CEMO joins national pilot scheme

Friday 2nd May 2008

The aim of Neighbourhood Studies is to give community-led organisations the chance to develop, with partners, a co-ordinated approach to delivering services such as street cleansing, lighting and looking after green spaces.

CEMO is a community-owned company made up of residents of the Central Estate whose management board is selected by tenants of the estate. It is also involved in the Neighbourhood Renewal process—NAP—and works with agencies such as the police, health and social services. It holds a very successful garden competition every year and its work has been recognised by a major regional awards programme.

For some years CEMO has been talking to first HBC and now Housing Hartlepool about how residents can be more involved in delivering housing services. The pilot has given them the chance to finish these discussions and make an agreement for future working, and look beyond housing to some council-run services.

CEMO has worked closely with Housing Hartlepool officers and the Neighbourhood Manager for North Hartlepool and it is hoped that a local charter can be agreed with partners such as HBC and the police for how everyone will work together in the future. A community map has been drawn up that shows all the amenities on the estate and who owns what land and buildings. A Good Neighbour Agreement has been put together by most of the landlords on the estate and will be launched shortly.

Posted by Kim for Housing Hartlepool