Housing News Summer 2009 - South Derbyshire District Council

Summer 2009
South
Derbyshire
District Council
in partnership with
Tenants
4
Tenants
South Derbyshire
Tenants' Forum
Housing
News
the magazine for South Derbyshire Housing Service customers
The Open
Day is
here!
also in this issue ...
rent decrease
get involved
performance
competitions

SDDC
opening
times
Monday, Tuesday
& Thursday
8.45am to 5pm
Wednesday
9.30am - 5pm
Friday
8.45am - 4.30pm
Useful
contacts
Anti-social behaviour hotline
01283 595795
Citizens Advice Bureau
01283 210107
In this issue
3 Open Day 2009
4 Modern apprenticeships
Letters to the Chairman
5 Excellent performance
6 Safe as houses
Contents insurance
7 Award winning, story sharing,
caring Telecare
8 Weekly rent decrease
Create your own Tenant Group
9 Cleaner South Derbyshire
Becoming involved
10 Local priorities consultation
summary of results
Contents Insurance
01283 595781
Council Tax
01283 595970
Homelessness
01283 595802/4
Housing Options
01283 595778
Housing Benefits
01283 595790
Repairs
01283 595808/9
Right to Buy
01283 595806
Tenant Participation
01283 595788
11 New starters
12 Summer events and activities
13 Summer play scheme
Environmental Education activities
14 Colouring competition
15 Football competition
Back page:
Decorating voucher scheme
Have your say
Send us your letters
The editorial board has decided to allocate space in all editions
of the Housing News for tenant letters and where appropriate
responses from Officers, Councillors and Tenant Representatives.
If you have any questions or comments on housing matters please
send them to: Tenant Participation Officer,
South Derbyshire District Council, Civic Offices, Civic Way, Swadlincote,
Derbyshire, DE11 0AH or email kirsty.titley@south-derbys.gov.uk
Please ensure that questions are brief and no more than approximately 50
words. The editorial board reserves the right to refuse publication of any letter.

Why not join us for a FREE fun filled event?
Housing Services present the 2009
Open Day
Saturday 12 September 11am - 3pm
at Granville Community School Burton Road, Woodville, Swadlincote, Derbyshire, DE11 7JR
£
FREE
bumper day out beat the
crunch in South Derbyshire
www.south-derbys.gov.uk/
beatthecrunch
Over 300
people attended
last year. Help us to
increase this.
Join in the fun with
fellow residents and
to find out about
available help
and advice.
Many new activities, local organisations
and clubs attending
Free gift on entry for all children. Entertainment will
include a climbing wall, bouncy castle, birds of prey
handling and demonstration, football competition with
Woodville Rangers FC, treasure hunt, dancers, music,
prize draw and much more.
See the new fitness suite and sport facilities
at Granville School
At 2.30pm a prize draw will take place
Talk to the providers of services, ask
questions or give feedback
A great opportunity for tenants and local residents to
have fun and find out more about local services and
the benefits of them.
Over 30 local organisations attending
Including local housing associations, Derby University,
CAB, CVS, Swadlincote Police, Addaction, Mental
Health and Domestic Violence Services. Teams from
South Derbyshire District Council will include the
Safer South Derbyshire Partnership, Policy Team,
Private Sector Housing and all of Housing Services.
Transport is available from several parts of South
Derbyshire for those without their own transport.
Please contact us for further details.
Phone the Tenant Participation Officer on 01283 595788 or e-mail
Kirsty.titley@south-derbys.gov.uk
•3

