Community development

!
EW
N
Autumn 2015
Social enterprise creates hope
and opportunity for homeless
XX
Passionate about
great places to live
XX
How government policies on
housing might affect you
greensquaregroup.com
Community
development
NEW HOMES AND
COMMUNITY CENTRE
WILL TRANSFORM
NEIGHBOURHOOD
XX
XX
Inside
3
Government
changes
4
News in brief
5
Residents
given a sneaky
peak
6
Your feedback
counts
8
Changes in our
neighbourhood
teams
9 Local focus
10 Snapshots
14 Keep safe and
warm
15ANNUAL
REVIEW
20 Resident
Inspectors
update
22 Money matters
23 Bonfire night
tips
24 Recipe
24 Contact us
Bonfire
night
23
4
7
Facts and
figures
And the
survey
says...
15
Photos and
news from
your area
9
Grow it,
bake it, eat it!
24
5
Welcome
...to the autumn 2015 issue of G2. You might notice that we’ve had a bit of a style
refresh – we hope you like the new look magazine! That’s not all that has changed
– we’ve decided to stop producing three different versions of the magazine (one
for each of our areas: Oxfordshire, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire) and have chosen
instead to simply produce one magazine, with a few more pages. This gives us more
space to dedicate to local stories and helps us save some money on printing costs
too! So, in this edition you’ll not only be able to read about what’s happening in
your area but you’ll also find out what’s been going on in all three of the
counties where GreenSquare has homes. Plus it’s that time of the year
again, when we produce our annual report for residents, reporting the
headline facts and figures for the year ending 2014/15. If you have any
questions about any of the information shown, please let us know.
Andrew Smith, Operations Director
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW? Is there something you think we should feature in the next G2, or a topic you
think we should be telling you more about? We welcome your feedback about the magazine and we’d like to know what
you want to read about in future issues. Get in touch and tell us what you think!
2
greensquaregroup.com
Government
policy changes
– what they mean for residents
Over the summer months, the new Conservative
Government introduced a great deal of changes
for the housing sector. These changes will affect
residents living in homes managed by housing
associations like GreenSquare.
GreenSquare chief
executive Howard
Toplis sets out how
these changes might
affect you.
In the summer Budget –
when the Government
outlines its plans for
the next four years –
the Chancellor of the
Exchequer, George
Osbourne, introduced
rent reduction for housing association
rents. This is good news for the majority
of residents. In previous years, your rent
might have increased each year because
of inflation. Now, thanks to the new
budget, your rent will drop by 1% each
year, for the next four years. This means
that by the end of the four-year period,
rents will be approximately 15% lower
than under the previous Government’s
regime.
What is the
summer Budget?
After being elected, the new
Conservative Government set
out its plans for the next four
years as part of a summer
Budget announcement. In a
speech in July, the Chancellor
of the Exchequer, George
Osbourne announced the
Conservative’s proposals
for change in areas such as
housing, benefits, health and
education, and the economy.
ongoing housing crisis. The
private house builders can’t
do it on their own!
The ongoing changes to
benefits, announced by
the Government, will also
continue to affect many
people. As I write this, the
House of Commons has
just agreed to reduce the
amount available under
the working tax credit and
child tax credit systems. If you have any
concerns about this, please do contact
us or your local citizens advice bureau.
Finally, the Government has increased
the availability of the ‘Right to Buy’ to all
housing association residents. Previously,
this option applied only to GreenSquare
residents who had been tenants of
North Wiltshire District Council.
This rent reduction will also mean that
GreenSquare has a reduction in its
income and we are already looking at
ways that we can accommodate this.
However, we share the desire to make
our rents more affordable at a time of
ever increasing house prices and private
sector rents.
It is likely that this wider Right to Buy
will be available from April 2016. We
will let you know how this will work
once the Government has announced
more details. This is a great opportunity
for some of you to be able to become
homeowners – because with it comes a
generous grant from the Government to
make your home affordable to buy.
Over the next four years, we will
continue to strive to build more
affordable homes in our areas, making a
significant contribution to the supply
of homes and helping to tackle the
At GreenSquare, we will be able to use
the money we receive from selling homes
through Right to Buy to employ more
local people to build more local homes
for local people. So, quite a good result!
G2 magazine
What is Right to Buy?
Right to Buy is a scheme that
gives longstanding tenants of
councils and some housing
associations the legal right to
buy the home they are living
in, at a large discount. Details
of how exactly this scheme will
work are still being confirmed
by the Government. Keep an
eye out in the next issue of G2
for more updates.
How can I find
out about changes
to benefits?
To contact your local citizens
advice bureau, please call:
Wiltshire Citizens Advice
Bureau - 01249 445115 ext
3; Gloucester Citizens Advice
Bureau - 01452 527202;
or Oxfordshire Citizens
Advice Bureau - 03444
111 444. Or you can visit
www.citizensadvice.org.uk.
Alternatively, please get in
touch with us (details back
cover).
