TENANT PARTICIPATION AWARD FOR CAOL RESIDENTS GROUP

Iain Ferguson

For the second year in succession, Lochaber has won the runner-up award from the Tenant Participation Advisory Service (TPAS) in competition with projects across Scotland.

Tenant Participation first started in the Highlands in the 1990s, however, the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 gave tenants the legal rights to work more closely with their landlord - in this case The Highland Council - towards the delivery of better services.

This involves consulting and involving tenants in the services provided through effective communication with the local authority, often through the formation of local tenant groups, many of which have been set up with the help of Tenant Participation Officers (TPOs).

At the centre of the submission to the panel of judges was Caol Residents Group which was all the more remarkable since it had only been up and running for just over a year, during which time much had been achieved.

Vice chairman Pamela Hendry and Tenant Participation Officer Karin Mckay travelled to the annual TPAS conference to pick up the award on behalf of the group.

What Caol has been doing

• Caol Resident Group has been successful in gaining funding to operate its well-attended Bite & Blether, providing a safe, warm place, free food, tea and coffee and most importantly a good blether. This is run by the group in partnership with Tenant Participation and Highlife Highland.

• It has improved the area by working with TP and the Flood Protection Team to get nine electricity boxes installed for Christmas trees so that each year the different areas will have lovely tree lights. The group held its first Christmas light switch on and event last year.

• It also organised an Easter event for the community and a free lunch on the King’s coronation. Both were well attended by tenants and residents of Caol.

• It works closely with the community council and Caol Action Group on the locality plan.