October 2015
John’s Briefing Hallowe’en Films Crossfit Kozmik Drive PET CORNER AND MUCH MORE!
REMEMBER EBuzz is put together following John’s briefings every other month. This is your newsletter and it would be great to hear some of your stories! If you have anything you want to share, please get in touch with Louise Davies via In House, 01495 761104 or email: louise.davies@ monmouthshirehousing. co.uk We look forward to hearing from you and hope you enjoy this edition.
John’s Briefing New Developments
Big Chat Fortnight
John updated that the new development at Trevor Bowen House, Monmouth would be officially opened on 8th October. Our new development at Thornwell Road, Chepstow had attracted unprecedented attention with between 60-70 bids per property. St David’s Road, Abergavenny, specifically aimed at households downsizing had been fully let and will be officially opened shortly.
Jessie Sibthorpe updated that there had been 300+ responses to the door knocking and telephone surveys with positive feedback being received. There are some comments which will be sent onto teams to respond following the collation of data. John noted that what was particularly pleasing was the reaction of tenants on the doorstep to MHA staff and these feelings mirrored the reaction in the tenant satisfaction survey which indicated that MHA tenants were the most satisfied in Wales. A great achievement for all staff and everyone associated with MHA.
Health and Safety Audit Sue Kidd updated that the Audit went well with a few recommendations to follow up on, but overall was really impressed, particularly with the management of the site at Sandy Lane, Caldicot. 2
Universal Credit Cally McCarthy advised that there are currently 126 tenants on the direct payment pilot scheme and
tenants are taking responsibility and paying rent. Universal credit went live on 21st September and no claims have been received as yet. Bedroom Tax arrears are currently at 2.18%. Cally added that claimants need to know their weekly rent amount to put on the claim form and there is little awareness of what this is which could delay the claiming process. John added that we need to communicate that we are the best landlord, offering highly efficient services to our tenants who want to stay in our properties. It is vitally important that whatever staff reservations may be about Welfare Reform it is a fact of life we cannot change, therefore our approach to it must be positive for the benefit of tenants.
Voids John updated that the void properties are back on track and we need to develop a corporate view on voids, to spend more on quality to improve lets. John asked staff what the difference in the feedback has been like with void versus gold standard. Staff advised that some tenants were disappointed and expressed concerns around outstanding repairs which then led to jobs being raised, while other tenants found it difficult to afford moving in costs especially if there were no carpets. A feature of the higher standard was also that new tenants were more likely to comment on the condition of communal areas and the contrast with the renovated properties. MHA will need to tackle this in the coming years.
Regulatory Outcomes Outcomes 2 ‘We live public Sector values’ and outcome 5 ‘We engage with others to enhance and maximise outcomes for our service users and the community ‘ were discussed at Board with the regulator present and was impressed with the challenges and decision making by board and the layout of outcomes presented. The Regulator attended Board and expressed her satisfaction with the way MHA reported the outcomes and how they were challenged at Board.
Asset Management Strategy The Asset Management Strategy was approved by Board and will introduce a new proactive approach with the aim of providing the best return for
both MHA and our residents in terms of economic performance and social and environmental sustainability.
Budgets Housing Associations in England are panicking about rent-setting and the proposed decreases whatever happens we’ll deal with this calmly. At the moment the rent setting decrease announced in England doesn’t apply to Wales. Welsh Government consultation is ongoing at the moment and they need to inform us of the outcome of Rents in Wales by December.
Community Housing Cymru (CHC) John informed staff that he will be standing down as chair of CHC. The position has helped raised our profile significantly.
Rent homes Bill Chris York informed members that standardised tenancy agreements are looking to be rolled out in 2017 with laws changing in 2016, however this is still going through Welsh Government.
Business Plan Agreement with Barclays has now been finalised on the financial business plan.
PR and Communications Strategy Board approved the two year strategy and we will be working with teams to deliver the individual action plans going forward to support and communicate the forthcoming challenges.
Capsel John updated that it is anticipated that Capsel will make between £13k and £35k profit this year. The British Heart Foundation, Melin Homes and others are now using the waste service. It is proving time consuming and at times frustrating to get it going smoothly but everyone has put their shoulder to the wheel and each week sees some improvements – so well done to all involved.
Sickness Levels John advised staff that sickness levels were above 5% in August and will need to improve. Sickness costs the association up to £1/2 million a year and it has an adverse effect upon staff, not only in having to cover their work, but also productivity in their own roles. There are also the additional effects of replacing staff. In addition the figures put us well above sector and national levels and this is a real concern, some of the more unusual features are the number of staff who take a full week off for minor ailments, we intend to address this in the coming months and will ask staff with minor ailments to work from home rather than take a full week off.
Staff Survey It’s out now, complete and tell us your views if there are clear trends things will be changed so please tell us. Last year’s survey put us in the times top 100 and we want to stay there. Community Connections, a local support for isolated people in our communities will receive £5 for every survey completed. 3
News In Brief Kevin Meredith Celebrates Turning 50
COMPLIMENTS
Many happy returns to Kevin who turned 50 last month.
Mr Lewis would like to thank all of the staff involved in the Trevor Bowen House project and Ann-Marie Murray for...
“My new flat, it is much more than I could have hoped for, it is a joy. I feel I must mention AnnMarie who having organised the move back, then made sure I settled in, sorting out my paperwork and any problems for me. She is a credit to MHA.”
Mrs Hancock would like to thank Tyrone Morgan for... “The service to her gas boiler. He was brilliant. He rectified the problem with her noisy boiler and was such a lovely, helpful person.”
Mr Mahoney would like to thank Stacey Edwards for... “A repair to the back door. Wonderful service and wonderful tradesman. We have been here for 13 years and always receive excellent service.”
Ms Morgan would like to thank Nicole Lake and Geraint House for... “Their help. Out of all the professionals he has had to deal with in recent weeks, Homesearch and MHA have been the most professional and highlighted Nicole and Geraint who he’d like to thank for their help. He gives the organisation a ‘thumbs up’.”
Mr Sullivan would like to thank Maria Williams for... “Her help with the reimbursement of electricity charges. He had a lifeline alarm and they have now been decommissioned. He received his cheque and felt compelled to call in to thank Maria.” 4
Cakey Bakeyness We raised £173.47 for Macmillan Cancer Support! Well done to all you bake-off fans: we’ve almost doubled the amount we raised last year which has helped Macmillan raise almost £3million for the World’s Biggest Coffee morning campaign! Thanks to Adele Aubrey who co-ordinated the feast of cakes and of course a big pat on the back for everyone who donated their time making a cake or donated their time eating the cake!
Competition Time As it’s Halloween, our competition will be the best fancy dressed at Halloween! So send your pictures to emma.assender@ monmouthshirehousing.co.uk to be in with a chance of winning a prize. We look forward to seeing how even more scary you look, mwwhhhhhaaaaaa! Photo’s of your children can also be entered. One photo per entry please.
Summer Internship
We’re Accredited!
During my time at MHA I have had the chance to gain practical experience and build upon my knowledge from university where I am studying Health and Social Care. My experience here has been invaluable and I have had multiple opportunities to develop new and existing skills. I have helped Chris and the partners develop new ideas for the new allocations policy and carried out a variety of research. I have also helped out with the Lettings Team dealing with applicants and helping them with queries when they ring Homesearch.
During the past few years Monmouthshire Housing Group have been working towards attaining accreditations in Health, Safety, Environmental and Quality management. We are pleased to report that we have been successful and have now achieved accreditations in all three areas.
Alex Callaghan
I enjoyed the opportunity to help out at the Making a Difference Awards where I was able to see the positive impact that Monmouthshire Housing Association can have on the lives of tenants. The experience has helped me to realise that I would definitely consider a career in housing and has inspired me to look for a job that can also lead to further education when I finish university. It has also given me the confidence to come out of my comfort zone and try new things. Working here I have met so many kind and encouraging people and everyone has been truly lovely, I will miss working here a lot!
