Our Resident Involvement Agreement

Last modified 24/03/10 at 12:03

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Wherry’s Resident Involvement Agreement
2008 - 2011

Our Agreement

This is the formal Resident Involvement Agreement of Wherry Housing Association. This Agreement sets out how we will ensure that residents will shape the services from Wherry Housing Association that affect their homes and communities. It has been developed with input and help from residents, staff, contractors and Board members. It sets out what we want to achieve and how we will put our commitment to resident involvement into practice.

Our Vision for Resident Involvement

Wherry sees people and partnership as being at the heart of everything we do. We believe that by involving residents in activities relating to their homes and communities we can improve people’s life chances and quality of life

Our Involvement Statement

The Officers, Board members and residents of Wherry Housing Association agree to work together to ensure all Wherry’s services are shaped by residents and that residents influence decision-making and the way the Association is run.
“The details set out in our Resident Involvement Agreement mark a significant partnership between residents, staff and the Board of Wherry to work together to put residents at the heart of how we provide good quality homes in vibrant, thriving communities. We therefore agree to support each other in delivering this Agreement to ensure our commitments are put into practice”

1: OUR AIMS

Our overall aim for Wherry Housing Association is to continually improve the quality and value of everything we do. We want to be recognised as the landlord of choice in East Anglia and to be rated amongst the very best performing landlords in the country.

We aim to help build sustainable, thriving communities and deliver reliable and effective services to meet the needs and aspirations of our tenants. It is therefore essential to us that we reach out to listen to and involve not only our current tenants and leaseholders but also the communities where people aspire to live in the homes we provide

2: OUR OBJECTIVES

The Officers and Board of Wherry Housing Association want to:

• involve residents both collectively and individually in the development, delivery, review and improvement of the services they receive

• actively consult the diverse range of tenants to ensure that their views form an integral part of the decision-making process

• work with residents and their representatives to develop structures and mechanisms that will increase resident’s opportunities to be involved in the work of Wherry

• help to develop residents’ knowledge, skills and capacity to enable them to become more influential in dealings with the Association

• encourage and support residents to become more actively involved in tackling social, economic and environmental issues which will benefit the communities in which they work

• involve staff, Board members and residents in regularly monitoring and reviewing our progress in achieving our aims and objectives for involving residents

• enhance our accountability to residents and ensure that in all our services we provide value for money from the residents’ perspectives

3: OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESIDENT INVOLVEMENT

Wherry Housing Association will offer residents as many opportunities as possible to get involved in developing, monitoring and reviewing our housing policies, strategies, and services, and to get involved in wider activities for the benefit of residents and the Association

What Residents Can Get Involved In

Key areas for consulting and involving residents will include:

• Neighbourhood and local services (landscaping, grounds maintenance etc)
• Policies and procedures relating to the way homes are let including ensuring the needs of people with disabilities are met
• Preventing and tackling anti-social behaviour
• Regeneration and housing renewal and improvement programmes
• Sustainability including affordable warmth and sustainable energy
• New housing development including design of new homes
• Development of budgets and finance including options for housing investment and capital programmes
• Development and improvement of services including support services
and
• Arrangements for monitoring and reviewing services and performance, addressing shortcomings and taking remedial action

Residents will be offered opportunities to get involved at various levels in setting, monitoring and reviewing policies, procedures, service and performance standards including:
• Customer care
• Informing, consulting and involving residents, including handling collective complaints and taking remedial action
• Environmental work and improvements
• Repairs & maintenance
• Neighbourhood issues and tackling anti-social behaviour
• Neighbourhood and estate management
• Allocations and lettings, including choice-based lettings, the ‘letting standard’ and dealing with empty homes
• Policies and procedures for collecting rents and service charges, tackling arrears, providing debt advice, and debt recovery procedures
• Terms and conditions of tenancy, tenancy management including enforcement of tenancy conditions, and helping residents to sustain their tenancies
• Equality and diversity policies and procedures, including race equality policies and policies on preventing and tackling racial harassment
• Procurement, partnering and contractors’ performance

How residents can get involved

The widest possible range of opportunities to get involved will be offered to as many residents as possible to encourage people to get involved as much or as little as they want, when, and how they want. Particular attention will be paid to making sure that no-one is excluded or prevented from getting involved. Arrangements will continue to be developed to make sure traditionally excluded or under-represented sections of our communities, for example residents living in more remote rural areas and residents with disabilities or learning difficulties, are reached and encouraged to take part in ways that suit their needs and priorities.

