Cadwyn Housing Association News | Winter 2009
E E R ll
F to a
yn w d Ca nants Te
CADWYN
SUPPORTS CHILDREN IN NEED GREEN CHRISTMAS TIPS
TPAS 2009 CONFERENCE
2 | Contents
in this issue....
p2
TPAS
p4
CONFERENCE
MoM SCHEME
f you have attended TACT recently you will already be familiar with our Moving Out Money Scheme.
I
If not, did you know that if you are moving out of your property you may be entitled to up to ÂŁ150 cashback for leaving the property in re-lettable condition? There are certain criteria you will need to meet to be eligible so for more information contact Assistant Maintenance Manager, Karl Reid on 029 2049 8898, if you are thinking about moving home.
HALF TERM
p5
FUN
CADWYN AND CHILDREN IN NEED
p6
MONEY MATTERS!!
GREEN CHRISTMAS
CUSTOMER SERVICE EXCELLENCE
p7
TPAS
CONFERENCE he Annual Tenant Participation Advisory Service (TPAS) Conference was held in Llandrindod Wells on the 11-13 November.
T
Three staff and three tenants attended the event that included guest speakers and workshops on a range of tenant focused topics, including anti-social behaviour, improving services for older people and how regeneration has helped to improve communities across Wales.
2009
Cadwyn staff also ran two workshops: Development Manager, Simon Fry along with Michelle Smith from Integrate, gave a presentation on Targeted Recruitment and Training. Tenant Support Officer, Jen Williams, gave feedback on the outcomes of the Triangle Wales Project – the training and awareness-raising project that awarded Cadwyn its Rainbow Mark earlier this year.
Cadwyn Staff News | 3
Q: What can customer services do for you? A: More than you might think!
Our Customer Services team; Janice, Janette, Jayne, Esther and Hannah. (Not pictured, Karen and Hodan)
s well as providing a comprehensive front line service on behalf of Cadwyn, there are also various other duties we perform on a daily basis.
A
Don’t forget these duties aren’t just reception based. Here’s what we can do for you:
GENERAL CUSTOMER SERVICE DUTIES • Provide you with any information regarding Cadwyn and the staff working at the organisation. • Provide information about our joint waiting list with Cardiff Council and other Cardiff Housing Associations. RENT • We can help you with rent queries – provide you with rent balances and proof of rents for your housing benefit needs. • Print out rent statements on your behalf and pop them in the post for you. • We can also verify your housing benefit claim. HOUSING ISSUES • In the absence of your housing officer we can provide you with some helpful advice with regard to your tenancy and arrange appointments should you need to speak with your housing officer urgently.
• Give advice regarding neighbourly disputes – provide you with helpful numbers to log anti-social behaviour reports. • Provide you with relevant information about exchanges and transfers. We can also send you this information as well as application forms in the post.
REPAIRS • We can log all repairs on your behalf and provide you with information about when they will be completed. • In the absence of Tech assistants, we can also chase-up any outstanding repairs you have. GRIEVANCES • We can help you start the process of logging a complaint, should you have one, and pass the information on to the relevant officer. Finally: KEEP SAFE! Don’t forget to ALWAYS request identification before someone enters your home. Always ask what the person is there to do and ask his/her name and or contact details. This will also help speed up the process when we are dealing with your query should you call the office to confirm their identity with us. We’re also introducing various safety measures at the office – you may be asked to provide your date of birth when you call, just so we can verify who we’re talking to.
WHO’S WHO IN…
HOUSING MANAGEMENT t’s been another busy year in Housing with new starters and people moving on to pastures new. Here’s who’s who in the team at the moment:
I
• Sarah Evans returned to us, from a secondment at the Welsh Assembly, as Assistant Housing Manager. She supports Neil McCarthy (Housing Manager) and Helen Armstrong (Director of Housing & Community Services) in the overall running of the Housing Team. • Martha Hooper joins us as Allocations and Lettings Administrator, covering Emma Lovering’s maternity leave from the end of November. • We welcomed Laura Cope to the team in the summer as our Rents and Service Charges Administrator. • Stacey Anastasi is back in the Rent Accounts Management team following her return from maternity leave. We also welcomed Sandra Diment to the team in October, who joins Stacey, June and Jean dealing with rents, arrears and money advice. • Your Housing Officers are Anna Evans, Wendy Evans and Jeet Kaur, and Tenant Participation Officer is Kath Williams.
