Your GREAT Neighbourhood Charter Flowery Field
Your GREAT Neighbourhood Charter
At New Charter we would like all our neighbourhoods to be great places to live. We would like them to look great, have great services, feel safe and be a place for both work and recreation.
for 3 years and will be reviewed annually with residents to assess our progress.
It identifies the main issues that affect your neighbourhood and what needs to be done both by us and our partner organisations to To create great communities we address them. We want to focus all would like everyone to work our efforts on making sure you have together to decide how their local neighbourhood should develop and a great place to live so we will be working just as hard with a range of grow in the future and to improve other organisations on some of the on the services they don’t like and wider issues such as employment maintain those that they do. and crime. To make sure this happens we Remember, you are the experts in have produced a neighbourhood what it’s like to live in your plan for each of New Charter’s 32 newly defined neighbourhoods and neighbourhood and you will be our most important partner of all. this one is yours. The plan will run 02
You are the experts in what it’s like to live in your neighbourhood and you will be our most important partner of all.
GREAT place to live... The Flowery Field neighbourhood includes what was once referred to as the Newton Hall Estate and surrounding area and is located in the Hyde area of Tameside Greater Manchester; a twenty to thirty minute walk from Hyde town centre. The neighbourhood has open access to play areas and green spaces which are maintained byTameside Metropolitan Borough Council. The neighbourhood contains a mixture of low rise flats, bungalows and newly built properties and in addition there are a number of garage sites available for rent to residents.The neighbourhood also benefits from two fully adapted properties.The majority of properties are owned by New Charter but there is a good mix of owner occupied properties and a small proportion of properties in the Rutland area owned by another Registered Provider.
The area is well appointed by local shops and amenities which meet the needs of the community; these include a large post office, a primary health care facility, two major supermarkets and is within travelling distance of the local accident and emergency hospital.Access to public transport is exceptional; the neighbourhood is close to the railway station and there is a local bus service to and from the town centre where a large modern bus station is situated in close proximity to the local doctor’s surgery and allows easy access to and from Manchester city centre. Hyde town centre offers many services and amenities which include several banks, building societies, chemists, restaurants and businesses.A police station is located in the town centre with a dedicated local constabulary, Beat Manager and Police Community Support Officer presence in the area. It also contains a leisure centre offering swimming facilities and a local library. There are two primary schools; one providing services for children with moderate learning difficulties, three high schools and a college located in the area all accessible using public transport and a further two colleges within travelling distance.The Bennett StreetYouth Community Centre provides access to events for children aged 811years and 11-19 years and also holds events and projects to support disabled people under 19 years. There is also the Bangladeshi Welfare Association for children age 11-19 years.
03
Down your street Here is a map and a list of streets included in your neighbourhood to give you an idea of exactly where your plan covers.
Newton Flowery Field
Hyde Central
Gee Cross
Does your neighbourhood have star quality? We have identified a range of indicators that tell us overall how great your neighbourhood is. These indicators are designed to tell us how much support we need to give a neighbourhood and what specific areas seem to be causing the most problems so that we can target services and resources to improve them. 04
We are using a simple rating of 5, 4 or 3 stars; 5 stars being the best rating, so you can see easily how individual sections within your neighbourhood are performing. Each individual indicator we have used has its own star rating which when combined together produce an overall star rating for your neighbourhood.
The indicators range from the time taken to relet houses to employment and education. You can see them all below with an explanation of what the ratings mean for your neighbourhood.
Appleby Avenue
Coniston Avenue
Kirkstone Road
Rutland Street
Arnside Drive
Copeland Street
Lindale
Rydal Avenue
Ashton Road
Cunliffe Street
Lodge Lane
Smith Street
Bennett Street
Dow Street
Markham Street
Spencer Avenue
Bushyfield Close
Dukinfield Road
Marler Road
Stansfield Road
Caldbeck Court
Elliott Avenue
Newton Hall Court
Strines Court
Camerton Place
Glenwood Avenue
Newton Hall Road
Whitehaven Place
Carleton Place
Harding Street
Pimlott Grove
Whitnall Street
Carter Place
Kendal Avenue
Plain Pitt Street
Windermere Road
Carter Street
Keswick Avenue
Rosemount Crescent
% of current rent arrears
Average number of repairs
The neighbourhood has a relatively low level of rent arrears which indicates that households are not experiencing noticeable money management issues or are accessing support if they need it.
The average cost of repairs per property is significant and indicates that many properties have issues in terms of maintenance costs and the need to regularly replace components. Property damage is also an issue within the neighbourhood.
