WHAT WE DO

Paton Independent Ltd is a small company focused on making a big impact. Director Carol Paton is committed to the concept of releasing potential and enhancing performance, helping organisations make the very best of their resources.

Drawing on her extensive senior management experience, Carol formed Paton Independent Ltd in 2004 to provide a range of services, mainly to the housing association, voluntary and public sectors.

To ensure each project is tailored precisely to the client’s needs – whether for a single day’s facilitation or a more complex longer-term commission – the company sub-contracts and works in partnership with other consultants.

With access to a broad palette of skills and expertise and a keen eye on overheads, Paton Independent ensures every client receives an informed, flexible and cost effective response.

As the company is based in Edinburgh, the majority of Scottish clients are within easy daily reach, so that travel and subsistence expenses are also kept to a minimum.

Major projects for housing organisations include reviews of governance arrangements, strategic planning and preparing for inspection.

Carol Paton has also provided interim management services to two national housing associations and has served as Interim Chief Executive/Special Manager for Cumbernauld Housing Partnership and Interim Director of the Scottish Mediation Network.

She is equally comfortable, however, simply providing an independent perspective.

PARTNERSHIP

Where the scope of the commission requires it, Paton Independent will oversee collaborative input from other specialist consultants and communicators.

Paton Independent is, for example, one of four consultancies who make up Governance Alliance Scotland - www.governancealliancescotland.com - providing support, advice and training on governance for housing associations in Scotland.

In another complex and demanding area of activity, Paton Independent has been collaborating with Carolyn Hirst, Director of Hirstworks and former Deputy Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, to develop a fresh and innovative approach to working constructively with conflict.

Working Constructively with Conflict (PDF)

EXPERIENCE

Prior to creating Paton Independent, Carol Paton was Deputy Managing Director of the Edinvar Housing Association Group, helping to manage assets of £50 million, an annual turnover of £8 million and almost 200 staff.

Before that, as part of Communities Scotland’s regulation management team, Carol was responsible for the provision of support and intervention in the RSL (Registered Social Landlord) sector.

Earlier roles in social housing included Director and Company Secretary of Lorne Area Housing Association and Development Manager with Horizon Housing Association.

Since forming her own consultancy, Carol has been an Associate Inspection Manager for Communities Scotland (now Scottish Housing Regulator), facilitated organisational development in the not-for-profit sectors, and successfully mediated in commercial and workplace scenarios.

Among the most significant roles she has taken on is that of Interim Chief Executive/Special Manager of Cumbernauld Housing Partnership, steering the organisation through a period of intense change. Carol has also fulfilled the duties as Acting Head of Service for an area office of Cairn Housing Association and as Acting Care and Housing Director for Margaret Blackwood Housing Association.

Another of Paton Independent’s skill sets for which there is a growing demand is mediation. The business community is steadily coming to recognise the degree to which professional mediation can provide effective – and cost effective – solutions to seemingly intractable disputes or prevent conflict escalating.

Carol is a Scottish Mediation Registered Mediator.

In her role as a management coach, Carol combines a person-centred and business perspective to individual development. She applies clear thinking and keen insight to help guide executives, managers, non-executive board members and others in senior roles towards achieving their personal and organisational goals.

Other activities include her current role as a non-executive board member of the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care, where she is Chair of its Audit Committee and Vice Chair of its Complaints Review Committee.

Professional Qualifications:

BSc in Business Studies (1980)
Diploma in Housing  (1990)
Managing Voluntary & Non Profit Enterprises (OU 1995)
Accounting for Managers (OU 1997)
Certificate in Mediation with Core Consulting (2004)
Certificate of Professional Development in Coaching (University of Strathclyde 2006).
Associations and Memberships:
Scottish Mediation Registered Mediator
Board Member – Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care
Member of Employment Tribunals (Scotland)
Member of Chartered Institute of Housing

OTHER RECENT COMMISSIONS

Scottish Mediation Network

As Interim Director, Carol Paton secured Scottish Government funding and supported the Board in its recruitment of a permanent Director.

Cairn Housing Association

For a Committee of Management already performing well but eager to be better, Paton Independent provided the support and structure to enable the team to improve its effectiveness in leading the organisation.

Cube Housing Association

Facilitating a self-assessment and improvement project around governance and services.

Independent complaint investigations

Confidential services to support various governing bodies deal with complaints

• As independent investigator into a grievance against a Chief Executive
• As independent investigator into a complaint against a board member
• As independent reviewer into the handling of a series of shareholder complaints

Margaret Blackwood Housing Association
Review of corporate complaints handling.

Ark Housing Association
Chief executive coaching

Mediation
Providing confidential workplace mediation services