Spring 2010

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Housing Services

Spring 2010

Latest Update on Financial Inclusion We are pleased to report progress on the Financial Inclusion Strategy approved last year.

Many of the 2009/10 targets have been met and others are being progressed, a full update can be obtained by checking our website at www.tamworth.gov.uk

In this issue:-

So far £273,042.46 worth of debt has been dealt with and £42,544.96 in total benefit has been secured for customers.

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Right Frist Time for Repair Service

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Spotlight on Tenant Participation Manager

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Your Waste, Your Worry?

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Estate Caretaking & Cleaning Services

www.tamworth.gov.uk

● Completing the survey that was sent out with your February rent statement. ● Telephoning the income team on 01827 709506

What’s happening locally?

TamworthCAN (Community Action Network) are open to the public at the Phil Dix Centre with partnership organisations. Members of the public are making good use of the services on offer. Meetings are between 5:00 and 7:00pm on a Tuesday evening and Saturday mornings between 10:00am and 12:00pm.

Our December Rent Campaign “Be an Angel Pay Your Rent on Time” (in conjunction with Two Rivers School, adverts on Arriva Buses and Touch FM) was very successful and rent arrears were reduced by some £48K, in comparison to 2008.

John Coombes (financial inclusion officer at Tamworth Borough Council), Citizens Advice Bureau, Home-Start, Relate, Tamworth Credit Union and many more Why not come along and see if we can help you?

Direct debits

What’s happening in the future?

Currently direct debits are offered on a monthly basis with a choice of payments on either the 1st or 16th of each month. The income team are currently undertaking a survey in regards to direct debits and whether residents would be interested in direct debits on a weekly basis.

Watch out for further developments in financial inclusion on our website and in future additions of Open House.

You tell us Your feedback on direct debits is very important to us.

You can tell us in the following ways until the end of March 2010: ● Feedback will be collected in local areas, for example, Tamworth Market and local supermarkets. ● You can complete an online survey on our website at www.tamworth.gov.uk

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Who will be in attendance?

If you need any help, advice or support then you can contact our Financial Inclusion Officer, John Coombes, located within the main offices, by email: john-coombes@ tamworth.gov.uk or by telephone on 01827 709 709.

Are you getting Housing Benefit/Council Tax Benefit?

Have you had a change in your circumstances

that you haven’t told us about?

The law says that you must tell the Benefits Team about changes to your circumstances.

Examples that you should tell us about are;

● ● ● ● ●

Anyone moves into or out of your home

● ● ● ●

Changes to your rent if you are not a Council Tenant

Your income or the income of anyone living with you changes Changes to any savings or investments held Any of your children leave school or become a student or start work Any member of your family starts or ends work, goes into a nursing home or goes into prison If you move If you and/or your partner will be away from home for more than a month Any other change to the details that your benefits are based on

If you are not sure please contact a member of the Benefits Team. You can phone us, write to us or go online to tell us about your change http://www.tamworth.gov.uk/housing/benefits/benefits_forms/changes_in_circumstances.aspx

Call the Benefits team on 01827 709540

Benefits Team, Marmion House,Lichfield Street, Tamworth B79 7BZ Email benefits@tamworth.gov.uk

Customer Dashboard Visit online for the latest performance indicators in housing www.tamworth.gov.uk/housing

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Right First Time for Repair Service Repair and maintenance services were reviewed in 2008. Tenants made a number of key recommendations: ● Implement an appointment system ● Improve the rate of jobs that are

fixed on a single visit ● Improve customer care standards

Morrison has responded to the Service Improvement Plan by implementing an appointment system and a process to measure the number of jobs completed in a single visit. All Morrison staff has attended ‘Passport to Work’ training to drive continuous improvement in customer care standards.

In January 2010 Morrison made further improvements by implementing mobile technology for operatives and the Opti - Time work scheduling system. This allows resources to be allocated and appointments made by the Morrison call centre and appointments kept by using real time planning software.

Once the operative has received their first appointment of the day on their PDA phone they complete the work, update the PDA

Morrison operative with PDA phone

phone, and another job is dispatched until they complete their working day. This ensures all pre arranged appointments are kept and allows more flexibility in dealing with unplanned events, such as emergencies, as the day unfolds.

The mobile technology will also allow more sophisticated monitoring and reporting on the number of visits required to complete a

By introducing hand held technology we will be more flexible to respond to customer demand and needs and in doing so improve the quality of the service Darren Jackson, Contract Manage

job via the PDA phone. It will also assist Morrison in complying with their health and safety responsibilities as it monitors the real time movement of the operative. The elimination of paper job tickets will also provide efficiencies in service delivery.

