A housing association executive has joined a nationwide initiative designed to strengthen communities through direct dialogue with residents.
Nick Apetroaie, chief executive of Accent Housing, travelled to Bradford where he took part in the Big Local Conversation outreach programme alongside team members.
The initiative ran from September 15-16 and extended across 43 different areas throughout the country.
Apetroaie spent time in Clayton and Allerton, speaking with local residents to understand their experiences and collect their views.
Early statistics indicate approximately 1,729 individual conversations took place, alongside 4,539 completed digital questionnaires.
Residents’ priorities emerged clearly from the feedback.
Twenty-five percent of those consulted expressed a desire for cleaner and better-maintained local environments.
A further 16 percent highlighted concerns relating to repairs and maintenance of properties.
The programme was structured around informal, in-person exchanges and aimed to increase Accent’s presence within the neighbourhoods it serves.
The information gathered will guide the organisation’s forthcoming strategies.
Accent Housing’s Head of Customer and Community Engagement, Jo Gallagher, noted that the Big Local Conversation represented the organisation’s most extensive customer engagement activity, offering a valuable forum for staff and residents to discuss the topics of greatest importance to their local areas.