Being a Tenant 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.
Your Tenant Voices
Here are the Tenant Voices representing tenants and leaseholders and the streets they cover.
Tenant Voice for Raglan Court and Corporation Terrace
Mandy Anderson
Telephone: 07925 410 817
Tenant Voice for Roosegate
The Roosegate Tenant Voice covers:
- Salthouse Road
- Longway
- Westway
- Gateway
- Broadway
- Roose Road
- Thrums Street
Nicola Bull
Telephone: 07808 264 941
Tenant Voice for Newton Road Area in Dalton
The Tenant Voice for Newton Road Area in Dalton covers:
- Buttermere Drive
- Coniston Avenue
- Coronation Drive
- Dalton Fields Lane
- Ennerdale Close
- Eskdale Drive
- Newton Road
- Ruskin Avenue
- Rydal Close
- Thirlmere Close
- Thornton Park
- Ullswater Close
- Windermere Close
David Pearson
Telephone: 01229 230019
Tenant Voice for Carleton Meadows, Penrith
Scott Jackson
Telephone: 07920 408 094
Email: scottmjackson87@hotmail.com
Tenant Voice for Broughton Road, Dalton area
The Tenant Voice for Broughton Road in the Dalton area covers:
- Broughton Road
- Hartington Street
- Bridge House
Danny Green
Telephone: 07999 462 934
Email: Dannygreen.stv@googlemail.com
Tenant Voice for Bark Lane to Millstone Avenue, Ormsgill
Bill McEwan
Telephone: 07795 806 193
Email: mcewan_w@hotmail.co.uk
Tenant Voice for Brathay Crescent
Gaynor Killip
Telephone: 07944 607 019
Email: gaynoranne1@gmail.com
Who can be a Tenant Voice
Any tenant or leaseholder can be a Tenant 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 Tenant 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 Tenant Voices are unpaid volunteers. However we are happy to cover any out of pocket expenses.
What Tenant Voices do
When appointed, Tenant Voices automatically become members of our Tenants’ Forum.
The Tenants’ Forum is made up of Tenant 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 Tenant 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 Tenant Voices do not do
Tenant 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 Tenant 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 Tenant Voice on your own, team up with a neighbour and become joint Tenant Voices.
How you can become a Tenant Voice
If someone wishes to become a Council‑recognised Tenant Voice, we will write to all residents in the area to ask whether they are happy to be represented by them.
Residents will have the opportunity to raise any concerns or objections. If fewer than one third of households object, the Tenant Voice can be appointed.
Code of Conduct
All Tenant 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 Tenant Voices if they abuse their position or do not follow the code of conduct.
Contact us
If you’re interested in becoming a Tenant Voice, we’d love to hear from you.
Email: housing@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk
Telephone: 01229 876523