Our Governance | New Directions

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Our Governance

New Directions was formed in January 2007 and is wholly owned by Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council. The organisation is governed by a Board of Directors with strong backgrounds in social care, health, local authority, and business.

The role of the New Directions’ board is to contribute and drive the strategic direction of the organisation, ensuring the company remains financially sustainable, whilst meeting the needs of the people and families its supports, providing high-quality services.

Our Board Directors

Dil Daly

Chair

Sandra Palmer

Non-Executive Director

Councillor Judy Hardman

Non-Executive Director

Glen Williams

Union Observer (Non-Voting Capacity)

John Graham

Non-Executive Director

Councillor Dave Neary

Non-Executive Director

Paul Cummins

Non-Executive Director

Our Senior Leadership Team

Mark Fox

Managing Director

Andrea Woods

Head of Operations

Adam Drury

Head of HR

David Lill

Finance Manager

Paul Sheron

Head of Learning and Development

Our Executive Senior Leadership Team

Mark Fox

Managing Director

Andrea Woods

Head of Operations

Adam Drury

Head of HR

David Lill

Finance Manager

Paul Sheron

Head of Learning and Development

Adam Drury

I have worked in adult social care for over 20 years. My background is in Human Resources and in 2008 I was outsourced from Sefton MBC to a private company called Arvato. During my time with Arvato I registered for an in-house management development programme and gained a range of new skills in a variety of areas to enable me to progress my career. This involved extensive training in project management, general business and mentoring by various senior managers across the Company. The transition from working in the public sector to the private sector was challenging, however it was a real ‘eye-opener’ in terms of how commercial companies operate. I changed job roles during this time and moved into project management. This was a very interesting job role and I was able to work on several exciting world-wide projects, travel to different places and meet new people. This exposure helped me to gain a wider understanding of the daily operations of a multi-national organisation. I was very grateful for the opportunities provided by Arvato and I was able to complete a master’s degree in Human Resource Management in 2014.

I joined New Directions in November 2016 and I was fortunate that I had some pre-established relationships from my time in Sefton MBC. This enabled me to hit the ground running as I already had a good understanding of the services provided and the challenges we faced. When appointed as the HR Manager for New Directions, I worked very closely with the Operations Team to gain more in-depth knowledge of the services we provide. In March 2021 I applied for a post as Operations Manager and I was delighted to be appointed. The reason I changed job roles, apart from a new challenge, was that I felt I could have a bigger influence on the Company in this team and that I could potentially enhance our services for the better. In the limited time I was in Operations I feel as though I achieved aspects of this and was heavily involved with the ‘recovery’ of several key services. The relationships I established during this time remain strong and I will sincerely miss most aspects of the job.

I have recently been appointed as Interim Head of HR and given my time in Operations; I believe I am well-placed to implement the Company’s strategic objectives. With my understanding of Operations, plus my extensive HR experience I aim to deliver a responsive and customer-focussed HR service to all in New Directions. I will be working closely with all services to ensure HR solutions implemented meet our immediate and future requirements.

To say I love the work we do in New Directions would be an understatement. To have the ability to enrich someone’s daily life is not something you can put a price on. I am passionate about our company, our values and the people we support.

No one could have predicted what has happened across the world in the previous two years and I am immensely proud of the way we have responded to the pandemic. Hopefully, brighter days are ahead as lockdown restrictions have subsided and we can return to some form of normality.

On a personal note, I am a passionate Liverpool FC supporter and enjoy playing and watching various sports. I also participate in a range of outdoor activities, but with these limited during lockdown I turned my hand to gardening. I find this a very therapeutic activity that enables me to switch off from the outside world. I also appreciate the reward of the hard work later in the year when the flowers, vegetables and fruits make all the physical work of gardening worthwhile. Sharing the fruit and veg amongst family and friends has whet the appetite for some of them to start gardening.

David Lill

I am a Management Account (ACMA) with twenty-plus years of qualified experience working in a variety of commercial and not-for-profit organisations. I joined Sefton New Directions after spending three years heading up the finance function of the Brothers of Charity Services in Lancashire, another provider of essential Adult Care Services operating for the benefit of the residents in Chorley and beyond.

