Agenda item

Cabinet to consider a report, which provides an overview of the proposed Residents’ Charter, which has been developed by existing residents to improve the Council’s relationship with its residents.

The report includes the background to the Residents’ Charter, a summary of its content, and a proposal to adopt it.

The Executive Mayor, in Cabinet:

RESOLVED: To

i.                 Note and agree the adoption of the draft Residents’ Charter

ii.               Agree the proposed process set out below for consulting all residents on the Residents’ Charter

iii.             Note and agree the provision to Cabinet of an action plan detailing the development and implementation of the Residents’ Charter in Autumn 2022

iv.             Provide a progress update to Cabinet on the Residents’ Charter in March 2023

Cabinet considered a report, which provided an overview of the proposed Residents’ Charter, which had been developed by existing residents to improve the Council’s relationship with its residents.

The report also included the background to the Residents’ Charter, a summary of its content, and a proposal to adopt it.

The Executive Mayor said he was glad that one of his key election pledges was before Cabinet at it s first meeting tonight, to adopt the Charter.  He said that following the housing scandals over recent years, now meant that the Council had to rebuild trust amongst its residents and leaseholders and across housing estates within the Borough.  He said that the Charter had been written by residents and enshrined the Council’s commitment to give residents a say in how their homes were managed and treating the Borough’s residents with respect.

The Executive Mayor added that there would be a further report to Cabinet later in the year, that would make it very clear how the Council would deliver this charter for the Borough’s residents and leaseholders.

Les Parry, Council tenant from South Norwood, was invited to address Cabinet.

Mr Parry said that, in 2018, he had witnessed the Council approving planning permission to demolish his home and to relocate him.  He spoke on the publicity and controversy which surrounded Regina Road and those affected.

Mr Parry said that this was when he and a small number of fellow residents decided that they would no longer accept being told what was best for them anymore, nor tolerate any decisions being made without residents.  He said they decided to write a charter and it had been presented to Council and the management at that time to take away and embark on discussions.  He said that, from that point to the current day, nothing at all had happened.

Mr Parry acknowledged the Mayor’s pledge and said that residents did not merely want an improved service but, rather, an outstanding service since it was the residents’ money that was paying for the services.  He welcomed the continued consultation with residents, something which, he said, had never occurred before.

The Executive Mayor thanked Mr Parry and his colleagues for writing the Charter and looked forward to working with him to deliver it.  He then invited any comment from the Opposition Group.

Councillor Chrishni Reshekaron (Shadow Cabinet Member for Homes) also thanked Mr Parry and apologised for what he and fellow residents had gone through in the past.  She said that the Labour Group welcomed the adoption of a Residents’ Charter and realised how important it was for Croydon’s residents to be able to hold the Council to account when it came to its housing services.  However, she said there was no evidence to suggest when the Charter would become operational, which was concerning and unfair on residents and asked the Executive Mayor when it was likely to be implemented.

In response, Executive Mayor Perry said that the Council would go out and consult on the Charter to make sure it worked for all of the Borough’s residents and leaseholders.  The findings would then come back to ensure the Council was delivering against the Charter in March 2023 and not delivering the Charter in 2023.

The Executive Mayor, in Cabinet:

RESOLVED that:

1.         the adoption of the draft Residents’ Charter, be agreed;

2.         the proposed process set out in the report for consulting all residents on the Residents’ Charter, be agreed;

3.         the provision to Cabinet of an action plan detailing the development and implementation of the Residents’ Charter in Autumn 2022, be agreed; and

4.         a progress update on the Residents’ Charter be presented to Cabinet in March 2023.