NORTH Essex-based affordable housing providers Colne Housing has welcomed four new board members.Will O'Neill, currently head of community and cultural services at East Herts Council, chair of the Local Strategic Partnership Forum and the Children's Trust Partnership, has joined as a member of the operations committee.

NORTH Essex-based affordable housing providers Colne Housing has welcomed four new board members.

Will O'Neill, currently head of community and cultural services at East Herts Council, chair of the Local Strategic Partnership Forum and the Children's Trust Partnership, has joined as a member of the operations committee.

Carol Wilkinson, a freelance management consultant, chairs the Coggeshall branch of the Friends of Cancer Research UK, where she organises fundraising events within the local community. She sits on Colne Housing's operations committee and audit committee.

Councillor Jackie Maclean has joined the board as a cop-operated member from Colchester Borough Council. She sits on the strategic overview and scrutiny panel at Colchester Borough Council and is a member of Colne Housing's operations committee.

Councillor Anne Beale joined the board in June as a co-opted member from Maldon District Council. She is a parish, town and district councillor and is also vice-chairman of the West Maldon Community Centre. At Maldon District Council, she is on the finance and corporate service committee and central area committee. She sits on Colne Housing's finance and general purposes committee.

Colne Housing chief executive Mark Powell Davies said the mixture of long-serving and new board members brought together a wide range of skills and experience.