Empowering Residents Tenant Involvement and the Green Paper Martyn Lund, ARCH Tenants’ Group Leona Mantle, Tenancy Services Manager
• The Green Paper on Empowerment • How does KBC engage with tenants? • What will need to change in the light of the green paper?
Empowerment and the Green Paper • Empowering Residents and Strengthening the Regulator • ‘making sure their voices are heard. This will drive better services and ensure residents have more choice and control’ Brokenshire
The Proposals 1. Transparency on key performance indicators • Presented in a clear, regular and consistent format and should cover issues such as: • keeping properties in good repair; • maintaining the safety of buildings; • handling of complaints; • engagement with residents; and, • neighbourhood management, including anti-social behaviour. • This data would be provided by landlords to the Regulator of Social Housing who would then publish league tables of landlord performance.
The Proposals 2. Rewarding Good Performance • Linking league tables with financial incentives
The Proposals 3. Ensuring residents’ voices are heard • Genuine engagement • Use feedback to shape services • Local and national voice
The Proposals 4. Choice • the Government also wants to offer residents an opportunity to exercise more choice over their day-today services • Stock Transfer • Trailblazer Projects – to test new structures
Engagement in Kettering Tenants Forum Tenants Overview and Scrutiny Panel Environmental Improvement Panel Tenant Representatives Estate Inspections
Engagement in Kettering Tenant Inspectors Editorial Panel of Newsletter Involvement in Procurement of goods and services Contract monitoring Focus Groups, Working Groups and Meet & Greet
Involvement and Impact at Kettering • Introducing the Tenants Overview and Scrutiny Panel • 2 scrutiny examples to share – The set-up of the Panel – A bit about the process of the scrutiny – A summary of the recommendations and impact
Tenants Overview and Scrutiny Panel The set-up • Established in 2012 • Members recruited • Work with Code of Conduct and Terms of Reference • Tenant led • Lead officer: Tenancy Services Manager • Monthly overview and monitoring meetings • Scrutiny
Tenants Overview and Scrutiny Panel Summary of how we work Monthly • Officers invited to present performance information overview • and are asked to clarify / respond to queries meetings • Receive updates on related topics • Carry out one scrutiny at a time Scrutiny • but will also be monitoring closely action plans from previous scrutiny projects.
Scrutiny Topic The Scrutiny Chair of TOSP Topic Decision assigns roles • Agreed by Overview and agrees • Tenants Tenants Forum workplan • Officers Forum • Reactive The Scrutiny … Action Plan Research Recommendations Monitor Interview agreed by Tenants Assess Impact Data Forum The Scrutiny Process The Scrutiny Process
The Introductory Tenancy Scrutiny Process – what we did… Desktop Information Interviewed Review Review Officers Interviewed Mystery Shop Shadowing Introductory Tenants Benchmark
The Introductory Tenancy Scrutiny Recommendations 1. Sign-ups for new tenants to be carried out in a more private area 2. More Neighbourhood Manager Involvement pre-tenancy 3. Applicants to have access to tenancy information before sign-up and opportunity to ask questions 4. Improve joint working of officers managing Introductory Tenancies 5. More effective monitoring systems to be in place 6. Information on tenant involvement to be included in tenants handbook
Our latest scrutiny… o The Tenants Forum approved the scrutiny of Tenant Involvement and Communications, the main reasons being: o It is of fundamental importance that tenants have their say and that our views are heard. o It is important that tenants are effectively and clearly communicated with by their landlord. o Many areas of the Borough are currently under-represented. o In the latest Survey of Tenants and Residents, only 69% of respondents felt that the Council listens to tenants and acts upon their views.
The Process Interviews Desktop Analysis Research • Neighbourhood • Review of Connect • All information Managers currently provided to • Plasma Screen tenants requesting • Tenant Engagement Content in Customer information on getting Officer Service Centre involved. • Customer Contact • Website Review • Tenants handbook Manager • Mystery Shopping • Periodic Tenancy Visit • Senior Housing Team • Focus Group booklet • Customer Service • Good practice Officers research • Receptionist • Benchmarking • Survey of 165 tenants
Findings and Conclusions Frontline staff unaware of opportunities for tenant participation No easily accessible literature providing information on involvement Information difficult to find on the website Tenants did not know about the opportunities to participate Tenants felt that communication from the Council could be improved Some tenants felt they are not listened to
Agreed Outcomes To give basic training to all frontline staff regarding the variety of ways tenants can get involved To improve the information regarding tenant participation To improve communication to tenants from participating tenants To make participation more attractive
Responding to the Green Paper • Consultation exercise with our tenants Forum – Critical for us all to respond to the proposals • Prepare for Transparency in Performance Reporting Annual Report/ TOSP reporting – league tables Enabling understanding • Continue with Improvements to Engagement Offer
Martyn Lund ARCH Tenants Group, Chair of TOSP Leona Mantle Tenancy Services Manager
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