Dame Judith Hackitt's Independent Review: 'The voices of residents often go unheard, even when safety issues are identified.' (Executive Summary, page 11) |
A collaborative culture should extend to all members of the team, and also where applicable to residents as the stakeholders most directly affected by an in-scope project or programme of work. Collaborative procurement can ensure that residents' voices are heard.
A clear communication system is necessary to ensure that the views of resident representatives are notified, considered, discussed and taken into account. This system needs to be reliable and fully understood. It needs to go beyond informal lines of contact, standard complaints procedures and the points raised at meetings convened for other purposes. ISO 44001 notes that a collaborative team should 'establish, maintain and actively manage an effective communication process, including the messages for key stakeholders (including all collaborative parties), the vision, the objectives behind the collaboration and how concerns will be managed'.
Example: On a five-year housing programme undertaken by Erimus Homes in Middlesbrough, 'Residents were involved by consultation and choice through the use of a mobile exhibition unit. The average satisfaction score was 9/10. The Erimus investment plan delivery team was commended in the "Integration and Collaborative Working" category at the Constructing Excellence 2007 awards.' |
In communications with residents, a system of feedback is imperative to ensure that the meaning and intent of issues raised are clear and unambiguous. For example, communication should be assisted by structured meetings between the representatives of team members and those resident representatives who are authorised to address issues when they arise. Clear procedures and terms of reference for these meetings, linked to mechanisms for the incremental agreement of new information, will increase the chances of preserving the relationships between team members and residents while also respecting their different interests.