In addition to encouraging the development of Resident Representatives, ‘Voices’, Tenants and Residents Associations and other forms of formal representation including Patch Panels, and Way Ahead With Wherry (the recognised Wherry-wide residents’ group), a wide range of less formal methods will be offered landlord-wide and locally to get residents’ views and to involve our residents in all aspects of improving our performance service delivery

Wherry-wide resident involvement
As part of a planned approach we will consult and involve residents via:
• Newsletters, surveys and questionnaires (face-to-face, postal, and telephone, with ‘incentives’ to encourage residents to respond)
• Open Days, Fun Days and social events
• ‘Sounding Boards’, ‘Telepanels’ and ‘Friends of Wherry’
• ‘Roadshows’ and exhibitions
• Specific interest groups, panels and discussion forums (e.g. Leaseholder Service Panel, Equality and Diversity Working Group and groups for young people/young parents, members of BME communities, people with disabilities, leaseholders and people living in Sheltered, Supported or Temporary Housing)
• ‘Community Spirit’ Awards
• On-line discussion forums and use of the website
• Focus Groups
• A residents’ ‘Editorial Advisory Group’ and ‘Readers’ Panel’ to test and check newsletters and general information for residents
• Mystery Shoppers and Independent Tenant Service Inspectors
• Contract, Service, and Performance Review Groups
• ‘Way Ahead With Wherry’ - the recognised Wherry-wide representative residents’ group

Local-level resident involvement
Specific ‘tailor-made’ methods and arrangements will be developed for involving residents at a local level in different areas and neighbourhoods.

The methods and arrangements will include:
• Local newsletters and small local surveys including door-to-door surveys
• ‘Open Days’ & ‘Fun Days’
• Coffee mornings and social events
• Roadshows and exhibitions
• Estate or neighbourhood ‘walkabouts’ and inspections
• Open discussion events and meetings and local discussion groups
• Local focus groups and specific interest groups (e.g.ASB)
• Sheltered Housing and Supported Housing discussion groups and meetings
• Neighbourhood and local-area Mystery shoppers and Tenant Inspectors
• Recognised Residents’ Associations
• Local ‘Resident Representatives’ (including ‘Voices’)
• Local Contract, Service and Performance Groups
• Regeneration Groups
• Neighbourhood ‘Patch Panels’ in each Neighbourhood Patch
• Community Initiatives and Community Groups

If you are interested in getting involved in any way at all – or if you would like to have more information, please contact the Resident Involvement Team by calling 01603 595 140 or freephone 0800 694 0165
Or write to:
Resident Involvement Team
Wherry Housing Association
6 Central Avenue
St Andrew Business Park
Norwich NR7 0HR
Or email: wherryinvolvement@circleanglia.org

4: CORE STANDARDS FOR INFORMATION, CONSULTATION & INVOLVEMENT

We have agreed these ‘core standards’ to make sure that our commitment can not only be seen to be being delivered but also to make sure residents, staff and Board members can monitor how effectively it is being done and propose changes and improvements if needed!

Standards for Information and Feedback

These standards for information and feedback aim to improve communication and make sure that information meets the needs of all residents

Accessible Information including meeting DDA (1995) Regulations
1. To ensure information meets the needs of all residents it will be checked via a resident ‘Readers Panel’

2. Information and feedback will be provided as necessary in:
• Plain language with no jargon
• Large print and ‘Easy Read' versions of service information
• Pictorial format and ‘Change Picture Bank’
• Braille
• Audio tape
• Email
• Translation

3. Pre-paid envelopes and prize draws will be provided from time to time to encourage feedback from residents

4. Information will be provided via:
• Newsletters
• Letters and leaflets
• Information Packs and the Tenants’ Handbook
• Roadshows
• Posters, noticeboards, and exhibitions
• Email and the website and ‘Browse Aloud’ download for audio version
• Face-to-face contact with resident representatives, staff and Board members with support to residents who need help and support
• Specific forums/groups for young people, residents with disabilities etc

Timely information & feedback
1. Information about local meetings, events and activities will be given to residents at least 7 days in advance and a monthly up-date will be placed on the website

2. Feedback from meetings, events and activities given to participants within one month and to all residents via newsletters no less than 4 times a year

3. Individual requests for information will be responded to within 10 days

4. Information about performance and any proposed changes to policy/standards/performance etc will be given no less than 4 times a year to all residents

5. Residents will normally have at least 3 weeks to respond to any formal consultation

Content
Residents will receive information about all aspects of:
• Wherry and Circle Anglia policies and strategies
• Management and maintenance procedures and standards and performance
• Investment options, improvement plans and priorities
• Opportunities for resident involvement in housing management and decision-making

Quality and Relevance
1. Information will be provided to meet residents’ needs and to respond to requests from residents

2. All general information for residents including Newsletters and leaflets will be edited and checked via the Readers Panel

3. Resident satisfaction with information will be tested annually

Standards for meetings and discussion events

These standards aim to make meetings and discussions work better for everyone involved. The standards will apply to all meetings with residents and Wherry Housing Association or its contractors. The standards for meetings are backed by our agreed ‘Code of Conduct’ for residents, staff and Board members.