ISO 14001 and ISO 18001
Environmental – MHG attained ISO 14001 in early 2015. This is an international standard specific to the environmental management of the business. Green Dragon is a Welsh environmental standard and we achieved the highest level in October 2014. Health & Safety - The BS 18001 accreditation was attained in April 2013 and is a standard that improves health and safety in the workplace. Quality - The DLO achieved ISO 9001 in 2013. ISO 9001 quality management system will helps us to continually monitor and manage quality across our operations.
Alternatively MHA’s Safeguard Leads – the Senior Community Safety Team Officer or Housing Support Manager can be contacted for advice and support.
The benefits of the above standards are numerous: • Management of environmental risks • Demonstrates our commitment to improving the environment • Shows Monmouthshire Housing Group are a responsible future focused organisation • Create the best possible working conditions across Monmouthshire Housing Group • Identify hazards and put in place controls to manage them • Introduce best possible working conditions, aligned to internationally recognized best practice • Reduce workplace accidents and illness to cut related costs and downtime • Better quality management helps us meet customer needs • More efficient ways of working will save time, money and resources • Improved operational performance will cut errors and increase profits • Ensures legal compliance
We’ve now updated our procedure to include, Safeguard Leads taking action if they are made aware of any concerns that another professional or agency is placing an individual risk of harm through their actions or inaction.
The association is subject to intense regular audits which ensures that the all of the above is adhered to. As a business we are continually improving the ways in which we work which enhances our reputation as a landlord, a business and as an employer.
Helping to Safeguard Children and Vulnerable Adults Any staff member should be prepared to raise the alarm, where they are concerned about the possible abuse and/or neglect of a child or vulnerable adult. Our Child and Vulnerable Adult Safeguarding Procedure and Guidance explains how to do this. This document is available on the intranet.
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8 Films FOr HaLlowE’en Night of tHe livInG dead George A. Romero - 1968
A disparate group of individuals takes refuge in an abandoned house when corpses begin to leave the graveyard in search of fresh human bodies to devour. The pragmatic Ben (Duane Jones) does his best to control the situation, but when the reanimated bodies surround the house, the other survivors begin to panic. As any semblance of order within the group begins to dissipate, the zombies start to find ways inside and one by one, the living humans become the prey of the deceased ones.
THe ShINing
Stanley Kubrick - 1980 Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) becomes winter caretaker at the isolated Overlook Hotel in Colorado, hoping to cure his writer’s block. He settles in along with his wife, Wendy (Shelley Duvall), and his son, Danny (Danny Lloyd), who is plagued by psychic premonitions. As Jack’s writing goes nowhere and Danny’s visions become more disturbing, Jack discovers the hotel’s dark secrets and begins to unravel into a homicidal maniac hell-bent on terrorizing his family.
PoltErGeist
Tobe Hooper - 1982 Strange and creepy happenings beset an average California family, the Freelings - Steve (Craig T. Nelson), Diane (JoBeth Williams), teenaged Dana (Dominique Dunne), eightyear-old Robbie (Oliver Robins), and five-year-old Carol Ann (Heather O’Rourke) - when ghosts commune with them through the television set. Initially friendly and playful, the spirits turn unexpectedly menacing, and, when Carol Ann goes missing, Steve and Diane turn to a parapsychologist and eventually an exorcist for help.
A niGhtmarE on elm streEt Wes Craven - 1985
In Wes Craven’s classic slasher film, several Midwestern teenagers fall prey to Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund), a disfigured midnight mangler who preys on the teenagers in their dreams - which, in turn, kills them in reality. After investigating the phenomenon, Nancy (Heather Langenkamp) begins to suspect that a dark secret kept by her and her friends’ parents may be the key to unraveling the mystery, but can Nancy and her boyfriend Glen (Johnny Depp) solve the puzzle before it’s too late?
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BEetlejuicE
Tim Burton - 1988 After Barbara (Geena Davis) and Adam Maitland (Alec Baldwin) die in a car accident, they find themselves stuck haunting their country residence, unable to leave the house. When the unbearable Deetzes (Catherine O’Hara, Jeffrey Jones) and teen daughter Lydia (Winona Ryder) buy the home, the Maitlands attempt to scare them away without success. Their efforts attract Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton), a rambunctious spirit whose “help” quickly becomes dangerous for the Maitlands and innocent Lydia.
ThE BlaiR wItCH project
Eduardo Sánchez, Daniel Myrick - 1999 Found video footage tells the tale of three film students (Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard, Michael C. Williams) who’ve traveled to a small town to collect documentary footage about the Blair Witch, a legendary local murderer. Over the course of several days, the students interview townspeople and gather clues to support the tale’s veracity. But the project takes a frightening turn when the students lose their way in the woods and begin hearing horrific noises.
drag mE to heLl Sam Raimi - 2009
Christine Brown (Alison Lohman) has a loving boyfriend (Justin Long) and a great job at a Los Angeles bank. But her heavenly life becomes hellish when, in an effort to impress her boss, she denies an old woman’s request for an extension on her home loan. In retaliation, the crone places a curse on Christine, threatening her soul with eternal damnation. Christine seeks a psychic’s help to break the curse, but the price to save her soul may be more than she can pay.
woman iN black
James Watkins - 2012 Arthur Kipps (Daniel Radcliffe), a lawyer, is recently widowed and grieving the loss of his wife when he is sent to a remote village to put a deceased eccentric’s affairs in order. Soon after his arrival, it becomes clear that the villagers are hiding a terrible secret. Kipps discovers that his late client’s house is haunted by the spirit of a woman who is trying to find someone and something she lost, and that no one - not even the children - is safe from her terrible wrath.
Tasty Treats for Hallowe’en Frozen Banana Ghosts
Sausage Mummy Dippers
Bananas taste spookily like ice cream when frozen in ghostly robes of white chocolate – these are quick and easy and you can make them in just 4 ingredients.
Cut croissant dough into strips and roll around chipolatas for these spooky bandaged mummy fingers. Serve with your favourite dip.
Ingredients: • 200g bar white chocolate (supermarket own brand Belgian is good), broken into chunks • 4 medium-large, ripe bananas • 85g desiccated coconut (you won’t use it all) • Handful dark chocolate drops Method: 1. In a small bowl, gently melt the chocolate either in the microwave – in short bursts on high or over a pan of simmering water (make sure the bowl isn’t touching the water). Set aside for a moment while you get the bananas ready. 2. Peel the bananas, cut in half, and push a lolly stick into the middle of each piece. Spread the coconut out in a shallow bowl. Line a large baking tray with baking parchment, and make sure there is room for the tray in the freezer. 3. Using a pastry brush, coat a banana half in chocolate, letting excess drip away. Sprinkle with plenty of the coconut until coated, then set it on the prepared sheet. Now add two chocolate eyes and a mouth, and if you like, cut a few little eyebrows from the chocolate drops too. Freeze the lollies for at least 4 hrs, and up to a week.
Ingredients: • Oil, for greasing • 1 tbsp honey • 1 tbsp ketchup • 2 tsp French’s yellow mustard, plus a little extra to decorate • 12 chipolatas Tube of 6 ready-to-roll croissant (look in the chiller cabinets near the pastry in the supermarkets) Method: 1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and brush 2 baking trays with a little oil. Mix the honey, ketchup and mustard together in a bowl, then brush over the chipolata sausages. 2. Unroll the croissant dough and divide into 3 rectangles. Pinch together the diagonal perforated seams, then cut into long thin strips – you should get about 16 per rectangle. 3. Wind the little croissant strips around the chipolatas, leaving a little gap at one end to make a slit for the eyes. Place on baking trays and bake for 20 mins. Cool a little, then, using the mustard, dot a pair of little yellow eyes on to each mummy. Serve warm with glow-in-the-dark goo and/or your favourite dip. 7
Anthony Lewis Dads Can Project Co-ordinator I came to MHA after 5 years working for University of South Wales overseeing quality and compliance of their external European funded projects. Although nervous I am quite excited about joining the Dads Can Team here at MHA. I have a strong background in supporting disengaged individuals back into the world of education and employment. I take great personal satisfaction from seeing someone re-engaged and making a difference to their lives and think working within the Dads Can Team will allow me to do that.