3
Residents given
sneak peek
news in
brief
A quick
reminder…
As of 1 September 2015
we stopped accepting rent
payments being made in
person at our offices. You
can pay your rent by direct
debit, at your local post
office, via the allpay app on
your smartphone, at any
PayPoint, and by telephone
using your debit or credit
card (details back cover).
Your next rent
statement
In the last magazine we
said that you would be
receiving a new look rent
statement with this issue of
the magazine. Since then,
we’ve made some changes
to our rent statement
schedule and decided not
to send your rent statement
with this issue. Instead, the
next statement you receive
will be in January 2016.
Oxbode AGM
Residents in Gloucestershire
were invited to attend our
Annual General Meeting
in the area in September,
where they heard from
GreenSquare’s chief executive
Howard Toplis about how
we’re doing as a company
and what’s ahead for the
next 10 years. They were also
treated to a performance
from the Crystal Choir, a
talented young singing and
dancing group.
4
Residents living near Dora Carr Close in
Northway, Oxford, had the chance to have
an early look inside the new community
centre that GreenSquare is building there.
More than just a
bed for the night
Throughout Wiltshire, GreenSquare works
in partnership with other care and service
providers to help people, who are in desperate
need, to find a place to stay.
In Swindon, GreenSquare owns
Booth House, where the Salvation
Army runs a homeless service and
provides accommodation for up to
50 single men and women, who are
experiencing homelessness.
And it does so much more than simply
provide a bed for the night. Residents
at Booth House are supported to make
positive changes to their lives to prepare
them for the move back to independent
living. This includes gaining work
experience, qualifications and training in
one of two social enterprises run at Booth
House: The Sandwich People, which
produces and sells lunches to the local
business community; and Recylces, a bike
service and repair centre.
Craig (pictured), a Booth House
resident recently achieved a Cytech level
2 qualification in cycle maintenance –
the industry recognised qualification for
greensquaregroup.com
cycle mechanics – through his work at
Recycles. He said: “I really feel like I’ve
accomplished something. I’ve come so far
from the situation I was in and it’s thanks
to my experience at Recycles.”
At the event, local residents were given
a tour of the new centre, which is set
to be completed in early 2016. The
Lord Mayor of Oxford, Councillor Rae
Humberstone, also popped by to have a
look at the new facility!
The new centre will replace the
existing Northway Community Centre
and is being built alongside 47 new
homes, helping to transform the
neighbourhood. Its facilities will include
a multi-use hall with improved sports
changing rooms; social club and
community space; local business units;
and an education and learning space.
skills! There are many different ways
you could get involved including:
helping with events or activities; setting
up and managing bookings; covering
reception; running coffee clubs;
assisting with marketing and publicity;
and more!
For more information about how you
can get involved, please contact us
(details back cover).
If you live in the Northway area, we’re
looking for volunteers to help run the
new community centre.
Getting involved could be a great way
to meet new friends and learn new
Meanwhile
in Cowley...
Elsewhere in Oxford,
at Barns Road in
Cowley, GreenSquare is
building another new
community space.
This is part of a new
development of 40
apartments and will be
known as The Venue@
Cowley; it will provide
a meeting place and
base for local people to
enjoy a range of social,
cultural and educational
activities at the heart of
their community.
The new building in
Cowley will also include
new premises for
homelessness charity,
Emmaus, so that they
can relocate from
their current base in
Westlands Drive in
Northway.
In Salisbury, GreenSquare works with
Alabaré Christian Care and Support,
which helps and supports homeless
people in the area. Recently GreenSquare
helped to turn one of its properties into
a suitable home for ex-service men and
women who have fallen on hard times.
One recent resident said: “During my stay
I’ve been helped by Alabaré in every way
from job finding to learning new skills,
and being pointed in the right areas to
move forward in life.”
Not only will it be a
brand new, bigger
shop, but it will have
more room behind the
scenes for the charity
to process and repair
donated furniture and
household goods.
If you think you might be at risk of
homelessness, or know of someone who
is, contact us (details back cover).
G2 magazine
5
YOUR
FEEDBACK
COUNTS
We listen to the responses
you give to the surveys on
Greenview. Here are
some of the changes
we’ve made as a result:
1
We’ve changed our employment
and training service to become
more bespoke, so we can cater for
customers’ individual training and
employment needs.
2
Greenview is our easy-to-use website where
you can fill in monthly surveys and take part
in forum chats and quick polls to gain points…
and points mean prizes!
You get one point for completing a quick poll, two points for
contributing to a forum discussion and ten points for completing a
Greenview survey. Once you’ve earned over 100 points, you’ll be entered
into an annual prize draw to win a cash prize. If you answer six or more
surveys in a year, you’ll earn £25 in shopping vouchers.
FANCY
JOINING?
3
We have updated the information
about Universal Credit on our
website.
TO REGISTER VISIT
greenview.greensquaregroup.com
greensquaregroup.com
Here’s a selection of some of
the most interesting results!
Whisky is
best drunk with
an equal part of water
6
Vouchers are now posted
recorded delivery.
