Catherine Grayson
Finance Director

Background
Catherine spent nine years working for Beever and Struthers as auditor predominantly in the RSL sector and providing consultancy services to that sector. Catherine then spent five years working as Finance Director of the Big Issue in the North and Big Issue in the North Trust where she gained extensive experience of social enterprise and charity financial issues.

Education
Degree in Biochemistry
ACA

Role
Catherine splits her time between the financial and strategic running of the company and project work. She combines her experience in the housing and social enterprise sectors with her financial background to develop sustainable models for the delivery of local benefit and innovative solutions to affordability issues within housing schemes and PFI Health and Schools projects.

Projects

Maine Road – Catherine developed the ‘Maine Road Renewal Fund’. As the first new development in the area, local affordability was a key issue. The included:
  • Aligning the scheme with proposed national initiatives
  • Analysing local housing need and using this to determine appropriate property types and numbers
  • Analysing local earnings and saving levels to determine affordability intervention rates
  • Defining potential local eligibility criteria
  • Developing proposed legal and financial structures for the Fund

Differentiating Products for Developers – Catherine produced a range of models for a mixed use developer to put forward in their bids and apply in their developments in regeneration areas.

Mixed use developments can address the common barriers to economic growth but frequently an area needs a catalyst to start its transformation. Catherine used the developer’s longer term investment potential and view on return to create a range of occupancy products for both commercial and residential properties. The products would be tailored to a local authority’s economic development drivers, demonstrating the longer term commitment of the developer to an area, differentiating the developer from competitors and helping to make them the partner of choice for the public sector.

BRAHMS LIFT - Catherine worked with Eric Wright, the successful bidder, on their bid submission.
Undertaking a feasibility study for a café within one of the centres Catherine turned the previously unworkable idea of community cafes into profitable and affordable models that would bring training and employment to the Centre.

Gateshead Schools – Within their PFI project, the Council had identified a need and demand for affordable childcare/crèche facilities but the capital costs of the nursery could not be accommodated within the PFI envelope. Catherine developed a model with the private sector partner to address this which included grant funding to meet the capital costs and a loan from the Private Sector Partner to cover the unfunded amounts.

Other
Catherine still can't understand why the phrase 'oh how hard can it be' gets people's backs up.