A customer satisfaction form will also be included on the PDA phone so that customers can provide instant feed back on the service they have received in real time. This feedback will be sent via the PDA phone to the call centre in confidence as the operative will be unaware of the customer’s comments. Any compliments will be fed back to the operative and any complaints will be investigated immediately by a return telephone call from the call centre.

Darren Jackson, Contract Manager, for the Morrison Tamworth Contract stated ‘The key driver for implementing the mobile technology was to meet and exceed the needs and expectations of the residents and Tamworth Borough Council. Morrison is very keen to build a successful and long lasting relationship with the residents of Tamworth and the local authority. By introducing hand held technology we will be more flexible to respond to customer demand and needs and in doing so improve the quality of the service’

Over the previous 12 months Morrison have continuously improved their performance in meeting key performance indicators these improvements will build upon the work done to date.

Operation Nemesis Staffordshire Police undertook a large-scale series of dawn raids for Class A drugs, across Tamworth on the 1 December 2009 and 12 January 2010.

Working in partnership with the Police Force, Tamworth Borough Council Landlord Services has served notices seeking possession on a number of tenanted properties throughout the borough following arrests of alleged drug dealers. This is the first step towards repossession.

Tamworth Borough Council regards Drug Dealing as a serious breach of the anti social behaviour clause, of its Tenancy Agreement. Legal action will always be taken, where appropriate, against tenants that are proven to use our properties and estates for the supply of drugs.

If you suspect your neighbour is dealing drugs from their property, please do not hesitate to contact Crimestoppers in confidence on 0800 555 111.

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98.70% of repairs appointments kept 99.08% of repairs fixed first time

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Spotlight on Leanne Allwood Name: Leanne Allwood New Job role: Tenant Participation Manager When did you start your new role?

I started my new role with Tamworth Borough Council January 2010.

Where did you work before?

I have been working in Housing for the last 7 years of which the last 6 years was spent as the Tenant Participation Officer with North Warwickshire Borough Council.

I enjoyed the experience of working with a whole array of different people and the continuous challenge of looking for new initiatives on how to actively engage customers across Housing Services.

What do you think you are going to enjoy the most about your new role?

I enjoy new challenges and meeting new people and look forward to engaging with customers of Tamworth Borough Council. I believe that tenant involvement is a vital part of Housing Management and it is only by working in partnership with customers that we can provide the best possible housing service. It is your ideas and involvement which contribute to fundamental changes within the housing services for the benefit of all. I want to make it easier than ever for customers to get involved and influence the services they receive. I welcome any ideas on how best to progress tenant involvement and look forward to meeting many of you in the very near future.

Beware of thieves operating in your area!

Residents are being urged to help police crackdown on opportunist thieves looking to break into homes across Tamworth.

Officers want householders to step up security by making sure they lock their windows and doors and don’t offer an “open invitation” to burglars.

During the last few weeks, a number of houses have been broken into in the Dosthill and Amington areas.

“The winter months can be a time when opportunist thieves try their luck,” explained Uttoxeter’s Neighbourhood policing Commander, Inspector Emma Griffiths.

“Householders can help themselves by making sure their homes are secure by locking doors and windows and looking at installing an alarm.

“Our advice is to leave lights on when you go out so that would be burglars think someone is at home.”

She said police officers were carrying out high profile patrols in all areas supported by community groups such as Neighbourhood Watch which were the “eyes and ears” of neighbourhood policing.

“The help and support police receive from the community is invaluable in the fight against crime and I would always encourage residents to get involved in their local Neighbourhood Watch group,” she said.

Leanne Allwood

Drug Dealer Repossession On 21 January 2010 the Estate Management Team successfully gained, at Tamworth Civil Court, outright possession of a Stonydelph Flat following the 32 year old tenant being imprisoned for 33 months for possession with intent to supply a Class A and Class C controlled drug.

Drug dealing is seen as a serious breach of tenancy, and Tamworth Borough Council has a zero tolerance to this serious type of criminal offence in its properties.

The tenant, who attended the hearing to defend, was also ordered to pay costs and an arrears judgement by the Court.

“My message to criminals looking to target homes or businesses or deal drugs in Tamworth is simple – police officers will be treading hard on your toes so stay well away.”

244 people on the database for tenant involvement.

This has exceeded last years target by 77 new tenants or leaseholders.

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Housing Capital Programme 2010 and beyond March 31st 2010 sees us reach the end of our current investment programme and the achievement of the Governments Decent Homes Standard, but the work doesn’t stop there.