Modern apprenticeships
Over recent years Housing Services has actively
encouraged young and emerging talent to learn
building trades in a constructive manner by entering
the Modern Apprenticeship Scheme.
Currently, there are two members of our workforce on the
apprenticeship scheme; Jordan Knowles, who is training
to be a qualified Joiner, and Jason Dhesi who is in training
to be a qualified plumber. Both of our apprentices work
alongside our qualified and experienced tradesmen, are
mentored in all aspects of their trades and are encouraged
to gain confidence, independence and experience through
the "hands on" approach to their work. Both Jason and
Jordan are also being tutored in the formal aspects of their
trades through Burton College who are delighted with the
training and support given to them. In return, SDDC would
like to thank the College for their active interest in the
training and wellbeing of the apprentices.
Letters to the Chairman
Housing and Community Services
Committee - Cllr John Lemmon
Mr R from Newhall asks,
"I've seen a number of TV adverts advertising the switchover to digital television. I live in
sheltered accommodation and we have a communal aerial. What is Housing Services doing to
ensure I don't lose my TV reception in the future?"
Thank you for your question Mr R. The switchover for the Central TV area is planned for
2011 and most of our tenants will have the freedom to choose how they will receive
television services in the future. Tenants in properties with independent aerials have the
freedom to choose their own method of reception, subject to planning laws and our
permission if external dishes are involved, and are responsible for the cost of any upgrades.
Unfortunately, it is not so easy for tenants who receive signals through a communal system.
Many public sector landlords are considering an Integrated Reception Service (IRS) that
provides not only Freeview, but also subscription satellite services (i.e. SKY) and non-subscription satellite
services (i.e. Freesat), with further options to provide an enhanced system that supports High Definition systems.
The IRS system includes the satellite dish, amplifier and cabling to enable tenants to connect set top boxes, or
receivers built into their TV sets. This system allows all tenants within a block of flats to receive satellite services
without each arranging for an individual satellite dish. Two other alternatives are Cable, which is only available in
limited circumstances, and internet access but that is more suited to individual properties.
It is proposed that the affected tenants will be consulted during 2009 to enable work to be undertaken during
2010 in readiness for the switchover. Consultation will also include other stakeholders such as Members, the
Council's Procurement Manager and South Derbyshire Tenants' Forum to discuss matters such as system
types and funding. I hope this answers your question.
John Lemmon
•4
For any queries relating to this article, please contact Gary Clarkson on
01283 595897 or e-mail gary.clarkson@south-derbys.gov.uk

Good performance
Description
07/08
Result
08/09
Target
08/09
Result
09/10
Target
Repairs
% of repairs reported as emergencies 16% 16% 12% 12%
% of emergency repairs completed on
time
99% 99% 99% 99%
% of urgent repairs completed on time 96% 95% 96% 95%
% of routine repairs completed on
time
96 90% 95% 95%
Tenant satisfaction 99 95% 96.08% 95%
Rent Income
Rent collected as a proportion of rents 99.25% 99.00% 99.50% 99.00%
owed
% of tenants owing 7 or more weeks
rent
2.96% 2% 2.52% 2.50%
Rent arrears of current tenants 147,535 £140,158 125,100 £112,590
Rent Arrears of former tenants 127,694 £121,309 £137,155 £130,000
% of former tenant arrears collected 16.35% 17.00% 13.55% 15.00%
Improvements
% non decent council homes N/A New 1.94% 0
Tenant satisfaction 96 95 97.08% 95
Longest outstanding gas safety
certificate (days)
% gas appliances with a gas safety
certificate
Homelessness
The average length of stay (weeks) of
households in Bed & Breakfast
accommodation
% of no of people seeking
homelessness prevention advice who
have had resolution to threat of
homelessness for a period of at least
6 months
Sheltered Housing
% of care-line calls answered within
30 seconds
62 90 34 60
99% 99% 99.25% 99%
1 1 5 N/A
N/A 50 73% 50
97 98 98 98
No of Telecare referrals received N/A 120 289 120
% of Telecare installations completed
within 21 working days of receiving
notification
N/A 90 82 90
2008-2009 was an good
year for performance as
Housing Services met 17 of
22 performance targets
(most of which are listed left) and
came very close to a clean sweep
but the down turn in the economy
affected our ability to meet some
of our homeless and arrears
targets. During the last year the
economic climate placed a strain
on many peoples' ability to remain
in their homes. Our figures for stays
in temporary accommodation were
higher than expected as a result.
Though our successes
include ...
The performance of our
Repairs' Team was particularly
high. Overall we completed your
repairs when we said we would
in 97% of all cases. This was
reflected in your responses to how
you were dealt with by our team
and the standard of repairs
returning an overall satisfaction
rating of 96%.
Our Housing Options
Team who helped 73% of people
threatened with homelessness
remain in their own home or find
secure accommodation elsewhere.
The time taken to re-let
properties when they become
empty. It took on average of only
21 days to turn around an empty
property to to a new tenant moving in.
This helps us reduce waiting time on
the Housing Register and respond to
your needs a lot quicker whilst
receiving more rent income.
Our Housing Officers who
were also able to help reduce the
level of arrears amongst our current
tenants by almost £22,000.
Better than our target
Below our target
•5