Who would you like to be stuck in a lift with and why? I most like to be stuck in a lift with a lift engineer, I’m not great in enclosed spaces and they would probably be best placed to get me out promptly. Otherwise if would have to be Peter Kay, he would have me in stitches enough to pass the time away.
Jemma Browning Housing Management Trainee Hi my name is Jemma and I am the new Housing Management Trainee. Having worked for Blaenau Gwent Council for just over three years, as a Healthy Eating in Schools Officer and after completing a degree in Nutrition, I am now looking forward to the challenge of learning everything there is to know about Housing. I am originally from Blaenavon, but now live in Abergavenny and have an eight year old daughter called Ella. In my spare time I both teach and practise a little known martial art – Tang Soo Do and recently graded for my 4th Dan black belt.
Who would you like to be stuck in a lift with and why? If I could be stuck in a lift with someone, I would like it to be with David Beckham, so that we could have lots of stimulating conversation. Obviously.
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Why not say hello to all the new starters on
Abigail Lewis Energy & Income Advisor My name is Abi and I have come to cover Sarah Jones Maternity leave as an Income and Energy Advisor. I’ve been working in the Third sector as a Money Adviser specialising in Debt for the past 6 years. I get a buzz out of helping people and I am passionate about my work. My personal goal whilst I am here is to get as many tenants as possible to start saving.
Who would you like to be stuck in a lift with and why? If I could be stuck in a lift with anyone it would have to be my favourite singer Amy Winehouse because she could sing for me and I could try and convince her to stop drinking and stay alive.
Peter Grayer Letting Officer Hi I’m Peter Grayer and I’ve recently started work with the Lettings team. I’ve worked in housing for 14 years and before that I was an actor for over 20 years. I have 2 teenage sons, who take up a lot of my time and I’m married to Jane whom a lot of you will know from her time at MHA.
Who would you like to be stuck in a lift with and why? Jack Dee and the cast of “I’m sorry I haven’t a clue” or anyone who could make me laugh... and a lift engineer!
Amy Jones Ziggies Co-ordinator My name is Amy and I’m the new Ziggies Co-ordinator, I’m also doing my final year at university studying sport development and coaching as well as juggling the job of motherhood raising a 2 year old. I have a huge passion for sports and will try anything, I coach and play netball and love it, (I’m really competitive!). I’m really outgoing and bubbly and you will have a tough job to catch me having a bad day.
Who would you like to be stuck in a lift with and why? I would love to be stuck in a lift with ‘Channing Tatum’, he would definitely keep me company and we are going to be husband and wife one day so let’s hope that lift never gets fixed! 9
Karen Tarbox Director of Property Services Karen joined Monmouthshire Housing as the Director of Property Services on Monday 17th August 2015. She joins us after spending the last 3 ½ years with the City of London Corporation. Her role as Assistant Director of Barbican & Property Services included Asset Management and Repairs & Maintenance of 13 estates, both within the City and across other London Boroughs, and responsibility for all new housing developments. Prior to that, Karen worked for Oxford City Council, heading up Corporate Customer Contact and at Dacorum Borough Council as Head of Housing. Karen is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Housing and holds an MSc in Public Management. She is currently completing an MSc in Building Surveying. Karen has achieved other qualifications in Accounting, IT Service Management, Project Management, general management and is a certified Assessor with the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM). Karen is married with two children; a son about to start in university and a daughter who recently returned home after studying her BSc in Wales. Karen’s passion for working for Monmouthshire Housing was raised when, during a visit to Tintern Abbey several years ago, she saw one of our vans driving in the idyllic setting and resolved that, when the time was right, she would seek to work with us. When the vacancy for the Director post was advertised, Karen’s felt that she now had the right skills, experience and passion that Monmouthshire Housing may be looking for.
Rhoda Powell Cleaning & Hygiene Operative
Hannah Bourne Cleaning & Hygiene Operative
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Why not say hello to all the new starters on
Staff Changes We wish them the best for the future.
Naomi Pearson Community Project Officer
Cerrys Burnell Project Intern
Andrew Mahoney Painter/Decorator Supervisor
Aileen Wallen is now Senior Neighbourhood Officer (North) covering Clayton Charles secondment to Civica.
Bill Fitzpatrick is now Senior Community Safety Officer covering Aileen Wallens secondment to Senior Neighbourhood Officer.
Terry MacColl is now Community Safety Officer covering Bill Fitzpatrick secondment to Senior Community Safety Officer.
Katie Perry Community Services Advisor Emma Gallo is now a Neighbourhood Officer.
Alex Callaghan Project Intern
Joseph Lewis
Mandy Davies is now Community Safety Officer job sharing with Alan Webber.
Good luck to you all in your new posts!
Development Assistant
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In the Community Spirit The Community Investment team have been keeping busy this summer arranging events and activities for just about everyone you can think of. Here’s what they, and our residents have been up to...
Rock Academy
image the band learned how to play instruments and collaborate to produce their own song. Guitar player, Josh said, “Learning the guitar was my favourite. I am a big Country music fan and I learned chords from some of my favourite songs.” Reg RAW tutor, was impressed by the group’s transition; “At the beginning of the week everyone was quiet but by Thursday everyone was ‘rocking out’. I’m chuffed at how much they achieved in a week; in confidence and musically.” As part of the course the group also took part in wellbeing workshops that talked about branding and self-image. The project ended with the band creating their own rock video and performing their song at the recent MAD awards. Drummer, Zara reflected on her week, “I feel so much more confident since Rock Academy. I don’t feel as nervous talking to people I don’t know. I have loved learning the drums!”
Josh, Greg, Zara and Nicole stepped up to the mic in August as part of a new project: Rock Academy. The week long course ran in partnership with charity Changing Minds and was tutored by Rock Academy Wales (RAW). Aiming to involve younger people and promote their confidence through music and positive self12
While bassist, Nicole felt “...very nervous when I first walked in but I really enjoyed the Rock Academy. I learned to play the keyboard, drums, bass guitar and made new friends.” Singer / guitarist, Greg said “I really enjoyed Rock Academy and want to continue practicing with the band that we formed.”
Live Singing at The Reddings
Dads Can go Paintballing
Our crack commando team of Dads from Monmouthshire and Newport donned boiler suits and armed with a paintball gun and ammunition, they dispersed into the Bristol countryside to capture flags and overrun base camps. It was a great day out for just the Dads who enjoyed getting together and can’t wait to go again!
Dads Can PlayDay 2015
Torrential rain didn’t dampen the spirits of residents at The Reddings sheltered scheme in Bulwark this August; we arranged an afternoon of live music and high tea to residents over age 60. Residents and friends alike attended the event, which began with a topical number, “Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head” sang by a talented guitarist from a local project, Music In Hospitals. The event, partially funded by MHA’s Making It Happen grant scheme was also topped up by funding from us which helped us lay on transportation for everyone as well as high tea! Fellow residents from the Plas Mawr housing scheme in Usk also attended and for over an hour the 37-strong audience sang along to a variety of hits from Elvis, Cliff Richard and Frank Sinatra to name but a few! The party atmosphere continued after the music with sandwiches and cakes that certainly chased the blue weather away. Resident, Carole Court thanked MHA, “We’re having a blast, thank you for organising such a superb afternoon!”