7
The need
for more social
housing should be at
the top of the new
Government’s agenda
Yes 80%
No 20%
Yes 23% • No 26%
I don’t know 4%
I don’t like
whisky 47%
Are you
superstitious?
Children should
be outside playing
games, during the summer
holidays, not indoors on
their computers
Yes 60%
No 40%
Definitely 90%
I’m not sure 10%
I feel that
there is much
more to Easter than
chocolate eggs and bunnies
We are tracking the households who
have made a Universal Credit claim to
see what help and support they need.
We circulate a new survey on the first
of the month and the survey remains
available for the rest of the month.
When you go to register, you’ll see this screen. Click
where it says “Click here to register” and you’ll then be taken to a
different screen and asked to fill in your details and press the register
button. We’ll confirm you’re a GreenSquare resident and then email
you telling you that you can login and start using the page.
Every couple of weeks, we run quick polls on Greenview
to ask for your thoughts about stuff that’s happening in
the news, or that’s relevant at the time.
4
5
HOW TO REGISTER
6
We created a pre-paid postcard
for residents to register their
interest in receiving advice about
employment and training.
Delivering answers fast!
I’m really
upset that
One Direction
are breaking
up next year
No not really
Do I look like
I care?
Who are One
Direction?
Yes 83%
No 17%
I really
love hot weather
Yes 63%
No 37%
What’s
new from
Viewpoint
The chances
are you’ve
spoken to a
member of our
Viewpoint team.
They speak to
more than
1,600 residents
each month
to ask how
satisfied you
are with
the services
GreenSquare
provides and
how we can
make things
even better.
The team carries out
the majority of its
surveys over the phone.
It also carries out
surveys face-to-face
with residents living
in our 55+ schemes.
This year, because
GreenSquare is trying
to use less paper, the
team is hoping to
carry out face-to-face
surveys with people
using tablets, rather
than handing out
printed copies.
If they’re planning
a visit, you will see
posters and flyers
appearing around
the scheme to let you
know when they’ll be
popping by. They will
be visiting again soon!
We try to use plain English
and avoid jargon.
G2 magazine
7
Matt Wilson
HOUSING OFFICER
1 What does your role
involve?
The great thing about being a housing
officer is that it’s a very mixed role. I am
out of the office a lot meeting residents,
carrying out home visits, looking into
reports of antisocial behaviour and
making sure that our neighbourhoods are
clean and tidy. When I’m in the office, I
help with sign ups and handle tenancy
enquiries on the phone.
We’ve listened to feedback from
both residents and staff, and
have decided to have a bit of a reshuffle
in our neighbourhood teams, to help us
give you a clearer, simpler and more
consistent service.
2
How can people find out
who their housing officer is?
If you call the contact centre, a customer
service officer will be able to transfer you
to your housing officer. Or you can visit
the GreenSquare website and type your
postcode into the postcode search on the
front page – this will then show you who
your housing officer is. If your housing
officer doesn’t appear, don’t worry!
We’re still recruiting to fill some additional
housing officer roles. In the meantime,
please just give us a call.
3 How often do you visit
your patch?
The majority of the neighbourhoods in
my patch are in Witney and Charlbury – I
try to spend at least two half days a week
in each place. However, this does vary
from housing officer to housing officer
depending on the areas they cover.
4 How can a resident be sure
they’re speaking to someone
from GreenSquare?
We always wear our identity badges
around our necks when we’re out of the
office on visits, so you’ll know that we’re
GreenSquare members of staff. If you’re
unsure, feel free to call us.
8
WHAT’S CHANGED?
We used to have both neighbourhood officers and customer managers
working across the same areas. You told us that this was confusing
and we agree!
Now there will be one housing officer in each area, who will replace
both the neighbourhood officer and customer manager. This will help
to avoid any confusion and they will be your single point of contact for
everything that’s happening in your neighbourhood as well as being
able to help you with any tenancy issues.
Following feedback from residents, we’re increasing the number
of frontline officers we have, so we can provide you with a more
personalised and dedicated service.
We are currently recruiting more housing officers and hope to have
everyone in their new roles by the end of the year. Keep an eye out in
the next issue of G2 for a full who’s who and to find out more about
your housing officer.
greensquaregroup.com
LOCAL FOCUS
10
minutes
with
Changes in our
neighbourhoods
teams
Lending
a hand to
clean up!
In August, residents were busy lending a
hand to spruce up their neighbourhoods
at various clean-up events across our
areas.
We had some enthusiastic young helpers
pitch in during their summer holidays in
Witney (left), while residents in Greater
Leys, Oxford (top) filled skips with
rubbish in record time.
At Stokes Croft in Calne (bottom
left), residents gave up their time on
a Saturday morning to fill four of our
biggest skips to the brim. A big thank
you to everyone who helped out!
Making things simpler: changed area names
When GreenSquare had the Isis, Avon and Severn Communities Boards, we referred to our
three operating areas as Isis, Avon and Severn too. But in the summer the GreenSquare
Board made the decision to move away from having three separate communities boards, and
decided to put in place one single customer service committee. With this change, we also
decided to rethink how we refer to each of our areas to make things a bit simpler.
