A residents’ campaign by Wandsworth RA Forum

Current campaign · The new resident engagement strategy: flip the pyramid
Campaign menu
Council as a platform · the film series

Watch and share

Seven short films, about a minute each, on how residents could help shape Wandsworth’s new engagement strategy, and why a council that works as a platform is good for everyone.

Captions are built in, so they work with the sound off. Each film has a transcript. The voiceover is AI-generated.

The series

1 / 7
Part 1 of 7 · 1:06

Why now?

The regulator’s C3 grade, the council’s aim of C1, and why the way there is a council that works as a platform.

Transcript

In February 2025, the housing regulator graded Wandsworth Council C3. The second-lowest of four grades.

Alongside serious failings on safety and quality, it found weaknesses in how the council takes tenants’ views into account.

So we searched the council’s resident participation strategy. Trust. Goodwill. Reset. Rebuild. Sorry. Not once.

Right now, residents carry too much of the load. Volunteers doing the council’s outreach. Issues climbing through meeting after meeting.

The council is now aiming for C1, the top grade. That’s the right ambition.

We think the way there is to flip the pyramid, into a council that works as a platform. Connected inside, built around services, not org charts, and there for every resident to build on.

Learn more: ideas from residents working within the council’s formal structures, and what they’d bring to co-design.

Part 2 of 7 · 1:08

Council as a platform

How an issue travels today, flipping the pyramid, and a council joined up around services, not org charts.

Transcript

Who decides what happens on your estate?

Today, an issue climbs a ladder. Residents’ association. Area panel. Borough forum. Committee. Too many steps between raising a concern and seeing action.

And residents end up carrying the council, instead of the other way round.

So flip the pyramid. Residents set the agenda, directly or through resident-led groups, and the council becomes the platform that supports them.

Listening and connecting. Support and outreach. Open data. Funding residents help direct. And a public answer to every recommendation.

It works inside the council too. Teams join up around services, not the org chart. You don’t need a committee seat to benefit.

Residents give time and local knowledge. The council gives real influence and support. A fair exchange.

Learn more: ideas from residents working within the council’s formal structures, and what they’d bring to co-design.

Part 3 of 7 · 0:59

Give people a reason

Better outreach, results people can see and a fair exchange: what makes people want to take part.

Transcript

What makes people want to take part?

Today, a lot of the asking is left to volunteers. Residents’ associations do a great deal, but they can’t reach every household on their own.

So the council improves its outreach. Every household told when there’s a chance to have a say, and people met where they already are.

And it shows results. Every issue answered, acted on, and reported back. When people see things change, they come back.

That’s a fair exchange. Residents give their time and local knowledge. The council gives real influence, support, and results you can see.

That’s the council as a platform. Reaching everyone, showing what’s changed, and making it worth taking part.

Learn more: ideas from residents working within the council’s formal structures, and what they’d bring to co-design.

Part 4 of 7 · 1:09

Six tests

Six tests for the new engagement strategy. Pass all six and the council becomes a platform for residents.

Transcript

Wandsworth is reviewing how residents take part in housing decisions. How will we know if what comes next works?

1. Give people a reason to take part. 2. Let residents say what matters. 3. Design it with us. 4. Answer us, then follow through. 5. Make it easier to take part. 6. Show us what has changed.

Pass all six, and the council becomes a platform for residents, not a pyramid above them. The details are for residents and the council to work out together.

Learn more: ideas from residents working within the council’s formal structures, and what they’d bring to co-design.

Part 5 of 7 · 1:00

Reforming engagement

Where we agree with April’s independent review of resident engagement, and where we’d go further.

Transcript

The council commissioned an independent review of how it engages residents. It reported in April 2026.

We agree with much of it. More tenants with influence, including people outside residents’ associations. Resident scrutiny. A strategy developed with residents.

We compared our demands with its recommendations. Co-design, scrutiny and wider access line up closely.

But the review keeps the basic structure. It opens the door wider. It doesn’t flip the pyramid. Access is the start. What matters is what residents can change once they’re in the room.

