July 2015
Crosby Housing Association newsletter for tenants Inside this Issue
Page
Paying your rent
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Preparing for Universal Credit
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Tenant Advisory Panel 4 Annual Open Meeting Planned Programme Update Communall Services
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Charity Shop Tenant Conference
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Waterloo Town Team
8
Communitree
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Waterloo & Seaforth Cares CHART’ Five Steps to mental wellbeing Mental Health Awareness Week
10
1% reduction in rent for the next 4 years.
11
Hello & Goodbyes Poem—Cycling to Ormskirk Market
Changes to 12
Tax Credits
Do you know the effects the Budget will have on Housing Associations and their tenants? We don’t have all of the answers yet but we are working to understand the wider impact on CHA and tenants overall. Come along to the Tenant Advisory Panel (TAP) on 25th August to find out more. Read more about TAP on page 4.
PAYING YOUR RENT Paying your rent is VERY important. It is the primary source of income that the Association receives and it covers the costs of managing, maintaining and improving your homes. It helps us to contribute to partnerships and to support wider neighbourhood matters. Paying your rent keeps you a part of Crosby Housing and helps you to access any wider support that you or your family may need. If you are struggling to pay your rent you need to talk to us, we want to try to help you find ways to deal with this. Failure to pay rent may lead to you losing your home. We do not want this we want you to stay.
We offer a wide range of methods for our tenants to pay their rent:
by Direct Debit (see below)
online using your bank debit or credit card - visit www.allpayments.net
using the allpay payment app - visit www.allpayments.net
sending a text message - visit www.allpayments.net
over the phone using your bank debit or credit card - call 0844 557 8321
by cash up to £200 at local shops displaying the PayPoint logo
by cash, cheque or debit card up to £450 at the Post Office
Download the How to Make a Payment leaflet from our website www.crosbyhousing.org.uk or get in touch with our office to send you a copy.
Direct Debits We are encouraging our tenants, wherever possible, to pay their rent by Direct Debit (DD) payments, particularly those tenants who are currently paying by Standing Order (SO). To set up a new DD either visit our office or give us a call. You will need to have your bank account details with you when you visit/call us.
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PREPARING FOR UNIVERSAL CREDIT What is Universal Credit? Universal Credit (UC) is a benefit for people of working age, i.e. between 18 years and 60 years and six months. UC has already been implemented in our area for single people and couples with children, who are fit for work and classed as new jobseekers.
Did you know? Waiting days - from July 2015, if you claim UC you will not be entitled to payment for the first 7 days! Your first UC payment - will be 6 to 7 weeks, after you claim! Monthly payments – most people will receive UC payments monthly thereafter! Under occupancy (Bedroom Tax) – your UC payment will include your rent payment but this may be reduced if you are considered to be under-occupying!
Paying your rent – you will need to pay your full rent direct to CHA! Sefton Council One Stop Shop - will provide access to a computer and full support to anyone who needs help to complete the online claim for UC. Personal Budgeting Support (PBS) - the initial interview by the Job Centre work coach will include PBS and you will be offered a referral to CAB for independent advice – take advantage of this! CROSBY HOUSING ASSOCIATION IS HERE TO HELP YOU! Supporting Tenants is a key objective in CHA’s 2015/16 Business Plan. We will deliver this by developing partnerships with relevant support providers. We have already established a relationship with Christians Against Poverty (CAP) and are making referrals for debt advice. We are actively involved with the Linacre Derby Welfare Reform Forum and we now also working closely with Sefton Advice Services and CAB.
If you have made a claim for UC or feel you may be affected please contact the office on 0151 920 7300 3
Tenant Advisory Panel (TAP) All tenants are encouraged to attend TAP meetings. At the last meeting we discussed the role and work of the Tenant Services Panel. The next meeting will focus on the budget and will be held on
Tuesday 25 August 2015 at 5.30pm SING Plus Centre - Cambridge Road If you would like to attend and want more details please contact a member of the Housing Services Team.
