HA summer 10

Issue 33 - Summer 10
Homeaffairs
News and views for council tenants and
leaseholders throughout Dudley borough
Welcome to the Summer edition of Home Affairs
Welcome to the Summer edition of Home Affairs 2010.
This year’s tenants’ conference promises to be bigger and
better than ever before and focuses on the new housing
standards as set out by the Tenant Services Authority.
“ We have recently created a new income management team”
We would like to encourage as many as possible tenants to attend and help to shape
your housing service. We are also confident that you will have a great day out too! (See pages 3 and 8)
We are keen to try and do more for less and as part of our commitment
to being as efficient as we can we want to make sure that we collect
100% of rent from tenants.
We have recently created a new income management team. Part of the
team's role is to help tenants who fall behind on rent payments and
where necessary to take action against those who fail to pay their rent on
time. Although the number of people in rent arrears, in the borough, are
in the minority, the amount of money owed means we have less to spend
on improvements and services (see page 3).
Making sure that we are using our limited resources on the housing priorities you want is crucial to us providing the
best possible service and we are keen to see more tenants engaged in helping to shape the service. Want to get
involved? Do you have a few hours a year to help us help you? The article, ‘How can I get involved?’ on page 6 gives
you more information.
Councillor David Simms cabinet member for housing, libraries, archives and adult learning
Linda Sanders director of adult, community and housing services
If you would like to share your news then why not write an article for Home Affairs?
Just put your ideas down on paper or in an e-mail and send it to us
and we'll put your article forward to the editorial panel for
consideration. We can also include photographs.
The Home Affairs editorial panel includes tenants, leaseholders and
housing officers. If you have any ideas on how we can improve the
newsletter, want to contribute an article or news story or would like
to join our editorial panel, get in touch via our freepost address or
e-mail. We look forward to hearing from you.
FREEPOST
Home Affairs, Marketing and communications, FREEPOST
MID22308, Dudley DY1 1BR
or by e-mail: [email protected]
Survey prize draw winners
Your comments are very important to us in improving our services to you.
Thank you to everyone who has taken part in our customer satisfaction surveys and congratulations to our recent
prize draw winners: Ms J Coleman from Coseley and Ms N Plant from Dudley.
Page 2
The 2010 tenants’ conference promises to be bigger and better than
ever before, focusing this year on the standards for housing services.
This year’s event is being held on Friday 17 September at the Saltwells Education and Development Centre
from 9.30am until 3pm. It will provide people with a wealth of information, fun and an opportunity to network
with housing staff, partner agencies and other tenants.
There will be an interactive market place giving people the opportunity to pick up information and speak to housing
staff and partners.
An interactive quiz will be held at the event, based around the information available from the market place stands.
One lucky winner will receive a great prize (yet to be announced). At last years conference Steve Probyn of
Wollaston TRA won a fabulous laptop.
The day will give you the chance to have your say about the way we deliver housing services and an opportunity to
say how we can improve things with the return of the ‘soap box’ pod, a video booth for recording your comments.
The conference will be highlighting five of the six standards set by the new regulator
for affordable housing - the Tenant Services Authority (TSA):
• Tenant Involvement and Empowerment - including customer service and choice,
involvement and empowerment and responding to complaints.
• Home Standard - quality of accommodation, repairs and maintenance.
• Tenancy Standard - allocations, rents and tenure.
• Neighbourhood and Community - neighbourhood management, local area
co-operation and anti social behaviour.
• Value for money - management of resources to provide cost-effective, efficient,
quality services and homes.
The event is being organised by the council’s participation development team, in
partnership with Dudley Federation of Tenants and Residents Associations (DFTRA).
Places are free, but are limited, so why not reserve your place by completing the
application form IN THIS ISSUE OF Home Affairs, telephone 01384 815168 or email
[email protected]
Lunch, refreshments and reasonable travel expenses will be provided.
So why not hurry and book your place at this fun event! (see page 8)
Pictured: Shirley Byng entering the ‘soap box’ pod to tell us her views at last year’s conference.
Income management teams
We now have dedicated teams dealing with the management and collection of tenants’ rent.
The teams comprise of income management officers who are responsible for the recovery of outstanding debt
from our tenants, dealing with low level arrears right through to severe arrears and eviction.
Each income management officer covers a geographical patch of properties and also provides a telephone
service so that tenants can speak to an income management officer any time. Income management officers will
use a number of methods to establish contact with tenants including home visits, office interviews, telephone,
texting and written correspondence.
Margaret Tebbett, head of service, says...
‘I am happy to report that the majority of our tenants pay their rent on time and on a regular basis. I would like to
reassure those tenants that we take action to actively pursue those tenants who fail to pay their rent.
‘I would like to take this timely opportunity to remind tenants who could be having financial problems that help
may be available. This includes debt advice from Citizens Advice Bureau and claiming any benefits they may be
entitled to’.
If you are experiencing financial difficulty, please ensure you contact your income management officer via Dudley
Council Plus on 0300 555 2345.
Page 3
Your housing service
Decoration vouchers - 12 months
on
Last summer housing services
launched a new decoration
vouchers scheme in partnership
with MITIE and Crown Paints.
This scheme has enabled us to issue decorating
vouchers to new tenants and existing tenants who
have had to carry out decorating in their homes
following identified repairs. These vouchers can be
exchanged for decorating materials at local Crown
Decorating Centres.
Specially discounted prices have been agreed
between Crown paints and Dudley Council to enable
our tenants to make selections from a huge choice
of decorating materials at a significant saving. This
means more for your money.
Crown Decorating Centre staff are trained and
available to advise tenants on the most appropriate
product to use for the work they are carrying out.
We are pleased to say that this scheme has been very
well received by you, our tenants.
Following tenant feedback the scheme has now been
extended to include a specially selected range of
popular, good quality wallpapers which are
discounted exclusively for our tenants.
Feedback from tenants has confirmed that you are
happy with the new improved service, available
expert help and assistance and value for money.
Here are just a few of the comments we have
received from tenants using this new system:
“Polite, good communication, very helpful, patient”
“We had a really good service and we are happy with
what we got”
"I was more than happy with the service I got from
Julia at Crown Paints. Very helpful, will go there again
and recommend to friends"
Page 4
Watching the World Cup 2010?
