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See our
Remembrance tributes on page 19
See pages 12 and 13 for more 50th anniversary news
Also In this issue p15-18 | Tenants annual report p20-27 | Neighbourhood Fund & regional pages p30
| Performance
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This document is available in other languages, larger text, braille and on audio cd inhouse | 1
welcome
Welcome to the latest issue of inhouse In this edition we are highlighting four different anniversaries that span an entire century. As the front cover illustrates we are proud to commemorate both the first and second World Wars. Both have seen significant anniversaries in 2014 – It was 100 years ago in July since the start of WWI, and 75 years ago in September since Britain declared war against Germany and marked the start of World War II. The impact of these events is reflected in the various memorial days held throughout the group, details of which can be found on page 19. The remaining two anniversaries celebrated in this edition are far more personal; it is 50 years since Adactus started providing affordable housing in Manchester, and 25 years since the opening of Glenmay Court retirement living scheme in Stretford. In addition to our articles that honour and celebrate these milestones, we have a wide variety of other news including, our Tenants Annual Report, stories that laud the continuing success of the Neighbourhood Fund, information about the changing welfare benefits system, feedback from the popular Adactus500, as well as the work and conclusions of the of the scrutiny panels. We really hope you enjoy reading this edition of our magazine. Kevin Dempsey (tenant editor) Are you interested in writing articles for our newsletter? Or would you like to be a member of our editorial panel where you can help choose the articles we publish? If so please contact Sam Ryan on 01942 267 747 or e-mail sam.ryan@adactushousing.co.uk
The Adactus Group editorial panel needs you! To ensure inhouse appeals to all Adactus residents, wherever they live, the staff editor, Sam Ryan seeks the views of an editorial panel – made up residents from different regions, and staff from different departments. The system works well, providing of course that we have enough interested residents (from the various Adactus areas), prepared to spend two hours of their time, four times a year participating in the panel.
It is by pooling our ideas and putting a fresh slant on things that we are able to produce a magazine which is of interest to a wide readership. As a long standing member, I can assure would-be volunteers that the panel works in a friendly and pleasant atmosphere. Lunch and transport is provided. The editorial panel is a truly worthwhile project to be involved with. Why not give it a try? Bill Adams (panel member and BHA resident)
Do more with our extended online services... Book repair appointments for the time that suits you and report or review ASB cases and complaints from the comfort of your home 24/7. Benefit from an improved look and feel and access other services including: • • • • • • •
access your rent account 24/7 get latest account notifications view and print new and historic rent statements pay your rent or request a refund view your home’s repair history check the date and time for booked appointments report a new repair and choose
• • • •
your preferred date and time slot report ASB or check progress of an open case report a complaint or check for updates check or amend your personal information join the adactus500 and get involved.
Register securely for free: www.adactushousing.co.uk/request-login 2 | inhouse
Inhouse enters the digital era We introduced an electronic version of inhouse which can be accessed through our website. In this digital age, if you would prefer to access inhouse online, rather than receive a hard copy version, please contact Sam Ryan on 01942 267747.
A big thank you Adactus would like to say a big thank you to Mr Croucher from Chorley, who after reading the last edition of inhouse, donated two wheelchairs and a power stroller - to add on to one of the chairs to make it an electric wheelchair. Mr Croucher, who cares for a family member, wanted to ensure that the wheelchairs would benefit tenants in need; they both went to very deserving homes a generous donation, from a generous gentleman, thank you!
Adactus500 Scrutiny Panel Scrutinise that! The work on scrutiny by Adactus500 members goes from strength to strength! We’ve recently completed two more scrutiny exercises on damp & condensation and value for money in lettings and have just started work on our sixth scrutiny project on the productivity of our repairs service. Damp and condensation: 29 volunteers from the Adactus500 9 Adactus500 members formed the panel 3 meetings 25 contributions from other residents 9 recommendations from Internal Affairs 18 additional recommendations from the scrutiny panel 24 recommendations were agreed by board and are being implemented including: • We will set up a pilot scheme for surveyors to ask tenants experiencing damp and condensation problems if they would like fuel poverty advice. • We will redesign the leaflet on damp and condensation and put together a video to help tenants understand the causes and solutions to condensation problems. • We will assess all of our schemes with communal areas to see if tenants have the option of drying their clothes outside. Value for money in lettings 24 volunteers from the Adactus500 8 Adactus500 members formed the panel 3 meetings 22 contributions from other residents 10 recommendations from Internal Affairs 11 additional recommendations from the scrutiny panel These recommendations are currently being considered by board and we will update you in the next edition of inhouse.
Want to find out more? You can follow the work of all scrutiny panels online as we publish all reports and notes from our meetings. Just visit www.adactushousing.co.uk and search for “scrutiny” or scan the QR code. Coming up! A scrutiny panel on the energy efficiency of our homes will be meeting from January to March and we will be asking the Adactus500 which topics should be scrutinised throughout 2015-16 in December! Interested in joining a scrutiny panel? It’s easy, just sign up to become a members of the Adactus500. Just visit www. adactushousing.co.uk/adactus500 or scan the QR code. If you’re not online, just ring us on 0300 111 1133 and we’ll sign you up over the phone. Tell us what subjects you are interested in and remember to tick the box to say you’re interested in scrutiny panels. When we set up a new scrutiny panel, we email or write to you to let you know what it’s about so you can sign up for it! We’re usually oversubscribed so we carry out a random selection to form the panel of 10 residents. Residents who attend all three scrutiny panel meetings will receive 500 points worth £50.00! And don’t forget, you can take part in surveys and other activities to earn points. Since April 2014 you could have taken part in 19 different surveys earning 590 points worth £59.00!! Points can be redeemed for gift vouchers, credits on your rent account or donations to charity.
inhouse | 3
anti-social be haviou r
Victim of domestic abuse receives long term protection The Tenancy Enforcement and Support Team (TEAS) recently attended court to protect a tenant in Old Trafford who was suffering domestic abuse from her former partner. The tenant had already ended their relationship due to his violent behaviour, when the drunken man came to her house and tried to kick his way in - resulting in his arrest. When he was released from custody the following morning, the man went back to the tenant’s home, and threw a manhole cover through the window. This was especially terrifying for the tenant because her children were in the house at the time, and so she contacted Adactus for help. An Officer from the team attended Manchester County Court at the first opportunity and was granted an injunction order against the man which carried the power of arrest and was put in place for a year. Kate Sullivan, Tenancy Enforcement and Support Manager said, “no-one should have to put up with violence in their own home. We are here to help and would encourage anyone who feels that they may be suffering from domestic abuse to contact us”.
Reconnect Mediation Have you reported anti-social behaviour to us and had mediation suggested to you as a solution? If so, here’s why you should say yes: Mediation is an informal and confidential way for people to work through a disagreement. The voluntary process encourages solutions which work for all participants. Our impartial mediators will help people discuss difficult issues and encourage them to develop their own solutions. Mediators do not take sides or make decisions about the outcome. • •
•
•
• • •
4 | inhouse
It works – mediation resolves concerns in over 85% of cases. It’s fast - mediation sessions are usually scheduled within two weeks from the time of a request. Most mediation sessions last between 3-4 hours in total. It’s fair - in mediation, you tailor your own solution to the dispute according to your needs. If you do not think a proposal is fair, you don’t have to agree to it. It’s flexible - you can raise any issues related to your dispute that you believe are important. For example, neighbours could discuss issues concerning their children playing together as well as issues regarding parking. It’s confidential - mediation sessions are private, so no one even needs to know that you have a dispute in the first place. It’s free – Adactus provide this service to our customers free of charge using Reconnect Mediation. It’s satisfying - for many people, going to court over neighbour disputes is scary. Mediation, by contrast, is informal - emphasising conversation and understanding where you have control over the outcome of the case.
anti-social be haviou r
Eviction for noisy starter tenants Most new tenants receive a starter tenancy; this is a 12 month ‘probationary tenancy’ period, and it is used to monitor things like anti-social behaviour, rent management and generally how a tenant will conduct their tenancy. If it reaches the stage where we cannot reasonably grant an assured tenancy because of the tenant’s conduct (or the conduct of visitors to the property) during this probationary period, we will pursue possession proceedings, and then a Section 21 notice to end the tenancy is served. The tenant is given two months notice, and the tenancy ends after the notice period. In the last 12 months there have been 13 Section 21 notices served on starter tenants across the Group for causing anti-social behaviour. From the very start of their tenancy, joint tenants in Winsford; a young couple in their early twenties, were having parties until the early hours of the morning - every weekend. Within weeks of them moving into their new home, Adactus had received several complaints. Despite a strong warning from Sarah Keenan, TEAS Officer, the parties continued, disturbing their neighbours in the block of flats. Sarah said, “These new tenants showed a total disregard for their neighbours, keeping them awake until all hours. They even had a party on the same day that I visited them to warn them that Adactus could end their starter tenancy if they continued causing a problem. This gave us no choice but to serve notice to end the tenancy and seek their eviction”.
Zero tolerance on drug dealing in the community Miles Platting resident penalised for son’s criminal behaviour. The Miles Platting team recently sought a possession order against joint tenants of a property in Miles Platting, after it came to light that their son had been convicted for drug dealing in the locality. The son had been sentenced to two years in prison. Even though the tenants claimed that they did not know what their son was involved in, as tenants they are responsible for the behaviour of everyone living in their home and the possession case was prepared and taken to court. The court agreed a suspended possession order and the judge warned the tenants that because this was a very serious case, if there were any further problems with their son’s behaviour or, if they breached any other condition of their tenancy agreement, such as by accruing rent arrears, they could be evicted. Billy Hoyle, Housing Officer, said, “this sends a clear message that we will not tolerate criminal behaviour on our estates. Drug dealing can have a terrible impact on communities and we cannot condone it – we will take the appropriate action.” Billy added “the Miles Platting Team have a good relationship with the local police and are informed when our tenants are convicted of crimes that affect the community. Everyone needs to be aware that we will take enforcement action in these serious criminal cases”.