During the summer of 2009 with the help of Ridge Consultants we completed a new Stock Condition survey in which we carried out a detailed survey of over 900 Council homes, approximately 20% of the housing properties. All of the information collected during this survey has been analysed and is being used to plan our future budgets and to help us decide what and where we will be carrying out investment work over the next 5 years.

By the end of February 2010 we should have a detailed programme of works for the 2010/11 financial year with a good indication of the works likely to be carried out through to 2015.

It is expected that we will continue to replace kitchens, bathrooms and boilers as they reach the end of their serviceable life, there will be some rewiring, fencing works, painting and window replacement all based on the results of the stock condition survey.

During March and early April we will write to all tenants whose homes have been included on the 2010/11 capital programme to advise them what work is being done and who will be doing the work. During the course of the year our Contractors will contact tenants direct to arrange to carry out surveys; once a survey has been done the Contractor will agree a date for the work to be completed.

Later in the year the full 5-year programme will be communicated through the Housing Management teams and the contact management centre. The 5-year programme will be subject to change year-on-year as it is reliant on the budget made available each year. At the start of each new financial year once budgets have been agreed we will write to those tenants whose homes are confirmed as being in the programme.

Details of the 5-year programme will be made available through our website on www.tamworth.gov.uk following the link to housing or by contacting our contact management centre on 01827 709709.

Your Waste, Your Worry?

What is ‘Duty of Care’?

Under legislation that came into force in late 2005, residents should be aware that they have a ‘Duty Of Care’ to ensure that any rubbish not collected from them as part of a council service, must be collected by a business licensed to carry waste. Anyone that takes waste away from your home (or business) has to be a registered waste carrier.

If collected waste items are taken by a non-registered carrier and potentially fly-tipped, the resident could be liable and face a fine.

To check if your carrier is registered, you should ask for the ‘waste carrier number’. This can be verified by either calling the Environment agency on 08708 506 506 and asking for a waste carrier validation check, or you can check online at www.environment-agency.gov.uk/publicregister If you find that your carrier is not registered, residents should refuse there services and notify the environment agency.

Are you aware that services on your property that are carried out and generate waste, (such as gardening work or building/ plumbing work) All waste created from these services should also be disposed of responsibly. Does your gardener, builder or plumber hold a waste transfer licence? Do you know if they take waste from your property is being disposed of properly and not fly tipped? Don’t forget it’s your ‘Duty of Care’. Remember; ask for the waste carrier number.

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The Income Team and Housing Advice Team working together, prevented one family being evicted during December.

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Estate Mangement Team

YOU SAID, WE DID In order to show our commitment to you as part of our “You Said, We Did” campaign, we have listened to your concerns and changed how we manage problems that arise within the community.

Campaign

Most of our events can be planned in advance, such as Estate walkabouts and Inspections, which are advertised below.

Date of Inspections

Housing Officer

Areas Covered

Julia Gibbs

Fazeley, Belgrave Ninefoot Lane Estate, Wilnecote, Hockley, Old Kettlebrook, Gillway & Borough Road Estate

2nd Tuesday of each month

Margaret Seedhouse

Glascote, Bolehall & Old Glascote

3rd Tuesday of each month

Tracey Johnson

Stonydelph, Kettlebrook Two Gates & Dosthill

2nd Wednesday of each month

Sharon Johnson

Coton Green, Leyfields, Town Centre & The Leys

3rd Wednesday of each month

ur diary Estate Walkabouts - dates for yo

Old Glascote

Town Centre / Leys Walkabout

Kettlebrook

Date: Thursday 24 June 2010 Time: Starts at 2.00pm mmunal Meeting Point: Edward Court Co te Room, St George’s Way, Glasco Date: Thursday 29 July 2010 Time: Starts at 2.00pm l Lounge, Meeting Point: Sunset Communa Sunset Close 0 Date: Thursday 23 September 201 Time: Starts at 2.00pm Meeting Point: Glenfield, Lower Park, Kettlebrook

Amington Walkabout

Open days The Estate Management Team introduced short-notice Open Days in 2009. In partnership with the Police, Street Wardens, Estate Caretaking Team, Neighbourhood Safety Co-ordinator and other agencies, we can advertise and hold an Open Day in your area with officers in attendance you can discuss your concerns with. We can also invite Barnardo’s, Home Start, Sure Start or other agencies depending on the needs for each community. We are not just about anti-social behaviour but about actively engaging with the community and assisting with our residents’ support needs.

Operation Teamwork In addition to these events, we also actively participate in Operation Teamwork. For the last 3 years, Operation Teamwork has involved a number of agencies concentrating on one area for two full days providing a range of services and showing a high presence. As with Open Days, we recognise that needs change and organising events at shorter notice where they are needed is a much better use of resources than planning ahead each year.

