Region 1: Highland and Argyll & Bute
Committee
Jennifer MacLeod
I am Chair of Region after taking over from Steve Byrne following his 3 years as Chair.
I have been a tenant of the Highland Council for over 29 years and have been involved in working for tenants since 1994 when the Firhill group was formed and became chair of West Alness Residents Association (WARA, est 1976) in 1997. I am also a member of the Ross-shire Area Forum, Alness Community Partnership of tenant groups, the Tenant Consultative Group and its TP Strategy Group and Alness Community Council. I have been involved in Tenant National Engagement since the initial meeting.
In 2011 I was honoured to be named as TPAS Tenant Representative of the year.
Steve Byrne
I am Vice Chair of this Regional Network, a role made easier by the support of an excellent committee who put so much effort in to help improve the quality of life for rural tenants. Living in Campbeltown has given me the opportunity to be involved in community life at all levels including Chair of a local group and an active committee member of several others. Maximum benefit for the community can be achieved, I believe, by encouraging people to work together.
Isabell McLaughlan
I have lived in a small Highland Village, 6 miles from Invergordon, for 27 years and been involved with our local group for 21 years. I am chair of our local housing forum and a member of Albyn RHA Committee of Management. Albyn were the first tenant led stock transfer in Scotland. I feel it is important to put the rural perspective across. Rural life can be totally different from urban life, but none the less just as important.
Maureen Cairney
I have been involved in housing since 1996 when my home was part of a stock transfer in Invergordon and I became a member of the local tenants group there. I am a committee member of the Invergordon Albyn Residents Association and in the past have been Treasurer and Vice Chair of the Group. For the last six years I have also been a member of the Committee of Management of Albyn Housing Society.