Safe as houses
As the weather gets warmer we all like to
keep our windows and doors open to let air
circulate in our homes. However this can
make life easier for burglars, especially if
you leave windows and doors open when
you go out. An alternative to opening windows are
electric fans, which are cheap and can often provide
better air circulation, and mean your windows can
remain secure.
Although very rare in our Sheltered
Schemes, burglaries do happen!
We have spent a lot of money on remote door
access systems at our communal schemes; these
are only effective if front and back doors are shut
securely. We sometimes spot at this time of year
that doors to schemes are propped open with a
door wedge. We understand the reasoning behind
this, but this does allow unauthorised persons to
access the building, and may put more
vulnerable persons living within the schemes at
risk. If you have a code for the door never give
the number to unauthorised persons, and if
families have the code, please tell them never
to give it to anyone. Never open the door to let
anyone in that you are unsure of. Legitimate
callers will always show you their identification
badges, and if still unsure please pull your cord
and inform Careline before letting anyone into
the building.
1
2
3
4
5 steps
to follow
PLEASE
REMEMBER TO ALWAYS ...
shut your windows when going out
make sure doors are locked and closed
behind you
report any suspicious persons or
behaviour to the Police or Careline
ask officials or contractors to show
you their identification
Useful contacts
Sheltered Housing Manager 01283 819483
or speak to your Community Warden
Derbyshire Police
Non-emergency 0345 123 33 33
5
keep valuables and cash, credit cards
etc, in a secure place
These five simple steps will make
it more difficult for burglars to access
your property.
Contents insurance
Give yourself peace of mind with an insurance
policy specifically designed for tenants.
Our competitive rates start from just 76p per week, to
insure £9,000 worth of contents in your home (50p per
week for tenants over 60 insuring £6,000 worth of
contents). For only a small extra cost you can increase
your cover to include accidental damage, personal
belongings, wheelchairs and hearing aids.
The benefits of our scheme include:
weekly, monthly or yearly payments. You choose!
no excess to pay if you make a claim
fast and effective claims service
reputable insurance provider
no additional security required on your home.
•6
For more details and ...
comparable quotes on your existing cover phone 01283 595781.
application form on our website www.south-derbys.gov.uk/housing/council_housing

Award winning, story sharing, caring Telecare
Award winning Telecare team
We are proud to announce another successful year
providing care and support to the community.
In May we were awarded Parts One, Two and Three of the
Telecare Services Association Awards. We were congratulated
on achieving the codes of practice over the last 12 months and
credited for our Careline Service.
The South Derbyshire Telecare Team proudly holding all three of the awards.
From left
Alan Sargeant (Sheltered Housing Manager),
Tony Belfield & Karen Walsh (Telecare Installation Officers),
Steve Topham (Careline Team Leader) &
Marie Kimberlin (Telecare Solutions Officer).
Story sharing on film
The Telecare team have now successfully completed a
Telecare DVD featuring real Telecare case studies within South
Derbyshire. If you would like to view this DVD phone
Marie Kimberlin on 01283 550938 or 07970 069 323.
Caring Telecare
Pictured left are Daniel, Christabel and Karl from Burton College
who helped make the film and we would like to take this
opportunity to thank them all for their hard work and dedication
to this project.
Fred, a South Derbyshire resident was admitted to
hospital in May 2008 with pneumonia. Whilst he was there he
developed a gastro intestinal bleed that could have cost him his life.
He was very lucky to survive and was discharged in July 2008.
Following concerns from his family and Social Services a referral was made for him to have Telecare
sensors installed in his home to keep him safe and the family reassured of his well-being.
Our Installations Officer Tony Belfield fitted a range of solutions within 10 days of his discharge and
Fred's daughter in law said, "Tony's professionalism was superb, he took time to reassure us of the
sensors being fitted and nothing was too much trouble".
In the early hours of 16th March 2009, Fred took a nasty fall causing a broken hip. The sensors were
activated and Careline raised the alarm with the emergency services.
His daughter in law Maureen stated, "Telecare is fantastic, it saved his life. Without this technology
available today my Father in Law would have been on the floor all night and not found until his private
care arrived at 9.30am the next morning. Well done Careline".
If you feel you may benefit from Telecare more Information is readily available from our
friendly team at Granville Court in Swadlincote, please do not hesitate to contact us,
phone 01283 550938 / 07970 069 323 or e-mail us at Careline@south-derbys.gov.uk
7