Average time to relet a property The time it takes to relet a property across the neighbourhood is generally satisfactory but there is room for improvement. Some properties take longer to let indicating that some properties are not as popular as others and it can also take some time for people to be able to move into their new homes.
Tenancy turnover This shows that on average people who move into the neighbourhood tend to stay in their homes for a reasonable length of time although the length of stay varies across the whole of the neighbourhood. It also indicates that people are not as happy living in some parts of the neighbourhood as they could be with some choosing not to stay in the long term.
05
% of live antisocial behaviour cases The neighbourhood experiences some antisocial behaviour or neighbour nuisance cases. This indicates that while the majority of New Charter residents treat each other with respect there are some incidents that do occur that have a negative impact on people’s ability to relax and feel secure in their homes. Neighbourhood satisfaction People’s general satisfaction with the neighbourhood as a place to live could be better and there are some significant factors which spoil their experience and quality of life. Crime People in the neighbourhood experience relatively low levels of crime and vandalism in relation to similar neighbourhoods in Tameside.Whilst not perfect, this does mean that people overall are likely to feel relatively safe and secure living in and walking around the neighbourhood. Health The neighbourhood has some issues with people’s health and disability levels compared with similar neighbourhoods in Tameside.This could indicate that more people than usual may have mobility problems of one sort or another, need some long term medical support in their homes and perhaps feel quite isolated.
06
Employment The neighbourhood has relatively good employment levels compared with similar neighbourhoods in Tameside. Education and skills The neighbourhood has quite poor levels of educational attainment and skills.This indicates that it may be difficult for people to access the training they may need to help gain employment or develop their existing career prospects. Household income The neighbourhood has some problems with family income levels compared with similar neighbourhoods in Tameside.This indicates that some families may suffer the effects of deprivation and have difficulty in making ends meet. Access to services People in the neighbourhood have access to some shops and services near to their homes. This indicates that it can be difficult to shop for more than essentials or access a good range of advice or support in or close to the neighbourhood itself.
Neighbourhood overall star rating Overall the neighbourhood is a good place to live but it does experience some problems that affect people’s quality of life on a day to day basis.The main aim for this neighbourhood is to identify the right activities, services and initiatives that will help address the specific issues that prevent it being as good a place as it could be. 07
Local knowledge: Auditing your neighbourhood Whilst the indicators show us useful trends and point us in the right direction we need more local knowledge to identify some of the specific issues we need to address. To gather this information we have conducted a neighbourhood audit asking the people who live and work here to identify what they think the issues were.
08
What our Neighbourhood team told us There are some neighbour nuisance issues in the neighbourhood but these are mainly low level around neighbour disputes, noise, inconsiderate behaviour and pets. While demand for properties in the neighbourhood is relatively good it can at times be difficult to let flats in particular areas.This means that while the population of the neighbourhood is reasonably stable, people move in and out of the neighbourhood regularly in some areas. The appearance of the neighbourhood is fairly good but there are some issues which include fly tipping and the upkeep of pathways and communal areas.There are problems with fencing in some areas and with the condition of some rear gardens. There are some issues which have a negative impact on the neighbourhood.These mainly relate to a number of smaller corner plots of green space which are overgrown and a large piece of landlocked land which is also overgrown and attracts fly tipping as well as a poorly maintained garage site. More generally there is a problem with the condition and appearance of fencing in a number of areas of the neighbourhood. Parking is a problem in some areas of the neighbourhood particularly where there are narrow roads and a lack of designated parking areas.
There have been some issues of metal theft from properties in the area and low level property damage. The Neighbourhood team do not work with an established tenants and residents group and it is felt there is a lack of opportunities to obtain regular input from residents across the neighbourhood to help staff identify priorities. There is a general lack of facilities for community activities in the neighbourhood as well as a lack of children’s play areas.
The Primary Health Care facility does provide good walk in access to health services.
09
What you told us
10
On average the people we spoke to rate the neighbourhood 7 out of 10 as a place to live. So while people are still relatively positive about the area they think there are still important quality of life issues that need to be addressed. On a more positive note some of the best features identified about living in the neighbourhood were: its friendly neighbours, excellent bus links, good local shops, proximity to the park and its peaceful atmosphere. The issues identified within the neighbourhood were: parking problems; level of dog fouling, bad behaviour, noise from some residents and disruption caused by children playing in the streets. People raised specific issues with us about: A lack of none charging cash machines Poor tree and shrub maintenance A lack of keep fit facilities The need for a local community centre A lack of designated parking areas A lack of a youth club for older children A lack of play facilities for younger children The need for a mother and toddler group A place for older residents to meet The need for a mobile library The need for a doctors surgery and walk in service More broadly people saw the lack of access to adult education and drop in advice services; particularly on benefits as issues which had direct impact on the neighbourhood. Poor community facilities, elderly services and walk in services were also widely identified as a problem as was access to computers and equipment.This being identified as an issue for 50% of those residents surveyed.
