Tenants’ voices to shape housing services

Redditch Borough Council is inviting its tenants and leaseholders to take a more active role in shaping the future of Council Housing Services.

They are being encouraged to become community stakeholders, contributing to the design and delivery of services and influencing decisions that directly affect their homes and neighbourhoods.

There are a variety of ways for tenants and leaseholders to get involved, from participating in focus groups and consultations to engaging in service reviews.

The council is committed to supporting meaningful engagement by providing training and resources to ensure residents can contribute effectively.

Participation doesn’t have to require attending formal meetings. Tenants can still make a valuable impact by helping to co-design housing policies and services through flexible and accessible channels.

To further strengthen resident involvement, the council is establishing a Tenant Scrutiny Panel. This panel will represent the views of the wider tenant community, have a say in how housing services are delivered, and provide constructive feedback to help drive continuous improvement.

Find out more about ways to get involved and how to apply on our website - Shaping Your Housing Services.

Portfolio Holder for Housing, Cllr. Bill Hartnett, said: “We’ve identified gaps in how we engage with tenants and leaseholders through our recent regulatory judgement, and it is a key part of our Housing Improvement Plan going forward.”

“We are finalising all of the formal and informal opportunities for engagement which we envisage will include a scrutiny panel, task and finish groups, project or estate-based events, as well as individual focus groups.”

Those making their opinions known through joining the Housing Improvement Board, will be able to ensure progress is continuing in accordance with the Housing Improvement Plan.

By assisting in crafting our housing services now, and in the future, tenants and leaseholders can truly make a difference whilst ensuring their voices matters.

Cllr Hartnett added: “This is a massive opportunity for tenants and leaseholders to have their voices heard in order to create greater transparency, participation, and communication throughout our housing service.”

“Getting involved will build a community that has a collective aim to see positive change in their borough. Sharing experiences and views on repairs, maintenance, and safety, will only help to improve service delivery.”

The annual ‘Tenant Satisfaction Measures Survey’ will be published again in January to provide tenants and leaseholders with the opportunity to feedback on the last 12 months of service.