The football World Cup only comes
round every 4 years...
and the expectations about the England team becomes
fever pitch with footie fans desperate to watch the
matches, right through to the final on July 11.
But what happens if you sit down, ready to watch
every glorious moment, only to find your television
screen is blank? Do you:
a. Twist the knobs on the front?
b. Change the remote’s batteries?
c. Jiggle the aerial connection in your television?
d. Realise that you are not connected to digital
television?
If you are a tenant or a leaseholder living in one of our flats,
or live in a bungalow on a communal system, it could be
that the access to analogue television has been switched
off and reception moved to digital. If you haven’t allowed
us access to your home to complete the installation you
may not be able to watch television once we have moved
to the new system.
It is important that householders who have not been
connected up allow us access to their homes to guarantee
uninterrupted television reception. We are moving to digital
services this year in preparation for the complete switch
over of this area in 2011.
If you live in one of our qualifying properties you will be
notified when your property is scheduled for installation.
If we have already undertaken the work in your area, but
you are still not connected, please telephone 01384
817096 to arrange access.
For more information about the digital switchover why not
visit the website www.digitaluk.co.uk or call their contact
centre on 0845 6 50 50 50.
Please note, if you are a leaseholder you will incur a one
off cost of £185.
Gas partnership update
Free annual service
All Dudley Council tenants are being urged to take advantage of a free annual gas check as part of a drive to
ensure your safety.
Every year around 20 people throughout the UK die from carbon monoxide poisoning caused by gas appliances and
flues which are incorrectly installed or maintained, according to the UK’s leading authority, the Health and Safety
Executive.
Around 20,000 Dudley owned properties which have council owned gas central heating and fires are visited as part
of a rolling service contract. The visits are to check these appliances are working safely and efficiently.
Dudley Council tenants are asked to call 0300 555 8283 to arrange an appointment if their gas appliances have not
already been serviced in the last 12 months. Servicing is carried out from Monday to Saturday between 8am and
8pm to ensure tenants can arrange a convenient time for appointments.
Change of name
We have been working successfully with our gas partners CHN/Eon for a number of years now, continually
improving the service offered to our tenants. During that time we have introduced a text message reminder
service and appointment times to name just a couple of the service improvements.
The contract was originally won by CHN but this was transferred to Eon following a company buyout. The change of
service was seamless with the only notable differences for tenants being the name of the company and the joint branding
of Eon and CHN on uniforms, vans and identity cards.
2010 sees another change. This contractor is changing its name to Eon Property Services to tie in with its parent
company, removing confusion for customers (given that CHN no longer exists). There are no changes in personnel as
a result of the name change but engineers will be wearing new uniforms which will bear the new logo, will have updated
identity cards and will be driving vans that have working in partnership with Dudley MBC on the side - making sure
that they are easily recognisable.
If you are not sure of any operative who visits your property
please telephone 0300 555 8283 to confirm
that an engineer is due at your home.
Pictured is Peter Nightingale
wearing the new uniform
by the rebranded van.
Page 5
Bench of recycled paint pots
donated
Your housing service
A park bench made from
recycled plastic paint pots has
been donated to Dudley Council
for a community garden.
Level access shower
Service user Mrs Beryl Whitehouse from
Kingswinford was the 500th person to have
a level access shower fitted in her home by
Dudley Council’s building services technical
team working in partnership with Frank
Haslam Milan Ltd.
Mrs. Whitehouse, who is 84 years old, has arthritis which affects
many of her joints. She wears orthopaedic shoes, which assist
her to stand and walk. She was very pleased when she heard that
she was getting her shower fitted.
The partnership between the council and Frank Haslam Milan Ltd
started in April 2008 and to date they have fitted more than 550
level access showers across the borough.
As a result of the good working relationship Frank Haslam Milan Ltd offered to fund the 500th shower.
As a result, Mrs. Whitehouse was selected from a list of service users who had been assessed by their occupational
therapist as requiring a level access shower.
Work on the shower started in February 2010 and took approximately 2 weeks to complete.
How can I get involved?
•
•
•
•
planning, developing and shaping housing services
making informed choices about services
helping us to improve the services we provide to you
helping to build stronger communities
There are many ways to get involved and influence how services are provided with a wide range of
opportunities for you to have your say:
• Tenants and Residents Associations
• focus groups and action groups
• Area Housing Forum meetings and Open House meetings
• consultation events
• estate walkabouts
• Dudley Federation of Tenants and Residents Associations
• Readers Panel
How much time does it take?
•
•
•
•
•
•
local meetings
Area Housing Panel
surveys - postal, telephone and e-mail
local open days
annual tenants conference
High Rise Living Forum
I’ve got a few minutes
I’ve got a couple of hours
I’ve got some free time
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
• set up or join a Tenants and
Residents Association
• join your Area Panel
• join the Dudley Federation of Tenants
and Residents Associations
• attend the annual tenant conference
telephone surveys
e-mail surveys
postal surveys
make a suggestion
text us
Readers Panel
attend a meeting
come to a coffee morning
go to a local open day
take part in an estate walkabout
join our Reading Panel
attend one of our training sessions
attend our High Rise Living Forum
The Participation Development Team wants to make it as easy as possible for you to get involved.
We can assist with any training requirements and travel expenses to and from events organised by Dudley’s
Directorate of Adult, Community and Housing Services.
Yes, I’m interested - what do I need to do now? Get in touch with the Participation Development Team by…
Telephone: 01384 815168 • Email: [email protected] • Website: www.dudley.gov.uk/housing
Page 6
The bench was donated by Crown Paints to
Priors Mill Community Garden in Upper
Gornal in recognition of the unique
partnership it has with Dudley Council and
MITIE property services.
The council’s building services division and
MITIE have been working in partnership for
four years to deliver all of the painting
programmes in council properties. Together
they have a strong relationship with their
preferred supplier Crown Paints.
Jim Sweeney, regional sales manager at
Crown Paints, said, “The bench is a symbol
of the positive relationship we enjoy with the
council through the partnership. The bench
is our gift to the local community and reflects
our commitment to maximise the
sustainability of our business practices and
to reduce the impact of our products on the
environment.”
