Signing On — Residents Join The Housing Team

Dotted Line Time: Leader of Wigan Council Lord Peter Smith signs the Tenants Partnership Agreement with (from left) Vice-chair of FOTARA Irene Carter, WALH Chief Executive Peter Gee, Chair of FOTARA Chris Singletary and WALH Tenant Participation Manager Patricia Murray.

Tenants with Wigan and Leigh Housing (WALH) have signed up to a partnership that will put them in the driving seat when it comes to decisions about their homes.

Leader of Wigan Council Lord Peter Smith, WALH Chief Executive Peter Gee and Chris Singletary, chair of Wigan’s Federation Of Tenants And Residents Associations (FOTARA) got together on Thursday (December 17th) to put their signatures to the Tenants Partnership Agreement.

The document was drawn up by a working party of tenants, elected members of Wigan Council and WALH officers. It sets out how tenants will take a more active role in the decision-making process surrounding their own homes through tenants and residents groups or through WALH’s focus groups.

WALH manages council housing in the borough and its focus groups look at all aspects of the accommodation from anti-social behaviour to rent arrears to allocations.

Residents also have a voice through the Housing 100 panel. This panel is for people who do not have the time to commit to a focus group but want to have their say.

The agreement states how Tenants and Residents Associations (TRA) can be supported through funding and how WALH’s Tenant Participation Team can help.

It also explains more about FOTARA and the benefits of being involved.

In signing the agreement, council leader Peter Smith said:

“The agreement recognises the importance of the borough’s tenants and residents as partners. The more we can involve our communities in making decisions about their future the better it is for the entire borough.

“This agreement shows that WALH is committed to providing the very best service for its tenants and it will do this by first listening to them and acting on what they say.

“Partnerships such as this one are the way forward and it is proof that if we work together we can only succeed.”

While FOTARA chair Chris Singletary said:

“We are delighted to sign the partnership agreement with WALH and Wigan Council and look forward to developing even further the excellent working arrangements that exist between these three organisations.”

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