Publicity and feedback
Meetings and discussion events will be publicised via:
• information in newsletters
• Wherry’s web site
• posters in communal areas
• flyers to individual homes and by letter or leaflet to all recognised residents’ associations and groups
• telephoning resident representatives when necessary
• giving no less than 7 days notice of meetings including details of the agenda for the meeting (agreed in advance with the Chair) unless exceptional circumstances require an urgent emergency meeting to be called
Feedback will be given via:
• minutes of meetings within 10 working days to all participants and recognised resident associations, groups and representatives including details of what action will be taken, by whom and by when
• summary information in local newsletters where appropriate

Accessibility
In order to ensure as many residents as possible have opportunities to take part:
• meetings and discussion events will be held at different times of day and in accessible venues agreed in advance with residents
• staff will assist with arranging premises to make sure these are accessible to people with disabilities
• crèche facilities will be provided free of charge where there is sufficient demand or an allowance will be paid for child care/other care costs as necessary
• payment will be made to cover transport costs or transport will be provided as necessary
• signers, interpreters, and induction loops will be provided as necessary

Effectiveness
Training will be provided for residents, staff and Board members on making meetings work, with specific training for people Chairing meetings

All meetings will:
• have clear objectives and an agenda agreed in advance with tenant representatives and the Chair of the meeting
• be run in a fair and democratic way so that everyone gets a chance to have their say
• have feedback identifying details of what action will be taken, by whom and by when
• be monitored and reviewed to check effectiveness, levels of satisfaction and input from traditionally under-represented sections of the community

Standards for Resident Consultation

These standards aim to provide the widest possible range of opportunities and choice for residents to put their views forward and to get involved. All residents will be given formal and informal opportunities to put their views forward about services and performance and will be consulted before changes are made to policies, procedures, strategies and services

Informal consultation
Residents will have opportunities to put their views forward via:
• Local discussions with officers and staff
• ‘Fun Days’ and social events held at least once a year
• ‘Suggestion boxes’ in sheltered and supported housing
• Contact with local staff and those working for Wherry HA

Formal consultation
Residents will be involved in formal consultation via:
• Surveys including the ‘Status’ survey every 3 years and local postal, telephone or face-to-face surveys to sample residents’ views at least once a year
• Estate, Area or Neighbourhood Inspections or ‘walkabouts’ held no less than 3 times a year
• Patch Panels, Residents Associations, recognised residents’ representatives, focus groups and formal local consultation meetings
• Working Groups, Performance Review groups (including Best Value review groups) and Leaseholder Service Panel
Content Residents will be consulted about proposed changes and development of policies, procedures, strategies and services and wider community issues that affect them where they live including:
• Local estate and neighbourhood management
• Regeneration, housing renewal and improvement programmes
• New housing development including design of new homes
• Options for housing improvement & investment
• Capital and renovation programmes
• Development of budgets including budgets for local improvements, and
• Arrangements for monitoring and reviewing services and performance, addressing shortcomings and taking remedial action

Timeliness
• Residents, including recognised representatives and groups, will normally have at least 3 weeks to respond to any formal consultation

Feedback
• All residents will receive feedback from formal consultation via Newsletters sent to all residents no less than 4 times a year
• Feedback from formal consultation will be included on the website
• All residents participating in specific local consultation will be given feedback within one month via local newsletters or letters or personal contact as appropriate

Reaching everyone
Arrangements will be put in place to ensure that any residents from traditionally under-represented or excluded sections of our communities can make their views known as necessary via:
• Support workers and/or carers
• Interpreters
• Telephone or face-to-face with staff
• Specific local discussion groups and/or Focus Groups and Forums

Standards for Resident Involvement

Residents will be offered opportunities to get involved in what interests them, in ways that suit them. This will include opportunities to get involved in policies, strategies, services and wider community issues. Residents will be encouraged to become actively involved at all levels including the governance of Wherry and the Circle Anglia Group
Options for involvement Residents will be involved in an annual review of progress against the Wherry Residents Involvement Strategy and will be offered opportunities to influence and be involved in developing, monitoring and reviewing:

• all relevant policies, procedures and strategies
• service and performance standards
• regeneration, housing renewal and improvement programmes
• new housing development including design of new homes
• options for housing improvement & investment and capital and renovation programmes
• budgets and finance
• in identifying and agreeing remedial action where this is needed

Arrangements for involving residents
The widest possible range of opportunities will be put in place to enable as many residents as possible to get involved in ways that suit them. Resident involvement criteria and structures will be put in place to ensure that:

• all residents are represented by recognised structures and arrangements for consultation and involvement including Panels, Forums, Group and Residents’ Associations
• at local (estate/neighbourhood/area) and landlord-wide levels representative, democratic, accountable arrangements for representation are in place
• formal and informal mechanisms for involvement are available for all residents including the ‘Friends of Wherry’ data-base, ‘Telepanels’, Fun Days, Road Shows, Sounding Boards, Focus Groups, Working Groups, Service Review Groups, Neighbourhood Patch Panels, etc
• opportunities are available at local, area, and landlord-wide levels for recognised groups to have control of budgets where appropriate and to ensure Wherry HA can be challenged and held to account by residents
• at landlord-wide level the ‘Way Ahead With Wherry’ group acts as the recognised, democratic and accountable residents’ group on behalf of residents across Wherry
• an annual ‘landlord-wide event’ for residents
• residents from Wherry have representation at Group-wide level via the Residents and Service-users Panel (‘RASP’)

Involving all sections of our community
Wherry is committed to trying to reach and involve traditionally excluded or under-involved residents in our communities, including young people and young parents, residents with literacy or learning difficulties, residents in supported or sheltered housing, people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities and other residents who have been traditionally under-involved. Standards have been agreed to help ensure that this commitment is put into practice including:

