Opportunities to get involved

Community Grant Fund - apply for a grant or become an assessor!

Do you have an idea that could make your local area better? Our Community Grant Fund could help bring it to life. Residents can apply for funding to support projects that benefit their community - from improving shared spaces to creating new opportunities for local people.

You can also take part as a grant assessor. This is a great opportunity to work in partnership with other residents and us to help decide how funding is allocated. As an assessor, you will:

  • review applications from your community
  • help ensure they meet the aims of the scheme
  • make recommendations or suggest improvements
  • support and promote the fund locally

Whether you're applying for funding or helping to assess applications, you'll be playing a key role in shaping your community and making a difference where it matters most. 

Visit our Community Grant Fund page to find out more.

Share your views

We regularly run short surveys to understand your experiences and improve our services. These might be about things like:

  • moving into your home
  • recent repairs
  • reporting anti-social behaviour

Your feedback helps us learn what's working well and where we need to do better. If you'd like to take part, you can join our bank of residents who are contacted for surveys and feedback opportunities. Our surveys only take a few minutes, and your feedback can make a real difference. Please register your interest by:

Email

residentengagement@arun.gov.uk

Please include your name, address, and contact details

Phone

01903 737763

Estate walkabouts - join us on inspections

Want to help improve your local area? Work with us to help keep your neighbourhood safe, clean, and welcoming for everyone by joining your tenancy services officer on a local estate inspection. This is a great opportunity to walk around your neighbourhood together to:

  • highlight any issues in communal areas
  • share your ideas for improvements
  • help shape priorities for your local environment

Further information, including the inspection schedules and routes, can be found on our estate inspections page.

Email

residentengagement@arun.gov.uk  

neighbourhood.services@arun.gov.uk

or contact your tenancy services officer directly.

Please include your name, address, contact details, and anything we should be aware of, such as availability or any adjustments to support your participation.

Phone

01903 737763 or 01903 737534

Resident readers - help us improve our communication

Help shape the way we communicate by becoming a resident reader. We're looking for people who can give feedback on our publications before they're shared more widely - such as:

  • our quarterly newsletter, Arun at Home
  • changes to policies and procedures
  • other important communications

Your feedback will help us make sure our information is clear, accessible, and easy to understand. You can choose what you'd like to review, based on your interests and availability - there's no obligation to take part every time.

If you'd like to become a resident reader, we'd welcome your support. Contact us by:

Email

residentengagement@arun.gov.uk

Please include your name, address, and contact details. 

Phone

01903 737763 

Coffee breaks for age-restricted accomodation - join us for a cuppa

Join us at one of our friendly coffee breaks, hosted by your tenancy services officer. These relaxed sessions take place a few times per year, in the communal lounges of our age-restricted accommodation blocks. These sessions usually last around an hour, and we bring the biscuits!

They're a great opportunity to:

  • meet your tenancy services officer and other residents
  • chat about any issues or ideas you have
  • get involved in shaping activities within your block

We also sometimes invite local partners such as Wellbeing, and Community Safety teams, alongside our resident engagement officer, financial inclusion officer, Repairs team members or contractors, who can offer:

  • a helpful talk or advice
  • activities that support health, wellbeing, and independent living
  • fun sessions like games, light refreshments, and social time

If you live in one of our age-restricted blocks, we'd really encourage you to come along. Whether you want to raise a concern, share ideas, or simply connect with others, these sessions are for you. You can find further information about the coffee breaks including scheduled dates and times for your block, on the communal noticeboards. You can also ask Tenancy Services to confirm if you are unsure. Contact us by:

Email

neighbourhood.services@arun.gov.uk

Please include your name, address, and contact details. 

Phone

01903 737534

Voices of experience - just for the over 60's

Our voices of experience (VOE) events are held bi-annually for residents living in age-restricted housing blocks. They provide a friendly and supportive space for you to share your views and shape what matters most to you.

At these sessions, you can raise topics, share ideas, and hear directly from officers across council teams which may include Tenancy Services, Anti-social behaviour, repairs and compliance, parks, wellbeing, complaints and cleansing. 

Occasionally, members of our leadership team also attend, giving you the chance to see new faces and influence decisions and services. We also host occasional special events and roadshows, bringing together local organisations and support services. These events offer helpful advice, activities, and opportunities around areas such as health, wellbeing, finances, digital skills, and community support.

If you live in one of our age-restricted blocks, or if you are a resident, leaseholder or shared owner aged 60+ and would like to join the invite list, please get in touch by:

Email

residentengagement@arun.gov.uk

Please include your name, address, and contact details. 

