Your GREAT Neighbourhood Charter Hillgate, Hilton and Ladbrooke
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 neighbourhood that includes the Hillgate area; built more recently than other parts of the neighbourhood during the mid 1970s, Hilton Crescent and Ladbrooke Road are situated just to the north of Ashton town centre and is clustered around three sides of King GeorgeV playing fields with another large area that is within the triangle of Mossley Road,Whiteacre Road and Queens Road. The area is fairly compact and self-contained but still manages to include a wide variety of housing styles which include traditional family detached homes of varying sizes situated on wide tree lined streets,Victorian terraced
properties and a number of low rise blocks of flats and bungalows.A large proportion of the properties within the neighbourhood have been bought through the Right to Buy and Right to Acquire schemes and in many areas there is a roughly equal split between owner occupiers and New Charter tenants. The area is well situated; being fairly close to the town centre where there are excellent transport links to Manchester and other destinations.AshtonTown Centre is serviced by both a main bus terminal and railway station and the new Metrolink service currently under construction will provide fast links to Manchester city centre. The neighbourhood is appealing and attractive with many open green spaces not least of which are King GeorgeV playing fields, containing bowling greens, football pitches and a community run cafÊ. There are two well-regarded primary schools within the boundaries of the neighbourhood; Hurst Knoll and Mount Carmel Catholic Primary School and three others just a short walk away. For older children New Charter Academy and St Damian’s RC High School are a little further away but still within a comfortable walking distance. There are also various places of worship within the neighbourhood. There are very few local shops within the area; however this is not really a problem due to the close proximity of the town centre and further shops situated just outside the neighbourhood area.
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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.
Waterloo & LordsďŹ eld
Smallshaw and Broadoak
Hazelhurst
Crowhill Hillgate, Hilton & Ladbroke
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.
Albemarle Street
Clarence Road
Hilton Crescent
Lime Grove
Russell Street
Alderley Street
Clegg Place
Holden Street
Lower Green
Smithy Grove
Alexandra Street
Cottingham Drive
Hope Street
Middle Green
Stanhope Street
Alger Street
Curzon Road
Hurst Brook Close
Miller Street
Sycamore Crescent
Arlies Street
Diamond Close
Kings Road
Parry Walk
Union Road
Bengal Square
Egerton Street
Kings Walk
Pot Hill
Waterloo Street
Board Street
Elm Grove
Ladbrooke Road
Pot Hill Square
Whiteacre Road
Burgess Avenue
Evans Street
Leam Street
Princess Street
Whitworth Close
Cairns Place
Garden Walk
Queen Street
Cedar Street
Higher Green
Leesfield, Henrietta Street
Raynham Street
% of current rent arrears
Average number of repairs
The neighbourhood has some areas where rent arrears are a problem which means some households may be experiencing money management issues and could be at risk of losing their homes. It also indicates some households may need additional support.
The average number of repairs per property is quite high and indicates that properties do have some issues in terms of maintenance costs and the need to regularly replace components. Property damage is also an issue in some homes.
Average time to relet a property The time it takes to relet a property is generally good across the neighbourhood indicating that properties are generally popular and people who are eligible can move into their new homes relatively quickly.
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.
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% 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 feel secure in their homes. Neighbourhood satisfaction
The neighbourhood has significant problems with employment levels compared with similar neighbourhoods in Tameside. This indicates that many people in the neighbourhood are having difficulty accessing the jobs market and a significant number may not be well qualified for the jobs that are available. Education and skills
People’s general satisfaction with the neighbourhood as a place to live is good but there are some factors that spoil their experience and affect their enjoyment of the area.
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.
Crime
Household income
People in the neighbourhood experience significant levels of crime and vandalism in relation to other neighbourhoods in Tameside.Whilst levels of crime could not be described as high people do not feel as safe and secure as they should living in and walking around some parts of the neighbourhood.
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.
Health The neighbourhood has some issues with peoples 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.
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Employment
Access to services People in the neighbourhood have access to some shops and services from 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 stop it being as good a place as it could be. 07
Local knowledge: Auditing your neighbourhood While 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.
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What our Neighbourhood team told us There are some neighbour nuisance issues in the neighbourhood mainly based around noise and inconsiderate behaviour. There are also some hotspots in the neighbourhood with more intense antisocial behaviour issues including late night noise disturbance, mopeds being driven dangerously and some youth related issues including vandalism. The frequency of which people move in and out of the neighbourhood is low and it is easy to let most properties. People who do want to move usually want to remain in the area but need a larger property. The appearance of the neighbourhood is good with many open spaces and trees. However there is a significant problem with fly tipping and a number of open areas that are subject to littering and are in a poor condition. There are also problems with the condition of some gardens and also with dog fouling. Parking is a problem in some parts of the neighbourhood mainly due to lack of space in some areas or associated with usage around places of worship. There are pockets of properties in the neighbourhood who report high numbers of repair issues and there are also some problems with the condition of fencing in some areas.
There are issues in a small number of blocks of flats with inadequate provision of communal refuse bins. There are also issues around the condition and appearance of some communal drying areas. Some properties in age designated areas have been sold and are now rented privately which can cause some lifestyle clashes.
