Tenant News - March 2011

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Tenant News Produced by Tenants for Tenants

issue 11

as the proposals to install solar panels on the roofs of our houses.

TACT has added the Sustainable Housing Group to its list of subgroups which deal with a variety of housing issues.

Janet Berry

Welcome... to the first edition of Tenant News concentrating on green issues.

It seems an appropriate time for Tenant News to “go green”, in view of recent developments such

Going Solar!

Winchester City Council has decided to seek tenders to place solar panels on south facing roofs of its housing stock.

The move comes after the last government introduced a scheme of feed in tariffs (FITs), otherwise known as Clean Energy Cashback, to encourage households and landlords to install solar panels on their roofs.

The Photovoltaic (PV) panels convert sunlight into electricity, which can be used to run household appliances and lighting.

The chosen company will pay for the installation costs and in return will receive the FIT incentive payment for 25 years.

It will also get a set payment of the electricity generated by the Produced by Tenants for Tenants

This group has been set up to work with the Council to look at energy efficient and renewable energy measures and ways of reducing the carbon footprint of both the council housing stock and of tenants.

It will promote measures which can lead to tenants living in more comfortable homes with lower energy bills, in more environmentally friendly

March 2011

surroundings as well as looking into building new environmentally friendly housing.

A TACT Manifesto is being produced whereby the Council and TACT agree to carry out agreed actions in order to reduce greenhouse emissions.

Tenants in Winchester and all over the country are already doing a lot as individuals and in groups to act on climate change.

If we can have fun doing it in our communities, make our lives better and healthier in the process and cut down on our energy bills as well, then why not do some more!!

panels which is sold to the energy supplier, together with a separate payment for electricity exported to the national grid which is not used on site.

This measure is good news for the Winchester district as a whole as it will reduce its carbon footprint. It’s also good news for those tenants whose houses have PV panels installed, as they will benefit from free electricity during daylight hours.

This will reduce bills on average by £80 to £125 per household per year. Initial surveys carried out by the Council identify just over 2’000 houses, out of a total of about 5’000, have suitable roofs. Tenants in these homes will get lower energy bills.

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INSIDE this issue...

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Win a compost bin

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Energy Saving Tips

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Going green nationwide page 1

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If the Council was able to pay for and install the panels itself, it would be able to receive all of the FIT income for 25 years, some or all of which could have been reinvested in the council housing stock. The Council says it cannot afford to install the solar panels but will ask the company to pay ‘roof rental’ and profit share.

TACT’s Sustainable Housing group believes it is important that this money should be used towards energy efficient measures to reduce the energy bills of those tenants who don’t have south facing roofs and will not have solar panels fitted on them.

What do you think? Let us know.

The group has also urged the Council to involve tenants from the start with this process.

Informing us what is happening, help answer any questions we may have, give us advice on how to make the most of free electricity during the day and how to report any problems.

In turn, we will also be investigating tenants’ experiences from other parts of the country. We will let you know what we find out.

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Greening Our Communities

Photo: Ron Smith

...continued from page 1 It’s important that the carbon footprint of all of the Council’s housing stock continues to be lowered and that all tenants benefit from lower electricity bills.

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Tenants in other parts of the country have been busy trying out new ways of greening their communities, recycling and using renewable energy.

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In London, the Edible Estates scheme has resulted in some fantastic projects being carried out by tenants on estates all over London, as tenants find their own food growing spaces. In one estate in Hackney, over 150 people have taken part in planting fruit trees on unloved patches of land, filling disused raised beds with seedlings, and covering railings with sunflowers, beans and peas.

In Greenwich, one estate has reclaimed a piece of common land used as a dumping ground and turned it into a gardening plot that is valued as an open access allotment.

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A tenant in Gloucester has set up a furniture recycling scheme, recycling white goods for new tenants to use.

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Another tenant has set up a scooter pool for residents to hire.

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A residents’ association in Lincolnshire is now being funded by a communal 5kw wind turbine which feeds power directly into the grid.

These are just some of the projects that have recently been started up by tenants and residents in other parts of the country.

In Winnall, the caretakers and residents at the flats at Winnall Manor Road are busy creating flower beds and a wildlife area around their homes.

Could we be doing more in Winchester? Are there any neglected pieces of land where you live, or disused garden beds that could be used for growing fruit, vegetables or flowers? Do you have any other ideas for making the areas where we live more environmentally friendly?

Do you think there are any measures the Council could take as landlords to make our homes more environmentally friendly?

Please let us know!!

Growing Veg on Balconies

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You don’t need a large garden to grow your own!

sure you cover them well.

You could grow tomatoes in baskets – get a bag or bin and put a few potatoes in. Check them once a week and make

If your balcony gets quite warm, try and grow cucumbers.