Crown Paints have assisted the council and
MITIE with the development of a decoration
voucher scheme which allows the council to
issue qualifying residents with decoration
vouchers which can be exchanged for good
quality decorating materials at any local
Crown Decoration Centre.
The ‘can to bench’ programme is part of a
wider pilot recycling scheme where used
paint containers are collected at selected
Crown Decorating Centres and then either
re-used or fed back into the supply chain for
new products.
From left to right: Tony Howell from Crown,
Dave Allen from DFTRA and Stan Cullen from
MITIE.
Relocation of
Stourbridge housing office
Stourbridge area housing office is to be
relocated from the Crown Centre this
summer to the Stourbridge Town Hall and
Library to make way for the future
regeneration of Stourbridge Town Centre.
The area housing office will be relocated to current unused
back office space within the audio/visual and children’s
library in order to provide a housing enquiry service, bringing
a number of council services together in one central
location.
This new housing reception will not have payment facilities, so
we are advising tenants who currently pay at our Stourbridge
Office you to use other payment methods.
• Direct debit - the easiest and most convenient way to pay.
Telephone 0300 555 2345 or visit www.dudley.gov.uk for an
application form
• Online at www.dudley.gov.uk
• By phone on 0800 555 7000 - available 24 hours a day
• By post All cheques should be made payable to DMBC and sent
with a payment slip. Please quote your rent or council tax number,
name and address on the reserve and post to Dudley Council,
PO Box 3, The Council House, Priory Street, DY1 1HG
• In person at:
• any PayPoint, Payzone or Post Office location - to use this
facility you will need a plastic housing payments card,
available by calling 0300 555 2345
• at Dudley Council Plus, Castle Street, Dudley.
Open weekdays 8am-6pm, Saturday 9am-12 noon
You can now look at your housing rent account online at
www.dudley.gov.uk. You will need your rent account reference
number and you will be able to view a summary of your last six
months transactions.
The opening hours for the housing service within the library
remain Monday to Friday, 9am - 5pm.
The library service is using this opportunity to enhance the
library’s facilities by installing self-service technology, new
lighting, new carpets, new shelving and a new counter.
While works are being carried out, a temporary reduced
audio/visual and children’s library will be delivered in a shop unit
adjacent to the library within the crown centre. The temporary
service will be open during the normal opening hours of the
library. These alterations will not affect the existing library
customer floor space and will not have any adverse affect on the
library service.
If you want to report a repair simply telephone 0300 555 8283,
use www.dudley.gov.uk or alternatively use the freephone service
available in the library.
If you would like to view properties which are available for
transfer you can use the Dudley at Home Internet site at
www.dudleyathome.org.uk A computer at the library is set up
to allow easy access to this site.
If you would like to discuss any housing related issues with
a housing manager you should call Dudley Council Plus on
0300 555 2345 to make an appointment.
Page 7
Calling all tenants
You are invited to attend the annual tenants conference on Friday 17 September 2010
Moneymatters
Worried about money matters?
Nearly every time you switch on your television set, open
your newspaper or go online you are bombarded with
advertisements by companies who promise to make your
money worries go away.
Take out this loan - consolidate your debts - sign up for a
new credit card - the list is endless and quite tempting to
anyone who is experiencing money problems and is in need
of help.
Before dealing with finance and credit companies it is worth
contacting the Citizens Advice Bureaux to find out what
options are available to you - and this service is offered free
of charge due to their charitable status and it is confidential.
They have a wealth of information available at their website
www.adviceguide.org.uk
Working together to serve you better
The event is being organised by Dudley Council’s adult, community & housing service’s participation development team, in partnership
with Dudley Federation of Tenants and Residents Associations (DFTRA). The day will give you the opportunity to gather information
about your housing services via the interactive market place.
Other activities will include an interactive prize quiz.
The event is being held at Saltwells Education and Development Centre, Bowling Green Road, Netherton from 9.30am to 3pm.
Places are free,however they are limited and must be pre-booked. Lunch, refreshments and reasonable travel expenses will be provided.
To reserve your place, or find out more, telephone 01384 815168 or email [email protected]
Tenants’ information day
I would like to reserve my place at the tenants’ information day being held on Friday 17 September 2010
Name........................................................................................................................................................................
Address ....................................................................................................................................................................
✁
................................................................................................................................................................................
Telephone .................................................................................................................................................................
Email ........................................................................................................................................................................
Are you a member of a tenants and residents group? ■ Yes
■ No
Please return this completed form, using the freepost address below, no later than 27 August 2010 to:
Tenants’ information day, directorate of adult, community & housing services, participation development team,
3 Capstan House, FREEPOST WV299, Waterfront East, Brierley Hill, DY5 1XL
This website has a money management section which
includes an interactive budgeting tool, letter templates and
help and advice about how to deal with your debts.
Beware - doing a general search on the Internet throws up
companies who try to hook customers by leading them to
believe they are government endorsed organisations or
charity institutions. When using a search engine to find the
Citizens Advice Bureaux many sponsored sites or websites
have CAB cleverly worked into the text so that they appear
at the top of the search list, which can be misleading to
customers. So always read the sites carefully and do your
research.
safe & sound
Dudley
ASB pledge
safe & sound, Dudley’s community
safety partnership, has issued a set
of minimum standards they will
follow when dealing with anti-social
behaviour (ASB).
The standards highlight the commitment made by
safe & sound partners to work together to
prevent, tackle and resolve ASB in the borough.
Through prevention, early intervention and
effective enforcement, the partnership aims to
protect local people from intimidation, harassment
and distress and enable every member of the
community to enjoy their home and
neighbourhood safely and peacefully.
Finance companies will often charge an administration or
management fee and inflated interest rates - money which
could be used to help pay off any debts. Taking out
additional loans will ultimately only make the problem worse.
If you do decide to use a finance company, make sure that
you research them well before hand, identifying hidden costs
and if possible getting customer endorsements which are not
off their own website.
If you are experiencing problems paying your rent or other
housing related expenses, please contact your housing
manager by telephoning 0300 555 2345 as soon as possible,
to discuss how we can help to make things easier.
