Getting involved

Go for it!

There are a number of ways for you to get involved in your local area or estate. Joining a local tenants group is one such way. If you are new to an area it may be a good way to meet neighbours and make your voice heard if you feel strongly about an issue that affects you. You could change things for the better, and volunteering your time and skills to benefit your own neighbourhood could also be hugely rewarding.

If you would like to find out more about the options for getting involved, please contact your local Participation Development Officer on 01384 812345. The participation development team consists of five council officers, one based in each of the five areas of Dudley. They are there to promote Tenants and Resident Associations.

Tenants and Residents Associations (TRAs)

Local groups of tenants and residents who meet up to try and improve their area are known as TRAs. There are about 30 such groups at the moment across the borough. There may be one in your area, although if not and you are interested in setting a new group up we would be very keen to support you in this.

The way the council works means that it takes its involvement with tenants very seriously. Getting involved with a group is a real opportunity to influence the way your housing service is run.

Sometimes there are less formal tenants forums set up in your area to address individual issues or problems. These can be separate to the local TRA.

The compact

The Borough Agreement (or compact) is an agreement between Dudley Council and its tenants. It sets out how you can be more involved in developing and monitoring Dudley’s housing service.

It also sets standards for the support available to tenants who want to get involved. If you would like a copy call us on 01384 812345 or visit www.dudley.gov.uk/housing.

Dudley Federation of Tenants and Residents Associations

‘The Fed’ is the overall organisation that speaks up for tenants and residents in Dudley. It represents the TRAs and seeks to help the groups through training and support. DFTRA is a charitable company limited by guarantee and is managed by a board of directors, all of them volunteers and involved in their own local tenants groups as well. It aims to work in partnership with a range of official and voluntary bodies to improve estates in Dudley and the lives of all tenants and residents.

Area housing panels

Five area housing panels were established to provide a focus for local service delivery. The panels make recommendations on matters affecting the strategic and operational management of their areas. Meetings are held regularly and are open to the public as observers.

Area forums

Area forums are open to all tenants, TRAs, and local councillors. They feed back information and decisions from the area housing panel. TRAs send delegates to these meetings so that they can report back to their individual groups.

Focus groups

From time to time the council may set up a small focus group to address a particular issue or problem. These are informal meetings where guest speakers can be invited and discussions developed in an attempt to resolve a local problem.

Questionnaires and telephone surveys

Not all tenants want to participate using structured meetings and therefore we use a variety of methods to allow tenants to be able to comment on our services. We seek tenants views through the post, face to face and by telephone.

Why get involved?

We want to know what you think about the services we provide. We want to do things better and you are the best people to tell us how we can improve. We believe that the more involved you are, the more satisfied you will be with the services you receive from us.

The government is also challenging councils to become more accountable to local people. This is also a priority for the counil and part of the drive to increase local democracy and modernise local government.

Community involvement is a vital part of this process. It gives you more of a say – as an individual or as a group. It means you can take part in local decisions about how your estate is run, and gives you the chance to have input into wider policy that may affect you.

How to get involved

This is up to you. We offer a range of opportunities for participation which includes getting involved with your local group, going to meetings such as the area forums or panels, and taking part in questionaires and surveys. You can also just write to us with your views and ideas at the Directorate of Adult, Community and Housing Services, Capstan House, Waterfront East, Brierley Hill, DY5 1XL.

How to start a tenant’s group

If you are interested in starting a new TRA in your area the council will help you. The participation development team tell you how to:

Raise interest among people in your area.
Identify your group’s aims and objectives.
Hold a first public meeting to recruit members.
Promote your group and get yourself in the local press.
Apply for cash grants.
Set up regular meetings with local council officers.
Give you contact details for guest speakers.

How much time will I have to give?

It's entirely up to you, some people give a couple of hours a month to help their association run smoothly while others may give more. Some may come along to meetings and pass information onto their neighbours and some members may spend a significant amount of their time getting involved and helping others to do the same.

Really, the amount of involvement is up to you. Involvement at any level will be appreciated by your community and we welcome and support everyone who has something to contribute. Remember – if you want to make a difference to your area then you have to go for it!

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