Following the success of the first ever Sheltered Housing Conference earlier in the month, we now have the annual Tenant’s Conference to look forward to on Saturday 29th October 2016. Each year, tenants from all across the city get together and share what’s working well, what’s not working so well and how we can improve to make Edinburgh a great place to live.

Come along and have your say on the annual housing budget consultation. Last year, you told us that you wanted the Council to build more homes, make homes cheaper to heat and provide services such as broadband, energy advice and a tenant discount scheme to help reduce living costs. This year we want to know what you think of the plan to deliver these improvements over the next five years, what else we can be doing to help save you money and if you would like these improvements sped up or slowed down.

As well as thinking about the future of your homes, we’ll also be looking at the changes taking place in your neighbourhoods. We are now working in local ‘patches’, so that you can get to know your housing officer better. At the conference, we’ll be asking for your ideas on how we can make these changes work best for you.

You may also have seen “2050 Edinburgh City Vision”, a city-wide conversation running until December, inviting residents to share their vision of what they would like Edinburgh to look like in 2050. We want to put that question to you at the conference. This will be an opportunity for you to have your say in the future of your city and your priorities to make this happen.

I hope it’s a full house at the conference – it’s a great opportunity to help develop new ideas for the future of your home, your neighbourhood and your city. Hopefully the improvements already made are proof of how valuable your voice is and how taking part in the conference gives you the opportunity to help shape a better future.  I look forward to seeing you all there.

If you are interested in attending, please email tenant.panel@edinburgh.gov.uk or ring 0131 529 7545 to book your place.

Councillor Cammy Day, Vice Convenor, Health, Social Care and Housing Committee