We will now be referring to properties in Oxford and the surrounding towns and villages
as simply being in ‘Oxfordshire’; properties across Wiltshire and Swindon as simply being
in ‘Wiltshire’; and homes in Gloucester and the surrounding areas as simply being in
‘Gloucestershire’. We have also updated our website to reflect this change, removing any
reference to Isis, Avon and Severn.
G2 magazine
9
LOCAL FOCUS
LOCAL FOCUS
SNAPSHOTS
1 Young residents tending to the
community garden at Broadwood
Avenue in Rudloe. They’ve learnt
how to plant, maintain and harvest a
wide variety of fruit and vegetables,
including strawberries, courgettes,
spring onion, potatoes and many
more. They’re so keen to get involved
in the fortnightly gardening sessions
delivered by The Nature Of It, they
can’t wait to get stuck in after school!
2 Cadets from 2189 Calne Air
Training Corps lent a hand on one of
the hottest days of the summer to help
residents clear planters in Calne.
3 We recently donated £1,000 to
Read Easy (Melksham) after the charity
submitted a request to GreenSquare’s
Community Fund. Read Easy offers
one-to-one reading and tuition and is
planning to use the money to cover
the cost of printing reading materials;
hospitality at enrolment; training; and
other office printing costs.
4 The Ivy Hub opened in an unused
ground floor flat on Royal Close in
Chippenham recently to provide
a base for residents living on the
surrounding estate to meet with
housing officers, police and local
support agencies. Thanks to a £1,000
grant from GreenSquare’s Community
Fund, the Ivy Hub also has a ‘digital
hub’ installed, which is a computer
enabling residents to access housing
services online.
5 Children from New Marston
Primary School and from Northway
Marston Children’s Centre visited our
new development site in Northway,
where the hoardings have been
decorated with posters about the
children’s projects about great crested
newts living at Peasemoor Piece next
to the site.
with GreenSquare’s Community
Involvement Officer, Veronica
RydhSmith, at a garden party at
Wingfield Court, a 55+ scheme in
Oxford. Wingfield Court has a very
active Residents’ Association, who
organised the party, and has recently
received grants from GreenSquare’s
community fund and estate
improvement fund.
5
7 Three residents at Newburn
House, which provides
accommodation for 16-24 year old
women who are pregnant or have
one young child, recently achieved
an Edexcel Level 1 Certificate in
parenting. Here’s (from left to right):
Jasmine; Bev Borrill, Learning Curve
tutor; Beth and baby Sonny; and Zoe.
8 GreenSquare staff and children
from Rose Hill Junior Youth Club
volunteered their time at Tesco in
Oxford to encourage shoppers to
donate food items to FareShare, the
national food bank. FareShare supplies
food to Rose Hill helping to support
dozens of residents – and feed 120
children every week with a hot meal.
7
6
9
2
9 Young people in Gloucester took
part in a rugby project ahead of the
county playing host to this year’s rugby
World Cup. They had fun taking part
in coaching sessions run by Rugby
Football Union (RFU) trained coaches.
10 Throughout the summer scoot
and skate sessions were held in Calne
and Swindon for younger residents
to learn new skills and tricks on their
scooter or skateboard. Here’s some
children having fun at the skate park
in Swindon.
8
3
10
11 The New Friends Network, run by
GreenSquare’s housing support team,
enjoy a great day out at Robinswood
Hill in Gloucester.
6 Here’s GreenSquare resident
Muriel Hunt (left) enjoying a drink
10
1
11
4
greensquaregroup.com
G2 magazine
11
LOCAL FOCUS
LOCAL FOCUS
Residents celebrate at
official opening in Witney
Find us on
Facebook
and
Twitter
Remember to like the
Facebook page relevant
to you and follow us on
Twitter to find out more
about what’s happening
where you live and for
updates about upcoming
events and competitions.
Following the area name
changes, we’ve updated the
names on our Facebook and
Twitter pages too.
If you live in Gloucestershire,
please visit facebook.
com/GreenSquareGlos or
search for us on Twitter:
@GreenSquareGlos
If you live in Wiltshire,
please visit facebook.
com/GreenSquareWilts or
search for us on Twitter:
@GreenSquarWilts (please
note the missing ‘e’)
If you live in Oxfordshire,
please visit facebook.com/
GreenSquareOxon or search
for us on Twitter
@GreenSquareOxon
12
A ‘blooming’ success
WILTSHIRE Green-fingered residents of all ages have been working hard
to create a community ‘edible’ garden at Page Close in Calne. Their incredibly
hard work was rewarded recently when they were presented with a ‘Level 5 –
Outstanding’ gold award at this year’s Royal Horticultural Society’s (RHS) Calne in
Bloom competition.