Some of the best features identified about living in the neighbourhood were: its friendly neighbours, excellent bus links, good local shops, proximity to the park and its peaceful atmosphere. 11
What other organisations told us Health in the neighbourhood is relatively good compared to similar areas in Tameside in terms of mortality rates and disability rates.There are some issues around sedentary lifestyles and mental health issues, however provision of the right kind of services for young families and children is a particular area of focus. There are also concerns about the number of young carers in the neighbourhood. Crime is not a major issue in the neighbourhood but there are some problems with low level antisocial behaviour, theft and criminal damage. Crime prevention measures and neighbourhood surveillance is seen as crucial in keeping levels low. Employment levels are not a problem generally but access to jobs and training are barriers for residents.Young people in the neighbourhood also suffer from a lack of personal development opportunities. A variety of agencies thought that young people in the neighbourhood also suffered more generally in terms of access to a range of facilities and support services. There is a general lack of play facilities for younger children as well as early years provision and more general support for young families.
12
Household income is an issue for some families with agencies identifying problems with benefit dependency. Agencies thought there could also be problems for residents in terms of loss of income as a result of the Government’s welfare reform and an increase in debt issues. Access to mainstream services and amenities can be variable due to the location of the neighbourhood.There is also a lack of some drop in services because of the lack of a specific community venue. Better access and signposting to services and advice is needed particularly for those finding it hard to access the town centre.
What we saw together: Grassed area in front of Marler Road in a poor condition
Parking congestion
Fly tipping on an old garage site
Poor condition of communal drying areas
Closed off area of land on Smith Street Litter in some areas Refuse bins left on the streets in some areas which give the neighbourhood an untidy appearance Poor condition of gardens and fencing on Marler Road
Fly tipping in a number of areas Frequent dog fouling Some communal fencing needing painting Condition of pathways and lighting in the Lindale area
13
What do we need to do to make this a greater place? The aim of this section is to identify the activities needed to improve the quality of life in the neighbourhood based on what we have established and what you have told us. It’s effectively an action plan which shows what needs to be done in more detail.
Neighbourhood and community management
14
What?
Why?
When?
Target low level antisocial behaviour (ASB) and nuisance activity with increased New Charter team presence, enhanced by CCTV surveillance in doorways and shared areas in identified flats; undertake joint visits with Police in regards to some disruptive behaviour or disputes.
To reduce the incidents of ASB in the neighbourhood and reduce property turnover in affected areas.
December 2013
Work with the Police and the Community Safety team on target hardening, crime prevention, surveillance of low level nuisance and disruption caused by children playing and a more general policing plan targeting opportunistic theft and criminal damage.
To reduce levels of vandalism and increase feelings of security for customers who feel vulnerable to crime by developing a long term crime prevention strategy to ensure a consistent policing approach.
December 2013
Develop a neighbourhood wide Home Watch group with support from New Charter.
To increase the level of surveillance in neighbourhood and therefore increase the feeling of security and empowerment against crime.
June 2013
What?
Why?
When?
Work with TMBC Sports Trust on the provision of increased keep fit activities and facilities.
To improve the health of residents in the neighbourhood.
January 2014
Review current facilities and activities for young people withTameside Metropolitan Borough Council (TMBC) in addition to the provision of general community facilities, activities and services.
Identification of a broader range of facilities is needed to improve their quality of life and that of the community more generally.
January 2014
Review current facilities and activities for residents with TMBC to identify potential community venues and the feasibility of providing more space for general community activities.
To ensure the neighbourhood has sufficient venues to host community activities and drop in services.
June 2014
Work in partnership with TMBCYouth Services and New Charter’sYouth team to develop diversionary activities with young people.
To reduce the level of antisocial behaviour from youths by providing positive activities and link to other services.
December 2013
CleanCare to increase targeting of fly tipping and litter in identified areas.
To improve the appearance of specific areas experiencing litter issues.
June 2013
Undertake a joint review of childcare and early years provision with TMBC teams.
To improve the quality of children’s support services in the neighbourhood and increase households ability to work full or part-time.
