Consultation and Participation – How you can be involved

Having Your Say

You can be involved with Albyn as much or a little as you like. Our aim is to make sure that anyone from our communities who would like to have a say about what we do and how we do it is able to do so when they want to.

You can do this:-

• In person – you can come along to meetings, attend a workshop, conference or focus group, or speak to any staff member
• By post – from time to time, we will send you questionnaires about different things that we are doing and ask you to give us feedback about what is good and what we could do better
• By ‘Phone – You can call our offices at any tine between 9am and 5pm each weekday. If you prefer, we can call you back. Most staff also have a mobile ‘phone if you prefer to contact us by text.
• Over the internet – you can email us, or use our website to get information about what we do. Staff emails are firstname.lastname@albynhousing.org.uk.

If you are not sure who you need to contact, email office@albynhousing.org.uk

Your query will be passed on to the appropriate staff member.

Tenant Participation Strategy

We published a tenant participation strategy in March 2004. This followed consultation with tenants both as individuals and as members of local groups. 

The Strategy outlines our objectives, and includes a detailed action plan for how we intend to achieve them.

You can get a summary of the strategy from any of our staff, or download it from the ‘Downloads and Publications’ section of this website. If you want a full copy, please contact Helen Barton or Lucy Fraser at our Invergordon office.

During 2007, we will be starting to review this strategy to bring it up to date. We will be involving tenants, applicants and other people we work with along with staff.

Resident Groups

We currently have three tenant organisations:

Milton Housing Forum

This group first formed in 1993 when our houses in Milton were still owned by Scottish Homes to discuss problems at the time with high numbers of empty houses. They became a registered group in 2004, and have 11 committee members representing 98 tenants and 22 owners. Meetings are held monthly, and are advertised in the village. Issues currently or recently discussed include: meeting new tenants and introducing them to the village; taking up tenant’s complaints with Albyn; environmental improvements; and service charges.

Contact: Ms F Samson, Secretary, 19 Cromarty Drive, Milton of Kildary

Invergordon Albyn Residents Association

This group was set up and registered in 2003 after a meeting organised by Albyn to promote tenant involvement in the area. The group has seven committee members representing around 330 tenants and owners. The group meets monthly, with at least 3 open meetings each year. Recent or current topics include: issues raised by individual tenants; taking the lead on developing a play park in the area with assistance from Albyn; tackling anti-social behaviour; the Right to Buy; involvement in plans for the regeneration of South Lodge.

Contact: Mrs J Gardner, Chairperson, 74 Caberfeidh Drive, Invergordon, IV18 0NR

The Craite barn Resident’s Association (Applecross)

This group was firmed and registered in 2005 to discuss high service charges for landscape maintenance. The 8 tenants now carry out the work themselves instead of paying a charge. They meet every two months, and whilst discussions are mostly to do with the landscape maintenance, other issues such as the best way to report repairs are also discussed. The group are interested in being involved in other community activities in the future.

Contact: Ms Linda Arkley, 2 Craite Barn, Applecross, Strathcarron, IV54 8LN

Tenant Information Volunteers

In the past, we have had individual tenants acting as Tenant Information Volunteers (TIVs) in areas where it has not been possible to get a group going.   Their current status has not been active over the last year or so, but as we review our strategy we will be looking at whether there is still a role for TIVs, especially in our smaller settlements.

The Future for Groups and TIVs

Since the end of 2004, we have no longer had an umbrella group or federation. However we will still contact our existing groups and tenants individually to ask what you think about things we are doing or hoping to do.

We will be looking at any new ways that we can get those of you who want to be involved as part of a group of other residents who are either from the same area or interested in the same issues when we review our Strategy this year.

Satisfaction Surveys

Each year, we ask a sample of residents to complete a satisfaction survey. We aim to survey all residents over a three-year period. The key findings and our proposed key actions are published each year. The most recent reports are available from any staff member, or can be download from this website.

Policy Bulletins

We issue a Policy Bulletin to all our tenants around twice a year so that they can ‘have their say’

Tenants Conference

In November 2006 we held our first tenants’ conference at the Ramada Jarvis in Inverness. Tenants from a range of areas came along on the day to discuss issues that had been prioritised from a questionnaire to all tenants. Our most recent audit, future consultation, dealing with anti-social behaviour, repairs and rent setting were all discussed. A report of the conference is available on this website. (link)

Focus Groups

From time to time, we have asked volunteers to join focus groups to discuss particular policy proposals or local issues. This gives you the chance to be more involved in the issues that you are particularly interested in without having to come to a regular group.

Management Committee

Anyone can apply to become a member of Albyn Housing Society Ltd. We have over 250 members, over half of whom are tenants or sharing owners. Members of the society are able to have a say about who gets elected to our Committee of Management. Since our most recent elections, 8 of our 14 Committee Members are or have been our tenants.