Sussex Regional Resident Panel: Topics discussed this year
The Sussex Regional Resident Panel continues to play a vital role in shaping services and representing residents across the region. Here’s the latest updates and developments discussed during 2025:
February 2025
Members were reminded by the Safeguarding Team to call 999 for urgent safeguarding concerns outside normal hours to ensure a prompt emergency response.
Panel members were told about our plans to improve staff training. This will help us better support residents with complex needs, including mental health and physical disabilities. The aim is to help people live independently and keep their homes.
Contract Services shared plans to add more local surveyors in Sussex. This will improve response times and communication. The Board also approved the regeneration of Four Courts in St Leonards. A Resident Steering Group has been set up to help shape the plans and support residents who need to move.
May 2025
Members shared that they would like to capture and preserve the stories of Four Courts residents before the tower blocks are demolished. Southern Housing are exploring ways to honour these memories as part of the regeneration.
Updates were shared on improvements to anti-social behaviour procedures, including the introduction of a new Good Neighbour Management process to foster safer communities.
From 2 June, Southern Housing gained live access to contractor reports, including photos and real-time updates, improving transparency and communication around repairs. In response to resident feedback, a pilot scheme is also being launched to notify all residents in a block or scheme about communal issues, such as water, electricity, or door access, via message or email, ensuring everyone stays informed.
September 2025
The Director of Transformation shared progress on the Repairs Transformation Programme, which focuses on working closely with Repair Teams to identify key priorities and implement targeted improvements. The initiative aims to enhance both the quality and efficiency of repair services, ensuring a better experience for residents.
Kent and Essex Regional Resident Panels: Driving Service Improvements
Resident Panels across Kent and Essex have continued to play a vital role in shaping services, raising concerns, and influencing improvements throughout the year.
Key discussions have focused on streamlining resident contact, improving gas servicing standards, and tackling anti-social behaviour with new triage tools under the Good Neighbourhood Management framework.
Estate Services saw a positive uplift in satisfaction, supported by operational change.
Recent enhancements to the online portal following Panel Feedback
The panel felt the character limit on the online reporting portal was too restrictive, making it difficult for residents to provide detailed feedback.
Within 48 hours of receiving this feedback, the character limit was increased to 1,000 characters. This swift change demonstrates the power of resident voices in driving real-time service improvements.
BISH (Berkshire & Surrey, Hampshire & Isle of Wight) Regional Resident Panel: Message from Paul Day, Chair of BISH
“Over the past year, the BISH Panel has explored a broad range of issues, including service charges, major works, and communication. Members received updates from Southern Housing and were given opportunities to question processes, seek clarification, and offer constructive suggestions.
Looking ahead to 2026, we're encouraged by the shift towards more direct labour operatives maintaining our areas, rather than relying on contractors. This change brings greater consistency and accountability.
By working closely with Southern Housing, we can all have input into the future and what residents would like to see improve. Reflecting on the last 12 months, we’ve all made a huge difference in making our homes and lives happier.”
London Regional Resident Panels – A reflection from Ibinabo Nwanze, Chair of the London Residents Panel
“When I look back on 2025, I see a year when the London Residents Panel truly found its rhythm. It was steady, curious, and deeply committed to making residents’ voices count.
In February, we tackled the big-ticket topics that shape real lives: major works, community safety, and social impact. These subjects touch on the core of what matters most to Londoners - dignity and safety in our homes, and trust in the organisation that provides our homes. From damp and mould to anti-social behaviour, our conversations reflected the London we live in - a complex, fast-moving city filled with residents who care fiercely about their communities and their homes.
By May, we went deep into the details of contract services, performance management, and the ongoing shift toward insourcing and so far, the results in North London have been impressive. We spoke candidly about what works and what doesn’t, giving clear, constructive feedback on how things can improve. Our extended discussions about holding external managing agents accountable landed positively, with a new team created to develop and embed a framework for better working relationships between Southern Housing and External Managing Agents (EMAs). That progress matters deeply to London, which has the highest number of EMA managed services in the organisation.
The September meeting tied many of these threads together. We heard about the fantastic work being led by the Resident Involvement Team, supporting residents in some of our most challenged estates, helping them raise their concerns, and learning from what works and what doesn’t. Their willingness to listen, adapt, and replicate success across other parts of London and below is inspiring, and we look forward to seeing how this develops in the year ahead.
We welcomed new members and, though very few have stepped away from the panel, our core remained intact, which is a quiet but powerful testament to the meaning people find in this work. It shows the conversations we’re having are not just necessary but genuinely valuable.
As I look towards 2026, I see an opportunity not only to maintain what we’ve built but to evolve it. I hope to see sharper data, the turnaround in the experience of our South London residents when contract services are insourced and continued improvements in how leaseholders experience Southern Housing. I also hope for deeper resident involvement in decision-making and greater visibility of our impact at Board level along with a stronger, two-way relationship between the Board and residents.
Most of all, I want our human stories of tenants, leaseholders, and residents to feed directly into how policies are shaped and services delivered.
The London Regional Residents‘ Panel is more than a governance structure. It is a strong bridge between Southern Housing and the communities it services. That is what I am most proud of.”
Midlands Regional Resident Panels: A message from Sue Latimer, Chair, and Richards Thomas, Vice Chair
“We both live in the Independent Living Schemes within the West Midlands, our Panel is recruited from all areas across the Midlands area. We hold our meetings on a quarterly basis, generally online.
During this year the panel focused on a wide range of topics that may impact residents. This is just a small snapshot.
One presentation was covering safeguarding which gave the panel an overview of the team and dealing with this very sensitive area. We felt there were robust processes in place to protect individuals and respond appropriately to any issues, which seems reassuring.
An area the panel continually highlights is void properties. The amount of time and cost to the company must be a major financial burden. Sadly, this is an ongoing issue.
The panel worked on getting the new signage across the region to reflect the Southern Housing identity which is an achievement. As a group we’ll continue to challenge and highlight areas that impact the residents of Southern Housing and would ask for their involvement and support.
Can we take this opportunity to wish everyone a Happy Christmas and look forward to 2026 bringing peace and happiness.”