• mapping the make-up of our community and keeping up-to-date records of age, ethnicity, gender, support provided and disability and using the information gained to tailor our approach to involvement
• making specific arrangements to consult with and involve all under-represented sections of our community for example through the Equality and Diversity Group, Focus Groups, Community Groups, and specific groups such as the ‘Youth Group’
• Ensuring that information is available face-to-face, in accessible formats and in languages other than English to meet needs
• Ensuring that under-represented sections of our community including residents in more remote areas, are aware of how they can be involved in arrangements for consultation and involvement for example via the ‘Friends of Wherry’ data-base, becoming ‘Voices’, ‘Mystery Shoppers’, and via Residents’ Associations, Community Groups, Focus Group etc
• Working with recognised Residents’ Associations and Groups to help them represent the views of under-represented residents in their community
• Linking in to the work of other local networks for specific sections of our community to reach the people from whom we might not otherwise hear

Standards for Involving All Sections of our Community

Wherry Housing Association is committed to trying to reach and involve traditionally excluded or under-involved residents in our communities, including young people, residents living in supported or sheltered housing, people with literacy difficulties, people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities and other residents who have been traditionally under-involved
Standards have been agreed to help ensure that this commitment is put into practice:

Identifying tenants and leaseholders
• Mapping the make-up of our community
• Keeping up-to-date records of ethnicity, gender, sexuality and disability
• Using the information gained to tailor our approach to involvement

Making arrangements to reach everyone
• Making specific arrangements to consult with and involve all under-represented sections of our community
• Using Focus Groups, Community Groups, and Forums such as Youth

Forums
• Tailor-made arrangements in sheltered and supported housing

Providing accessible information
• Ensuring that information is available face-to-face, in accessible formats and in languages other than English and to meet needs

Promoting opportunities for involvement
• Ensuring that under-represented sections of our community including residents in more remote areas and residents with literacy difficulties, are aware of how they can be involved in arrangements for consultation and involvement
• Using residents’ associations, ‘Mystery Shoppers’, Community Groups, Focus Groups etc to reach all sections of the community
Working with Residents’ Groups • Working with recognised residents’ groups to help them represent the views of under-represented groups in their community
• Helping residents’ groups to provide feedback to identify the make-up of the community they represent

Linking in to ‘community networks’
• Linking in to the work of Community and Neighbourhood Forums and other local networks for specific sections of our community to reach the people from whom we might not otherwise hear

Monitoring performance
• Involving residents in monitoring implementation of our equalities and diversity policy including levels of input and involvement of people from traditionally under-represented sections of our community
• Providing reports no less than 4 times a year to residents and the Board

Standards for Resident Representation

Residents are encouraged to take part in the arrangements for consultation and involvement and ensure they are represented by recognised Groups, Residents’ Associations or individual Resident Representatives/Voices. In addition, individual residents may volunteer to be ‘contact points’ or to join ‘Friends of Wherry’ to form part of a ‘sounding board’ to work with Wherry, not as representatives but as individuals willing to help

1: ‘Resident Contacts’
Any individual tenant or leaseholder (This will EXCLUDE any resident formally excluded from meetings, offices, contact with staff etc) may volunteer to be the ‘contact point’ for Wherry. This may be a preferred method where very few residents or individual street properties are involved.

Role of individual local ‘Resident Contacts’:
• To help monitor and give feedback (via questionnaires etc) on services (for example: methods for rent payment, estate cleaning, grounds maintenance, improvement work)
• To pass on any local issues of concern to staff
• To meet from time to time with staff and take part in ‘walkabouts’ and ‘neighbourhood/estate/area inspections’

Requirements:
Any individual tenant or leaseholder who is:
• Willing to provide information and feedback to Wherry
• Willing to check service delivery against set service standards

2: ‘Friends of Wherry’ (resident contacts, people willing to take part in surveys, join discussion groups etc)
‘Friends of Wherry’ is the data-base containing details of residents willing to respond to requests for information and feedback, take part in surveys, respond to questionnaires, take part in discussions and focus groups etc. Residents may be identified by the area they live in, by age group, whether or not they are from a Minority group or if they have disabilities, in order to help Wherry make sure it is hearing from all sections of the communities served. Residents may specify whether or not they are interested in particular services and their input will be tailored to their preferences

Role of ‘Friends of Wherry’:
• To help monitor and give feedback (via questionnaires etc) on any particular policies, procedures, performance and/or services (for example: estate cleaning, grounds maintenance, improvement work)
• To help keep staff informed about any local or Wherry-wide issues
• To meet from time to time with staff and take part in ‘walkabouts’ and ‘estate/area inspections’

Requirements:
Any tenant or leaseholder who is:
• Willing to provide information and feedback to Wherry HA
• Willing to check service delivery against set service standards in information provided

3: ‘Voices’ and ‘Resident Representatives’
(Block/Neighbourhood/Street/Area etc)
Individual tenants or leaseholders may be elected or nominated by other tenants and leaseholders to act on their behalf in any dialogue, representation and negotiations with Wherry HA and/or the Circle Anglia Group. Resident Representatives and ‘Voices’ are eligible to be members of the landlord-wide residents’ group ‘Way Ahead With Wherry’