Garlic and herbs in pots – even spring onions, lettuce, asparagus or peppers.

If you have a deep bucket try leeks, carrots or even Produced by Tenants for Tenants

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Energy Saving Tips Energy used in homes is responsible for over a quarter of all UK emissions of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas causing climate change.

By making your home as energy efficient as possible you will reduce carbon emissions and could save an average £250 a year on fuel bills.

The average household wastes around £40 a year simply by leaving appliances on standby.

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You can’t switch most electronic goods off just with the remote control To turn off an appliance completely, use the power switch on the appliance itself or turn it off at the plug If a charger or power pack is warm or has a light on, it’s probably using power

In the kitchen G

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Boil a kettle with only as much water as you need Cover pots and pans when cooking, they will boil a lot quicker and reduce condensation Match the size of the cooking ring to the size of the saucepan to avoid heating air

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Cook several different foods on one ring with a steamer

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Using a microwave rather than a conventional oven to heat up a small amount of food could save you energy

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Avoid putting hot food in the fridge or freezer

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Try not to leave your fridge door open as it takes energy to cool down again

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Buy a halogen oven, they are cheaper and use less energy than a conventional oven

mushrooms on a windowsill.

Runner and broad beans – these can also be grown in deep buckets.

Top tip – when you grow leeks put an empty kitchen roll over the top and you will get more white flesh!

Try and grow them from seed – it takes longer but is much more rewarding.

Produced by Tenants for Tenants

Washing clothes G

Wash clothes at 30 degrees.

It’s just as effective for a normally soiled load

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Run your washing machine or dishwasher with full loads

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Avoid tumble drying. Dry clothes outdoors when possible to save money and energy

Heating and hot water G

Turning down your thermostat if it’s set too high will save around £50 a year on your heating bills

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Set your immersion heater or hot water tank to 60 degrees Celsius

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Try to remember to switch the lights off every time you leave a room

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Replacing all the remaining traditional light bulbs in your home with energy saving ones could save you around £25 a year

Want to learn more?

Visit www.energysavingtrust.org.uk or go to Winchester’s Action on Climate Change www.winacc.org.uk page 3

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Win a Compost Bin Identify the missing word in this article by John Harding, of Compton and you can win your own compost bin. Answers on a postcard, together with your name, address and contact details to Tenant Participation Manager, FREEPOST NAT 15377, Winchester, SO23 9ZW or email your answer, name and contact details to tenantinvolvement@winchester.gov.uk by FRIDAY 15th APRIL 2011.

Put hay (not too much), straw or potato peelings into a black bag and wait a while before transferring them to your bin.

What’s on …

Hot off the Press At January’s packed joint meeting of TACT there was a heartfelt plea from a tenant of a sheltered scheme.

TACT meetings are held on the third Wednesday of every month in the afternoon from 2.00-4.00pm, and in the evening from 7.30-9.30pm in The Common Room, Godson House, Central Winchester.

It made the point that by solving one person’s problem it may create another one for someone else.

The issue was parking – isn’t it always! The tenant lives in sheltered accommodation, surrounded by very pleasant landscaped grounds, and is

21 May 2011 Tenants Conference and TACT AGM Bapsy Hall, Guildhall Winchester, 10am til 3pm, Refreshments provided.

Look out for your personal

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In a year to 18 months open the bottom part of the bin and put the compost on your garden.

This is the best thing I have ever done – so why don’t you go out and buy a compost bin (if you don’t win our competition, that is!) worried that beautiful gardens may make way for parking spaces.

Her heartfelt plea for retaining the landscape made everyone realise how much the grounds are appreciated.

Several councillors were present and promised to look into the matter, but it raised the question do we have to give up areas of beauty to make way for more parking, in schemes once designated, for elderly people.

Contact the TACT chairs Alan Rickman or Beryl White if you want to find out more about TACT or want to raise any issues. You can call them on Freephone 0800 716 987 and leave a message or write to them at: G

This edition of Tenant News has been produced by a team including Alan Rickman, David Cruden, Joan Downing, Elaine Fullaway, Susen Harding and Janet Berry.

Put some grass in every three months and don’t forget to turn the compost over.

Alan Rickman 101 Taplings Road, Winchester, SO22 6HG Tel: 01962 885 848

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Beryl White 2 Pine Road, Bishop’s Waltham, Nr Southampton, SO23 1EH Tel: 01489 891 084

Alternatively go to www.winchester.gov.uk/TACT

Now turn the magazine over to read Produced by Tenants for Tenants

LDS00244-1061 Mar 2011 Produced by Winchester City Council

You can put in your compost any veg, rotten fruit, grass cuttings, teabags or rabbit droppings – if you have a rabbit!