Weekly rent decrease
You will all be aware that as at 1 August your weekly rent has been reduced and backdated to
6 April 2009, the start of the financial year.
Each year we amend your weekly rent payable to fit in with Government set targets. As our rents are
considered to be low they will increase toward the target each year. However with the current downturn
in the economy the Government allowed Local Authorities to reduce the increase set in April 2009.
Therefore you will have received a letter in July outlining the new basic rent payable on your property.
If you pay by Direct Debit your payment will change automatically. If you pay by Standing Order you
must contact your bank as soon as possible to amend your payment. For those of you in receipt of
Housing Benefit this will be amended accordingly and any overpayments will be recovered in due
course. We have delayed sending out your quarterly rent statement which you would normally receive
at the beginning of July. Corrected statements will be sent out in late August once your account
has been corrected with the new rent. We hope this does not cause you too much inconvenience.
If you have any queries with your rent please contact Karen Lawrenson on 01283 595807 or e-mail
karen.lawrenson@south-derbys.gov.uk
Create your own Tenant Group
A Tenant & Resident Association is formed by a group of people living in an area,
on an estate or in a block that come together as an organisation to:
•
represent their mutual interests
•
improve housing conditions and
local amenities
•
promote community spirit
•
work with the Council and local
agencies to improve the area for
local people
Forming a Tenant & Resident Association can bring many advantages for you and those who
live and work in your community. The main advantage is that it provides members of the community
with a voice to make their views and opinions known to South Derbyshire District Council and other
local agencies and organisations.
We currently have several recognised groups in the District. Among these are South Derbyshire Tenants'
Forum, Brook Close Community Club based in Findern and Etwall Community Group. These groups not only
organise their own meetings and work alongside the Council in improving services but hold their own
fundraising events and organise trips out for people in their community. The activities can vary but all have
a main objective to bring people together to socialise and work together to improve the area in which they
live. Examples include general meetings, chair exercises, bingo, quiz nights and fish & chip nights.
They have worked with local school children and also go on outings. These have included cream teas at
local garden centres and a recent trip to see a musical at the Assembly Rooms in Derby.
If you would like more information about forming a Tenant & Resident Association in
your area phone the Tenant Participation Officer on 01283 595788 for a copy of the
'Guide to setting up and running a Tenant & Resident Association'.
•8

