Tenant empowerment

Somerset West and Taunton Council came into being on 1 April 2019, bringing together Taunton Deane Borough Council and West Somerset Council. The tenant groups which existed under Taunton Deane Borough Council formally ceased on that date, and we have been working to develop new tenant empowerment structures which would meet the needs of our tenants in the new Council. A number of members from the previous groups have agreed to work with us to develop terms of reference and ways of working for two new groups, so that we can establish full membership by April 2020.

We are developing a new Tenants Strategic Board to replace the Tenant Services Management Board. The current members are:

• Alex Akhigbemen (Chair)
• Dennis Galpin
• Jessie Bunn
• Ivor Hussey
• Councillor Francesca Smith (Housing Portfolio Holder)
• Councillor Janet Lloyd (Shadow Housing Portfolio Holder)

We are also developing a new Tenants Operational Group to replace the Tenants Forum and the Supported Housing Development Group. The current members are:

• Wayne Hobson (Chair and Community Area Representative Middleway) - hobsonwayne605@yahoo.co.uk, 07581 064351
• Roger Fenge (Community Area Representative Lane Estate) - 01823 284900
• Malcolm Holliday (Wellington) - 01823 401023
• Mary Bird (Taunton) - 01823 974447
• Eileen Wightman
• Evelyn Batt
• Livi Mongare (Community Area Representative Priorswood) - 07969 904521
• Jean Joelson
• John Beaman (Community Area Representative Priorswood) - 07514 246713, 01823 335393

We are looking for more tenants to take part, so if you are interested in being involved this year you can let us know through the general enquiries form.

There will also be opportunities to become a member of either group for 2020/21 and we will advertise these widely.

Other tenant contacts

Denise Chidgey, Chair of LETRA (Lane Estate Tenant and Resident Association) - community@linkpartnership.org, Link Centre, 12 Moorland Close, TA1