East Lothian Tenants and Residents Panel is the umbrella organisation for Tenants and Residents Associations in East Lothian. It meets monthly to debate issues and work collectively to influence improvements to housing and other services provided by landlords in the county. It also assists and co-ordinates the efforts of member associations to help achieve common aims.

Tenant Participation Strategy
The Tenants' Panel and the department of Community Housing and Property Management have published a strategy for improving tenant participation in East Lothian. The strategy can be found here. ELTRP supports local tenants and residents groups, and helps to set up groups in areas where there are none.There are currently eleven active tenants and residents groups who are members of the Panel. Individuals can also become members and attend Panel meetings. The 11 groups are as follows:

Haddington – NungateTRA
Tranent – Northfield TRA
Prestonpans – PETRA
East Linton – Longstone Avenue TRA
Dunbar – Wingate TRA
Musselburgh – Eskview TRA, Goose GreenTRA, Ravensheugh TRA, Stoneybank TRA,TAROPA (Pinkie), Wimpey TRA, Windsor Park TRA.

In addition groups are either about to form or in the process of development at New Row and Muir Park in Tranent, Hardgate in Haddington, Gifford and Glenkinchie.

Key Issues for the Panel
ELTRP has influenced many issues with East Lothian Council. These include communications, rent setting, allocations and voids, neighbour disputes, the Scottish Secure Tenancy, tenant participation, and improvements to reception areas. The Panel also worked with Homes For Life and East Lothian Housing Association in negotiating the the Scottish Secure Tenancy optional clauses. The Panel has been working too, on:

* Increasing the number of local tenants and residents groups
* Raising the profile of the Panel locally and nationally
* Working with the Council to develop a procedure for estate visits so that all areas
   benefit from good estate management
* Influencing decisions about spending in the Capital Programme
* Continuing to influence Council policy on rents, neighbour disputes, voids and
   allocations, etc.

The Panel Office
ELTRP has a permanent high street office which provides a meeting place and a base for the Tenants Information Service project staff to work. The office is at
47 Bridge Street, Musselburgh EH21 6AA
Tel 0131 665 9304
Fax 0131 665 8386                Email tenantspanel@hotmail.com

The Tenants Information Service
Support for the East Lothian Tenants and Residents Panel is provided by the Tenants' Information Service a national body which offers independent advice, information and training to Scottish tenants.

Documents
Recent documents relating to the work of the panel can be found at the top right hand side of this page and other documents are listed below. An archive of older Newsletters can be found here.