Derby Homes Board

Roles and responsibilities

The Derby Homes Board is made up of three tenants, three councillors and three independent members (someone with no connection to Derby Homes). Members of the Board are non-executive company directors who are responsible for the strategic running of the company. 

The Board meet once every three months to make decisions about the services provided by Derby Homes.  

Our board members vote on decisions affecting how Derby Homes is run. They question our Heads of Service, check that we're providing value for money, and make sure we deliver services of the highest possible standard to our tenants and leaseholders.  

Board members always act in the best interests of the tenants they represent, making sure our services always have our customers in mind. Board members also decide how money should be spent across the city, approve rent increases, and scrutinise our performance statistics.  

The board is responsible for the overall strategy, direction, and the financial management of Derby Homes.  

Council Board Members

Councillor Lucy Care (Vice- Chair)

Lucy joined the Derby Homes Board in 2018. She is a councillor in Littleover ward, having been first elected in 1993. Lucy's background is in engineering and she takes a keen interest in the sustainability of housing. This includes the energy use in homes and the way communities work.

Lucy has also worked on national policy development with the Liberal Democrats and stood for parliament.

Declaration of interest - 25 July 2024

• Member of Derbyshire Environmental Trust
• Member of Pensions and Investments Committee, of Derbyshire Local Authority Pension Fund
• Member of Council of Governors, University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust
• Elected Councillor of Derby City Council
• Partner in Littleover Community Print
• Partner in Derby LD Adverts
• Member of Derby Quakers

Councillor John Evans

John was appointed to Derby Homes Board in May 2023 and has been a Derby City Councillor since 2016. He has lived in Derby all of his life.  John works in electrical engineering and has been involved with housing, new builds and refurbishment for the past 40 years.

Declaration of interests - 25 July 2024

• Director of Versine Electrical Limited
• Elected Councillor of Derby City Council

Councillor Jamie Mulhall

Jamie joined Derby Homes Board in 2023 and is one of the ward councillors of Oakwood ward elected in May 2023. His background is Project Management currently working for Rolls-Royce PLC. Jamie has a keen interest in housing and providing good quality homes to Derby’s growing population. He believes passionately that everyone should have a place to call home.

Declaration of interests - 25 July 2024

None

Tenant Board Members

Robert (Bob) MacDonald (Vice-Chair)

Bob has lived in Derby since 1987, spending the last 25 years in Alvaston. He served in the Royal Air Force joining at the tender age of 16. Since leaving the RAF, he has spent most of his working life in a customer service environment. He also spent time as an area manager for a Contract Security Company.

Bob became a Derby Homes tenant in 2011 and served on the Tenant Panel, City Board and Operational Committee, before being appointed to the Board of Derby Homes.

He looks forward to continuing to represent tenants at Board level. Bob is the Board's Champion for Customer Service.

Declarations of interest - 25 July 2024

• Governor at Lord Street Nursery, Derby
• Tenant of Derby Homes/Derby City Council
• Tenant representative on the National Federation of ALMO’s (NFA’s) tenant advisory panel
• Tenant representative on the Housing Ombudsman Advisory Group Residents Panel.

Michael Dzumbira

Michael has been a Derby resident since 2020, currently living in the city. With a background in capital fund-raising and project analysis, he brings a unique blend of commercial acumen and social responsibility to his role. Michael's experience spans across Africa and the UK, focusing on impact investments and community development.

Having served on the Operational Committee, Michael was appointed to the Board of Derby Homes in 2024. He is committed to being a voice for tenants and the wider community, with a particular focus on helping vulnerable and elderly residents. Michael looks forward to applying his entrepreneurial spirit and strategic thinking to benefit Derby Homes and its stakeholders.

Outside of his professional commitments, Michael actively volunteers with various organizations and sponsors a child through World Vision UK. He maintains an active lifestyle, enjoying basketball and running in his spare time.

Declarations of interest - 25 July 2024

• A tenant of Derby Homes/Derby City Council
• Managing Member of Someone Like Me CIC

Ellie Jackson

Ellie is deeply passionate about social housing and committed to ensuring that families experience a smooth and supportive process when transitioning into new homes. After moving into her Derby Homes property in 2021, she developed a strong interest in how she could further support the community and those in need of local housing. This passion, combined with her experience in the private sector, led Ellie to transition into the non-profit world, where she now works with a local charity, taking great pride in helping others.

Having lived in Derby for most of her life, Ellie brings both local insight and a strong sense of community to her work, always striving to make a positive impact on the lives of families in need.

Declarations of interest - 7 November 2024

• Tenant of Derby Homes/Derby City Council
• Volunteer for Violence Against Women and Girls for Derbyshire Police
• Employee of YMCA

Independent Board Members

Jsan Shepherd (Chair)

Jsan has over 20 years experience working in the social housing sector and has worked as a senior housing manager at neighbouring organisations in the East Midlands. She also has extensive experience of governance, customer involvement and community development.

Jsan is passionate about good quality social housing and the positive impact well-designed and delivered services can have on communities. She lives in Nottingham, but was brought up in Derby and still has family living in the area, maintaining close links with the city.

Jsan was appointed Chair of Derby Homes in September 2023 and is the Board's Champion for Equalities and Hate Crime.

Declarations of interest - 25 July 2024

None

Mike Ainsley

Mike is a retired comprehensive school Headteacher. He has a long interest in social housing and was a board member of Derwent Living for 15 years before retiring and joining Derby Homes. At Derwent Living he chaired the Operations Committee for 10 years.

He joined the board of Derby Homes in 2011 and was chair from 2014 to 2023.

He also served as a member of Derby City Council for 9 years from 1987 to 1996, representing Abbey Ward.

As well as his interest in housing, Mike is interested in the arts and currently chairs the board of Derby Jazz.

Declarations of interest - 25 July 2024

• Director of the National Federation of ALMO’s
• Director of Derby Jazz
• Volunteer of Derby CAMRA
• Member of Friends of Normanton Park

Iain MacDonald

Iain has been a member of the Board of Derby Homes since its inception and is Chair of the Audit Committee. Iain is the Board's Champion for Health & Safety and for Safeguarding.

He is a former local authority Chief Executive and former United Nations Chief Executive of the City of Pristina, Kosovo. Iain is also a former national President and Chairman of a number of professional Associations.

Iain is a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and a Member of the Chartered Management Institute.

Declarations of interest - 25 July 2024

• Derby Homes representative on the Board of CMAP (Central Midlands Audit Partnership) and current elected Chair of CMAP

Questions for the board and attending meetings 

If you have a question about any of the reports or items on a meeting’s agenda, you can submit it to our board. You can ask your question to the board directly at a meeting, or request the Chair asks the question on your behalf. We'll then send you a written reply after the meeting is over.  

If you have a general question that’s not about relating to the reports or agenda, please use our general contact form, or submit a freedom of information request. 

You must submit your question, or request to attend a meeting, at least seven days before the meeting date. Don't forget to include your name, and a contact telephone number. 

Submit your question or request to attend a meeting 

Email: [email protected] 

Write to us: Governance Manager, 839 London Road, Derby, DE24 8UZ 

If your question is about something that is confidential, or if it is defamatory, or offensive, it will be rejected. If we reject your question, we will explain why.