July 2014
15
16
What?
Why?
When?
Work with partners to increase signposting of residents to health advice and service with a particular emphasis on 18-25 year olds.
To improve the health of residents in the neighbourhood and the support available.
June 2013
Consistently signpost and refer customers and their families to employment advice services.
To increase individuals opportunities of gaining employment.
January 2013
Undertake a review of the provision of cash points.
To identify ways to improve access to cash locally.
October 2013
Review the condition of path ways and lighting provision in communal areas in partnership withTMBC.
To improve the appearance of the neighbourhood and increase residents feelings of security.
March 2014
Increase the activities of TMBC environmental patrollers targeting dog fouling.
To reduce the level of dog fouling within the neighbourhood.
June 2013
Green charter and CleanCare teams to work together on developing a green area, open and communal spaces management plan working in partnership with TMBC where relevant.
To improve the appearance of unused green spaces in the neighbourhood and develop complementary working with TMBC.
April 2013
What?
Why?
When?
Work with a number of organisations and stakeholders on initiatives identified in their plans that will help improve the neighbourhood.
To improve services and maximise input into the neighbourhood from other service providers.
December 2013
Focus additional resources on replacing trees and overgrown shrubs.
To improve the appearance of the streets and the neighbourhoods.
May 2013
Work with TMBC to review the refuse bin service.
To improve neighbourhood appearance and the quality of life for residents.
March 2014
We aim to... Ensure the neighbourhood has sufficient venues to host community activities and drop in services.
17
Tenancy
18
What?
Why?
When?
Apply the community contribution criteria from New Charter’s Allocation Policy to ensure a sensitive lettings approach to reduce lifestyle clashes thorough unsuitable lets.
To maintain community stability, reduce turnover of properties once let and decrease neighbour disputes and reduce lifestyle clashes thorough unsuitable lets.
April 2013
Increase the use and targeting of neighbourhood mediation services for disputes.
To reduce neighbourhood disputes and improve neighbour relations.
June 2013
Target fast track enforcement for serious ASB perpetrators with targeted resources from New Charter’s Tenancy and Support Services team.
To remove quickly disruptive tenants and improve quality of life for other residents protecting demand for properties.
April 2013
Increase tenancy and neighbourhood enforcement on activities that affect quality of life e.g. Nuisance, upkeep of gardens, noise and pet ownership.
To improve the quality of life for the majority of residents as well as identify and reduce unacceptable conduct.
May 2013
Continue to deliver the Keys toYour Door programme for customers under 25 in terms of ensuring their readiness for tenancy and to identify any support required.
To reduce potential for lifestyle clashes and unsuccessful conduct of tenancy.
April 2013
What?
Why?
When?
Hold a regular housing surgery in the neighbourhood.
To make it quick and easy for residents to access services and neighbourhood issues to be dealt with.
April 2013
Neighbourhood team to carry out quarterly neighbourhood inspections (open to residents).
To provide regular monitoring of street level appearance and visible issues.
March 2013
Target residents who may be affected by welfare reform and provide advice and support.
To increase awareness of potential issues and help reduce debt and/or financial problems caused by welfare reform.
January 2013
We aim to... Reduce potential for lifestyle clashes and unsuccessful conduct of tenancy.
19
Home
20
What?
Why?
When?
Improve the security and appeal to households of identified properties that are difficult to let.
To reduce nuisance in shared areas and improve demand for properties.
March 2014
Identify an improvement programme to improve the overgrown garage site and increase its security.
To enhance the appearance of the neighbourhood, reduce fly tipping and improve parking availability.
September 2013
Undertake a review of local play facilities provision in consultation with residents.
To ensure children have well placed safe places to play.
October 2013
Develop a programme for improvement works required to pathways and lighting to complement TMBC work.
To increase the feeling of security in the neighbourhood and improve appearance in communal areas.
September 2014
Undertake a review of fencing and boundaries, including a review of fencing to communal areas.
To assess if existing fencing is adequate in terms of security and appearance and identify any specific work needed to clarify fencing boundaries.
September 2013
Continue the bathroom and kitchen replacement programmes.
To improve the standard of homes in the neighbourhood and improve residents quality of life.
March 2014
Continue with the external painting programme.
To improve neighbourhood appearance and kerb appeal.
October 2014
Evaluate the feasibility of converting a property into a community facility.
To provide a local community meeting place and activity centre for residents.
April 2014
What?
Why?
When?
Review the parking available for residents in identified streets working closely with TMBC.This may include converting some green areas into parking.
