Weslo Housing Management has announced two new board appointments in a move to strengthen governance arrangements for the West Lothian social landlord.

Edinburgh lawyer Kate Dewar, who joined the Weslo Board in 2012, has been appointed depute chair following the retirement of ex West Lothian Council chief executive, John Spraggon, who served as depute chair for 12 years.

Kate is a practising solicitor acting in the commercial and business sector with over 20 years’ experience. She has acted for registered social landlords, local authorities and the Scottish Government in all aspects of social and affordable housing including governance, constitutional structures, housing supply and development and housing management.

Kate will be joined by Brenda Higgins, who has also been elected to join the board. Brenda has served on the board of Weslo Initiatives - the organisation’s private rented sector subsidiary - for three years and was recently appointed chair. She brings with her over 30 years’ experience within the housing sector having worked in a number of housing organisations and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Housing.

Welcoming the new appointments, Weslo chairman Peter Robson, said: “We are extremely pleased to welcome both Kate and Brenda to their new positions. Both women bring with them a wealth of industry experience and I am confident the new appointees will be great assets for the organisation. I look forward to working with Brenda and Kate to achieve Weslo’s objectives and strengthen the organisation going forward.”

In addition, Rebecca Johnstone, who is the operations director of Safe Deposits Scotland, has been appointed to the board of Weslo Initiatives.