Charlotte Haley-Smith (Regeneration Team Manager):

Charlotte has worked for Wandsworth Council since joined as a graduate trainee in 2005. Her graduate rotation took her through the Housing services department including homelessness assessment and allocations, housing policy, major works and estate management.

Following her rotation she became an Estate Manager in the Eastern Area Housing team in Battersea and then a Special Estates Officer, borough wide. In 2011, she took on the major refurbishment of the Winstanley and York Road which evolved to the current Regeneration scheme. Her role has expanded with the scope of the scheme through feasibility stages, masterplanning, stakeholder and resident engagement, development partner procurement, planning consultation and now into delivery.

Charlotte is passionate about delivering housing people want to live in, that can be easily managed and is effective as well as being easy on the eye both inside and out. Places people are proud to say that they live in. She wants to listen to people, hear what they have to say and ensure that there is an understanding of what is being delivered with the new homes and the opportunities for existing residents. She wants to maximize the opportunities to the residents of the estates and wider community for now and in the future to ensure that they are the primary beneficiaries of the developments in the area.

In her spare time, Charlotte can be found running 5ks along the river and settling down for cheese and wine with her wife and Lego collection.

Michael Fitzgerald (Senior Project Officer):

Mike started his career at Wandsworth Council in 2007 as an Administrative assistant in Estate Services. Since then he has had spells working in Finance as a Rent Collection Officer and Housing as an Estate Manager.

Having seen the impact of hardship on people and how the social and economic environment surrounding people impacts on their opportunities and wanting to help, he took the chance to join the Regeneration team in 2017.

Mike has helped to deliver the first social and private residential blocks, along with the delivery of a school and church. The experience and knowledge obtained through his previous roles, has allowed Mike to deliver a tenure blind block which can be managed by the Council and meets the needs of our residents going forward. His passion to enhance the lives of the local community through enlivenment opportunities offered as part of the estate regeneration is clear and has resulted in him becoming a vital member of the team.

Louise Hanning (Project Officer):

Louise started her long career in social housing in 2002 with a Resident Management Organisation as an External Surveyor. From there she moved to Wandsworth Council and Joined the Western Area Housing Team as an Administrative Officer, eventually becoming an Estate Manager for the Eastern Area Team where she was responsible for a large number of council estates across Battersea including the York Road estate.

In 2015 Louise joined the Regeneration Team as a Project Officer. Always one for a chat she enjoys the daily interaction with residents but most importantly she loves helping people and through the regeneration scheme, she believes she will be able to make people’s lives better for both the short and long term.

When she is not reattaching fridge doors or running consultations, Louise enjoys spending time with her children and grandchildren doing outdoors activities together, even if it is just in the garden!

Sophie Langton (Project Officer):

Sophie has 6 years’ experience working in the public sector across the London boroughs of Richmond and Wandsworth Council and a previous background in customer service. She has played an active role in two extensive regeneration projects providing over 3,000 new homes and helping to re-house many of the boroughs vulnerable residents currently facing issues of oversizing and poor-quality housing.

Her diverse experience includes managing tenants, overseeing the design and quality process, development and project management. She has a passion for more than just the development and takes pride in the importance of the social impact that each project has, always ensuring the needs of the residents are put first.

When not working, Sophie loves travelling the world.

Rahul Prashar (Project Officer):

Rahul joined Wandsworth Borough Council in 2012 as an administrative assistant within the Estate Services whilst finishing his degree in Philosophy.

Moving to the Regeneration Team as an Administrative Assistant in 2015 and shortly after, covering Louise’s maternity leave as a Project Officer, Rahul has been heavily involved with the resident engagement as well as project management aspects of the scheme. With a focus on communication, arts and culture, Rahul always tries to keep the wants and needs of the community at the heart of his work wants the community to be the main benefactors from the regeneration.

When not at work, Rahul can be found playing football, cooking and spending as much time as possible with his family.

Crystal Haylock (Project Assistant):

Crystal has worked for the Regeneration Team at Wandsworth Council since 2018.

She has always cared for all areas of customer engagement and wanted a job which she could support and make a difference in. Crystal is very passionate about her job and is always pushing herself to achieve more. She is looking forward to widening her experience, skills and knowledge within the team.

She has enjoyed organising community engagement events such as the Get Active Battersea Festival where the community can come together by preforming on stage or promote their local business with a stall. She has also enjoyed being involved with working alongside stakeholders to help create a locality which people are proud of.

In her spare time Crystal enjoys being outdoors, camping or spending time with her friends and family.

Jacquel Runnals (Housing Occupational Therapist):

Jacquel is Wandsworth Regeneration Team’s Specialist Housing Occupational Therapist. She has worked within housing and social care for many years and has a wide range of expertise within the field of accessible and inclusive environments. She works with disabled and older tenants to identify their housing requirements and advises on a wide range of general and specialist housing, in addition to other building types and their surrounding neighbourhoods.

Jacquel is a member of the Access Association and is the Royal College of Occupational Therapist’s national Lead on Accessibility and Inclusive Design. Over many years she has been involved in several projects with the Mayor of London including the original Supplementary Planning Guidance on Accessible London including the Mayor of London’s Best Practice Guidance on Wheelchair Accessible Housing and the London Housing Design Guide.

She is currently a member of the Secured by Design/Accessibility project group and British Standards Committee. She continues to be involved with a range of consultations and working /All Party Parliamentary groups and was previously invited to give evidence in Parliament to the Inquiry into Housing and Older People.

Michele Lawrence (Acquisitions Officer): 

Michele joined Wandsworth Council’s Regeneration Team at the end of 2019 as an Acquisition Officer engaged to focus on and support leaseholders through the regeneration process.

She has extensive practical experience of regeneration through working on projects in different London boroughs all of which is resident facing. Her experience includes moving a tenant from one home to another and buying furniture and white goods for the new home, liaising with the families and advocates of older residents moving into an extra care home, contributing to policy development and organising project meetings on a self-build scheme.

Michele has liaised with Housing Management, Leaseholder Services, Communications and a range of contractors and development partners all with the aim of delivering new homes and communities for existing and new residents to an estate.