Andrew Griffiths
Andrew Griffiths is a Principal Policy Officer at the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health. He qualified as an Environmental Health Officer too long ago to remember (!) and worked in several London Boroughs specialising at different times in all the major areas of Environmental Health and in a variety of management positions. At his last authority he held the post of Head of Health and Consumer Services.
During his time in local government, Andrew was the chair of the Association of London Chief Environmental Health Officers, an adviser on Environmental Health to the former Association of Metropolitan Authorities, a member of HELA (the Health & Safety Executive/Local Authority Liaison Committee) and the Chair of the London Licensing Co-ordinating Committee.
Andrew has served on several national steering groups on a range of Environmental Health issues as well as a number of working and advisory groups for various government departments.
Away from Environmental Health, he is also a Licentiate of Trinity College of Music.
Andrew Vickers
Andrew is a retired police officer, having served with Nottinghamshire Constabulary before reaching his ‘sell by date’. He has been Nottingham’s empty homes officer since 2004.
Andrew quickly gained a reputation locally and regionally for his enthusiastic, no nonsense approach to his work. He is a member of the East Midlands Empty Property Forum steering group and a regular presenter at their meetings.
Drawing on his police experience, he is adept at tracing elusive home owners, advising, persuading, offering advice, but relishes the challenge of recalcitrant owners and presenting cases for compulsory purchase.
David Ireland
David Ireland is a housing campaigner and Chief Executive of the Empty Homes Agency. He has 20 years experience working in housing in local authorities and the third sector.
David has successfully campaigned for more powers for councils and for VAT reductions on work on empty homes. He was the originator of the idea of Empty Dwelling Management Orders that became law in the Housing Act 2004.
David has written several publications including the guidance booklet for local authorities on approaches to returning empty homes to use. His book How to Rescue a House was published by Penguin. He was also the advisor for the BBC TV series of the same name. He is a regular contributor to property magazines and has recently had features published in the Observer, Guardian and Times.
Ian Wright
Ian entered Parliament after being elected in a by-election in September 2004. Since then, he has been a member of the Public Accounts and Modernisation Standing Committees (2007), and PPS to a health minister (2005-06).
Iain is a chartered accountant and prior to being elected MP for Hartlepool, he worked as an accountant at Deloitte & Touche from 1996 until 2003 and at the Regional Development Agency One North East until 2003.
Iain studied History at University College London (BA 1994, MA 1995). He has been married to his wife Tiffiny since 1995. They have 3 sons and 1 daughter.
Iain enjoys spending time with his family, history, listening to music, and watching football in his spare time. He is an avid supporter and season ticket holder of his local football team, Hartlepool United.
Sarah Wyville
Sarah has worked for the Ashfield District Council for 14 years in different divisions which has enhanced her enforcement role. For the last 5 years Sarah has worked in Private Sector Housing initially as administration officer before taking on her current position. Today, her main role is to bring empty homes back into use whilst being also involved on a daily basis with HHSRS enforcement.
Sarah has continually built on Ashfield’s success in this field by encouraging owners to face up to their responsibilities in returning their properties back into use. She is a vital part of the private sector enforcement team and has had considerable success in the field of Empty Property work and has delivered presentations to several regional landlord organisations.
Sarah is also an active member of the East Midlands Empty Property Forum Steering Group. She has had continued success throughout her local authority role and is also a member of the Nottinghamshire Police steering group dealing with cannabis growth in the private rented sector.