ASB law changes There have been some changes in the law around how we deal with anti-social behaviour (ASB). The ASB, Crime and Policing Act 2014, streamlines some of the tools available, so that they can be even more effective. In addition, the act introduces some new measures; one new measure is the ASB Case Review (also known as the community trigger). This gives people the right to request a review of their case when they feel that agencies such as Adactus, the police or the Council have not adequately responded to an ASB case that has been reported. A case review can be requested if it meets locally defined criteria (these are generally based on the number of complaints received in a specified period). If the case meets the threshold, the local Community Safety Partnership will bring agencies together to take a ‘joined up, problem solving approach’ to find a solution to the case. The threshold differs by area - for further details and information on how to ask for an ASB case review in your area, please check your local authority or Police and Crime Commissioner website. inhouse | 5
DEVELOPM ENT
Sarah Point Beech Housing Association, are pleased to announce the completion of Sarah Point - a stunning 40 unit development for shared ownership, situated in the heart of Manchester city centre’s Northern Quarter. Sarah Point, Jersey Street, has been developed in partnership with developers Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd, regeneration consultants UK Land & Property (UKL&P) and construction consultants AECOM. The scheme, which was completed mid-July 2014, comprises of 35 two bedroom apartments, five one bedroom apartments, commercial units on the ground floor, an atrium and a mix of 19 internal and external car parking spaces (which are available to purchasers on a first come, first served basis). The impressive building boasts views across Manchester city centre and beyond, and has been completed to a very high standard - there is a fully fitted show apartment ready for viewing. Adjacent to our block stands the NUVOU apartments, also developed by Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd; NUVOU is a 13 story block which is already a welcome addition to the existing Manchester skyline. This is an ideal location for those who embrace city living and enjoy Manchester’s vibrant nightlife, in addition, it makes the commute much easier and quicker if you live and work in central Manchester!
For further information you can contact our sales team on 0300 111 1133.
lease hold an d share d own e rsh i p
Variable service charges Most leaseholders and many tenants (excluding secure tenants and licences) pay what is called a variable service charge. This means that the charge can go up and down from year to year depending on the cost. The process for setting service charges and the adjustments that are made for surpluses and deficits can be confusing. The diagram below illustrates the service charge setting and recovery cycle:
6. Summary of expenditure sent (Aug - Sept)
5. Finalise year end service charge accounts (Apr - July)
1. Budget setting (Nov - Feb)
4. Services provided (Apr - Mar)
If you pay a variable service charge you will have received a year end statement in September (step 6 on the diagram). This shows the amount we collected and the amount we spent in the last financial year (2013/14). The statement shows any surplus (over collection) or deficit (under collection). The service charge budget for the following year will be adjusted to reflect any surplus or deficit. Between November and February we look at your current services and decide if we will add, remove or change any services for the following year. We check your current
6 | inhouse
2. Service charge notice sent (Feb)
3. New service charge rate (Apr)
costs and quotes for any new services and use this information to set a budget for the following year (step 1). We send you a notice with a breakdown of your new service charge in February (step 2) and you start paying the new amount in April (step 3). During the year we monitor services to ensure that costs stay as close as possible to the budget (step 4), and once the year has ended, we check that all the costs are correct and finalise the accounts (step 5), before sending a year end statement to complete the service charge cycle.
LETTI NGS
Lettings blitz Adactus hits 800 lets during the first half of 2014/15 • In the last 12 months Adactus let over 1,600 properties – more than ever before. • The void-loss percentage for first half of year is 0.71% - lower than ever before. Adactus is always striving to improve lettings performance and this year is no exception. The figures for the first six months of this financial year show that we have let in excess of 800 properties, which means more than 1,600 properties, have been let during the last 12 months. Dean Wall, the Voids & Lettings Manager said, “As we grow as a housing provider and our partnership with the Development department continues to blossom, the Voids and Lettings Team set themselves targets, and turn void properties around as quickly as possible without affecting the re-let quality.” Void-loss and lettings go hand in hand – the longer our properties remain empty, the more potential rent payments are lost, and therefore the void-loss is greater. So, a successful lettings year naturally suggests a reduction in void-loss, and at 0.71% (for the first six months) this figure is also lower than it has ever been. This success has helped increase the surplus within the group, and the money generated can be used to secure capital to fund and develop more affordable homes - in the areas and for the tenants that need them the most.
Adactus helping tenants to downsize Adactus Housing Association is committed to helping tenants who need to downsize to smaller properties due to the ‘bedroom tax’ (a reduction in housing benefit if tenants are considered to have spare bedrooms). Since this was introduced in April 2013, we have assisted 62 tenants to downsize to smaller Liaqat Ali Shan properties, based on the average housing benefit reduction this results in a total saving of around £75,000 per year in rent charges that our tenants would have been otherwise unable to pay. RightSize scheme RightSize is a new Adactus scheme, launched to help any of our tenants affected by ‘bedroom tax’ - to find a property that is the right size for them. We offer advice on applying for re-housing with Adactus or, with other social landlords. In exceptional circumstances, when a transfer is agreed, we can give financial assistance to tenants to assist with the move, for
example, help with removal costs. Mutual exchange A mutual exchange is the quickest and easiest method to downsize your property. Tenants are able to contact other social housing tenants, who have properties that match their requirements - who are also looking to move. Liaqat Ali Shan, our Under-occupancy Officer said, “More tenants than ever are registering for mutual exchanges. Mutual exchanges are popular because they give more control to the tenant as they only bid on properties that are in the right area with the right number of bedrooms.” Whist tenants are looking for a property that meets their transfer request, or, if they are waiting to be offered a new property, with us or another housing provider, they must continue to pay the under-occupancy shortfall in their rent (‘the bedroom tax’), or risk falling into arrears – which may impact on any potential exchange. Tenants who need re-housing advice or who wish to register for a mutual exchange should contact our Housing Management Team on 0300 111 1133.
inhouse | 7
WELFARE RE FORM & RENT
‘Bedroom tax’ and students Is your student son/daughter studying away from home? At this time of year, many young people start studying at University and, many move away from home to be closer to their place of study. As a social housing tenant, if you are claiming Housing Benefit (HB) or Universal Credit (UC) to help you pay your rent, and you are the parent of a student living away from home - you may find that you are subject to the ‘bedroom tax’. This means that the HB office or the Department of Work and Pensions may reduce the amount of HB you receive because you are now deemed to have a spare room (or extra spare room). However, many students will still be classed at living at their parent’s home and therefore be allocated a bedroom. For a student studying away from home to be classed as ‘still living’ in their parent’s home they must satisfy the following criteria: 1. Their parents’ home must be their ‘normal home’. 2. They must not be claiming HB/UC in their own right on their student accommodation (some lone parents/ disabled students are able to do so). 3. They must have an intention to return home within 52 weeks for HB and within six months for tenants on Universal Credit. If you are affected by this ruling and you would like further assistance, please contact one of the Association’s money advisors on connect: 0300 1111 133
If you receive benefits there’s some big changes happening Universal Credit is the biggest change in the welfare system in a generation, and it will have a huge impact on housing associations and their tenants. Universal Credit is a working-age benefit, so it will be: • available to those who are aged 18 or over, but • under the qualifying age for pension credit. The first recipients of Universal Credit (UC) will be new claimants and people who have had a change in circumstance. Eventually it will be rolled out to the whole country, region by region. One of the main changes is how UC will be paid. At the moment, Housing Benefit can be paid either to the tenant, or in most cases, directly to the landlord. This is going to change - payments will now be made directly to tenants. Payments will also be made monthly in arrears, so tenants may need to change how they budget for important bills. If you are currently claiming Universal Credit please get in touch now and let us know. We want to ensure you get the right advice and help solve any problems you may encounter when dealing with your claim. If you want to find out more information on Universal Credit you can visit the following websites: www.gov.uk/universal-credit www.adactushousing.co.uk Or, to work out if you would be better off on Universal Credit, you can use an online calculator at: www.entitledto.co.uk/benefits-calculator The money advice team will be able to assist if you have any concerns regarding universal credit or are worried about organising your bills on a monthly basis.
8 | inhouse
WELFARE RE FORM & RENT
Credit unions AND free library internet access The new welfare reforms require that claimants use the internet to apply for Universal Credit on-line, also, it is mandatory that every claimant has a bank account for their money to be paid into.
Free internet access
If you are affected by Universal Credit and do not have access to the internet, or a bank account – or neither, you might want to consider using local resources such as your nearest credit union, and your local library.
In addition, some libraries offer free computer courses to improve your skills, check with your local library to find out more. There are also free online courses available via the following websites:
Credit unions
www.learnmyway.co - provides online learning tools for using a computer, using the internet, making the most of your money and job hunting online.
Credit unions provide affordable financial services to their members. They can offer bank account facilities, savings, loans and a whole range of other financial services. We believe they offer a more cost effective solution to our tenants, rather than turning to door step and ‘pay day’ lenders. The website www.findyourcreditunion.co.uk/ home will help you locate a credit union in your area and provide details on how to join.
Many local libraries offer free internet; the amount of free time does vary from library to library, but most offer at least 30 minutes access without charge.
www.ukonlinecentres.com - a website dedicated to helping communities overcome social and digital exclusion. It offers a wide range of training and development programmes and helpful links and resources to other online courses and facilities.
Switching = incentives Automated rent payments are convenient and offer peace of mind – and we want to encourage payment methods such as direct debit (DD) and standing order. With this in mind, we have created incentive schemes if you switch to paying your rent to either of these two methods. From the 1st October 2014, we will offer an incentive of up to £30.00, if you switch to paying your rent via direct debit. This has to be a permanent change to paying your rent via this method, and you will need to make three months consecutive payments. On the fourth month, we will automatically credit your rent account with the incentive payment, providing the direct debit stays in place.
Similarly, if you switch to paying by standing order, we offer a £25.00 incentive; the terms and conditions mirror the direct debit scheme.
Setting up a direct debit is easy and flexible If you contact us, we will help you set up your DD - you can pay your rent weekly, fortnightly or monthly on whichever day suits you best. We will tell you when the first payment will be taken, and then you can cancel your old payment method, you do not have to remember when the rent is due, and if the rent amount changes, we will do all the work for you to make sure your DD is changed, and you are paying the correct amount. Direct debit is a great and easy way to pay your rent.
