We want you to have a say in how your homes and communities are managed, maintained and improved and to get regular updates from us such as when work affects your home or neighbourhood.
You can tell us when we get things right and when you feel we can improve our services.
How to get involved
To get involved, you need to:
- be a BCP Homes tenant or leaseholder in Bournemouth or Poole
- have some spare time to go to meetings, site visits or working groups
- want to learn more about the work we do
- work with us in a positive way for the benefit of all residents
There are many opportunities for residents to get involved.
Becoming a resident member of our advisory board
The board meets at least four times a year. Membership is made up of 3 councillors, four independent housing professionals and 4 residents. Its role is to support BCP Homes to meet legal and regulatory requirements and our objectives.
Becoming a member of our resident committee
The committee meets at least four times a year. Membership is made up mainly of the chairs and vice chairs (residents) of our customer panels.
The resident committee ensures that the views of tenants and leaseholders are included in reports that officers present to the advisory board.
Joining one of our 3 customer service panels
The Panels meet at least four times a year. Membership is open to any BCP Homes resident (tenant or leaseholder).
It’s a get together of residents and officers to share information about housing services, ask questions, raise concerns and ensure that BCP Homes is listening to the views of residents.
Our homes safety and energy panel focuses on:
- repairing and maintaining homes
- planned and major works
- Making homes energy efficient
- carrying out disabled adaptations
- building new homes
- making and keeping homes and buildings safe
Our people and neighbourhood panel focuses on:
- managing and improving homes and neighbourhoods
- helping residents to maintain their tenancies
- community projects happening in neighbourhoods
- how we deal with anti-social behaviour
- cleanliness and safety of communal areas including grounds maintenance
- how we prepare homes ready to let
- how we deal with under occupation and over-crowding
Our communication and access to services panel focuses on:
- how residents can get easy access to services for example local offices, phone, email, web chat, text, digital access and call centre and opening hours
- how we communicate information out
- the annual report for residents
- our BCP Homes Residents’ magazine
- BCP Homes website, social media, and portal
Joining our Scrutiny Panel
Scrutiny meets as a ‘task and finish’ panel, so the dates and times to meet will be flexible and as needed, rather than set out for the year.
Members come from our other formal panels and groups; however, anyone can apply, and training will be offered.
The panel will look much more deeply into a particular part of the housing service, requesting information, meeting and interviewing officers and contractors, and then making specific recommendations for improvement.
This is a ‘resident led’ option but we will always offer appropriate support to the panel.
Getting involved in a working group
This is from the comfort of your home, as and when we have a specific project.
An example would be our Reading Group who receive documents by email. They will review these and let us have feedback such as whether they are easy to read and understand and contain all the information you would expect to see.
Benefits of getting involved
If you get involved, we will:
- listen to your views
- offer opportunities to train and learn new skills
- provide the opportunity to meet and share your experiences with other residents
- value the commitment of residents who volunteer with us
Other ways to get involved
As well as our meetings, we have lots of other ways you can get involved, such as:
- social activities at our sheltered housing or independent senior living schemes
- planting, growing and sharing the produce from community gardens
- running your own community events or helping us to put something on in your area
Tenant Participation Advisory Service
The national Tenant Participation Advisory Service offers tenants free training and advice.
If you’d like to log into the members’ area, email us at bcphomes.getinvolved@bcpcouncil.gov.uk.
Training and resources
We support our involved residents by offering for you to attend training courses, workshops, seminars and conferences, both locally and nationally.
For more information on how you can get involved, please email bcphomes.getinvolved@bcpcouncil.gov.uk or call 0800 028 1870.