The local CAB can be contacted on 01384 816222 or at
www.adviceguide.org.uk or visit them at:
Brierley Hill - 6b Maple Row, Mill Street, DY5 2RH
Dudley - Marlborough House, 11 St James’s Road, DY1 1JG
Halesowen - 49 Summer Hill, Halesowen, B63 3BU
Stourbridge - 69 Market Street, Stourbridge, DY8 1AQ
DFTRA
Dudley Federation of Tenants & Residents Associations
Page 9
Right to buy
The housing (right to buy) (information to secure tenants) (England) order 2005
Under the right to buy scheme you may be able to buy your
home from Dudley Council. The length of time that you have
spent as a tenant also entitles you to a discount on the price
that you buy the property from us at.
Here is some information that will help to explain the right to
buy scheme and the costs associated with home ownership.
Before you finally decide to buy your home you should get an independent survey from a qualified surveyor. You should
also take legal advice, particularly if you are worried about the terms of the sale.
You must decide if you want to buy your home or withdraw your application. You must make your decision and let us
know within twelve weeks of receiving your offer notice. If you don’t let us know within this period of time we will
assume that you do not wish to buy.
If you have decided to buy and you need a mortgage you will need to talk to a bank or building society.
If you are happy with the terms of the sale and you have the money to proceed, you should tell us that you are ready to
proceed. We will give you a reasonable time to arrange your mortgage and for you to take any legal advice. If we do not
hear from you we will issue a warning notice. This will ask you to complete the sale within eight weeks or tell us why you
can’t complete the sale.
What happens if there is a delay or dispute with the sale?
Within this process Dudley Council can issue two notices to complete, which may require you to complete the sale
within a defined time period. There are also notices that you can serve if you believe that the council is trying to delay
the sale from proceeding.
If your landlord does not comply with the defined right to buy timescales you may serve either an RTB 6 or an RTB 8
form. If the reason for delay is upheld, you may be entitled to a reduction in the purchase price or rent payments made
during a certain period of time may be deducted from the price that you pay to purchase your home.
Do I have the right to buy?
How does Dudley Council set the sale price?
There is an initial qualification period that you must meet before you can apply to buy your home. You must have held a
tenancy with us, another local authority (or a public sector body) for at least two years before you can apply to buy.
If your secure tenancy started after 18 January 2005 you do not have the right to buy until you have spent at least five
years as a public sector tenant.
The right to buy scheme will give you a discount on the market value of your home. The longer you have been a tenant,
the more discount you will get up to a maximum amount of £26,000 (as at September 2005).
I. If you are eligible to apply after two years, the discount available at two years is 32% for houses and 44% for flats.
If you are buying a house, you are eligible for 1% more for each extra year that you have been a tenant, up to a
maximum of 60%. If you are buying a flat, you are eligible for 2% for each extra year up to a maximum discount limit
of 70%.
II. If you are eligible to apply after five years, the discount available at five years is 35% for houses and 50% for flats.
The 1% & 2% then apply as shown in (i) above.
Are there any exceptions to the right to buy scheme?
You cannot buy your home unless you meet the initial qualification period. These are the most common reasons why you
may not be able to buy your home under the scheme. You may not be able to purchase if:
• your house or flat is not your only (principal) home
• it is not self contained (you share part of the building with others, for example the kitchen or bathroom)
• a court has made a possession order which says that you must leave your home
• you are an undischarged bankrupt, have a bankruptcy petition pending against you, or have an arrangement with
creditors (people who you owe money to) and you still owe them money
• if Dudley Council intends to demolish your home and an initial demolition notice has been served (these are valid for
up to five years)
• your home is particularly suitable for occupation by elderly people (taking into account its location, design, size and
other features)
• you live in sheltered housing that is provided for the elderly, physically disabled, the mentally ill or the mentally
disabled. This is where the property is one of a group of properties where a warden service is provided and there is a
common room nearby. The properties could also have features and special facilities that differ from ordinary dwellings.
If you would like to see a full list of the reasons for exclusion from the scheme please contact us by calling 0300 555
2345. Further details are also available in ‘your right to buy your home’ booklet issued by the government
www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/yourright
How do I apply?
1. Ask Dudley Council for a ‘right to buy claim form’ (RTB1).
2. Carefully complete the form and return it to us.
3. After receiving your form we will check if you have the right to buy. We will send you a notice (written confirmation,
called an RTB2) telling you if you have the right to buy within four weeks of the date that we received your right to
buy claim form (or within eight weeks if you have been a tenant for less than two years).
4. If we say that you do not have the right to buy your home we will explain why. If you don’t agree with the decision
you can take independent legal advice about our decision.
5. If we agree to sell your home to you we will send you an offer notice (known as a section 125 notice). This notice will
tell you:
• a description of the property
• the price
• estimates of service charges or improvement costs that you will have to pay during the first five years after you have
bought your home
• any structural defects that we know about
• any terms and conditions that are attached to the sale.
If you feel that the market value is too high you have the right to obtain an independent revaluation from the district
valuer. If you wish to do this you must tell us within three months of receiving your offer notice. You have four weeks to
put your case to the district valuer who may need to inspect your home. At this stage you must also question and resolve
any other information on the offer notice. If you disagree with Dudley Council on any of the information you have the right
to go to a county court for a ruling. You should seek legal advice first before doing this as it may be expensive.
Page 10
I want to buy my home but what other costs might I have to pay?
Whilst there is no fee charged to you for processing your right to buy application, there are costs associated with buying
your home that you need to be aware of. It is common to employ a solicitor to act on your behalf and costs vary
considerably. You should shop around to get the best deal.
Other charges can include:
• Stamp duty - Currently, if your home is valued at over £125,000 you may have to pay stamp duty.
• Legal and survey fees - Surveys costs range from approximately £250 to £600. The survey could be even more
expensive if your home has any special problems.
• Legal searches - These searches will provide you with essential information about the area where your home is.
Searches may include land, mining, drainage and environmental searches.
• Valuation costs and mortgage fees - Depending on who you arrange your mortgage with, and how much you are
borrowing, the organisation will charge you a range of fees.
What other regular payments may I have to make?
