Blackpool Coastal Housing (BCH) celebrated the launch of its new Customer Involvement Agreement at the top of Blackpool’s iconic Tower this week.

The new Agreement signals the end to over 18 months of dedication and development by the Tenant Liaison Forum, Blackpool Council and BCH to revolutionise how customers are involved in scrutinising and shaping how their homes are managed.

Peter Jefferson, Chief Executive of BCH, stated: “The launch of our new agreement illustrates our commitment to providing our customers with the opportunity to work with us in developing services, to scrutinise our performance and to hold us to account if we fail meet our promises. This Agreement will ensure that our customers really are placed at the heart of everything we do.”

Blackpool Council and BCH’s previous involvement structures had been in place for over 10 years and needed to be reviewed in light of the changes to social housing regulation and to better reflect new approaches to involving customers.

The Tenant Liaison Forum, Blackpool’s main consultative body for over 10 years, officially concluded its activities with the launch of the new Agreement.

A new Community Partner Scheme has been developed for local community groups who want to work in partnership with BCH and customers are already being recruited to sit on the new Blackpool Tenants & Leaseholders Assembly.

Maurice Christian, outgoing Chair of the Tenant Liaison Forum commented: “It is fitting that the last act of the Tenant Liaison Forum has been to develop and agree these new structures that are the foundations for the next 10 years of involvement. The Tenant Liaison Forum has been at the forefront of championing tenants views for over 10 years and I would like to thank everyone who has been apart of the TLF in that time.”