Involvement at a local level with Area Housing Boards

With elections for Area Housing Board tenant members due in November 2008, this is an opportunity for all interested council tenants to find out more about how they can shape the future of their local Housing Service.

The information on these pages will help you understand more about Area Housing Boards, where and what they are, what they do and their achievements over the last 18 months.
The Boards are an important way for you to have a say in influencing local services.

What is an Area Housing Board?
It is a group of elected tenants, independent representatives and ward councillors who manage and advise on housing related issues in their Area.

What does an Area Housing Board do?
Each Board considers, monitors and makes decisions on the delivery of local housing services.
They oversee the standards, quality, performance and management of the services.
The Boards

• hold local managers to account for the delivery of their service by comparing it against accepted standards
• manage any agreed budgets in their area
• identify ways to save money that can be put back into the local area
• agree neighbourhood investment priorities
• oversee housing investment projects in their Area
• promote and support local tenant participation, helping to make the Housing Service more responsive to customer needs

Where are the Area Housing Boards?
There are seven boards across the city:

When and where do the Boards meet?
Every four to six weeks, the Area Housing Boards hold formal meetings.
The start times vary to give everybody the opportunity to attend.
The agendas and minutes of their meetings are published on the council's website at www.hullcc.gov.uk
Members of the public can submit written questions to the Boards, and verbal questions can be taken at the meeting itself, at the discretion of the chair.

Through the Area Housing Boards, tenants are able to share their views with senior Council officers, councillors and contractors

The election process

An Area Housing Board's membership includes council tenants, independent members and ward councillors.
Tenant Board members are elected by council tenants from their area.
Independent Board members are selected by other Board members from a list of nominees.
Councillor Board members are nominated by their Area Committees.

Tenant elections

An independent agency, Electoral Reform Services, will run this November's elections.
They will

• produce and distribute ballot papers along with candidate information (Personal Election Statement etc)
• collate and count ballot papers
• produce a report to identify successful/unsuccessful candidates

All tenants will receive a ballot paper to vote for their prefered tenant representative in their Area, so don't forget to use your vote.
Anyone over the age of 18, who lives in a council house and is interested in becoming a member of their local Area Housing Board, should contact their Area Housing Board Governance Officer for an application pack.
The application pack includes a guidance sheet to help you complete the form and prepare your Personal Election Statement.

Call 300300 and leave your contact details for your Area Housing Board's Governance Officer, who will ring you back.

How far have we come?

The majority of the Area Housing Boards began operating as 'live' boards, holding public meetings, in Spring 2007.
They quickly began challenging the Housing Service's performance within their areas and making recommendations. These included:

• Renovating neighbourhood offices
• Considering possible options and opportunities for the housing stock in their areas
• Supporting a range of schemes for their communities to improve estate layout, security and the general environment, using Area based budgets
• Working with the Tenants' Forum and the Service Improvement Groups to support service improvements citywide
• Being involved with two tenants' inspections of the Housing Service, related to estate and income management
• Addressing key matters such as
  • Contractor performance
  • Decent Homes - 18 month programme of work
  • Housing management performance figures
  • Management Agreements
  • Budget delegations and spend
  • Estate layout and environmental improvements
  • Public access to housing services
  • Consultation on
    > Homesearch
    > Housing Strategy 2008-11
    > Homelessness Strategy
    > Management Agreement Review

So what do the existing tenant Board members think about Area Housing Boards? What they have got out of the experience, and the work they do on behalf of their area?