4 | Cadwyn News
CALON
TEAM ur Special Projects Team has gone from strength to strength in 2009 and it has been an extremely busy but highly rewarding year for them.
O
They’ve been instrumental in the Welsh Assembly’s Homelessness Launch, grown their managed property portfolio to over 250 properties all over Cardiff and even won first prize in Cadwyn’s Children In Need fancy dress competition as the Reservoir Dogs! Their continued growth has also meant the team has now expanded to include seven members of staff.
CADWYN
ATTENDS CAREER FAIR Staff at Cadwyn took part in a Careers Fair at Whitchurch High School at the beginning of November. Cadwyn shared a stand at the two day event with other Housing Associations to promote housing as a sector to pupils, who were aged 13 and 14. All the staff really enjoyed meeting the pupils and talking about careers at Cadwyn!
The Special Projects Team are: Lynda Thorne (Special Projects Manager); Ben Reynolds (Special Projects Team Leader); Vicki Jones, Ryan Parry and Francesca Willis (Special Projects Officers); Chris Nunn (Special Projects Technical Officer) and Louise Lewis (Admin & Finance Officer).
here was plenty of opportunity for kids to get creative at Cadwyn this October half term.
T
2010 will no doubt present new challenges and opportunities for the Special Projects team as they commence management of Cardiff Council’s Temporary Accommodation scheme and continue the rapid expansion of the successful Calon Lettings scheme. As always, they will continue to strive to provide the best possible service to their tenants, landlords and partners.
HALF-TERM
FUN
AT CADWYN
Residents at Jubilee Gardens organised a halloween-themed arts n crafts and pumpkin carving afternoon, followed by a litter pick around the street and community centre. We also ran an arts n crafts session in the TRAP room for youngsters to make scary halloween masks and decorations for the annual Halloween party at Plasnewydd Community Hall. The Halloween party
was another huge success – with adults and kids taking the opportunity to dress up in suitably spooky gear and much fun was had by all!
Getting Involved | 5
CADWYN SUPPORTS
GET COOKING! o you have children of school age? Would you like to be more confident at cooking healthy everyday meals on a budget for your family?
D
If the answer is yes then the Get Cooking project is for you! It’s a free scheme run by the Women’s Institute to enable young parents to acquire some basic cooking skills to increase confidence in cooking for your family.
taff swapped their regular workwear for fancy dress on Friday 20th November to take part in fundraising for BBC’s Children in Need. From rugby players to robots, the office was filled with all things beginning with “R”. Over the day we managed to raise over £160 for the appeal.
S
Of course, we’re still raising money for the Guide Dogs Sponsor a Puppy appeal. We have raised a fantastic £3,000 so far so we’re not too far off our target of £5,000. Don’t forget that we have a Treasure Box in reception that will gratefully receive donations
of unwanted jewellery, watches, keys, coins and mobile phones. So, if you’re having a clear-out of any of these items after Christmas be sure to pass them on to us to help us achieve our target!
Each month we run a prize draw for tenants who complete and return their satisfaction forms after a repair is completed.
The informal and fun course runs for 6 weeks at a location and time convenient for those taking part. We would like to set up a course for the new year so if you are interested in getting involved – or just to find out more – please contact Kath Williams on 029 2049 8898 or email kath@cadwyn.co.uk.
REPAIRS SATISFACTION
PRIZEWINNERS
Congratulations to our recent winners: Miss James from Canton and Ms Halliday from Grangetown.
Don’t forget to complete the questionnaire on the back of the works order if a repair is carried out in your home. Not only will you have the chance to win a prize but your feedback will help us to improve our services to you.
