What Is Gateway?
We are a community business set up to meet the housing needs of people in Preston and the surrounding areas. We are a housing association, providing high quality homes for people in need.
But we're more than that. Gateway is also about creating friendly communities, where people want to live. Research shows that people often rate a friendly neighbourhood higher than transport links, access to shops and even low crime.
We were the first housing association in England to be set up as a 'community gateway'. Tenants and communities are at the heart of Gateway's decisions. Local people have many opportunities to get involved with how the organisation is run. Gateway is set up in the knowledge that increasing resident influence and control over decisions will help to improve services and develop neighbourhoods.
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Membership - tenants together, no cost, no pressure
The Community Gateway Association (CGA) is a membership organisation. Every one of our 6000 tenants and leaseholders is welcome to join Gateway.
It doesn't cost anything to join. Membership is about people getting together, supporting each other and having fun. Gateway belongs to its members. Most importantly, Gateway membership is about making a difference. The ideas and opinions of Gateway members will change our homes and neighbourhoods for the better.
There's no pressure to join. At the same time, there's nothing to lose. IT'S YOUR CHOICE.
There are also many other residents living on Gateway estates, who are welcome to join us as associate members. The only difference is that associate members can't vote at meetings or elections.
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Membership - what it means
All CGA tenants and leaseholders can become full voting members of Gateway. Full members can
- get involved in discussions about major plans, strategies and policies
- receive a Membership Matters newsletter every two months
- vote in elections to the Gateway Tenant Committee
- attend and vote at membership meetings.
- appoint our independent Board Members.
Other people living in areas of Preston where Gateway owns homes can become what is known as an associate member. The only difference is that associate members can't vote at meetings or elections.
Examples of how Gateway members influenced decision-making, right from the start of setting up the Gateway, include:
- Developing the overall vision, aims and objectives for the Gateway
- Agreeing major improvements to be carried out
- Setting priorities for the major improvements programme - which homes and which areas would be done first and what type of works
- Discussing the overall priorities for how the repairs service would operate under the Gateway
- Working out how anti-social behaviour would be tackled in the Gateway
- Deciding what staffing structure would be needed to make the Gateway achieve its objectives.
Residents can get involved at whatever level they choose. Nobody is forced to do, or say, anything if they don't want to. So coming along to meetings, being included on the Gateway's newsletter mailing list, and chatting to other members now and again are all options that people can choose to take up or not. But anyone who does want to come along is always welcome.
Gateway members are legally shareholding owners of the organisation. Every member has a non-returnable 10p share in our ownership. (This share is paid on each tenant's behalf - it doesn't cost anything to join.)
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The Gateway Tenant Committee
"Don't knock it until you've tried it."
Freda Olsson, the first member of the Gateway Tenant Committee
The Gateway Tenant Committee, or GTC for short, represents the Community Gateway's members and tenants. The committee is made up of up to 30 elected tenants or leaseholders, including seven tenants on the Gateway Board.
People from all over the city have been elected to the GTC by Gateway members. The GTC's purpose is to be a vital part of the Gateway's decision-making, working in partnership with the Board.
On behalf of tenants and communities, the GTC looks at all parts of how the Gateway is run, develops proposals and works closely with the Gateway Board. The Board actively encourages the GTC to help shape the way that the Gateway operates. The Board will always agree with a GTC proposal unless it has specific business reasons why it can't.
The GTC also elects the seven tenants on the Gateway Board. As those seven tenants are required to remain members of the GTC, the Gateway's decision-making structures work closely together.
The GTC is here to help and support Community Gateway Association tenants. The committee may be able to offer you help and advice with your tenancy. To get in touch with the committee, please contact info@communitygateway.co.uk or send confidential letters marked for their attention to the CGA's Head ofCommunity Empowerment.
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