These include general needs associations and sheltered housing. The Federation has an important role in shaping future housing services and also monitoring the quality of that service. The Federation meet bi-monthly with its members and also have a joint meeting with officers from Denbighshire County Council housing department. These are held at various locations throughout the county, including R
hyl, Meliden, Denbigh and Ruthin. These meetings are very constructive and officers update the Federation on things such as Performance Indicators and the Refurbishment Programme. Federation members sit on various groups such as:-
• Improvements sub-committee – tenants are key to the programme and helped to choose contractors for the refurbishments and window and door programme.
• Sheltered housing sub-group – the group have been consulted on improvements to the Telecare equipment.
• Tenant participation strategy core group – group members were consulted and received training to help write the strategy and will be responsible for carrying forward the action plan.
• Federation members are involved in the Environmental Improvement programme in partnership with the council. Another important role of the Federation is to identify volunteer training needs and enrol them on courses at Trafford Hall which is a tenant resource centre based on the outskirts of Chester. Courses normally last between 2 and 3 days and tenants stay overnight. Examples of courses offered include The Role of the Treasurer, Committee Skills and Effective Funding Applications. Tenants that have been to Trafford Hall state that the courses are excellent and invaluable to all volunteers. The Federation can assist in organising fun days for the community and also arranging litter picking days. The Federation have litter pickers available which all tenants and residents associations are free to use to clean up their areas.
