Our Members (ID 1074)

• Murray Foster
  Chair of Members
  Murray Foster

  Murray had an extensive career in the finance sector followed by a short period in town centre management before semi-retirement. Having lived in Southend since 1987, during which time his children were educated locally, Murray engaged with several organisations in a voluntary capacity including chair and vice chair positions covering regional social housing, local voluntary services, economic regeneration and education and also as a senior councillor for Southend Council.

  For the last fourteen years he has been involved in governance in education primarily relating to Westcliff High School for Girls and then as Chair of South East Essex Academy Trust (SEEAT). Having seen SEEAT through an expansion to a seven school Multi Academy Trust, Murray stepped down as long serving Trustee and Chair at the end of 2022, continuing now as a Member. Currently he is Chair of Southend Business Partnership, Vice Chair of London Southend Airport Consultative Committee and board director of Opportunity South Essex, part of the region’s local enterprise partnership and involved in other local committees.

• Omash Aggarwal
  Omash Aggarwal

  Omash has lived in Southend for most of his life and is an experienced medical practitioner. He has been a governor at a local primary school for seven years and was a governor at Westcliff High School for Girls for fifteen years. Omash is a strong believer in good education and understands that it is not just about the academic side of things, but also about developing the skills, attitudes, and values needed to thrive in the world beyond the classroom.

• Caroline Gasby
  Caroline Gasby

  Caroline is a qualified teacher and has a MA in education leadership. She has many years’ experience teaching in the secondary sector. Caroline has worked as a school improvement consultant supporting primary, secondary and non-associate special schools. She has also been involved in the inspection of these types of schools and special schools.

  Caroline has been head of specialist provision for primary and secondary pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.

  Caroline is currently a trustee of the SEAX Trust. She is vice-chair of the trust and chair of the academies improvement committee.

• Nigel Havens
  Nigel Havens

• Tara Poore
  Tara Poore

  Tara Poore has over 16 years of experience in education, safeguarding, and system change working across South Essex and London. She pursued a degree in Special Education Studies as a mature student and has since dedicated her career to supporting children, families, and communities.

  Tara’s professional background spans schools, family services, and criminal justice agencies. She led the nationally recognised A Better Start Southend programme before co-founding City Family CIC in 2022—an organisation focused on tackling the inequalities that impact healthy child development, predominantly working in South Essex.

  She currently chairs several local strategic partnerships, including the Southend City Partnership and the Southend Safeguarding Board Early Help and Neglect Subgroup. In 2024, she also qualified as a Domestic Homicide Review Chair, further deepening her work in safeguarding and prevention.

  Tara is passionate about creating more equitable systems for children and young people. She lives in Essex with her husband and four children.