Kitts moves to West Lancs

Mark Kitts has left Liverpool City Council to join Tawd Valley Developments, a vehicle wholly-owned by the local authority, as managing director.

Kitts was assistant director for regeneration at LCC, and headed its arms-length housing company Liverpool Foundation Homes before the service was taken in-house by the council in 2020,

Following the changes, Kitts then established the council’s strategic housing delivery team, in what has been a tumultuous time for the local authority

Danielle Ashworth has also joined Tawd Valley Developments as head of development from her previous post in the same role at First Choice Homes. She has worked in the housing and construction sector for more than 15 years, mainly within housing associations.

Stephen Feast, the previous MD of the organisation, left in November and is now director of housing at Nottingham City Homes.

Cllr Ian Moran, leader of West Lancashire, said: “We’re extremely proud to be one of only a handful of local authorities building their own council houses. Being able to attract experts in their field like Mark and Danielle shows the level of ambition we have for Tawd Valley Developments and our borough.”

In October last year, Tawd Valley Developments started work on a 13-home project on the former Eskbank Nursery site in Skelmersdale.

Kitts added: “After 19 happy and successful years at Liverpool I am delighted and privileged to be taking up this new challenge in West Lancashire.

“I hope that my knowledge and experience will support West Lancashire and Tawd Valley in the delivery of its housing development and regeneration priorities whilst making a profit for the council to reinvest in much needed services.”