Our Commitment
The Customer Involvement Partnership believes that:
'Customer involvement at Gosport Borough Council is about giving access to information, encouraging participation and empowering tenants and leaseholders to have a real say within the Housing Service.'
Welcome to the second Tenant Participation Compact. The Compact is a joint goodwill agreement between you and the Council.
It was produced by tenant representatives working in partnership with Councillors and officers of the Council and tenants who volunteered to monitor Housing Services.
The partnership between tenants, Councillors and officers is an important way of ensuring participation in decision making. We are committed to the principle that every tenant or leaseholder has the right to get involved and this Compact shows the way we can achieve this, together.
HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED?
You can get involved by:
WHAT SUPPORT IS AVAILABLE
We will support you so that all sections of the community can get involved. This includes:
- A Resident Involvement team who are dedicated to providing support and advice to individuals as well as developing residents groups in the Borough and/or Road Representatives
- FREE training courses open to tenants and leaseholders
- FREE use of the Gosport Resource Centre which has full office facilities including computers, photocopier and free Internet access
WHAT INFORMATION CAN YOU EXPECT FROM HOUSING SERVICES?
Housing Services will give you:
- Clear information in the form that you want to receive it e.g. in large print, on tape or translated into your language
- "At Your Service" A quarterly newsletter to keep you up to date with the latest news on the housing service
- Explain Compacts and the targets set, to improve Housing Services
- A complaints procedure which is easy to understand
- Information on how you can influence the Housing Service
- Clear information on our equal opportunities and race equality polices
- Welcome packs for new tenants
- Information on an annual basis on how the housing service is performing
STANDARDS FOR MEETINGS AND RESIDENTS GROUPS
It's important that meetings organised by both the Council and residents groups are effective. There should be an opportunity for all to have a say and contribute to decision making.
To involve residents groups in the decision making, they will need to show that they are:
- Democratic
- Accountable
- Recognised by the Housing Board
- Represented in the TLC Framework.
Some of the checks they will have to meet include:
- Equal opportunities and race equality policies
- A written constitution (rules) which follow the Council's model constitution
- Regular meetings with a minimum turnout of members before any decisions can be made by the group Elected representatives
- Annual audited accounts (where association has funds/accounts)
- Evidence of information sharing between members (in the form of newsletters, etc.)
DECISIONS WHICH AFFECT YOUR HOMES AND COMMUNITIES
Through meetings with residents groups, road shows, public meetings and surveys, the Council and the TLC Framework has in recent years, sought the views of residents prior to taking important decisions which affect your housing service. However, the development of the Compact has provided an opportunity for them to look at the way it involves you.
The Compact sets out in detail what when, how and which residents, will be involved in all areas of its housing management service.
HOW WILL YOU KNOW THAT THE COMPACT WILL BE MONITORED AND REVIEWED?
It's very important to ensure that set targets and standards are regularly monitored and reviewed. This will be carried out by the Customer Involvement Partnership, a joint Tenants Leaseholders/Councillor/staff group.
The complaints procedure can be initiated by any individual or resident group if they have a complaint arising from the operation of the Compact. This could include:
- Actions which are contrary to a residents groups constitution, or code of conduct by the group or by an individual in their capacity as a member of a group
- The inaction or poor performance of the Council in relation to the Compact
Please contact Resident Involvement if you have a complaint.
RESIDENT INVOLVEMENT PERSONNEL:
Sue Davis (023) 9254 5445
Mary Bucks (023) 9254 5445
Justine Manning (023) 9254 5441
Denise Hudson (023) 9254 5439
Sam Downing (023) 9254 5281
Gosport Housing Services are accountable not only to elected members, but to Central Government, whom you can contact directly, if you feel this Compact is not working, at:
Tenant Participation Branch,
DTLR, Zone 1/H6,
Eland House,
Bressenden Place
London SW1 E 5DU
Tel: 020 7994 3485
Compact Targets
| Target | By When |
| 2002/2003 TARGETS | |
| Negotiate a Confidentiality Agreement with the TLC Framework | May 2002 |
| Complete review of Tenant & Leaseholder Consultation Framework | July 2002 |
| Resident Associations and Customer Services to build on good liaison | March 2003 |
| Area Panels to be called when Borough wide /local issue occurs | March 2003 |
| Ensure local issues are highlighted in local compacts | March 2003 |
| Increase representation on Housing Board | March 2003 |
| Publish Consultation documents and results on the Gosport Borough Council Web site | April 2003 |
| Trial Road Representatives in Elson, Hardway & Forton and in Lee on the Solent | Ongoing |
| Joint Training of Tenants and Leaseholders, Councillors and Staff | Ongoing |
| Continue progress of Customer Involvement Partnership | Ongoing |
| Set up Compact monitoring group (included in role of Customer Involvement Partnership) | Ongoing |
| Improve feedback to tenants, groups and panels | Ongoing |
| Customer Involvement Partnership to monitor complaints about Tenant Compacts | Ongoing |
| Develop estate plans | Ongoing |
| Publish complaints on the Gosport Borough Council Web site | Ongoing |
| BEST VALUE | |
| Review of Compact targets on a six monthly basis through Customer Involvement Partnership and publish in 'At Your Service' magazine | Every 6 months |
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