RESIDENTS had their say about the local community at a consultation with Westlea Housing Association last week.

Westlea took an orange bus to Rudloe housing estate, where it owns many of the homes, to gather the views of residents on a range of estate-related issues.

The Tenant Participation Advisory Service (TPAS) went into the estate on Monday and Tuesday on behalf of Westlea to ask the question, what would improve the quality of your life?

Mother-of-two Sarah Campbell went along and voiced her concern over a number of issues.

"I think it is a good idea as long as they take on board what people say. It is a waste of time if nothing is done about the problems people raise," said Miss Campbell.

TPAS hoped to find out what community activities and facilities local residents wanted and their views on employment issues and landscaping of the estate.

Maps of the area were also used to identify local problems and solutions.

Miss Campbell said she was concerned about speed bumps that had been promised but never put in place.

Sue Howlett of Westlea's Tenant Services team said: "We carried out a similar exercise on an estate in Calne recently and it was great to speak to people face to face and hear their views.

"It's only by hearing what residents have to say that we can then try and work with them to bring about improvements that will produce a better place to live".

TPAS representatives Dave Talbot and Samantha Goodwin visited the site in the bright orange bus to try and take a novel approach to consultation.

Mr Talbot said: "People will often not want to go to meetings or traditional consultation events because they are seen as boring, but our approach is to try and engage with people on their territory and on their terms. This is particularly important where the young people are concerned as their views are often left out of the equation."

Residents who were unable to make it this week can have their say by calling the freephone number 0800 169 1814 and a TPAS representative will get back in touch.