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Resident Engagement

Get involved!

How to have your say, influence our services and make a real difference.

To get involved, you don’t necessarily need any previous experience. You just need to be enthusiastic and to care about improving the services that affect you, other tenants, and leaseholders. 

We need to know what matters most to our residents (tenants and leaseholders) to deliver really great services in a focused and cost-effective way. 

Please see our Resident Engagement Strategy on the Housing Publications page.

We often review how we engage with residents and currently we offer a range of formal meetings, see below.

Tenant and Leaseholder Forum

This is our highest level of engagement where we hold regular formal meetings to scrutinise our performance, strategies, and service delivery. 

Tenant and Leaseholder Forum - Terms of Reference [PDF]

Minutes of Tenant and Leaseholder Forum 24.10.24 [PDF]

Minutes of Tenant and Leaseholder Forum 28.11.24 [PDF]

Minutes of Tenant and Leaseholder Forum 16.01.25 [PDF]

Policy Review Group

We recently reviewed our Draft Asset Management Strategy, focusing on effective communication and customer voice and key priorities like safety, sustainability, and modern repairs. Feedback highlighted the need to prioritise respect and safety, which will be central to the final strategy as we align our plans with tenant expectations.

Estate Improvement Group

We’re excited to launch our pilot Neighbourhood Improvement Plan - a collaborative, living document shaped by residents to address local issues, enhance community spaces, and improve quality of life in Cotlandswick.

Developed in partnership with Councillor Jacqui Taylor, Lead Councillor for Housing, this plan will grow with ongoing input from tenants, leaseholders, and residents.

To ensure it reflects the needs of Cotlandswick, we’re forming a Cotlandswick Resident Committee. If you’re passionate about making a difference, we’d love for you to join! Apply by January 2025 and help shape the future of your neighbourhood. 

Community Afternoons

Join Us for Community Afternoons in 2025!

Discover our Community Afternoons—designed to bring people together, address local issues, and strengthen neighbourhood connections. These events are packed with opportunities to:
•    Speak with Council Officers and get updates on local projects
•    Raise safety or neighbourhood concerns with the Police Neighbourhood Team
•    Access practical advice on energy savings, home repairs, and more
•    Enjoy fun activities for children with the charity Playing Out

Save the Dates
Our Community Afternoons will take place monthly from May to November 2025, on the third Thursday of each month. Some venues are still being finalised, so keep an eye out for updates here, in newsletters and in localised information nearer the time.

•    15 May 2025 – Harpenden (Venue: TBC)
•    19 June 2025 – St Luke’s Church, Cunningham Ward, St Albans
•    17 July 2025 – Cotlandswick or Five Acres, London Colney (Venue: TBC)
•    18 September 2025 – Redbourn (Venue: TBC)
•    16 October 2025 – Park Street or Marshalswick, St Albans (Let us know your preference!)
•    20 November 2025 – Hilldyke Community Centre, Wheathampstead

Have a suggestion for a venue? Contact us at residentengagement@stalbans.gov.uk.
Let’s build a thriving community together—see you there!

Focus Groups

These are bespoke groups to review various aspects of service delivery, and the themes are prioritised by the Tenant Satisfaction Measure

See our Tenant satisfaction measure results 

Recognised Resident Associations

Residents are encouraged to form local associations in areas for the benefit of the local community. It is possible to work with us for formal recognition by the Council with can provide officer support and financial support of up to £500 per year subject to certain criteria. 

Tenant and Leaseholder Staff Network

This group is exclusively for Council staff who are also tenants or leaseholders. 

The network provides a platform to share insights, feedback, and ideas about housing services, ensuring your unique perspective as both an employee and resident is heard. 

It offers a relaxed and supportive environment to influence service improvements, preview key materials, and collaborate on shaping the future of housing services.

You said...We did

We’ve listened carefully to your feedback and taken action to make meaningful changes:

  • Co-creating the Resident Engagement Strategy
    Together, we’ve built a strategy that truly reflects your voice.

  • Repairs Service Review
    We conducted a detailed review of the repairs service and shared your feedback with contractors in December 2024 to drive improvements.

  • Focus on Respect and Safety
    These priorities will take centre stage in the upcoming Asset Management Strategy.

  • Shaping Scrutiny for 2025
    Your input has helped us identify where to focus our scrutiny efforts in the year ahead.

  • Forward Planning
    A 2025 meeting calendar has been created and shared with residents to keep you informed and engaged.

  • Quarterly Tenant Newsletter
    The first issue of the Quarterly Tenant Newsletter has been sent out! Read all about the latest updates and initiatives here: https://lnks.gd/2/2zLqMNM

  • Neighbourhood Improvements at Cotlandswick
    We’re working with you to co-create a pilot improvement plan for Cotlandswick, setting the standard for neighbourhood development.

We also communicate in a variety of other ways: 

Stay in touch with our annual report and newsletters.

See our Housing publications 

If you, or any recognised residents’ association you belong to, would like to get involved with us developing our next Annual Report, please email residentengagement@stalbans.gov.uk 

Transactional Satisfaction Surveys

You may be contacted by a company called M.E.L Research who work in partnership with us. 
They help collate the Tenant Satisfaction Measure results and transactional surveys following repairs or formal complaints.  We encourage everyone to respond as all replies are reviewed and reported on every quarter.  This helps us hear the residents’ voice and helps drive service improvements.

We are proud members of TPAS – the Tenant Engagement Experts

They can provide appropriate training for our residents attending our Tenant & Leaseholder Forum, offering personal & professional development - which is usually a lot of fun! 

If you would like to know more on any of the above, please email residentengagement@stalbans.gov.uk