The incentive paid will be based on the percentage of the rent you pay by direct debit. For instance, if you pay £10pw via DD towards a rent of £100, then you will receive 10% of the incentive payment.
inhouse | 9
e n e rgy savi ng
Warm Home Discount Scheme As part of the Warm Home Discount Scheme, participating electricity suppliers are providing financial support to their vulnerable customers including those on a low income with a disability, long term illness or those with young children. Schemes are now open for 2014/15. Please use the contacts below to find out more from your electricity supplier. A discount of £140 will be issued via your electricity bill or prepayment meter for 2014/15. www.atlantic.co.uk www.britishgas.co.uk (including Scottish Gas)
0800 300 111 0800 072 8625 (Credit customers) 0800 294 8604 (Prepay customers)
www.sainsburysenergy.com www.scottishpower.co.uk (including Manweb)
0800 077 3827 0800 027 0139
www.edfenergy.com www.eonenergy.com Equipower www.ebico.org.uk Equipgas www.ebico.org.uk www.npower.com www.hydro.co.uk www.mandsenergy.com
0808 101 4130 0345 055 0065 0800 300 111 0800 300 111 0808 172 6999 0800 300 111 0800 300 111
www.southern-electric.co.uk www.sse.com www.swalec.co.uk www.utilitywarehouse.co.uk www.cooperativeenergy.coop www.first-utility.com
0800 300 111 0800 300 111 0800 300 111 0800 781 7777 0800 954 0693 0845 215 5000
The Home Heat Helpline 0800 336 699 www.homeheathelpline.org.uk is a service for vulnerable customers struggling to pay their bills. It provides information on grants, payment schemes & benefits that may be available as well as basic advice about energy efficiency.
Book a FREE Adactus energy advice visit It’s time to put the heating on. If you would like to find out ways to reduce your heating bills or want to know how to set your heating timer, then book your FREE energy advice appointment now! We can show you how to use your heating controls and timers and give you tips on how to heat your home for less. We can also check that you are with the cheapest supplier available and support you to switch if you wish. For a FREE energy advice appointment call our energy adviser, Natalie Twomey on 0161 203 2650.
Project Standby summer road show This summer Project Standby ventured out! Project Standby is an Adactus campaign to make Adactus a greener business. It’s part of our aim to reduce our business’s carbon footprint by 25% by 2015. Over the past four years the Project Standby team have been working hard to reduce our waste, save energy, reduce travel, recycle more and conserve nature. We have already reduced our carbon footprint by 24% so it must be working! We wanted to share what we have learned at Adactus with our tenants, so we tagged along to two Adactus summer events; the 50 years in Manchester celebration in Moss Side, and Chorley Moor’s Fun day. At both events we 10 | inhouse
promoted eating green, wasting less food, saving energy, cycling, recycling and helping wildlife. We also gave away: •
vegetarian food to promote how eating less meat helps the environment (the meat industry produces more carbon than cars!)
•
‘left over’ recipe ideas to help reduce food waste
•
50 bird boxes and 70 plants and plant pots which were painted and decorated by children at the events.
LOOKI NG FOR WORK
Looking for employment or changing jobs? Need training or qualifications?
70
OVER 70 people placed in work experience in 2013
50%
over 50% moved into direct employment from working with adactus
If you are an Adactus resident and would like more information please contact: Jayne Allison on 01942 267756 Jayne.allison@adactushousing.co.uk
We will talk to you one to one about your needs and support you to achieve your goal . We can help you: • Apply for training & gain qualifications • Arrange work experience • Look into volunteering roles • With C.V & application forms • Prepare for job interviews • Set up your own business • General support and advice.
om ar fr ate e h to love s or immedi d l ou an t h o: W e w t us t e n w ork c for w perience g Ada y members n i l look k ex fami raduates trade wor ips/ g h r • Are ooking fo n trainees l i • Are nterested s ng i pplyi • Are enticeship ing and a r k app d help loo e e dvice • N rk eer a to use r o a w c l r fo d genera ing how rn e • Ne d help lea e • Ne mputer. c a o
Jobs club confidence CCH are inviting local residents who are seeking work to come along to their jobs club, which has been running from their St Thomas’s Road building for the past eleven months. The club was set up to help job seekers ensure they are ready for employment; teaching valuable skills such as: • Interview techniques • Basic computer know-how • Careers advice • Confidence building. The club is open to tenants and residents from across the Chorley area. Andrew Wallace is a regular attendee at the club. When he first came to the club he was very nervous and lacked confidence in himself and his employability skills. Since attending the club he has grown in confidence, feels better about using computers and feels able to apply for jobs and attend interviews.
on the computer and I would get sanctioned by the job centre for not meeting their set targets. This used to cause me considerable stress and anxiety. Since attending jobs club I regularly sign up for courses and feel so much better about myself. I don’t just do it because the Job Centre tells me to do it; I do it for myself now!” The CCH jobs club runs every Wednesday at Ann James House, 32-34 St Thomas’s Road, Chorley. The informal sessions run from 10:30am to 12:30pm and are open to all. For further information contact Samantha Hornsby on 01257 244 800 or samantha.hornsby@ adactushousing.co.uk.
Andrew said, “I used to really struggle to search for jobs
Miles Platting work club success The Miles Platting work club is growing from strength to strength, and since the club started in February 2013, at least 20% of participants have got a job! We have helped over 140 people with employment and volunteering advice such as CV writing, job applications, job advice, interview preparation, computer access and anything else job related. If you live in North or East Manchester and would like our help to gain the skills to improve your chances of finding a job, come along on Tuesdays from 10:30am - 12pm at Baker House, 542 Oldham Road, Miles Platting.
inhouse | 11
50TH ANN IVE RSARY
Adactus celebrate a golden year On Friday 11th July Adactus staff and Moss Side residents came together to celebrate the launch of the organisation’s 50th year providing affordable housing in Manchester. The event was held at the Community Triangle, off Cranswick Street in Moss Side. The Triangle – which is very close to the original Family Housing offices, is an example of what can be achieved when a community comes together to improve their area - they’ve turned a small piece of neglected land into a valuable community resource. Showcasing what can be achieved when residents and organisations such as Adactus work together. To mark the Association’s 50 years in Moss Side and Manchester, Paul Lees, Adactus Chief Executive and Phil Dodd, Cranswick Street resident, buried a time capsule at the Triangle. The capsule contains historical and current information on the Adactus Housing Group, trinkets and mementos from the present day including a copy of the Manchester Evening News from the 11th July 2014, a pocket Manchester A - Z and World Cup stickers - to be discovered by a future generation. All who attended the ceremony enjoyed a tour of the Triangle, a bite to eat, and inevitably reminisced about the old days. Phil Dodd, Adactus tenant said, “We are very proud of our achievements on the Triangle. We are also grateful to Adactus for supporting our initial efforts and to Adactus and the City Council for providing grants to kick start our work”.
Adactus Housing’s birthday party in the park Adactus Housing Association has now been providing affordable housing to Manchester families in housing need for 50 years. As part of a series of celebratory events, Adactus held a family fun day on Friday August 14th at the Moss Side Community Park next to the Moss Side Powerhouse. Over 300 Moss Side residents attended the free event - Sienna, aged three from Moss Side particularly like the bouncy castle and proudly declared, “I bounced really, really high”. Our more adventurous residents were also able to get up close and personal with an array of arachnids, lizards and snakes including the very popular Bob the boa constrictor, courtesy of Ranger Rob and Animal Ash. In addition to the exotic reptiles, the community park was awash with beautiful butterflies, colourful flowers, rainbow cats and more than a couple of super heroes, thanks to the talented face painters who delighted residents with their creations. The event also boasted a craft stall, promoted local community projects such as the Moss Side Community Allotment whose stall offered seasonal, locally grown produce. Information on Adactus services and initiatives was also available. For example, Adactus staff involved in Project Standby promoted all things green and offered plant a pot, bird box painting and tasty vegetarian food options. As part of a calendar of events celebrating Adactus’s 50th birthday, this summer fun day will be hard to top, but don’t fret if you missed out because there is more to come - we have celebrations planned in Moston, Stretford and Chorlton over the coming couple of months. 12 | inhouse
50TH ANN IVE RSARY
50 is the magic number The last edition of inhouse was Adactus’s golden anniversary issue- celebrating 50 years in Manchester. To mark the occasion, we scoured our database looking for tenants who had been with us for the last 50 years, but to no avail – until a telephone call changed our luck.
The call was from Mrs Diane Cawthorn; Diane and her husband Harry had married in November 1963 – their wedding cost £20, and they moved into one of our properties on Beckett Street, Manchester in early 1964, but subsequently moved to another of our properties in 1975 (where they remain to this day). Therefore, not only have Harry and Diane been married for 50 years, they have also been Adactus tenants for 50 years, and incredibly, their son Aaron was also 50 in October! When Mr and Mrs Cawthorn moved into Beckett Street, it had an outside toilet, a tin bath and no central heating, they said, ‘life was hard, but they were the good old days.’ Their twin daughters Zoe and Lisa were born in 1967, and by the time they moved into their current home, Mr Cawthorn had installed a proper bath under the stairs, re-built the kitchen and put in a boiler. For the past 50 years Harry and Diane have raised their family and watched it grow; they now have five grandchildren and two great grandchildren, and have made friends all over the world. Many of whom helped them celebrate their wedding anniversary, by organising a surprise 50th celebration, exactly 50 years to the day! Harry and Diane fill their life with their family and friends, and even Harry’s spare time is spent researching his lineage, and learning some very interesting facts about his ancestors.
… Adactus are very proud that Mr and Mrs Cawthorn have made our houses their home for the past 50 years.
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In bloom
North West in Bloom Neighbourhood Awards North West in Bloom (NWIB) celebrated their 50th anniversary in 2014, and because Adactus are also enjoying their 50th year in Manchester, we became their main sponsor to mark this occasion. Green fingered residents from across the Group have been honoured in the In Bloom prestigious neighbourhood awards.
