Board

Michelle Rimmer
Executive Director

My role is to oversee the day to day operational activities of the company and to develop and implement strategic plans and company policies. To ensure we have the resources to plan and deliver our company’s goals. Reporting to the Board on the performance of the business and provide information to ensure we achieve our mission and goals.

Gordon Barton
Executive Director

My role is to oversee the day to day operational activities of the company and to develop and implement strategic plans and company policies. To ensure we have the resources to plan and deliver our company’s goals. Reporting to the Board on the performance of the business and provide information to ensure we achieve our mission and goals.

Stuart Barrie
Non Executive Director

Stuart joined the board in 2018 and brings extensive experience of retail and corporate banking with a high street bank. In addition for a number of years Stuart led the management team operating a Care Home for adults with physical disabilities and is passionate about helping and supporting the most vulnerable members of our society.

David Baybut
Chair Of The Board

David joined Stephensons Solicitors  in September 1993 having graduated from Keele University with a first class Bsc honours degree in law and computer science and then from Chester College of Law with a distinction.  David qualified as a solicitor in February 1996, and has been specialising predominantly in commercial property law since. David was appointed as a Partner in 1999. He is head of the over 60 strong real estate team, becoming a member of the operational board in April 2008.  Whilst David has been head of the real estate team, the department has become a national multi-award winning team. The team has won  Law Firm Services Awards in the conveyancing field several years in a row and most recent, they were winners of the Modern Law awards for  property team of the year. David is a founder member of the Business Growth Hub, a community for growing businesses in the North West. His previous appointments have included trustee roles for Wigan and Chorley Groundwork Trust and  Co-opted member of Wigan council regeneration committee. David specialises in all areas of property work, including but not limited to: Commercial and residential  development (including site assembly, option agreements, conditional contracts, planning agreements, pre-let) Acquisition and disposal  Investment and portfolio transactions including legal management  Planning and S106 Agreements Construction  Landlord and tenant law  Commercial finance Tender and bid application assistance In addition to acting for a wide range of commercial clients,  David has many years’ experience acting for housing association/registered social housing landlords, and local authorities in transactions from site assembly, estate development, planning and planning agreements, construction,  management to disposal. In addition, he acts for schools and colleges, leisure providers, cultural trusts and many other quasi government organisations. David is currently the Contract Manager for the West Yorkshire Local Authorities Framework Agreement, NEPO framework, South Liverpool Homes, Great Places  Group, Torus Legal Service Framework  and Leeds Housing Federation. David also enjoys advising and writing on specific areas of law and has recently been quoted in Public Law Today, Lexis Nexis and 24Dash.com commenting on issues affecting registered providers. David also holds the position  of non-executive chair and non-executive director, for  four,  not for profit, regulated and non-regulated social housing providers. He is widely acknowledged as an expert in his field being cited in the Legal 500 as well as being personally recommended by those he works for as part of his framework contract relationship manager roles.

Ian Brown
Non-Executive Director

“Ian has had a successful 30-year career in the public and social sector. Most of this time was spent operating in senior leadership roles across a diverse range of public  health, private and social housing initiatives. This included a key role dedicated to developing communities, new build homes, regeneration and housing management. Ian has a detailed knowledge of business assurance, organisational governance and regulatory frameworks. Ian is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Housing and a member of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health.”