Neighbourhood Management Policy 

Starting Point: Why Neighbourhoods Matter

At Freebridge, neighbourhoods are more than bricks and fences, they’re the places where people build their lives. We want every street, courtyard and green space to feel cared for, safe, and proud; places that tell tenants, 'We all belong here.' Good neighbourhood management isn’t just about maintenance; it’s about connection, community and fairness.

Purpose and Scope

This policy sets out how we’ll look after the neighbourhoods we manage, support safe and welcoming shared spaces, and work with tenants, contractors and partners to keep our communities thriving. It applies to everyone who lives in or visits our homes, works with Freebridge, or uses our shared spaces, from tenants and leaseholders to contractors, volunteers and community groups.

Our Community Context, North and West Norfolk

Freebridge’s homes sit within a wide mix of towns, villages and coastal communities across North and West Norfolk.

The area’s housing mix is varied, around 72% owner-occupied, 15% social rent and 13% private rent, which means our neighbourhoods bring together people with different needs, tenures and expectations.

With over 1,400 square kilometres of largely rural landscape, access to green space and shared amenities differs greatly between urban King’s Lynn and smaller outlying villages.

Local data shows that 82% of tenants rank the look and feel of their neighbourhood as one of the biggest influences on their quality of life. Yet some areas in King’s Lynn and coastal communities are among the 20% most deprived in England, and environmental or ASB issues make up roughly a third of local police reports.

These patterns remind us that good neighbourhood management isn’t just about upkeep, it’s about pride, safety and fairness. Our work is shaped by what matters most to our communities: clean, green, safe spaces that feel cared for.

Sources: ONS Census 2021; Borough Council of King’s Lynn & West Norfolk Tenants’ Survey 2023; Index of Multiple Deprivation 2020; Norfolk Constabulary Neighbourhood Data 2024.

Policy Alignment and Legal Context

This policy supports our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (ED() Policy and Strategy, our Reasonable Adjustments Policy, and our Sustainability Policy. It also aligns with the Regulator of Social Housing’s Consumer Standards (2024), including the Neighbourhood and Community Standard, which expects landlords to work in partnership with tenants and local agencies to keep neighbourhoods clean, safe and well maintained.

Alignment to Consumer Standards (2024)

This policy directly supports delivery of the Neighbourhood and Community Standard (2024) set by the Regulator of Social Housing.

Through our commitments to partnership working, proactive estate management and community engagement, Freebridge will demonstrate compliance with key expectations that landlords must:

• Keep neighbourhoods and communal areas clean and safe, working with partners to prevent and tackle issues that affect tenants’ quality of life;
• Cooperate with local partners such as councils, police and health services to promote safe, sustainable communities; and
• Listen to and act on tenants’ views about their neighbourhoods and shared spaces.

We will evidence this through:

• Quarterly estate inspections with tenant participation as well as our “Walk Abouts”
• Transparent reporting of neighbourhood outcomes to the Board and Voice of the Tenant Panel
• Local data analysis within our EDI Dashboard; and
• Follow-up actions agreed with partners on environmental and community safety issues.

By aligning our Neighbourhood Management Policy with the Consumer Standards, we ensure our approach is not only caring and community-focused, but also robust, measurable and fully compliant with national regulatory expectations.

Our Approach to Neighbourhood Management

We’ll take a proactive and partnership-based approach, focused on three core principles:
- Leading: We take direct responsibility for the spaces we own or manage.
- Supporting: We work with tenants, councils and partners to address shared or unclear ownership areas.
- Signposting: Where another agency has responsibility, we connect tenants with the right service and follow up where needed.
We’ll carry out estate inspections at least quarterly, inviting tenants to join us wherever possible. Findings will be shared through our Voice of Tenant Panel updates.

Shared Spaces and Local Pride

Shared spaces are where community happens the places people meet, children play, and neighbours connect. They include courtyards, green areas, car parks, play spaces, footpaths, bin stores and communal gardens,  all the spaces that sit between our homes and shape how people feel about where they live.

Freebridge recognises that many shared spaces such as green areas, pathways and public or semi-public places may not be directly our responsibility, but they play a crucial role in supporting the social, environmental and economic wellbeing of our communities.

That’s why we work collaboratively with tenants, councils, landowners and local partners to keep these areas safe, accessible and cared for.

We’ll take responsibility for:

• Maintaining communal areas we own or manage to clear standards, ensuring they’re clean, safe and free from hazards.
• Regular inspections — we’ll visit every estate and shared area at least quarterly, and more often where needed, to check cleanliness, repairs, lighting and access.
• Play areas and open spaces — we’ll keep play spaces safe and well maintained, and where we work in partnership (for example, with parish or borough councils), we’ll clearly set out who is responsible for what.
• Boundaries and responsibilities: we’ll make it clear which areas we maintain and where another agency or landowner has responsibility. Where responsibility is shared, we’ll work in partnership to resolve issues quickly.
• Environmental quality: we’ll include biodiversity planting, sustainable landscaping and waste reduction in our maintenance plans.
• Safety and accessibility: we’ll ensure shared spaces are accessible to tenants with different needs, including those with mobility or sensory impairments, and we’ll take prompt action on any safety hazards.
• Community ownership and pride: we’ll support tenants’ and tenants’ groups who want to get involved in local clean-ups, planting or improvement projects, providing resources, advice or match funding where possible.

Because of our community profile an older population, higher disability rates and variable digital access we’ll also make sure tenants can report issues in different ways: by phone, in person, or online.

In short, clean, green, and safe shared spaces aren’t a luxury, they’re part of what makes a neighbourhood feel like home.

Escalating and resolving Neighbourhood risks

Most issues in our neighbourhoods are resolved quickly and informally, but sometimes problems persist or need a coordinated response. When that happens, we’ll escalate them promptly to the right teams or partner agencies, whether that’s community safety, environmental health, or local policing, and keep tenants informed throughout.

We’ll treat repeat or high risk issues, such as vandalism, fly-tipping or antisocial behaviour in shared spaces, as neighbourhood risks and review them regularly at management level.

Our aim is simple: to solve problems early, together, and in a way that restores pride and safety for everyone who lives in our communities.

Social Value and Partnerships

Every contractor or partner working with Freebridge plays a part in improving our neighbourhoods. We’ll embed social value in every contract and project, aiming for:
- At least 10% local spend within West Norfolk;
- 20 volunteer hours per project;
- Opportunities for local training through local colleges.
We’ll work closely with community groups, local councils and agencies on issues like waste, antisocial behaviour and environmental improvement ensuring joined-up action, not duplication.

Monitoring, Data and Governance

We’ll measure success through:
- Tenant feedback and satisfaction surveys;
- Estate inspection outcomes;
- Social value delivery data;
- Reports to the Board, Voice of the Tenant Panel and Operations Committee.
Data on community safety, accessibility and sustainability will be reviewed quarterly through our EDI Dashboard.

Our Promise

At Freebridge, neighbourhood management isn’t just about upkeep, it’s about care. We believe every tenant deserves that feeling. That’s why we’ll keep listening, learning and working with our communities to make every neighbourhood a place people are proud to call home.