6 | Money Matters
NEW SERVICE FOR HOUSING
& COUNCIL TAX BENEFIT Cardiff Council has opened a new front line office to improve our service to customers on the ground floor of Marland House. First Stop Enquiry Centre Fast Track Counters You can hand in documentary evidence for your Housing & Council Tax Benefit claim at our Fast track Counters. New Claims The First Stop Enquiry Centre will provide assistance for New Claims for Housing & Council Tax Benefit and Change of Address. Please ring for an appointment for this service on Cardiff 029 2087 1391. Increased Accessibility If your first language is not English, we have staff who speak; Somali, Bengali, Urdu, Gujarati, Greek and French. Language line is also available for other language requirements. The First Stop Enquiry Centre also has a late night opening on a Thursday, until 6.30pm. For all other Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit enquiries please go to the Benefits & Finance Advice Centre, which is situated on the1st Floor of Marland House. This centre operates an appointment service. To make an appointment please ring Cardiff 029 2087 1391 Our new office address is: First Stop Enquiry Centre Ground Floor Marland House Central Square, Cardiff CF10 1EP
MONEY MATTERS Recent changes to Government legislation have been introduced to assist both families with children and also pensioners to receive more Housing and Council Tax Benefit. Child Benefit Disregard From 02/11/2009, Child Benefit payments will no longer be taken into account as income in the calculation of Housing and Council Tax Benefit. This means that people who previously did not qualify for help with their rent and council tax costs may now qualify. Increase in Capital Disregard for Pensioners From 2/11/2009 the disregarded capital amount for pensioners will increase from £6,000 to £10,000. Therefore pensioners will be able to have up to £10,000 in savings
before it has an affect on the amount of Housing / Council Tax Benefit they receive. Contact us We would like to invite customers affected by these changes, who previously did not qualify for Housing / Council Tax Benefit, to contact our Benefit Take-Up Team on 02920 537 537, before completing an application form. Our officers are able to give you an estimate of your possible entitlement. Alternatively, Email us at counciltaxhelp@cardiff.gov.uk Or visit our website at www.cardiff.gov.uk/benefits Please be aware that you will not qualify if you have savings over £16,000, unless you receive Pension Credit Guarantee. Existing Housing / Council Tax Benefit claims affected by the changes will be updated automatically to reflect this change and be notified in writing of the new entitlement.
DIRECT DEBITS THE EASY WAY TO PAY YOUR RENT THE EASY WAY TO PAY YOUR RENT With this issue of the newsletter we have enclosed a Direct Debit Mandate. If you do not currently pay your rent by Direct Debit, and you have a current bank account, we would suggest you consider making your rent payments using this method. It’s easy to set up with weekly or monthly payments (on the 1st, 15th or 28th of each month) and takes the hassle out of making regular payments.
If you’d like to set up a Direct Debit simply fill in the form. If you have any questions at all please contact the Rent Team or Customer Services on 029 2049 8898.
Greener Christmas | 7
I’M DREAMING OF A WHITE GREEN CHRISTMAS Wrapping Paper Most wrapping paper just ends up in the bin, but can’t be recycled, so why not make your gifts more individual by making your own? You can always use plain coloured paper, newspaper or magazine pages accessorised with pretty ribbon – which can be reused.
QUIDS IN! Our autumn and winter editions of Cadwyn News have included a free copy of Quids In magazine – a specialist publication that aims to give straightforward and useful money-related information and advice. Let us know what you think! Did you find it interesting and informative? Would you like us to continue to include the magazine with our newsletter? Send your comments to Kath Williams at the office, email kath@cadwyn.co.uk, or phone 029 2049 8898.
Deck the halls with real holly… and other goodies. Natural decorations are an alternative to non-biodegradable plastic ones, and fun to make too! Fresh popcorn threaded onto cotton makes a great garland for the Christmas tree. While tying some cinnamon sticks in a bunch with pretty ribbon will not only create an eye catching decoration but smell lovely too!
Solar Flair If you like outdoor christmas lights but don’t like the extra cost on your electricity bill try solar fairy lights and decorations.
