Improving our relationship with Tenants & Residents FFOTRA AGM - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Th!nk Change

“Improving our relationship with Tenants & Residents” FFOTRA AGM 23rd February 2016

John Mills Head of Housing Services

Th!nk Change

Content

• My role as Head of Housing Services
• Changing the culture of Housing Services
• Improving our relationship
• What we need to do together -

collaborative approach

• Updates

– Outcomes from 2015 Tenant Conference – 2015 Allocations Policy Review

• Next steps

Th!nk Change

My role

• My role is to lead … not to manage
• So if I need to ‘lead’ and not ‘do’, what does

leadership mean for the Head of Housing?

– Seeing the bigger picture for housing – Influencing that picture – Raising Fife’s profile nationally (CIH, ALACHO, TPAS/TIS, Scottish Government) – Changing the focus/culture of Housing Services – Focussing on our tenants & residents

Th!nk Change

Changing Housing Services

• We need a culture change:

– Moving to a ‘make it happen’ approach – Less bureaucratic – More face2face in the field or direct contact with tenants/customers – More communication with tenants and staff (4x Down Your Street every year; monthly Home Truths) – Ensuring tenant satisfaction rates are ‘best in class’

Th!nk Change

Changing our relationship with tenants & residents

• Council Priorities:

– Tenants at the heart of Housing Services – Equal partnership with the Federations / progress through discussion and agreement rather than conflict – Growing the capacity of the tenants’ & residents’ movement – Implementing the 2015 Tenant Participation Strategy

Th!nk Change

What we need to do together – collaborative approach

• Build trust relationships with the Tenant Federations
• Constructive dialogue and action through:

– Fife Tenants’ Forum – Tenants’ Scrutiny Group

• Develop 7 Area Tenants’ & Residents’ Forums
• Stimulate tenant & resident engagement and

participation / new methods

• Increase investment in tenant participation /

supported by efficiency

• Housing Services taking more of a direct role in

tenant participation / Tenant Participation Officers

Th!nk Change

Updates – 2015 Tenant Conference

• Example of positive engagement between

tenants and staff on:

– Allocations / community / services / rents / investment / satisfaction

• Agenda shaped by tenants / potential for

greater tenant role in 2016 event?

• Feedback summarised in a report
• Feedback informing Council decisions Feb 16

Th!nk Change

Updates – 2015 Allocations Policy Review

• 9 policy improvements/options agreed by the Policy

Advisory Group

• Executive Committee agreed to consult
• Scottish Government has delayed the 2014 Housing

Act statutory guidance to June 2016

• Policy options need to be proofed against the

guidance

• Formal consultation will follow later in 2016

Th!nk Change

Next Steps

• Federation grant funding to be considered

by Executive Committee March 2016

• TRA funding to be agreed April 2016
• New support for Tenant Forum
• Progression of Scrutiny Group training
• New frontline staff structures April 2016