Annual Open Meeting (AOM) This years Annual Open Meeting will be held on
Tuesday 8th September at 6pm SING Plus Centre - Cambridge Road. If you are interested in attending the AOM, please don’t hesitate to contact the office on 0151 920 7300.
Don’t miss out on £140 credit to your electricity account Eligible customers may qualify for £140 to be credited to their electricity account, through the ‘Warm Homes Discount Scheme’. People who receive Pension credit guarantee will receive the credit automatically, and need not apply. However, other people may be eligible too under the ‘broader group’ and must apply to their supplier direct, or contact Sefton Councils Energy Team on 0151 934 2222 for help applying. Don’t delay as there is limited funding available and let us know how you get on. 4
Planned Programme Update What have we done?
What is on site?
23 planned fire alarm installations
First phase central heating programme 10 homes
Window programme phase 1 & 2 tender complete and contract let.
66 homes window replacement
11 external doors
Value for Money Gain
What’s next?
Second phase central heating.
Due to cost savings on above tenders a further 17 properties have been added to the window programme and a further 3 external doors.
53 homes surveys complete and tender process to take place July.
Site commencement in August and completion subject to winning contractor, early December.
These properties help to improve street scene. i.e. where only one or two units have not had improvements and to leave them would spoil the look of the street.
Surveys for External painting programme will start in July.
Target date for Tenders planned for August,
Target date to start works September
Sefton Council’s Affordable Warmth Team, assist residents to make their homes warmer and more energy efficient. Eligible households could benefit from;
Home visit Advice & assistance on applying for grants or discounts for heating and insulation Advice on energy use Assistance with fuel debt Referrals to wide range of support agencies (benefits agency, fire brigade, housing standards team, social services) 5
Communal Services In the last addition we told you that the communal services, which include gardening, window cleaning and communal cleaning had been re tendered and the services are now being provided
As good as new
Premier Cleaning
Willow Tree Landscapes
Window Cleaning
Communal Cleaning
Communal Gardening
Service
Service
Service
The re-tender exercise resulted in a reduction of 16% (on average), in costs of the services to tenants! We are now 3 months into this new arrangement and your feedback on the quality of the services provided is essential. For those of you who receive and pay for these services we are keen to know what you think. A satisfaction survey is enclosed with this newsletter and you are encourage to complete this and send it back into the office. This information will be used by the Tenant Services Panel to review the quality of services provided. Hi Everyone and welcome to the CHARITY SHOP column, written by the staff at the shop. We have had a busy couple of months as we have a continued sale of Men's and ladies clothes at just £1, Bags and shoes £1 and Children's clothes at 50p, so come down and grab a bargain!
We thank you for your continued support and welcome donations of clothing, bedding, books, CD’s, DVD’s, bric-a-brac and electrical items. With the ever changing summer season, we have the cardigans and jumpers with the bikinis! We are always looking for volunteers to help support the shop. If you would like anymore information, please call into the shop for an application form. The summer break starts over the next week for all schools, so we have found a poem that reflects this, we hope you enjoy it.
Summer brings us nice warm sun, For swimming, fishing and lots of fun. For finding seashells in the sand, For sunbathing to get a tan. To do all these things and more, At the beach and the seashore. 6
Recently, all Tenants were sent a letter introducing our newly formed 'Tenant Services Panel'. Some of the Panel, along with some Staff from CHA, as well as other CHA Tenants attended the annual Tenants' Conference at the Village Hotel, Warrington on 8th July. This event was a chance for Tenants from other (and similar) Housing Associations to get together, swap stories, to work together, to support each other, in a relaxed environment, with refreshments and lunch provided, and free transport was arranged too. It was a great day, enjoyed by all, and an excellent opportunity for our 'Tenant Services Panel' to learn more and gain tips from other working, successful, and similar Tenant Panels. But it was not just an event for Tenant Panels, as the issues covered throughout the day covered lots of other Tenant related topics and concerns as well. From discussing statistics on social housing, right to buy schemes, bedroom tax and other welfare changes – we had team exercises, table discussions too, as well as presentations from other Tenant Panels. The 'Tenant Services Panel' would like to thank all Tenants who recently returned their completed feedback sheets. If you are interested in joining the 'Tenant Services Panel', please do get in touch with CHA staff and let them know.
