Minutes:
JG gave a brief overview of work to date and, welcoming the input from members from former citywide groups into the current stage 2 of the boards review.
Emma Gilpin, TPAS Consultancy Manager presented an
overall appraisal of the single tenant voice panel – sharing
what she felt were the opportunities/benefits and areas where the
board and Housing Leeds may want to clarify or explore
further.
Emma highlighted that the pandemic offered organisations the chance to advance on their use of online technology to access and engage more effectively with the wider tenant voice. This had opened up benefits such as those taking part can commit more or less time to be involved in specific topics where they feel their knowledge in a particular area is usetul to influence a service through a task and finish approach.
Some of the points raised by Emma included:
- Clearly specify the topic of what volunteers are getting ‘involved’ in – it’s really important to be clear from the outset about what the ask is and what we’d like from tenants.
- Ensure that within what is being created, to include a way for tenants to hold the organisation to account
- Maintain two-way communication and provide an evidence-based voice with those who have lived experiences.
- Think beyond age and issues about ‘representation’, more about who is using the services and who can offer the best insights about their experiences.
- That overall it was important to define the purpose and role of the new panel.
SB raised the difference in structure and regulations between housing associations in comparison to local councils. EG mentioned that TPAS have been engaging more with councils over the past 18 months and have a devoted practitioner group for council and ALMO members. Gateshead Council, for example, are working on a new framework and tenant voice panel similar to Leeds so there may be an opportunity to connect with Gateshead about this.
JG questioned the role of the Tenant Voice Panel being a separate forum and asked how TSB can provide a function to oversee and evaluate the outcomes. EG provided advice on how the Tenant Voice Panel could specifically investigate services with focus on a themed topic but designed in a way that could include the role of tenants being involved in monitoring the delivery or quality of services and the new consumer standards for example, without creating additional standing forums. Or, there could also be a role for the TSB to undertake this function with close working links with the panel. JG proposed that the role of the panel is discussed more in depth at the next meeting and thanked Emma for attending and providing support to the board.
JG invited Yvonne Davies for any observations on the presentation and discussion with TPAS. YD echoed the importance of role clarity of the new panel, and how the strategic function of holding the landlord to account needed to be designed and clarified within the panel, or as part of the role of the TSB.
For example, the TSB may review the insight and impacts from the wider work of the tenant voice panel to make sure the service was responding to all forms of tenant feedback as effectively as possible.
JG reminded stage 4 of the current review topic was to look at the strategic influence of tenants, and so this was also connected to stage 4.