Residents Have Their Say on How NPT Homes External Works Budget is Spent

NPT Homes’ Street Squad have been pounding the streets of Lower Brynamman recently to speak with residents about how they can work together to improve their community.
The Street Squad partnership is made up of different teams from NPT Homes, local Councillors and local residents. The partnership ensures we not only improve areas in the Borough aesthetically but also help residents to create their ‘perfect’ community.

Following a large face to face door knocking exercise, residents living in Heol Godfrey and Maes Y Glyn in Lower Brynamman attended a series of co-design events to share ideas and suggestions about environmental improvements they felt were needed in the area.

This consultation has allowed for a final wish list to be drawn up to enhance Lower Brynamman in partnership with staff, residents and other local stakeholders. Top of their list is additional parking facilities and for NPT Homes to provide support for residents to set up their own community group.

As this was a co-design approach, the partnership looked to identify the local resources and assets available within the community. As such, residents are now keen to enhance community spirit by setting up a community group to arrange activities in the local area for residents to take part in. They would also like to form links with local councillors and the police to discuss their area and work with each other to ensure their area is looked after.
In early 2016 a partnership agreement will be finalised between NPT Homes and Lower Brynamman residents and environmental work will start soon afterwards.

Tenant Empowerment Co-ordinator Sian Roach said:
“As an organisation tenant empowerment is at the heart of everything we do. We have a budget for external works to be carried out across the Borough but it was vital that we spoke to those people living in our communities to find out what we can do to enhance the community spirit and listen to where tenants feel we should spend our money.

So far we have had some fantastic ideas from residents about what we can do to benefit the area and we hope to continue to Co-design communities with our street squad projects, in line with the environmental programme.

Resident Ann Davies said:
“I have lived in this area all my life so it was fantastic to be asked what I feel is needed in my community. The session gave us a chance to share our views and work in partnership with staff from NPT Homes. I would encourage any Lower Brynamman tenants that missed the session to share their views on the proposed plans.”