Summary of the Involvement Review Focus Groups

Summary of the Involvement Review Focus Groups

What engagement model - 4 Focus Groups took place.

Where - Bodmin, Saltash, Falmouth and one with our Gypsy and Traveller Customers at Boscarn Parc.

How many customers - 33 Tenants and 6 Gypsy and Traveller Customers.

The age range for the focus groups was predominantly over 50 for the tenant focus groups. Younger customers that signed up for the tenant focus groups did not turn up. Probably because it was the school holidays.

Out of the 6 participants from Boscarn Parc half were under 50 years of age.

Tenant Focus Groups

Saltash

When tenants were asked to fill in a survey about “what is important to you” tenants top 3 priorities were:

• Neighbourhoods by supporting residents to identify priorities and make a change. Followed by;
• Lives by helping vulnerable people to learn new skills and reconnect with their community. Followed by;
• The housing service by influencing decisions about plans and priorities.

Bodmin

For Bodmin when tenants were asked about “what is important to you” the response was the as follows:

• Neighbourhoods by supporting residents to identify priorities and mad a change. Followed by;
• The housing service by influencing decisions about plans and priorities. Followed by;
• The housing service by understanding your experience of our service and what you think of our performance.

Falmouth

As with above Falmouth tenants answers were:

• The housing service by influencing decisions about plans and priorities. Followed by;
• Lives by helping vulnerable people to learn new skills and reconnect with their community. Followed by;
• Neighbourhoods by supporting residents to identify priorities and make change.

Communities and the people that live in them were of high importance.

Overall tenants were happy with the options of involvement. Suggestions were made at the Bodmin focus group around engaging with young people and that we could access our SMART tenants as many from Bodmin SMART training were under 25 years old.

A suggestion was also made about how CH should engage with people whose language is not their first language.

• CH visits the Polish shops and leave leaflets.

In Saltash a young parent suggested that we always offer childcare and noted that it was not offered in the letter sent out about Focus Groups.

In Falmouth residents felt the need for more Area Representative and Tenants and Residents Association. The group was thinking more about the wider community, than individual voices and views.

Principles

When tenants were asked about the top 3 priorities from those that have been produced from Involvement Review Steering Group, the response was very mixed. Listening to the customer and giving feedback was a popular response. Though it might have been said in their own words slightly differently.

Boscarn Gypsy and Traveller Focus Group

Residents were very engaging and said that the liked the Focus Group with the incentive with the voucher. They were worried that it might be formal with the way the room was set up, but residents were reassured it’s not formal.

Residents believe that site resident’s views are collected but not heard. They don’t feel they know how to take their concerns higher than the officer’s names they have as contacts. They know there are many issues that need resolving on site, but don’t feel that they have a voice.

Issues were raised about problems on site. Residents don’t feel that they have the same voice as tenants. They asked if they could join the Forum, it was explained that the forum is undergoing a review as part of this piece of work.

Residents were interested in the Scrutiny Panel. They felt that being an Estate Monitor would be a waste of time as no one ever does the grounds maintenance.

TH explained that at the moment the residents from Boscarn are over here and Cornwall Council is over there and both need to come together to bridge the gap and communicate.

The meeting ended where TH was asked to compile a letter for residents about the issues they have raised. This then will be circulated to all residents and sent to someone from CH and CC.

Following this some meetings will be set up to look at site issues.