Convention Centre, on 23rd October, to collect their awards and celebrate their success with other lucky winners. The honour roll for Adactus was incredible, the list below details all the winners and their awards. Keeley Close gardeners receiving their best overall entry award
Neighbourhood officers and representatives from each of the gardening groups attended the annual Northwest in Bloom awards ceremony held in the Southport Theatre and Adactus winners of the Improving award Chorley Moor in Bloom
Boyer Court, Magull
Keeley Close, Newton Heath
Adactus winners of the Developing award Glenmay Court Community Garden, Manchester Holland Street, Miles Platting Kempton Court Community Garden, Sale Quayside Residents Association Gardens, Leigh Sherdley Court, Crumpsall Dalton Fold, Croston Adactus winners of the Thriving award Ambergate Gardens, Atherton Friends of Vine Street Park, Gorton Hazel Court Gardens, Bootle
Slackey Fold gardeners receiving their outstanding award
Adactus winners of the Outstanding award Crooke Village Residents Association, Wigan Keeley Close, Newton Heath Moss Side Community Allotments, Moss Side Slackey Fold, Wigan Boyer Court, Maghull John Bartlett Group, Ellesmere Port In addition to their outstanding awards, Slackey fold and Keeley Close both added trophies to their collection – Slackey Fold won the Adactus Homes Trophy and Keeley Close garden club in Newton Heath won overall best large neighbourhood, and best overall entry, which is a truly incredible achievement.
In addition to sponsoring NWIB, Adactus also run two garden competitions, one for AHA and BHA, and one for CCH, which is run in partnership with Chorley Borough Council - (see page 25 for the CCH competition winners). The AHA and BHA competition judge Alicia Foy described the winning gardens: “The gardens at Boyer are pristine and beautifully maintained, clearly there is a great deal of pride which is reflected in the way the gardens are presented - a real jewel. Keeley Gardens is a first class garden, with a ‘wilder’ outlook - offering a level of beauty which could not be replicated without total commitment from the gardeners at Keeley tremendous. Shaun Green has created a colourful and well maintained space; a good blend of colour and lots of fun elements which add to the overall design. Emily Robson has brought summer colour to Clayton Court at the front and rear of the property, clearly a natural gardener and deserves recognition for her work.
AHA and BHA best individual garden winners 1st Prize - Mr & Mrs Millington, Neston 2nd Prize - Dorothy Lewis, Sabden AHA and BHA best community garden Joint 1st - Boyer Court, Magull & Keeley Close, Newton Heath (Both these gardens were also winners in the NWIB awards.) AHA and BHA most creative small space winners 1st Prize - Shaun Green, Leigh 2nd Prize - Emily Robson, Leigh
Mr & Mrs Millington’s garden, Neston
Mrs Dorothy Lewis’s garden, Sabden
Best innovative project is a new category designed to recognise Derek Bellis for his fruit orchard at Boyer Court - a great deal of work has been undertaken to change a bare place into one of in this garden. potential beauty. Recognition of outstanding gardens is given to Mrs Sheelagh Mr and Mrs Millington’s garden could have emerged from Shaw, Rachel Harford and Beryl Wright, for their beautiful a fairy tale - full of nooks and crannies which are filled with displays and all the work that has been undertaken to create interesting and diverse plants and shrubs woven around and their beautiful gardens. Well done. over natural and man made structures. So much to feast the The judging this year has been very difficult due to the eyes and fill the mind. exceptionally high standard of submissions, but it has Dorothy Lewis’s garden is beautifully designed and is a creative been a real pleasure to view so many beautiful gardens space full of colour and interesting features. It is hard to and to meet so many nice people.” highlight only one area as there were so many pretty features
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ANNUAL REPORT
Tenants’ annual report 2013/14 The annual report highlights the key areas our tenants have prioritised during Adactus500 consultation. Tenants told us that the subjects they were most interested in are: • Our performance • Cost of services • Our annual accounts • Our Neighbourhood Fund We have continually made performance improvements over the past five years which has resulted in an increase in tenant satisfaction and strengthened our financial position as a business.
Our performance The board monitors 29 performance indicators to focus the delivery of its strategic objectives. At the end of the financial year, 23 of these were within target including all measures of tenant satisfaction (including satisfaction with repairs, planned works and anti-social behaviour), percentage of rent collected and costs per unit. Five of the remaining six were only marginally out of target and the target for the last, ‘units managed by the Group’, was purposely ambitious to encourage potential partnership discussions with other housing associations. Performance on the services that tenants have told us they are most interested in monitoring is summarised in the table below:
Performance (2012/13); previous year
Performance (2013/14)
Benchmark
86%
88.5%
87%
Satisfaction with handling ASB cases
92.9%
89%
78%
Percentage of rent collected
100%
100%
99.4%
Total cost per unit (YTD)
£2,628
£2,465
Key performance indicator Satisfaction with repairs
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ANNUAL REPORT
Cost of services The diagram below shows where our money came from and how we used this in 2013/14. Our main source of income comes from the rent we collect from our tenants alongside other sources such as grants and property sales. This is used to achieve a range of outcomes from constructing new properties (47% of total spend) to maintaining our existing ones. This also clearly shows that the business generated a cash surplus of £4.9million in the year spending less than was generated. The next few sections summarise how the Group’s resources were used for each key outcome. Use of resources to achieve outcomes 2013/14
New housing development The Group used 47% of its total resources ( £29.4m) in 2013/14 to deliver 129 new affordable homes, bringing the total of new housing units delivered to 548 in the three years to 31st March 2014. It is estimated that 350 jobs have been supported through this investment in new development, providing better places to live and strengthening the Group’s financial position. The Group’s aim is to increase its current level of development to deliver 500 new homes per year, supporting more jobs, injecting an additional £130m into the local economy and providing high quality properties for new tenants. By investing £15million of the Group’s cash resources and successfully obtaining grants, we were able to reduce loan costs through refinancing and start to pilot an in-house new homes programme to test how viable it would be to develop and build from within.
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ANNUAL REPORT
Tenancy services £18.2m (29.3%) of the Group’s resources in 2013/14 were used for the wide range of services delivered to tenants. These services were generally accessed through the Groups contact centre ‘Connect’ which dealt with over 170,000 customer enquiries in the year, resolving more than 75% of these enquiries on the first call. The minority of enquiries which could not be dealt with through Connect (i.e. typically complex maintenance issues or problems of anti-social behaviour) were dealt with by specialist teams who achieved high levels of satisfaction (97%). In addition, the 1,434 properties that were relet in the year were empty for a shorter period of time (only 17 days on average compared to 29 days in the year previous) which resulted in less rent being lost from these properties being empty (from 1.5% in 2013 to 0.8% in 2014) and more stable communities.
£18.2m
£18.2m (29.3%) cash used for tenancy services
Tenancy management 3% Estate management 5%
Repairs 46% 46%
Payment/payment issues Payment/payment 24% issues
24%
Other Other 13%
Lettings 11%
The diagram adjacent shows a breakdown of which services were requested the most in the year.
£14m
£14m (22.6%) cash used for housing assets
Rooflines 400 properties
Windows 221 properties
Internal decoration 311 properties
Heating systems 383 properties
Roofs 141 properties
Bathrooms 113 properties
External decoration 1,308 properties
Fires 201 properties
Kitchens 191 properties
Insulation 204 properties
Housing services Just under a quarter (22.6%, £14m) of the Group’s resources in 2013/14 were used to maintain the Group’s existing housing assets, the 13,043 properties it currently owns and manages. In comparison to other leading North West based housing associations the Group’s costs per unit for asset management are within the top 10% of its peer group and £835 per unit lower than the median costs of other North West housing organisations. Costs are low primarily because the Group’s maintenance services are provided almost entirely in-house enabling the group to save significant amounts on the profit and VAT elements which would otherwise have to be paid through external procurement. The diagram adjacent shows the improvements which were made to our existing properties in 2013/14.
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ANNUAL REPORT
Our annual accounts The Group made a surplus of £13.3m in 2013/14. A summary of the Group’s financial figures for the last six years is set out below. It shows how the surplus has been generated with steady increases to turnover (i.e. income) and tight control on operating costs, which were lower in 2013/14 than they had been in 2008/09. Year
Turnover £’000
Operating costs £’000
Operating surplus
Retained surplus/deficit £’000
Retained surplus
2009
41,517
35,773
14%
(1,464)
-4%
2010
45,169
39,420
13%
(1,367)
-3%
2011
44,711
41,672
7%
(2,383)
-5%
2012
50,150
33,379
33%
9,000
18%
2013
53,291
33,824
33%
9,936
19%
2014
55,793
34,984
36%
13,259
24%
Our neighbourhood fund
18 | inhouse
Project
Key outcomes
One Community One Goal
451 under-25 year-old participants in football
Miles Platting Jobs Club
12 participants found jobs and 114 participants improved their confidence
Work Placements
12 participants found jobs and 44 participants improved their confidence
Tenant participation
77 people active in tenants groups
Multi Ability Arts Dance and Drama
60 participants in dance project
Health and wellbeing days
Helped 80 people keep fit
Wednesday Walkers
23 participants in walking
Career guidance
4 participants found jobs and 13 improved their confidence
The Lesbian and Gay Foundation
48 participants in a regular social club
Moss Side Community Allotment
60 participants in gardening
The fourth year of the Neighbourhood Fund took place in 2013/14. The opportunity to access grants for local community projects was promoted to tenants and neighbourhood groups. All applications were received and assessed by our six local area panels. A total of 236 projects were funded through £194k of Neighbourhood Fund spend, improving the quality of life of tenants across all walks of life. 26 tenants were helped into full-time employment, 6 into parttime employment, 4 into self-employment and a further 7 into full-time education or training. The table below provides a summary of the top 10 projects funded in 2013/14 along with their key outcomes.
We hope you have found this report useful. Please let us know what you think by making a comment on our new pages. More detailed information on the Group’s performance and finances can be found on our website.
RE M E M BRANCE
Commemorating World War II This September saw the 75th anniversary of the start of World War Two in Europe, and to commemorate this decisive period in our history, AHA commissioned a book of remembrance. The Adactus Neighbourhood Fund enabled local charity BETA (Basic Education and Training for Adults) to author and publish the book ‘Wigan Remembers’, as a way to share local people’s recollections, memories and photographs of WWII. The book also documents servicemen and women’s experiences of the D-Day landings. Wigan Remembers was distributed free of charge to local schools, community centres, retirement schemes and libraries across Wigan.