Dads Can got involved with PlayDay 2015 – along with around 400 families and children this summer! Taking part in the annual event, we set up two play days in Bailey Park, Abergavenny and Cas Troggy Park, Caldicot with all sorts of activities; from face painting to bouncy castles. For all the activities some of our favourite feedback came from one young lad whose best bit was “playing with my Dad and Grampy!”. Our work is done!
Dads Can go to Noah’s Ark 47 Dads and their families were taken out by us to Noah’s Ark in Bristol earlier in the summer. The trip, gave Dads and their families could have new experiences, spend some quality time together and meet other families, extending their networks of support as a result. The coach was full of laughter and chatter for the short journey across to Bristol, and for many, this would be their only summer trip together as a family. Thankfully the sun was shining and the animals delighted parents and children alike. 13
Concerns, Complaints & Compensation The new service has been running now for almost a year! Doesn’t time fly...
Concerns & Complaints
Corporate Services have just finished a mini review investigating impact, successes and areas for improvement and SMT will be considering this report over the coming weeks.
If you cannot help yourself, liaise with colleagues who may be able to. If all else fails or the customer requests this be dealt with as a formal complaint then go to In House/I want to… ‘Log a complaint or compliment’ and complete the form with the customer. We will do the rest.
As we suspected staff and tenants have been very happy with the new service but we have not become complacent and, thanks to those who have helped us, we now have a number of actions to improve it further.
Have you had a complaints and concerns handling session with your manager? During the review it became evident that not all were familiar with the procedures for logging formal complaints or processing compensation claims so would like to take this opportunity to clarify…
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In the first instance, try and deal with the issue straight away (using customer service standard timescales) – Guidance notes can be found on In House.
Compensation Following receipt of a compensation claim, officers should complete a Compensation Request Form (available on In House) on behalf of the claimant and email direct to corporateservices@ monmouthshirehousing.co.uk - Alternatively, if the claimant has access to MHA’s website, request the Compensation Request Form be completed on line. All you need to know about complaints and compensation handling is available on In House or ask one of the Corporate Services Team. Join Eric and familiarise yourself so you know what to expect should you come across an unhappy customer in the future.
e t a Upd Get Ready for Winter!
Capsel Shortlisted for Monmouthshire Business Award
Capsel Kindling MHA staff can claim a FREE 2kg bag of wood kindling to everyone who completes this very short survey. 1. What bag size/weight of kindling do you normally purchase?
Don’t take the risk! Get your heating system ready for winter with Capsel. Our Ready for Winter Health Check is just £40 including VAT and includes a boiler safety check, radiator and pipework check and radiator bleeding. Capsel can also now offer a oneoff boiler service for just £55 including VAT and Gas & Heating repairs for just £30 per hour.
Capsel has been shortlisted for an award in the Responsible Business category of the 2015 Monmouthshire Business Awards. The Monmouthshire Business Awards aim to showcase and celebrate the work of organisations working in the borough. As part of the application, Capsel had to highlight and evidence how it is meeting key social and environmental aims and objectives. Capsel is committed to improving the lives of people living in Monmouthshire by offering volunteering, apprenticeship and employment opportunities, as well as working with the local community, suppliers and partner organisations.
2. How much do you normally pay for a bag of kindling? 3. Would you be happy to collect your kindling from the Capsel Waste yard in Mamhilad Business Park? Please email your response back to ben.hennessy@ monmouthshirehousing to claim your FREE bag of Capsel Kindling!
Capsel Manager, Liz Jones, said: “At Capsel we have created a culture where everyone understands that working responsibly forms the very core of our business. “Capsel is working to positively shape both the Monmouthshire community and the environment in which we live and work.”
Capsel Waste Operative Matt Brady displays a 5kg bag of Capsel Kindling that is available to all MHA staff for free if they complete a short survey.
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Amalfi Coast by Claudia Blair
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I have always been a bit wary of telling stories of my travels as I don’t want to be labelled a travel bore, but here goes... Last August I went with my family to Sorrento. After a stressful few months, I was keen on a simple, sunny, no hassle holiday and so booked a week at Hotel Eden in Sorrento. The trip advisor reviews looked good and the weather reports said hot. Perfect! I was pleasantly surprised to discover that we had a two bedroom suite which meant that when my daughter went to bed it wasn’t lights out for us all. It was all clean and neat and we had a great view of Vesuvius from our bedroom window. The pool was quite small but perfectly adequate and kept my daughter entertained for many hours as she made new friends with other guests’ children. But the dining room was dreadful! Imagine a 1980’s works canteen with peach walls, chintzy curtains and mundane corporate pictures on the walls. The food was equally uninspiring. We had a few meals there but escaped to better options in town. I was not coming to Italy to be eat overcooked pasta in gloopy sauce! Beyond the confines of our gloomy hotel dining room, we had a number of very appetising snacks and meals. Two of the most memorable were Puro and La Taverna del Duca. We found a gorgeous ice cream parlour with three indoor swings called Puro. It had an amazing selection of ice creams and it became our regular evening haunt as we worked our way through their range. It had newly opened a week ago and the staff were still a bit chaotic but they were charming and smiley. In Amalfi we escaped a torrential downpour by ducking into La Taverna del Duca. I selected my meal by eying up other diners’ plates and chose well – a delicious fresh spaghetti dish with tomatoes, capers and olives. Outside the rain was relentless so we opted for a dessert – it was chocolatey, creamy and all things unhealthy. Yum. By then the weather had taken a turn for the better so we were able to enjoy the beach.
touristy it is still very beautiful and has fine views across the bay. The bus dropped us off at the top of town and we took the twist narrow roads downwards towards the coast. The beach was packed – but the sea was warm and inviting. Maisie amused herself climbing onto and jumping off a moored pedello with the rest of the children, making friends using the universal language of smiling, nodding and hand gestures. One highlight of the holiday was a trip on the tourist city train (in fact a little train shaped van with trailer). I had resisted the €15 expense for the whole week, feeling sure the money could be better spent on a few glasses of chilled wine, but I was finally beaten down by my daughter. The English commentary on the headphones appeared to be read by Sheridan Smith, perhaps one of her early contracts. We bobbled along quite nicely for a while hearing and instantly forgetting key facts of Sorrento’s history. Then the commentary informed us that Enrico Caruso stayed is the Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittori for several months and proceeded to play one of his tunes. Our fellow travellers erupted into song and we ambled along they sang their hearts out. And so it proceeded, a bit more commentary, a lot more singing. It was magical and hilarious! We also took a trip to Pompeii which was fascinating. Despite the queues to get in we were all quickly dispersed around the site and it never felt crowded. All in all, a lovely relaxing family holiday. Sorry if I’ve bored you...
We took the local bus to Amalfi and again the same route to Positano taking all the twisty lanes around the coast. The downside was overhearing the travel bores regale their stories of getting wasted in various European locations and bewailing the fact that there was no Starbucks nearby. Positano (pictured) is a very picturesque village. Despite being unashamedly 17
DON’T JUST GET FIT, GET CROSSFIT! By Sarah Needs C
rossFit Shadow Valley (CSV) Fitness Facility has been up and running for a few months and it’s fair to say it’s an amazing facility, located on the Mamhilad Park estate. CSV is complete with a 24ft Rogue Rig and full set up from Kettle-bells to barbells, there is also state of the art gym/fitness facility including a wide range of cardio-vascular equipment, free weights and resistance machines. Not to mention the 20m AstroTurf strip for all your tyre flips, prowler push and pulls, plus much more. Both complement each other superbly for any goal or goals you may have. Whether you want to lose weight, improve fitness levels, or you are training for a fitness event, CSV Fitness Facility and its fully qualified coaches and staff will be able to accommodate your goals, whatever they maybe. To get started with the CrossFit classes you must complete an ‘On-Ramp’ Course this consists of 6 sessions each 1hrs long over 2 weeks of the month. ‘On-Ramp’ is designed to teach and educate you as a CrossFit athlete the fundamental movements and terminology based around CrossFit. These consist of the squat, deadlift and press. Then moving on to the more complicated movements like the
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over-head squat, clean and snatch. With the more general movements thrown in, like the wall ball, box jump and kettlebells, also not forgetting everyone’s favourite, the burpee! These are run monthly at the cost of £45. They are run on the first Monday of every month. Spaces are limited so put your name down quick. If Crossfit is not for you then they have a range of classes to suit all levels of fitness thought out the day Monday to Sunday. The cost for sessions and memberships are varied, for more detailed information check out the web site www. crossfitshadowvalley.com or just call in and speak to Dan (the owner) Sam, Adam or Sim they are all very helpful and supportive. It’s a great social gym too it’s not only about fitness it’s a social gym too, somewhere to have a chat coffee and even the odd night out.