As a home owner you will need to make regular payments to keep your home safe and secure. The average annual cost
of running a home in the West Midlands area during 2003/04 was approximately £5,604 per year. (ONS family spending
survey 2003/04 quoted on www.themovechannel.com/News/2005/August
Regular payments that you may have to make are; mortgage, service charges, building insurance, household contents
insurance, life assurance, mortgage payment protection insurance, council tax, water & sewerage charges, utility
charges and repairs and maintenance costs to keep the property in a good state of repair.
What happens if I cannot pay my mortgage?
It is important that you contact your mortgage lender as soon as you start to experience difficulty in paying your mortgage.
Who can I contact to find out more about the right to buy?
Call us on 0300 555 2345 to find out further details. Further information and right to buy application forms are also
available to download at: www.dudley.gov.uk/housing/council-housing/buying-your-council-home
Information on the right to buy scheme is also available from the office of the deputy prime minister at:
www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/yourright
Please beware of companies that knock your door or telephone you and try to persuade you to buy at
your home. They may not be acting in your best interests. If you are unsure, do not sign anything and
contact us for further advice.
Page 11
Yournews
Hawbush TRA get the community
together for ‘a bit of a loff’
On 24 February 2010 Hawbush
Tenants & Residents Association
hosted a performance for local
residents by the Fizzog Theatre
Company called, ‘I’ve come to read
the meter’.
Norton Green TRA
Our January general meeting had to be
cancelled due to inclement weather for the
sake of everyone’s safety. We had a committee
skills course on February 15 which went very
well - we all felt we had learned something.
Wollaston Farm TRA needs you!
Do you live in the Wollaston Farm area of
Stourbridge? Do you want to help make the
area a better place to live? If you have
answered YES then we need your support.
Everyone had a great time and felt that although
the play was a comedy it really made you think
about bogus callers and how to make your home
a safer place. Bob Sidaway, Chairman of
Hawbush TRA, said, “You hear about distraction
burglaries and bogus callers and the TRA just
wanted to do our bit to help raise awareness in
our community. Everyone had a great time and
said they would make use of the tips given in the
play”.
If you would like more information about
Hawbush Tenants & Residents Association you
can contact Kim Avantaggiato, Participation
Development Officer, on 01384 815168 or
email: [email protected]
Alternatively you can see our web page at:
www.dudley.gov.uk/housing/councilhousing/tenant-participation
Page 12
Cleaning up together
Green Street Gardens Tenants and
Residents Association have been
awarded £429 by Stourbridge Area
Committee.
Tenants and residents living in the Netherton
area have benefited over the past two years
from The Big Clean Up project which has given
them the chance to dispose of rubbish which
would either have clogged up their properties or
been fly tipped.
This money has allowed
the TRA to purchase a
laptop and printer
enabling them to carry
out the administrative
duties of the group.
We held our first meeting of the year on March 15 which was
very well attended and many items were raised including the
St George’s Day coffee morning and the trip to Southport.
We had a very successful walkabout on April 7 with a few
problems now being sorted but overall the walkabout was
very pleasing.
Our coffee morning on April 24 was enjoyed by everyone
with an informal get together with donations and raffle in
support of Mary Steven’s hospice.
The performance centres on making people aware
of the dangers associated with bogus callers and
distraction burglaries; it reminds people how to be
safer whilst at home.
Up to speed
The Tenants & Residents Association meets six times a year.
Three of these meetings are public at which you can raise
your issues or concerns with your housing manager, local
police team and councillors.
Please come along to one of our meetings or get in touch to
share your views and tell us what’s important to you.
Wells Road TRA
- another successful year
It’s almost time for our annual general meeting
and Wells Road TRA would like to invite the
people of Wells Road, Brierley Hill to attend. It
is your chance to show support for our small,
dedicated Tenants & Residents Association.
The group work
tirelessly to improve
Bailey and Kennedy
Courts in Stourbridge
and the new equipment
will make all the
difference.
Peter Miles, Chair of the TRA, said, “The TRA would
like to thank the Area Committee as this will make
our job a little easier”.
Oval & Tudor TRA
Dave Allen, the Oval and Tudor TRA
Chairman, approached our local MP to
ask if it was possible to arrange a tour of
The Houses of Parliament for the TRA.
On 16 March TRA members, along with
Participation Development Officer Janet Hand,
Community Renewal Officer Judith Ashford, the
ladies who run the Pensioners Club plus two pupils
from The High Arcal School, set off from Kent Street
at 5.30 am for London.
Using lottery funding targeted at the old St Andrews ward,
tenants and residents from Arley and Compton, Bowling
Green, Darby End, Holly Hall, Lodge Farm, Netherton Central,
Saltwells and Wells and Manor have worked together as The
Big Clean Up team. They hired a total of 29 skips that have
been placed on various parts of the estates. Carefully targeted
publicity has ensured that only local people have the chance
to dispose of their rubbish.
The theme of partnership working is reinforced by the
involvement of the Department of the Urban Environment who
have provided safety equipment and always try to send out a
mini cleaner to the streets surrounding the site of the skip.
West Midlands Police also send along their Community
Support Officers. There are very clear rules about what
rubbish can be left and anyone abusing these rules will be
dealt with by the council enforcement officers.
To ensure maximum benefit to the environment a local
licensed scrap metal dealer collects any metal items that can
be recycled - metal that would otherwise finish up in a landfill
site is put back into the economy.
Chair of the Big Clean Up, Martin Smith, says that it has been
successful because “It is an initiative that works by bringing
together volunteers and agencies with a common objective improving their local environment. The quality of life is
improved with people able to dispose of rubbish, some of
which may have been fly tipped. Big Clean Up events are
always fun, giving the community a chance to work together
to tackle the problem of rubbish”.
Our guide for the tour was Sheila who had worked
her way up from a tea lady in the café - she was a
mind of information. We were led through
Westminster Hall, which was completed in 1099 and
is still used for great ceremonial events, and Central
Lobby, which is a public area where you can
request to lobby your MP.
The meeting will be held on 14 July at 6.30pm at St Paul’s,
Hawbush Road, Brierley Hill.
The tour then took us to the House of Lords which
is very grand where we saw the Queen’s golden
throne. Then on to the House of Commons where
over 600 elected MPs sit to debate and make laws.
A great day was had by all.