OXFORDSHIRE Residents at Fernleigh,
GreenSquare’s new luxury extra care housing
development in Witney, celebrated the official
opening of the development at an event in
September, where they were presented with a
croquet set by GreenSquare’s Board Chair, Hilary
Gardner, to mark the occasion. Guests took
part in a variety of activities including bocce,
new age kurling, and massage sessions, and
were treated to a performance by the residents’
‘speech choir’. Mike Docker, a member of the
speech choir, recently moved into Fernleigh with
his wife Sandie. He said: “When friends come to visit they say it’s like you’re living
in a top hotel – and it is!” Some residents also brought along a selection of home
baked items to the event to take part in a ‘bake off’ competition – congratulations to
Fernleigh resident Trevor Jackson, who was announced the winner for his delicious
fruit loaf (pictured with Hilary Gardner).
Over the last 12 months residents have dedicated their time to breathe life into three
planters at the estate and have since created a mini-allotment, a herb bed and a wild
flower bed. The RHS judge said that residents had done ‘an amazing job’ and was
delighted to give them the top award in the ‘It’s your neighbourhood’ category.
Listening
to your
ideas
GLOUCESTERSHIRE At a
consultation event we held
in White City, Gloucester
back in May, many of you
said that there needed to be
more for young people to
do in the area and came up
with the idea of starting a
community garden project.
As a result of all your great
ideas (pictured below), we
are going to be working
with White City Residents
Action Group (WCRAG)
and The Conservation
Volunteers (TCV) to develop
a community garden in
the area and carrying out
monthly gardening session
with residents. We hope
that, over time, the garden
will become a hub for
community activity that
everyone can enjoy.
Fundraising
family fun day
OXFORDSHIRE After a resident
in Bartlett Close in Witney was sadly
diagnosed with cancer, the community
rallied together and decided to organise
a family fun day to raise money for
Cancer Research UK. The event, which
took place in July, was a great success
with residents enjoying an afternoon of
activities including a BBQ and tombola
– younger residents particularly enjoyed
themselves on the bouncy castle
(pictured). In total, everyone raised a
fantastic £628 for Cancer Research UK.
greensquaregroup.com
A safe place to ride ‘mini motos’
GLOUCESTERSHIRE Hundreds of young
people in Gloucester have been given the chance
to ride their mini-motorbikes in a legal, safe and
controlled environment thanks to the
Gloucestershire Youth Mini Bike Project. As well
as having fun on their bikes, with the help of
mini-bike instructors, the young riders have
also been learning more about vehicle maintenance
and important aspects of road safety.
G2 magazine
13
KEEP WARM,
KEEP HEALTHY
Cold homes have a
significant impact on
people’s health. One of
the best ways of keeping
yourself well during
winter is to stay warm.
Keeping warm over the winter
months can help prevent colds, flu or
more serious health conditions such
as heart attacks, strokes, pneumonia
and depression.
Fight flu! Flu is a highly infectious
illness that can spread rapidly. Visit
www.nhs.uk to find out if you’re
eligible for a free flu jab.
Eat well Food is a vital source of
energy, which helps keep your body
warm. Try to make sure that you
have hot meals and drinks regularly
throughout the day.
Dealing with
condensation
Every home gets condensation at
some point and it is a common problem
in the winter months.
Condensation occurs when moist, warm air comes into contact with
a colder surface like a wall, window or mirror, causing tiny drops of
water appear. Over time, this can increase your chances of dampness
and the resulting problems, such as mould growth.
Although managing condensation in your home is your responsibility,
we’re here to help where we can. If you’re concerned about the
levels of damp and condensation in your home, give us a call and
we can send you a monitor to record the temperature and humidity
levels in your home. The results will be able to help us advise you
how to improve the situation.
If you see signs of mould growth, treat it immediately using a mould
cleaner, available from supermarkets and DIY stores. Make sure it
carries a Health and Safety Executive ‘approval number’ and always
follow the instructions.
For more information, see our ‘Dealing with condensation’ leaflet on
our website or contact us (details back cover).
Wear warm clothes Wrap up
warm, inside and out. Layer your
clothing to stay warm and wear
shoes with a good grip when you go
outside.
Keep your home warm If you’re
over 65, you should try to heat your
home to at least 18°C and make
sure you wear enough clothes to
stay warm. It’s a good idea to keep
your bedroom at this temperature all
night. If you’re under 65 and healthy,
you can safely have your house cooler
than 18°C, if you’re comfortable.
HOW TO
REDUCE YOUR
ENERGY BILLS
If you’d like advice about heating
your home without seeing a massive
rise in energy bills, contact one of our
energy advisers (details back cover).
14
1
6
2
Try to position
wardrobes and
furniture against
internal walls.
Dry washing outdoors
on a line or put it in the
bathroom with the door
closed and the window
open. Don’t dry
washing on radiators.
5
Keep kitchens and
bathrooms wellventilated by opening
the windows wide.
INTRODUCTION
‘Passionate about great places to live’
GreenSquare’s corporate plan for 2015-25 was approved
by the Board at the start of this year and sets out our
mission, vision, and values.
Our mission is “to increase the opportunities for people to thrive by
building great homes and communities”.