I really hope to see more of MHA staff joining in the fun and the crossfit community!
Annual General Meeting
CIH - Prevention is better than cure By Emma Gallo
The AGM was held on 23rd September 2015 with a great turnout of our Shareholders and Stakeholders. The annual accounts were approved and we are pleased to report that we are in good financial health. Shareholders approved the appointment of our External Auditors Mazars and voted in our two new Board Members John Barrow and Ken Bucknall. We welcome John and Ken to MHA.
John Barrow
Ken Bucknall
The latest copy of the annual report/accounts is available on In House.
I was invited by John to attend a conference with him which discussed the BIG QUESTION: “Is prevention better than cure?” The day was a chance to debate The Big Question with other professionals. My favourite speakers of the day were: Terri Alafat, CEO of CIH, who discussed her perspective on the devolved nations and their policy interventions to end the housing crisis; how Wales is performing compared to other nations; and what lessons we can offer the rest of the UK and Victor Da Cunha CEO of the Curo group who discussed his regeneration plans for the old MOD Site in Bath’s Foxhill and Mulberry Park which will see the construction of an arts and culture centre, cable cart and the first green land park to be built within the city for many years. I learned a lot from the professional speakers but most of all how to work a room by Mr Keegan himself! But the best thing of all was having John’s company alllll day long!
ANNUAL NTS ACCOU20 14-15
07/09/2015
MHA0331 Financial
09:03:18
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Report 2014-15.in
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Neighbourhood Officer Lauren helps Mrs Marlog make a Smart Move Why did you want to move? “I was living in the house with my husband, until he sadly passed away. Following the introduction of the Bedroom Tax and having to pay the extra money for the additional bedroom, I started to struggle financially.” What do you think of your new property? “I’m absolutely thrilled with it, I feel like I’ve won the lottery! Although I bid on the property, I never expected to win. I’ve bid on so many over the last 12 months and to hear that it was going to mine was wonderful news.” Do you have a favourite room? “Yes, my bathroom, I absolutely love it! It’s spacious and fitted out so beautifully” Until recently, Mrs Marlog was living in a two bed house in Abergavenny. With the introduction of the Under Occupancy Charge (more commonly known as the Bedroom Tax), Mrs Marlog was beginning to struggle financially. Having been registered with the Monmouthshire Homesearch scheme, Mrs Marlog was looking to downsize to a smaller property for over two years. Mrs Marlog heard about the Smart Move scheme and got in touch with us.
Have you seen a reduction in your household bills, since you downsized? “Yes, my bills are much more manageable now and less of a worry.”
MHA Neighbourhood Officer Lauren Francis worked with Mrs Marlog to secure a new home and helped her to secure her new property this summer. Mrs Marlog said that Lauren has been a great help on every step of the way.
How did you hear about Smart Move? “I heard about the Smart Move Scheme from Monmouthshire County Council.”
What have been the benefits since you moved? “Moving here was a fresh start for me and being able to live comfortably and managing my money again. Although my property is smaller, I have more space and my grandchildren love coming over.”
Would you recommend Smart Move to a friend or relative? “Yes, I already have.” As Mrs Marlog used the Smart Move scheme to downsize she received £1000. What will you be spending your money on? “I’m going to buy a new washing machine.”
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Trevor Bowen House Launched MHA marked the opening of Trevor Bowen House – its flagship development for people aged 60+ – at an event held at the scheme on Thursday 8th October. David Davies MP helped to launch the event, which was well attended by new Trevor Bowen House tenants as well as Nick Ramsey AM, Mayor of Monmouth Graham Pritchard, representatives from the town and community councils, Monmouthshire County Council, local community groups and MHA staff and board members. A choir from the Grange School in Monmouth also performed two songs at the event. Trevor Bowen House is situated in the historic town of Monmouth and offers spacious, modern one and two bed apartments. The new building features MHA’s new Life Begins branding throughout. Life Begins has been introduced to MHA’s 60+ schemes to give them a fresh, vibrant and modern look. Trevor Bowen House replaces the old Trevor Bowen Court building. The development of the site included the building of 12 new homes at Bowen Gardens which were sold to help fund Trevor Bowen House. Those moving back are thrilled with their new homes. MHA recognised the importance of keeping Trevor Bowen’s name in the name of the new development due to the historic links between Trevor Bowen and the town of Monmouth.
Many dedicated MHA staff have been involved in getting Trevor Bowen House up and running, including: Ann-Marie Murray who has worked tirelessly to help previous tenants living at the Trevor Bowen Court scheme to move back into the new development; Tony Bowen who has been involved in the development of the scheme from the very beginning and whose attention to detail has helped make Trevor Bowen House such a stunning development; and Karen Doyle who has helped bring the development to life by organising top quality furniture and fittings. David Davies MP said: “Trevor Bowen House is a real credit to the work of Monmouthshire Housing Association. It was a pleasure to be invited along to help launch these great new homes for Monmouth.” MHA Chief Executive John Keegan said: “It’s been a great day for the new residents and their families, they have been enthusiastic and cooperative throughout. I am thrilled by the sheer quality of this new development and would like to thank all the MHA staff, contractors and consultants involved on such a high quality finish. Trevor Bowen House is now a template for MHA going forward.” Trevor Bowen House tenant Roy Thomas said: “I’ve moved in with my wife, Margaret. Trevor Bowen House is beautiful! We just can’t fault it. It’s great to be here and we’ve really enjoyed the launch party today.”
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For every survey that is completed ÂŁ5 will be donated to Community Connections. Community Connections is a local befriending scheme working in the rural areas of Monmouth, Raglan, Usk, Chepstow and Caldicot that links volunteers with isolated people over 50 and offer a bit of practical and friendly help.
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Autumn Safety Tips Autumn isn’t all about blackberries and crunchy leaves – it also brings many changes for road users, from dazzlingly blinding sun, to the first icy windscreen of the season. Here’s a few tips from the AA to keep you safe... Autumn is particularly bad for dazzle from low sun. Improve vision by making sure that the windscreen is clean – inside and out. Even non-smokers find a hazy film builds up on the inside surface of the windscreen over time. Scratches, abrasions and chips on the outside can intensify the sun’s dazzle too.
Windscreen Wipers Blades will last for two years at the most. New blades clear the screen more effectively and so help reduce dazzle from the sun. Now is a good time to renew worn blades.
Windscreen Washer Fluid Top up and treat with a good quality, purpose-made additive to reduce the chance of freezing. Don’t use ordinary engine anti-freeze but do check the handbook carefully to make sure you fill the right reservoir.
Bonfire Night Tips Animals don’t always enjoy the autumn season the way we do: here are some tips to ensure that domestic and wild animals stay safe and happy... Your pets can be very timid around bonfire night as they do not understand the loud noises that fireworks make. In the wild, loud noises like bangs usually indicate danger, so they will be inclined to run away and hide.
