Tel: 0300 303 1190
Email: enquiries@mmha.org.uk
Web: www.shropshirehousing.org.uk
Meres News For all the local news about your community | Issue 18 – Autumn 2011
! y d a e r l a n m Autu
n m u t u A s i h t e r i h s p Shro n i g n i n e p p a h ’s t See wha In this issue... Millington Close Gardens Open Day Page 3
Fun Day Pictures Page 5
TARCA Garden Competition winners Page 11
CONTENTS
meet the Board
2 Meet The Board/Our Services to you 3 Gardens Open Day/Birthday celebrations 4 Oil Tank Loans/Downsizing 5 Group Pages 9 Toilet Blockages/Your Feedback 10 Taking A Closer Look/Board Size 11 TARCA 12 Competitions
HOW TO CONTACT US
If you require this document in audio, braille, large print or if English is not your first language then please contact us.
STEPHEN DONKERSLEY lives in Wem and has been a Board Member of the MMHA Board of Management since December 2007. Stephen had a 33 year career as a S te phen Donke rsley probation officer and MMHA Board Membe r social work manager. He currently sits on a panel of independent persons investigating complaints against local authorities.
Si vous avez besoin de ce document en audio, braille, gros caractères, ou si l’anglais n’est pas votre langue première veuillez nous contacter. French Jeśli wymagasz tego dokumentu w audio, Braille’a, duże wydruku, lub jeśli angielski jest nie pierwszy język prosimy kontakt. Polish Если вам требуется этот документ в аудио, Брайля, крупных печатных, или если английский является не ваш первый язык напишите нам. Russian Os oes angen y dogfen hon mewn ffurf wahannol, er enghraifft Braille, llythrennau mawr, tâp audio neu iaith wahanol, gadewch i ni wybod os gwelwch yn dda. Welsh
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Se ha bisogno di questo documento in audio, Braille, grande stampa, o se inglese è la prima lingua contattaci. Italian
You can contact us in a number of ways: 1 PHONE 0300 303 1190 1 FREEPHONE
0800 4346289
1 EMAIL enquiries@mmha.org.uk
1 IN WRITING by sending your letter to us at Meres and Mosses Housing Association, Talbot House, High Street Wem SY4 5AA 1 IN PERSON by coming along to the reception desk at Talbot House.
OFFICE OPENING HOURS Our normal office opening hours are:
Our regulator, The Tenants Services Authority has asked all social landlords to produce local offers through six standards that cover the services we provide. Our current offers and the progress we have made are set out in the Tenants Report 2011 sent to you with this newsletter.
8.45am - 5.00pm Monday - Thursday 8.45am - 4.30pm Friday.
2 | Meres News Autumn 2011 | Tel: 0300 303 1190
All updates on the local offers will be marked with the appropriate sticker (see below) for the standard it applies to.
Tenant Involvement and Empowerment standard
Home standard
Tenancy standard
Neighbourhoods and Communities standard
Value for Money standard
Governance and Financial Viability standard
www.shropshirehousing.org.uk | Meres News Autumn 2011 | 3
Are you struggling to pay for your oil tank to be filled? A loan of £300 from Just Credit Union will cost £7.51 per week. £1.00 a week of this will go into your own personal savings account. So take advantage of a Just Credit Union Oil Loan Just Credit Union are available at MMHA’s office in Wem, Tuesdays 10am – 12noon or call them on 01743 252325.
Is your home too
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big?
If you find your current home too large to cope with, we can help you move to smaller more suitable accommodation. MMHA are currently running a downsizing scheme that will help you move to a smaller property.
Option 1
A no strings attached cash grant of £2000 which is paid to you when you move. You make all the arrangements connected to the removal yourself, and you can spend the money as you wish.
Option 2
A removal package, a named officer to arrange the move, and a smaller cash grant. The removal package includes: • Advice and assistance • Packing and transportation of furniture • Reconnection of utility services • Furniture removal and unpacking
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The total cost of the removals package will be deducted from the £2000 grant and any remaining money will be paid when you move. If you owe and rent to MMHA, this will be deducted from your grant. There is a limited amount of money available for the scheme, so payments will be made on a first come, first served basis.
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yet? nt Census e id s e R r and ou the form, mpleted y ff o o c t n u o ri y p , e Hav ely you r website Alternativ e go to ou . s a le le ib p s , s t o o one. p If n ver the ph o as soon as s s il u a o t t e d it return lan our take the r we can p nd we can e a t t s e u b ll e a h c t can back, eeds. we receive eet your n The more m o t s e ic serv
4 | Meres News Autumn 2011 | Tel: 0300 303 1190
The Your Viewpoint Funday was held at the Shrewsbury
Sports Village in August and enjoyed by all who attended.