Role of Resident Representatives
• To act as the formally recognised representative of other residents in negotiations and formal dialogue with Wherry, including meeting as necessary with the Board or Board Members
• On behalf of other residents to help monitor and give feedback on services: for example: /neighbourhood/estate management, grounds maintenance, improvement work
• From time to time: to check with other residents on repairs carried out: (e.g. was an appointment made and kept, was the work completed satisfactorily, did the resident receive full information about what work would be done and when?) and other maintenance or improvement work
• To be a ‘contact point’ for other residents to help pass information to Wherry
• To help exchange information and feedback between residents and Wherry
• To take part in arrangements for consultation and involvement
• To pass on any local issues of concern to Officers and other staff
• To meet from time to time with staff, residents and Board members and take part in ‘walkabouts’ and (as relevant) estate/block/street inspections

Requirements:
Any tenant or leaseholder who:
• is willing to act as a representative on behalf of other residents
• agrees to follow the formal ‘Code of Conduct’ and ‘Code of Confidentiality’
and either
• has signed support of no less than 10 Wherry households or half, whichever is lower number, where up to 30 homes are involved, or no less than 30% where over 30 homes are involved) (Wherry will assist with this where necessary)
or
• has been elected by other Wherry tenants and leaseholders to act as a representative on their behalf in formal arrangements for consultation and involvement as per agreed procedures

4: Residents’ Associations and Street or Block Groups
Groups can be organised by tenants, leaseholders and other residents to act as formal representatives on behalf of residents living in a defined area in any dialogue or negotiation with members of Wherry, the local Council and other organisations as necessary. These recognised groups are entitled to nominate a resident as their representative to the landlord-wide residents’ group ‘Way Ahead With Wherry’

Role of Residents’ Groups/Association
• To act as the democratically accountable, representative body on behalf of other residents
• To canvas residents’ views on service delivery, performance, improvement work, priorities for action or improvement etc
• To monitor performance and service delivery on behalf of other residents
• To nominate representatives to other Wherry resident consultation and involvement groups as necessary
• To appoint a representative on behalf of the group to Way Ahead With Wherry
• To give information and feedback to Wherry and to other residents
• To take part in local consultation and negotiation with Wherry, and as necessary from time to time, with other bodies including the Council
• To meet with Wherry staff and contractors and other residents to take part in ‘walkabouts’ and estate or neighbourhood inspections
• To represent the views of residents in discussions and negotiations with other statutory and voluntary organisations
• From time to time, to work with other partners e.g. Local authority, health authority, police etc

Requirements:
• To act as formal representatives on behalf of other residents
• Adoption of a formal constitution agreed with Wherry and residents
• To follow a formal ‘Code of Conduct’ and ‘Code of Confidentiality’
• Membership open and offered to all Wherry tenants and leaseholders living in the area covered by the Association
• To promote equality of opportunity and to seek to reach and involve traditionally excluded or under-involved sections of the community
• To show evidence of support from other residents of no less than 30% of relevant households as agreed with Wherry
• To hold no less that two meetings a year (including an AGM) open to all residents in the defined area (these may be combined with ‘social events’)

Neighbourhood Patch Panel
In each of Wherry’s Neighbourhood areas, the Neighbourhood Officer is responsible for setting up and maintaining a ‘Patch Panel’ of between 12 and 15 Wherry’s residents. Recognised Tenants’ and Residents’ Associations and ‘Voices’ and other recognised Wherry resident representatives will be included within the membership of the Panel.
The Panels will be ‘profiled’ to match the overall make-up of the community in relation to the proportions of Wherry residents of different ages, people from different ethnic groups, residents with disabilities etc

Role of the Neighbourhood Patch Panel
• To involve residents in the provision of housing and related services and to assist in improving services and performance
• To assist the Neighbourhood Officer in monitoring and reviewing services, performance, and value for money, including performance of contractors and other relevant service providers to Wherry’s residents and to assist the Neighbourhood Officer in developing standards and action to improve performance and service delivery
• To receive and provide information and feedback to and from residents including recognised groups and representatives, and to assist in providing two-way communication between Wherry and residents in the Neighbourhood
• To liaise with Tenant Inspectors over any inspections to be carried out in the Neighbourhood, to request specific inspections, to receive reports from Tenant Inspectors, review findings and agree priorities for action with the NO
• To receive, consider and comment upon service and performance reports including reports about estate and neighbourhood inspections and reports from Mystery Shoppers and Tenant Inspectors
• To report findings and make recommendations for service and performance improvement to Neighbourhood Officers, to any relevant Service Improvement Panels/Groups and to Way Ahead With Wherry
• To take part in relevant consultation about policy and strategy and to influence the development of policies and strategies
• To identify wider community issues and propose priorities for action
• To be responsible for deciding spending priorities for specific neighbourhood and environmental improvement projects