Phone

01903 737763

Resident Boards - A seat at the table

We've introduced these resident-led groups to give residents a stronger voice and a more meaningful role in shaping housing services. By working in partnership with us, they help ensure decisions are informed by real experiences, services continue to improve, and what matters most to residents stays at the heart of everything we do.

These groups are also an important part of delivering our Resident Engagement Strategy and meeting the expectations of the Social Housing Regulation Act and Consumer Standards. They contribute to those who want to be involved in co-designing services, reviewing our performance, influencing decisions and holding us to account.

Resident Engagement Board (REB)

The Resident Engagement Board (REB) is a resident-led group that provides independent challenge, scrutiny, and assurance across our housing services. Working in partnership with the council, members review performance, monitor safety and service quality, and ensure that complaints, feedback, and learning lead to meaningful improvements.

This REB provides a unique opportunity to influence decisions at a strategic level, making sure resident voice impacts and is embedded into the council's core processes and governance structure. You don't need formal experience - just your lived experience, your perspective, and a genuine interest in improving services for everyone.

Meetings are held every six to eight weeks and are hosted by an independent chair from TPAS (Tenant Participation Advisory Service). The chair provides guidance to the REB for the first 12 months, as well as supporting REB members to develop new skills and build confidence through tailored training. The REB is now fully represented by 14 committed and diverse members, but we are working on a process to allow interested and prospective members to apply to join in the future.

In the meantime, you may want to consider our Resident Sounding Board below.

Resident Engagement Board (REB) - Meeting summaries

5 February 2026
  • Residents raised concerns about service delivery, especially empty homes (voids), repairs, and staff presence on estates:
  • Residents are worried about the number of empty homes, especially in some blocks where this is repeatedly being raised. Residents have requested a review of these homes and a clear plan to get them back into use more quickly. 
  • Repairs were described as uncoordinated, with suggestions to complete works block by block or in grouped visits, rather than separate appointments. This approach could reduce repeated visits and minimise disruption for residents. There are also concerns about follow-up and how contractors are managed. These concerns have been recognised, and there are plans to involve residents in improving how repairs and estate inspections are organised moving forward. You can find more information on how to get involved here: Estate inspections | Arun District Council
  • Residents feel that communication from staff could be improved. This includes making sure staff show understanding, are aware of different cultures, and give clear advice or direct people to the right support. Residents also said that written information should be easier to read and checked properly before publishing. Residents can get involved through the Resident Readers group, helping to review and improve communications before they are shared. You can find more information on how to get involved here: Opportunities to get involved | Arun District Council
  • Residents would like to see a stronger staff presence in larger or more complex buildings. This would help with safety, quicker support, and better communication. 
  • Residents are concerned about safety in their neighbourhoods. They would like to see improvements such as better lighting, more CCTV, and modern entry systems to help people feel safer. There were also concerns about how anti-social behaviour is dealt with, with a need for better coordination between teams so issues are handled more quickly and reliably.
  • Residents have asked for better support to meet different needs. This includes things like more space for mobility scooters, home adaptations for people with disabilities, and information being available in different languages. There were also concerns about new residents not always receiving the same important information when they move in. These areas will be explored further through ongoing engagement work.
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17 April 2026

Residents want their lived experiences acknowledged, for the Council to be more transparent with any limitations on service delivery and commit to following up with residents:

  • Residents want to know what happens after they give feedback and see clear responses to what has been raised, highlighting the importance of feeling listened to, respected and treated with dignity. This forms part of the wider resident engagement work currently underway.
  • Residents asked for more detailed information about how services are performing and how decisions are made to understand if services used are good value for money. Residents have asked for housing services performance results including complaints and lessons learned, use of consultants and temporary staff and the estate inspections process. 
  • Residents feel that senior leadership and those in interim or temporary posts should visit neighbourhoods more regularly to support a greater understanding of lived experience and geography of the district. Concerns were raised that there is not enough investment in permanent staff development.
  • Residents have asked for clearer information on the post inspection process including how decisions are made - including which properties get post inspected - and to have better access to the lettable standards.
  • Over the next 12 months, residents shared that they would like to see better use of community hubs, honest communication about repairs timescales and better contractor communication. Residents also hope to have the Tenant Portal reinstated to have a reliable source of information and ability track services.
  • Residents would also like to promote visibility of the REB's work to wider communities, sharing this by way of noticeboard updates, short newsletters and visits to other neighbourhoods. This will encourage a better understanding of wider issues affecting all residents, and to engage in feedback on local issues.
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3 June 2026

Residents shared that it is positive to see progress and clear direction since the REB was formed but would like to see more engagement from different cultures and age groups. Residents would like to understand more about the wider population and how they feel we perform:

