Our Customer Committee
Meet the Committee Members
Ruth Myers | Independent member | Our Customer Committee
About our Customer Committee
Trent & Dove is supported by a Customer Committee, whose members are Trent & Dove customers. The committee takes customers’ views into account to shape and continuously improve the homes and services that Trent & Dove provides and the community investments it makes.
Trent & Dove also has an Executive Team and a Board that are responsible for the organisation's day-to-day running.
Our Customer Committee give their insight on various activities throughout the year.
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Ruth Myers | Independent member
What inspired you to become a Customer Committee member?
I want to play a part in the positive transformation of the areas served by Trent & Dove, and I saw an email advertising this role while I was looking for a new challenge. I was so excited to have the opportunity to serve our community in this way that I applied, and the rest is history.
What experiences, both directly and indirectly, do you bring that make you an effective Committee member?
I served as a school governor for 12 years and am a trustee of two local charities, so have experience of holding leaders to account. I used to work at Burton and South Derbyshire College for many years teaching adults who wanted to make changes to their lives, and I now work in the voluntary sector, running low and no-cost activities for the local community. I work with people at every stage of life from newborns at a playgroup to older adults in their 90s at a Lunch Club, through to people wanting to learn English as a second language. With the activities on offer, we welcome around 500 visits per week at the premises where I work, and we’re directly opposite Trent & Dove housing, so I’m in an ideal position to meet and hear from customers daily.
A group of organisations have worked together to run ‘Youth Club in the Park’ for the last three years. Trent & Dove and my employer are both involved with this, and it’s been a brilliant way to get to know Trent & Dove and the local community even better.
What is one thing you are most excited about being involved in as a CC member?
With the new developments and the run-up to the new Trent & Dove Strategic 5 Year Plan, I’ve joined the committee at a really exciting time. It’s a privilege to be on the journey with T&D customers at such a crucial time.
How can you ensure Trent & Dove is embracing ED&I?
Providing customers with a range of ways to give their feedback is a key part of equality, diversion and inclusion for the Customer Committee.
Do you have a favourite quote or philosophy that inspires you?
The Golden Rule: ‘Treat others as you would like to be treated.’
The Customer Committee’s purpose is to:
1. To provide a diverse cross-section of views, insight and opinion to the board from a customer perspective to:
a) Influence the board’s decision-making on key customer-related issues relating to the organisation’s responsibilities as a landlord or its commitment to communities (“Place-shaping”)
b) Enable the customer voice to shape and, and continuously improve, the homes and services that Trent & Dove provides and the community investments it makes.
2. To scrutinise operational service delivery to ensure that quality, performance and impact is in line with:
a) The expectations set by the board
b) The organisation’s customer service commitments.
3. To provide assurance to the board on the impact and operation of Trent & Dove’s community support and investment activities, including:
a) Approving the criteria for awarding community grants and priorities for funding
b) Providing assurance to the board that Value for Money and Social Return on Investment is being achieved as a result of community initiatives, activities and grants.
4. To provide assurance to the board that there are effective mechanisms in place:
a) For the organisation to gather and analyse customer opinion and insight on key customer-related issues
b) For the organisation to take customers’ views into account in a meaningful way before making decisions on important matters which affect them
c) For the organisation to respond to customer views and feedback and implement continuous improvement actions
d) To enable the quality of homes and services provided by T&D to be continuously improved in response to customer insight and feedback;
e) to effectively communicate to customers how their views and insight have influenced Trent & Dove’s actions and decision-making.