Our vision is our ambition for future results. We will stand out from
the other providers of affordable homes in our area because:
• our customers are more satisfied with the quality of their homes and
the services we provide;
• we have significantly increased the number of good-quality,
affordable homes in Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Oxfordshire; and
• we lead the way in making a difference in thriving, resilient
communities where people can flourish and achieve their potential.
Our values are what guide our actions:
Cover pans with lids while
cooking or boiling water.
TOP
TIPS
Annual review
2014-15
3
Make sure tumble dryers
are vented to the outside.
Delivering – doing what we say we will.
Including – involving and valuing customers.
Pioneering – being open to new and better ways of doing things.
Residents are still at our heart.
We will continue to work in
partnership to understand
what you value and to guide
and inform what we do.
We have once again
produced this information
in an easy-to-read
‘infographic’ format. If
you would like to find out
more about any of the
facts and figures included
in this magazine, or read
our annual report and
financial statements in
full, please get in touch;
these documents are also
available to download
from our website at
greensquaregroup.com.
The corporate plan can be
viewed on our website at
greensquaregroup.com or
contact us to request a copy.
4
Close kitchen and bathroom doors
when the rooms are in use, to prevent
moisture reaching other rooms.
greensquaregroup.com
It’s that time again,
when we look back on
the previous financial
year (April 2014 to
March 2015) and report
on GreenSquare’s
performance in that
period. On the next
few pages you will find
headline facts and figures
for the year – including
details of customer
satisfaction ratings on a
range of issues; the gender
and age split of residents;
how many homes
GreenSquare manages and
how many new homes
were built and acquired;
GreenSquare’s total
income; and more!
G2 magazine
15
Annual review
2014-15
Total number
of homes owned
and managed
Customer
satisfaction
with overall service
from the customer
service team
11,734
57%
Satisfaction with
the final outcome
of complaint
85%
Stage 1 complaints
responded to in
target time
resolved
88% Complaints
at stage 1
92%
Customer satisfaction
with overall
service provided
by GreenSquare
85%
Average time to
re-let an empty
(void) property
Customer
satisfaction
with overall
quality of home
25 days
75%
16
greensquaregroup.com
Number
of new homes
built or acquired
GENDER
AGE
Female 62%
Male
38%
16-24
5.06%
25-44
36.33%
45-64
35.03%
65-84
19.17%
84+
4.4%
202
resident magazine G2
17
Percentage of
residents asked who
think GreenSquare
listens to & acts on
their views
Annual review
2014-15
66%
Be alarmed!
KNOW THE SIGNS!
headaChe
diZZineSS
Total income
Antisocial
behaviour
£80 million
(ASB)
with surplus of £8.5 million
Group
management
been a busy
year in
our repairs and maintenance team.
cost
per
property
e’s a snapshot of what
the team has been up to
£1,384
REPAIR COSTS
96% £0-500
1,000
23%
Current41%
rent arrears
3 94%
completed
DAYS
(combinedin–under...
all tenures)
OF
AIR (%)
23 CARPENTRY
22 HEATING
22 PLUMBING
17 ELECTRICAL
7 BUILDING
6 ROOFING
3 FENCING
17436
18
residents satisfied
with last repair job
Number of
evictions
10
nauSea
bReathleSSneSS
COllapSe
lOSS OF
COnSCiOuSneSS
Look out for:
• yellow or orange flames
• sooting or staining around an
appliance
• frequently blown pilot lights
• appliances not working
correctly
Be sure to:
• fit an alarm
• know the signs
• maintain your appliances and
have them checked regularly
• allow fresh air into your room
• unblock ventilation
16.4 million households are at risk from the effects
of Carbon Monoxide – a highly poisonous gas,
which has no colour, taste or smell.
If you smell gas, or suspect a gas or carbon
monoxide leak, you should immediately:
To ensure you’re safe:
• Have fuel burning appliances serviced annually
• Fit an audible Carbon Monoxide alarm
• Unblock all flues, vents and chimneys
• Learn about the danger signs and symptoms
of Carbon Monoxide poisoning
For more information and advice on how to stay safe visit
www.co-bealarmed.co.uk
• open all doors and windows;
• shut off the gas supply at the meter control valve; and
• call the gas emergency freephone number on 0800 111 999.
Do you have concerns about an appliance? Need to check when your
annual service is due? Or need help and advice about repairs to your
home? Give us a call (details back cover).
Or visit www.co-bealarmed.co.uk for information
on how you can keep your family safe this winter.
150
100,711hrs
Overall
Total worked by trade team*
Percentage of
residents asked who
think GreenSquare
visitsrent
per day
provides value
for money
Repairs completed in house
satisfaction with
the responsive
repairs service
67%
87%
83%
13,000 miles
greensquaregroup.com
AVERAGE ANNUAL
MILEAGE FOR ONE
TRADESMAN
GreenSquare
Community
Fund
Did you know that
GreenSquare awards
small g
rants to local
groups across Oxfordshire,
Gloucestershire and
Wiltshire?
