Get involved

Mike Richter and Becky Adams are currently the Tenants' Voice, representing 7,000 Stroud District Council tenants at Housing Committee meetings.

Following a recruitment drive in which involved tenants fully participated, representatives Mike and Becky were co-opted to the council's housing committee in October 2021.

As the Tenants’ Voice Becky and Mike can help to make a difference to our landlord services by debating current and new strategic plans with councillors. This in turn helps to determine councillors’ decisions on ways to improve repairs and other housing services.

As part of their role, Mike and Becky take part in tenant events and gather tenants' comments about Housing Services so that they can share tenants’ experiences and views during discussions about a variety of housing issues.

They also ‘pick up’ individual tenants’ comments and messages about housing services left on the Tenants’ Voice mobile phone 07970952214. Alternatively, tenants can write to Mike and Becky via email volu524@gmail.com

At present, the Tenants’ Voice representatives are also involved in two housing committee task & finish scrutiny groups. Becky has joined the group concentrating on the repairs service, while Mike has become part of the group focusing on retrofit and energy efficiency.

Please be aware that Mike and Becky’s role does not involve the take up of individual tenant’s complaints. Complaints can be raised through the council’s complaints procedures

Neighbourhood Ambassadors are volunteer tenants who act as a link between the council and their neighbours. Their role involves being the eyes and ears of their community so that any concerns can be brought to our attention for us to resolve. Concerns often include problems with refuse, grass cutting and communal cleaning for instance. Just as importantly, Neighbourhood Ambassadors highlights their community achievements and celebrations.

Neighbourhood Ambassadors support their neighbours by using their knowledge of council services to ‘signpost’ them to the most appropriate officer or service for advice. They meet with the Tenants’ Voice representatives to discuss proposed changes to housing strategies prior to Housing Committee debate. As a result of listening to the Neighbourhood Ambassadors’ views and comments, the Tenants’ Voice representatives can speak up on behalf of tenants’ at the Housing Committee.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic Neighbourhood Ambassadors could also take part in estate walkabouts with their local Neighbourhood Management Officer as well as promote their activities at tenant events but such activities are ‘on hold’ for the moment.

Normally, tenant volunteer training is given in the form of shadowing (teams such as the Repairs Call Centre), short workshops on a range of tenancy management topics along with news updates at volunteer tenant meetings. For the duration of the Covid-19 pandemic however, volunteer tenant training and meetings will be via online platforms.

What do the Neighbourhood Ambassadors get out of it?

They get to:

• meet new people, both officers and tenants with similar interests and aspirations
• learn about the different areas of Tenant Services and social housing in general
• join with other volunteer tenants and influencing housing strategy via Tenants’ Voice representatives
• take part in more ‘fun’ tenant events
• make a positive difference in your community

If you would like more information about becoming a Neighbourhood Ambassador or setting up a local resident association, please email your Neighbourhood Management Officer or michelle.elliott@stroud.gov.uk.  We would be delighted to hear from you.

Why not join your local resident association and work with your neighbours to improve your community? Currently, there are resident associations in:

• Sunnyhill, Cashes Green, Stroud
• Middle of the Hill Community Group, Nouncell’s Cross, Stroud.  Please visit their Facebook Page.
• Top of Town, Stroud (ToTCA)
• Woodfields, Cam

If you would like more information about setting up a local resident association, please speak to your Neighbourhood Management Officer for advice.

All Pulling Together - Stonehouse
1 Park Parade, Stonehouse, Gloucestershire GL10 2DB

T. 01453 822705

Facebook
Website

GL11 Project - Cam & Dursley
Fairmead, Cam GL11 5JS

T. 01453 548 530

Facebook
Website

Middle of the Hill Community Group (MHCG)

Nouncells Cross, Stroud GL5 1LU

T. 07707 126 628

Facebook

What does the housing committee do?

There are 12 councillors on the housing committee who monitor the work done by tenant services, ensure tenants’ money is being well spent, and that services are of a good standard.

They also decide on multi-million pound projects such as the building of new council homes, and the modernisation of the council’s sheltered accommodation.

Your tenant representatives, known as the Tenants' Voice, also attend the housing committee.  They bring your (tenants’) views about our services (to you) directly to the discussions.  You can see these discussions from the comfort of your home by clicking onto a webcast of each meeting.

Stroud District Council is one of the few councils in the country where tenants are involved in helping to shape the future of social housing at such a high level.

Deadline for comments: 6pm on the day of the Housing Committee meeting.

Why not come along to a fun, informal and family friendly day near you to meet our staff and have your say to help us improve our services and make the right decisions for you.  

Lockdown during 2020 and early 2021 made it difficult for tenants to go to the local tip, and keep their gardens tidy so at the suggestion of one of our Neighbourhood Ambassadors, David Martin-Goff, we hosted a mini Love Where You Live event at Brimley in Leonard Stanley.  As part of this initiative, we arranged for a skip to be sited in the street so local tenants could benefit from a bulky waste amnesty.  This was very well received by the community as can be seen from some of the comments David received.

David Martin-Goff pictured in front of the skip

We support tenants to take an in-depth independent look at the services we provide and hold us to account, as part of the tenant scrutiny co-regulation process.  Call 01453 754113 for more information.

A good opportunity for you to let us know about issues affecting you and your neighbourhood.  If you would like to join in, please contact your Housing Officer.

So that we can include as many tenants as possible in our consultations on the design and delivery of our services to you, we are planning a programme of digital consultation through social media.  As a 24/7 communication tool, social media gives those of you with busy lives or limited access to transport an opportunity to have your say at your convenience.  In the meantime, we use our SDC Housing Facebook page to keep you up-to-date with our news.  If you 'like us' you will be able to follow our news feed.

From time to time we will ask you how satisfied you are with our services.  Have your say from your own armchair and take a few minutes to give us your views. 

 Tenant survey reports (STAR Survey) can be found on our Tenant publications page.

Due to the ‘hands on’ involvement this role requires we are unable to recruit new tenants and carry out training due to the Covid-19 pandemic.