National Tenants Voice

The National Tenant Voice is a new organisation for tenants of housing associations, housing co-ops and local authorities (including ALMOs) in England. It is being set up to give tenants a voice, influence and expertise at national level.

The Government's aim is for tenants to have a greater influence over the services they receive. It is supporting the setting up of the National Tenant Voice to help achieve this.

Vision and purpose
 
The National Tenant Voice will enable tenants to influence national policy by engaging with the Government and other bodies (including the new social housing regulator – the Tenant Services Authority). It will be accountable to tenants, and aims to be inspirational and dynamic, reflecting the views of tenants sought through consultation and research. It will celebrate the diversity of tenants and communities. 

The roles and remit
 
It will have four key roles:
 
            Advocacy – to enable and facilitate tenants to speak up effectively
 
            Research – to ensure that the views and experiences of tenants, particularly those who are not in tenants' organisations, are taken into account
 
            Support for national and regional tenants' organisations – to strengthen tenants' organisations at regional and national level
 
            Communication – to develop mechanisms to communicate information to tenants as well as receive the views of tenants.

Governance and Structure

The National Tenant Voice will be governed by a Board of Directors of fifteen people. At least nine of these will be tenants recruited from the National Tenant Council. The Board's job will be to make sure the organisation is governed properly and spends its money wisely.

The aim is for the National Tenant Council to reflect the diversity of social housing tenants. It will have on it tenants from local authorities, housing associations, housing co-ops, tenants managed by Arms Length Management Organisations and Tenant Management Organisations, and leaseholders of social landlords. To be really effective it will need to have on it tenants of different ages, tenants from all parts of England, and tenants from a range of different ethnic backgrounds.

There is in place an Accountability Committee to oversee the process of recruitment to the National Tenant Council and the Board. None of the seven people on this committee will be eligible to stand for the National Tenant Council or the Board. They have been chosen by tenants for their integrity and their knowledge and understanding of tenants' organisations and issues affecting tenants.

The proposals for the National Tenant Voice have been developed by a project group, set up by the Communities and Local Government (the government department responsible for housing). The project group has a tenant majority. The Accountability Committee is a sub-group of this project group.

They are currently recruiting 26 'volunteers' from across the UK. Their aim is to ensure that the eventual members are selected from the widest and most diverse backgrounds and organisations.

Poole Housing Partnership welcomes any resident that would like to be more involved with the National Tenants Voice.

It is now too late to apply for a place on the tenant board, however if you would like more information on the NTV please contact your Resident Involvement Team on 01202 2664422.