Following his retirement in 2011, Clarion Housing resident Graham Roberts wanted to continue to be productive on a voluntary basis and was, therefore, delighted to be given the opportunity to become a member of the South London Region Resident Scrutiny Committee.
“I was keen to get involved as I’d worked in government for many years and wanted to use my skills to make a positive contribution to the local community, while at the same time supporting Clarion in their delivery of services to residents.
“It’s been a great experience and a worthwhile opportunity. Working as part of a team, we encourage Clarion to listen to what we say, to take our recommendations seriously and take appropriate action. In this respect, we like to think of ourselves as Clarion’s ‘critical friends’ – and the friends of residents, of course.
We encourage Clarion to listen to what we say, to take our recommendations seriously and take appropriate action.
Graham
resident scrutiny committee
“Most recently, I contributed to a scrutiny of the management of fire safety. This has been rewarding on many levels. The committee issued a report and survey, which were both well received by Clarion management, with full acceptance of the recommendations. We had the opportunity to visit a number of housing estates, meet residents and hear their views first hand. Although the report was a team effort, I took the lead on drafting it, which has helped develop my IT skills.
“We’re now looking at what to review next, which could be anything from ground maintenance to dealing with resident complaints. Whatever we decide, we need to ensure that we’re adding value, helping Clarion to maintain and improve standards of service delivery and, most of all, making a contribution to the quality of life for residents.”