Housing Department HD12 Tenant Participation Strategy.

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A decision made (04/06/2007) regarding: Housing Department HD12 Tenant Participation Strategy.

Subject:	Housing Department HD12 Tenant Participation Strategy
Decision Reference:	MD-H-2007-0041		Exempt clause(s):	n/a
Type of Report: (oral or written)	Oral		Person Giving Report (if oral):	Dominique Caunce
Telephone or e-mail Meeting?	n/a		Report File ref:	n/a
Written report – Title	n/a
Written report – Author (name and job title)	Dominique Caunce Director of Tenant Services
Decision(s): The Minister approved the Tenant Participation Strategy.
Reason(s) for decision: The Tenant Participation strategy has been created in order to confirm the Housing Departments commitment to developing effective consultation and participation with tenants.
Action required: Copies of the Strategy to be distributed to all Resident Associations, Area Panel members, Housing representatives, wardens and all Housing Department staff.
Signature: (Minister)		Date of Decision: 04 June 2007

Housing Department HD12 Tenant Participation Strategy.

POLICY HD12

STATES OF JERSEY HOUSING DEPARTMENT

TENANT PARTICIPATION STRATEGY

2006 – 2008 AND BEYOND

CONTENTS:

Section 1	Introduction	Page 2
Section 2	The Vision	Page 2
Section 3	Our Principles	Page 2
Section 4	Aims & Objectives	Page 3
Section 5	Existing Resources	Page 3
Section 6	Achievements to Date	Page 4
Section 7	Standards	Page 4
Section 8	Consultation and Participation	Page 5
Section 9	Key Targets & Action Plan	Page 6
Section 10	Monitoring and Evaluation of the Strategy	Page 7

Section 1

Introduction

This is the first Tenant Participation Strategy, and has been produced by the Housing Department in co-operation with tenants & tenants groups. It reflects the Departments commitment to developing effective consultation and participation. By working in partnership with our tenants we will improve the development of housing and related services.

This Strategy describes a series of actions that the Department intends to implement to support and enable tenant participation. It:

 Describes a series of objectives and actions for the period 2006-2008.

 Looks at future resources available to support tenant participation.

 Provides a focus for individual tenants or tenants groups who wish to jointly work with the Department to improve services.

 Shows how we will assess our progress and measure the impact of the Strategy.

This Strategy complements the same aims as the Housing Departments Business Plan and States Strategic Plan. It is also in support of the Building a Safer Society Strategy.

Section 2

The Vision

Our aim is to make the Housing Department a place where tenants can influence the decision making process through a range of involvement opportunities and work in partnership with the Department to deliver a housing service that meets their needs, creating a better quality of life for all tenants.

Section 3

Our Principles

 To create a culture of mutual trust, respect and partnership with tenants.

 To enable a process of joint agenda setting involving tenants from the outset.

 To ensure developing tenant participation is a continuous process.

 To ensure adequate and appropriate timescales for participation are in operation.

 To recognise the independence of tenants groups.

 To ensure flexible working relationships between landlord and tenant.

 To provide equal opportunities to participate for all our tenants.

Section 4

Aims & Objectives

Our overall aim is to enable tenants to have real opportunities to become involved in the decision making process of the Housing Department.

Aim	Objective
Aim 1 - Offer a range of options for becoming involved both collectively through tenants and residents groups and on an individual basis.	 Develop a range of opportunities for tenants to participate effectively that reflect area circumstances.
Aim 2 - Ensure tenants are adequately encouraged and resourced to fully engage in the participation process and be involved in decisions affecting them.	 Ensure staff and tenants have access to adequate levels of training and support.  Provide capacity building support and assistance to tenant groups.  Provide adequate funding for tenant groups.
Aim 3 - Continuously develop ways of improving communication and information dissemination to meet the needs of all our tenants.	 Provide better quality and more relevant information for tenants.  Regularly monitor and review the Strategy to ensure it continues to be effective.  Develop the Tenants Forum

Section 5

Existing Resources

To support and encourage the development of tenant participation tenants have access to the following resources:

 Two full time Tenant Participation Officers to promote the development of new groups and support existing ones.

 Residents Associations “setting up grants” of £500 (paid on application once Constitution and Bank Account confirmed).

 Specified Tenant Participation budget of £15,000 per annum.

 Tenants Group Information Pack providing advice and assistance on setting up and running a tenants group including accessing funding.

 Support of all other Housing staff including attendance at meetings, where appropriate.

Section 6

Achievements to Date

This section summarises the progress we have made to improve and develop participation and tenant involvement. We have:

 Produced a three yearly tenant wide newsletter “Community News” informing tenants and promoting participation opportunities.

 Provided support and funding to help tenants set up 5 Residents Associations and 5 Area Panels.