To identify any additional parking spaces required and the potential options available.
January 2014
Develop a programme to improve the condition of communal drying areas.
To improve neighbourhood appearance and quality of life for residents.
November 2013
To provide a local community meeting place and activity centre for residents. 21
Involvement and empowerment
22
What?
Why?
When?
Develop a regular residents association and provide support for their activities.
To obtain detailed feedback from tenants specifically on service and wider neighbourhood issues and work with them jointly on neighbourhood priorities.
June 2013
Ask interested customers to be street representatives whose role will be to report any issues they or other residents are concerned about in their street or the wider neighbourhood.The Neighbourhood team will also contact the street representatives once a quarter to check progress and provide support.
This will provide a way for customers to report any issues to staff and to have them addressed promptly.This will also help improve the day to day service.
March 2013
Set up a neighbourhood improvement group with residents.
To ensure services are more customer and neighbourhood focused.
June 2013
Develop customer inspections on key customer identified issues.
To increase customer led monitoring of issues by getting the ‘customer eye’ view.
June 2013
Develop a focus group or coffee morning with older residents.
To identify specific issues that affect older people in the neighbourhood and develop social networks for older residents.
May 2013
Set up a neighbourhood face book page.
To encourage a different type of dialogue between residents with each other and with staff.This will help with regards to reporting, supporting and discussion.
May 2013
What?
Why?
When?
Organise a community working group to consider whether to retain CCTV coverage in flats to complement the current review being undertaken by the Neighbourhood team.
To obtain feedback from the residents as to what they would like to see in respect of CCTV coverage and increase residents input into neighbourhood management decisions.
July 2013
Consider the feasibility of setting up a community cafe or activity centre and youth club, run by community volunteers with support from New Charter initially and support from TMBC Volunteering Services.
To improve provision for young and older residents, generating access to facilities that support community activities, building community networks and developing the communities’ ability to work on projects with others.
May 2013
Hold weekend community information events or fun days 4 times a year and hold seasonal activities at Easter and Halloween.
To improve the neighbourhood appearance and increase community spirit, building positive relationships with neighbours and increasing the community’s knowledge of what services and opportunities are available.
April 2013
We aim to... Improve provision for young and older residents, generating access to facilities that support community activities, building community networks and developing the communities’ ability to work on projects with others. 23
What next? Great progress we hope!! Work has already begun in your neighbourhood on the various actions outlined in Your Great Neighbourhood Charter as well as in our other 31 New Charter neighbourhoods. We would like the Great Neighbourhood Charters to mark the start of a new phase of activity aimed at ensuring that all our neighbourhoods are the great places that we all want and know they can be. We will be reviewing the Charter frequently this year and we will keep you updated on the progress, you will have the opportunity to be involved in this so please watch out for advertised activities or requests for feedback. However there is no need to wait until then‌ if after reading this you have any questions comments or suggestions or if you would like to get more involved in helping us identify what we could achieve in your neighbourhood please contact us and give us your thoughts. You can do this by ringing 0161 331 2000 or contacting us via your preferred method, we can also arrange for someone to call and visit you in your home if you would prefer, we would really like to hear from you.
24
Neighbourhood Fact File Here are some facts and figures about the people and properties that make up your neighbourhood which we thought you may find interesting.
Number of properties owned by New Charter =
664
Properties by type
Houses
356
Bungalows
19
Flats
289
Black Minority Ethnic
6.11%
Under 16
23.03%
55+
23.55% 18 - 25
14.53%
Number of residents =
1342 25
Final Thoughts We hope that over the next three years through the actions outlined in your Great Neighbourhood Charter we will really make a visible difference to your neighbourhood, making it more attractive for those living or thinking of living in it and improve resident’s quality of life. We think the key to success will be to continue to work together with you to achieve this.
26
Contact us Main switchboard: 0161 331 2000 Emergency housing & repairs calls: 0800 027 0828 If you need an emergency repair during the following times: - Before 8am and after 6pm Monday to Friday - During weekends and Bank Holidays Antisocial behaviour helpline: 0800 027 0522 (24 hours a day)
@ contact@newcharter.co.uk www.newcharter.co.uk newchartergroup
Home and Community Hubs 2 Henrietta Street, Ashton 9 Albert Street, Denton 12 Clarendon Street, Hyde 63 Grosvenor Street, Stalybridge
Head office:
New Charter, Cavendish 249, Cavendish Street, Ashton-under-Lyne OL6 7AT
@newchartergroup
27
Resource Housing Reg. No. 2111