Requirements
• Neighbourhood Patch Panels shall be made up solely of Wherry residents profiled to match the overall make-up and geography of the specific Neighbourhood in relation to proportions of younger and older tenants, tenants with disabilities, tenants living in more remote or isolated rural homes, and tenants from Minority Ethnic communities
• Patch Panels are expected to promote equality of opportunity and to seek to reach and involve traditionally excluded or under-involved residents
• Any Wherry resident is eligible to put themselves forward for consideration for membership of the Neighbourhood Patch Panel. However, Neighbourhood Officers are responsible for setting up and maintaining the Panels. Recognised Tenants’ and Residents’ Associations and recognised ‘Voices’ and Representatives shall be asked to fill a specified number of places on the Forum as agreed with the Neighbourhood Officer and may choose to do this using an election process
• Neighbourhood Officers will be responsible for ensuring that details of performance and inspections reports for the Neighbourhood are summarised and given to the Neighbourhood Patch Panel for discussion and comment
• Meetings of the Panel will fit into performance monitoring cycles with agendas jointly agreed between the Neighbourhood Officer and members of the Panel. Meetings will be held in venues that are accessible to residents and at times and locations to meet residents’ needs
• Development and support will provided for each Panel by the Neighbourhood Officer with assistance as necessary from the Resident Involvement Officer. Training will be arranged and co-ordinated for all members of the Patch Panels by the Resident Involvement Officer
• Relevant Officers and Contractors will attend Panel meetings in response to any formal request from the Chair or Neighbourhood Officer. Officers and Contractors may also attend any Panel meetings providing this is agreed in advance with the Chair of the Panel
• Officers, including members of the Senior Management Team, and the Board of Wherry will provide feedback to each meeting of the Neighbourhood Patch Panel detailing responses to any matters raised and action taken
• All Panel members will be expected to abide by the formal ‘Code of Conduct’ and a ‘Code of Confidentiality as agreed by Way Ahead With Wherry

‘Way Ahead With Wherry’ (Wherry-wide residents’ group)
The landlord-wide representative body on behalf of Wherry’s tenants and leaseholders provides a democratic, accountable two-way link between tenants, leaseholders and the Board, Senior Management Team and other officers, staff and contractors of Wherry HA

This body is made up of recognised Resident Representatives and ‘Voices’, representatives from each recognised TRA and/or representatives from each of the ‘Neighbourhood Patch Panels’ and any particular Forums to provide representation for young people, people with disabilities, the BME community and Supported Housing and Sheltered Housing

Role of Way Ahead With Wherry
• To act as the strategic consultation body on behalf of residents for Wherry
• To act as the ‘challenge’ body to help make sure that Wherry HA is accountable to residents
• To help represent residents’ views and to influence decision making by the Board of Wherry HA
• To act as a two-way channel for information and feedback between residents and Wherry Housing Association
• To help build the confidence, capacity, knowledge and skills of residents
• To nominate representatives to any Forums, Panels or Working Groups, including groups at Circle Anglia level (e.g. RASP) to help monitor, review and improve services to tenants
• To assist with resident consultation and to take a key role in the development of successful mechanisms for resident participation and empowerment at all levels
• To consider and help prioritise issues relating to housing, estate and neighbourhood management that are of general or landlord-wide significance and to provide information, advice, feedback and recommendations to Officers and the Board of Wherry
• To identify and consider wider community issues and propose initiatives for action for referral to the Wherry Board
• To assist with setting, monitoring, and reviewing, service and performance standards and targets for the delivery of the Decent Homes programme, customer focussed housing and related services, and sustainable communities
• To meet with Wherry to have input to the details of any contracts and to be involved in selection of contractors who will carry out work for Wherry’s residents
• To help monitor and review policies and strategies for resident participation and involvement across Wherry, including the ‘menu’ of options for involvement, the Compact and any Action Plans, and help set clear annual service standards and targets for resident consultation and involvement
• To work in partnership with relevant Wherry staff to develop and agree a rolling programme of training for residents and residents’ representatives and relevant training including resident involvement for staff and contractors
• To meet with Wherry to negotiate and agree levels of financial support for TRAs and recognised Resident Representatives

Requirements
• To develop and abide by a formal constitution developed with input from resident representatives and officers of Wherry
• To maintain links with tenants and leaseholders at local level and to represent their interests and concerns to Wherry HA
• To abide by policies relating to Equality and Diversity and strive to represent and involve all sections of the community
• Abide by the agreed ‘Code of Conduct’ and ‘Code of Confidentiality’ at all times
• Take part in quarterly performance monitoring with Wherry HA and to agree recommendations for action
• Ensure that feedback from any meetings and events involving the Wherry-wide group are reported to residents including Neighbourhood Patch Panels, TRAs, and other representatives
• Monitor and evaluate different approaches to resident participation, looking particularly at the scope for changing approaches (including Way Ahead With Wherry itself) to make sure that this remains effective and efficient

Standards for Resources for Resident Involvement

Wherry will ensure that resources are provided to make sure that residents have the support they need to get involved in whatever ways that suit them. Resources are available to assist development of new structures and arrangements and to sustain existing ones. Resources for resident involvement will be reviewed annually in consultation with residents’ representatives to ensure any necessary uplift is provided

Finance
1: Start-up grants to support new groups and associations
• Annual grant, upgraded each year with Way Ahead With Wherry (WAWW), to help develop new groups

2: Annual grants to recognised groups
• An annual grant of £250 for all recognised groups including WAWW
• A ‘top up’ grant of £2 per household in the area covered by local groups

