A HOUSING boss who has served for almost 30 years with a local association is moving on to pastures new.

Andy Thomson, head of services at Cloch Housing, is leaving to take up the role of chief executive with Bridgewater Housing Association in Erskine, succeeding Ian Mclean.

The board there interviewed several impressive candidates but agreed unanimously that Andy was the right man for the job.

Andy said: “I am excited to be appointed as Bridgewater’s new chief executive.

"It’s a great opportunity to build on the excellent work that Ian and his team have done so far to cement Bridgewater’s strong position and to lead the organisation on the next stage of its journey.

“I have been set a very high bar by Ian and he will be a tough act to follow but I am relishing the challenge.

"My goal is to ensure Bridgewater continues to be a leading provider of high-quality services and housing in the area.”

Mr Thomson is respected in social housing circles for his lengthy service with Cloch, who manage homes across the area.

One of the highlights of his last year in the job was welcoming tenants to their new homes at the association's development on the former King's Glen Primary School site.

He has been with Cloch since the 90s and held various roles in the association and previously worked at Inverclyde Council and Scottish Homes.

Andy has been responsible for allocations, rent collection, homelessness, estate management, housing strategy and policy development.

He has also delivered presentations at national conferences on topics such as welfare reform and the rollout of universal credit.

Alastair Morris, chair of the association, and the interview panel, added: “We feel very privileged to have attracted someone of Andy’s experience, skill, and commitment to social housing to Bridgewater.

"There are some challenging times ahead, but I feel certain that Andy is the right person to help us navigate through the difficulties and make sure that Bridgewater continues to remain relevant to our tenants and other customers, making a positive difference in their lives.”

Andy will take up his new post on May 3.