PACT Monthly PACT (Partners and Communities Together) meetings are held in most areas where residents meet with partner agencies including Housing Officers, Street Wardens, Local Councillors and Police. The object of these meetings is for residents to raise concerns and have these issues looked into. The dates and locations for these meetings are advertised on the Staffordshire police website along with details of your local policing team.

If you would like more information about any of these events, please contact the Estate Management Team, Monday to Thursday 8.45am to 5.10pm, Friday 8.45am to 5.05pm at Tamworth Borough Council, Marmion House, Lichfield Street, Tamworth, B79 7BZ. Tel: 01827 709491.

Email: estatemanagementteam@tamworth.gov.uk

100% Of all reported anti social behaviour received by the Estate Management Team is formally acknowledged in writing with an action plan within 5 working days

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Finding A Home and Choice Based Lettings

Meet Your Voids & Allocations Team

Void and Allocations Team

We would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to the new members of staff that have recently joined our dedicated Voids and Allocations Team who deal with the management of Tamworth Borough Council’s empty properties.

The aim of the Team is to ensure that properties are let as fast as we can so that it minimises applicants waiting time on the housing register, the period which a property is kept empty, minimal rental income is lost and it reduces the risk of vandalism or squatters.

The new team are pleased to report that they have already achieved best performance in November and December 2009 when properties were turned around on average within 22 days which well exceeds our target of 30 days.

To follow the team’s ongoing performance, please visit our website at www.tamworth.gov.uk

Voids & Allocations Team: Housing Manager -

Mrs Lee Birch, Housing Officers – Steph Norton & Lorna Wilkes

Housing Assistants – Julie Elliott & Jamie Duff Landlord Services believe in meeting people’s housing needs and re-letting empty homes as fast as possible to minimise your time on the waiting list.

A tenant’s view to feeling afraid in their own home This letter was received by a tenant who is experiencing anti social behaviour. She would like you to stop and think about where your children are and what they are getting up to;

Don’t miss out on using your vote The Borough and Parliamentary Elections are fast approaching this year so make sure you don’t lose your chance to vote!

You are not automatically registered to vote; if you are not on the electoral register when an election is called you will not be able to vote. To register all you need to do is fill in an Elector Registration application form. These can be obtained by calling 01827 709263/265 or alternatively you can download one from www.aboutmyvote.co.uk

evening and agers go in the en te ng u yo r u where yo “Do you know use over the ing? I ask beca do e ar ey th t y wha more importantl rienced various and I have expe rs ou hb ig ne y s m r windows. last few month g thrown at ou in be gs eg d an es, stones people. missiles, potato bled and elderly sa di r fo ow al il bung I live in a counc

At all elections, you can choose whether to vote at a polling station or by post. To vote by post you must have completed a postal vote application. At the moment we do not know the date of the Parliamentary Election. If you think you would like a postal vote please apply as soon as possible. Applications can be obtained by calling 01827 709263/265 or alternatively you can download one from www.aboutmyvote.co.uk

to leave my at I am scared th s ou rv ne so me alk past This has made e whenever I w m e at id m ti in ed agers involv home. The teen quickly. I feel and can’t move ile ob m ry ve t them. I’m no s or ould your parent w ow H e. m ho own terrorised in my el living like me? grandparents fe

hat’s happening are aware of w e lic po e th d dens an yself The street war grandchildren m ve ha I . le ib ss as much as po but I and are helping like complaining t n’ do I e. m comfort to who are a great ur to stop. ti social behavio an is th t an w ly real ren then this n and grandchild re ild ch r u yo to any If you can talk to be frightened t an w t n’ do I tim like me. might help a vic more!”

Report all anti social behaviour to the Estate Management Team on 01827 709491

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Properties let in 24 days in November and December exceeded targets of 30 days.

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Tamworth Borough Council Estate Caretaking & Cleaning Services The Councils Estate Caretaking & Cleaning Services Team are responsible for keeping clean and tidy the internal communal areas and housing community land where you live.

How to report a problem with the cleaning in your block or rubbish in your area If you think an area of cleaning has fallen below the standard of cleanliness you expect or you wish to report any issue regarding the graffiti or rubbish in your area, please let us know by contacting us on the telephone number below:

Estate Caretaking & Cleaning Services Monday to Thursday - 8.45am to 5.10pm Friday - 8.45am to 5.05pm Telephone number: 01827 254867

We aim to keep your communal areas clean and as pleasant as possible by:

● Having a routine programme for cleaning. ● Removal of non offensive graffiti within 28 days and offensive with 24 hours.

