Home: Tenants: Getting Involved
Getting Involved
Our residents are at the heart of everything that we do. Staying in touch with residents’ views is really important to us, and we try and do this in many different ways.
If you’d like to have your say about how we provide our services, or get involved in how the Society is run, we’d love to hear from you. Here are some of the options available:
- Estate Representatives
- Residents Forum
- Tenants or Residents Associations
- Resident Contact Database
- Board Membership
- Equality & Diversity Forum
Estate Representatives
What is an Estate Representative?
Being an estate rep is a great way to help improve your local neighbourhood. The role involves being in touch with your Housing Officer regularly, reporting neighbourhood problems like abandoned cars and giving us feedback on how our gardeners and cleaners are performing. As an Estate Representative, you are our link to the day to day issues of our estates and developments.
How much time do I need to give as an Estate Rep?
Give as much or as little time as you like. It is up to Estate Reps to contact Colne Housing as and when they wish, although your Housing Officer will usually contact you once a month.
Will I be paid for my time?
Colne Housing will help out by paying a contribution of £20 once every three months towards your telephone line rental.
How do Estate Reps contact Colne Housing?
It’s up to you. We would prefer telephone contact, but if this isn’t possible, you can use post, fax or e-mail. There are also regular meetings between Housing Officers and Estate Reps.
What other assistance will I be given?
You would be provided with the names and telephone numbers of Colne Housing staff for each of the services the Society provides. In addition, you would also have the contact details of services provided by the local council, police and details of other Estate Reps (with their permission).
If you want to find out more please telephone 01206 244700 or e-mail getinvolved@colnehousing.co.uk.
Residents Forum
Please note that the date for the next Resident's Forum has been moved to Tuesday 17th June at 11am, not the 18th June as stated in the Spring edition of C-Mail. The meeting will still be held at our offices.
Our Residents Forum is the place to come if you want to get involved in the bigger issues that affect residents. The Forum meets four times a year and its purpose is to:
- comment on and recommend changes to our policies, like our repairs policy or our policy for tackling anti-social behaviour
- look at our performance and suggest where we can improve
- discuss significant changes to our services, for example, rent settings, or changes to how services are delivered.
For more details about the Residents Forum contact Leigh Tate on 01206 244700 or e-mail getinvolved@colnehousing.co.uk.
Tenants or Residents Associations
What is a Tenants or Residents Association?
These are groups of local residents who hold regular meetings to discuss issues concerning their neighbourhood. Some also organise social and fund raising events.
How do I form a Tenants or Residents Association?
Talk to your neighbours and then contact Colne Housing on 01206 244700 or at getinvolved@colnehousing.co.uk. We will give you all the help and advice you need, including training on how to run meetings, setting up your Association’s constitution and lots of other practical tips.
Resident Contact Database
We invite all of our residents to offer feedback in a variety of ways. This could include taking part in a survey (postal, telephone or online) or being part of a focus group to study a specific issue. If you are happy to answer some questions from time to time, give your views or maybe take part in a small project, let us know by calling 01206 244700 or e-mailing getinvolved@colnehousing.co.uk and we will add you to our Resident Contact Database.
Board Membership
Colne has a long history of tenants being part of the Board that runs Colne. We aim to have up to four resident board members at any one time. As a Board member you can have an important say in how the Society is run. If you want to find out more contact us on 01206 244700 or e-mail getinvolved@colnehousing.co.uk.
Equality & Diversity Forum
Residents with a particular interest in equality and diversity issues are invited to join our Equality & Diversity Forum. The aim of the Forum is to review and comment upon diversity issues, policies, procedures and publications, complaints relating to discrimination on the basis of inequality, the Society’s response to government guidance and case law, as well as set targets and develop new initiatives to improve performance in this area. Meetings are held 3 times a year, in November, March and July. For more information contact us on 01206 244700 or e-mail getinvolved@colnehousing.co.uk.
