Resident Involvement

Introduction

Granta is accountable to a wide range of organisations and individuals in a variety of different ways. The Society's residents, as consumers of its services, have a significant interest in our work and, in partnership with their landlord, can help set and monitor the standards of housing and care services provided by Granta. Therefore Granta aims to promote accountability and best value by giving residents reasonable and effective opportunities to influence or amend policies and decisions that may affect them.

To This End and for all Tenures Granta Shall:

1.Consult with residents wherever legally required and always before making changes in matters of housing management, maintenance or care and support that are likely to have a substantial effect on the resident (NB for residents in care and support schemes consultation would include those that would be a party to developing their care plans).

2.Consult upon policy reviews and any major improvement to properties or changes in service delivery that are likely to have a significant affect on residents.

3.Seek regular feedback from residents by way of meetings, Consumer Panels and/or surveys in respect of the design and specification of our accommodation and the efficiency, quality and value for money of services provided by the Society. (Consumer Panels will consist of residents selected at random by the Society to meet and discuss a specific aspect of Granta's work and help to identify ways in which we might improve our performance).

4.Report consultation results to the Housing and Care Committee for action as appropriate and give feedback to residents on the results of any consultation exercise undertaken and an explanation of the reason for any decisions reached following such consultation.

General Purpose Housing

5.Promote and help finance recognised, representative Residents Associations at different locations, in accordance with the Society's Resident Association Information leaflet. Granta can provide interested residents with a model set of rules, funding towards stationery or room hire costs, etc and for training and advice on how to get a residents group established and then keep it running. (Contact your Housing Officer for more information).

6.Consult with Residents Associations upon relevant issues of particular interest to residents represented by the Association.

7.Convene Estate Forums for consultation where no Residents' Associations exist (or to meeting jointly with Residents' Associations where the Society believes that meetings are desirable with a wider audience than just those active in an association).

8.Organise and encourage attendance at Area Residents Conferences where there is a demand for such meetings. These would be organised on a geographical basis for residents and Resident Associations from different Granta developments to meet together to share and raise with staff issues of common interest or concern to residents from various locations.

Care and Support Schemes

9.Either(a) - Convene house meetings at least once each quarter or more often as agreed with residents at lower dependency projects to ensure regular and effective consultation and communication at a local level
or (b) - Invite relatives, advocates and relevant professional agencies to attend six monthly or annual review meetings as appropriate to consult with them on behalf of those more dependent residents less able to communicate for themselves.

10.Issue annual consultation questionnaires to residents and relatives in relation to unregistered schemes similar to those issued by the Registration Officer in our registered residential care homes.

11.Endeavour to enlist support for any resident from an independent advocate in accordance with the Society's Advocacy Policy whenever such a wish is expressed by the resident.

12.Provide the opportunity to involve residents or their advocates in all care planning meetings in accordance with their wishes.

13.Use Quartz reviewers external to the staff team regularly to review the involvement and satisfaction of residents with the services provided as part of the Society's QUARTZ Quality in Action programme.

All Residents

14.Have application for shareholder membership open to residents, in accordance with the Society's Shareholder and Board Membership Policy statement and criteria, (contact The Secretary at the Society's registered office for more details). Where applications are accepted residents can become members of the Society, participate in the Annual General Meeting and can be nominated to stand for election to the Board. The Society will provide training as necessary.

15.Respond to reasonable requests for information (including Board and Committee papers), about its policies, work and performance from residents and others, unless that information is operationally, commercially or financially sensitive, personal or confidential or unless giving it would break the law. The decision as to whether or not it is reasonable and appropriate to provide information relating to any particular issue will be made at the discretion of the Chief Executive and/or the Chairman.

16.Publish an annual report which, in addition to the prescribed reports on finances, will include details of the housing stock and rent levels; those housed by the Society; recruitment and selection procedures for Board members; information about Board Members, Senior Managers and their dates of appointment and a statement of compliance with the NHF Code of Governance and an explanation of any areas of non-compliance if necessary.

17.Publish performance targets in a Residents Charter and monitor and report upon these to tenants via Granta News on a regular basis, to include comparisons of performance against that of other Registered Social Landlords.

18.Invite comment from residents on the Society's strategic objectives as part of the annual process to review and update the Business Plan.

19.Remind tenants on an annual basis of their right to complain to Granta when they are unhappy with any aspect of the Society's service and appeal against any final decision of the Society to an independent Ombudsman if they so wish. (see Appeals and Complaints leaflet).

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