Who we are and what we do
North Ayrshire Council launched its estate based project in 2006. The aim was to radically change the way investment in estates was decided, giving tenants some control for the first time.
Our thinking behind the new approach is simple - tenant involvement in decisions about estate investment will improve the sustainability of their neighbourhoods and encourage a sense of ownership. People generally know what's best for their estate. All tenants groups as well as individual tenants are actively involved in the project.
Most of the physical improvements involve new fencing, paving and security and the outcomes so far are encouraging. Problems with vandalism and graffiti have reduced and people are taking more care of their neighbourhoods and it shows.
The estate-based project scheme cannot be used to fund work to individual homes, but it can be used to benefit the environment and/or improve security where tenants live.
How we got going
The council worked closely with our registered tenants and residents associations to help get the initiative up and running.
Every year we advertise the project through our Tenancy Matters newsletter; it gives all tenants in North Ayrshire the opportunity to send us proposals for their area. Once proposals have been checked against set criteria, they are sent to the tenants and residents associations to prioritise. This enables associations to obtain a share of the available funds. A programme of projects to be carried out for the forthcoming year is also set out in the newsletter.
In addition, estate walkabouts are carried out and tenants' priorities are discussed and agreed for the following year.
How we organise ourselves
We have 16 active tenants groups in North Ayrshire; 13 of them are registered tenants' organisations, giving them a recognised role in the council's decision-making process. Although some estates are unrepresented, the annual estate based project budget of £2.5 million is divided between all the areas.
We have seen a rapid development of our tenant participation strategy in recent years. Since the introduction of the Estate Based initiative, participation and consultation has increased immensely. This project is part of the menu of options for tenant empowerment in North Ayrshire.
Where our funding comes from
All the funding for the project comes from the council's housing and environment budget, much of it effectively from tenant's rents.
Hugh Cunning, from North Ayrshire Council, oversees the project and works closely with tenants on specific schemes. Carol Barton, Divisional Manager, helped introduce the initiative…
"The size of the budget was always bound to make a difference. It motivates people to get involved. They realise we've put a lot of money into it and that we are serious about it working."
What we've achieved so far
Most of our schemes have made a big difference to people's lives, improving the local environment as well as their safety and security.
Yonderton Place in West Kilbride is a typical example. Some older tenants living here were struggling to maintain their front gardens, which were not fenced off. People were using them as a short cut and the chipped area was difficult to manage. The tenants decided that they would benefit if their gardens could be fenced and the chipped area replaced with 'street print' -printed and textured tarmac made to look like paving and requiring no upkeep. They worked with the council's technical team to put a proposal together which was then agreed and funding provided; the improvements have been dramatic.
The estate based project is not just about fencing and environmental work; many other improvements have been made on our estates, including security lighting, parking schemes and door entry systems for flats - all decided by tenants, not the council.
Alex Younger represents Fullarton Tenants Association. He has been involved in the project from the start and has no doubts about its benefits.
"We know what needs doing on our estates and now the council are listening and responding. Before the estate based project, we just got the basics done and had no say. Now real change has taken place and we decide how the money is spent. It works - no question."
What we've achieved so far
Lesley Baird, from the Tenant Participation Advisory Service in Glasgow, comments on the project as an external advisor…
"In a very short time, North Ayrshire Council has moved from having a very limited, traditional approach to tenant involvement to one which now has a lot of admirers and interest in copying what they have done. The fact that they are putting in significant resources and the community is having a real say in how these resources are being allocated in their estates is a very positive development."
The problems we've overcome
We haven't run into too many major problems so far. It can, however, sometimes be difficult to get individual tenants interested or to maintain their interest. With schemes like this which affect everyone in a street or small neighbourhood, this can be a problem.
The project does not provide funding for owner occupiers, which can also create difficulties. In some places, owners now outnumber tenants; if they don't join in and pay their share of the costs, it can be difficult to carry out a comprehensive scheme which meets everyone's needs. Fencing schemes present particular challenges in this respect.
We work hard to include everyone, but sometimes we have to exclude individual properties, which is a shame.
Helen Malcolmson, from Castlepark and Eglinton Tenants and Residents Group knows how important it has been to involve everyone in a neighbourhood, not just tenants…
"Our tenants know what's going on and what needs changing in the area. But we've also made sure that the wider community is also involved; these improvements benefit everyone by making our estates a better place to live."
What we've learned
People know what is important in their own area and what makes the area tick. This project makes sense both for the council and for local people. The process is both simple and effective and many estates have improved significantly as a result. Often small improvements can make a big difference.
Good communications are important. Tenants and residents associations have developed strong relationships with the council, but also with other agencies such as the police. The fact that a lot of money has been put into the scheme has been important; it means that improvements can get done quickly and are not left hanging in the air.
Keeping people involved and interested, however, is always an issue; there is definitely a need for on-going support, advice and training. We have an on-going development programme for tenants, which offer training sessions to improve people's skills.
What's next for us?
Moves are now afoot to bring all North Ayrshire's tenants associations together in a new network, opening up the prospect of a more strategic and empowering role for tenants in the estate based project and the council's housing investment plans generally. An Estate Based satisfaction survey is also planned for autumn 2009, which will tell us how satisfied tenants are with the project and how it might be further improved. In the meantime, the plan is to carry on with what has been a very successful project so far.
Want to find out more?
If you would like more information about this project, please contact Tracey Wilson at:
Tenant Participation Manager North Ayrshire Council Housing Services Stevenston Area Housing Office 1 Main Street Stevenston KA20 3AA Phone: 01294 471501 email