Previously I have worked with Knowsley MBC within its Sure Start Programme (aimed at improving the well-being of children aged four and under and their families) and, for six years with Liverpool Vision Ltd, the City’s Urban Regeneration Company, tasked with leading the City’s physical transformation in the new millennium. I worked there at a time of unprecedented progress – a period which saw the huge Capital of Culture programme in 2008 and the funding and opening of the Arena and Conference Centre among many notable successes.

Other positions included commercial roles working within the Chemicals industry in Runcorn and almost ten years as Financial Controller with the largest independent Reprographics companies in the country.

I aim to bring the combination of expertise and experiences gained to help New Directions become the provider of choice within Sefton.

As a resident of Sefton, and after hearing of the excellent reputation and seeing the good work undertaken, I jumped at the opportunity to work with the talented Senior Management Team leading finance here at New Directions.

I join (December 2022) at a time of unprecedented challenges with the need to match excellent care and the support of some of our most vulnerable adults with budget constraints caused by pressures on our main funding partner (Sefton MBC) and rising staff and other costs caused by inflation.

However, against this challenging backdrop, I believe in the organisation’s core values: – People Focused, Big Hearted, Count on Us, Together as One and its desire to become the provider of choice and will work tirelessly to ensure the continued success of the organisation.

I lead a small but dedicated and experienced Finance Team but, just as importantly, want to be a visible member of the whole organisation, partnering with colleagues to help maximise funding and offering advice and expertise as required.

Away from work, I am a family man, with one teenage son and whilst I enjoy travelling, I can often be found on a Sunday morning cycling the paths and tracks of our borough and beyond. That, of course, assumes no home game and as a season ticket holder at Anfield (following in the steps of my father and grandfather who were born and raised in Bootle and were passionate football supporters since pre-war times) attend all home games of Liverpool FC.

expand the role of the organisation.

Paul Cummins

Cllr Paul Cummins has been Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care for the past eight years. He has represented Church Ward (Waterloo and Seaforth) as a local Labour Party Councillor between 1992 and 2003, and from 2006 until present. In the Municipal year 2011/12 he was honoured to be the Mayor of Sefton.

Paul holds a number of positions for Sefton in addition to his Cabinet role. He is Sefton’s Mental Health Champion and Older Person’s Champion. He is a member of the Health and Wellbeing Board, Co-Chair of the Transforming Care Partnership Board for people with Learning Disabilities, Deputy Chair of the Corporate Parenting Board, Chair of the Special Education Needs and Disabilities Continuous Improvement Board, Chair of the Adults Forum, Chair of the Dementia and Carers Strategy Groups, Chair of the Liverpool City Region Health and Social Care Portfolio Holders Group, and a member of the Sefton Coastal Partnership Board. In addition, he is a Local Authority appointed School Governor at St Edmund and St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School, and Rimrose Hope Church of England Primary School, where he has been Chair of Governors over many years.

Away from Sefton Council, Paul is a Non-Executive Director at Primary Care 24 (Merseyside), and a Trustee/Director at Sefton Council for Voluntary Service, Waterloo Community Association and Waterloo Town Team. Paul had an extensive career in teaching, social care and community safety and is now retired from full-time employment, having been a Senior Manager in the voluntary sector and local government, having worked for Nugent, National MIND, Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council and Sefton Carers Centre in addition to working for himself as a Consultant and Trainer, including working for Futurebuilders England. Paul was educated at St Mary’s College, Crosby, Liverpool John Moore’s University, Manchester University and Manchester Metropolitan University.

Paul is married to Carol, who has worked extensively as a Manager in Adult Social Care, for many years for Sefton Council, and currently Halton Borough Council. They have three grown up children and nine grand children who keep them busy. Paul is an avid birdwatcher, lover of real ale, ardent Liverpool Football Club fan, and is active in his Church.

Paul acts as Sefton Council’s Shareholder Representative for Sefton New Directions, and is passionate about the delivery of high quality and personalised Adult Social Care. He believes that Sefton New Directions has a vital role to play in the delivery of Social Care, and has the potential to extend its portfolio of services and meet the needs of many more people, through innovation and initiative.