Tenant Conference Heralds Decent Homes Success

Published by simonb for National Federation of ALMOs in Housing and also in Communities

Residents from across the Basildon District came together this weekend for St Georges Community Housing’s first Tenant Conference.

Boilers, bricks and bathrooms were on the agenda as tenants and St Georges Community Housing staff outlined the future of the organisation’s ‘Decent Homes’ programme of home improvements and promoted their ‘chance for change’.

Held at the Basildon Holiday Inn, the all day event saw over 1100 residents from across the District discuss a range of housing issues and learn about new and improved services from St Georges.

The event also saw tenants, Board Members and Councillors take part in housing seminars and workshops on preventing Anti-social Behaviour and improved IT, communications, repairs and maintenance services.

The event provided tenants with a chance to view display versions of the new kitchens and bathrooms they could receive as part of the Decent Homes programme, if St Georges achieve their two stars from their Audit Commission Inspection in June this year. The attainment of two stars will release £142 million of Decent Homes funding, which will be used to bring all of the housing stock up to a modern day standard.

The Government’s Decent Homes programme aims to provide all social housing tenants with properties that are ‘warm, weatherproof and have reasonably modern facilities’.

Steve Shynn, Interim Chief Executive of St Georges Community Housing said:
“The Tenant Conference was a great success and really brought people together to discuss the issues that matter most. The event was an excellent chance to meet and communicate with our tenants and for them to take part in the decision making process.

“In particular this was an opportunity for us to keep our tenants up to date with how the Decent Homes programme is progressing. A safe and comfortable home is important for the health and well-being of those living in them, and is a key element of a thriving community. We are fully committed to bringing all of our properties up to this standard.”

St Georges Community Housing was established as an Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO) in April 2007 and manages Basildon District Council’s 11,400 homes and 5,900 garages. It works with the Council and its residents to develop communities in which people are proud to live.

The government has allocated £4.6 billion to the Decent Homes Programme across the UK and, by 2010, a total of £40 billion will have been invested in regenerating the UK’s council housing stock.
St Georges Community Housing has already carried out improvements to over 3,000 homes and is focused on bringing all of the properties within its stock up to the Decent Homes Standard.
 

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For further information please contact Paul Amourdedieu or Simon Baylis on paul@acceleris-mc.com or simonb@acceleris-mc.com or call on 0845 4567 251