3: ‘One-Off’ grants
• Grants will be available for specific projects to improve local areas and the environment, to support community activities and to support WAWW initiatives

4: Newsletter production
• Assistance will be given to recognised groups including WAWW to help with newsletter production

5: Transport expenses for attending meetings & events approved by Wherry
• Full reimbursement of public transport costs or a mileage rate for use of own car. In addition, taxis may be provided by Wherry to enable representatives and other residents to attend meetings, training, events etc

6: Other expenses for recognised representatives
• Recognised representatives including Mystery Shoppers, Tenant Inspectors, and members of recognised groups, can claim the cost of necessary telephone calls and any photocopying of reports, information etc

7: Child care/care facilities
• A Childcare and Carers’ Allowance is available for residents involved in any consultation groups, meetings or events set up by Wherry

Facilities
1: Access to venues and equipment
• Wherry will cover the cost of hiring venues and/or provides access free-of-charge to venues such as lounges in sheltered accommodation

2: IT equipment and access to IT
• Provision of, or access to, information technology for recognised residents’ representatives

3: Photocopying
• Photocopying for specific purposes, e.g. posters to advertise meetings

4: Help in producing and distributing newsletters
• Assistance may be provided at local level where possible

Support and Advice
1: Independent advice
• Wherry subscribes to TPAS to enable residents to have access to independent advice

• The resident involvement budget may also be used to enable residents to have access to other independent advice
2: Support to local residents’ groups
• Officer support and information available upon request

3: Support to Way Ahead With Wherry
• Administrative support will be provided to WAWW

Community development support
Provided as part of the resident involvement strategy for Wherry, community development support will be provided for wider community activities

1: Work with local networks and other partnerships and agencies
• Links will be developed at local levels to promote and develop wider community activities and initiatives with residents

2: Support to build confidence and capacity of residents
• Support will be provided by Wherry and in partnership with other organisations to promote responsibility and independence amongst residents, especially residents in sheltered, supported and temporary housing

Training
1: Training for staff & residents
• Training needs of staff and residents relating to involvement will be monitored and reviewed annually and included in an annual training programme
• Training will be arranged and delivered as necessary in-house or via external organisations
• Accredited training will be made available for resident representatives and in-house accreditation will be developed

2: Free training for recognised groups and other recognised representatives
• Way ahead with Wherry will be provided with a free-of-charge rolling training programme for all members
• Training needs will be evaluated and reviewed annually and a training schedule will be drawn up in consultation with residents and officers
• In-house training will be provided by Wherry staff
• Joint training will be provided in house on an ad-hoc basis for staff, tenants and leaseholders, and Board members
• External courses (where training cannot be provided in-house) will also offered to residents’ representatives

Staff Resources
All staff working for Wherry HA will be expected to support and promote resident consultation and involvement as part of mainstream work. In addition, some staff will have specific responsibilities:

• Assistant Director of Neighbourhood Services
Strategic responsibility for resident involvement across Wherry HA. Specific responsibility to deliver an innovative customer focused service with increasing levels of satisfaction through positive engagement with customers

• Resident Involvement Manager
To lead on Resident Involvement for Wherry ensuring that residents have the opportunity to actively participate in the management of their homes and the improvement of services delivered by Wherry Housing Association.

• Neighbourhood Officers
Part of a locally based customer services team, Neighbourhood Officers have responsibility for resident involvement and consultation in their neighbourhood

• Staff with responsibility for contact and consultation with residents including
Officers working in: Customer Services, Continuous Improvement, Income Services, and Property Services and those with responsibility for Care and Support.

Standards for Monitoring and Measuring performance

These standards aim to ensure residents are involved in monitoring and measuring all aspects of services and performance relating to Wherry’s services to residents including resident consultation and involvement. Residents will be involved in annual reviews of resident satisfaction with delivery of the Strategy

Performance Monitoring Arrangements
1: All residents will be given opportunities to get involved in monitoring and evaluating performance by taking part in arrangements including:
• providing feedback via questionnaires and surveys
• Focus Groups
• Mystery Shopping
• Resident Service Inspections
• Best Value Review Groups and Service Review Panels
• Service Improvement Groups

2: Details of resident consultation and involvement will be included on all reports to the Board in relation to any relevant items on which the Board is being asked to take decisions

3: Performance against standards, targets and PIs for consultation and involvement (including consultation and involvement of traditionally excluded or under-involved sections of the community ) will be reviewed quarterly with resident representatives

4: Feedback will be given to all residents via the Newsletters

Outcomes and value for money
1. Benefits and outcomes will be reviewed and assessed annually by resident representatives in partnership with staff

2. Value for money of different approaches to involvement will be monitored and evaluated annually with resident representatives

3. Findings from reviews and evaluation will be reported annually to the Board and in the Newsletter to residents

Standards and targets
1. Service standards, targets, and Performance Indicators for consultation and involvement will be set and monitored no less than twice a year with resident representatives and findings will be reported to residents and the Board

2. The Board will receive progress reports and will carry out an annual review of progress against standards and targets set

3. Recognised representatives and residents’ groups will be monitored annually against agreed standards and targets for input from traditionally excluded or under-involved sections of the community