Keep doors and windows closed and turn up the TV or radio to mask the loud bangs. If your pet is nervous make sure that there’s somewhere safe and familiar for them to hide. Expect them to seek refuge behind the sofa or tucked away in a corner – don’t try to coax them out as this may cause them more distress. Make sure your pet is microchipped so if they run away they can be returned to you. Check your bonfire for signs of nesting animals such as birds or hedgehogs: autumn is their hibernating time and your pile of logs will look like the perfect place to sleep for the winter. Tips from www.bonfire-night-safety.co.uk
Wrapping up warm will ensure that you can enjoy pumpkin picking, trick or treating and bonfire parties... Remember to wrap up warm when out and about this autumn – wear plenty of layers! Did you know that a third of your body heat is lost from your head? Make sure you wear your woolly hat and stay toastie. Denim and fleeces hold moisture and can make your clothing heavier and wetter, whereas cotton layers will keep you keep comfortable and will trap air next to your skin providing insulation against the cold. Windproof layers will keep damp out as well as giving you protection from wind-chill. If you’re out in fancy dress, make sure your costume is from a reputable supplier and stay away from candles or fires: plastic based fabrics will catch light easily and burn steadily.
Dogs will need a good walk before dark and it’s a good idea to make sure that they have everything they need for the evening.
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It’s the run up to Christmas and we’re turning our minds to the Staff Christmas Shindig. This year it’s sure to be one heck of a hootenanny with entertainment from our very own Jade West and her band, Kozmik Drive. Here’s some of the lowdown on the band to whet your appetite... 24
EBuzz: So, Jade – for those of us who haven’t had the Kozmik Drive experience, what kind of music can we look forward to? JW: We’re mostly rock based and we always make sure that we appeal to everyone, but mostly a lot of what we do is based around the classic bands from every decade you can think of. We rock like Fleetwood Mac and Lynard Skynard, and we get down with Stevie Wonder. There’s a lot of more recent stuff like Amy Winehouse and the Stereophonics too! We will definitely put on a show! EBuzz: So, there’s something for everyone! JW: Oh yes! We like to ‘rock out’! The second half of our set will involve some audience participation, so expect to do the Timewarp and have fun!
EBuzz: Awesome! We’ll make sure we’re limbered up and good to go! Tell us about the band! JW: There are four of us: There’s Tom our guitarist and he’s a big Hendrix fan – there may be guitar teeth playing happening, Emma-Jane is our bass player; shes’s a total Beatles fan, Gareth is the drummer and adores Led Zeppelin, and there’s me: sort of a cross between Janice Joplin and Barbra Streisand! EBuzz: You’ve played festivals and venues up and down the country – you must have some claims to fame! JW: Well, I sang for Prince Charles at his 50th birthday party and Tom and I wrote a song for Carmen Funk, the winner of Swiss Pop Idol – her album went platinum and we’re still waiting for our platinum disc to come in the post! As a band we’ve played with Tinie Tempah and The Hoosiers (not together!) EBuzz: Impressive! So what’s the most bizarre venue you’ve ever played? JW: (laughs nervously) We played a Bikers’ Festival in Abergavenny – the ‘act’ before us (okay, they were strippers!) had been juggling with beer bottles so poor Gareth had to wipe down his drum kit before we could start playing! EBuzz: Well, hopefully there’ll be none of that at the Christmas Party! My last question: what’s the most bizarre request you’ve had? JW: It’s not so much bizarre as the most common, “Do you do Elvis, love?” EBuzz: And do you? JW: Nope! But you might get some Suspicious Minds if you’re lucky!!!
FREE MEAL & TRANSPORT PROVIDED
CHRISTMAS PARTY FRIDAY 4th DECEMBER This year our Christmas Party will be held on Friday 4th December at The Manor Hotel, Crickhowell. Please come along and see Jade and her band performing on the night. We’d love to see as many of you there as possible, so look out for our invite in the next few weeks.
Here are a selection of “Pickles” that you have awarded to your colleagues recently: Rob Carey has ‘pickled’ Andrew Knill and Clare Thomas-Parr for... “going the extra mile and helping a visiting tenant whose car had broken down.” Aileen Wallen has ‘pickled’ Ann-Marie Murray for... “organising the Trevor Bowen coffee morning and for ensuring a smooth return for all the decanted tenants. Big thank you for all your help.” Helen Carter has ‘pickled’ Tanya Brannigan for... “noticing that a tenant was entitled to a 3 year backlog of unpaid benefits, a few thousand pounds!” Aileen Wallen has ‘pickled’ Nick Brown for... “staying with a vulnerable tenant until support could be arranged due to massive concerns he had about her vulnerability. Well done Nick and thank you.” Tania O’Neil has pickled Joanne Doughty for... “sharing her great idea to store key information and allowing easy access. Great organisational idea which the team have all adopted. Well done Jo and thanks for sharing!” Do you think your colleagues should be recognised for their additional work efforts? Going above and beyond customer expectation and showing a good service. Then award them a pickle via In House. A prize will be awarded to the employee with the most deserved pickles during the quarter.
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MATT’S MAGICAL MONEY SAVING TIPS FOR CHRISTMAS
Christmas really is the MOST wonderful time of the year – But it can also be the most expensive! Christmas might be a while away but it’s never too early to think about saving for Santa’s next sleigh landing. After the festive season, many complain “I’m skint now”, but you can prepare for it by following my sackful of tips:
• Make a list, don’t buy on impulse or just for the sake of it. Those last minute presents are the ones that push your finances into crisis. Leave your credit card at home and take out a specific amount of cash - then stop.
• Make the most of any reward points you’ve earned on loyalty cards, such as Tesco Clubcard, Boots Advantage or Sainsbury’s Nectar. These schemes can be far better value if you convert points into vouchers, rather than cash them in at the till. Most retailers run special promotions in the run-up to Christmas to bump up your points.
• If you haven’t saved for Christmas 2015, don’t resort to door stop lenders, go and see the Credit Union about a loan! £500 repaid at £12 per week would cost you just £73.54 in interest (34.5% APR).
• Agree with certain friends that you won’t exchange gifts this year, or set a price limit for family presents, particularly those for adults. Alternatively, have a “children only” rule, were you agree to buy for the kids but not for the adults, or set up a Secret Santa. Here you draw names out of a hat so that everyone has to buy only one gift (and then guess who it is from). If a maximum price is set in advance, this can be an effective way of keeping your costs down. 26
• A great way to save money for next Christmas, is to open a Christmas Saver Account at the Credit Union. The Christmas Saver Account is a popular way to save for the festive season. The account is ‘locked’ until November 1st, when you can then withdraw your savings and do your Christmas shopping.
Credit Unions You may have heard buzz about credit unions – and Matt’s top tips for Christmas include setting up an account – so here’s more info on how it works and what to do. Most boroughs have a credit union – Torfaen and Monmouthshire are no exception and are covered by Gateway Credit Union. Credit Unions provide secure savings accounts with the added security of knowing that your money is invested locally, so in the unlikely event of a crisis, you’ll get 100% of your savings back. They also provide low cost loans and because they’re local, decisions are made on an individual basis. You won’t have to pay any arrangement or early repayment fees, so you don’t get penalised for paying your loan back early.
Their most popular products are: Share Account: Straightforward savings account where you can save anything up to £18,000 and withdraw whenever you wish. The interest rate is 0.25% Christmas Saver Account: As Matt mentions, this account is locked between 1 November and 31 December so that you can save for Christmas without the temptation of dipping in early! Special Events Account: If you’re saving for a wedding or a rainy day, this is the account for you! Special features include the ability to lock the account until a certain date and you can also set yourself a savings target.
