Tenant Engagement Champions
Having your say on our housing services
Following feedback from tenants, Tenant Engagement Champions have been set up to give tenants the opportunity to speak to one another and share their views on their local community with District Council officers.
These champions are here to listen to the views of tenants and raise them with the District Council to action.
Residents can get involved at any time by emailing Getinvolved@newark-sherwooddc.gov.uk.
Your Tenant Engagement Champions
Richard Tracy
Newark Champion
My name is Richard Tracy and I have been a tenant of Newark and Sherwood District Council since 2003. I became involved in shaping housing services in 2008 through the former Newark Sherwood Homes. Following the return of housing services to the Council in 2020, I have played an active role in working collaboratively with tenants, officers, and councillors to influence and improve the delivery of housing services that are of importance to tenants. I currently undertake Grounds Maintenance inspections within my local area of Balderton and support tenant engagement through Community Link Groups across Newark. These groups provide a formal mechanism for tenants to raise concerns and discuss issues affecting their local neighbourhoods. I also participate in estate walkabouts alongside fellow tenants, officers, and councillors to identify and review estate-related matters. In addition, I am involved in the inspection of empty properties to assess compliance with the Council’s Fit to Let Standard. Where properties do not meet the required standard, I support the process of recording failures and ensuring that appropriate remedial works are identified and completed prior to re-letting. I am a currently a member of both the Tenant Engagement Board and the Housing Assurance Board which oversees housing services.
Helen Douthwaite
Sherwood Champion
Hello, I am Helen Douthwaite and I have been a tenant for 19 years. I live at Farnsfield, and I am keen to support tenants to have their views heard and to make a real difference. I am thrilled to be able to take on this opportunity and will do my best to ensure Sherwood tenants have the issues that matter to them heard.
Mike Frettsome
Building Safety Champion
My name is Mike Frettsome, I became a tenant with Newark and Sherwood Homes in 2008, moving into a bungalow in Thurgarton. My voluntary work as an Involved Tenant began in 2013 when I joined a Scrutiny Panel alongside other Involved Tenants. I progressed onto the Board of Newark and Sherwood Homes, where I served for six years until the decision was made to bring the Company back in-house under Newark and Sherwood District Council. When Newark and Sherwood District Council took over, I continued my involvement as an Involved Tenant. A small group of three tenants was set up to sit on both the Tenant Engagement Board and the Housing Advisory Board. I was invited to join this group with a specific responsibility for looking at health and safety issues on behalf of all tenants which I accepted. I ran my own electrical contracting business for thirty years, which gave me valuable insight into health and safety in the home and the construction industry - experience I now use to help protect and improve conditions for all tenants.
Community Link Groups
Our Community Link Groups complement and provide feedback to our Tenant Engagement Champions.
Taking place at locations across the district the Groups provide a more local focus and provide an opportunity for tenants, leaseholders and residents to raise issues and ideas that are specific to their local community. Issues and ideas discussed at the Community Link Groups will be raised to Tenant Engagement Champions for further discussion and through to the District Council for consideration.
More information is available on our Community Link Group webpage including details of when the next meetings are taking place.
Become an involved tenant
Tenants can get involved in many engagement opportunities, this includes policy reviews, mystery shopping, estate walkabouts and much more.
More information on how to become an involved tenant is available on our or you can get in touch by emailing getinvolved@newark-sherwooddc.gov.uk