'
Cleaner South Derbyshire - Put the shine into your community
Grass cutting monitor areas
currently available are:
Castle Gresley Bass's Crescent
Church Gresley Unity Close, Gresleywood Road,
Newlands Close, Hall Street, Regent Street, School
Street
Coton in the Elms New Road
Etwall Melville Court
Are You Dissatisfied
with the Grass
Cutting in Your
Area?
Grass cutting monitoring
We are looking for a number of tenants to
become 'Grass Cutting Monitors' around the
District. Every month a simple form will be sent
out for you to fill in once the grass has been cut
in your street or area. Just fill it in giving your
observations and post it back to us in the
pre-paid envelope provided. No training is needed
and you probably won't even have to leave your
street, what could be easier?
District wide estate tours
Hartshorne Kendricks Close
Linton Greenfield Drive, Patrick Close, Main Street,
Weathernfield
Lullington Colville Close
Melbourne Penn Lane, Selina Street, Moira Street,
Orchard Street, Jubilee Close, Thomas Cook Close
Midway The Knoll, Elmsleigh Drive
Netherseal Croft Close, Clifton Road
Newhall Meadow Way, Meadow Lane, Pine Grove,
Belvoir Crescent, Park Street, The Fairway, Fairfield
Crescent, St Johns Drive, Four Lane Ends,
Honeysuckle Close, Stoneydale Close
Overseal Bailey Avenue, Valley Road
Repton Springfield Road, Fisher Close
Shardlow Cavendish Close, Clover Court,
Ambaston Lane
Swadlincote Pennine Way, Cleveland Close,
Coniston Court, Drayton Street, Hill Street, Wideshaft,
Holmes Court, Brightman House, Dominion Road,
Belfield Road
Ticknall Chapel Street
Woodville Smallthorn Place, High Street
To find out more contact the Tenant Participation
Officer on 01283 595788
To make South Derbyshire a cleaner, greener, safer, healthier and better place we hold regular
estate tours throughout the year with the aim of identifying problem areas on the estates or in the
local areas where you live.
Estate tour dates and meeting points
Netherseal 10 September, Hawthorn Avenue garage site
Lower Midway 24 September, Corner of Guildford Avenue and Salisbury Drive
Etwall 8 October, Bottom of Belfield Road
Hilton 5 November, New Road
Goseley Estate 12 November, Hartshill Road
•
9

Local priorities consultation - summary of results
During 2008 and early 2009, South Derbyshire District Council consulted key stakeholders
on priorities for the District. We did this with Derbyshire County Council (DCC) and South
Derbyshire Community and Voluntary Sector (CVS) using a range of consultation methods.
A local priorities questionnaire was sent out to South Derbyshire's Citizens' Panel and workshops held at
District Council Area Forums and with groups such as 'Chatterbox' the South Derbyshire Youth Forum and
with representatives of the South Derbyshire Tenants' Forum. The purpose of the consultation was to find out
the priorities for the District and to understand why these are important and what action should be taken by
organisations, communities or individuals to achieve them. The information has been used to inform the Council's
Corporate Plan, which outlines the actions we intend to undertake in 2009-2010 and has informed the development
of South Derbyshire's Sustainable Community Strategy and the wider place-shaping agenda for the District.
You said the top 5 priorities for the District are:
1 Reducing crime, anti-social behaviour and fear of crime
2 Activities for children and young people 3 Clean streets
4 Highways, roads and transport 5 Decent and affordable housing
What you told us (this includes some of the comments we received):
"If the streets
around us are clean and tidy it
creates a feeling of well-being".
"There are lots
of new houses being built but
nothing really affordable for first
time buyers like myself".
"Living in a small village
there are no activities i.e. a youth club
for young people, which means that they
tend to gather on streets and
in bus shelters"
"Fear of crime and antisocial
behaviour is relatively high
in South Derbyshire and
partners need to work together
to reduce the issue"
"We need to feel
safe to go about our lives, doing whatever we
need to do and be able to relax and feel safe
in our homes too."
"Transport (public services)
is very lacking, we need a direct
link to Nottingham, Loughborough
and Leicester".
What we are going to do
Some key priorities and the changes local people should expect to see as a result of the Council's Corporate Plan.
We will:
Improve the condition of public and private sector homes.
Facilitate new affordable housing for people unable to afford market prices.
Successfully implement and maximise the benefit of the free swimming initiative for under 18 year olds.
Provide rapid clear up through the work of the clean team, including the use of covert cameras to reduce
fly tipping.
Launch a high profile campaign for a cleaner South Derbyshire.
Deliver a project in partnership to provide dance opportunities for all ages.
Complete ten local Area Safer Neighbourhood Projects using Safer Neighbourhood funding.
Improve partnership working with local secondary schools and identify new initiatives that will help reduce
anti-social behaviour and underage drinking.
Lobby for better transport to help residents access services across the District.
10
For a copy of the local priorities consultation leaflet, which presents a summary of the key results of
the consultation process, please visit www.south-derbys.gov.uk For any comments on this article
phone Sasha Ryan on 01283 595726 or e-mail yourviews@south-derbys.gov.uk