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Waterloo Town Team (WTT) CHA chief executive Mandy Elliott is the chair of the Town Team. WTT is a strong strategic partnership involving stakeholders from public, private, voluntary, community and faith sectors who are committed to the health and wellbeing of Waterloo residents and the economic success of the area.
Achievements so far..
Undertaken community engagement activities re what people think of Waterloo. Appointed a branding expert to develop an identity for Waterloo. Launched a new website - lovewaterloo.com and to begin to promote a consistent vision of Waterloo Connected dynamic voluntary groups to ensure better coordination of activities and co sharing of resources. Produced events information which will be available through the website. Held the waterloo dinner and the children’s story competition. Purchased a bank of shared equipment Raised the profile of Waterloo within Sefton LA and with Sefton’s Tourism department with a renewed focus on the Iron men and coastal country park. Been a major contributor to “New realities” the partnership initiative within Sefton CVS and Sefton Council. Supported the Council to maintain presence in communities. Managed “Christmas Switch On celebrations” for the past 6 years. Opened up invaluable dialogue with Peel Ports.
2015 is the 200th anniversary of the existence of Waterloo as well as the battle of Waterloo, the town’s namesake. WTT is promoting and supporting a rang of community events to celebrate this key milestone. In June, we held the Waterloo dinner and children’s story competition. As part of the 200 year celebrations Waterloo Town Team awarded certificates to two promising 10 year olds from Waterloo Primary school at the Waterloo dinner. The girls had written short stories about what Waterloo means to them. The young writers Olivia Perry and Ruby Daniels are both from Waterloo Primary School and are pictured with our very own local historian Brenda Murray, Colonel M.Amlôt and David Hearn. 8
In May, we took a stall at Crosby Community Market to promote the team. Crosby Community Market is held the last Friday of every month.
Dates for your Diary..
Farmers Market - Old Christ Church - 10.30am - 2pm - 2nd Friday of Every Month.
Flea Market - Old Christ Church - 9.30am - 1pm - 2nd Saturday of Every Month.
Scarecrow Workshop - Marine Gardens - 1pm - 3pm - 12th September 2015.
Annual Scarecrow Festival - 19th September 2015.
Mock Battle to celebrate 200 years of waterloo - Potters Barn—26th September 2015.
Waterloo Christmas Light Switch On - 26th November 2015.
Seaforth Christmas Light Switch On - 28th November 2015.
Many of you have told us that the Communitree in Seaforth doesn't look very well. Sefton Council took the lead in procuring and planting the tree and we have discussed this with them. This is an extract from their response.
Communitree’s
‘The tree was badly infested this year with aphids which our contractor treated accordingly—it will continue to be monitored. Its last visit was on the 15th June 2015, at this visit it was commented on as struggling, it is covered by a 3 year guarantee regarding lack of establishment . We will continue to monitor the tree this year and see how it is next spring, at which point we will consider it for replacement if needed.’ We are planning a formal launch of the over the next few weeks and it is reassuring that we have a plan in place in the event it continues to deteriorate. We have been given the green light by Mersey travel to plant the tree on the interchange in Waterloo. We are now working up costings with Mersey forest together with a plan to take this forward. Work will not start until the New Year 2016 when planting conditions are best, and Christmas celebrations have taken place. 9
Waterloo and Seaforth Cares
Waterloo and Seaforth Cares want to help lonely and socially isolated people within our area. The launch event was held in Waterloo Community Centre on Wednesday 15th July. It provided an opportunity to see what services are available within the Waterloo and Seaforth areas, to try new things and to meet new people. 23 organisations attended the launch, including CHA who took a stall to promote and give an insight to both Crosby HA and CHART.
