Why have a Residents Association?
A Residents Association can make a real difference to your community and involve residents where you live and in your local neighbourhood. This can give you and your neighbours a real opportunity to come together to be the voice for your local area.
How do Broadland support you?
The group can apply for a £100 per year grant from Broadland for general running costs of the meetings, stationary, flyers and printing etc. This can only be paid into the Resident Association bank account.
Residents can apply for wider funding to improve where they live. A list of funding options are available at:
- Grants for groups | Norfolk Community Foundation (norfolkfoundation.com)
- Grants and funding – Norfolk County Council
Broadland will not be responsible for running the group or attending meetings.
The Role
There are many reasons why residents want to set up an association in their neighbourhood.
- Find solutions to problems in your neighbourhood by working with local agencies such as, the Police or local council.
- Represent views of other residents.
- Share skills and knowledge.
- Get involved in social activities.
- Fundraise for improvements or local charities.
- Support initiatives in and around your community.
Setting Up & Running
How to Set Up a Resident Association
Residents will need to find out if there is interest and support for a Residents Association at your scheme or neighbourhood. There should be roughly 30% of residents who want to involved to make the group viable.
Once the group is established, the first meeting can be arranged.
At the meeting you will decide:
- Name of your RA
- Aims of your RA
- Whether to have a formal constitution – A constitution is a list of rules for your RA and sets out the aims of the group.
- Committee members including an elected Chair, Secretary and Treasurer.
- Present and agree the Resident Association Code of Conduct – Residents will be required to sign up to their code of conduct.
Main Duties of the group
- Chair – Ensure that the meeting runs smoothly and efficiently. They act as the leader of the group and ensure everyone’s voices are heard and that clear decisions are reached.
- Secretary – Support with minute taking, preparing the agendas, keeping members informed, writing letters on behalf of the Resident Association.
- Treasurer – Manage and have overall responsibility for the Resident Association finances.
Running the group
The Resident Association should set up a bank account for running the association. This would be managed by the Treasurer.
Broadland Housing is not responsible for the running of the group and unable to support or attend the group meetings.