EXCITING OPPORTUNITY
TO CONTRIBUTE! adwyn is looking for tenants who feel they could contribute to future decisions taken on sustainability and green issues within our community.
C
This would take form as a Sustainability and Green Group which we anticipate would meet approximately six times a year to consult on current developments, which would then contribute to future decisions. Particularly, we would like to hear from tenants who already benefit from, or have a keen interest in,
Recharge your batteries With all sorts of gifts requiring batteries there are lots of options to cut down on the amount you have to throw away once they’re used: • standard rechargeable batteries with recharger. • the battery wizard that charges ordinary batteries and can save you ££££s. • USB rechargeable batteries… perfect for recharging while you’re using your PC via its USB connection. You can find a wide selection of environmentally friendly products, gifts and more handy hints at Nigel’s Eco Store online at www.nigelsecostore.com. The items listed above can be found at Nigel’s Eco Store and at www.play.com and www.amazon.co.uk, B&Q and other similar retailers. environmental developments in their homes, such as: • Ground source heat pumps • Water recycling units • Heat recovery systems • High wall and roof insulation If you feel that this is something you can contribute towards, please contact Vicky Griffiths at the office on 029 2049 8898 or email vicky.griffiths@cadwyn.co.uk by 8th January 2010. If you have any questions about the group then please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Christmas Office Hours Cadwyn Housing Association Limited is a housing association with charitable rules registered under the Industrial and Provident Societies Act 1965 (18805R) and with the Welsh Assembly Government. We are a member of Community Housing Cymru and have achieved the Investors in People, Positive About Disabled People, Charter Mark, Rainbow Mark and Green Dragon (Level 2) Award standards.
If you would like to receive information from us in an alternative format please ask.
Cadwyn’s office will close at 12:30pm on Thursday 24th December and will re-open 9am on Monday 4th January 2010. Tel 029 2049 8898 Fax 029 2046 4222 Email info@cadwyn.co.uk If you need to report an emergency gas central heating / hot water problem while our office is closed please call:
Heatforce Wales Ltd on 029 2076 4189 For all other emergency repairs please call: 029 2045 4010 If you smell gas inside or outside your home, at any time,
call TRANSCO immediately on 0800 111 999 We can easily supply it in large print or on disk. You may also read this, and back issues of our newsletter at www.cadwyn.co.uk.
Over the Christmas period our main office number 029 2049 8898 - will divert to answerphone. To report problems with anti-social behaviour and non-emergency crimes you should call 101 in the first instance. Cardiff Central Police Station: 029 20 222 111 Caerphilly Police Station: 01633 838 111 In an emergency dial 999
COMMUNITY EVENTS Cardiff’s Winter Wonderland will be at City Lawn until 3rd January 2010 Father Christmas at Roath Park boating stage, 12th December . Come and see Father Christmas arrive at Roath Lake at 10.30am. He will be there until 20th December – admission charges apply and booking is required for weekday visits – please contact Parks Services on 029 2044 5900.
Robin Hood @ The New Theatre
Les Miserables @ Wales Millennium Centre. The international award-winning musical returns to the WMC from 12th December to 16th January 2010. Call 08700 40 2000 for ticket availability.
Caerphilly Medieval Market takes place in the town centre and Caerphilly castle on Saturday 12th December. Street entertainers, tasty food and replica medieval goods are just some of the things available for FREE. For more information contact the visitors centre on 029 2088 0011 or www.caerphilly.gov.uk
Starring Torchwood’s John Barrowman. The panto runs until 24th January 2010.
Family Fire Show @ Cardiff Castle, Thursday 31st December. Welcome in 2010 at the Castle!
A Christmas Carol @ The Sherman Theatre.
Entry is FREE, gates open 6pm, show 7pm.
Get into the Christmas spirit with Scrooge in Dickens’ Christmas classic. Runs until 4th January. Sherman box office: 029 2064 6900.
Cardiff runs a New Year’s Eve FREE bus service into and out of the city from 8pm to 2.30am.