CUSTOMER INVOLVEMENT
Cotman actively encourages customers to be involved with the organisation from Residents Associations to being involved in the management of the Association through the Cotman Customer Body and the Cotman Customer Scrutiny Panel or even if you just occasionally want to voice an opinion! Below are a number of ways you can be involved:
Open Meetings
Some of our schemes have regular open meetings where all residents can attend and raise issues, concerns or ideas for improvements with their Neighbourhood Officer. If your scheme does not have these meetings, ask your Neighbourhood Officer if they could be arranged.
Residents Associations
Setting up or joining a Residents Association is a great way to get things done in your local area. One person may find it hard to change things on their own, but a group of people have a much stronger voice.
Neighbourhood Walkabouts
Estates with more than 40 properties have regular Estate Walkabouts, with a member of Neighbourhoods and Property Services in attendance. It is a great opportunity to raise any issues, concerns or ideas for improvements first hand. Check your local noticeboard for dates or contact your Neighbourhood Officer.
Events
We have a Community Involvement Week every May where residents help organise events in their local neighbourhood. If you would like to find out more please contact your Neighbourhood Officer.
Sheltered Housing Forum
The Sheltered Housing Forum represents the residents and deals with issues specific to those who live in our Sheltered Housing. There are 4 sheltered schemes, and we aim to have 2 residents from each scheme on the forum.
Cotman Customer Body (CCB)
The Cotman Customer Body consists of customers from a cross-section of estates and customer groups who meet quarterly to identify necessary policy and procedural changes, consider the strategic direction of the Association and oversee community involvement on estates and community development. Members must be elected by other customers.
Cotman Scrutiny Panel (CSP)
The Cotman Scrutiny Panel consists of customers from a cross-section of estates and client groups who meet quarterly to measure effectiveness of services, benchmark standards, shape service delivery, improve standards and scrutinise performance. Members must be elected by other customers.
Focus Groups
Meet every 6 months to discuss and review specific issues. This method is ideal if you are only interested in one specific subject.
Cotman Voices
You will be sent policies and strategies by post or email to comment on. This method is ideal if you would like to give feedback without the need to attend meetings.
Cotman News
The Association publishes a quarterly newsletter “Cotman News” which is circulated to all customers and often includes articles submitted by customers.
Information to Residents
Details of the Association’s performance are given in the Customer Annual Report which is published annually. A summary is circulated to all customers with the full version available at our offices or on the website. The Customer Annual Report looks at the six national standards we are charged with delivering by the Tenants Services Authority (TSA). In addition to these six national standards the TSA has also requested that all housing providers ask their customers if they want services provided under three of the standards (Tenant Involvement & Empowerment, Home, and Neighbourhood & Community) to be the subject of “local offers” which meet the diverse needs of customers.
The Association publishes a Tenants Handbook, which is in loose-leaf format to allow it to be easily amended and updated.