  • Residents have requested a breakdown of Arun's property portfolio, to learn more about the number of properties per area, property types (e.g. flats, houses, bungalows) and to ensure fair representation on the REB.
  • Residents describe concerns with repairs contractors, including poor behaviour such as untidy work, not presenting identification and impolite interactions. Residents believe that poor customer service is due to the stigma of living in social housing, especially in blocks of flats.
  • Residents feel the ASB policy is not effective, and this needs further review. This is being addressed by the Acting Group Head of Wellbeing and Communities. 
  • Residents learned about the Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSM's), and how Arun has performed each year, starting in 2023. This was important to show residents where Arun placed against national targets. Arun is currently scoring under average in seven areas, performing above average in four areas, with one area 'on target', which was 'Satisfaction with Communal Areas'. Unfortunately, Complaints continues to have the lowest satisfaction score from residents.
  • One of the resident members shared insights from a recent event they attended, hosted by Worthing Homes on 29 April 2026. Other members are encouraged to join the Tenants Participation Advisory Service (TPAS) via Arun's membership and explore free learning and training resources for social housing residents.
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The Resident Engagement Board will continue to meet every 6 - 8 weeks. A meeting schedule has been decided by the REB, and is as follows:

  • 3 June 2026: Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs)
  • 20 July 2026: Repairs, Maintenance and Voids 
  • 17 September 2026: Complaints
  • 3 November 2026: Tenancy Standards (including contracts)
  • 14 December 2026: Service Charges and Rents
  • 2 February 2027: Communications
  • 24 March 2027: Allocation of Home and Additional Needs

Resident Engagement Board (REB) meetings will be held for up to two hours to keep discussions focused. Our Chair, Adele Duncan (TPAS), will continue to support the REB through to 2027.

We will always offer accessible and hybrid options to ensure everyone can attend comfortably and senior managers will attend each meeting. An action plan has been developed to support open and transparent sharing of changes to our service, influenced by resident voice. Progress updates will be shared with the REB before the next meeting. Meeting summaries will also be available on our website and in the Arun at Home newsletter.

Resident Sounding Board (RSB)

The Resident Sounding Board is a smaller, fast paced and time-limited group of residents who play a hands-on role in shaping new ideas and approaches to service delivery early, before decisions are made.

This is a more informal and creative space designed for residents who may not be able to commit to regular, structured meetings but still want to share their views. It offers a collaborative way to give feedback that goes beyond completing a survey.

As part of the Sounding Board, you will provide timely, practical feedback that helps shape proposals. This may include the review of draft documents such as service standards, contributing to themed discussions (for example, safety, sustainability, inclusion), sharing ideas for improving community spaces, events, or local activities, advising on new or improved approaches to communications (e.g. newsletters, letters, campaigns) or exploring solutions to common issues in a creative way.

Your input ensures that the things that matter most to residents are considered early - before they move into formal decision-making through groups like the Resident Engagement Board (REB). If you want to make an impact in a flexible and focused way, the RSB may be the group for you!

If you'd like to become an RSB member, or if you would like to observe a meeting to 'try it out', please get in touch by:

Email

residentengagement@arun.gov.uk

Please include your name, address, and contact details. 

Phone

01903 737763

1 April 2026

The Resident Sounding Board (RSB) met to review the housing service standards, highlight what works, address what doesn't, and identify opportunities for improvement to enable us to deliver the service our residents deserve:

  • Residents raised concerns that tenancy information and services can be difficult to understand and are not always consistent. They highlighted that tenancy agreements are often too long and complex, with some people feeling rushed to sign them without enough time to read through properly; Residents also told us that it is unclear how rent in advance and how it is calculated, and some worry that charges may not be applied fairly. 
  • Residents felt that welcome visits can happen too soon after moving in, and raised concerns about a lack of tenancy services officers, high staff turnover, and the need for a more visible staff presence in communities. 
  • Issues were raised about anti-social behaviour (ASB), with residents sharing that ASB is not always being dealt with strongly enough. Residents explained the difficulties in finding contact details and policy updates, and a lack of clear guidance on specific topics, such as running a business from home.
  • Residents raised several concerns about the repairs service. They reported expecting follow-up work after surveys but not seeing this happen, and issues with previous repair records being lost during housing system changes. Some residents felt their repair reports were questioned or not always believed and noted that the promised single point of contact plan was not put in place. 
  • Concerns were also raised about safety and accessibility in some blocks, including the removal of entry fobs, steps creating barriers, requests to improve security and independence, and questions about who is being housed in age-restricted blocks.
  • Residents said they would like to see more local community events taking place. They suggested hosting events closer to where people live, with housing teams, contractors, and support organisations attending together to provide joined-up support. Residents also felt these events should be open to the wider community to encourage greater involvement and connection between social housing and non-social housing communities.
  • Residents shared that they are willing to wait up to 10 working days if it means receiving a clear and thorough response. However, they would like reference numbers so they can track their queries more easily. Some felt that customer service can be inconsistent, depending on staff workloads and individual moods.
Accordion end