 Provided a Resource Centre on one of our Estates.

 Continued with a staff training programme on tenant participation.

 Created an information booklet on setting up and running tenants groups as well as a Powerpoint presentation.

 Created a register of all resident groups.

 Established 4 wardens on Housing Estates.

 Developed our consultation database of tenants interested in becoming involved in voluntary work e.g. gardening group.

 Provided a programme of training opportunities for tenant groups and representatives.

 Undertaken extensive community consultation in developing this Strategy.

Section 7

Standards

This section summarises the standards of service you can expect from us. We will:

 Provide support and information on setting up and running tenant groups, including attending meetings when requested.

 Provide information, support and advice on housing related issues to individual tenants and tenants groups.

 Ensure we provide information in an easy to understand way and in a variety of formats.

 Facilitate and arrange training and development events to meet the joint needs of tenants and staff.

 Maintain a register of resident groups and volunteers and provide advice and support to groups on achieving registration status.

 Recognise the self-sufficiency of tenants groups.

 Ensure tenants have access to agenda setting and adequate time is given for participation and consultation to take place.

Section 8

Consultation & Participation

To ensure participation and consultation is maximised a range of options are necessary. This will offer choice to tenants and allow them to participate at a time, level and in a form that suits them best. This will also allow flexibility and local circumstance to be taken into account.

Effective means of participation will include:

· Support for all tenant groups.

· Briefing sessions.

· Community Days.

· Surveys and questionnaires.

· Estate walkabouts.

· Newsletters.

· Consultation on draft plans and strategies.

· Meetings/workshops.

· Tenants Forum

· Housing representation at tenants meetings when appropriate.

Notifying tenants and Residents Associations of relevant issues is essential.

We will employ a range of methods to notify tenants of issues that affect them. These will include:

 Community News three yearly newsletter to all States Tenants.

 Tenants Information Pack: all current tenants who transfer & all new tenants will receive a copy of the Tenants Information Pack which provides detailed information on a range of housing issues.

 Housing Department Website.

 Written notification: we will notify tenants in writing of major issues such as major repairs programmes or proposed changes to policies. We will give tenants the opportunity to feedback on any issues/repairs.

Section 9

Key Targets & Action Plan

Over the next two years, these are the main actions we intend to undertake to support tenant participation. We aim to:

 Set up a Tenants Forum to monitor and evaluate the Strategy to ensure we are meeting our objectives and to set new targets.

 Agree local level action plans for all large family Estates to promote and develop participation in their area.

 Jointly develop Tenants Compact.

 Undertake an annual Customer Satisfaction survey of all tenants regarding Tenant Participation.

 Develop and maintain a register of tenants groups and expand and promote the consultation database.

 Develop and provide access to a training programme for staff and tenants.

 Develop an annual consultation diary which outlines the issues we will be consulting on and when.

 Develop and promote the Mutual Exchange/Homeswap Scheme, creating an information leaflet for tenants and internet access to the list of available swaps.

 In consultation with tenants, develop a rewards and incentives scheme for all.

 Implement and market the “Safe & Secure” scheme for elderly tenants.

 Hold a minimum of one “Community Day” each year.

Long-term targets for beyond 2008

Develop a consultation programme with tenants on capital programme works and implementation of the Housing Department Property Plan.

Obtain more Tenant Participation staff resources and an increased Tenant Participation budget.

Undertake an annual survey of all tenants.

Review the Strategy annually to ensure we are meeting our objectives and to set new targets.

Section 10

Monitoring & Evaluation of the Strategy

The Tenant Participation Strategy will be a working document subject to continuous review to ensure it is meeting objectives and achieving targets.

A range of methods will be used to monitor the Strategy. These will include:

 A joint Tenant Participation Strategy Implementation Group will be set up from members of the Tenants Forum, to monitor the implementation and effectiveness of the Strategy on an ongoing basis. This group will meet twice yearly and will include Tenant Participation staff.

 Progress on implementing and monitoring the Strategy will be reported to the Housing Minister twice yearly.

A range of information and feedback will be gathered and provide details of:

 How participation took place (i.e. what methods of participation were used).

 What were the issues/topics?

 What arrangements were made to encourage participation and maximise accessibility?

 How were tenants views represented in the outcome of any participation?

 How were the results of participation fed back to participants?

 What timescales were allowed for effective participation to take place?

 The cost of tenant participation and an assessment of the resources required to develop participation.

 Where tenants satisfied that they had received adequate support and resources to allow them to participate effectively?

 In addition, the Group will develop Tenants Compact for participation which will set guidelines on service standards and develop a framework for assessing participation.

Policy Drafted	10th April 2007	D Caunce Director of Tenant Services

Policy Reviews	Date	Reviewed By