BARNSLEY FEDERATION OF TENANTS AND RESIDENTS ASSOCIATIONS
“Working together
to promote shared
values
in the
interest of all Barnsley Tenants and Residents”
Berneslai Challenge
How Tenant Scrutiny is Developing in Barnsley
Barnsley Federation of Tenants and Residents works in close partnership with Berneslai Homes and there is a mutual respect between the two organisations. When, as part of co-regulation, the Tenant Services Authority introduced the idea of tenant scrutiny panels it was agreed that in Barnsley these panels should be independent, and that the Federation of Tenants and Residents should take a lead in setting them up and overseeing their work. Someone came up with the name ‘Berneslai Challenge’ for the panels.
We decided that four panels would be set up. They have all completed a mock scrutiny excercise and you can see what they found by following the links
Although when we started, the Federation had experienced and willing members, finding enough members for four panels was going to put a strain on our resources. We needed to recruit more tenants. We advertised in the local newspaper and in ‘Open House’ (Berneslai Homes’ newsletter). We used our website to advertise, and we did a presentation at Berneslai Homes Customer Panel. We had over seventy applicants. How did we choose who should be on the panels? We decided that we would accept and train them all, hope that they would all be suitable, and that natural wastage would make the number more manageable. This approach worked, and we now have four panels with six members in each.
We organised some training through TPAS and our panels set to work on a mock scrutiny process in January. It seems to be working. Yes, we do have teething problems. The main one is managing the enthusiasm of our ‘Berneslai Challengers’. Some panels have met so frequently and demanded so many documents that it has put a strain on our Federation staff. Ensuring that the panels work in a similar way has also proved a challenge. We hope to complete our first real scrutiny session by the middle of July. We will then report the results to Berneslai Homes Board and Berneslai Homes Customer Panel.
Come and join us!
It’s not too late to join in – our members may have gone through the training process, but we are still willing to involve new people, and with the help of existing panel members, and the opportunity to be involved in future training you can still catch up. All panels are made up of tenants and residents just like you – you don’t need any special skills or qualifications, just an interest in your chosen subject. Being a panel member will be interesting and exciting and remember you won’t be on your own; it’s a great learning curve for all of us!
If you would like more information about the panels email clairehawley@berneslaihomes.co.uk