CHART’S Five Steps to Mental Wellbeing Evidence suggests there are five steps we can all take to improve our mental wellbeing. If you approach them with an open mind and try them out, you can judge the results yourself. connect – connect with the people around you: your family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. Spend time developing these relationships. be active – you don't have to go to the gym. Take a walk, go cycling or play a game of football or tennis. Find the activity that you enjoy and make it a part of your life. See what’s on offer at your local leisure centre. keep learning – learning new skills can give you a sense of achievement and a new confidence. So why not sign up for that cooking course, learn a new language start learning to play a musical instrument, or figure out how to fix your bike? Visit your local library to see what’s available. give to others – even the smallest act can count, whether it's a smile, a thank you or a kind word. Larger acts, such as volunteering at your local community centre, can improve your mental wellbeing and help you build new social networks. Donate your unwanted clothes and bric a brac to Crosby Housing Association’s Charity Shop on Lorne Road, L22. be mindful – be more aware of the present moment, including your feelings and thoughts, your body and the world around you. Some people call this awareness "mindfulness", and it can positively change the way you feel about life and how you approach challenges. Just 3 minutes focusing on your breath can make a positive difference. Try it! 10
Barbeque held for
‘Mental Health Awareness week’.
A number of CHA tenants and staff attended a barbeque at a ‘Sanctuary Supported Living Housing’ scheme on 15th May 2015. This was for ‘Mental Health Awareness’ week. Staff and clients worked hard to make the day a success. Staff from the Community Mental Health Team also attended. Everyone enjoyed themselves and a raffle was held which raised £50 for MIND. The ‘Bridge’ college attended and a number of clients have showed an interest in attending courses there.
Hello and Goodbye’s A warm welcome goes to Dave Tai, who has recently joined CHA. Dave has almost 28 years working in housing and is now really excited to be joining the team at CHA. He is passionate about providing decent homes and neighbourhoods and is very keen to meet many of you so next time you are in our office give him a wave! Dave is taking over from Vin Fox in his position of Operations Manager. Vin is planning to retire; but he won’t be leaving us just yet! – Watch this space! Chris Gates started work with CHART in September 2001 when the team was first recruited. Having worked in mental health services for 24 years she has decided to retire and spend more time with her family and also in her little house high up in the olive groves in Crete. Everyone at CHA and CHART send our love and best wishes to Chris for the future.
Jill Roberts (Housing Services Team Leader) left CHA in May for a new challenge with Cobalt Housing. We all send Jill our best wishes for the future. 11
Cycling to Ormskirk Market on bike By Simon McLaughlin – Tenant from Waterloo.
Ormskirk market is a nice place to go, Take a hat, then go with the flow. Another place is Hesketh park, Bike or train, yes go for a walk. Both can make you feel great, Buy some flowers at the gate. Hall Road is also not that far, Have a burger or a cigar. Continue on and follow path down, Have a bevy in the Hightown! I cycle there and back fast, Watching fisherman lunge a cast. Since last time I went you see, I bought a bike happily. Riding to Hightown without a care. Tyres are quite large in size,
Goes quite well at 200 P.S.I’s. The Botanic gardens are a mile up prom, Where you can get an ice cream from. Wildlife and Flowers do abound, Seeing water birds is really sound. With lots of things to do that day; Just pay on the gate and make some hay! Cars on show are bound to please, Shows on bill thrill with ease. Sweets and burgers are all on sale, A souvenir now or a pint of ale. At south of lord street is the place, Their sausage buns are nice to taste.
August Bank Holiday Office Hours Closed: Monday 31st August Emergency Repairs only: 0845 057 7096 24 hours
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Call us on 0151 920 7300 Visit us at www.crosbyhousing.org.uk Follow us @crosbyhousing 12
Call in at 10 Church Road Waterloo