Get Involved
Our Resident Involvement Team offers all tenants and leaseholders the opportunity to have their say on the issues that affect their homes and community.
Taking part at Homes for Northumberland can take up as little or as much time as you choose. We provide training and support and meet all relevant out of pocket expenses.
By being involved you can:
• Give us your views on services we provide for our customers
• Have influence on the decisions we make
• Develop your own knowledge and skills
• Help make your neighbourhood a better place to live
• Help make our services accessible for all customers
• Help us to continually improve our services.
There are many different ways you can help shape Homes for Northumberland and our services. Here are some of the ways you can make a difference:
Join the Residents’ Forum
The Residents’ Forum meets regularly and is consulted on how Homes for Northumberland provides services. The forum is a link between local communities and the Homes for Northumberland Board and ensures information is shared.
The next meeting dates are:
- Wednesday, 16th May 2012, 6:30pm – 8pm Eastfield Pavilion, Cramlington
- Wednesday, 20th June 2012, 6:30pm – 8pm Isabella Centre, Blyth
- Wednesday, 11th July 2012 Big Debate Buffet 6:00pm – 6:30pm. Meeting 6:30pm – 8:00pm Alnwick Council Chamber,Clayport Street, Alnwick
- Wednesday, 19th September 2012, 6:30pm – 8pm Seaton Delaval Pavilion Seaton Delaval
- Wednesday, 17th October 2012, 6:30pm – 8pm Alnwick Council Chamber, Clayport Street, Alnwick
- Thursday, 8th November 2012 Big Debate Buffet 6:00pm – 6:30pm. Meeting 6:30pm – 8:00pm Blyth Council Chamber Civic Centre, Blyth
Sit on a Service Panel
Customers can sit on up to two of Homes for Northumberland’s Service Panels to discuss how well the service is performing and how it could be improved. Service Panels meet regularly and cover the following areas:
1. Home Panel: considers repairs and maintenance, major works and improvements.
2. Tenant Empowerment Panel: deals with customer services, complaints, involvement, empowerment and diversity.
3. Value for Money Panel: considers rents and value for money.
4. Neighbourhood and Community Panel: deals with neighbourhood management, anti social behaviour, tenancy matters and lettings.
The next service panel meeting dates are
Home Service Panel
Friday 27th April 2012, 10:15am – 12:30pm Alnwick Council Chamber Clayport Street
Thursday 26th July 2012, 10:15am – 12:30pm Blyth Council Chamber Civic Centre
Thursday 4th October 2012, 10:15am – 12:30pm Alnwick Council Chamber Clayport Street
Neighbourhood and Communities Panel
Thursday 12th July 2012, 2:00pm – 4:00pm Blyth Council Chamber Civic Centre
Thursday 11th October 2012, 2:00pm – 4:00pm Blyth Council Chamber Civic Centre
Value for Money Panel
Tuesday 23rd October 2012, 10:00am – 12:00 noon Blyth Stannard Room Civic Centre
Tenant Empowerment Panel
Tuesday 24th April 2012, 10:30am – 12:45pm Alnwick Council Chamber Clayport Street
Tuesday 24th July 2012, 10:30am – 12:30pm Blyth Stannard Room Civic Centre
Tuesday 16th October 2012, 10:30 – 12:45 Alnwick Council Chamber Clayport Street
Click here for further information on our service panels.
Join a Local Tenants and Residents Association (TARA’s) or Informal Group
A tenant and resident group is an organisation made up of people living in a specific area. By attending tenant and resident group meetings, you can meet other like minded people who want to improve their local area. We can work with you to set up a group if there isn’t one near to you.
Help us Test the Service
We carry out a number of surveys during the year about the different services we provide. You can either complete a survey or help us carry them out.
Mystery shoppers
Helps us to carry out test the service surveys by agreeing the questions to ask customers, looking at the results and suggesting ways in which we could improve services. We provide training and advice to all of our customers involved in test the service and mystery shopping.
Sit on the Community Fund Panel
This group looks at Community Fund applications and decides how grant money is allocated. Training is provided for all panel members.
Click here to find out more information on our community fund programme or click the links below to download the application forms, guidelines and checklist. Read here about some of the groups that have benefited from our community fund.
Community Fund Application Form
Community Fund Application Checklist
We will provide training to help you and to suit your needs. We can pay out of pocket expenses including travel expenses and carers costs
Attend the Editorial Panel
The Editorial Panel helps to produce Your News (as well as other leaflets or reading information) before it is sent out to tenants to help make sure it is clear and easy to understand.
Go along to the Leaseholder Forum
Leaseholders can attend regular meetings to receive information and discuss specific aspects of the service, particularly ways in which the service can be improved.
Walk your way to health
Homes for Northumberland works together with and NHS Health Trainers to provide guided walks for tenants. You will have the opportunity to chat with other tenants and Homes for Northumberland officers while getting out in the fresh air.
Involvement to suit you
From the comfort of your own home, you can have your say via telephone, e-mail or postal survey. Depending on your request.
Northumberland Tenants Voice
Northumberland Tenants Voice is a group of tenants from the Local Authority and key Social Housing Partners, brought together to provide, for the first time in the County a multi-organisation tenants panel to consider strategic housing issues that impact on tenants.
Please click here for more information
Homes for Northumberland is committed to encouraging residents to get involved and take part in decision- making to make sure we provide the services you want. For more information about Resident Involvement,
Write to:
Resident Involvement Team
Homes for Northumberland,
Civic Centre,
Renwick Road,
Blyth
NE24 2BX
Telephone: 01670 542424
RNID Typetalk service
prefix number 18001
Email: residentinvolvement@hfn.uk.com