New starters
Christie Sparrow (left)
Christie started her role as Housing Options Advisor on 18th May. You may recognise
Christie's name as prior to this she was Housing Services' Administration Officer.
Christie has now been with the Council for nearly 12 months and wished to develop
her housing knowledge and skills further by taking on this new role. As Housing
Options Advisor Christie will be offering advice to people in South Derbyshire who may
be faced with difficult housing situations or need help in finding or securing
accommodation.
Anthony Barker
Anthony started work on 27th April and is employed as a semi-skilled Labourer.
Anthony is very experienced and is no stranger to the housing sector. For the last 9
years he worked for Harvey and Clark, who many of you will know is one of our main
contractors, and before that at Leicester City Council in their Housing Maintenance
Department. Whilst working for Harvey and Clark Anthony worked extensively on
contracts on our housing stock, so is familiar with our properties and the extent of the
Council's geographical area. Anthony is employed primarily as a labouring support to
the existing team of tradesmen whilst at the same time being able to take on minor
works in his own right. He does all of this with good humour and excellent efficiency.
He has proven to be an effective and welcome addition to the team.
Max Shah (left)
Max joined us on 4th May to complete the team of Housing Officers. Max has
previously worked at Derby Homes as an Anti-Social Behaviour Officer so has
a wealth of experience and knowledge in social housing. He will be responsible for
tenancy matters and arrears collection in a number of areas in South Derbyshire.
Louisa Smart
Louisa started work in the team as a Business Support Officer on 6 April on a 12
month contract. Previously she worked for 7 years at a local Estate Agent in
Swadlincote. Working as an estate agent for many years has helped Louisa gain
excellent customer service skills, which help her deal with your enquiries. She also
deals with Direct Debits, Contents Insurance and the collection of Former Tenant
Arrears on a day to day basis. Louisa says, "I am really enjoying my role in Business
Support and learning something new everyday. My colleagues have been really
supportive, helping me settle in and learn new skills".
Harvey Hanson
Harvey joined us on 13th July as the new Housing Options and Tenancy Services
Team Leader. Harvey has a vast knowledge of South Derbyshire having served as a
Police Officer at Swadlincote Police Station. His experience will help him build upon
our partnership approach to addressing neighbourhood concerns and develop our
service still further.
Sam Kennedy (left)
Sam previously worked as our Housing Options Advisor and commenced her new
role of Allocations Officer on 4th May. Sam is primarily responsible for managing the
Choice Based Lettings (CBL) allocation system and administering the district wide
common waiting list.
Lucy Mitchell
Lucy joined us recently as Housing Options Advisor. She previously worked at Derby
Single Point of Entry assessing homeless clients and providing housing advice and
brings this experience to help her deal with those who may be faced with difficult
housing situations or need help in finding or securing accommodation in
South Derbyshire.
•11

Summer events and activities
What's on
in South Derbyshire and The National Forest
Summer 2009
July . August . September
out
now!
Whatever your interests, from country crafts
to skiing or snowboarding, there's plenty to
do in South Derbyshire. Now a new booklet
is being launched to help residents and
visitors find out 'What's on'.
The guide contains information on events and
activities happening across the District this
summer. If you're interested in traditional crafts,
why not take part in the historic Etwall well
dressings? Or if you're looking for something
more active, there's kite flying at Calke Abbey
and laser combat at Rosliston Forestry Centre.
If you've got ideas for a new Wallace and Gromit,
you can learn some specialist animation skills
at Windlehill Farm, Sutton on the Hill. Or why not
take a travel photography course, to produce
holiday snaps a professional would be proud of.
£
bumper edition with lots
of FREE events
beat the crunch in
South Derbyshire
www.south-derbys.gov.uk/
beatthecrunch
There are also useful contact numbers and
web addresses if you want to find out more.
The 'What's on' booklet is free and can be
found at various locations around the District,
including the Civic Offices and the Tourist
Information in Swadlincote.
Free swimming
have you got your card yet?
If you're aged 17 or under, or 60 or over, you can benefit from free swimming up until the
31 March 2011.
The initiative is part of a National campaign to promote swimming, general fitness, more active lifestyles
and well-being. It aims to make the most of the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympic Games.
To take up the free swim offer you must have a Swim4Life card or Everyone Active card available from
either of the two pools owned by South Derbyshire District Council (SDDC) - the new Etwall Leisure Centre
and the Green Bank Leisure Centre in Swadlincote. You can also use your card at other participating
Council owned pools bordering South Derbyshire in East Staffordshire, North West Leicestershire and
Derbyshire Dales. The initiative is free (a one off £2 administration fee applies for the card). During public
swim sessions though there are also fantastic opportunities to learn to swim. Phone either leisure centre
for full details and lesson availability. Green Bank 01283 216269 & Etwall 01283 733348.
•12

