Resident participation structure

On this page

View the resident participation structure

Housing Committee

Your local Councillors from the Housing Committees are appointed to:

The Borough Residents Forum (BRF) representative attends these meetings to raise resident’s views and issues and help inform decision making.

Borough Residents' Forum

The Borough Residents' Forum (BRF) is the senior residents' representative body. Members of this forum are elected from the area housing panels (AHPs) or from the sheltered focus group. The BRF is limited to 19 resident members.

Once elected, you attend meetings in the town hall prior to each Housing Committee where you consider issues of housing policy and performance based on the information received from the four area housing panels, the sheltered housing focus group, the Co-op/RMO forum and residents surveys.

From the BRF the elected Vice-Chairman (always a resident member) attends the Housing Committee to report on residents’ views.

Area Housing Panels

The Area Housing Panels (AHPs) bring together two nominated from each accredited RA within the following areas:

  • Eastern (Battersea)
  • Central (Putney & Central Wandsworth)
  • Western (Roehampton)
  • Southern (Tooting) 

AHP meetings are held four times a year in each of the four areas and are chaired by either the Chairman or Deputy Chairman of the Housing Committee. At the AHP each association can raise issues concerning the management of their estate/block.

The purpose of these meetings is to:

  • Assess and comment on the delivery of housing services and our performance
  • Consider and approve small improvement grants
  • Liaise with the BRF on housing reports and decisions

Sheltered Residents Focus Group

The Sheltered Residents Focus Group has been created to recognise that tenants in sheltered schemes receive some different housing services, and these meetings keep residents informed about services available to older people living in the borough.

It is similar to the AHPs but made up of Residents’ Associations (RAs) representatives from accredited sheltered housing RAs. This group meets four times a year and is chaired by the head of supported housing services. Members from this group can also nominate one member to sit on the BRF.

Resident surveys

Resident surveys aim to seek the views of our residents on a variety of housing issues. Surveys allow us to see where our service is performing well and also help to shape and make improvements where required.

The results of these surveys are published online and are available for residents and councillors to view.

Co-operatives and Resident Management Organisations Forum

Co-operative (Co-op) or Resident Management Organisation (RMO) also have a forum which enables all RMOs to monitor their performance and raise and discuss issues of importance to them.

This forum meets four times a year and is administered by the housing service but led by the RMOs who vote in a Chairperson, Deputy Chair and Secretary.

Accredited and Associate Residents’ Associations

Accredited Residents' Associations are groups of residents who formally represent an area on an estate or block and they are able to raise particular issues with their area housing teams to help shape the services provided.

Associate RAs is the intermediate status given to a group of residents who are in development but who have not yet met the housing services accreditation requirements. This status lasts for nine months, with the exception of associations of fewer than 10 properties who may hold associate status indefinitely providing certain criteria is met.

Housing Community Champions

Housing Community Champions (HCCs) are all volunteers who give up their free time to take part in projects that benefit their local community.

Nominations for residents to become a HCC are made by RPOs, existing RAs or an AHP Chairperson. Nominated persons are then formally appointed an HCC title by the residents on the AHP. All HCCs can bid for money to support their specific projects on behalf of their estate or block.

Join a forum, panel or group

If you are interested in setting up a RA or would like to be nominated to any of the bodies above please contact your Resident Participation Officer.

Up to Resident involvement in housing

Updated: 16/01/2024