Involved residents can play vital role

I can offer several personal comments based on more than 10 years of involvement on the board of Martlet Homes, now Hyde Martlet as part of the Hyde Group.

First, while it is vital for a social landlord to know its customers and particularly the needs of vulnerable residents, probably less than
20 involved residents can supply important information on service delivery.

I would guess that many of the findings from recent inspections by the Audit Commission were well known to active residents several years ago.
Second, in terms of governance, while independent board members are necessary at a strategic level, the knowledge of communities possessed by resident board members is equally valid in the social housing sector. Involved residents can, and often do, play a vital role in governance arrangements.

Third, making better use of the knowledge and experience of involved residents will change the relationship between staff and active residents.
We have travelled a long way from the paternal/maternal world of much of council housing and the new professional relationship must be based on mutual trust and respect.

From my reading, the Tenant Services Authority has not written about this dynamic but then it is for individual housing associations to find their own solutions.

Finally, involved residents need training on measuring performance. More than in other areas of a housing business, the active resident has a significant role in the process of challenging decisions they don’t agree with and in supporting management in driving up the quality of service delivery.

Alan Chaplin, resident board member, Chichester, West Sussex