Council reveals plans for engaging with housing tenants

A new strategy is set to be launched setting out how Cheshire West and Chester Council will engage with its council housing tenants and leaseholders over the next five years.

The Council Housing Tenant/Leaseholder Engagement Strategy for 2025-2030 will be decided upon by the Council’s Cabinet at the Cabinet meeting on 10th September.

The Council has worked with the Tenant Participation Advisory Service (TPAS), Council Housing Management Board, and a group of tenants and leaseholders to develop the strategy. Feedback from tenants and leaseholders given during a consultation earlier this year has also been used in the development. The majority of tenants and leaseholders who replied to the consultation demonstrated support for the aims of the strategy.

The strategy describes how Council tenants and leaseholders will be put at the heart of everything the Council does and meaningfully engage with its tenants and leaseholders in an open and transparent way. The strategy also describes how feedback from Council tenants and leaseholders will be used to improve services.

The strategy details four objectives:

• Listening and acting on feedback given – the Council will take the time to listen to its tenants and leaseholders and will ensure that it acts on the feedback and information they provide.  
• Providing information and feedback – the Council will provide information about the services it delivers; and will also ensure that it provides feedback on the things that matter most to its tenants and leaseholders.
• Developing creative ways to involve tenants and leaseholders – the Council will ensure that there are as many ways as possible for its tenants and leaseholders to get involved.  
• Providing safe homes, safe communities – the Council will commit to ensuring that its tenants and leaseholders are housed in safe homes and communities.

The Council owns 5,300 homes in the borough, predominantly in the areas of Ellesmere Port, Neston and Winsford. These homes are currently managed and maintained by the Council’s strategic housing partner, ForHousing, but following Cabinet decisions will be brought in-house and managed directly by the Council from 1 April 2026. Repairs and maintenance will continue to be delivered by an external specialist provider.

Gemma Davies, Director of Economy and Housing at Cheshire West and Chester Council, said:

“Thank you to all tenants and leaseholders who took part in the consultation and all of those who have been involved in developing the strategy. We are committed to working in partnership to support our tenants to prosper and improve their wellbeing and ensure neighbourhoods and communities are sustainable, safe and pleasant, providing affordable homes of the right type and quality.

“This strategy sets out aims and an action plan detailing how tenants and leaseholders will have a clear role in shaping and scrutinising services that ensure the best outcomes for them and the communities in which they live. Last year we formed the Council Housing Management Board, which is a great way for tenants to raise questions about how their homes are managed and maintained, and endorsed the Together with Tenants Charter, which makes commitments to residents to ensure that they receive a high standard of service.

“From next April, the Council will be delivering Council housing services, and we look forward to having the opportunity to deliver a housing model that brings the Council closer to our residents, and this strategy will be an important part of this going forward.”

Current arrangements for contacting ForHousing, forfutures, HomeKey+ and reporting repairs or issues will continue for the time being until the contract ends. More information will be made available closer to the time to let residents know how to contact the new Council service.

To report repairs or issues, please continue to do so by:

Telephone: 0300 123 5522

Online: Repairs reporter - Cheshire West and Chester

Email: hello@forhousing.co.uk