I hope that 2026 has been treating you well so far, 2025 absolutely flew by, didn’t it?  As we wrapped up the year, our Fitton Hill Community Voice group met in December to discuss key updates and share feedback on ForHousing services and community priorities.  

These meetings are all about listening to our concerns, sharing updates, and working together to make our neighbourhoods better places to live. 

Here’s a round-up of what we discussed at the December Community Voice meeting and what’s coming next. 

Helen Wild, Chair of Community Voice and ForHousing tenant  

ForHousing recently received a complaint from a tenant that was investigated by the Housing Ombudsman. The complaint was made after a tenant wasn’t moved out of an unsafe home quickly enough. Following their investigation, they made a severe maladministration ruling against ForHousing. It’s the Ombudsman’s way of saying there was a serious failure in service that had a big impact on a tenant.  

This was difficult to hear, but it showed us there are areas where ForHousing need to do better. 

Our Complaints and Feedback Panel, a group made up of tenants and key colleagues, reviewed the case and agreed there were service failures. While the ruling felt tough, it’s important they take responsibility and learn from it.
ForHousing are committed to improving and listening to feedback and learning from complaints to provide a better service. 

If you’d like to know more about how our complaints process works, click here. 

We also discussed how ForHousing are trialling a new social media approach on Facebook to promote more community focused content. This will allow us to see more tenants like ourselves and ForHousing colleagues at the centre of the posts. To keep up to date with what’s happening in your area and important things about your tenancy, follow ForHousing on Facebook by clicking here.

Concerns were raised about the door at the doctor’s surgery being inaccessible due to it being broken. Although it was repaired, it has broken again. The main door is managed by the library, which adds complexity. This concern has been raised with the local council, so hopefully it will be fixed soon. 

There’s also confusion about who is responsible for certain types of repairs, such as fencing repairs. The full list of repairs responsibilities are on the ForHousing website.  

We heard an update on the new Neighbourhoods service offer. From January, there are two Housing Officers  in post, with a focus on handling low-level anti-social behaviour and improving how quickly they can address your issues you may have. These extra roles will allow ForHousing to spend more time with you, creating a more personable service whilst building a relationship with you.   

A full training plan is in place, and changes should be noticeable from January, with everything fully implemented by April. Members welcomed this as a positive step towards better support for tenants to make us feel safe and secure inside and outside our homes.  

Grounds maintenance was an important topic. This is the upkeep of outdoor areas to keep them clean, safe and well-presented. We learned that: 

• 20,000 lawns are maintained very year to keep them looking visually appealing.  
• With the snow and ice coming, gritting will resume on steps outside offices following feedback. 
• Tree growth at Kessick is affecting visibility, so some trees will be removed to create gaps.  
• Leaf clearance happens twice a year, but areas with a lot of leaves can be prioritised.  

If you need to report an issue in your area, click here to make ForHousing aware. 

The St Martins Play Park is having some exciting changes to it with funding from the council and the project has made fantastic progress. The team shared a summary of all the surveys and community feedback that shaped the plans. One of the biggest changes is the removal of the sandpit. Originally, there was an attempt to keep it, but after listening to local families and their concerns, the decision was made to remove it. Parents highlighted issues such as hygiene and maintenance, which influenced the final choice. 

The sandpit will now be replaced with grass, creating a safer and cleaner play area for children. This change reflects the strong community voice in the consultation process and shows how feedback directly impacts the design. If you have any thoughts you would like to share, click here to get in touch with your local Community Development Officer. 

If you’d like to help shape your community, apply for funding, or just find out more, speak to your Community Development Officer.  

Thanks again to everyone who came along and shared their thoughts — your voice really does make a difference.