Cash NISA Account: A longer term saving account, this will offer you higher rates of interest at 1.5% AER and is tax free. Regular Loan: You can borrow anything from £50 - £10,000 with interest rates varying from 7.2% to 42.6%, depending upon the loan amount, and not your credit status. Scheduled Loan: you can borrow against your savings, which means that the repayment amount is lower. Other Loans: Gateway CU can also provide Solar Panel loans and Payroll Partner Loans: if you repay your loan via payroll you can take advantage of lower interest rates.
You’ll need to have a savings account with Gateway CU before you take out a loan, but never fear – they have a savings account for this too – ask about their Attached Savings Account – for as little as £5 contribution a month you can borrow up to £499 (you’ll need to pay more if you wish to borrow more). You can pay in from your bank account, by cash, cheque Paypoint card or standing order or you can select one of your benefits to be paid in to your account. You can start a new savings account by visiting one of their branches or you can go online at www.gatewaycu.co.uk You’ll find addresses for their branches as well as more info on how the Credit union works. 27
Suggestion Action If you have a suggestion and would like to be in with a chance of winning £50, please complete a GEMS form via In House or use the cards and GEMS post boxes allocated around the building. A small paper recycling bin in the kitchens for the sugar and sweetener sachets! Facilities looked into purchasing the sugar and sweeteners in big bags to fill the containers up as and when which would remove the use of the paper sachets. However this didn’t prove as economical and the concern was that it would also welcome more mess. Team agreed that in order to introduce any more bins we would need the space in each kitchen which we currently don’t have. All members of staff (especially Neighbourhood Officers) should share their calendar with the rest of MHA staff. This way if a tenant is trying to get hold of them and are unsuccessful, we can look in their calendar and let the tenant know whether the staff member is in work or out of the office. 28
IT looked at the feasibility of centrally setting all calendars to be readable by all staff in the past. Unfortunately, it is not possible to control the “Default” setting centrally – this is the setting that, when set to ‘Free/Busy time, subject, location’, allows all other staff to see people’s availability. Each member of staff will have to set their own “Default” permission individually in Outlook. IT can provide instructions if required. Staff Comms decided this should be decided by each team and will be brought up at the next managers meeting. How about tailoring a SNAP survey so that staff can log their Declarations of Interest online? It’s quick, (can take literally 3-4 minutes) easy (staff can respond to each question with a tick in the relevant box - with additional comments if they’ve declared an interest) and all responses can be easily saved and reviewed. Kate agrees with this suggestion. Corporate Services take a fair bit of time paper chasing during this exercise and it would certainly save a lot of cash. Louise is responsible for Dec’s of Interest and Katie can prepare the SNAP survey. To inspire and motivate staff, instead of having “Maria, urine charts and domestic abuse” posters in the restrooms, it would be great to have monthly themed quotes that provide teams with food for
thought and motivation for the month. We need positive images and messages to keep spirits up when the going gets tough and the fun gets going. Staff Comms Group decided that each of these is important in its own right. Steve Higginson suggested feeds on In House direct from an inspirational site. Karen Williams said some teams have a Friday quiz and suggested this for all teams. Corporate Services look after the content on In House so Louise would be the contact for this. The software can take in RSS feeds but not sure it’ll be possible. Taken from the BBC news website and German vehicle-maker Daimler to have a standard email response when on holiday ‘I am on vacation. I cannot read your email. Your email is being deleted. Please contact Hans or Monika if it’s really important, or resend the email after I’m back in the office.’ To turn email off after office hours and as new guidelines in France ordering workers in some sectors to ignore work emails when they go home. Auto Delete Email - It was felt that this did not fit with our Customer Standards. Work Life Balance - Karen Williams reported that some teams had commented on their lack of work life balance in the last staff survey. As a result managers had been tasked with looking at their teams and addressing any issues. Employ a gardener to deal with maintaining of trees, bushes, for elderly disabled and general need possibly on a short term contract. Could use member of DSO in summer months to tidy up areas then in winter return to DSO. This would save using MCC who charge high amounts. DSO reply - we do not have any spare staff in the summer months due to holiday cover. Also, this is when the staff who carry out the external works are at their busiest and with less time to spend on gardening duties. We do not currently have any equipment for gardening. This idea is similar to the Handyman Service, which has been abandoned as it was not cost-effective. David Morris reply - We have recently renewed our SLA with MCC and I would question the reference to “high amounts” being charged by them. Also, Peter’s comments are selfexplanatory. Alison Bromham (Staff Comms) said this is already done for some groups, e.g. disabled, elderly, schemes.
news
Staff Benefits
There is now a new staff benefits section on In House where you can find everything you need on the benefits available to you, such as; • Bupa Cash Plan • Discounted Leisure Facilities • Car Loans
Mobile Version on In House – Coming Soon! We are currently working on a mobile version of Inhouse which will be suitable for the trades to use on their PDA’s. We will be rolling out training for all those who use these devices.
Tell us what you’re up to? Update your status on the Check it out section on the homepage or via your own profile, you can also upload pictures so we’d love to see what work your doing at the moment, you can also tag staff in by using the @followed by their name eg @louisedavies
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Send us a pic of your pet! The pets will be published in the next edition and you could win a £10 High Street Voucher. Email Louise Davies with a pic of your pet and tell us a little bit about them.
Visit the ‘Staff Room’ area on
to vote for the cutest pet.
1 year old George Sent in by Elaine Sollis
11 year old George Sent in by Claudia Blair
1 year old George Sent in by Amy Jones
4 year old Colt Sent in by Jessie Sibthorpe
1 year old Ole Sent in by Nathan Cook
My name is George. I’m 15 months old, half poodle and half something else but nobody’s certain what. Every one says it doesn’t matter, that I’m just George... If only they knew the truth. I’m half wolf... it’s obvious, you only need to look at me!!!
This is 11 year old George. He lives with us, our dog, Alfie and his sister, Daisy and he is the top animal in the house. He is a rescue cat from Bath Cats and Dogs Home. He is quite a lazy boy and likes to find comfy places to sleep in the house or garden. He likes to hunt but prefers Daisy to do the dirty work and then help himself to what she catches. He is very affectionate and loves to cuddle up in the evening, sitting on any paperwork or laptop until he gets attention.
Hi, I’m George and I’m a pug-zu. I am very cuddly and full of fun. I love my owner Morgan we will play all day and I like to take his socks off his feet to play fetch. I like to ride the Hoover, play football, play tug of war with my rope... oh, and I can’t bark! My favourite food is chicken and sausages and I don’t like any fruit but I do enjoy a carrot. My mammy, daddy and brother love me to bits and wouldn’t change me for the world. When mammys away I get to stay in my brother’s room but Shhhhh don’t tell her!
This is Colt, he’s a 4 year old, 7 stone American Bulldog. He’s known as the ‘Lazy Dog’ because every time I take him for a walk he always decides he can no longer be bothered to walk home and lies down at every opportunity (every couple of steps). The neighbours always point and laugh when I’m trying to drag him home. Whenever I’m sat on the sofa he’s more than happy to climb on my lap and totally squash me. Colt’s favourite trick is to give me a smile with his teeth showing and that always makes me give in to him!
Ole enjoys going for long walks in the evenings and is normally waiting for me behind the door with his tennis ball when I get home ready to go! He especially enjoys going for a walk with my brothers 2 boxer dogs. Ole also likes to get up to mischief in the house and normally likes to steal things and then run around with them in his mouth while you try and get it off him. His favourite toy would be his squeaky ball which he constantly squeaks when I’m trying to watch the football.
Congratulations to Alfie (and his owner Claudia Blair) on winning the August edition’s ‘cutest pet’ competition! 30
News from the DSO
Blethyn Close, Shirenewton by Scott Collier
Work begins at Blethyn Close: a derelict patch of land, once used as an allotment, with the most stunning view of the Severn estuary. Our aim is to erect a pair of semi-detached properties for social housing, in one of the most picturesque and affluent areas in the Country.