Summer play scheme
South Derbyshire
SOUTH DERBYSHIRE’S
Check out what cool activities
we're putting on for you!
From inflatable laser games to street surfing,
bouncy castles to giant jenga, climbing
walls to rollerblading, football to art and
craft activities. The Sport and Youth
Development Team have been
distributing the 2009 Summer Play
Scheme leaflets to let young people
know about the exciting activities the
South Derbyshire summer holiday
programme has to offer. It's jam
packed full of fun things to do all
around the District, if you don't
already have a leaflet, you can
pick one up from the Civic
Offices in Swadlincote, libraries,
youth and children's centres
or online at
www.south-derbys.gov.uk/events
chilling out!
sumo suits
Check out t
climbing wall
There’s loads of cool activities to keep you busy t
he calender inside to see what's on near you.
his year.
Environmental education activities
September
Tuesday 1 Pond dipping Kids drop in holiday activity at Rosliston
Forestry Centre. Discover what lies beneath the surface of the Flight
Pond. We provide all the equipment but please be prepared to share
within family groups. Come down to the Flight Pond any time between
2pm and 4pm, £2 per person. Phone 01283 535039.
Tuesday 22 Bat Walk An opportunity for youngsters to find out about
bats, with Derbyshire Bat Group, at Rosliston Forestry Centre. Where they
live, what they eat and how do they find their way in the dark? 6.30pm
- 8.15pm. £2 per person. No need to book - just turn up. Phone 01283 535039.
October
Friday 23 and Saturday 24 Family Activity Apple Day Activities
10am - 4pm at Swadlincote outdoor market. Come and try lots of different apple
varieties, and have a go at juice making. Admission free, no need to book.
Phone 01283 535039.
Tuesday 27 Preparing for Winter Kids drop in holiday activity at Rosliston Forestry
Centre. Help the birds make it through the winter months by making tasty treats for
them! Drop in the classroom anytime between 2pm and 4pm, £2 per person.
Phone 01283 535039.
Friday 30 Halloween Walk Watch out for the Grim Reaper and whatever you do don't look
back. Timed tickets from 6.15pm, walks last 40 mins. £4 adults, £3 children. Tickets to be
bought in advance from 1 October at Rosliston Forestry Centre shop, phone 01283 563483
or 535039. Book early to avoid disappointment. Restaurant open - phone 01283 538909.
•13

Children's colouring competition - win £10
Contestant's details
Age: ....................................
Name: .................................
.............................................
Address:.............................
.............................................
.............................................
.............................................
.............................................
Post code: .........................
Phone: ................................
.............................................
Return to:
Tenant Participation Officer,
Housing Services,
South Derbyshire District
Council, Civic Offices, Civic
Way, Swadlincote,
Derbyshire, DE11 0AH.
Age limit: 16 and under. Closing date 1st October 2009 12 noon.
Rules: One entry per household. The winner will be drawn in October from entries received by the
closing date. The judges decision is final. No purchase necessary.
...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
•14
Spring competition winner
Congratulations ...
... to our latest competition winner
Mrs Anthony from Percywood Close, Hilton
who successfully completed the crossword
and won £25 in shopping vouchers.
We hope you enjoyed spending them!