In addition to the book, the grant also paid towards the cost of a WWII exhibition; this highlighted the local and national impact of the war and commemorated heroes of the past. BETA is a small Wigan charity committed to supporting adults and providing basic education. Over the past 20 years the charity has supported hundreds of local people to achieve qualifications and improve their basic skills. The charity also operates an internet café, BETA Net C@fe, located on King Street, Wigan, which is open six days per week.
Brothers remembered The Chorley Council and the CCH hit squad stepped in to restore a war memorial in White Coppice, after it had become obscured by foliage and fallen into a state of disrepair.
Councillor Bev Murray and Paul Lees, chief executive of Adactus, pictured centre, with local resident Peter Pennington, left, Richard Houghton, Director of Operations at CCH, right, and the CCH environmental Hit Squad who completed the restoration work – Darren Staziker, Liam Rainford, Tom Sargent & Daniel McFarland.
The memorial commemorates two brothers, George and Albert Winstanley, who both died aged 19 during the First World War - George died from scarlet fever in 1914, and Albert was killed in action in France in 1918. Significantly, the memorial had been built by William Winstanley of Lowe Fold Cottage, George and Albert’s father. Sadly, William’s tribute to his sons had all but disappeared from view, but it definitely wasn’t a case of out of sight, out of mind. The memorial’s poor condition was raised at a local residents meeting, spurring CCH and Chorley council into positive action. The CCH hit squad cleared the area to reveal the stones, then scrubbed them all down and planted alpines to create rockeries. In addition, a plaque is being made so that visitors can know the history of the memorial, and remember George and Albert Winstanley; an enduring gift from a father, in memory of his beloved sons.
Community celebrates World War I anniversary Lostock Community Partnership (LCP) held Lostock Poppy Day to commemorate the momentous 100 year anniversary of the start of World War 1. Supported by the AHA Neighbourhood Fund - and other organisations, the event at Lostock Park remembered those who served in the war, and celebrated their legacy. Mrs Eva Leah and Mrs The day boasted a range of activities, and a Eva Clague who ran the huge stage provided the centre piece for the children’s craft stall. day - showcasing local singing talent, a brass band and emotive readings from the war.
The event also encouraged inter-generational work between the old and young in the area, for example the craft poppy wall of remembrance, which is now on display In Lostock library. In addition, volunteers planted a bed of poppies within the park, as a lasting visual memory of those who served. Events like this remind people what it is to be part of a community, and teach our younger generations about the young men and women who gave their lives to protect our country and ultimately our freedom.
Red white and blue The scheme co-ordinator at Sandringham Court and Chatburn Court successfully applied to the local council to fund a WWI commemoration party. The event was organised by Pensioners Link for residents of Leigh, and it took place on August 5th at the Derby Room in Leigh. Staff wanted to honour both present and past war heroes - some residents in attendance actually fought in WWII. These include Mr Burt King, from Sandringham Court, who is now ninety six, and bravely earned many medals serving his country as a tank driver. Two heroic ladies, also from Sandringham Court, who were pilots during WWII and whose stories of courage, are inspiring. In addition, another humble resident received the highest military medal for bravery under fire! Residents attended dressed in patriotic red, white and blue and had a memorable afternoon commemorating courageous, yet modest heroes. inhouse | 19
NE IG HBOU RHOOD FUN D
In the spirit of Christmas Leigh library will be hosting a FREE festive lunch for the homeless thanks to a donation of £500 from the AHA Neighbourhood Fund. Over 50 local homeless people will be sitting down to enjoy a delicious hot meal and an afternoon of fun activities. Wigan and Leigh Culture Trust (WLCT) hold the annual event in partnership with The Brick, a homeless charity based in Wigan. The event is tailored to ensure that anyone homeless can access a wide range of support services, guests are also encouraged to utilise public buildings such as the library the library already collects food for The Brick to distribute to the homeless. Tracey Pickup, Customer Service Manager at WLCT said, “It
is fantastic that we are able to hold this event again this year. The Christmas period can be a difficult time for the homeless and they can feel further isolated. The event provides homeless residents with the opportunity to eat a hot meal, socialise with their peers and access support services.” Staff and volunteers from WLCT will be working hard arranging and decorating the event, setting the tables, run quizzes & raffles and to bring everyone together in the spirit of Christmas in a friendly and inclusive environment.
Fun-packed day for young carers Young carers from Wigan and Leigh descended on the North West’s favourite theme park, Blackpool Pleasure Beach, for a jam packed day of fun and excitement. Over 40 youngsters and volunteers visited the theme park and enjoyed the park’s top attractions; they explored Dora’s World Voyage, dived into Sponge Bob’s Splash Bash and went wild on the UK’s tallest and fastest roller coaster, The Big One. AHA awarded local charity Friends of Young Carers (FOYC) with £1000 from the Neighbourhood Fund, to cover the cost of the day. FOYC are a registered charity committed to alleviating
the stress placed on young people and their families. A young carer is anyone under the age of 18, looking after a family member with a disability or long term illness.
Wigan and Leigh Young Carers and FOYC staff and volunteers
The FOYC charity provide a vital service to young carers and their families, and the activities and support they offer has such a positive impact on so many people’s lives.
Adactus assists
Assist is a Neighbourhood care group based in Withington that has been supporting older residents in the area for 45 years. Their tireless work has been recognised by the Adactus Neighbourhood Fund judges, who have financed one of the group’s projects - The Tuesday Club, for the second year running. The Tuesday Club provides a weekly opportunity for older residents to have a substantial home cooked meal in a sociable and supportive environment. In addition to the meal, the 30 people who regularly attend the club also enjoy access to other activities and support, such as a monthly film club, exercise classes and day trips. Ellen, a Tuesday Club member, said “Coming to Tuesday Club makes me come alive and feel positive. I enjoy the friendly atmosphere that the volunteers provide and the other people who use Assist.”
Bates Street residents get growing Bates Street, a supported housing scheme in Longsight, has received funding for a food growing project. The scheme, which has eight flats and supports residents who have mental health needs, was awarded an AHA Neighbourhood Fund grant to make improvements to their communal garden, and encourage residents to enjoy growing, cooking and eating their own produce.
20 | inhouse
Making Space - a UK charity providing quality care and support to people with a wide variety of needs, help Bates Street residents lead more independent lives, and they noted that residents enjoyed spending time in the garden, and had showed an interest in growing their own produce. The grant enabled residents to purchase two large raised planters designed to grow vegetables, and funded a range of plants, seeds and compost. Residents have since planted a wide variety of fruit, vegetables and herbs and are looking forward to being able to taste the fruits of their labour very soon!
NE IG HBOU RHOOD FUN D
A Freestyle community The One Community One Goal scheme run by Freestyle Soccer is going from strength to strength, thanks to the continued support of the CCH Neighbourhood Fund. Since the free programme was launched in 2010, over 5,000 local children have been able to enjoy playing soccer locally, in a safe, supervised environment. Freestyle Soccer specialise in using the power of street soccer to create high-impact events that are accessible to all. Their inflatable soccer arenas promote endless fun, and ensure the sessions engage participants at every skill level, and at any age - boosting selfesteem and reconnecting people with their local community.
Chorley’s angels dummy up Chorley’s Angels First Aid Community Group has successful secured a second bid from the CCH Neighbourhood Fund. The money has been used to purchase new resus-manikins which will be utilised at events around the Chorley area for community training purposes. Since the group was established, requests for training have flooded in from schools, local organisations and care homes and now the group can start to fulfil the demand. The all-new Prestan manikins have a built in skill guide comprising of a set of LED lights which flash red when the cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is being performed too slowly or not deep enough, orange lights show as the speed increases turning to green when the right speed is attained. When the correct speed and depth of CPR is being performed, two green lights are displayed. The North West Ambulance Chain of Survival shows that quality CPR, particularly when performed with the aid of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED), vastly increases the survival chances of a person suffering from cardiac arrest. Growing numbers of public access defibrillators in and around town centres paired with trained individuals with the skills to perform CPR means that lives could potentially be saved.
Getting your Skates on It was a summer of skating fun for the children of Openshaw, thanks to a grant from the AHA Neighbourhood Fund. Ten skating sessions were held at Skating Edge in Higher Openshaw throughout the six week school holiday, and although the holidays are well and truly over, the sessions have made a wheel impression. Many of the participants were either new or novice skaters, so the basic skills sessions bolstered confidence and proved very popular with both children and adults - and on average, sessions attracted between 3050 people each time. If you would like more information on this club, or would like to give it a go, you can contact Skating Edge on 07989475498 or visit their website at www.skatingedgeacademy.co.uk
YOU DECI DE
Miles Platting residents have spoken 2014 saw the fourth annual Miles Platting You Decide voting day - 21 different community projects applied for a share of the You Decide pot of money, and local residents voted for 11 successful projects.
attended the outreach library in mid-June - to vote for their top five favourite projects. Votes were counted, and the top 11 received the necessary funding required to deliver their initiatives.
Prior to the community vote, an exhibition of each applicant’s project was displayed at a number of different community venues throughout Miles Platting. These included the Adactus Housing office, the outreach library and St George’s Youth and Community Centre. In addition, all project details were published in the Spotlight newsletter; which is delivered to every household in Miles Platting.
Winners this year included:
A significant number of local people
• Link East Good Neighbours who will
• The Ancoats Dispensary Trust who will buy a laptop, projector and portable screen to show films from the North West Film Archives, promoting the heritage and history around the Ancoats Dispensary Hospital. • Manchester Dyslexic Self Help Group will deliver an eight week I.T. course for dyslexics, run from the Adactus Housing office on Oldham Road.
take a group of older residents on a day trip to a local destination of their choice. The community vote to distribute funding has proved successful over and over again; it empowers the local community to come up with projects that can make a real difference to people living in their area, and because locals then decide which projects get the funding, the winners are all projects that local people need. Since Miles Platting You Decide began in 2011 we have funded 34 different projects, giving out a total of £65,000 worth of funding.