Attendance was nearly double from last year and staff received
some really good feedback from tenants about the
day. If you have further feedback visit shgcommunity.co.uk. Here are some of the tenants who got involved.
www.shropshirehousing.org.uk | Group News Autumn 2011
Basic Bank Accounts From March 2012 giro cheques will no longer be paid out by the Post Office to welfare recipients. Instead PayPoint will provide welfare payments (free of charge to customers) over the counter at PayPoint outlets in newsagents, community stores, and other local outlets. You could have your benefits paid into a Bank Account instead.
With a basic bank account you
When choosing a basic bank account
◆ Don’t get a cheque book
CHECK you can use cash machines near
◆ Don’t get an overdraft
where you live or work for free (ask the bank or building society if you aren’t sure).
◆ Can pay in cheques for free ◆ Can take money out at cash machines
CHECK there is a branch of the bank/
◆ Can pay bills by Direct Debit or standing order (which usually means services are cheaper)
CHECK you can pay money in or get
Basic bank accounts are usually free UNLESS you don’t have enough funds in the account when a direct debit is drawn. Then you will receive a charge - which can be up to £20 a time.
Group News Autumn 2011 | Tel: 0300 303 1109
building society near you where you can pay in money and check your account. money out at a Post Office® branch, if this is important for you.
CHECK you will get the services you need like a debit card, Direct Debits or standing orders.
ADVANTAGES Convenience Many employers insist on paying wages into a bank account. You can have all your welfare benefits paid into a bank account which means that you do not have to make time to go to a post office to cash a cheque.
Flexibility
Safety
Instead of carrying all of your money with you, you can use a debit card to make purchases or withdraw a small amount of money from various locations.
Money left in a home or on your person can be stolen or lost. Money in a bank account is insured against loss so even if your bank goes bankrupt, your money is still safe.
Shropshire Housing Group works with Just Credit Union. They offer a basic bank account, training on how to use it and they have community branches at:
Ludlow
Wem
Mondays & Thursdays office hours: South Shropshire Voluntary Action, Corve Street Thursdays 10.00 - 11.30: Rockspring Community Centre, Sandpits Estate
Craven Arms South Shropshire Housing Association, The Gateway Tuesdays 14.00 - 16.00
Meres and Mosses Housing Association, Talbot House Tuesdays – by appointment:
Market Drayton Community Information Centre Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday 9.30 - 1pm and 1.30. - 3pm; Saturdays 9.30.-1pm:
You can also contact them on 01743 252 325 or go to: www.justcreditunion.org
Training! Shropshire Housing Group plans to work with the Citizens Advice Bureau to provide some simple training courses on how to manage your money. These courses will be FUN and easy. We will look at bank accounts, budgeting and simple ways to save money. If you have money worries we can also help you get some specialist support and help. If you are interested in attending any of these courses please contact our Customer Services team to put your name down, and we will contact you to let you know where the nearest one is in your area.
www.shropshirehousing.org.uk | Group News Autumn 2011
Solid fuel servicing
There is much publicity around carbon monox ide poisoning and gas However research show installations. s that the risk of dying from carbon monoxide times higher from a fa exposure is up to ten ulty solid fuel applianc e. Shropshire Housing Grou p are required under the Heath and Safety at Wo rk Act to ensure all type s of heating systems in its properties are safe to use and that records are kept in relation to annual servicing and sa fety checks. We will carry out a full an nual service of your appliance and carry out a visual and smoke test on your flue. If requir ed, further tests may be carried out and remed ial action taken to ensure your appliance and its flu e is functioning safely.
This work is completely free to our tenants, however access is need ed to the property to ca rry out the works. In addition to this, the appliance will need to be out of us e for the work to be carried out. An appoint ment will be made with you at your convenience and to give you time to ensure your appliance is out of use. TRL will carry out this work.
r a e Y e h T f o e ic Apprent e of the been awarded Apprentic Michael Monteith has hire College. (electrical) from Shrops
Year
Dale Vass, Senior Electrician
Group News Autumn 2011 | Tel: 0300 303 1109
Following the harsh winter of 2010 we received a complaint that a tenant’s water pipes were continually bursting. This was because they were not properly insulated, and had been installed by a previous contractor. The tenant that complained received £50 for the cleaning of carpets that had been stained due to the water leak, this was because responsibility for
the source of the leak could not be agreed upon. As a result of this complaint and the high numbers of households that experienced burst pipes during the winter, the Asset Managers held a review.
