Maggie Hathaway-Mills, a long-term resident of a sheltered housing tower block in Swindon, has expressed both her contentment and concerns regarding the facilities and management of her home. She’s been in the tower block for 13 years and really loves the community facilities that exist. Yet, despite her victories, she faces daunting challenges that expose the deep systemic flaws in the council’s housing management.
Hathaway-Mills finds her living situation satisfactory, stating, “I wouldn’t leave. You would have to drag me out.” Her emotion speaks to a deep desire to protect the community she has cultivated for nearly 30 years. Although she loves her home, she has struggled in her new space, especially with regard to accessing amenities. The amenities are four floors below, and the council has recently encouraged residents to make use of the shared facilities. This poses a huge challenge for Hathaway-Mills, who uses a walker.
The Swindon Borough Council has recognized the need for improvements in its housing infrastructure, announcing plans to invest £250 million into its properties. Council chair Jim Robbins understands that the lack of funding has created the mess. As an example, he cites this long-term permeability problem as a significant component of their current struggles. “It’s a really tricky situation. I think there haven’t been the right levels of investment in the past. We are doing everything we can,” Robbins stated.
Though Robbins has focused on improving housing quality, he has begun to shine a light on regulatory oversight’s complicity. He reminds constituents that the Council learned from past breaches and is willing to work with the Council and other regulators. We’re looking to positively engage…to be positively collaborative with the regulator,” he added. These two prongs are designed to build a collaborative relationship to increase the quality and equity of local housing policy and administration.
Even so, Hathaway-Mills said she is doubtful the system would be effective. She commented on the challenges residents face: “It’s the system that’s got hiccups. They’ve always had hiccups but the hiccups are getting bigger.” Her frustrations are part of a larger message residents have been sending about the process of handling repair and maintenance requests.
Looking to engage with residents in these feedback sessions more productively, Robbins has extended an invitation to residents to attend these council engagement sessions. These initiatives are designed to lay the groundwork for bold and honest discussion. Residents are able to directly communicate their experiences to council decision makers about deteriorating housing conditions and urgent community priorities.
As Swindon continues to navigate these challenges, residents like Hathaway-Mills hope for sustained attention and action from local authorities to ensure safe and comfortable living conditions in their homes.
