Press Release

CHP working with residents - improving quality of life

23/03/2004
Ref: pr 0045

CHP's Quality of Life team, is creating community spirit, enhancing neighbourhoods and effectively tackling anti-social behavior.

Voices worth hearing

Over 400 tenants have signed up to voice tenants' views to CHP. Six new Area Forums and Central Forum are up and running effectively, over 30 street reps are pacing CHP neighbourhoods and a new Residents Panel is poised to speak up about concerns and suggested improvements to be made to the management of their homes - CHP is hearing the views of tenants loud and clear.

Each Forum with its six to ten members is tackling neighbourhood issues from nuisance, enhancing environments, to developing community spirit.

The Central Forum, made up from Area Forum representatives will be looking at and voicing views on CHP's long-term plans for managing homes.

Tenant street reps literally take to the streets to report defects, abandoned cars and the like to CHP. Over 300 tenants have signed up to join the Residents' Panel to have their say about current home management issues and more people join the panel daily.

The success of tenant participation started from simply asking tenants contacting CHP if they would like to be involved in voicing views and at what level. The scheme also gained momentum from the Zoning scheme (mentioned below).

"Zoning"

This scheme aims to find lasting solutions to reoccurring problems (youth nuisance, poor condition of the area, outstanding repairs, and graffiti). Listening to residents at drop-in 'surgeries' identifies problems. "We're keen to build links with our customers," said Andrea O'Callaghan, Quality of Life Team Manager. "It's no good us guessing what the problems are - residents and shopkeepers need to tell us". Members of the team will be making a visible difference to the estate by clearing rubbish, painting doors and cleaning communal areas.

Anti-social behaviour

Led by Chelmer Housing Partnership (CHP) and Essex Police (Chelmsford Division), Registered Social Landlords* (RSLs) now work closer through the 'Safer Estates Agreement' - a protocol that allows them to formally share information and coordinate their resources to develop effectiveness in combating crime and anti-social behaviour.

"We're particularly pleased to have this data exchange protocol in place - although it's being led by Chelmsford, it can be used Essex-wide. All parties can exchange data on specific individuals, leading to Acceptable Behaviour Contracts and Anti-Social Behaviour Orders" said Inspector Steve Robinson, Chelmsford and Community Section at Essex Police.

"Anti-social behaviour can be wide-ranging - from crime and serious nuisance, such as drug dealing, to upkeep of gardens for instance or, most commonly, noise nuisance. It's important that neighbourhoods have confidence in us and that they feel they can rely on us to help with these problems - even the most minor complaints of anti-social behaviour have huge effects on peoples lives," said Nigel Perks, Head of Housing at CHP.

ENDS

Editor's notes:

Anti-Social Behaviour

*Chelmer Housing Partnership is working with The Guinness Trust, Shaftesbury Housing Association, Swan Housing Association, and William Sutton Housing Trust.

Contact: Lynn Hawkins 613152