New tenant-led housing panel set up in town

Tenant Scrutiny Panels, which are being set up across Northern Ireland by the Housing Executive, aim to ensure that local offices are delivering the services required in their areas and to the level of quality expected by tenants.

In the East – which encompasses Ballymena, Carrickfergus, Larne and Magherafelt – a panel of tenants from across the area will scrutinise services they feel are most important to tenants in the coming year, with Jim Wightman and Linda Manson representing Carrickfergus.

The group meets three times a year and members have said they are looking forward to the year ahead.

Chair of the Scrutiny Panel, Jim Wightman, said: “This new panel has given tenants from each of the Districts an opportunity to work together to enhance the service provided within the area.”

Mairead Myles Davey, Area Manager for the East, said the new panels will ensure that the Housing Executive works in an active and meaningful partnership with communities.

“The panels will also ensure that we are accountable to our tenants for the delivery of our services and we will be in a position to continuously seek the views of our tenants and strive to improve the delivery of our services,” she added.

In addition to the panels, the NIHE has also formed resident and inter-agency partnerships in the area, enabling residents to take part in ventures such as joint working groups, community partnerships and estate inspections.