1. The Group should be from a locally defined area or be made up of certain property types i.e. sheltered housing/bungalows or flats on a housing estate.

2. Runnymede Borough Council recognises that in some areas the number of Council owned properties has been reduced due to Right To Buy sales and also that a number of properties are not part of an estate or area. In areas such as these we would recognise Tenants and Residents Associations that have at least a 50% membership of council tenants and would be able contribute 50% of the usual Runnymede Borough Council funding to the running of this group.

3. Does not exclude anyone who lives in the area.

4. Is able to show it has the support of the people it aims to represent.

5. Is able to show that the group actively encourages as many people as possible, from all backgrounds, to get involved.

6. Can demonstrate that the group has an active equal opportunities policy.

7. The group has a recognised constitution and is acceptable to its members and the council. The Constitution should also make reference to a code of conduct for meetings and have guidelines for group membership and voting.

8. The group is run by a committee elected each year at an Annual General Meeting.

9. The group is able to show that it listens to its members and acts on what they say and keeps its members regularly informed and updated.

10. The group will be a point of contact for the Council to consult on the views of residents in the local area.

11. Is able to show that the group is responsible in the way that it is run e.g. keeping accounts.

12. The group is able to show that they actively represent the views of its members wherever possible.

13. Each year the group will need to demonstrate that the group continues to meet the criteria above and that the accounts are audited each year by the landlord.

14. The group can demonstrate that it is working with the council in helping to meet the Council’s Tenant Involvement strategy and is part of one of the many forms of consultation with residents.

15. Runnymede Borough Council will provide each group with an annual review form and will complete this with the secretary and any other committee member who would like to be involved. The methods involved in assessing the annual review will be laid out in the Local Compact and agreed with the group and the Council.

In return the landlord will

1. Provide recognition for all new groups within one month of application.

2. Monitor and review the organisation annually (as above) and at the same time audit the accounts. Provide confirmation to the group to continue and/or make recommendations to improve or make changes where the group does not meet the criteria. Where this happens no further funding will be awarded and recognition suspended until this is in place. This will be agreed in advance with the group.

3. Provide quarterly funding on application on the understanding that the previous funding received has been spent on the groups activities. The group is also free to apply for funding from alternative sources also and to raise their own funds. There will be a maximum of £1,000.00 council funding annually.

4. Offer at least one seat on the Tenants and Leaseholders Services Group (TLSG) which meets five times a year. This is subject to the constitution of the TLSG which may change in the future if it increases in size and representation. This is the vehicle the Council uses to consult with tenants on Housing Policy and Strategy. The chair of this group also sits on the Council’s Housing Committee.

5. Provide a training programme for new groups and ensure groups are invited to conferences.

6. Be invited to become members of Surrey Wide Involvement Group (SWIG) which is a group of tenants, residents and landlords Surrey wide who meet four times a year to share best practice in Tenant Involvement and share working practices to improve conditions for tenants.

7. Provide each group with help to write a local compact and ask for views on the Tenant Empowerment Strategy.

8. Share information on obtaining resources and grants and offering the use of facilities such as meeting rooms and photocopying.