Who are the current Panel members?
Chris Weavers (Chair)
Chris has lived as a leaseholder on the Collingwood Estate in Bethnal Green for eleven years. He is involved in various local community groups, including serving as Secretary of the Collingwood Tenants’ and Residents’ Association since 2009. He joined the Residents’ Panel in April 2016 and is currently serving as Chair. Chris has a longstanding interest in local social housing and is passionate about ensuring tenants and leaseholders are well served by their landlord.
James Wilson (Vice-chair)
James has lived on the Berner Estate for just over four years as the tenant of a leaseholder. After an issue he had with pipes in his block fell between the cracks because he was neither a THH tenant nor a leaseholder, James raised the issue of a lack of representation for private tenants within THH. As a result, the constitution of the Resident's Panel was changed to allow membership from private tenants (around 20% of residents) and he applied to join. As well as wanting to get involved with the local community and make THH estates a nicer place to live for everyone, James also wanted to make sure that the specific needs and circumstances of private tenants were taken into account in terms of service provision.
Saleha Jafrin
Saleha is a THH leaseholder living on Jubilee Street. She wanted to be on the Residents’ Panel in order to work collaboratively with THH to make a difference in Tower Hamlets. She has seen ups and downs over the years, so she wanted to contribute towards everything going smoothly in the future. Saleha’s favourite part of being a panel member is meeting new people and working together as a team to make sure targets are achieved.
Daniele Lamarche
Daniele, who is a THH leaseholder in Wapping, has found being a member of the Residents’ Panel rewarding. While learning about strategic mechanisms through which a multitude of public housing issues are addressed, she values the input of participants with a range of skills, interests and backgrounds giving their time to help improve services. As individuals living on the housing estates know what works best, Daniele’s aim is to contribute towards a diversity of local voices finding collective solutions. She says:
‘Having been a Tower Hamlets Homes tenant and leaseholder for several decades with more than my share of frustrations with services, I thought it time to translate negative observations into positive action.’
Muhammed Miah
"I am a resident of London Borough of Tower Hamlets and have been living in the borough for 43 years. I am currently living in the Bow area of Tower Hamlets.
"I was motivated to join the Tower Hamlets Homes’ (THH) Resident Panel because I wanted to contribute towards discussions and decisions that affects us all as residents. I appreciate the fact that THH is consulting us and likewise I know they appreciate our feedbacks. Discussions and feedbacks are invaluable to improving services for all residents and building a strong relationship between the tenants and the landlord. Furthermore, joining the Residents’ Panel has given me the opportunity to learn about how THH provides their services and also the opportunity to meet new people.
"I have previous experience of involvement within a tenants association as a vice-chair. Part of that role entailed listening to residents’ concerns regards to their housing matters and then raising it with the relevant people. My extensive dealings with tenants and housing providers have given me the ability to understand and appreciate the different perspectives and challenges. I hope to bring these skills gained to my role as a member of the Residents’ Panel so that I can productively contribute towards improving services and lives."
Saida Begum
"I joined the scrutiny panel because I have the enthusiasm and desire to help improve services for tenants, I would like to make positive contributions to the way THH do things. I feel that, having tenants voice helps THH to provide better services and ensure they are maintaining high standards."
Yasmin Begum
'I am an active LOCAB TRA chair at the Mountmorres estate, becoming a scrutiny panelist I believe I can make difference to the residents by getting a view from both the residents as well as THH and give my contribution to THH from a residents point of view.'
Corry Blades
Having been away for many years I have returned home to so many changes for the better thanks to the efforts of the residents on our estate. I’d like to contribute my energy and time into supporting this upward trajectory towards a greener, aesthetic and peaceful environment.
Amina Rahman (Details to follow)
Margaret Cox (Details to follow)