4. Findings will be included in reports to the Board and the Wherry-wide recognised Residents’ Group ‘Way Ahead With Wherry’

5. Findings will be reported annually to all residents via the Newsletter
PIs for Resident Involvement Residents and staff will be involved in monitoring and reviewing performance against the Group PIs and any specific Wherry HA PIs for Resident Involvement twice a year

Impact Assessment
All staff and residents will be consulted and involved in producing the annual Impact Assessment

Compliance
1. Compliance with agreed standards and procedures for consultation and involvement monitored no less than twice a year by residents

2. Findings will be reported annually to all residents via the Newsletter and will be included in reports to the Board

Resident satisfaction
1. Sample surveys of levels of resident satisfaction with delivery of the resident involvement strategy, using a variety of different methods, will take place at least once a year

2. One-off sampling of resident’ views about delivery of the agreed standards in the strategy, including focus groups and surveys of views of specific sections of the community, will take place at least once a year

Remedial Action
Where performance or service standards and targets for information, consultation and involvement are not met, remedial action will be agreed with residents’ representatives

5: RESOLVING DISPUTES AND REMEDIAL ACTION

Wherry Housing Association wants to ensure that any collective disputes and grievances from residents’ representatives, groups, and/or associations, are resolved speedily via fair and structured internal procedures to the satisfaction of all concerned. The internal procedure includes an in-house ‘Tribunal’ and arrangements for in-house Mediation. We agree that independent external mediation or adjudication via the Housing Ombudsman Service will only be used when all other avenues are exhausted.

1: Complaints Procedure
(NB: Individual complaints from residents will be made and dealt with via the Complaints procedure)

1.1: Individual Complaints or Grievances
Residents with any individual grievances or complaints about service delivery or the performance of any Wherry HA employees or contractors should use the ‘Complaints’ procedure. Residents who believe that their complaint has not been dealt with in a satisfactory manner or according to the agreed procedures may progress through the various stages to a final hearing by the Board

1.2: Collective Complaints or Grievances
Any recognised Residents’ Association, Group or Representative may raise a collective complaint or grievance on behalf of the residents they represent if they believe the standards and commitments given in the Resident Involvement Strategy are not being adhered to as promised, including undertakings given in the Wherry Compact. They should do so in the first instance with the Officer concerned. If the matter is not resolved to the satisfaction of the representative, association or group, they may then take the matter to ‘Way Ahead With Wherry’ (the recognised landlord-wide residents’ body) who will seek to resolve the issue by mediating between the parties or by taking the issue to the Board who will seek to ensure that the issue is resolved to the satisfaction of the residents concerned.
Where Way Ahead With Wherry believes that the issue remains unresolved they may decide to refer the matter to a Tribunal or Critical Friend following the agreed ‘Remedial Action’ procedures detailed below

2: Remedial Action
Where issues raised by Way Ahead with Wherry, recognised Residents’ Associations, Resident Representatives or Groups, in relation to resident consultation and involvement and services to residents, are not resolved, Wherry HA will use a Tribunal to objectively consider and seek to resolve the issue.

2.1: Tribunal: The Tribunal shall be composed of five members: two representatives on behalf of residents, two representatives on behalf of Wherry staff not from the section subject to the complaint or, where this is not possible, from another member of the Circle Anglia Group, and an independent Chair. These individuals shall be drawn from a pool of 12 people, 4 members including 2 residents and 2 staff or Board members, nominated by each party, with the proviso that any individual with a direct personal interest in the grievance is barred from sitting on the Tribunal.

The role of the Tribunal is to:
• Hear and investigate the collective grievance or complaint
• Examine and make recommendations to resolve the issue speedily and in-house wherever possible

The Tribunal can choose only one of two options:
• That they feel the issue has been resolved. Where this is the case, the Tribunal must set out their reasons for coming to this conclusion based on the information and argument presented by the parties concerned.
• That the issue has not been resolved and what their recommendations and are to resolve or improve the situation. Any recommendations should be time-limited to a period not less than 21 days and no longer than three calendar months from the date of the hearing. The Tribunal may recommend the use of a ‘critical friend’ to assist the parties.

2.2: ‘Critical Friend’: Wherry staff and residents’ representatives can agree to appoint an individual or a Panel to act as a ‘critical friend’. The individual or a panel could be drawn from a neighbouring council, housing association or from another member of the Circle Anglia Group. The role of the ‘critical friend’ is to review the dispute and make suggestions about how to reach an amicable solution.

2.3: Independent Mediation: In unresolved or serious cases, an independent mediator (the Housing Ombudsman Service may be used for this purpose), chosen by Wherry and resident representatives will be hired to work with the parties involved to find a compromise with which all parties can agree

2.4: Independent Adjudication: Where all other measures have failed to reach a satisfactory conclusion or where Wherry staff, Board or ‘Way Ahead with Wherry’ considers that the resulting recommendations have not been implemented, the matter can be referred for adjudication to the Housing Ombudsman Service to review the case and arrive at a conclusion. This conclusion is binding and must be adhered to by all parties involved. It is envisaged that this final stage will be used very rarely.