Residents setting priorities, directing scrutiny and defining outcomes. That’s the council as a platform.

Learn more: ideas from residents working within the council’s formal structures, and what they’d bring to co-design.

Part 6 of 7 · 1:00

What could change on your estate?

Four ideas from residents: a voice for every estate, repairs you can track, more for young people, and damp and mould fixed for good.

Transcript

What would a real say actually change on your estate? Residents have shared ideas.

A voice for every estate. No residents’ association? An introduction to a nearby one, if both sides want it.

Repairs you can track. One reference, one owner, and a tracker showing the next step, by phone, email or online.

More for young people. Sport, tutoring, youth clubs and placements, shaped by young people themselves.

And damp and mould fixed for good. Find the cause, and check with residents after the work, not just the contractor’s records.

That’s the council as a platform: issues in, support out. Starting points, not promises. Residents choose the priorities.

Learn more: ideas from residents working within the council’s formal structures, and what they’d bring to co-design.

Part 7 of 7 · 0:59

Who speaks for 32,000 homes?

The council’s resident pool starts with about 800 people. Who’s missing, and how could it grow fairly?

Transcript

Who speaks for 32,000 council homes in Wandsworth?

The council’s new engagement strategy will build on a resident pool. It starts with about 800 people. Around 77,000 people live in council homes.

That’s about 1%. Who speaks for the other 99%?

Check the pool against the people it should reflect: age, tenure, ward and more. Then grow it, until every group has its fair share.

And work alongside residents’ associations, not around them. One open process, many ways in, and every decision explained.

And your record in your hands, online or by post. What you were asked, what you said, and what changed.

Learn more: ideas from residents working within the council’s formal structures, and what they’d bring to co-design.

Swipe or use the arrows to move between films. When a film ends, the next one starts.

For residents’ associations, groups and neighbours

Share the series

Download the films and post them on your own channels, in WhatsApp groups or in newsletters. Each one comes with post text and alt text you can copy. We’re posting one every Tuesday and Thursday from 20 October. Share them in any order, whenever suits you.

7 films, about 49 MB
  • Add the alt text when you post, so people using screen readers know what’s in the film.
  • The films are vertical (1080 by 1920) and work on X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and WhatsApp.
  • “Download all” saves the seven films one after another. Your browser may ask to allow multiple downloads. On an iPhone, download them one at a time.
  • The end card says the voiceover is AI-generated. Please keep it in.
  • Part 1 · we post it Tue 20 OctWhy now?
    Download 9.4 MB
    Post and alt text

    In 2025 the housing regulator graded Wandsworth Council C3, finding weaknesses in how it takes tenants' views into account. The council is now aiming for C1. We think the way there is the council as a platform: https://www.wandsworth-ra-forum.co.uk/resident-engagement/

    A one-minute captioned video. A grade scale from C1 (best) to C4 (worst) marks Wandsworth at C3, with a source tag from the Regulator of Social Housing, February 2025. A quote from the regulator is highlighted. Five words, trust, goodwill, reset, rebuild and sorry, are struck through, each with a count of zero in the council's participation strategy. A cartoon shows residents carrying the council building on their backs. An arrow moves from C3 to C1, the council's aim, and a second cartoon shows council staff holding up a platform while residents build a community garden on it.

  • Part 2 · we post it Thu 22 OctCouncil as a platform
    Download 8.6 MB
    Post and alt text

    Who decides what happens on your estate? Today an issue climbs a ladder of meetings. Flip the pyramid: a connected council, built around services not org charts, as a platform for every resident. Our ideas for co-design: https://www.wandsworth-ra-forum.co.uk/resident-engagement/

    A one-minute captioned video. A pyramid builds from Residents' Association at the base, through Area Housing Panel and Borough Residents' Forum, to Housing Committee at the peak. A cartoon shows residents carrying the council on their backs. A pyramid with the council at its peak flips into a platform where residents set the agenda and the council supports them. Six blue tiles list what the platform does: listen and connect, support, outreach, open data, resources and a public answer. The words "Built around services, not org charts" appear. A cartoon shows council staff holding up a platform for residents.

