Amerdeep Somal
Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman & Chair of the Commission

Amerdeep joined us in February 2024, taking on the role of Ombudsman alongside her positions as Board Chair of the Law Society and as a Judge of the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (not currently sitting).

Amerdeep brings a wealth of experience to the Ombudsman role, having previously acted as the Financial Regulators Complaints Commissioner and the Chief Commissioner at the Data and Marketing Commission. She was also a former founding Commissioner of the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Frances Harrison
Advisory member of the Commission

Frances is a consumer policy specialist.  She is Chair of Brighton and Hove Citizens Advice; and in addition she serves as: non-executive board member of The Motor Ombudsman; a board member of the Consumer Code for Home Builders; a member of the Finance and Leasing Association’s Lending Code Group;  Independent Complaints Reviewer for The Registry Trust; trustee for Emmaus Sussex; and a policy adviser to the training organisation, Developing Youth Practice.

In the past Frances has served as a member of the Legal Services Consumer Panel and the Financial Services Consumer Panel; and worked for the National Consumer Council as Head of Policy Research and Development; the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux  providing support for local bureaux in consumer law and practice; and for local authorities where she managed consumer advice services. She chaired the Consumer Congress and the Institute of Consumer Affairs, and has represented consumers on a range of government and trade body working groups.  She is particularly interested in vulnerable consumers where she has had a variety of operational and policy experience.

Andrea Keenoy
Advisory member of the Commission

Andrea is a Chartered Accountant with over 20 years’ experience.  She previously worked for the National Audit Office (NAO) auditing a range of government departments and their arm’s-length bodies. Other roles at the NAO included leading a range of interventions aimed at improving board effectiveness and a secondment as a Committee Specialist to the House of Commons Scrutiny Unit, supporting Select Committees.

She is currently Chief Operating Officer at the Housing Ombudsman, having joined the organisation as its Director of Finance and Corporate Performance.  During her time at the Housing Ombudsman, she has overseen the introduction of its new operating model, the expansion of the workforce from c.80 employees to over 400 and the development of a comprehensive Ombudsman service that achieves positive change.  She is also a review team member of the International Ombudsman Institute’s peer review panel.   

Outside of work, Andrea is an Associate Governor at a maintained primary school, attending its Finance and Resources Committee having previously been a full member of the governing body.

Neil Calvert 
Advisory member of the Commission

Neil’s professional background is in education. During a 26 year career working in state secondary schools across the Midlands, Neil served as a headteacher, an executive headteacher and the founding CEO of a Multi-Academy Trust, before moving into the educational charity sector as CEO and Principal of the Co-operative College. His non-executive experience includes a six year term as Vice Chair of Governing Council at the University of Derby.

In recent years, Neil has developed a portfolio of roles in the field of professional regulation. He currently holds lay panel member and chair positions on investigation and fitness to practise committees of the Nursing and Midwifery Council, the General Pharmaceutical Council, the General Optical Council and the Architects’ Registration Board.

Neil has chaired remuneration committees at the University of Derby and the DHL UK Foundation. An Accredited Lay Pension Trustee, he is currently the Independent Chair of the Derbyshire Local Government Pension Board and he also chairs the network of LGPS Board Chairs for the Central region. Neil has been a Lay Member of the Lord Chancellor’s Recruitment Advisory Committee on Justices of the Peace for Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire since 2021.

Julie Odams
Chief Executive Officer

Julie Odams was appointed Chief Executive Officer in June 2025, having joined us in 2023 as Head of Policy and Communications. She was previously Assistant Director of Communications & Customers at Derbyshire County Council, where she led specialist public service teams, service transformation and communications crisis response for the county.

Julie has held a number of roles in local government in the Midlands over a 20 year period specialising in communication, stakeholder engagement and customer service. She also led communications and engagement in universities in the North West and Midlands.

Paul Conroy
Director of Intake & Assessment

Paul Conroy joined us in 2000 and previously served as an Investigator and Assistant Ombudsman before leading a significant transformation project as the Head of Assessment. He also led the piloting of the Government’s schools complaints service across fourteen local authority areas in 2010 – 2012.    

Previously Paul worked at the Legal Services Commission, as well as working as a Welfare Adviser and manager of several advice centres providing information and support to members of the public.

Karen Sykes
Director of Investigation

Karen Sykes joined us in 2005 and served as an Assistant Ombudsman before becoming Director of Investigation in April 2017. Karen has been responsible for managing an investigation team through a period of significant change as well as work to enhance business efficiency, knowledge management and the impact of our casework. In her current role she is responsible for leading, managing and co-ordinating the Investigation function.

She was previously a Policy Manager at the Yorkshire and Humber Assembly with a focus on economy and skills, policy and scrutiny of the Regional Development Agency. Karen has also had a number of local government roles in Yorkshire and the North-East working in economic development, planning, transport, environmental services, social care and housing.