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THE HISTORY OF RFTRA

Chris Bloomfield (pictured here with his wife, Jane) was the first Tenant Participation Officer. Here he is receiving an award for his outstanding commitment to Tenant Participation

Following an information campaign launched by Reading Borough Council on issues that arose from the 1988 Housing Act, the new post of Tenant Support Manager was established in 1989 to co-ordinate consultation and build effective partnerships between council tenants' and the Council.

The growth in Associations necessitated the need for an umbrella group to represent the collective interests of these groups. The inspiration and idea for the formation of Reading Federation of Tenants and Residents Associations (RFTRA) was first developed by a small group of tenants and residents groups across Reading that met in the front room of a tenants' home in Whitley. RFTRA was not officially recognised until 1993 but had been busy behind the scenes drawing up a constitution and gaining funding. The Council responded to this need by developing and supporting (RFTRA). RFTRA was found a small office space in the Civic Centre. Now the support includes an annual grant and the provision of a Resource Centre based in the centre of Reading. After some time more funding was found which enabled RFTRA to employ a full time Administrator.

The first recognised formal tenants Association was Coley High Rise Tenants Association, today there are 20 Associations. As well as representing home owners and Housing Association Tenants, these groups now directly represent the interests of 80% of the 7,500 tenant households in Reading.

Many of the Associations have secured grants to start, and go on to raise funds through fundays, fetes and other fundraising events. Most of the Associations in Reading now utilise facilities developed in recent years, such as the Advice Shops in Whitley, Southcote and Dee Park, to act as a base for their activities and to provide free venues for their meetings.

RFTRA did have a predecessor, the Joint Consultative Committee that brought together the residents and tenants groups to address housing plus issues. This has now been incorporated into RFTRA and is one of two showcases. Two delegates from each Council Tenant Association are invited to attend these meetings, where often there is a Presentation or a guest speaker to come and give news or updates on topical issues.

Then came the Joint Environmental Committee the second of the RFTRA sub-groups. This is open to both tenants and residents and addresses a broad range of environmental issues.

RFTRA has come a long way since it’s conception and is now a successful consultative body representing issues that have been referred to them, to the Council. We now have a committee of dedicated Officers whose aim is to ensure that it is a representative of the whole of Reading, making Reading better to live in for everyone.