Resident Engagement – feedback from first stage and strategic level proposals 2 nd stage consultation events March 2012

This presentation Resident engagement Feedback from first stage Proposals for strategic level arrangements How resident feedback influenced the proposed strategic level arrangements

1 st Stage consultation Resident engagement Aim: establish what residents what to get out of resident engagement, and what barriers there currently are to involvement. Who did we speak to: –7 discussion groups with residents (TRAs, Partners, Resident Involvement Register, residents not previously involved) –HFI disability panel –Online survey completed by 37 residents – TMO residents and staff TMO liaison meeting –Councillors –HFI and council officers working in resident engagement

Key themes Resident engagement Outcomes, e.g. improved services for tenants and leaseholders To hold the council and decision makers to account Housing staff to be more visible Get more young people and new people involved. Can’t just rely on TRAs. Better feedback on the impact of resident involvement More modern forms of involvement to engage those who cannot/do not want to attend meetings Training and support, such as the Tenant Resource Centres at Hackney and Wakefield. More involvement of TMO and Partners-managed residents

Key themes Resident engagement Involve residents with disabilities and BME residents in a forum where they feel comfortable. Provide a menu of involvement options to suit everyone – strategic and local. Early consultation Flat resident engagement arrangements Residents learning from residents, e.g. through mentoring. Open meetings

Key themes Resident engagement Provide more and better information on how to get involved. Transparency and clarity about how residents can influence or make decisions. Residents setting agendas and being involved in detail on issues that matter to them. Solutions, not just a moaning opportunity. Local area based forums where residents can meet housing staff. Explore giving these groups more power locally. A single point of contact for the local areas. Everything should have a clear purpose – no meetings for meetings sake.

Proposed resident engagement structure Resident engagement Communities scrutiny Executive Housing Executive Residents’ improvement taskforce Task and finish groups for each service review Grass roots: Resident involvement register TRAs Disability panel TMOs Grass roots: Resident involvement register TRAs Disability panel TMOs

Housing Executive Resident engagement Formally constituted advisory committee to Executive Support decision-making and provide advice to the Executive and Lead Member for Housing and Corporate Director on key landlord issues

Housing Executive Resident engagement Chair – Executive Member for Housing Composition » 4 Non-Executive Members »2 directly managed tenants » 1 Partners managed tenant » 1 TMO managed tenant » 1 Leaseholder » 1 Independent housing association tenant » 1 Tenant chair of the Residents’ Improvement Taskforce (providing link between two groups)

Residents’ Improvement Taskforce Resident engagement Resident led group Providing independent review and scrutiny of services Group to set its own agenda Task and finish groups established and report back to meetings Commission resident inspectors Consult resident involvement register

Residents’ Improvement Taskforce Resident engagement Open membership to group Chaired by the Residents’ Champion and two Vice Residents’ Champions. Champions will be annually elected and paid position who will have a seat on Housing Advisory Panel HFI Board Chair to be Residents’ Champion for first year to aid transition Group supported by new resident engagement team

Why proposing these strategic level arrangements Resident engagement Points raised by residents and other stakeholders How they have been/will be incorporated into the proposals Residents wanted their involvement to result in better services and to be able to see this The Residents’ Improvement Taskforce will make recommendations to improve services that matter most to residents Partners and TMO residents want to be just as involved as directly managed residents A position has been reserved on the Executive for a TMO and a Partners tenant. Residents do not always want to be involved on a regular basis but still want to get involved, having the time to get involved can be a real issue The Residents’ Improvement Taskforce has been designed to allow people to vary their levels of involvement depending on what time they have to get involved.

Why proposing these strategic level arrangements Resident engagement Points raised by residents and other stakeholders How they have been/will be incorporated into the proposals Residents wanted to be empowered to make a real difference The Residents’ Improvement Taskforce will gives residents the freedom set its own agenda and review and scrutinise services that matter most to residents. Residents that are part of the Housing Executive will be able to influence housing decisions at the highest level. Getting more young people involvedThere will be an open invitation for a member of the new Youth Council to attend the Housing Executive. Decision makers should be accountableCouncillors and residents on the Housing Executive group will be elected

Resident feedback that needs to be incorporated into proposals for grass roots level resident engagement Resident engagement - Housing staff should be more visible on estates - Some TRAs are great but other are dominated by a few individuals and this can be frustrating for other residents who want to get involved. We can’t just rely on TRAs because 50% of our estates don’t have TRAs. - We need to do more to get young people and new people involved. - We need to find more innovative ways of engaging residents who do not want to come to meetings, for example through social media or gardening groups

Resident feedback that needs to be incorporated into proposals for grass roots level resident engagement -We should provide information on how to get involved to new tenants - Residents need training and support, such as the Tenant Resource Centres at Wakefield and Hackney. - Local area based forums where residents can meet housing staff are important. We should explore giving these groups more power locally. - Residents want a single point of contact to get things done locally.

Questions and comments Resident engagement What do you think of what is proposed? Comments will be fed back to the Executive before they meet on 27 March. Any further comments – please send these to