Our housing manager, local police team and local councillors
will all be invited, so take this chance to raise your concerns
or issues and support your Tenants & Residents Association.
Hope to see you there.
If you or a group of people are interested in visiting
Westminster you are advised to contact your local
MP who would be more than happy to arrange a
tour for you.
Page 13
Yourcommunity&environment
Summer festival of music and dance
Helpline helps hundreds
Himley Park will be alive with the sound of music this summer
thanks to the Dudley Performing Arts summer festival from
2 to 4 July.
The three day music and dance
extravaganza kicks off on
Friday 2 July with the hugely
popular Rock the Castle event
which will see 35 rock bands
perform live gigs at Himley
Park from 5pm until 10.30pm doors open at 4.30pm. The
evening event also includes a
breakdance competition,
funfair and DJ tent.
The weekend of 3 and 4 July
will showcase the talents of
young people with bands,
dancers, choirs, orchestras and
Himley Crucible Theatre.
Visitors can also take part in
workshops as well as enjoying
picnics, a fun fair, circus skills,
face painting, stalls and more.
The event runs from 10.45 am
to 8pm each day with doors
opening at 10.15am.
Saturday’s performances will close with a huge group dance at
7.30pm called Making Links. The finale on Sunday is the Last Night of
the Proms starting at 6pm with Dudley Performing Arts’ Advanced
Orchestra and Festival Chorus.
The whole weekend is a perfect opportunity for families and young
people to get out and be entertained by some of the West Midland’s
best young performers. Bring a picnic and make a day of it.
Tickets cost £5 (£4 concessions) in advance or £6 (£4) on the gate.
Advance tickets can be bought from the box office at
www.dudley.gov.uk/entertainment or 01384 812812.
For more information about art and performance opportunities for
adults and children within school and the wider community contact
Claire Starmer-Jones at Dudley Performing Arts on 01384 813943 or
visit www.dudley.gov.uk/dpa
A community helpline has logged nearly
4000 calls since it started four years ago,
with a staggering 500 calls since the
beginning of this year alone.
The telephone line serves the Netherton
and Saltwells area of Dudley and is
manned by community volunteer Martin
Smith.
The Bowling Green Tenants and Residents
Association (TRA) chairman started the
service to help local residents get a quicker
response to housing issues and a range of
other problems. With his knowledge and
connections to the local council and police
Martin knows who to contact straight away.
He is also a volunteer director of the
Dudley Federation of Tenants and
Residents Associations (DFTRA).
He said, “We receive a wide range of calls
ranging from blocked drains to anti-social
behaviour. The service is not a replacement
for the police or the council, it compliments
the service that they provide. People ring
us because they know they will get a fast
response and we know which department
to contact to resolve an issue. It wouldn’t
work without the support of the police or
the council.”
The line was set up with money received
along with a Respect Award in January
2006 for community groups and volunteers
who go beyond the call of duty. Virgin
Media have committed to sponsor the line
until at least October 2011.
Helping Martin are Saltwells TRA Chair
Tracy Poolton and Darby End TRA Chair
John Mason. Central Netherton will be the
next area to be covered.
Police Community Support Officer Jenny
Hopson said, “Martin is well known in the
community and people trust him. The
helpline takes the stress out of trying to find
the right department for some people and
also acts as a signpost for others. All the
calls about anti-social behaviour are
valuable to us to help direct our patrols and
look at different ways to solve problems.”
Residents in Bowling Green, Darby End
and Saltwells can reach the service on
01384 831304. All calls are logged and an
answering machine ensures that the line is
answered 24/7.
Gornal fun day
This year’s Gornal Fun Day is taking place at The Quarry in Vale
Street, Upper Gornal on Saturday 10 July between 12 noon and
4 pm.
Activities include a coconut shy, BBQ, donkey rides, vintage cars,
punch and judy, trampoline, cheerleading, giant sandpit, calypso band,
Christian motorcycle club and face painting.
The planning committee consists of members of Upper Gornal
Pensioners Club, Upper Gornal Methodist Church, Oval and Tudor
TRA and other individual community members and is supported by the
Community Renewal Team.
Page 14
The Friends of Sedgley Beacon
Family help is just a click away
A new group called The Friends of Sedgley Beacon has
been formed to carry on the good work of Beacon Hill
Tenants & Residents Association to get the beacon and
tower restored and work towards a proper nature reserve
status.
Because of the amount of work involved the group know that
this is going to be a long running project that will require
different departments to work together and will need a
substantial amount of funding.
We have split the beacon up into three or four areas so that we
can assess everything that needs doing. So far, by working
with different council officers and their departments, we have
completed one area which has identified quite a lot that needs
work.
If anybody wants to join the group or accompany us on walks
on the beacon please feel free to do so - you will be most
welcome.
Families looking for fun activities, childcare,
support and other information can now benefit
from the Dudley’s new Family Information Service
(FIS) website.
It’s playtime in Gornal
A fantastic new adventure
playground is opening for fun and
games this summer in Upper
Gornal.
Sycamore Adventure, based at
Sycamore Green, is part of the
council's £2.6million Play Pathfinder
programme to provide first class play
areas for children and young people in
parks across the borough. It includes a
state-of-the-art sensory room, a desert
island with sand pit, a community
camp with tepees, a play barn and a
six-foot long carved wooden dragon.
Twenty-eight other playgrounds across
the borough have been transformed
under the two-year Play Pathfinder programme, including
Abbey Street in Gornal Wood.
To find out more visit www.sycamoreadventure.co.uk
Pictured: above - members of the play ranger team on the new
dragon at Sycamore Adventure and below - the new Abbey Street
play area.
fis.dudley.gov.uk/fsd/publicenquiry
The online directory is a useful guide to services and
organisations that support children and young
people, parents, carers and the people who work
with them. From antenatal classes to dance groups,
disability support to healthy eating, the directory
holds up-to-date information to try and meet
everyone’s needs. Families can search for a local
service or activity by type, location or age range, and
can also search for specific requirements, for
example wheelchair access or languages spoken.
The website is part of the free service offered by the
FIS team. The team is based at Dudley Council and
celebrates 10 years of service this year. In the
decade since it was set up staff have helped tens
of thousands of families gain information and
advice about a wide variety of subjects important
to family life.
