Devizes residents show Birmingham council workers how they build communities » Housing » 24dash.com

Residents at Sarsen Housing Association in Devizes showed community involvement officers from Birmingham City Council how to build better communities when they helped host the local authority’s visit to Wiltshire.

The council staff came to learn more about innovative ways to involve residents in service improvement and develop projects to benefit local neighbourhoods.

The visit was prompted by Sarsen’s success in the Chartered Institute of Housing Awards last year where it reached the finals for involving & empowering communities.

The visitors from Birmingham toured the local area in Devizes where residents, Sarsen staff, local authorities and the neighbourhood policing team have worked hard to make improvements. Highlights included a new neighbourhood office that has helped tackle anti-social behaviour and reduce other crime in the area.

Sarsen converted an empty flat, once a trouble spot in the area, into a neighbourhood office where Sarsen staff and police provide support and advice on anti-social behaviour.

Since the office opened nearly a year ago, it has helped put a lid on crime levels and encouraged residents to care more about the appearance of their homes. Criminal damage has fallen by 12% and burglary by 31% in the area. The office project was also a runner-up in this year’s Wiltshire Business of the Year Awards.

Birmingham City Council’s Nadeen Justice said: “One thing that really stood out for me was how passionate Sarsen staff and residents are about their communities. We may be the largest local authority in the country but there is so much we can learn from smaller organisations.”

Sarsen resident Carisa Whittall, 38,  gave the council staff a guided tour of her home. She said: “I’m rather proud of our neighbourhood. It was great to meet people who work with residents in much larger communities and compare notes. I think we all face the same issues no matter where we live.”