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SOUTH MANCHESTE R AN D TRAFFORD www.adactushousing.co.uk/southmanchester-and-trafford
Did you know…? If you are a resident living in Greater Manchester then you can get one FREE collection, of up to three bulky items, every year by Manchester City Council. Leaving items such as sofas or fridge freezers in your garden can lead to enforcement action being taken by the Adactus Tenancy Enforcement and Support Team as it is a breach of your tenancy agreement. Not only does leaving these items around your property
make the area look unsightly but they can, over time, start to attract vermin. So, if you are unable to get rid of a bulky item by taking it to your nearest recycling centre then please contact Manchester City Council who will be able to do one free collection for you. For more information please visit the Council website www.manchester.gov.uk
Adactus Housing gets bee friendly The Adactus Housing Association has provided a number of residents groups across Manchester, with gardening vouchers as part of their ‘Plan Bee’ project. Bee numbers have declined dramatically over the past few years due to intensive agriculture and paved gardens which have reduced the number of wild flowers and food for bees. Our gardens are the perfect place to redress the balance, and Plan Bee aims to encourage people to grow plants that provide food for bees. Bees pollinate almost 80% of the food we eat, so we can’t take these hard working creatures for granted. AHA recognises that many residents work tirelessly on greening projects across Manchester, therefore, through encouraging groups to use bee friendly plants, they can promote the value of bees to us as a society.
Foxdenton family fun For the third year running, residents of Foxdenton Drive, and the surrounding streets in Stretford, enjoyed a family fun day, thanks to Adactus Housing Association and Contour Housing. Children enjoyed craft activities and getting their faces painted at the event on August 27. There was also a circus workshop where Gary Thompstone, the coach, instructed children in stilt walking, plate spinning and baton twirling.
The excitement didn’t stop at the circus; families were also treated to an animal in-tuition workshop, where Andrew Grantham introduced the children to a variety of very different animals – these included a tarantula, an albino hedgehog, a toad, a snake, a tortoise and a lizard. Nima Babiker, aged 10 from Archer Place said, “I really enjoyed holding all the different animals and learning about them.” Nicola Russell, a parent from Foxdenton Drive said “this has kept the kids entertained and it is nice to see the kids playing together. The children were all looking forward to the event and we would like to see more events like this that involve everyone.”
Longsight residents take action Residents on Siddall Street, Longsight, have been working together to foster a sense of community spirit by transforming their shared alleyway into an area they can all be proud of. With a little help from Adactus Housing Association and Manchester City Council the residents rolled up their sleeves to clean the alley and brighten the space with new plants and foliage. The once drab alleyway now has the feel of a tranquil urban garden, created with the installation of three large planters. The planters have been filled with hardy and attractive plants, provided by Adactus Housing that will see the alleyway continue to blossom for years to come. A Clean City clean up grant from Manchester City Council helped to purchase equipment and provide support for the project - the fund helps projects that aim to permanently improve Manchester’s environment, and encourages more people to help look after their communities. The residents hope that their hard work will inspire people to take greater care of the area and discourage fly-tipping. 22 | inhouse
NORTH MANCHESTE R & M I LES PLATTI NG
ANAP recruitment
www.adactushousing.co.uk/northand-east-manchester
Do you live in North or East Manchester? If so, read on... Adactus North Area Panel (ANAP) work with Adactus to promote the interests of tenants in North and East Manchester. ANAP identify ways that Adactus can help the local residents and area. For example, ANAP decide how the Neighbourhood Fund (money for communities) is allocated to benefit local AHA communities. They also ask testing questions of decision makers who deliver key services. ANAP are looking for active residents who want to improve their neighbourhood. If you think this is you, please contact Jacqui Wilson on 0300 111 1133, you will be a welcome addition to our panel.
Music to anybody’s ears The Turkey Lane & Monsall (TLM) centre has received a funding boost from the AHA Neighbourhood Fund to provide a weekly playgroup for local families. The funding will enable the TLM playgroup to provide safe indoor and outdoor environments for children to develop their social skills through play. The group also provides a social outlet for new parents to share their experiences, ideas and concerns with other people in similar situations.
The TLM volunteers organise creative activities that encourage sharing and patience in a fun, lively environment - and anyone lucky enough to hear the sing and dance time session at TLM will agree - there is no better sound than that of children laughing, and no greater reward than hearing their confidence grow.
Five star debut!
Local Miles Platting resident, Mike Bishop jumped at the chance of getting involved in HOME theatre’s production of ‘Angel Meadow’ after attending the Miles Platting Area Panel. HOME is a joint venture between The Library Theatre and Cornerhouse, and promises to be one of the biggest cultural spaces in Manchester.
Mike thought he’d be attending to give a local’s perspective of Ancoats, but instead, earned a key part in the production! Despite the latent beauty in the play’s title, it is based on the lives of people who worked and lived in appalling conditions - many of whom helped build the mills and powerhouses of the industrial revolution. Mike told us, “As a 70 year old man living in a retirement scheme, I wasn’t sure what I could offer except for my local knowledge.” Bravely, Mike stepped out of his comfort zone and went along to a meeting with the director (Louise), who obviously saw something in Mike, and suggested he try out for a part – which he did, and he proved to be perfect for the role. Angel Meadow was performed in June at the old Edinburgh Castle pub in Manchester and received countless five star reviews from The Guardian, Manchester Evening News and The Independent, to name a few.
Festival fun August saw The Victoria Mill Community Centre and surrounding park, teaming with local residents enjoying the Miles Platting Summer Festival. A wide range of stalls and an array of activities ensured that fun for all the family was the theme of the day! Organised by Adactus Housing Association, the event was a huge success and proved to be a real treat for everyone, literally – the lucky festival goers enjoyed food prepared by Good Mood Food in Hulme and perused stalls run by local residents including, a plant stall from Ordsall Hall, a tombola and a craft stall run by local group Welcome Hands. In addition, residents also got to experience a climbing wall, a bungee run, participate in a pool tournament and have their faces painted. The day also marked the official opening of The Green – a new park along the Rochdale Canal. New seating areas with newly planted trees mean it is already proving to be a popular spot for local people to sit and enjoy the canal views. Every year the residents come out in force for the festival, highlighting the strong sense of community spirit in the local area.
Clear up in Collyhurst
With support from Adactus Housing Association, young local residents in Collyhurst came together and applied for a Manchester City Council Clear Up Grant. Tools such as litter pickers, gloves and high visibility vests were borrowed from Manchester City Council and a skip was provided. Sheila Davies, local resident who helped co-ordinate the clear up commented “It was great to see the young people working together and taking a keen interest in improving their surroundings.” Adactus Housing Association provided refreshments and snacks for the young people as well as a shelter when there was a downpour! inhouse | 23
WIGAN AN D LE IG H
Wigan and Leigh Area Panel needs you! We are seeking volunteers to increase the number of residents who participate in the Wigan and Leigh Area Panel (WALP), to ensure it continues to grow from strength to strength. Adactus help facilitate area panels throughout its stock. It is vital that residents have their say on services and local issues - as a panel member you will: •
Promote the interests of residents
•
Assist in the development and monitoring of the Adactus Local Offer
Going greenAHA has awarded green
fingered residents Green Grants worth up to £500 to help spruce up their outdoor space.
So far, grants totaling £15,000 have been distributed across the Northwest, enabling residents to make improvements to their environment. Funding bids have included requests for new garden furniture, plants, shrubs, raised planters, solar lights and garden sheds. Residents from Slackey Fold, Hindley Green, successfully
•
www.adactushousing.co.uk/wiganand-leighwww.adactushousing. co.uk/wigan-and-leigh
Be an important point for consultation and communication with Adactus
The Wigan and Leigh Panel meets once a quarter. Their meetings are usually held on a Monday afternoon, last approximately an hour and a half and are held at our head office in Leigh. If you are interested in becoming a member or would like to get involved then please contact Lindsay Ogden on 0300 111 1133.
secured £360 to create a new decking area, re-plant pots and invest in a more economical watering system. Slackey Fold resident, Alicia Foy, said “Everyone has worked really hard over a number of years to improve the communal space. We have created a fantastic garden that incorporates a vegetable patch, bird feeders, nesting boxes, outdoor seating areas and an array of beautiful flowers and plants. The garden is an asset to the scheme and everyone enjoys spending time in their surroundings.” Funding initiatives such as Green Grants recognise the time and expense residents spend improving their gardens and neighbourhood’s - and Slackey Fold is a shining example of what residents’ hard work can achieve.
Books are for everyone The Wigan and Leigh Culture Trust (WLCT) asked their library users how they could improve their service, and in doing so identified the need for a visual impairment reading group - a similar group has already been established at Leigh library. The WLCT’s commitment to providing a service that is inclusive to all members inspired them to apply to the AHA Neighbourhood Fund grant to set up a group in Wigan. The trust was successful and secured a grant of £800 to purchase of a variety of talking books and a cd player. Wigan library proudly hosted its first monthly visual impairment reading group in September, and each session is free of charge; everyone should have the opportunity to enjoy a good book.
Fun at the farm The Hindley Children Centre recently applied to the AHA Neighbourhood Fund to take over 80 children and their families to Smithshall Farm. Set amongst 70 acres of beautiful North Bolton countryside, the farm is home to a variety of animals including cows, pigs, guinea pigs and hens.
Road, Hindley, is dedicated to improving family life and providing support so that children can have the best start in life. Services are available to families with children up to the age of five. Activities on offer at the centre include baby massage, sing & swim and sensory play. The centre is open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.
The centre’s bid was successful, and the farm proved to be the perfect mix of education and fun - families spent quality time together learning about the animals, bouncing on the bouncy castles, negotiating the adventure playground and inflatable assault course, playing in the sandpit, riding the donkeys and enjoying tractor tour.
Jo Robinson Sure Start Co-ordinator said, “We would like to thank Adactus for the award. Everyone had a brilliant time at the farm and we hope we can arrange similar trips in the future.”