Parents and carers can also use FIS information
kiosks which are accessible across the borough.
They contain useful links to websites such as
Connexions, Jobcentre Plus, NHS and information
about finding and paying for childcare. Information
kiosks are available in the Orchard Partnership shop
on Lye High Street, Tenterfields Children’s Centre,
Gornal Children’s Centre, Peters Hill Children’s
Centre and Glynne Primary School.
Belinda Clark, FIS manager, said, “We are delighted
to be launching our new website to give families even
more support and a simple, co-ordinated way to find
out information. We would also be glad to hear from
any clubs, groups or services who would like to be
included in the directory so we can make sure the
information is as up-to-date and helpful as possible.”
For more information about the service and the
new website contact the FIS team on 01384
814398 or 01384 814399.
Page 15
Know your dates
Shelteredhousing
Regular meetings are held by tenants & residents associations and by
the council to ensure tenants are consulted with and kept fully informed
about developments within the area.
Residents help raise money for charity
The following meetings have been arranged for July, August and September 2010
Brierley Hill Area
Name
Time
Date
Type
Venue
Wells Road TRA
6.30pm
14 July
AGM
St Pauls Community & Learning Centre
Parkes Street area TRA
7pm
20 July
General meeting
The Limes Social Club
Hawbush TRA
6.30pm
16 Sept
AGM
St Pauls Community & Learning Centre
Valerie, who is the
daughter of Nene
Close resident
Brenda Cooper,
called in to a
recent coffee
morning and
brought chocolates
and flowers to
thank residents
and staff for their
help.
Pictured: Valerie and her mum, Brenda, at the coffee morning
Dudley Area
Name
Time
Date
Type
Venue
Wrens Nest TRA
7pm
24 Aug
General meeting
Wrens Nest community centre
Butterfield Court TRA
7.30pm
7th Sept
General meeting
Butterfield Tenants Room
Sledmere Forum
7pm
21 Sept
Forum meeting
Sledmere community centre
Name
Highfields forum
Time
6pm
Date
6 July
Type
Forum meeting
Venue
Hope Centre
Wollescote housing forum
& neighbourhood watch
7pm
6 Sept
Forum & neighhourhood
watch meeting
Wollescote community centre
Worcester, Malvern &
Tenbury housing forum
4pm
7 Sept
Forum meeting
St Clements Court
Name
Time
Date
Type
Venue
Ellows Hall TRA
7pm
15 July
General meeting
The British Legion
Beacon Hill TRA
10am-1pm
17 July
Community clean up
St Andrews Church Hall
Oval & Tudor TRA
10am-1pm
14 Aug
Community clean up
Spills Meadow Church
Ellowes Hall TRA
10am-1pm
11 Sept
Community clean up
The British Legion
Name
Time
Date
Type
Venue
Green Street Gardens TRA
6pm
22 July
General meeting
Community room, Bailie Court
Norton Green TRA
7pm
13 Sept
General public meeting
Gigmill Primary School
Wollaston Farm TRA
7pm
29 Sep
General public meeting
St James’s Primary School
Halesowen Area
North Dudley Area
Stourbridge Hill Area
Please note that dates, times and venues are subject to change by the groups.
Please call 01384 815168 to check meeting is still on if you wish to attend.
Page 16
Residents from Nene Close helped to sponsor Valerie
Smith in this year’s London Marathon to raise money for
the Heroes Charity. The residents raised £120.50.
Health article brings in volunteer
A retired solicitor, who trained in reflexology, Reiki
and Indian head massage, has started work as a
holistic therapies volunteer after seeing an article on
health and wellbeing in the Dudley Together
magazine.
Pauline Priestley is volunteering one and a half days a
week during which time she delivers six sessions within
sheltered housing and two sessions in the local
community.
All of her clients volunteered to be practice students
which assisted Pauline's development while training for
the appropriate qualifications. All the clients involved
have stated they have enjoyed the treatments and have
felt a real benefit from the experience .
Pauline's a real asset to sheltered housing and a
pleasure to work with. She's become part of the team
and we wish her success in her new volunteering role.
If you are interested in volunteering contact Carol
Millington on 01384 812761.
FLASHPO NT
Flashpoint looks to tackle problems
between parents and teenagers
A new programme called
flashpoint is being piloted over the
next couple of months to help to
resolve issues between parents and
their teenage children.
The Flashpoint programme is aimed at parents and
young people between the ages of 14-17, who are
experiencing disputes within the family home. The
programme is designed to give help and support to
families before crisis point is reached and is
encouraging parents, young people and or agencies
to get in touch and take part.
The pilot programme will provide a series of free one
day workshops on Friday 2, 16 and 23 July 2010 and
will draw upon the experiences of the participants,
how they feel, what effect incidents have had upon
them or people they know. Participants will be given
an opportunity to listen to how people who have
experienced similar situations have used positive and
effective ways of dealing with them.
We believe that this innovative programme will help
to nip things in the bud that can easily escalate out of
control. All too often we see a number of young
people each year made homeless because of
untenable situations at home. This programme aims
at reducing those numbers.
We have already got the backing from the Citizens
Advice Bureau and Dudley’s community safety
partnership, safe & sound, and we are continuing to
work with a number of high profile youth and
housing agencies to make sure that the programme,
when fully developed, makes a real positive
difference to parents’ and teenagers’ lives in Dudley.
The pilot is being delivered via the council’s
mediation service ‘Time2Talk’ and is part-funded by
NHS Dudley Mental Health promotion programme.
The overall aim of the programme is to effectively
deliver a project that will have a positive effect on the
mental wellbeing of participants.
For more information on the programme, or if you
wish to take part, either as participant or agency,
please contact Flashpoint on 01384 812422 or 812245.
Places will be allocated following an initial
assessment. Should demand exceed places
available additional workshops will be held.
Page 17
Lifestyle
home contents
insurance
for tenants & leaseholders
Have you ever lost your house keys or had them stolen and
had to pay to have your locks changed?
Did you realise Dudley Council’s Home Contents Insurance scheme for tenants and leaseholders covers
the cost of replacing your locks, with no excess to pay! The average cost of replacing locks is £80-£90.