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They decided that TRL will now insulate all pipework as standard, and this will be included within the Empty Homes Policy.
www.shropshirehousing.org.uk | Meres News Autumn 2011 | 9
Taking a Closer Are you intere sted in taking a closer look at our service s?
If so, you migh t be interested in joining our panel. We are resident scruti looking to imp ny rove how we in of our services vo lve tenants in and performan reviews ce. We already invo lve tenants in carrying out su in some areas. rveys and doin The Scrutiny P g ‘spot checks anel offers the The panel will ’ ch ance for you to carry out shor dig a bit deeper t reviews of par recommendat . ts of our servic ions to our Boa e and would b rd members fo e able to make r changes to im If you want to prove the serv know more an ic e. d think you m contact either ight want to g Jen Hayball (A et involved in ssistant Direc or Sarah Platt scrutiny tor – Perform (Resident Invo a nce & Govern lvement Man ance) ager) on 0300 303 1190.
Big
How e B d r a o B e h t d l u o h S
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its tting the size of cu at ok lo to ed t there are 12 MMHA has agre At the momen t. en em ag an cing it Board of M thinking of redu is A H M M ; rd oa oard has no places on the B portantly, the B Im . rs be em m who are down to 9 on of the Board ti or op pr e th the Board so plans to change make up 1/3 of ill st ld ou w ey nants. tenants. Th rs, 3 would be te be em m 9 to d if it was reduce ousing r the size of a H fo r be m u n l ca ng Federation There is no typi National Housi e th , rd oa B on ciations) Associati r housing asso fo n io at is n ga (an umbrella or least 5 s should have at suggests Board
members. no more than 12 members and ns are more associatio d an e or m , er and Howev rds work better oa B r le al sm finding that fective. can be more ef . If you think about this u yo at h w ow size of the We want to kn ews about the vi r u yo s u d n t it out want to se is reply slip, cu th in ll fi se ea pl MMHA Board – Services, s at: Corporate SY7 9BW and send it to u s, Shropshire, rm A n ve ra C , Talbot The Gateway our offices at of e on to in es pli n Arms. OR drop your re ateway, Crave G e Th at or House, Wem
I think cutting the size of the MMHA Board is a good idea because: I think cutting the size of the MMHA Board is a bad idea because:
YOUR NAME: YOUR ADDRESS:
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www.tarca.org.uk
Tel: 01630 652953
Mobile: 07530 002771
email: tarcashropshire@yahoo.com
TARCA garden
competition winners B
A
D
C
E
I
F
H
G
J K
A Front Garden and Overall Winner: C Gaughan from Ash B Front garden runner up: E Edwards from Baschurch C Back Garden winner: C Thomas from Baschurch D Back Garden runner up: Mrs Harmer from Baschurch E Pots Winner: D Thomas from Market Drayton F Pots runner up: E Fleming from Market Drayton G Baskets winner: O Peppiat from Baschurch
L
H Runner up baskets: D Leah from Wem I Group garden winner: Normanbrook Court, Market Drayton J Group garden runner up: Millington Close, Baschurch K Environmental garden winner: P Bradbury from Higher Heath L Environmental garden runner up: Mrs Jones from Baschurch
www.shropshirehousing.org.uk | Meres News Autumn 2011 | 11
Competitions Previous winners The winner of last time’s summer word spotter was Vicki Ashley from Whitchurch who won a £30 love to shop voucher. The winner of the children’s spot the ice cream competition was Amber Higgins from Market Drayton who also won a £30 love to shop voucher.
Adults
Name Address
This time’s competition requires a sharp eye, we want you to find the phrase below within one of the articles in meres news, then all you need to do is send in your entry form to win £30 in vouchers.
Postcode
Phrase: At the moment there are 12 places
Telephone number
Answer
Childrens Childrens Competition: Find the autumn leaves. How many leaves can you find hidden throughout this edition of Meres News? Write your answer for a chance to win a £30 toy voucher. Answer
Parent/Guardians name Address
Postcode Telephone number
The closing date for the competitions is Friday 21st October. Send your entry to Vicki Coleman, The Gateway, The Auction Yard, Craven Arms SY7 9BW
59424: 12/09/2011
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Name