Mini Triathalon
Half Term Sports Camp
Abergavenny Leisure Centre
Abergavenny Leisure Centre
26th October 2015 11:00am
27th & 29th October 9am - For 8-14 year olds
The area is cleared of debris and the land to be built on is levelled. A temporary road is formed for ease of access and delivery purposes. Footings are then dug out in the ground, a task which turned out to be very difficult due to the size of the underlying rock bed - so pleased we had a machine on site for this!
This session is perfect as first introduction to the world of triathlon or for children really wanting a challenge. All children will be split into appropriate age groups and will have the opportunity to complete the following distance:
There will be a range of superb sports activities throughout the day all led by our highly qualified staff members.
Next on site is the ‘cement mixer’ to pour the concrete, this is done with the aid of a conveyor belt attached to the back of the vehicle. I watched in awe as tons of concrete was poured with pinpoint accuracy.
Highlights include:
After a couple of weeks of block laying and more concrete pouring the substructure is now complete and we prepare for the timber frame to arrive.
• 25m / 50m / 100m / 200m Swim* • 800m / 1600m Cycle • 600m / 1200m Run *Swim distance is optional and floats can be used to aid swimmers. Other event distances can also be altered to suit children capabilities.
• Dodgeball • Hockey • Archery Children need to bring swimming kit, packed lunch and wear suitable clothing for sports activities. www.monmouthshire. gov.uk/events
Here they come - how they manage to maneuver these huge lorries and cranes through the narrow lanes to get here is incredible: I struggle with the van sometimes! However their deft ability to control these machines is backed up by the way they lift and lower these large wooden panels and trusses around the site. With thumbs up or a twirl of a finger they are placed within millimeters of where the carpenters want them. With the timber frame now almost complete, we pray for dry weather and maybe the odd bit of sunshine so we can put the roof on.
The cost of this session is £7.50 per child and needs to be booked at reception or call 01873 735360 www.monmouthshire. gov.uk/events 31
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Following 418
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@Carys_Burgess Great day with @Mon_Housing talking @LlamauUK - already have 5 signed up for#SleepOut2015 & more to register as Team MHA! @Mon_Housing
We are moving to SwapandMove, our new online mutual exchange service
Our competition to win a Fujitsu tablet closes today there’s still time to retweet to win! #universalcredit @lourixon A huge thank you to @Mon_ Housing for their support of the MAGIC charity additional needs play scheme in Abergavenny @Jessie_MHA #BigChat team will be at Channel View, Bulwark this afternoon. Come along and see us if you’re in the area. @HousingCymru Our 6th sponsor just swung into action. Thanking you @ Mon_Housing for your £100! #housingCampCymru #hidehi @ziggiesorg Ziggies coordinators all enjoying their training day @CCFC_Foundation @ SCFCCommunityTr @Mon_ Housing @Grewcorporate @CapselLtd Lovely feedback for our Property Services team from @ Mon_Housing tenants On Twitter? Why not follow us @mon_housing 32
Please let our tenants know about SwapandMove so that they can swap their home with another MHA tenant or a tenant outside of MHA/Monmouthshire. Whether they want to downsize, live closer to their family, find a larger home or move nearer to their new job our tenants can use swapandmove. co.uk - All our registered mutual exchange users are migrating to this new service. All our tenants need to do is register their details and details of the type of property they are looking for on the SwapandMove website -
www.swapandmove.co.uk If a tenant does not have access to the internet or needs more information or support please ask them to contact Hugh Thomas on 01495 761 121 or email hugh.thomas@ monmouthshirehousing. co.uk
CuIsine Corner
Welcome to Cuisine Corner! We all love food and it’s always good to get some inspiration from others about what to cook and where to go. Each edition, we want some tantalisingly tasty, tried and tested recipes and reviews to feature in Cuisine Corner.
Hallowe’en
RECIPE Jelly Worms
Ingredients • 2 packs (3 oz) Raspberry jelly • 1 packet unflavoured gelatine (for extra firmness) • 3/4 cup whipping cream • 3 cups boiling water • 100 flexible straws (or enough to fill your container) • Tall container to hold the straws in
Restaurant Review Secret Garden’s Sally’s Tea Rooms, Pontypool By Cath Murray On 21st August a number of us went to the Secret Garden’s Sally’s Tea Rooms for a farewell tea party for Jane Grayer (Dads Can Project Co-ordinator). This was to celebrate her many years of working with MHA and wish her well for her business start-up as a self-employed Celebrant as well as her new part time work with Monmouthshire Parent Network. Sally’s Tea Rooms laid a lovely
spread for us, with proper bone china cups with saucers and cute little tea pots – it all looked very civilised ... until we entered. The sandwiches, Jane’s beloved quiche and some beautiful cakes and cupcakes were delicious (yet an unhealthy tea time meal option) and what a way to finish a Friday! After filling up on tuna sarnies, having the age old debate of jam or cream first on the scones, eating lots of cupcakes and carrot cake, we had our sugar rush and we all said farewell to Jane and went on our merry way for the weekend. http://www. thesecretgardenwales.co.uk/ our-restaurant
Method • Combine the jelly with the gelatine in a bowl and add boiling water. • Let it cool to lukewarm and then add the whipping cream. • Gather your straws (don’t forget to flex them out) and put them in the container. It’s important that the straws have a tight fit so the jelly stays in the straws. For this reason, a 1 litre carton may be better; you will probably get longer worms since there is a tighter fit. If you have a bigger container, a rubber band around the straws is helpful. Or you could just add more straws to fill the container. • Add the gelatine mixture to the straw-filled container and let it set until firm. • There are multiple ways you can remove the worms from the straws. You can roll a rolling pin over the straws and squeeze them out or you can hold the straws over warm water. The worms will slip right out.
If you would like to share your ideas with us, then please get in touch with the Corporate Services Team. 33
Social Events
Looking for something to keep the kids occupied this half term or want to get out and about in the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness? There’s loads to do across the county this half term – here’s a list of our favourites:
Halloween Fun at Dewstow Gardens and Grotto 23rd October – 1st November Follow the Black Cat and Pumpkin Trail and if you’re feeling brave, explore the Spooky Halloween Tunnel! Entry: Adults - £7, 11 – 18 yr olds £4, under 5’s free. For more info go to www.monfis.org.uk
Halloween Witch Hunt at Puzzlewood 26th October– 1st November Mischievous witches have crash landed into our trees! Follow the clues on their skirts to solve the puzzle and win a prize! Entry: Adults £6.50, 3 – 16 yr olds £5.30, under 3’s free. For more info: www.puzzlewood.net
Gruesome Goodrich 26th – 30th October Join us for a feast of frightening fun and spooky stories from Goodrich’s gruesome past! Entry: Adults £6.60, Child £4.00, Family £17.20 For more info go to www.english-heritage.org.uk
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Ghastly Ghost Walk at Caldicot Castle 31st October Entry is usually free, although fees may apply for special events. Check the website for up to date info: www.visitmonmouthshire. com/caldicotcastle
Halloween Fireworks Spectacular Chepstow Racecourse 31st October Join us for a spectacular evening of fabulous Fireworks, with fun for all the Family sponsored by SEAT Capitol Newport! www.chepstow-racecourse. co.uk/whats-on/event
Fireworks at Caldicot Castle and Country Park 1st November Remember, remember this date in November! On Sunday 1st November, Caldicot Castle and Country Park will host Caldicot’s annual spectacular firework display for 2015. www.visitmonmouthshire.com
Abergavenny Round Table Fireworks Extravaganza Belgrave Park 5th November It’s bigger and better again this year! The professional display is set to music and we have a funfair for the kids. www.galacticfireworks.co.uk/ events
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