In our latest blog series, we spotlight Jonathan Fairgrieve, Governance & Assurance Manager at Bield, whose dedication ensures the organisation's strategic oversight and governance remains robust and responsive to the evolving needs of our tenants. 

With experience from the Scottish Highlands and a deep understanding of housing governance, Jonathan brings critical insights into creating meaningful support systems for our Bield community.

Q: Can you give a brief introduction to yourself, your role and the team you work with?

A: I am Jonathan Fairgrieve, Governance & Assurance Manager at Bield. Hailing from the Isle of Lewis, I bring five years of experience within Housing Governance to my role, having worked for Hebridean Housing Partnership until March 2024 when I joined Bield. My role involves anything and everything related to the Board and its sub-committees. 

Q: What sets Bield apart in terms of other housing associations?

A: All housing associations provide such an important service, but the services Bield provides for older people to ensure they can live at home for as long as possible are incredible. Having seen the impact that moving into a care home can have on someone's mental state, it just reinforces how vital the services we provide are. One thing in particular I think that makes Bield different is the sense of community within our developments.

Q: What has been happening within your team recently? Can you highlight any positive successes?

A: We are all relatively new within the Governance Team, some new to Bield and others new to Governance. This year we have been learning how we all work and what each of our strengths are. As a team, we are now in a position to be creating change and service improvements within Bield's governance arrangements. I am excited to see what we can achieve as a team.

Q: The housing sector can have many challenges. Can you discuss any recent hurdles and how you have overcome them?

A: One of the struggles I feel the housing sector is faced with is being expected to do more with less. Whether it be increased regulation, cuts to funding, or the rising costs of the services we deliver, the challenges are significant. When I started in Governance (what feels like centuries ago!), there was no such thing as an Annual Assurance Statement or ESG reporting. Overcoming these challenges can be hard, but the staff that work in housing understand how important it is to get these things right to protect our tenants.

Q: What are the future plans for your team? Are there any new projects or initiatives you hope to roll out or start on the horizon?

A: As we look to improve our governance arrangements, we are trying to streamline the things that take up our time. We are currently looking to implement a Board Portal to make administrative tasks easier and allow us to focus on the 'big ticket' items.

Stay tuned to hear more about the other teams working behind the scenes every day to support our tenants and team.