The Neighbourhood team work well with the established residents group and are also working with residents through a gardening group. It is felt that there is a lack of opportunities to gain regular input from residents across the whole neighbourhood. 09
What you told us On average the residents we consulted rate the neighbourhood 8 out of 10 as a place to live. So while people are positive about the area there are still some quality of life issues that people think need to be addressed. Some of the best features people identified about living in the neighbourhood were: cleanliness and the‘village’ feel of the neighbourhood, generally a quiet area, friendly neighbours and good access to town centre shops and amenities. The issues that people identified about living in the neighbourhood were the level of dog fouling, fly tipping, littering and youths congregating in some areas causing problems. People raised specific issues with us about:The condition of the car parks Dampness in some flats The standard of street cleaning Overgrown privets and hedges A lack of a youth club for older children A lack of play facilities for younger children A lack of access to computers and IT facilities A lack of places to eat A lack of visible policing The need for more community facilities More broadly people observed the lack of access to employment and benefits advice, childcare, drop in clinics and poor services for older residents as the issues which had direct impact on the neighbourhood.
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Some of the best features people identified about living in the neighbourhood were: cleanliness and the ‘village’ feel of the neighbourhood, generally a quiet area, friendly neighbours and good access to town centre shops and amenities. 11
What other organisations told us There are some health inequalities in the neighbourhood compared with the rest of Tameside particularly in terms of higher mortality and disability rates due to the age profile of the population and non-healthy lifestyles. Crime is an issue in the neighbourhood particularly in relation to low level antisocial behaviour partly from youths, but this is also linked to issues spilling over from the town centre in the evening as people pass through the area. There have also been issues with burglary and vehicle related crime in some areas and the poor layout and design of the neighbourhood is also seen as a significant contributing factor. It is important not to overstate the seriousness and frequency of crime in the neighbourhood. Access to employment and training and poor educational attainment are barriers for residents within the neighbourhood and have a particularly significant effect on young adults; a number of agencies identified poor links to employers, training providers and poor preparatory support. A variety of agencies think that young people in the neighbourhood also suffer more generally in terms of access to a range of facilities as well as a lack of personal development opportunities; more work in these particular areas would have a positive effect on youth related antisocial behaviour. There is also a general lack of play facilities for younger children. 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 part of the Government’s welfare reform and an increase in debt issues. There are also thought to be differences in levels of access to advice and support services across the neighbourhood particularly in relation to older and vulnerable people.
What we saw together: Appearance of the neighbourhood is generally good Significant litter observed around shops The park in Higher Green looks very dilapidated
High level of dog fouling Poor condition of the roads and pavements Small passage ways in the Hillgate area make the area feel insecure
Other parking areas also look unsightly Poor grass cutting
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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
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What?
Why?
When?
Target low level nuisance and youth congregation by an increased staff presence and joint working with the Police in the specific area identified. Monitor low level noise and other inconsiderate behaviour generally in the neighbourhood.
To reduce the incidence of antisocial behaviour (ASB) in the neighbourhood and improve resident’s quality of life.
November 2013
Work with the Police and the Community Safety team on target hardening, surveillance of youth related nuisance, congregation in communal areas and develop a more general policing plan targeting burglary, vandalism and car theft.
To reduce levels of vandalism and increase feelings of security for customers who feel vulnerable to crime. Development of a long term crime prevention strategy will ensure a consistent policing approach.
November 2013
Develop a neighbourhood wide Home Watch group with support from New Charter and input from the existing group.
Increasing the level of surveillance in the neighbourhood will increase the feeling of security and empowerment against crime.
July 2013
What?
Why?
When?
Carry out an audit to identify potential community venues and look at the feasibility of providing more space for community activities.
To ensure the neighbourhood has sufficient venues to host community activities and drop in services.
October 2013
Review current facilities and activities for young residents with Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council (TMBC) in addition to the provision of general community facilities, activities and services.
Identification of a broader range of facilities for both groups is needed to improve their quality of life and that of the community more generally.
January 2014
Work in partnership with TMBCYouth Services and New Charter’sYouth team to develop more diversionary activities with young people.
To reduce the level of antisocial behaviour from youths by providing positive activities and link youths to other services.
October 2013
CleanCare to increase targeting of fly tipping and litter in identified areas as well as continuing to work with Green Charter on the maintenance of communal areas.
To improve the appearance of green spaces and those areas experiencing litter problems.
March 2013
Work with TMBC and the Community Safety team to arrange positioning of physical barriers e.g. A- Frames, to prevent motorcycle riding on footpaths.
To increase community safety and reduce scooter and motor bike related nuisance within the neighbourhood.
April 2014
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
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What?
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Why?
When?
Work with partners to increase signposting of people to health advice and services. In addition work with Health Services to look at provision for older people and young families in particular, provide better access to Mental Health Support Services and improve education links in schools in respect of teenage pregnancy.
To improve the health of residents in the neighbourhood, the support they receive and the quality of life and independent living for older residents.
October 2013
Consistently signpost and refer customers and their families to employment and income advice services working with New Charter’s Great Opportunities programme and other partners to develop work experience placements for long term unemployed.
