In the news: Basildon Council puts tenants at the centre of housing improvements
Basildon Council is strengthening its commitment to council tenants by placing their voices at the heart of all housing-related decisions and governance. Tenants will now have a direct role in shaping policies and influencing key decisions, ensuring their concerns and priorities are fully considered at every level.
In line with the new consumer standards set by the Regulator of Social Housing, the council has launched a comprehensive process to drive continuous improvement in housing services.
As part of this initiative, the council has established a new governance framework, including the formation of a Housing Improvement Board and a Property, Assets & Development Group. These bodies are designed to embed tenant and resident participation throughout the decision-making process.
Cllr Adele Brown, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing & Infrastructure, said: "We have conducted an independent review of our compliance with regulatory standards. Based on its findings, we are now developing a Housing Improvement Plan that will be presented to the Cabinet once finalised.
"The creation of the Housing Improvement Board and the Property, Assets & Development Group, alongside the Improvement Plan, will ensure we meet our obligations to tenants and significantly enhance the quality of our housing services.
"These steps also position us to be fully prepared for any future engagement with the Housing Regulator."
Cllr Emma Callaghan, Cabinet Member for Partnerships, Performance & Engagement, added: "When we ask our residents what they think, we do listen, and more importantly, we act on it. That's how it should be.
"We have done it with bin collections and recently with parking charges. People made it clear they didn't want evening charges, and we've scrapped them.
"This council isn't interested in ticking boxes or pretending to listen. We're here to get the basics right and respect what local residents are telling us. We want our tenants to be involved, and we will let them know very soon how they can do that."
The independent review and forthcoming Housing Improvement Plan lay a strong foundation for meeting regulatory standards and delivering improved services for tenants across the borough.
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Published 23 May 2025