Street Voices – what are they?
Being a Street Voice is all about helping to improve your area and having a say about how services are delivered by Westmorland and Furness Council Housing Department.
We’re looking for people who can help us identify what’s important to tenants in your area and help us find solutions and keep tenants better informed. As a result of working together our aim is that your area will be better maintained and a nicer place to live.
You know your area better than anyone. By telling us what you and your neighbours think and what’s important to you we can make sure that our services meet your needs.
Street Voices – who are they?
Here are the Street Voices representing tenants and leaseholders and the streets they cover.
Street Voice for Raglan Court & Corporation Terrace
Mandy Anderson
07514 417 60
Street Voice for Roosegate
Nicola Bull
07808 264 941
(Salthouse Road, Longway, Westway, Gateway, Broadway, Roose Road, Thrums Street)
Street Voice for Newton Road Area in Dalton
David Pearson
(01229) 230019
(Buttermere Dr, Coniston Ave, Coronation Dr, Dalton Fields Ln, Ennerdale Cl, Eskdale Dr, Newton Rd, Ruskin Ave, Rydal Cl, Thirlmere Cl, Thornton Pk, Ullswater Cl, Windermere Cl)
Who can be a Street Voice?
Any tenant or leaseholder can be a Street Voice—they must cover an area (or block) of at least five properties—although there is no limit to an area that a representative may cover.
Where there is a tenants’ association in an area we rarely set up Street Voices as there is already an organised tenants group working hard to improve the area. In these areas we would encourage you to get involved with the tenants’ association.
We are keen to stress that this isn’t a job and there isn’t any housing management or caretaker responsibilities. All Street Voices are unpaid volunteers. However we are happy to cover any out of pocket expenses.
What do Street Voices do?
When appointed, Street Voices automatically become members of our Tenants’ Forum. The Tenants’ Forum is made up of Street Voices and officers and a couple of elected Members and gets together on a quarterly basis to look at issues that affect both tenants and leaseholders. Meetings are informal and there’s always a brew and biscuits!
The role is about providing a communications link between us and your area. And we’ve seen that through greater involvement comes stronger communities.
Examples of what Street Voices can do are:
- telling us what is important to you and your neighbours
- signposting residents to Council departments when necessary
- giving us your views about estate improvement such as environmental improvement projects
What should Street Voices not do?
Street Voices are not there to:
- get involved with neighbour disputes
- take on the role of an unpaid housing worker
- be responsible for the management of an area
- use their position to raise individual or personal issues
Benefits of becoming a Street Voice
By having your voice heard, you can make a real difference to our services by making sure they meet your needs.
As well as helping others, the personal benefits of volunteering and getting involved in your local community can boost your self-confidence and wellbeing. It can also help you gain valuable new skills and experience. Giving to others can also keep you mentally stimulated and provide a sense of purpose.
If you don’t feel confident becoming a Street Voice on your own, team up with a neighbour and become joint street voices.
How do people become a Street Voice?
For anyone wishing to become a Council-recognised Street Voice, the process is very simple. We would firstly write to the residents of the areas to be covered, asking them if they are happy to be represented by the street voice. The potential Street Voice would need the support of a third of their neighbours.
Code of Conduct
All Street Voices are required to follow the code of conduct for tenant involvement, making sure they do not act in a way that could be considered discriminatory or of a detriment to the Housing Service. We may remove our recognition of Street Voices if they abuse their position or do not follow the code of conduct.
What to do next?
If you’re interested in becoming a Street Voice, we’d love to hear from you. Please give us a call on 01229 876523 or email housing@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk