Drive to improve resident involvement

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Drive to improve resident involvement

Monday October 31, 2011 (updated Friday December 2, 2011)

Hammersmith & Fulham Council has announced a number of new sessions as it works to improve tenant and leaseholder involvement across the borough. If you are keen on joining the Residents' Panel or Repairs working group, please see the dates towards the bottom of this page.

More than 17,000 homes returned to council control in April after H&F Homes was replaced with a single housing and regeneration department. The Council is now consulting on how the new service can become more responsive to the needs of tenants and leaseholders.

In particular, the council is keen to:

  • Increase the number and diversity of residents involved;
  • Widen the ways in which residents can be involved;
  • Ensure resident involvement delivers continuous improvement, value for money and services shaped by our residents;
  • Ensure residents have the information they need to monitor and make Housing Services accountable.

In order to boost resident involvement, leading expert Phil Morgan has carried out an independent review on how the Council currently engages with tenants and leaseholders.

In his two senior roles as Chief Executive of Tenant Participation Advisory Service (TPAS) and Executive Director of Tenant Services at the Tenant Services Authority (TSA), Phil Morgan has ensured resident involvement is at the heart of social housing.

Mr Morgan has already held roadshows with tenants, leaseholders, tenants and residents associations and other stakeholders and has made a number of recommendations that residents are being asked to comment on. He has made some suggestions that the Council has already acted upon in order to make sure residents’ voices are heard. As a result, the Council has invited residents to establish a Repairs Working Group and a Local Residents Panel.

The Repairs Working Group would see residents review current arrangements, interview contractors on their performance and involve residents in the recruitment of future contractors. The Local Residents Panel would review complaints and monitor services.

Cllr Andrew Johnson, cabinet member for housing, said: "When the Council brought the housing service back in-house we made a commitment that we would continue to build on the improvements that have already been made in the housing service. This continues to remain our highest priority.

Our aim is to ensure that we have a truly responsive, efficient housing service that delivers value for money and places tenants and leaseholders at the heart of everything we do. Although we do engage with our tenants and leaseholders through the TRAs and area forums we want more residents to be involved in more ways with a greater impact on service improvement.”

The consultation on Phil Morgan’s suggestions for improving residents involvement lasts six weeks (closes on December 5). Phil Morgan will then collate the responses and prepare a draft report. Consultation documents will be sent to all people that attended the Residents Involvement roadshows and the 1,000 residents that have expressed an interest in becoming more involved.

Have your say

If you want to tell us in person your views we will be holding three open sessions for residents from:

  • 6.30pm to 8pm on Thursday 10th November at the White City Community Centre, India Way, London. W12 7QT;
  • 10am to noon on Friday 11th November at the Irish Centre, 5 Black's Road, Hammersmith, London W6. 9DT;
  • 2pm to 4pm on Monday 14th November at the Irish Centre, 5 Black's Road, Hammersmith, London. W6 9DT.

We will also be holding introduction sessions for residents interested in finding out more about our Local Residents Panel and our Repairs Working Group. Details below.

  • 10am to 12pm on Wednesday 16th November at the Irish Centre, 5 Black's Road, Hammersmith, London W6 9DT;
  • 2pm to 4pm on Wednesday 16th November at the Polish Centre, 238-246 King Street, Hammersmith, London W6 0RF;
  • 6pm to 8pm on Wednesday 16th November at the Courtyard Room, Ground Floor Hammersmith, Town Hall, King Street, Hammersmith W6 9JU;
  • 2pm to 3pm on Monday 5th December at the John Moorey Room, 3rd Floor, Hammersmith Town Hall Extension, King Street, London W6 9JU;
  • 5pm to 6pm on Monday 5th December at the Nye Bevan Hall, Aspen Gardens, London W6 9JD;
  • 10am to 11am on Tuesday 6th December at Room 4, 3rd Floor, Hammersmith Town Hall Extension, King Street, Hammersmith, London W6 9JU;
  • 2pm to 3pm on Tuesday 6th December at Room 4, 3rd Floor, Hammersmith Town Hall Extension, King Street, Hammersmith, London W6 9JU;
  • 5.30pm to 6.30pm on Tuesday 6th December at the Clem Attlee Tenants Hall;
  • 10am to 11am on Wednesday 7th December at Room 3, 3rd Floor, Hammersmith Town Hall Extension, King Street, Hammersmith, London W6 9JU;
  • 2pm to 3pm on Wednesday 7th December at Room 5, 3rd Floor, Hammersmith Town Hall Extension, King Street, Hammersmith, London W6 9JU;
  • 5.30pm to 6.30pm on Wednesday 7th December at the White City Community Centre, India Way, London W12 7QT.

Interviews for interested applicants will be scheduled as follows:

  • 9am to 10.30am on Thursday 15th December at Room 5, 3rd Floor, Hammersmith Town Hall Extension, King Street, Hammersmith, London W6 9JU;
  • 7pm to 8.30pm on Thursday 15th December at Room 5, 3rd Floor, Hammersmith Town Hall Extension, King Street, Hammersmith, London W6 9JU;
  • 9am to 10.30am on Friday 16th December at Room 5, 3rd Floor, Hammersmith Town Hall Extension, King Street, Hammersmith, London W6 9JU;
  • 11.30am to 1.30pm on Friday 16th December at Room 5, 3rd Floor, Hammersmith Town Hall Extension, King Street, Hammersmith, London W6 9JU.

It would help us plan for note taking of your views and refreshments if you let us know if you were coming to the open sessions or introduction sessions. Please contact Batool Reza at batool.reza@lbhf.gov.uk, Nivene Powell at nivene.powell@lbhf.gov.uk or Fiona Buist at fiona.buist@lbhf.gov.uk.

Alternatively, you can contact us via post to Housing Services, Housing & Regeneration, London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham, 3rd Floor, Town Hall Extension, King Street, London W6 9JU. Telephone number 020 8753 1633, fax 020 8753 4755.

Foreword by Cllr Johnson» (pdf 16KB) 
Draft Resident Involvement Strategy» (pdf 64KB) 
Resident Group Recruitment Pack» (pdf 62KB)