  • Part 3 · we post it Tue 27 OctGive people a reason
    Download 8.4 MB
    Post and alt text

    What makes people want to take part? Hearing about every chance to have a say. Seeing results. And a fair exchange: residents give time and local knowledge, the council gives real influence and support. Ideas from residents for co-design: https://www.wandsworth-ra-forum.co.uk/resident-engagement/

    A one-minute captioned video. It asks what makes people want to take part. A cartoon of residents carrying the council on their backs is captioned "Volunteers can't do it alone". Three ticks list better outreach: every household told when there's a chance to have a say, meeting people where they already are, and plain English with more than one way to respond. A tracker ticks through raised, answered, acted on and reported back. Two cards show a fair exchange: residents give time, local knowledge and ideas; the council gives real influence, practical support and results you can see. It ends with a cartoon of the council holding up a platform for residents.

  • Part 4 · we post it Thu 29 OctSix tests
    Download 6.6 MB
    Post and alt text

    Wandsworth is reviewing how residents take part in housing decisions. How will we know if what comes next works? Six tests. Pass all six and the council becomes a platform for residents: https://www.wandsworth-ra-forum.co.uk/resident-engagement/

    A 69-second captioned video. Six numbered cards appear one at a time: give people a reason to take part; let residents say what matters; design it with us; answer us, then follow through; make it easier to take part; show us what has changed. It ends with a cartoon of the council holding up a platform for residents.

  • Part 5 · we post it Tue 3 NovReforming engagement
    Download 4.9 MB
    Post and alt text

    The council's independent review of resident engagement reported in April. We agree with much of it. But it opens the door wider without flipping the pyramid. Access is the start. Where we go further: https://www.wandsworth-ra-forum.co.uk/resident-engagement/reforming-engagement/

    A one-minute captioned video. Four ticks list what the April 2026 review supports. Star ratings show how closely the campaign's demands align with it, with council as a platform marked "beyond the review". A pyramid with the council at its peak flips into a platform where residents set the agenda, followed by tiles for priorities, scrutiny, outcomes and a public answer.

  • Part 6 · we post it Thu 5 NovWhat could change on your estate?
    Download 6.6 MB
    Post and alt text

    What would a real say actually change on your estate? A voice for every estate. Repairs you can track. More for young people. Damp and mould fixed for good. Starting points from residents, not promises: https://www.wandsworth-ra-forum.co.uk/resident-engagement/engagement-to-action/

    A one-minute captioned video showing four residents' ideas: an opt-in introduction to a nearby residents' association; a repair tracker ticking through reported, booked, fixed and checked with you; more opportunities for young people; and damp and mould cases that find the cause and check with residents. It ends with a cartoon of the council holding up a platform for residents.

  • Part 7 · we post it Tue 10 NovWho speaks for 32,000 homes?
    Download 4.8 MB
    Post and alt text

    Who speaks for 32,000 homes? The council's new engagement strategy will build on a resident pool, starting with about 800 people: about 1% of those in council homes. Who's missing, and how could it work alongside RAs? https://www.wandsworth-ra-forum.co.uk/resident-engagement/resident-pool/

    A one-minute captioned video. Panels count up to 800 residents on the list and about 77,000 living in council homes. A grid of 100 dots lights one: about 1% on the list, and the question of who speaks for the other 99%. Illustrative chips show groups short of or above their fair share. A diagram shows the pool, residents' associations and any resident feeding one open process that ends in a decision explained. A resident's record lists what they were asked, what they said and what happened.

For noticeboards, lifts and community rooms

Posters to print

Three A4 posters with a QR code that takes people straight to the campaign. There’s space at the bottom to add your residents’ association and when you next meet.

  • Print at A4, or choose A3 and “fit to page” for a bigger poster.
  • Write your RA’s name and contact or next meeting in the space at the bottom before you put them up.
  • The image version is for WhatsApp groups, newsletters and social media.
  • Please ask your housing officer or caretaker before putting posters up in communal areas.