Section: Resident Involvement
Funding Made Available for Participation on Tenants Panels
Housing Minister Grant Shapps announced plans for an £535,000 residential training programme, aimed at giving tenants the confidence and skills they need to sit on tenant panels that represent their neighbours.
Tenant panels will also resolve local disputes, such as making sure repairs are made efficiently and that complaints against antisocial behaviour are dealt with quickly.
The Minister launched a mini-competition for charities and benevolent societies to bid to offer the training needed.
The funding is expected to deliver:
- at least 1,500 social tenants trained to sit on tenant panels;
- eight different training courses covering a range of subjects - including tenant panels, influencing landlords, and sharing information and learning; and
- opportunities for interested tenants to work towards accredited qualifications, which could help them onto new career paths.
This training comes on top of plans for tenants to benefit from support and help from their landlords. Landlords will be expected to work with them to set up tenant panels, as well as make a wide variety of information available so their performance can be properly scrutinised and assessed.