Would a small grant of up
to £1000 help your group?
• Any local group or organisation
can apply – this includes small
community groups such as a lunch
club, residents’ group or parent
and toddler group.
• All applicants must have a bank
account for their group. We cannot
award grants to an individual’s
bank account.
• Grants are only awarded in areas
in which GreenSquare residents
live. We have properties across
Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire and
Wiltshire. You do not have to be a
GreenSquare resident to apply.
people were not in when we came to visit
On average
the trade
team* made
856 WERE GAS
EMERGENCIES
69%
Responsive
non-emergency
repair average
completion time
2.5%
1in12
RESPONSIVE REPAIRS 28418
Overall satisfaction
with ASB service
Non-emergency
repairs completed
on time
1% £2501-7000
ponse
ergency
APR FIGU
IL 2 RES
014
TO MFROM
ARC
H 20
15
99%
Operating
margin
3% £501-2500
5%
Carbon monoxide is an odourless, colourless
gas – you can’t see it, you can’t taste it and
you can’t smell it.
CARBON MONOXIDE
number of
nsive repair jobs
FREE early education
for 2 year olds
Did you know that your two-year-old might be able
to qualify for up to 15 hours of free early education
or childcare a week, if your family receives working
tax credits and has an income of less than £16,190
a year? Visit your local council’s website to see if
you’re eligible to apply for a place.
G2 magazine
NEXT
APPLICATION
DEADLINES:
Monday 2 November 2015
Monday 15 February 2016
To find out more, please contact
the Community Involvement team
(details back cover) or email CIT@
greensquaregroup.com
19
What’s happening…
in planned maintenance
what
we’ve
done...
It’s been a busy few months for our planned
maintenance team. Keeping your homes in a good
condition is important to us and we aim to provide
you with a responsive and efficient service. Here’s
a snapshot of some recent activity and our plans
for the future.
Last year we asked what you
thought we could do better.
Your most popular suggestions
became the Residents’ Business Plan
2014-2016. Here’s a look at what
we’ve done recently:
You said: Consult us about
the design of properties
and communal areas
We carried out a Greenview survey
to get feedback from customers
about the design of new homes and
neighbourhoods. This has helped
us to improve our standard for new
developments.
You said: Tailor the
planned maintenance
service to our choice
and needs
We continue to fund and offer a
wide range of colour choice when
kitchen, bathroom and front door
replacements are carried out, and
when communal schemes are
internally decorated.
You said: Help us achieve
greater fuel efficiency in
heating systems
There are three Energy Advisors
working across the Group. To date,
over 3,848 homes have received
an energy advise visit and nearly
5,980 homes have a valid Energy
Performance
Certificate.
“what ts
n
reside t”
n
a
w
20
latest report
FROM THE RESIDENT INSPECTORS
The Resident Inspectors are GreenSquare
residents who look at the services
that GreenSquare provides and make
recommendations on how GreenSquare
can improve them.
Gloucestershire
We will be carrying out kitchen upgrades in 50
homes this year and completing window and
door replacements at an additional 25 homes.
Residents having their kitchens upgraded,
recently had the chance to choose the colour
scheme for their new kitchens and have a look
at the range of tiles and cupboard doors on
offer.
Oxfordshire
So far this year, we have
refurbished 18 bathrooms and
upgraded 45 kitchens, and
we have another 100 kitchen
upgrades planned. Next, we
will be replacing windows in 70
homes and upgrading the heating
systems in a further 20 homes.
The Inspectors have recently published the results of
their latest inspection, which looks at the customer services
provided by GreenSquare staff.
luded:
quare inc
S
n
e
with
re
G
r dealing
fo
tions to
a
s
d
e
s
n
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e
c
m
m
k at its pro
ff about
Their reco
hould loo
ind all sta
s
m
re
re
a
u
d
q
n
S
a
ide
all times.
Green
ervice at
s
s group-w
r
e
e
u
s
m
is
r
to
s
e
cu
custom
excellent
are of the
rtance of
o
p
made aw
im
e
e
b
th
ld
u
o
h
ff s
an have.
aining, sta
r service c
o
o
p
During tr
t
a
th
ng with
impact
into deali
t
potential
u
p
e
b
hould
sources s
More re
e times.
ues.
s respons
it
e
v
severe iss
ro
p
s to im
sues
uare need
resolved is
n
u
t
a
GreenSq
k
o
sible,
to lo
rever pos
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e
a
h
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q
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S
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Gre
sure th
mes.
e, and en
the outco
h
it
w
group-wid
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e
are satisfi
customers
VISIT OUR WEBSITE TO READ THE FULL REPORT
greensquaregroup.com
Wiltshire
As part of our continuing kitchen and
bathroom refurbishment programme, we’ve
replaced kitchens in 38 homes this year, and
we have another 40 upgrades planned. We
have also refurbished 298 bathrooms with 160
more to follow.
What you’ve said…
“We cant express how delighted we are with the standard of the work that
was carried out and the thought that went into every detail.”