North Carr "Since the Boards were set up we have made a difference by supporting local issues and raising issues which affect tenants. Personally, I feel that I have a better knowledge and understanding of how the council works and my confidence has grown through the training I have received and the people I have met." Helen Fitzpatrick - tenant
East "Being a member of the Area Housing Board has made me see both sides of the Housing Service, that procedures have to be followed, and that funding may come from different routes. It does not give me preferential treatment, but does mean that I can help other people by signposting them towards a better service." Dawn Chehreh - tenant
Riverside "I feel the Boards are still in their early stages but think that they are a good thing as they have improved tenants' rights. My involvement has given me a useful insight into the Housing Service, as has my involvement with senior housing managers. I have learnt a lot and I found the Housing Academy very useful." Helen Brown - tenant
Northern "During the floods, the Board continued to meet and make a positive impact on the relevant issues that had been brought to us. For example, the performance of contractors carrying out relet repair work on empty properties within the Northern Area and other repairs and maintenance issues. "The Board is moving forward and has a strong standing in the area, which will have a significant impact on council housing in the coming months." Board members - Northern
Wyke "The Wyke Area Housing Board has allowed tenants to become involved in monitoring local housing issues and in making decisions at a local level. We have identified specific issues and are working with the council and Connaught to tackle these, including the Decent Homes project and the letting of void properties." Barry Dibnah - tenant
Park "Being elected onto the Area Housing Board has given me an insight into how housing services are delivered and the opportunity to question how they are delivered. It has also given me the opportunity to help make decisions on how to improve those services for the benefit of all the people in the community." Rita Butler - tenant
West "Once elected to the Board I attended the Housing Academy which taught me a lot about the Housing Service. I was then able to use what I learned in the meetings. I feel I have grown in confidence and am now comfortable in voicing my opinion and not afraid to challenge something I disagree with." Jennifer Lightfoot - tenant
"I think the Area Housing Boards are very important to the extensive work undertaken to improve the Housing Service in Hull. I would therefore urge all tenants and leaseholders to take an interest in the election process and if you would like to become a Board member to contact 300300." Cllr Allen Healand

You told us...we did

This is a new regular feature that lets you know what we have done with the feedback, views, comments and suggestions we have received from you. YOU TOLD US... we need to be better at feeding back the impact of involvement WE DID... we are now going to have regular articles on the tenant news pages which will outline what you have said and what we have done. YOU TOLD US... the neighbourhood offices and customer service centres need to promote tenant involvement more widely WE DID... there are now Tenants' Forum posters and Housing Opinion Panel application forms available in each customer service centre and neighbourhood office. We are looking to expand this to other council offices which are accessible to the public. YOU TOLD US... you want to gain more from your involvement WE DID... we have developed a Volunteer Support Programme to enable volunteers to make the most of their volunteering.

Getting involved

If being a member of an Area Housing Board is not for you, then you could choose another way of getting involved. There is a range of opportunities that offers Hull's tenants and residents different ways to help to change the Housing Service and make it better for everyone. For example, you could:

• Read the tenant news pages in Hull in print
• Join the Housing Opinion Panel
• Join the Tenants' Forum
• Attend a public Area Housing Board meeting
• Take part in telephone surveys
• Fill in questionnaires
• Join the Housing Academy
• Attend a Tenants' Conference/Roadshow
• Become a Patch Walker
• Become a Mystery Shopper
• Attend meetings
• Join a local Residents' Association
• Join a Service Improvement Group or workshop
• Visit our website www.hullcc.gov.uk

... or simply tell us what you think.

If you are interested in being involved and want to know more about getting involved, ring 300300 and ask for the tenant participation team who will be pleased to take your call.
Alternatively, email tenant.resident@hullcc.gov.uk
The choice is yours!

tenant news in brief

Tenants' Forum The next Tenants' Forum meeting is the Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the Guildhall, Alfred Gelder Street, from 10am to 12 noon on Thursday September 25. If you want to attend the AGM, call 300300 to book your place and lunch. New members are always welcome. TARA notice board Acorn Residents' Association Acorn House, the Acorn Residents' Association's community centre on Greenwood Avenue, is open Monday to Thursday 9am - 4pm, and Friday 9am - 2pm. Free copies of the HU6 Community Directory and the Association's cookery book Let's Get Cooking, which includes diabetic recipes, are available from Acorn House. Did you know...? The Sutton Fields Household Waste Recycling Centre opened its gates to Hull's residents on July 22. Located on Amsterdam Road, the centre will take domestic rubbish from yellow pages to tulip bulbs and engine oil. The centre is open 8am until 6pm daily. It closes at 4pm on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve and is closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day.