The Hindley Children Centre, based on Mornington
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CHORLEY
Green-fingered residents help borough bloom
www.adactushousing.co.uk/ chorley
GREEN-FINGERED gardeners from across Chorley have been rewarded for their amazing efforts to help the borough bloom this summer. Gardens across the borough were entered in to the annual Best Kept Garden competition run by Chorley Council in conjunction with Chorley Community Housing (CCH) and Chorley and District Gardening Society. And the winners were presented with their certificates and vouchers at a special ceremony at Birkacre Garden Centre by Councillor Adrian Lowe who oversees floral displays for Chorley Council, and the Mayor and Mayoress of Chorley, Councillor Roy and Mrs Margaret Lees. Councillor Lowe said: “This year the competition was bigger and better than ever because it formed part of our bid for national glory in the prestigious Britain in Bloom organised by the Royal Horticultural Society.” In the Best Kept Garden Competition, there were four categories for people to enter – small, medium or large garden and a community award. The Best Kept Garden category winners, who received certificates and vouchers, were: Best large garden: Best small garden: 1 - Neville Bamber, Heath Charnock 1 - Mrs Sybil Johnson, Charnock Richard 2 - Michael Banks, Heskin 2 - Mrs Bothamley, Euxton 3 - Mrs Adshead, Chorley 3 - Mr & Mrs Holden, Chorley Best medium garden: 1 - Ken & Lillian Miller, Eccleston 2 - Ray Norris, Ulnes Walton 3 - Mrs Marron, Chorley
Festival fun
Best community garden: 1 - The Fields, Eccleston 2 - Lancaster Court, Chorley 3 - Arcon Estate, Coppull
Councillor Adrian Lowe is pictured right with the award winners, the Mayor and Mayoress of Chorley Councillor Roy and Margaret Lees and Chris Richardson from CCH, second left.
On one of the few dry days in August, Buttermere Green attracted over 500 people when CCH hosted their annual Chorley Moor Fun Day - a free summer festival. The family friendly event was devised to encourage only one main outcome – fun, fun, fun!
Live music, literally sang out across the green as the community enjoyed all things carnival, including, an inflatable slide, a bungee run, a pirate assault course, a coconut shy, face painting, glitter tattoos, a pocket money toy stall, freestyle soccer, and a delicious BBQ - provided by local charity Living Waters Storehouse. Carol Halton, Living Waters Storehouse Coordinator said: “Everybody that we spoke to on the day said they were having a great time and they were so pleased and grateful to have an amazing free event like this so close to home. We’re so happy to have been involved this year and can’t wait to do it again in 2015.”
Free garden tool hire for Chorley residents Having identified that many Chorley residents would like to do more work in their gardens, but don’t have the right tools for the job, CCH have launched a new scheme to help - the Garden Tool Hire scheme is open to all CCH tenants, and is completely free of charge. The tools, which include lawn mowers, trimmers, forks, spades and cutting sets, will be available for full or half day hire-slots - depending on the level of work required. The new scheme will help residents improve the look of their garden, which will in turn benefit the appearance of the wider area. Everyone’s a winner! If you are a CCH resident and want more information, or, you want to book your tool hire slot, just call a member of the neighbourhood team on 01257 244800. inhouse | 25
LUNE VALLEY
Tenants’ satisfaction survey Lune Valley tenants are being asked for their views on the services they receive as part of the annual tenant satisfaction survey. The survey is a chance for tenants to give their opinions on the way in which their service is run and the results are fed through to the board of Lune Valley, helping it to determine its strategic priorities. Richard Houghton, Director of Operations for Adactus which delivers housing services on behalf of Lune Valley, said: “It is important that people complete the questionnaire they are sent and return the survey form. Feedback from last year’s survey has
led the Board of Lune Valley to review the investment plans for the Association, and it is an opportunity for people to make their voices heard.” As in previous years, Lune Valley tenants have the chance to win a £50 shopping voucher if they complete and return the survey form. With only 77 tenants eligible to enter the draw, the odds of winning are better than the lottery and you don’t have to pay to enter! If you haven’t already received your survey, watch out for it dropping through your letter box this November.
Lune Valley pilot caretaking service This autumn has seen the launch of a new caretaking service for tenants of Lune Valley. The service, which was agreed by the Board in April of this year, has been developed in response to comments made from tenants last year about how they felt they had too little contact with their landlord. Richard Houghton, Director of Operations with Adactus, who provide Lune Valley’s services, said: “we will commence regular visits to the Lune Valley schemes with one of our caretakers coming to each scheme for a few minutes in order to attend to any small jobs that tenants make us aware of. This is in addition to the grounds maintenance and repairs services that we already provide and the intention is to give tenants that little bit more.”
The caretaker will be on site for approximately 15 minutes each visit. Details of when to expect the caretaker will be published and residents will be able to ring and request a call if they have a job that they want the caretaker to assist with. Richard Houghton said: “We will be piloting the service to begin with and are keen to get feedback from residents about whether the service provides them with the added value that the Board is looking to provide.” The service was launched with a letter drop to all tenants, followed by the first visit at the end of October. The operative has Lune Valley branded PPE and a CCH / LV ID card so will be clearly identifiable.
SE FTON
Pay it forward… This summer a group of young people from Ykids children’s charity paid it forward by giving away cup cakes and doing odd jobs in their community. The Pay it Forward project, which was funded by Adactus Housing Association’s Neighbourhood Fund, saw over 25 youngsters from Bootle painting railings in North park, offering street games and activities for children, litter picking, gardening, offering flowers and salad boxes to local residents and baking and decorating over 300 cupcakes to give away. The project was inspired by the film Pay it Forward where a small boy comes up with the idea to do good deeds for others and then ask them to pay it forward by doing a good deed for someone else, causing a chain reaction of generosity and good will in his community.
www.adactushousing.co.uk/sefton
Paul Melia, Project Leader said, “Bootle is full of great people, and this project gives our young people the opportunity to do something for others and then watch the chain reaction start.” Each recipient of a benevolent gift or gesture by one of the Ykids, was given a postcard asking them to pay it forward, and then asked to return the card to tell them of their good deed. The benefits of the project are still being felt across the local area as community members continue to pay it forward. Claire Morgans, CEO of Ykids said, “We have had a great response from people who have embraced the project’s ideology – and they have told us how they have helped out a neighbour, or offered time to volunteer in a local group or project. It just goes to show what a great community this is.”
Quiet garden
St. Peters Church in Birkdale, Southport was recently awarded £1,165 from the Adactus Neighbourhood Fund buy a new fence to enclose its quiet garden.
The church’s Quiet Garden Group wanted to make better use of the space and applied for funding to cover the cost of a new, secure wooden panel fence and gate to separate the garden from the vicarage. The funding was awarded and the fence has now been installed.
The garden, which was created in 2006, provides a place for local residents and church goers to sit, think, and to admire its beautiful features, which include a labyrinth, a living willow arch and a quiet hut.
Sue Hiley, a member of the garden group said, “We are absolutely overwhelmed and so delighted that our bid was successful. We are really looking forward to re-launching the garden and making it really special for all the community.”
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LANCASH I RE
Preston Pirate football club earn their booty! The Preston Pirates were established in 2004 and are a small but expanding football club based in Preston and South Ribble. The ethos of the club is to coach players of all abilities, and encourage fair play – helping to develop the child not just the footballer. To ensure they remain accessible to all, and keep membership and subscription fees to a minimum,
www.adactushousing.co.uk/ other-lancashire
the pirates asked the AHA Neighbourhood Fund for a grant to purchase pop up football goals and new training balls. They were successful – and the relatively small amount of funding has made a massive difference to all the children involved.
Windrush 66 fun in the sun On the 22 June a colourful Caribbean vibe calypso’d though the Preston cricket club as a 120 local families enjoyed Windrush 66, an event that celebrated 66 years of the black and Caribbean community in the city.
On this same day, but back in 1948, the Empire Windrush sailed into the port of Tilbury in Essex, carrying the first large group of West-Indian passengers from Jamaica, celebrating the start of their new life, in the UK. The hugely successful Windrush 66
event saw families salsa dancing, playing cricket calypso style, and enjoying some Caribbean delights cooked by award winning food writer Carol Harris. A DJ and a live steel band provided the soundtrack for the event – thanks to a grant from the AHA Neighbourhood Fund. In addition to playing classic reggae and modern Caribbean music, the band offered event goers steel drum taster lessons throughout the event. Everyone agreed that it was an amazing day - roll-on Windrush 67!
CHESH I RE
Teapot triumphs
www.adactushousing.co.uk/ cheshire
Tea is a British institution; many of us use it is a reason to get together, and turn to it for a little comfort in times of need - so, it seems apt that a volunteer group who work to provide friendship and company to older residents living in Neston, is called The Teapot. The Teapot offers a drop in centre twice a week, helping to increase interaction between older residents and reduce their social isolation. In addition they have three day trips throughout the year. Money from the Adactus Neighbourhood Fund has helped to safeguard The Teapot, ensuring that residents continue to benefit from the support and friendship it provides. Hazel Revell, user of The Teapot, said “This is somewhere we can come and catch up with friends a couple of days a week. We love going on the trips and really enjoy them. Everyone works so hard on making The Teapot a success and we will always support them.”
Allotment secures long-term future AHA has entered into a long-term agreement with Neston residents to keep the allotment on Burton Road secure, and solely for community use. The Burton Road Allotment Society and AHA have worked together to draw up a long-term lease providing allotment holders with the knowledge that their community allotments are secure. The allotment, which is home to nearly 40 plots, is nestled in the heart of Neston, and provides a serene environment for local residents to grow their own produce and enjoy the bio-diversity of their surroundings. This lease has also secured the allotment for future generations of keen local gardeners. This is good for Neston, good for the environment, good for health, and helps to encourage community spirit – a success by any measure.
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RETI RE M ENT LIVI NG
A picture says a thousand words …and the following three say much more Ambergate resident Christine Gore made the dramatic decision to have her head shaved for charity. Cancer is synonymous with loosing your hair, and so Christine’s decision to shave hers off for The Christie NHS Foundation Trust was a poignant one.
Keep taking the tablets! You may have noticed that recently, the staff in our retirement and supported schemes have been using tablets - handheld computer devices. The tablets have been given to front-line staff to assist their service delivery to customers. This technology allows us to record activities such as morning calls and health and safety checks – reducing the need for paper copies and excessive paperwork. It also enables staff to access information literally at the touch of a button; recording all the checks that have been completed, ensuring we have a safe and secure environment for residents.
We will continue to develop the new system as we roll it out to more and more staff – and we hope that all staff at our retirement schemes will have tablets before Christmas (our extra care schemes will have them shortly after the New Year.) Staff training on the new systems is being provided to ensure the digital transition is smooth as possible, but, as with all new things it may take a while before the system is running perfectly. We plan to move away from paper records as much as possible and over the coming months will be completing more tasks on the tablets. If you want more information please speak to your scheme co-ordinator or support worker.
