Tenant participation top of the agenda at conference

26 January 2010

Saturday's conference for tenants and leaseholders of Wycombe District Council properties put tenant participation firmly at the top of the agenda. Over 200 people attended the all day event which included speakers from the Tenant Services Authority and Watford Community Housing Trust as well as workshops based on repairs, neighbourhoods and sheltered housing.

Representatives from Watford Community Housing Trust spoke about their positive experience of transferring ownership of their homes from the local council to a tenant-led housing trust and answered questions from the audience. Their experience of transferring to a new landlord two years ago is relevant to tenants and leaseholders of Wycombe District Council because they will be invited to vote yes or no on transferring the ownership of their homes over to a newly-created tenant-led housing association called Red Kite in autumn this year.

Throughout the day, everyone attending the conference was invited to list the priorities they think will be important for a new tenant-led housing association to deliver. Members of the Tenant and Leaseholder Committee as well as Wycombe District Council's Cabinet Member for Homes and Housing, Councillor Chris Watson and members of the Tenant Led Transfer team were available for questions and discussions throughout the day.

Wycombe District Council's Cabinet Member for Homes and Housing, Councillor Chris Watson said: "Over the coming months, tenants and leaseholders will receive more detailed information leading up to the ballot which is planned for late autumn. We want them to know what the ballot is about and be clear what a 'yes' or a 'no' vote will really mean for the future of their homes. Today's event is one part of that process, but we aim to be meeting and talking to tenants and leaseholders a lot more over the coming months. It's really important that if tenants or leaseholders have any questions at all about the transfer that they ask either the council or Solon, their independent tenant advisors."

Wycombe District Council has set up a dedicated helpline for tenants and leaseholders:
0808 1000 792 (free from landlines) or 01494 421 627 from mobiles

There is an independent helpline run by Solon, the independent tenant advisor:
0800 884 0800 (free from landlines) or 020 7780 2220 from mobiles