Last updated 05:40, Friday, 03 October 2008

David Garland who has died aged 58 of a rare neurological disease, was director of housing for Carlisle City Council from 1983 until 1990.

David Garland: Improved life for council tenants and the homeless

Originally from Leeds, David qualified as a local government accountant and in the late 1970s was appointed assistant director of housing at Newcastle upon Tyne, responsible for finance and administration.

His interest and knowledge of housing was wide-ranging leading to his appointment to the post in Carlisle, where he became an accomplished chief officer and a well-liked figure.

As director of housing, David was responsible for drawing up the council’s housing strategy and for the implementation of much of its housing investment programme.

By the early 1980s the days of large-scale council house building were over, but David still managed to oversee a spending programme of several million pounds on housing and environmental improvements on the council’s older housing estates.

His tenure at Carlisle saw the establishment of the popular Careline service and an improvement of housing services to council tenants and the public in general with better-trained staff.

A better service was also provided to the homeless with the replacement of the Victorian men’s hostel at Lowther House with a modern building at John Street as well as other innovations developed in partnership with local housing associations.

In 1990 David left Carlisle (and local government) to set up his own business providing training and consultancy services to local housing authorities and housing associations. The business was based in Filey, near Scarborough, which for David meant a return to his Yorkshire roots.

The timing of this move was important since all public housing agencies were facing a period of rapid change as a result of Government legislation and he became very successful throughout the 1990s.

Unfortunately, David’s health began to suffer as a result of him developing Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP). As a result he eventually sold his business and retired in the Filey area.

His condition continued to deteriorate and he died last month in St Catherine’s Hospice in Scarborough.

His poor state of health during the latter stages of PSP would come as a shock to those who recall David as a fit, active, larger-than-life character.

Throughout his illness and especially towards the end of his life, with increasingly restricted mobility and failing eyesight, David was lovingly supported by his wife, Elise, whom he had married in 1994 and who had helped him set up his business.

He is survived by Elise, his son Chris and daughter Jemma (both children from his previous marriage). David was also much-loved step-dad to Elise’s children.

His funeral service, attended by family and friends, was held in St Oswald’s Parish Church, Filey.