‘Let us manage’ say tenants at historic Town Hall meeting
PR 205
27 June 2006
This afternoon at Great Yarmouth Town Hall, tenant representatives from Southtown Common estate handed a legal notice to Cllr Sue Lawley, Cabinet Member for Community, which may allow them to manage their estate themselves at some point in the future.
This Right to Manage notice has come through a year long programme of activities at Southtown Common, renamed Halfway House after the coaching inn that stood nearby, by residents who have decided that they want to control the housing and other services on the estate.
Gail Yaxley speaking for Halfway House Tenants Association said ‘We think that this is the way to become one of the most popular and sought after estates in Norfolk. We intend to set standards that will be the envy of other estates’
A secret ballot that will need to be supported by a majority of tenants in the autumn could see Halfway House developing the first tenant management organisation in East Anglia by Christmas and completing in 2007.
Tenant managed estates are not new. There are 250 nationally managing about 80,000 homes very successfully. Most are in London or large cities. However, it has long been recognised that estates thrive and prosper when local people have a good working relationship with the local Council and can influence decision making, spending and new public services over which they have some influence or control. Tenant management has been responsible for improving some of the worst estates in England and its principles can be applied to any estate where tenants want to run the estate themselves.
Robert Read, GYBC Tenancy Services Manager said ‘Tenants have long been consulted and involved in Great Yarmouth on every aspect of local housing. However, this is one of the most exciting developments on any estate in Great Yarmouth and they have my absolute support. This is a real challenge both for tenants and the Council. It will require new ways of working with tenants and I hope we can rise to the challenge’
In January, Halfway House signed an Action Plan with Great Yarmouth Council, the Police and Norfolk County Council covering housing, policing, investment, a food co-op and a possible Credit Union. The first task was to ballot people on the estate about exercising their Right to Manage and in a secret ballot conducted at the end of May, nearly one third of those balloted voted in favour of Right to Manage.
By the autumn, a feasibility study will have been completed by Agency for Community Empowerment with money from the Dept for Communities and Local Government that will have tested tenant ability to set up a tenant managed estate, identified the problems to be solved or improved and located an office in which to locate the project.
John Fenton who works for AfCE said ‘Halfway House TARA are learning quickly and making huge strides in understanding the responsibilities involved. I see real success ahead’.
If tenant management is supported in the ballot, Halfway House will be either a Friendly Society or Company Limited by Guarantee which will allow local people with professional guidance to take on management responsibilities from the Council. They will have a local budget, local staff, a local office and local control. Other social activities and economic activities should follow. Locally-based staff will be recruied and a legally binding Management Agreement signed between the estate and the Council.
Councillor Sue Lawley said’ It’s a huge challenge but they have my full support. We welcome these partnerships wherever they arise’.
For further information call Tenancy Service Manager Robert Read on 01493 846279.
INVITATION
Members of the Press and Media are welcome to attend the ceremony at 2pm on Thursday where there will be an opportunity to speak to representatives of Halfway House and the Council and to take pictures. Please call Press officer Liz Dann on 01493 846513 or Communications Officer Karla Symonds on 01493 846512 to confirm that you will be attending.
Issued by:
Liz Dann
Press Officer
Great Yarmouth Borough Council
01493 846513