“GreenSquare transformed my bathroom from an old ‘70s nightmare to a
bathroom I never thought we’d get, the tradesperson worked wonders on it.”
To find out when we plan to carry out maintenance in your area, simply
enter your postcode in the postcode search on the GreenSquare website.
G2 magazine
update
UNIVERSAL CREDIT
We now have 25
households, who have
claimed for monthly Universal
Credit payments. Most of
these people made a claim
when they stopped working,
but have continued claiming
after returning to work.
Most of the residents who’ve
claimed so far have been
claiming online. They have
been in touch with our
contact centre to ask for
proof of their rent and service
charges. Most people have
also successfully received the
money from the claim directly
into their bank accounts.
While waiting for their
claim to be processed,
some people struggled to
make their rent payments
and pay for food and living
expenses. This is because
when you make a new
claim for Universal Credit,
the first monthly payment
isn’t due for around six and
a half weeks after you have
claimed.
At the moment, Universal
Credit is only being rolled
out to single people, who
are making a new claim for
benefit. We don’t know yet
when it might be rolled out
to families, or to anyone who
already receives the benefits
that will become Universal
Credit.
To find out more, visit www.
gov.uk/universal-credit/
overview or contact us
(details back cover).
21
MONEY MATTERS
Saving for the festive season
Pressure to please loved ones and to give children the perfect present
tops the list of reasons people overspend at this time of year.
3 A pre-Christmas
This year, why not
consider starting
some new festive
traditions? Start
ones the whole
family can join
in with and save
some money along
the way.
clear out with the
family will help you
get in order for
the festive season
but could also put
some money back
in your pocket.
You could sell your
unwanted CDs,
DVDs and children’s
clothes on websites
such as eBay, to
give you some cash
to buy new ones
for presents.
2 Agree to do a secret Santa with family or
friends and you’ll save a fortune by only buying one
present instead of forking out on gifts for everyone.
Make sure you set an affordable budget that
everyone agrees to.
MESSAGE
1 Start early.
If you plan your presents
well in advance, it can help to buy a
couple of items each month to help
spread the cost and save you the hassle
of shopping when everyone else is.
4 Embrace the
digital age and
email greeting cards
to save on postage.
There are lots of free
websites that let
you create your own
cards, with family
photos and videos.
With the increasing
cost of stamps, by
sending 30 cards by
email this year, you
could save between
£15 and £18.
5 Stock up on snacks in advance. if you know
you’ll indulge in lots of biscuits, crisps and other
holiday treats, take advantage of offers you
see in the supermarkets now and hide them
away in the cupboard until they are needed.
22
greensquaregroup.com
resident magazine G2
23
Grow it,
bake it,
eat it!
When asked at a clean-up day what they’d
like to see in their area, the residents at
Broadwood Avenue in Rudloe, Wiltshire, said
that they were keen to create some vegetable
patches in the communal courtyard.
Chocolate
& beetroot
muffins
Thanks to the hard work of some eager young
residents, and with help from Wiltshire Wildlife Trust
and GreenSquare, eight big planters were built in the
courtyard. Over the past year, residents have grown
everything from courgettes, beetroots, pumpkins
and purple broccoli to strawberries, blueberries and
blackcurrants in the vegetable patches.
INGREDIENTS
80g cocoa powder
180g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
250g golden caster sugar
250g cooked beetroot, pureed
2 large eggs
200ml sunflower oil
1tsp vanilla extract
METHOD
1
Preheat oven to 180°C,
gas mark 4. Arrange
paper muffin cases in
muffin tin.
2
Sieve together the cocoa
powder, flour and baking
powder into a bowl.
3
Mix in the sugar and set
aside.
4
Place the beetroot in a
bowl. Add the eggs, one
at a time, then add the
vanilla and oil and blend
until smooth.
Jenny and her children have been keenly involved with
the project. She said: “My kids come in from school, throw their bags down and run
out to look at how the vegetable patches are coming along. Not only has it been a
great way for them to learn all about growing fruit and veg but it’s helped them to
become much more adventurous when it comes to eating food – they now happily
polish off all their vegetables!
“I’ve been trying lots of new recipes using the fresh fruit and veg too – a particular
favourite is making beetroot and chocolate muffins with the homegrown beetroot.”
Do you need to get in touch?
If you would like to have any part of this
explained or translated, or in a different
format such as in larger print, or on
audio tape, please contact us using the
details below to discuss your needs.
GLOUCESTERSHIRE
9 Pullman Court, Great Western Road, Gloucester GL1 3ND
Phone 01452 505359 • Email [email protected]
OXFORDSHIRE
5
Add the beetroot mixture
to the dry ingredients and
gently stir together.
244 Barns Road, Oxford OX4 3RW
Freephone 0800 980 9272 • Phone 01865 773000
Email [email protected]
6
Pour into the muffin
cases and bake for 15-20
minutes or until the tops
are firm when pressed
gently.
Methuen Park, Chippenham SN14 0GU
Phone 01249 465465
Email [email protected]
WILTSHIRE
greensquaregroup.com