Information, advice and guidance
Dudley Council’s Adult and Community Learning
team’s information, advice and guidance service
is free and can help you find out what’s best for
you in terms of skills, training and jobs.
The service can help you to make important decisions about
your future, develop new skills or find training for work. The
service can also provide information about childcare and offers
advice and training for CV writing and job interviews.
Adult and Community Learning has a Matrix standard quality
mark which means that it offers a safe and welcoming
environment to discuss your learning needs and has qualified
staff based at local neighbourhood learning centres across the
borough to help you make the right choices.
For further information please contact the Adult and
Community Learning Team on 01384 818143
For the under 60’s premiums start at £1.45* per week for £9,000’s worth of cover, for the over 60’s
premiums start at 97* pence per week for £6,000’s worth of cover. You could enjoy peace of mind that
not only would you be covered for the cost of replacing locks for keys lost/stolen in the UK but also the
contents of your home are covered for fire, theft, water damage and accidental damage**
• There is no excess to pay if you make a claim.
• Accidental damage to TV’s, DVD players & computers is covered on the standard policy.
• Items in your garden such as furniture, statues and children’s outdoor toys are covered,
up to £500 per claim.
• Items kept in locked sheds, garages and greenhouses, outbuildings and cellars
are covered up to £2,000 per claim.
I want to find out more about the council's home contents insurance scheme
Please send me an application pack:
Name ................................................................................................................................................................................................
Bag a bargain at
Dudley Market
Brighten up your day by making the most of
outdoor shopping this summer at Dudley Market.
Located in the heart of the town centre, it’s a
great place to shop and an even better place to
bag a bargain.
Great value for money is what market shopping is all about and
shoppers can buy fresh fruit and vegetables cheaper than
supermarket prices. A wide range of products are available
such as baby clothes, plants, house wares, ladies, gents and
children’s fashions, computer games, DVDs and pet supplies.
Address.............................................................................................................................................................................................
So what are you waiting for - come along and enjoy the hustle
and bustle of the market, open Monday to Saturday 8am-4pm.
...........................................................................................................................................................................................................
To find out more visit www.dudley.gov.uk
I am a Tenant
■
I am a Leaseholder
The Zone encourages young people to work
towards achieving abstinence, but recognises that
not all young people want to be completely drug
or alcohol free. Therefore The Zone supports them
to make lifestyle changes and achieve realistic
goals.
Young people who come to The Zone may require
different levels of support. This will also depend on
what substance is being used and what
challenges they may face. The Zone can offer
numerous interventions including:
Insuring your home couldn’t be easier, you can
pay premiums weekly or monthly by a range of
payment methods including Direct Debit.
* The premiums quoted include Insurance Premium Tax (IPT)
at the appropriate rate.
** Full accidental damage cover available at an extra cost
The Zone is a project in Dudley for
young people under the age of 18
with any drug or alcohol difficulty. It’s
a free and confidential service which
encourages parents and cares to be
involved where possible.
A comprehensive assessment is carried out to
discuss what substances are being used, how
they are taken and other surrounding factors. A
care plan is then produced and agreed with the
young person. With consent from the young
person The Zone will liaise with other
organisations to ensure they receive all the
support they need.
The following are some of the features of Dudley’s scheme:
• Call 0300 555 2345 today for an application pack.
• Alternatively, complete the tear-off slip below and
send to Tenants Insurance, DACHS, 3 Capstan
House, Waterfront East, Brierley Hill DY5 1XL
The Zone
• Individual key working, providing young
people time and space to talk. Key workers
use a range of psychosocial therapies
including Motivational Therapy, Cognitive
Behavioural Therapy, ITEP (international
treatment effectiveness project) and solution
focused therapy.
• Family support
• Ear acupuncture
• Substitute prescribing if necessary
• Harm reduction advice
• Job and career support through Connexions
• Sexual health – including condoms,
pregnancy/Chlamydia testing
• Art group
The Zone is open Monday to Friday from 9am to
5pm. However, appointments are available outside
these times if necessary.
To speak to a substance misuse worker call
01384 241440 or text 07500 015293
■
Page 19
SummerWordsearch
Win a free game of ten pin bowling
for 4 people and a £30 voucher to spend in the café at
Castlegate Leisure Park, Castlegate Way,
Dudley DY1 4TA
01384 213413 www.bowlplex.co.uk
All you have to do for a chance to win is find 10 words
relating to ten pin bowling in the wordsearch below.
C
F
P
A
B
H
B
G
Q
S
Q
Q
G
W
W
H
G
X
G
S
S
H
A
I
H
N
M
H
B
V
R
S
H
D
Q
D
K
B
T
R
K K G Y L
H B U R T
F H T J J
S D T G H
N M E F I
T L R D G
L P S O I
K P R S B
A L L W E
J O P Y R
U P J K E
C R G T N
J S H E J
V R G N T
E T U E U
H K K H K
Y I N J T
R L T G N
J K F S G
U G D G J
G
E
E
O
N
K
U
K
T
N
A
T
G
S
O
J
S
I
N
O
E L H V F C R
T U O L J G D
Z C B M Q W R
A B F W B U Y
G M I G A W K
Q K J Z C C B
T R N R K E W
P I P I S Y E
P Y I O W J K
R L O Y I E J
F G J L N U I
H M U K G L J
S H L E V L P
H O E S G H N
K G D S S Y M
S F E J F E M
A Y O V K L F
L W O B W L D
U F S J L A I
V R J E E J N
Name
Address
Telephone number
Please send your entries to: Bowling Competition, Home Affairs, Marketing and Communications,
Council House, Priory Road, Dudley DY1 1HF.
The closing date for the competition is 23 July 2010.
The ten words to find are
GUTTERS
TEAM
TENPIN
ALLEY
BOWLING
BALL
STRIKE
PIN
BACKSWING
SHOES
Terms and Conditions
The judge’s decision is final; only one entry per person, the winners are randomly picked from all the correct entries, the competition
is only open to persons over 18 years. No cash alternative. The competition is not open to employees.
Data protection - All of your answers will be treated in strictest of confidence and will be held in accordance with the data protection
act. No individual will be identified in any analysis or report and no personal information will be passed to any third party.
Page 20