A newly created award for the 2018 Conference, The Rising Star Award was sponsored by Orbis Protect (www.orbisprotect.com), who specialise in the protection and management of empty property and buildings.
This year’s winner of the Rising Star Award was Tom Davies of Thant District Council.
The aim of this award was to focus on the successes of practitioners who had made significant contributions in their roles, albeit in a short period of time. Tom, whose willingness to learn and impressive early experience in pursuing enforcement action, not only impressed the judging panel, but showed that the correct use of enforcement powers can bear fruit, at any stage of your empty homes career.
Tom’s enthusiasm and ability to transfer skills from his previous role as an estate agent has proved fruitful in the role of empty homes practitioner, and this was thoroughly demonstrated through the award nomination submission.
Submission in Support of Tom Davies - submitted by Andrew Lavender.
“Having previously worked as an estate agent, Tom had very little experience of working with local authorities, and has taken a proactive approach to the role, with a level of enthusiasm and a never-ending willingness to learn and implement the full range of interventions.
Tom works well in partnership with the No Use Empty Scheme, substantially increasing the number of loans and investment directed towards Thanet. He has already completed an enforced sale and is currently in the process of pursuing an Empty Dwelling Management Order and other forms of statutory action. The intention is to pursue a broad range of interventions to gain the necessary knowledge and experience.
Tom has dealt with a number of complex cases where empathy and patience are the order of the day and has demonstrated a good level of commercial awareness and an understanding of the range of issues that affect viability and cost-effectiveness of housing refurbishment/development schemes.
He has built effective working arrangements with colleagues, and partners, encouraging a more corporate approach to the problem of empty homes, and he goes above and beyond what is required, and therefore I have no hesitation in recommending Tom for this award.”
The Empty Homes Network would like to place on record our thanks to Orbis Protect, for sponsoring the ‘Rising Star’ award.
Tom works well in partnership with the No Use Empty Scheme, substantially increasing the number of loans and investment directed towards Thanet. He has already completed an enforced sale and is currently in the process of pursuing an Empty Dwelling Management Order and other forms of statutory action. The intention is to pursue a broad range of interventions to gain the necessary knowledge and experience.
Tom has dealt with a number of complex cases where empathy and patience are the order of the day and has demonstrated a good level of commercial awareness and an understanding of the range of issues that affect viability and cost-effectiveness of housing refurbishment/development schemes.
He has built effective working arrangements with colleagues, and partners, encouraging a more corporate approach to the problem of empty homes, and he goes above and beyond what is required, and therefore I have no hesitation in recommending Tom for this award.”
The Empty Homes Network would like to place on record our thanks to Orbis Protect, for sponsoring the ‘Rising Star’ award.