To increase resident’s opportunities of gaining employment and maximising their income.
April 2013
Work with TMBC to consider the introduction To reduce traffic congestion and of resident only parking restrictions in bottlenecks in the neighbourhood. identified areas.
July 2014
Work with TMBC to improve lighting in alleyways, car parks and areas which make people feel insecure or encourage congregating.
To improve the feeling of security within the neighbourhood.
March 2014
Increase the activities of TMBC environmental patrollers targeting dog fouling.
To reduce the level of dog fouling in the neighbourhood.
September 2013
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
What?
Why?
When?
Work with TMBC to increase the number of communal refuse bins around blocks of flats in the area.
To reduce fly tipping, improve the neighbourhood appearance and the quality of life for residents.
January 2014
Focus additional resources on trees and overgrown shrubs.
To improve the appearance of the streets and the neighbourhoods.
July 2013
Work in partnership with TMBC on the development of parks and open spaces.
To improve outdoor amenities for residents and their families.
February 2015
To reduce levels of vandalism and increase feelings of security for customers who feel vulnerable to crime. Development of a long term crime prevention strategy will ensure a consistent policing approach.
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Tenancy What?
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Why?
When?
Increase the use and targeting of mediation services in neighbour disputes.
To reduce neighbour disputes and improve neighbour relations.
April 2013
Increase tenancy and neighbourhood enforcement on activities that affect quality of life e.g. noise nuisance and pet ownership with a focus on garden maintenance.
To improve the quality of life for the majority of our residents as well as identifying and reducing unacceptable conduct.
April 2013
Develop a gardening tool hire service and a gardening club as a social enterprise venture for all residents in the neighbourhood.
To increase access to advice and equipment to maintain gardens.
July 2013
Visit older and vulnerable customers annually to assess any support or adaptations needs.
To maintain the quality of life and independent living for older residents.
April 2013
Provide increased support to identified vulnerable customers and link them to specialist support and advice services as well.
To help identified customers successfully manage their tenancy and reduce lifestyle clashes with other residents.
April 2013
Make targeted calls to customers in rent arrears to address the arrears and signpost to advice services.
To reduce arrears in the neighbourhood and therefore reduce the number of customers whose home is at risk due to debt issues.
April 2013
Signpost and refer customers who may benefit from the help of New Charter’s Welfare Benefits Advice team.
To reduce the number of evictions for non-payment of rent and provide help and advice on managing finances.
January 2013
What?
Why?
When?
Hold regular housing surgeries within the neighbourhood.
To make it easier and quicker for customers to access services and ensure neighbourhood issues are dealt with promptly.
February 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 customers 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... Improve the quality of life for the majority of our residents as well as identifying and reducing unacceptable conduct.
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Home What?
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Why?
When?
Review the damp issues and window fittings in identified properties and develop a programme to address these issues.
To improve the condition of the properties and ensure they are safe and heat efficient and that tenants’ quality of life are not affected.
October 2014
Undertake a review of local play facilities provision in consultation with residents.
To ensure children have well placed safe places to play.
October 2014
Develop a programme to improve the condition of communal drying areas.
To improve neighbourhood appearance and quality of life for residents.
August 2013
Undertake a fencing and boundary review of the further work required in the neighbourhood to homes and communal areas.
To assess if the fencing is adequate in terms of security and appearance and identify specific work needed to clarify boundaries.
July 2013
Develop a programme for any security orientated improvement works required to the lighting of car parks, pathways, alleyways and any other area identified as part of a wider review undertaken with partners, working with TMBC where applicable.
To increase feelings of security in the neighbourhood and improve neighbourhood appearance of communal and car parking areas.
September 2014
Undertake a review of the condition of access roads to car parks with TMBC and identify works required.
To improve ease of access to garage sites and improve parking availability for residents.
November 2014
What?
Why?
When?
Review the parking provision for customers on identified streets.
To identify any additional parking spaces required and the potential options for provision.
July 2014
Review the number of repairs issues in the neighbourhood.
To identify if there are any underlying issues in term of buildings, components, design or usage that need to be addressed.
April 2013
To ensure children have well placed safe places to play. 21
Involvement and empowerment What?
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Why?
When?
Continue to work with the regular residents group and provide any support and assistance they require to develop their gardening group and other activities.
To obtain detailed feedback from residents specifically on service and wider neighbourhood issues and work with them jointly on neighbourhood priorities.
January 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
Develop customer inspection on key customer identified issues.
Customer led monitoring of issues by getting the ‘customer eye’ view.
May 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 facebook 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?
Consider the feasibility of setting up a youth club and mother and toddler group run with community volunteers with initial support from New Charter.
To improve youth and family access to facilities, build a community network and develop the community’s ability to work on projects with others.
May 2014
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 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.
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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.
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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 =
600
Properties by type Houses
272
Bungalows
25
Flats
303
Black Minority Ethnic
7.98%
Under 16 55+
19.45%
30.55% 18 - 25
12.94%
Number of residents =
1090 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 residents’ quality of life. We think the key to success will be to continue to work together with you to achieve this.
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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
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Resource Housing Reg. No. 2111