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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 Spring 2021.

These groups will enable tenants to have their voices heard, make it easy to raise concerns to those in the Council who make the decisions and to influence and shape what the Council does.

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

  • Alex Akhigbemen 
  • Samantha Rickward
  • Jessie Bunn
  • Ivor Hussey
  • Paul Cram
  • Kevin Hellier
  • Corrine McMylor
  • Stephen Smith
  • Luke Manning
  • Colin England
  • Councillor Mark Lithgow (Elected Councillor)
  • Councillor Francesca Smith (Housing Portfolio Holder)
  • Councillor Janet Lloyd (Shadow Housing Portfolio Holder)

View minutes and agendas from the Tenant Strategic Group meetings.

We are also developing a new Tenants Action 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
  • Malcolm Holliday (Vice-Chair and Community Area Representative Wellington) - 01823 401023
  • Shirley Betts (Community Area Representative Darby Way, Bishops Lydeard) bettsshirley6@gmail.com 
  • Alison Heath (Community Area Representative Darby Way, Bishops Lydeard)
  • Alan Carlton (Community Area Representative Milverton) carltonaljan@btinternet.com 
    07736442828 
  • Christine Smith (Community Area Representative Monkton Heathfield) 
  • John Beaman (Community Area Representative Priorswood) - 07514 246713, 01823 335393

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

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.

Other tenant contacts

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