Purpose
To provide a structured forum for residents to contribute to the development, review and improvement of housing policy work at Oxford City Council, ensuring that their views help shape the policies that impact their homes and communities. Context
The Council is transforming the work of its housing services in response to new Consumer Standards from the Regulator for Social Housing. These standards require landlords to deliver safe, well-maintained homes and to listen to tenants’ voices. The Resident Policy Review Group (RPRG) is part of this transformation, helping to ensure that policies reflect residents’ views and priorities.
Objectives
- Ensure diverse resident perspectives influence policy content and decision-making
- Review and provide feedback on housing-related policies
- To co-produce new policies in partnership with housing officers, etc. Support the development of a permanent resident-led Policy Oversight Group
Outcomes
- Improved understanding among residents of how their input shapes services
- Clear, resident-informed policy recommendations
- A transparent sign-off process that shows where and how resident feedback has influenced policy making and decision. A stronger culture of co-production and trust between residents and the Council
Membership
12 to 16 residents (tenants, shared owners and leaseholders), selected to reflect a mix of tenures.
Members are encouraged to attend all sessions and contribute constructively.
Meeting Format
- Sessions will be held online via Microsoft Teams
- Residents will receive policy documents in advance
- Each session will include a presentation from policy leads and a facilitated discussion
- Sessions will be fortnightly
- A final session will reflect on outcomes and the next steps, to be held by Resident Involvement Officer and a member of the Policy Delivery Team
Influence and Sign-Off
- Meetings will be minuted and resident feedback recommendations will the summarised and presented to the policy owner
- Recommendations will be reviewed by Policy owners and the Housing Board
- Final decisions rest with the relevant governance structures (e.g., Housing Board, Cabinet).
- A summary of how resident input influenced decisions will be shared with the group
Group Conduct
- Encourage and respect diverse views and experiences
- Contribute constructively and listen actively
- Maintain confidentiality on sensitive matters
