SEH Board Members

Cllr Margaret Borton joined the South Essex Homes Board on 21 May 2024.  Cllr Borton is Cllr for Victoria Ward and sits on several Council Committees.  She is Vice Chair of Development Control Committee. 

I have lived and worked in Southend all my life. I first started helping SEH when I was invited to a meeting in January 2006 that was to do with ASB.  I have been a member of groups of residents who have helped SEH since then, so have years of working alongside SEH’ Management and Officers.

My main task as a Board Member is to help and make sure that SEH is the ALMO that looks after us for as long as possible. Then my second task is to see that the residents get the correct services that they are due.

I work with SEH officers who oversee the contractors that work within our homes. I work alongside Officers and have an input when they are selecting the contractors and awarding contracts. I also meet the contractors along with SEH officers on a monthly basis as a resident representative, keeping an eye on how they are performing.

I was previously on the Board for a 3-year period from March 2016, following this I held the position of Chair of the Southend Tenants & Residents Federation from October 2019 to June 2022, where I made many contacts within the City Council. 

As the Board’s Resident Champion, I am approachable and attend many residents’ meetings, focus group meetings and council meetings, so that way I understand many concerns that residents have and pass them on to the correct person within SEH or the City Council and that way I do what I can for our residents.

James joined the Board in October 2024 and as an Independent Board member and Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee.

James has served on various Boards in the public, private and charitable sectors.   James spent 10 years as a banker in Africa and the UK.  James lives in Southend where he was a Member of Parliament for 19 years.  He served for a number of years as a government minister under three different Prime Ministers and across 10 departments.  When not at work James cooks, walks Doris the black Labrador and runs with Southend Flyers.

Rachel joined the Board in October 2024 as an Independent Board member and Chair of the Personnel & Remuneration Committee.

Rachel is currently the People and Culture Director and Deputy Chief Executive of CHP, a housing association based in Chelmsford.  In this role, she leads a range of corporate services functions, including HR and Governance, and is the Leadership Champion for both Wellbeing, and Diversity and Inclusion. 

In her career she has worked across all HR disciplines, in sectors as varied as manufacturing and financial services, and brings a wealth of commercial experience to her roles in the housing sector.  Rachel is a member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, and regularly acts as a CIPD mentor to support the development of HR professionals. She currently serves on the Pension Strategy Board of Essex Pension Fund as an employer representative.

Rachel has lived in Essex for over 25 years.  When not at work or with family, she can often be found backstage supporting her local amateur dramatic society.  She has also previously been a Sunday school teacher, a charity fundraiser and a primary school governor, and finds great joy and reward in giving back to her local community.

Chris joined the South Essex Homes' Board as a Non-Executive Director on 25 July 2025.

Chris joined Arhag as their Chief Executive in June 2021. Chris has worked in the social housing sector for over 30 years delivering strategic, operational, and transformational customer and asset services across G15 housing associations, the voluntary sector and two east London local authorities. Chris was previously the Executive Director, Customer Services for a G15 housing association for 6½ years.

Chris has a strong set of social values that are focused on leading the organisation's mission of providing the best housing services to Arhag's customers, while developing the potential of migrants and refugees in London and being the go to organisation.

Chris has always lived in Essex with his family and dog Bubbles!

Cllr Anne Jones joined the South Essex Homes’ Board on 21 May 2024.  Cllr Jones is Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing.

Chris has spent his entire career in the property sector. After selling his own agency to a large plc he grew their leasehold management business into one of the UK's leading managing agents.

He has held several high-profile roles within the sector, running managing agents and being involved with mergers and acquisitions. Chris has particular experience of working with institutional investors and LPA Receivers, both managing leasehold and national residential portfolios. He also acts as a manager appointed by the First-tier Tribunal.

Chris is now part of the senior leadership team of a national managing agent specialising in the leasehold and private rented sectors. Chris is a Chartered Surveyor and Fellow of the Institute of Residential Property Management.

Cllr Jane Norman joined the South Essex Homes’ Board on 21 May 2024.  Cllr Norman is Cllr for St Lukes Ward and sits on several Council Committees.  She is Chair of Appeals Committee A.

I have lived in Southend-on-Sea for over 25 years, previously living in South London, West Midlands and Bristol. I am a proud husband of 41 years, a dad of 3 and a grandad of 3. I am worship leader and a deacon at Avenue Baptist Church. I like to write and perform poetry as often as possible.

I have been employed both in industry and community work, my heart however is when working with the vulnerable and often forgotten in our society. I previously set up and managed a charity in South London that ran 10 community day centres across 4 Boroughs, attracting European, Central and Local government funding, as well as funds from trusts and businesses. I am an advocate for diversity, equality and ethicality.

I have a very calm nature and am able to deal with all situations without them turning into a crisis. I believe I have a great rapport with, and am able to build trust with, all that I come into contact with. I have excellent communication skills both written and verbal. I have been interviewed live on radio and television. I have experience in speaking publicly to both small and larger audiences.

I have lived in Southend since 1974, I have been married for 38 years and have 4 children. I joined the South Essex Homes Board in October 2019.

I have a varied work experience including 12 years for a large social housing provider as part of a national management team developing community project and building partnerships to support tenants and the wider community. Additionally, I have 20 years experience working in the Voluntary and Community sector and currently work for a charity in the Rochford district in a communications role. I am also a Trustee of a Southend based charity.

Previous roles include, 7 years working as Media and Communications Manager for a large local charity and teaching at South Essex College. Prior to that I was a Southend taxi driver for 9 years before returning to full-time education.

I applied to become a Board member to contribute something positive and give a customer’s perspective. As a tenant it is important that our views are heard and I will do my best to raise issues and concerns effectively.

Chris joined the South Essex Homes' Board as a Non-Executive Director on 25 July 2025.

Chris is a Chartered Accountant and works as a COO/CFO in the investment management industry. His experience covers finance, operations, governance, HR, risk and compliance. The first 11 years of his career were spent at a Big Four accountancy firm.

He is an elder at a church in Hertfordshire and also sits on the board of a UK charity. He has four children.