A series of partnership days in Brighton and Kent offered a great way for residents to share their views and talk to staff and partner organisations. By attending, residents could influence how Clarion delivers and improves their services.
The Covid-19 pandemic meant that many planned events had to be postponed. So local teams were glad to host two events towards the end of last year, when national guidance allowed. These were held at estates in Brighton and Rochester, and combined family fun with estate improvements, and were attended by specialist teams from across Clarion and external partners.
Both events included food and refreshments, a magician to entertain the children and fancy dress competitions, judged by the mayors at each location.
Brighton
In Brighton, the Ghyllside and Meadowview event was delivered in partnership with the other landlords on these estates, working closely with Sanctuary Housing, Orbit Housing and Southern Housing Group.
To deliver an event suited to resident needs, the team undertook a survey prior to the event tp find out what the local issues were from their perspective. These included clearing the local area, tighter rules on antisocial behaviour (ASB) and more events. Parking and door entry were prioritised as the top outcomes to be followed up.
Chris Simmons, Head of Housing, said: “Following the partnership day, representatives from the various landlords agreed to hold an action planning meeting to address the issues raised… Together we look forward to delivery of a number of enhancements to both the buildings and for the benefit of the community more widely.”
Rochester
In response to resident feedback around various issues, the team hosted a partnership event to find out more and work together with residents to make improvements.
Residents were surveyed before the event and asked to vote on their top five priorities that had been raised. Improving car park lighting was by far the most popular, with 120 votes. We also asked residents what they thought they could do to improve things; suggestions included being neighbourly and respectful, reporting ASB and fly-tipping, and keeping communal areas clear.
A full estate inspection was carried out with our contractor, resulting in a large amount of waste being collected. While Cycle Works, a non-profit organisation partly funded by Clarion Futures, helped with bike repairs and talked to young residents about setting up a community cycle group.
Getting involved
From both partnership days, five residents joined Resident Involvement – as members of the Clarion Voice Email Group and one is keen on becoming a Community Inspector.
If you want to keep an eye out for information about events happening near you, don’t forget to check our social media channels and local posters.