Glenmay Court celebrate 25 years with birthday bash On Friday 10th October residents of Adactus Housing’s retirement scheme, Glenmay Court on Derbyshire Lane celebrated the scheme’s 25th birthday. Built in 1989, Glenmay Court is home to 33 individuals and couples over the age of 55, the vast majority of whom were at the party. Adactus staff and local councillors Steve Adshead, Dolores O’Sullivan and Tom Ross ensured that the party ran smoothly whilst entertainer, Andrew Crompton provided the party atmosphere – residents danced the afternoon away to Andrew’s renditions of classic songs from the 50s, 60s and 70s.
Three of the residents - Irene Marshall, Agatha Henshall and Hildagard Sumner (shown left to right in the photograph) have lived at Glenmay Court since it first opened and Jim Woodhams (also pictured) turned 100 this year. The party also marked the completion of the refurbishment works. Adactus Housing has its own team who work on the refurbishments and Glenmay Court is the fifteenth scheme to receive modernisation. Communal areas benefit from new suspended ceilings, energy efficient lighting, new flooring/carpets, decoration, signage and modernised kitchens and bathrooms within communal areas and guest flats. This provides a new bright modern environment. Councillor Steve Adshead said, “it was a marvellous day and everyone I spoke with really enjoyed themselves, it’s hard to believe Glenmay Court has been part of our community for twenty five years!”
Running the extra mile AHA tenant Frank Wilson, proved you can still be spritely at 72, when he completed the Wigan 10k run and raised £500 for charity. Frank, who lives at Ambergate retirement scheme in Atherton, completed the race in less than one hour twenty minutes, and in the process raised over £500 for The Christie NHS Foundation Trust. The trust specialise in cancer care, research and education. They have been pioneering cancer research 28 | inhouse
breakthroughs for over 100 years and remain committed to helping all those affected by cancer. Frank said, “I have completed 27 marathons and countless other charity runs. I started running over 30 years ago; I was overweight, but was inspired to get fit by a local 70 year old man, who had just completed a marathon. I thought to myself I won’t see 70 if I continue as I am, so started running to get myself into shape.” Frank ran his first marathon back in 1982 and has since completed the London, Benidorm and Blackpool marathons along with numerous other half marathons and fun runs; he is a gentleman that will literally go the extra mile for a good cause.
SUPPORTE D LIVI NG
Re-match excitement For many, football is more than just a game, whether it’s enjoyed as a spectator or as part of a team - it inevitably elicits passion. This is certainly true for Team Adactus (2a High Street) and Team Morecambe Foyer, who eagerly awaited their re-match after the first game ended in a nerve-shredding six-all draw. Finally, the day arrived – the support from the crowd was loud and good natured and both teams were raring to go. It was all to play for in the second and deciding game of the tournament, and the wining team would be lifting the Lancaster Housing Cup! The two teams - comprising of both staff and residents from the projects, both fought hard to win the game, and in the end it went right down to final whistle. The final score was 4-3 to Team Morecambe Foyer. The event was a massive success - both teams had a really good time, and displayed good sportsmanship at all times. The referee, James did a great job and he was able to use the experience towards his qualification in Sports Studies at LMC.
Open letter from Connor “Hi, my name is Connor, and I just wanted to tell you about my time with the Adactus Housing Association and the supported accommodation service. Last December, I was in a really bad place; I had nowhere to live and was reduced to sleeping on someone else’s couch - but then I got a phone call from Lord Street and they offered me a room. I moved in just five days before Christmas, on the 20th December – what a present! I couldn’t believe my luck, I actually had somewhere I could call my own. Having someone to help me whenever I needed it (it’s a 24 hour service), I quickly found my feet, got used to the rules and
started looking towards the future. My key-worker soon noticed that I was quite capable, and I really didn’t need much assistance - until we were talking about moving on. By the end of April, I was lined up for my own one-bedroomed flat in Ince, and assigned a new support worker from the floating support team to help me with the transition. Four months after moving into the hostel I moved into my very first true tenancy - I actually had my own home! I am now in full time work, looking forward to whatever may come up next for me, and even talking about moving on again into somewhere totally independent – and none of this would have happened if I hadn’t got that first phone call. So thank you Adactus and thank you to all the staff at Lord Street!”
Smoothie the way Smoothies can be a quick and easy source of the necessary vitamins and nutrients essential for a healthy body – and the best way to know the exact ingredients in your smoothie is to make it yourself. The residents of Bamber Court, a supported housing service for young mums, recently organised a summer smoothie tasting session to highlight the importance of incorporating fruit into the daily diet - as part of their healthy living programme. Residents worked with the staff to provide refreshing and healthy drinks for themselves and their young children. They blended a variety of both fresh and frozen fruits with yoghurt, fruit Juice and ice cubes, to produce a range of delicious flavours and some very interesting colours.
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Performance matters Adactus Housing Group (Quarter 2: July - September 2014) Performance matters at Adactus and we are passionate about improving our standards. We continually monitor performance to assess how we are doing, see whether changes to service delivery have resulted in improvements and find out where we need to focus our attentions. The table below presents key performance information for Adactus Housing Group for the second quarter of 2014/15, along with target and trend information (e.g. whether performance is improving, remaining stable or declining).
Performance area
Performance indicator
Quarter 3
Quarter 4
Quarter 1
Quarter 2
Target
% satisfied with completed repair
89%
86%
87%
Average completion time for non emergency repairs
4 days
5 days
6 days
Rent Collection
% of rent collected
100%
99%
100%
99.9%
99.8%
Connect Contact Centre
% of calls answered in less than 40 seconds (less than 15 seconds for quarters 3 & 4)
78.3%
78.6%
78%
74%
>80%
% of calls resolved at first point of contact
77%
79.1%
76%
74%
>80% by year end
£166
£169
£169
£156
<£250
Repairs
Rent lost through Voids and Lettings vacant lettable general needs stock
90%
Trend
>85%
5.9 days 10 days
Performance in the first two quarters has been strong in most areas. Performance in the contact centre is slightly below target. This is mainly due to the increased duration of enquiries since Connect became the main point of contact for callers in rent arrears. Changes to staffing patterns have also been made to better fit available staff to periods of high call volume. We are pleased to note that there has been no change to levels of caller satisfaction during this period of lower than target performance. Continuing the success of recent quarters, the target for letting vacant properties – measured as the rent lost while the property is empty – was achieved, a reflection of the changes made in the way we manage and market our properties. The responsive repairs service continues to perform well with average completion times of non-emergency repairs and repairs completed at first appointment all performing well above target. Rent collection also remains strong, a reflection of the strategic approach to income collection.
30 | inhouse
hom e
Is your home insured? Adactus Housing Group and its members urge all tenants and leaseholders to take out household insurance, either through our special scheme arranged by Aon, through Aviva, or by making your own arrangements. For more information on this scheme, please scan the adjacent QR code, or visit our website: www.adactushousing.co.uk /files/Insurance_Adactus_Pack_IN_ORDER.pdf
It is the responsibility of tenants and leaseholders to insure their home contents; to protect their own furniture, belongings or decorations against theft, fire, vandalism and burst pipes. When you take out this insurance your household goods and contents will be insured whilst in your home. The insurance also covers theft of your keys and the contents in your freezer. There is also cover for personal liability. Accidental damage is not covered as standard other than what is detailed in the policy summary. However, a full accidental damage option may be available at an additional cost.
Individual electoral registration Make sure you can have your say! The way you register to vote has changed; the new system, called Individual Electoral Registration, means that everyone is now responsible for registering themselves. Under the old system, the head of the household could register everyone who lived at their address, but this has now changed. The easiest way of registering is online - You will need a few details, including your national insurance number and date of birth to do this. Registering is important – You need to register to be able to vote at the next election and have your say.
If you are unsure whether you are registered under the new system, contact your local electoral registration staff. If you are not registered, and if you don’t respond to requests for information from your local electoral registration staff offices, you could be at risk of getting fined £80. In addition, you could also experience difficulties obtaining credit. Credit reference agencies use the register to confirm where you live to help counteract fraud. So if you need a mobile phone contract, a loan or a mortgage, being on the electoral register will help your application.
Component replacement Adactus Housing Group has recently reviewed the way in which it replaces components in their properties. Components typically include kitchens, bathrooms, windows, gas central heating and roofs. Previously these have been replaced following an age based assessment.
This information is used to prompt inspections to determine if a component requires replacement. The age of a component is still considered in the assessment and if the age is nearing the end of the life expectancy, as determined by the ‘Decent Home Standard’, an inspector will arrange to visit and determine the component’s condition.
Using only this information could have the potential to If a tenant raises concerns regarding the condition of cause components to be replaced when they are still in a component an inspector will visit to confirm and a good condition. recommend replacement if necessary. Adactus Housing Group is committed to replacing components when they need to be replaced and in the most efficient way possible. Therefore, going forward, property components in general properties will be replaced when they are beyond economical repair or are not fit for purpose, if they don’t meet our relet standard or they fail the ‘Decent Homes Standard’, i.e. over a certain age and in poor condition. Components for replacement will be identified in a number of ways. Information recorded on our system detail the repair history of components.
Annual inspections carried out by gas engineers also highlight any components deemed in need of replacement. This would again prompt an inspection to verify. Components will also be replaced when a property is void in line with our ‘Void Relet Standard’. This avoids tenant disruption and also encourages sustainable tenancies. Components in retirement and supported properties are replaced on a scheme by scheme basis following a cyclical programme using age criteria. inhouse | 31
Adactus Head Office Turner House, 56 King Street, Leigh, Lancs, WN7 4LJ
T 0300 111 1133
For the out of hours emergency service please use the connect number.
Miles Platting Neighbourhood Office Baker House - 542 Oldham Road, Miles Platting, Manchester, M40 8BS
T 0800 234 6826
For the out of hours emergency service please call 0800 234 6826.
Chorley Head Office Chorley Community Housing Ltd, Ann James House, 32-34 St Thomas Road, Chorley, PR7 1HR
T 0300 111 1133
For the out of hours emergency service please use the connect number.
www.adactushousing.co.uk 32 | inhouse
F 0161 203 2600