Although most councils have previously been required to produce such compacts, Sedgefield, in County Durham, has taken the idea particularly seriously in the wake of a no-stars rating, with uncertain prospects for improvement, that it received from the Audit Commission last spring for its repairs and maintenance service. In particular, the commission criticised the lack of tenant participation, and it is this the council aims to tackle with its compact.
Borough housing manager Graham Scanlon says: "There's been a greater commitment in some authorities than others to maintain their compacts, but we see it as a positive opportunity to take our services forward."
Produced in partnership with Sedgefield Residents' Federation and the borough's 11 residents' associations, the compact sets out the level of participation residents want, the support the council will provide for residents who want to get involved, and the standards the council expects residents' groups to meet.
Scanlon says: "It's been very successful from our point of view; it allowed us to focus on how we're going to involve tenants – whereas before, things changed and tenants were the last to know about it.
"We can now demonstrate that tenants are more satisfied with the condition of the empty properties they move into and the service they get from repair workers."
Tenants have become involved in a monthly focus group, a monthly scrutiny committee, best-value reviews, strategic working groups considering changes in the housing services and the allocations policy. They also help put together documents such as the council's repairs guide and do on-the-ground checks that services such as refurbishments and area housing offices are consistently performing to the standard the council promises they will be.
In April 2002, residents were told of the compact project in their newsletter and an action group was set up. A model constitution for residents' associations was agreed with the residents' federation, and a training strategy worked out for them.
Less than four months later, after a survey of tenants and focus groups, an information pack was produced for tenants on how to get involved in the management of their housing, and a training pack was produced for council staff.
The compact itself was launched in November 2002. More than 20 pages long, it includes promises from the council on:
- how it will provide information and seek responses, and the timeframe in which it will respond to feedback
- how it will carry out consultation exercises and keep residents informed of what's going on during consultation
- what the tenant participation officer and area officers will do.
It also includes details of a number of models for different types of residents' groups and details of the advice, resources and training the council will give for people wanting to set them up.
The Residents' Compact is a working document that will be reviewed every two months by a team of housing staff and residents. Residents can complain in complete confidentiality if they feel the council is not adhering to the promises made in the compact.
It has been published in the council's free newspaper and in its new tenants newsletter and issued to all residents' associations, housing staff, borough councillors and heads of council departments; copies are also available at all five area housing offices.
Scanlon says: "The most important thing is to have a proper partnering arrangement between the council and residents where both parties have a clear role and, while individual responsibilities are made clear, everything is seen as ultimately the responsibility of all concerned."
Source
Housing Today
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