| AdminHistory | Tenant and Resident Participation in Livingston was predated by a number of legislative events. In 1977 there was a Scottish Development Department Circular which encouraged Tenant Management Co-operatives; in 1980 there was the 1980 Housing Act (England and Wales) which introduced a statutory obligation to consult tenants on areas of policy which affected them, but there was no statutory obligation in Scotland; in 1980 the Scottish Office set up the Tenant Participation Advisory Service to encourage tenant participation. Tenant participation, in general, was a growing trend amongst public housing authorities in the early 1980s. In 1986 there were over 1500 tenants' groups in Scotland.
The Livingston Development Corporation piloted a tenant participation scheme in 1984-1985, appointed a Tenant Participation Officer in 1985, and by 1988 36% of Corporation Housing was represented through Residents' Associations.
In general, the Corporation Policy was to provide information, increase consultation, and increase tenure diversification - all with the express purpose of involving tenants in matters which affected the quality of their lives. There was little amendment to this policy from 1984 until 1993, when, with the Wind-Up of the Corporation approaching, there was a review of strategies and policies of Tenant/Resident Participation. |