessibility, and inclusive practice to her role as a Resident Board Member at English Rural, currently serving as an Assessment Officer for Deaf and Deafblind people within Adult Social Care, where she champions equitable access and tailored support.
Jenny is actively involved in projects that improve accessibility and engagement across health and volunteering sectors, including collaborations with Kent Coast Volunteering, and works closely with Local Authorities, Public Health teams, and social housing providers to embed accessibility and compliance under the Equality Act.
Her passion for rural community development and inclusion drives her motivation to serve on the English Rural board, with a commitment to ensuring that resident voices and lived experiences shape policy and decision-making. Her goal is to bridge gaps between communities, residents, and governance, embedding health, social needs, accessibility, and equality into housing strategies.
Mark Webster is an accomplished non-executive leader with extensive board-level experience in the affordable housing sector. A former Chair of Grand Union Housing Group and Vice-Chair at Havebury Housing Partnership, he has led strategic change, governance reform, and major development programmes. As Head of Housing Finance at Nationwide Building Society, he oversaw £9.5bn in lending and advised government and sector bodies. Known for his collaborative leadership and strong grasp of risk, funding, and regulation, Mark continues to influence sector policy and practice. He also contributes through voluntary roles in conservation and community development, reflecting his deep commitment to public service.
Rebecca has 20 years’ experience of working in Local Government, starting her career as an Environmental Health Officer, working to improve housing standards in the private rented sector. In more recent years Rebecca has held a number of senior positions in local authorities, leading the improvement and transformation of back office transactional services. Away from work Rebecca has embraced country life following a recent move from London to the Cotswolds, where she now lives with her family and faithful black Labrador.
Avril Roberts joined the CLA (Country Land and Business Association) in February 2022 as Property and Business Policy Adviser, where she leads on housing and tourism policy. A graduate of the University of Exeter with a degree in Politics, Avril transitioned into the housing sector after completing her studies. Her professional experience includes working as a development project manager, where she focused on delivering new affordable housing. At the CLA, Avril provides valuable guidance to members on property management, new home development, and the tourism sector. Her expertise in these areas is complemented by her rural background, having grown up in Cambridgeshire.
Simon has over 20 years working in property and regeneration teams across Local Government and is now the Director of Property at Norfolk County Council, which includes managing over 16,000 acres of agricultural land to help people into a career in farming. Passionate about creating great communities to live in, Simon also manages the Council’s wholly owned development company Repton Homes, succssfully delivering a wide mix of quality new homes acros the County. He was previously the President of ACES, the body supporting property professionals in the public sector.
Conan is the Asset Director at A2Dominion Group, a provider of 38,000 homes predominantly based in London. In addition to his role at English Rural Housing he is also a Board Trustee for Beamish Museum. Having served a five-year Building Surveyor apprenticeship at Harrogate Borough Council, Conan spent the following 10 years with Home Group, a national social housing landlord before joining NorthStar Housing in Teesside, his first Director role, in 2013. Since then, he has held Director roles with Gentoo Group based in Sunderland & Your Housing Group in the North West before taking on his current role with A2Dominion in London. He has extensive knowledge and 27 years’ experience in construction and the social housing sector, including 13 years at Director level, to become a well-recognised strategic leader in this field.
Rob is a seasoned Chartered Management Accountant with over 10 years of experience as Chief Financial Officer & Company Secretary at TSG Building Services Plc in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire. Renowned for his ability to refine processes and develop financial strategies for sustainable growth, he partners closely with executive leadership and manages an array of stakeholder relationships. Prior to this, Rob led Strategic Maintenance at Vale of Aylesbury Housing, overseeing an annual portfolio exceeding £20 million and honing his expertise in stakeholder management and strategic planning.
Click here to read the English Rural Group Board Member Declarations of interest.
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