WISH South East: Housing Matters Event

Date: Thursday 7th July

Time: 3pm - 6pm

Venue: MHS Homes - Leviathan Way, Chatham, ME4 4LL.

This event is about matters of the industry and housing matters in general.

3.00pm  -  Arrival and Networking

3.30pm  -  Event starts with our host Lauren Chivers, WISH South East Chair followed by our three guest speakers.

4.35pm  -  Q&A Session

4.45pm  -  Networking til 6pm close.

Our Speakers

Fiona Fletcher-Smith, Group Chief Executive, L&Q

In her time at L&Q Fiona has spearheaded our 5.1billion development programme, led our expansion into the Midlands and North West, and delivered change programmes to improve both the efficiency and diversity of our Development and Sales function.

Prior to joining L&Q, Fiona was the Executive Director for Development, Enterprise and Environment at the Greater London Authority (GLA).

As part of the senior management team for the GLA, she was responsible for overseeing the delivery and implementation of key strategies such as the London Plan, the Economic Development Strategy, transport, environment and climate change and in overseeing the operation of the Mayor’s powers in relation to significant planning applications in the capital.

Colin Carswell, Director of Counter Trafficking Network Ltd and the Specialist Policing Consultancy Ltd.

Colin Carswell was formerly a police Superintendent having spent 31 years in the London Metropolitan Police. He retired in 2020.

He holds a Master of Arts Degree (with Distinction), in ‘Human Trafficking, Migration and Organised Crime’ and is employed as a Lecturer, teaching the Master of Arts degree course on ‘Human Trafficking, Migration and Organised Crime’ at St Mary’s University, London.

Colin’s experience in human trafficking and modern slavery is based on many years of significant work in this field. This has included research, investigation, prosecution case building, victim debriefing and interviewing, suspect interviewing, and conducting training at both a national and international level.

Through both the Counter Trafficking Network and Specialist Policing Consultancy Colin delivers both face to face training and on-line training courses on a range of issues including Modern Slavery, Child Protection, supporting vulnerable adults, combatting money laundering and successfully resolving community crime issues and ant-social behaviour through problem solving and partnership working.  In addition Colin is frequently called to give expert evidence in criminal cases where vulnerable adults and children have been exploited.

Sharon Murphy, Head of Housing Specialisms, L&Q

Sharon has worked within a Social Housing setting for close to 20 years, specialising in Housing Management, ASB and Resident Engagement. She is incredibly passionate about Community Safety and tackling ASB, which blights lives and communities. Sharon enjoys sharing her working experience and knowledge with others and is an Associate for Janine Green ASB (WISH Midlands Board member) delivering ASB Tools and Powers training to Housing Providers, Local Authorities, and the Police, up and down the country.

Sharon currently works for L&Q as their Head of Housing Specialisms team, delivering repeatable, reliable, and consistent ASB, DASV, Safeguarding & Vulnerability, MH, Resident Support and Tenancy Fraud services to their many residents.

Sharon is a firm believer that partnership working and collaboration with stakeholders is the only way to achieve best outcomes for residents – without effective partnership working, you limit the outcome options for your person / people. Effective partnership working shares the load and reduces duplication of effort. None of us are experts in every field – so why work alone! Collaborate and communicate!