We hold a Residents’ Forum two or three times a year where each of our 12 sites is invited to send a representative to bring up any issue/suggestion. Two of our Trustees attend as well as our Buildings Maintenance Officer and me. We ask in advance for any issues they are going to bring up and tell them that this is not a venue for them to bring up day to day issues which can be dealt with by the site Wardens or minor squabbles among residents etc. We then send out an agenda, and we send out minutes afterwards. At the first meeting of the year we tell them all the maintenance we are planning for the year.
It has been reasonably successful. Initially we did get a lot of moaning and minor complaints, as well as suggestions such as each site having a mobile bank, but over the last year or so they have been much more productive and more sensible. It has also made them realise just how much we actually do and how much money we spend! We do have to be fairly strict about the time as otherwise they would sit and natter and complain for hours, and drink tea and each chocolate biscuits…
Susan Coen
Salisbury City Almshouse & Welfare Charities