Tenant group first to win champion cup

09 December 2016

A group of tenants have been recognised for their work in improving services for all council residents.

Aberdeen City Council awarded the inaugural Rita Buchan Tenant Participation Champion Cup to the Housing Service Review Group for their outstanding contribution to tenant participation at the annual tenant and resident event on 6 December.

The event took place just weeks after the Council’s Communities, Housing and Infrastructure decided to dedicate the cup to Rita Buchan, a long-standing community champion who sadly passed away last month.

Rita, a former Councillor for Hilton, worked tirelessly for more than a decade to improve the lives of council tenants across the city.

The Housing Service Review Group were close to Rita’s heart and have continued with her legacy of working together with the Council to improve the lives of many tenants.

Aberdeen City Council’s Communities, Housing and Infrastructure Convener Councillor Neil Cooney said: “I’m am delighted to see Rita’s spirit of working together and building relationships live on through the members of the group who have worked exceptionally hard to make positive change by evaluating our services and making suggestions on how we can do things better.

“This is community empowerment at its best and it is only fitting that we as an organisation recognise those who go above and beyond for others.”

Over the past few years, the group have worked to improve the Repairs Service, Community Safety and Housing Management Services the council offers and have made contributions and recommendations which have since been implemented in the council’s Housing Business Plan.

Members have also travelled all over Scotland to promote and present on the work they do to improve tenant participation and just last month launched an innovative booklet at the TPAS Conference.

What Would Make You Come Through the Door is a step by step guide to how the group reviews services in Aberdeen City Council.

Last night the award was presented by Rita Buchan’s grandson Jack Buchan and Rita’s sister Pamela Gray.