How to report repairs in your block

Standard of Communal Cleaning

Sadly, in spite of our best efforts, some of our communal areas are occasionally damaged or vandalised. If you come across damage or areas in poor state of repair, please let us know by contacting us on:

Every communal housing block receives a regular inspection from the services Team Leader. A written quality control report is created for these areas and our performance will be published regularly in the Tenants Open House Magazine and Tamworth Borough Council website.

Repairs Call Centre: 0800 183 0044

Wish upon a star

★★★

We’ve got £15,000 up for grabs for local community projects

Wish upon a star is a new scheme aimed at encouraging and promoting local community activity for tenants of Tamworth Borough Council. The Tenant Participation team at Tamworth Borough Council and the repairs contractor Morrison Facilities Services have teamed up to help make your wish for a local community project or activity become a reality.

It’s over to you to decide what you would like to see in your local community, as a “starter for 10” possible projects could include:

The aim of the wish upon a star scheme is to:

★ Projects that engage communities and identify neighbourhood needs

★ Encourage local community action amongst tenants and residents of Tamworth Borough Council

★ Projects that empower groups and the wider community

★ Support activities that contribute to the Tenant Participation Strategy

★ Projects that promote a positive image of the Tamworth area

★ Support ideas that improve Housing Services

★ Projects to involve children and young people more purposefully and imaginatively in tenant participation and action in their own neighbourhoods ★ Local environmental projects

The most important things to consider: ★ Projects meet local need and benefit local people ★ Must include, involve and be of benefit to tenants of Tamworth Borough Council ★ Must have wide community support ★ Must promote community engagement and cohesion

What do I need to do?

Once you have come up with an idea for a project or activity, please send your suggestion to us including where it would or could take place together with your name, age, address, contact telephone number and indicate if you are a tenant of Tamworth Borough Council.

Please post your suggestion to the Tenant Participation Team at Tamworth Borough Council, Marmion House, Lichfield Street, Tamworth, Staffordshire, B79 7BZ or alternatively call the Tenant Participation Team on freephone 0800 183 0454. You can also hand your idea to a member of staff at the reception desk at Marmion House.

Our wish upon a star scheme can fund a whole host of other community projects, so get your thinking caps on…

During the month of January 2010 the Housing Advice team prevented 47 households from becoming homeless. Tel: 01827 709459 for housing advice.

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Colour it in

winner!

Spot the difference to

win!

Tamworth Borough Council is offering you the chance to win £20 if your spot the difference competition entry is selected from our prize draw.

There are just two competition rules:

Congratulations to Connor Shorthouse (3-7 years catagory) and Matthew Walpole (8-12 years catagory) who were the lucky winners of the colouring competition in the December 2009 issue of Open House.

Enjoy your prize!

Thanks to everybody who sent in competition entries!

● You have to be a tenant of Tamworth Borough Council. ● You have to circle 3 differences between these two photographs.

Once you think you’ve found all 3 differences, circle them clearly, fill in and cut out the entry form and then return it by 19 April 2010 to the following address: Diane Hughes, Tamworth Borough Council, Marmion House, Lichfield Street, Tamworth Staffordshire B79 7BZ. All correct entries will be entered into a prize draw and the winner notified soon after the deadline. The competition is open to Tamworth Borough Council tenants only.

Good luck!

Name: ____________________________________________________________________________ Address: __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________

Due to an error at our printers some of you may have received your last copy of Open House addressed to the wrong person. The issue was caused during the data processing stage and the printers have apologised unreservedly for the error and for any inconvenience or worry caused to our readers. They have assured us that systems have now been implemented to ensure that this doesn’t happen again in the future.

Telephone No: ____________________________________________________________________

If you would find it easier to talk to us in your own language please ask an englishspeaking friend or relative to contact 0800 183 0454. We can arrange for an interpreter to contact you to discuss any translation you need.

If you would like to get involved then contact

Tamworth Borough Council’s Tenant Participation team: Leanne Allwood Tenant Participation Manager 01827 709448

Diane Hughes Tenant Participation Assistant 01827 709374

Helen Rich Customer Service Assistant 01827 709260

If you would like this document in a different form, for example audio cassette, large print or Braille, please contact the Tenant Participation team on 0800 1830454

email us: tenantparticipation@tamworth.gov.uk

Tamworth Borough Council 8

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Marmion House, Lichfield Street, Tamworth, Staffordshire B79 7BZ. Enquiries: (01827) 709709 Designed and Produced by Tamworth Borough Council Main Fax: (01827) 709271