Due to changes in the way the government regulates us we have set up a ‘Tenant Scrutiny body’, which will offer us independent challenge and suggest proposals for change to the way we deliver our services. This has been done in consultation with customers over the last year.
From April 2011 there was a ‘Pilot Scrutiny Board’ made up of already involved tenants, recruited by completion of an application form and an interview. This group has developed the procedures through which Tenant Scrutiny will work and the recruitment process to the ‘Tenant Scrutiny body’. The procedures were tested by undertaking Scrutiny of the topic ‘Advice on Moving Homes’. A copy of their report, which was submitted to the Board of West North West homes in October, can be seen by clicking on the link to the right.
In the summer 2011 edition of ‘The Buzz we invited all of our tenants and leaseholders to express an interest in becoming involved in Tenant Scrutiny. We then arranged some briefing sessions for everyone who had expressed interest, to give them more information, and in November we sent them application forms.
At the end of November we had a full day assessment session and appointed 10 members to the Tenant Scrutiny body. At their first meeting they agreed that they would be called the ‘Tenant Scrutiny Executive’.
Tenant scrutiny gives tenants the power to investigate our services, ensuring that we provide you with customer-focused services of the highest standard and put tenants at the heart of our organisation. The Tenant Scrutiny Executive will have the power to examine the way in which services are delivered to you. It will have the clout to get things done! Their activities will include:
- Scrutinising individual service areas on a programmed basis;
- Holding a central position in negotiating and establishing performance indicators;
- Considering internal performance and comparing it with results of its Tenant Inspection programme and with other peer groups;
- Holding the organisation to account for poor performance with a formal duty for the Board to respond to requests and recommendations; and
- Monitoring improvement plans which have been agreed jointly with the Board.
The Tenant Scrutiny Executive has elected a Chair (Ted Wilson) and a Vice Chair (Steve Ilee) and is now in the process of agreeing areas of our service to scrutinise.
Suggestions for issues to scrutinise can be made by Tenants & Residents Associations, Customer Sounding Boards or any other recognised group.
Tenants and Leaseholders are welcome to attend meetings of the Tenant Scrutiny Executive to observe their activities.
If you’d like more information about Tenant Scrutiny and the Tenant Scrutiny Executive, including when and where meetings are being held, contact the Community Engagement Team on 0113 2477180 or email wnwhl.involvement@wnwhl.org.uk