Customers have helped shape the future direction of neighbourhood services after taking part in a co-design workshop to support the development of Calico Homes’ new Neighbourhood Strategy.
The message from the event was clear: customers want visible neighbourhood teams, clear communication, strong local partnerships and more evidence that customer feedback leads to action.
At the workshop, customers from across Burnley and Padiham came together with colleagues to discuss what matters most in their neighbourhoods, share their experiences and help identify the priorities that should guide future neighbourhood services.
Watch the video below to hear what customers had to say about the importance of influencing decisions and shaping the future of their communities.
Throughout the session, customers discussed everything from neighbourhood appearance and community safety to communication, customer influence and community pride. While a wide range of views were shared, several common themes emerged.
Customers told us they want neighbourhoods that are clean, safe and well maintained. They want to see neighbourhood teams out in local communities, stronger partnership working with other organisations, easier ways to report concerns and clearer updates when issues are raised. Most importantly, they want to know their voices are being heard and that their feedback leads to meaningful action.
Five key themes emerged from the event:
- Visibility and presence
- Communication and feedback
- Accountability and trust
- Partnership working
- Community empowerment
Amber Howorth, Neighbourhood Co-ordinator at Calico Homes, said:
“One of the strongest messages from the day was that customers want neighbourhood teams to be visible, approachable and part of the communities they work alongside. They want to know who to contact, understand what’s happening when they raise a concern and see the outcome of the feedback they provide.”
“There was a huge amount of passion in the room. People spoke honestly about the challenges they see, but they also talked about what they value, what they’re proud of and what they want future neighbourhoods to look like. Those conversations will directly influence the strategy as it develops.”
The event also identified a number of practical improvements customers would like to see, including more neighbourhood walkabouts, clearer information about who is responsible for different services, improved communication throughout the life of a case and more opportunities for residents to get involved in shaping their communities.
The feedback gathered during the workshop will now be reviewed alongside customer surveys, neighbourhood conversations and other feedback received throughout the year. The priorities identified by customers will help shape the final Neighbourhood Strategy and guide future improvements.
We’ll continue to share what we’ve heard, what we’re doing and how customer feedback has influenced the final plans.
Because if customers are giving up their time to get involved, they should be able to see the difference it makes.