Challenge yourself... Challenge us!

• Looking at issues that affect customers so that we can improve the customer experience.
• Working with Plus Dane and our Board you will help us look at how we can improve our services for customers to make sure it is the best it can be.
• Working with other Plus Dane customers you will ensure that the views of wider customers are reflected in our work and valued at the highest level within Plus Dane.
• Feeding your recommendations directly into our Board so they can make informed decisions based on the needs and priorities of our customers.

• Holding Plus Dane to account by looking at how satisfied customers are and provide suggestions for improvement.
• Asking for more in-depth service reviews to be carried out so we can understand what is working well and what needs improving.
• Checking that we are meeting our agreed standards in the Plus Dane Customer Charter.
• Looking at how we are learning lessons from complaints, so we don’t keep making mistakes.
• Working with us to ensure that the views of customers are considered when we are buying new services and appointing contractors.

The Scrutiny Panel is made up of Plus Dane customers and has been meeting for over 6 years to carry out reviews to help improve services. The Scrutiny Panel has almost completed their last service review and the remaining members will join the new CAP bringing their expertise and knowledge with them.

• The CAP will be made up of 10 members who will be customers of Plus Dane. This includes tenants, leaseholders and shared owners. Initially, we will recruit 14 members as we expect some customers might find it’s not for them. The members will consist of the four existing Scrutiny Panel members and the rest will be new recruits.
• A member of the Neighbourhood Committee/Board will liaise between the CAP and Board and will attend 4 of the 6 annual meetings.
• Only one person from a household can join the CAP.
• Plus Dane staff will attend the meetings to service them and present reports but they will not be members.

Providing there is no actual or impending court action and you have made an arrangement with Plus Dane that the relevant Team are happy with, then you can be considered for the Panel. We will discuss your individual circumstances if this is applies to you.

• The meetings will be Chaired by a customer. In the first instance this will be the Chair of Plus Dane’s current Scrutiny Panel.
• Agendas will be prepared with the Chair and sent to all Panel members in advance of meetings.

The CAP will meet every three months, and these will be digital meetings. We will get together at least once a year in person.

As most of the meetings/training etc. will be done digitally, you must have some digital skills. We will provide support and training to set you up and provide on-going support.

We will provide you with a laptop which will be set up for you to use in your role.

• You will need to commit to attending four to six digital meetings and/or one in person meeting a year. The meetings will be two hours long and will be held in the evening at 6pm. CAP meetings will be held every 3 months, but you may meet in between these meetings - that is something you will agree as a group as and when the need arises.
• You will also need to spend time preparing for meetings. This will involve reading and digesting information and preparing questions and notes for yourself.

• Plus Dane’s Engagement Team will be there for you throughout your time as a member of the CAP to offer support for the Panel and individually.
• We are also looking at setting up a buddy scheme for each of the new members - so this means you will have one to one support with either another Panel member or a member or the Engagement Team. You do not have to have a buddy – it’s up to you but we will offer this opportunity to you.
• Once a year we will review how you feel the Panel is working and whether there is anything further we can do to support you in your role.
• Plus Dane will provide you with an iPad whilst you are a member of the CAP. We will also provide you with training and support from out IT Team.

• For in person meetings we will provide refreshments and food.
• We will also reimburse you for any reasonable travel expenses you may incur in your role. We can also arrange and pay for transport for you to get to meetings.
• We will also pay a reasonable allowance for childcare or other caring needs if required.
• We will not pay for loss of earnings due to attending meetings. 

You can discuss your expenses with the Engagement Team as we understand that everyone’s circumstances are different. We do not want anyone to be financially worse off because they are a member of the CAP.

• There will be an induction programme for you once you have joined the CAP. This will set you up to begin your role.  It will be done digitally.
• There will be some training that all members will be expected to attend. This will mainly be carried out digitally.  It may also include e-learning or webinars which you can complete in your own time.
• We will have an on-going training programme that will develop as the CAP progresses. This will include training Plus Dane feels would be useful to the CAP or that members of the CAP ask us to provide.
• There will be opportunities to attend conferences, networking groups and webinars. These may be in person or digitally.  The Engagement Team will send you details of these and invite you to attend. Plus Dane will cover the costs of attending.
• There will be an opportunity to gain formal qualifications such as those offered by the Institute of Housing.

Since everyone’s training needs are different, we will discuss your individual training requirements with you and provide you with the training you need to carry out your role.

The recruitment process will last from now until 14 October.

If you are unavailable for any of the dates below, please let us know and we will try our best to arrange alternative dates for you.

• Firstly, contact Irene Crone from the Engagement Team by 31 August for a chat and to register an interest in becoming a member (Irene's details are above).
• You will then be invited to a ‘Find out More session’ on Zoom to introduce you to Plus Dane and have a chat about what is involved. You can meet some current Scrutiny Panel members and the Engagement Team to find out what it’s like to be a member of a Plus Dane Panel. We will let you know what we are looking for from CAP members and what we can offer you as a member. There will be an opportunity to ask any questions you may have. There will be two sessions held on Zoom on Wednesday 14 September and Monday 19 September at 6pm.
• If you are still interested in becoming a member you will be asked to complete and return a short application form by Wednesday 28 September.
• We will then invite you to a short interview with Mark Sumner - the current Chair of the Scrutiny Panel (who is also a Plus Dane customer) and Irene Crone from the Engagement Team. We hope to hold these on Zoom but can arrange to do this in person if you prefer. These will be held throughout the day and evenings from 10 to 13 October at a time that suits you.
• New members will be appointed on Friday 14 October so we will contact you soon after that to let you know if you have been successful.
• We will begin the induction of new members from16 October to 9 November.
• We are hoping to hold the first meeting at the end of November.