Football stories - win £25
Fill in the words or blanks with names of the British football
teams, listed alphabetically below (tick them off as you go),
so that the story makes some sort of sense. You don't need
any football knowledge. We have provided you with the 1st
as an example.
ALLOA HALIFAX PRESTON
ARSENAL HEARTS QUEEN OF THE SOUTH.
✓ BRIGHTON HULL RANGERS
BURY LINCOLN READING
CHELSEA LUTON SOUTHEND
COVENTRY MOTHERWELL STIRLING
CREWE NEWCASTLE STOKE
CRYSTAL PALACE OLDHAM VILLA
DUNDEE PETERBOROUGH WOLVES
FORFAR PORTSMOUTH WREXHAM
The sun shone BRIGHTON the day we set sail in a ship with a ____________ riddled with
holes. We sailed down the river and through the ____________, which ____________ to the sea.
The ____________ had a cabin boy named ____________ whose job was to ____________ the boilers.
He was illiterate, but won our ____________ with his ____________ efforts to improve his ____________.
He was not liked by the villains on board and was sent to ____________. They were a rowdy lot with an
____________ of weapons and, when drunk, they did in fact ____________ furniture.
The sea air from the voyage made my ____________; she had not had a holiday
____________ too long. We landed on the ____________ of the island, below where the locals
____________ their dead and the ____________ roamed freely. We ____________ regardless and
eventually met a group of ____________ dressed like Robin Hood in ____________ green. At last we
came to our destination, the home of the Hawaiian monarch, the____________. She greeted us with a
friendly ____________, but was obviously upset, as her ____________ had been smashed.
While her ____________ was being built she had to live in a sumptuous Spanish style
____________. When we found the treasure we put the ____________ the ship, determined to put it
straight in the ____________ when we got home. That night we ate some ____________ cake and some
____________ buns for tea, but it made us ill when we ate some ____________.
•
Name: ............................................................................................ Phone: ....................................................
Address: ..........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................................
Please return to:
Tenant Participation Officer, Civic Offices, Civic Way, Swadlincote, Derbyshire, DE11 0AH
by 1st October 2009 at 12 noon. Rules: One entry per household. The winner will be drawn in October
from entries received by the closing date. The judges decision is final. No purchase necessary.
•15

Decorating voucher scheme - the choice is yours
Have your
say ...
Name: ..............................................................................
Address: ..........................................................................
..........................................................................................
Please circle the appropriate response:
If you have received vouchers in the past
would you have preferred to have had a
choice on where to spend these?
Do you believe Masseys provide a good
alternative to B&Q?
Would you have preferred to use another
DIY outlet other than B&Q or Masseys?
yes / no
yes / no
yes / no
If yes, which one ............................................................
Alternatively e-mail your views to tenant.participation@south.derbys.gov.uk
Before you moved into your home we ensured
it met our 'fit to let'standard.
If when inspecting the property our Repairs Inspector
felt that any rooms in your new home required
redecoration, they may have awarded you an allowance
to decorate your home. We currently provide new
tenants with B&Q vouchers which can be used to
purchase paint and wallpaper.
However, we are currently looking into the possibility
of providing more choice and using local businesses to
complement B&Q. One such outlet is Masseys, which
is a family run DIY business consisting of two shops, one
in Woodville and one in Swadlincote town centre.
They offer a range of decorating materials, including
Dulux and Crown.
Before pursuing this option further we want to take this
opportunity to consult with you.
We would appreciate it if you could take a moment to
complete and return the attached slip to:
Tenant Participation Officer,
South Derbyshire District Council, Freepost,
MID21072, Swadlincote, Derbyshire, DE11 0AH
This is a free service no stamp required.
Obtaining alternative versions of this document
If you would like this document in another language, or if you require the
services of an interpreter, please contact us. This information is also available
in large print, Braille or audio format upon request.
Phone: 01283 595795 email:customer.services@south-derbys.gov.uk
Photographic credits:
South Derbyshire District Council, Louise Galdes Photography
South Derbyshire Housing News Summer 2009
Published by South Derbyshire District Council Housing Services - July 2009
When you have finished with this document please recycle it