How we are responding to your feedback

You Said, We're Doing

We are using your feedback to review our services, improve communication, and put clear actions in place to deliver more consistent and accessible housing services. Actions we're taking in response to resident feedback from the REB and RSB can be found below:

Housing Officers & Tenancy Services

Work is underway to improve tenancy information and services. An Easy Read tenancy agreement is being developed (due by March 2027), alongside a standardised approach to rent in advance. The recharge policy is also being reviewed, and changes to how housing officers are allocated to areas are being considered. A session has been arranged with the REB to discuss homelessness and allocations on 24 March 2027.

Repairs and Maintenance

The concerns raised are currently being reviewed by the repairs team. A further update will be provided at the next REB meeting on 20 July 2026, where the Repairs and Maintenance Manager will be attending to deliver a session on repairs, maintenance and voids (empty homes).

Resident Engagement

This work is being led by the Resident Engagement Officer, with planning already underway alongside the Communities and Wellbeing team. A local event is being developed near Bersted Green Community Hub, bringing together residents from Bersted Green Court, The Hamlet, and surrounding streets. Further updates are expected in late July or early August on additional events across the district.

Customer Services

Feedback has been shared with senior managers in housing services and our colleagues in the contact centre. Clear expectations on respectful, helpful and meaningful engagement and customer service will be shared in new editions of our Tenant and Repairs handbooks, and the Arun at Home newsletter.

Overall, a number of improvements are already in progress, including several policy reviews and creation of new strategies and procedures. We acknowledge that many actions are still in the early stages, and clearer plans and updates will continue to be shared as work progresses throughout 2026 and early 2027.

Block champions - make our contracts count

This is a new and developing group that will bring together residents from across the district who are interested in representing their block and sharing regular, ongoing feedback about their immediate environment. The focus will be on communal areas, cleaning, grounds maintenance and day-to-day repairs, helping to build a clearer picture of how services are being experienced and how our contractors perform.

While this group would complement estate walkabouts, it's work will remain separate. Estate walkabouts only provide us with a snapshot in time, but residents in this group would act as a consistent and reliable point of insight for their tenancy services officer and resident engagement officer.

This group will highlight patterns and raise issues early to help to identify recurring issues and service gaps between inspections, support better communication between residents and service teams, help shape local standards and expectations for communal areas and share practical suggestions for improvements based on lived experience.

As this is a new approach, there will be an opportunity to collaborate and shape how the group works, ensuring it is flexible, accessible, and meaningful for those involved before the final structure is agreed.

If you'd like to put yourself forward as a block champion, you can register your interest below. This won't automatically mean you'll take on the role, as we may hear from a few people within the same block. If that happens, we'll chat with everyone who's interested and work together to find the best way forward, you can: 

Email

residentengagement@arun.gov.uk

Please include your name, address, and contact details

Phone

01903 737763

Annual competitions - fun, friendly challenges for everyone

Gardening competition

Our annual gardening competition has become a much-loved annual event that celebrates the pride, creativity and care residents put into their outdoor spaces - no matter how big or small. Whether it's a garden, balcony, or shared space, everyone is encouraged to get involved and showcase what they've grown. 

Thanks to the support of our contractors, there are always exciting prizes up for grabs, and entries are independently judged to make sure the process is fair and transparent. 

The competition has 'grown' year on year, with more residents taking part and new categories being introduced to reflect the amazing variety of spaces and ideas across our communities. This friendly competition is a great way to bring people together, brighten up our neighbourhoods, and celebrate the positive impact gardening can have on wellbeing, wildlife and the local environment. You can find more information on the 2026 gardening competition page.

Christmas tree competition

This is a festive favourite which celebrates creativity, community spirit and the pride residents take in their homes and shared spaces during the holiday season with all encouraged to get involved and show off their festive flair. Above all, it's about spreading festive cheer, connecting with neighbours, and celebrating the creativity and diversity that make our communities special.

Supported by our contractors, there are always fantastic prizes to be won, and entries are independently judged to keep the experience fair and enjoyable for everyone.

While details for this year (2026) are still being finalised, the competition brings the same energy and excitement each year, with growing interest and participation across our communities each time! Further information and plans for the 2026 Christmas Tree competition will be shared in the Autumn - we will usually send a text or email to you so you don't miss out, but we will also share details in Arun at Home.