Getting Involved

We offer a wide range of opportunities for you to get involved in setting standards and monitoring and reviewing our services. We call this offering you a  'menu of options'.

Read on to find out more.

Blyth Valley Resident Participation Compact

Our new Resident Participation Compact was launched at the annual Residents conference on 8th March 2005.

A full copy of the Blyth Valley Resident Participation Compact is available here.

A Short Guide to the Blyth Valley Resident Participation Compact is also available for download here. The leaflet has been awarded the Clear English Standard by the Plain Language Commission.

Alternatively, please tell us what you think of the Compact – by completing our online service feedback form form.

The Compact is an agreement between the Council, Blyth Valley Housing and our residents. It is a commitment to an equal partnership and sets out:

How you, as a resident, can get involved in decisions on housing issues that may affect you.

What Blyth Valley Housing, local residents and the Council each hope to achieve.

How the Compact will be implemented and monitored.

Eunice Ramsay (pictured below), Chair of Blyth Valley Residents Forum said “The Compact is an important strategy and sets out how you can get involved in housing and community issues."

The Compact has been formulated as a result of two years extensive consultation with residents, stakeholders, staff and Councillors. It has been written utilising best practice examples from across the country.

To find out more about Compacts please visit the following link from the Participation Compacts.  

Guide to Resident Involvement

There are many options available for you to become more involved, such as completing a survey, forming a Residents Association, attending regular informal meetings, joining the resident inspection team, attending focus groups or helping to produce/deliver newsletters.

Why not give us a ring or email us to find out more or discuss any suggestions you may have.

Or, click on the following link to find out how you can influence our services.

Your Guide to Resident Involvement

This document is due to be reviewed, if you are interested in getting involved please contact the Resident Participation Team to find out more.

The Board of Blyth Valley Housing

The Housing Board is made up of 15 Directors of which 5 must be council tenants. The Board meets on a regular basis and is responsible for the services provided by Blyth Valley Housing. To keep up to date on what its happening, you can attend these meetings. Click here for future board meeting dates.  

Watch out for Board member vacancies throughout the year if you would like to get further involved.  We promote these opportunities through direct letter to your home, newspaper adverts and press releases.

Local Area Forums

We aim to establish local forums in each community, which are inclusive of all residents in a defined area.  The Local Area Forums nominate representatives to sit on Blyth Valley Residents Forum. We will hold a meeting in each community at least once a year to enable you to discuss any issues.  

Area Representatives

Where no Local Area Forum or Tenants and Resident Association are established we will seek area representatives to sit on the Blyth Valley Residents Forum to give a voice to the area.

Special Interest Groups

We recognise the need to consider the requirements of specific groups such as leaseholders. We understand the need to ensure groups that might not normally become involved are engaged such as young people and people from Black and Minority Ethnic backgrounds. We will continue to look for new opportunities to establish Special Interest Groups where these address specific needs.

Surveys

We undertake a number of surveys on all our services and ask for views on a wide range of issues. The information we get is used to improve services.  Use this opportunity to influence the services that impact on your home.

Inspection Team

We involve residents in the inspection of our estates on a regular basis. By getting involved on your estate, you get the chance to improve the area you live in. The estate inspections are done with both the housing staff and the Council’s Streetcare staff, who are responsible for amongst others, the grass areas and footpaths on your estate. Contact our Estates Team on 01670 542 121 to find out how you can get involved or click here to view the Calendar of events.

Focus Groups

We set up Focus Groups where residents are encouraged to express their views on certain services and identify areas where improvements can be made.  You can take part in as many or as little as you would like to.  One of the team can have a chat with you about your interests and help you choose your level of involvement. 

Service Improvement Groups

We set up Service Improvement Groups involving residents and officers to work jointly to review services and identify areas for improvement. To get involved contact the Team

Annual Residents Conference

Each year we hold an annual conference for residents on topical housing and community issues. We seek to increase the level of attendance each year.  Each year a steering group of residents helps us organise the event  by offering ideas and suggestions on location, content and how to promote it.  

Below are some photographs from the 2007 conference held on 16^th July 2007. The conference proved to be a big hit with residents, staff and speakers and focused on brining fun and serious issues together.

The 5^th Annual residents Conference – Residents are Forever, had a James Bond theme and was the first year young people were given the chance to attend.

Public Meetings

We will hold public meetings from time to time to discuss housing issues. These will be advertised in the local press and through this website.

Readers Panel

We have a “Readers Panel” of residents who have expressed an interest in reading documents and telling us what they think of proposed changes in services.

Complaints Procedure

We monitor all complaints that are made and these are used to identify areas where we can make improvements in services. Click here to find out more about complaints.

Home Improvements

Where major works are planned we will involve you throughout the process from setting major works programmes and determining priorities to the selection and monitoring of contractors.

Open Days and Exhibitions

We will hold an open day where sample fittings and fixtures, drawings and design proposals will be available to view to enable you to express your views.

Choices

We will ensure that choices are given over fittings and fixtures wherever possible.

Leaflets and Newsletters

All our leaflets are produced in plain English. They can also be made available in large print, braille, audiotape and the following languages: Arabic, Mandarin, Punjabi, Bengali, Hindi, Turkish, Polish and Urdu.

Housing News

We also publish our own tenants newsletter called Housing News which is delivered four times each year. Previous editions can be accessed by clicking on the following link: Housing News.

An Editorial Panel comprising of residents and staff meet regularly to plan the content of future editions of Housing News. If you would like to contribute to future editions or have any suggestions, please let us know.

What would you like to see in Housing News? Please complete our online Service Feedback Form and tell us what you think.

Help and Support

We can provide a range of help and support for resident groups and representatives including grant searched, proof reading local newsletters,  help towards costs and the provision of training as well as transport and childcare to help you attend these events.

We recognise it is sometimes difficult for residents to get more involved so we have many different options available to you. We have also established a Resident Participation database, which contains contact names and addresses of people who are interested in being involved. If you would like to be included on the database, please complete and return this Resident Participation Record Form

Resident involvement is the responsibility of the Resident Participation Unit - why not contact us now to find out more.