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Leeds Tenants Federation the independent
federation of Leeds tenants and residents |
What
is Leeds Tenants Federation?
Information
Pack
April 2004
Leeds Tenants Federation,
Room O, 31 New York Street, Leeds
LS2 7DT. Tel (0113) 2145330.
Email: tic@leeds.gov.uk. Website: www.ticleeds.ukonline.co.uk
What is Leeds Tenants Federation?
§
The Leeds Tenants Federation is the
independent federation of Leeds tenants and residents.
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The Leeds Tenants Federation has a
membership of more than 90 registered tenants groups, representing around
40,000 households in Leeds.
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A Management Committee of up to
sixteen tenants elected by the registered tenants groups leads this federation.
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The Leeds Tenants Federation is recognized
by Leeds City Council as the democratic and representative city-wide
organization of tenants.
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The Leeds Tenants Federation works
in partnership with Leeds City Council and its agencies to make sure tenants
are involved in decision-making.
What does the Leeds Tenants
Federation believe in?
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Our role is to represent the views
of tenants and residents in the city of Leeds.
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We make sure that tenants have the
opportunity to be involved in decisions about their homes and communities.
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We make sure that tenants get the
best possible service wherever they live in the city
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We unite the tenants and residents of
Leeds in one voice.
What does the Management Committee of Leeds Tenants
Federation do?
·
The 16 person Management Committee
is elected by the tenants and residents groups of Leeds. It meets weekly at the
moment with some occasional extra events.
·
At the start of the year we set out
a Service Plan of all the things we want to achieve.
·
At its weekly meeting, Leeds Tenants
Federation’s Management Committee meets with senior managers and Councillors to
look at improving services to tenants.
· Four members of the Management Committee are elected to the officer posts at the first meeting after the AGM. These officers – Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer – form the Executive and meet weekly to supervise the day-to-day running of the organization. They make recommendations to Management Committee in a weekly report.
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Management Committee members also
carry out particular work. For instance
some members edit and produce the tenants newsletter “Home @ Leeds”. Other members represent Leeds Tenants
Federation’s views on outside organizations and committees.
·
Six members of the Management
Committee are nominated to become directors of the Arms Length Management
Organisations (ALMOs). Their job is to support the tenant board members, share
information with Leeds Tenants Federation and work to ensure tenants get a good
deal from their ALMO.
What has the Leeds Tenants
Federation done?
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The Leeds Tenants Federation has
been going for ten years under its previous name, Leeds Tenant Involvement
Committee. It was set up to fight against the privatization of our housing
management service.
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Over the years, the Leeds Tenants
Federation has helped change the housing service so that tenants get a better
deal.
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Leeds Tenants Federation has helped
develop a tougher policy on anti-social behaviour.
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Leeds Tenants Federation has pressed
for a tenants insurance scheme and got one introduced.
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Leeds Tenants Federation has worked
hard to improve the standards of service that tenants get from their housing
office. Repair receipts, repairs
appointments, lettings standards for new properties – all these things have
been developed in partnership work by Leeds Tenants Federation.
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Leeds Tenants Federation has made
sure that tenants rights are written into a Tenant Compact – called the Tenant
Involvement Framework.
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We worked hard to get the new Arms
Length Management Organisations off the ground so that Leeds could win extra
investment for council housing.
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We campaigned for tenants to take a
leading role in those organizations and we help support the new tenant
directors and help them develop their skills.
How does Leeds Tenants Federation support tenants?
· The Leeds Tenants Federation believes that every tenant in Leeds has the right to have a say in decisions about their homes and the places they live.
·
We want tenants to have the
opportunity to get involved in ways that suit them.
·
We help the Arms-Length Management
Organisations start new tenants and residents associations. We register groups on behalf of the Council
and its Arms-Length Management Organisations and give them grants to help them
represent their communities.
·
We work with tenants groups to
develop tenant involvement strategy within the Council and its Arms-Length
Management Organisations.
·
We are developing area tenants federations in partnership
with the Arms-Length Management Organisations
to ensure that tenants views are heard at all levels of decision-making. These area federations will be independent
and tenant-led and will enable the Federation to get the views of tenants in
each area.
·
Registered tenants groups are
members of the Leeds Tenants Federation. They tell us what our priorities
should be and we report back to them on what we are doing. We meet with tenants
groups four times a year. These meetings are also open to individual tenants
and residents.
·
We meet with the Tenant Board
Members of the Arms Length Management Organisations to support them to take an
equal part in decision-making.
·
We help tenants groups produce
leaflets and newsletters and give them free photocopying. We send out regular
information to groups, signpost them to training opportunities and give advice
and practical support. We visit groups and attend their meetings when invited.
·
We send out the magazine “Home @
Leeds” to every council tenant in Leeds – that’s more than 66,000 households.
We get lots of letters and feedback from individual tenants and we pass on their
concerns and champion their issues.
·
We make special effort to reach
communities that may have difficulties getting involved. We make sure our publicity is available in
different languages and formats. We
make sure our meeting venues are accessible and that everyone can take part in
our events.
How do we represent tenants views?
·
Leeds Tenants Federation members work in partnership with
the council to improve services to council tenants and the community as a
whole.
·
The Management Committee of Leeds Tenants Federation meets
regularly with top Councillors, council officers and the Boards of Arms Length
Management Organisations.
·
Through Leeds Tenants Federation, tenants can be sure that
their concerns are heard at the highest level and that tenants have a say in
the big decisions shaping the city of Leeds.
Some of the working groups and committees in which Leeds Tenants
Federation takes a leading role are:
o
ALMO Boards
o
Choice Based Lettings Executive Board
o
Leeds Housing Partnership Executive
o
Community Safety Partnership Executive
·
Our members meet every week with the Chief Officers of the
ALMOs and the Senior Management Team of Housing Services. The full Leeds Tenants Federation Management
Committee meet monthly with Housing Services chiefs and once a quarter with the
Senior Management of Neighbourhoods and Housing. Once a quarter we also meet the Leader of the Council and the
Executive Chair of Neighbourhoods and Housing.
·
Leeds Tenants Federation is involved in campaigns and projects
on issues raised by our members, including disrepair claims, cash collection
services, and anti-social behaviour.
·
Through the Yorkshire &
Humberside Federation of Tenants and Residents Associations we have a say in
regional housing strategy and through the national organization, TAROE we
influence housing policy across the country.
Leeds Tenants Federation April 2004