Active Communities
Tenants First will support members who want to set up groups in their area such as Residents Associations, Neighbourhood Watch Schemes or any projects which would be of benefit to our members living in the area. For more information please contact with us at either at our offices.
Residents Associations and Residents Groups
The Co-operative is committed to helping members who wish to set up Residents Associations in their area. We will help member’s consults with others in their area regarding setting up a group and we will assist with such things as adopting a constitution, electing office bearers or any training needs a new committee may have.
Under The Housing (Scotland) Act 2001, residents associations can apply to be registered with landlords who have to register them if they meet certain conditions. See our Participation Strategy for more details. The Co-operative has a duty under the Act to consult with any co-operative members in such residents associations.
In some areas members may wish to form less formal residents associations without wishing to be registered. The co-operative may choose to consult with its members in such associations, provided the association can demonstrate that it is open to all co-operative members living in the local area and can fairly represent their views.
Neighbourhood Watch Schemes
Tenants First supports Neighbourhood Watch (NW) Schemes as we believe they help promote secure and more neighbourly communities. The Neighbourhood Watch programme is based on the “good neighbours” concept and being a good neighbour means being considerate to your neighbours as with their help you can significantly reduce your risk from crime and disorder.
Neighbourhood Watch does not require an individual to patrol the streets but it encourages householders to:
- take an interest in the security of each others property
- mark valuable property and personal possessions with your post code
- improve the security of your own home.
There are many benefits to Neighbourhood Watch schemes – deterrent to crime, closer links with the Community Police, free access to some security measures and for many residents’ lower household contents insurance. It is also a visual message to others of a community working together.
If you are interested in setting up a Neighbourhood Watch scheme for your area Tenants First will support you to get your scheme up and running by helping you contact other members in your area, help with your initial “set-up” meeting and help liaise with Grampian Neighbourhood Watch Association and other schemes within the vicinity.
