Homes & Investment Committee

Mark Webster (Chair)

I joined the Board as a co-opted member in May 2018, having worked with the housing association sector since 1990. For 10 years, I was a Board member of a South Midlands Housing Group, serving as Group Chair for the last five years. My professional career was with a major financial institution where, for much of the time, I specialised in financing housing associations. I have a keen interest in affordable rural housing issues, sport, and the natural environment.

Jerry Harkness

I have over 35 years’ experience in development, new business and asset management working primarily in the housing association sector in the east of England, east & West Midlands, London and the south east.

I am currently the director of Noryl Consulting Ltd., which I set up in October 2017 to provide consultancy services to organisations working to provide new affordable homes.

Before this, I was head of design & construction at Circle Housing Group (now Clarion), one of the largest housing associations in the UK.  This involved a group-wide role in ensuring quality housing delivery for customers as well as providing technical support to the department on large multi-tenure projects.

I also spent 10 years as regional development director at Circle, covering the east of England, east and west midlands, generating and delivering up to 1,000 homes per year across the region, including affordable rent, shared ownership, market rent and market sale tenures, together with specialist housing for older residents.

I gained a BSc. in Building from Nottingham Trent University in 1980 and an MSc. in Property Development (Project Management) from London South Bank University in 1994.

I’m married with two grown-up children; my interests include reading and music. I’m also a keen cyclist and spend quite a lot of time in the garden.

Simon Burton

I am a hardworking and experienced commercial property surveyor with 16 years of experience dealing with the selling, letting and marketing of property and land in the office, industrial & retail sectors as well as residential land sales and commercial development sites in Bury St Edmunds and the surrounding areas. I am very passionate about the town and heavily involved in the local business community holding governance and trustee roles with a number of organisations.

Deb Thomas

I have been a member of the Homes and Investment Committee since June 2022.  I enjoy using my professional and technical expertise to review and oversee development activity at Havebury for the benefit of residents.

I am an assistant director of development at Aster Group, a large housing associate based in Wiltshire, with homes across much of the south-west of England.  I have worked in the housing sector since 2016, when I joined Central & Cecil Housing Trust (C&C), working in their Development team. In August 2018, I became executive director for property and development, responsible for development, asset management, repairs, and property compliance.  Following C&C’s merger with Aster in January 2022, I now have responsibility for development activity in London.

I am a structural engineer by training and worked for Arup for over 25 years designing buildings, including offices, museums, schools, and housing. I am passionate about sustainable design and have a growing interest in heat networks and the contribution they can make to reducing carbon emissions. Outside of work, I am a trustee of CTU Collective and Camden Highline, both Camden-based charities. I moved to Cambridge in 2020 and am the group scout leader at the 1st Trumpington Scout Group.

Ben Johnson

I am a Fellow of the RICS and have extensive leadership experience in executive and non-executive roles. This has been gained through various roles in housing associations, charities, contractor and consultancy over the last 20 years.

I have significant experience in asset management in the social housing sector. I am currently the managing director for a maintenance services company operating in the region.

In my spare time, I enjoy playing football, cycling, and coaching my son’s football team.