Issue 36 - Eastlands Homes

Winter issue 2011 no 36
Customer
Panel
Approved
StreetsAhead
News and views from Eastlands Homes
Inside
Merry Christmas
and a Happy New Year from
everyone at Eastlands Homes
Photograph taken at Clayton Hall
Involvement road
show - Page 4
Major refurbishments
- Page 8
Meet your Housing
Officer - Page 12

The news from Eastlands homes
Contents
Welcome to the jam-packed issue of Streets Ahead, Winter 2011.
No more counting down
the days until Christmas,
it’s almost here!
If you’ve been struggling
to get a job, read all about
our Employment Support
service on page three.
Start the New Year off
with a new CV and gain
a positive start to finding
yourself a job.
Nominations for the
Eastlands Homes’
Awards Night will be
accepted right up until
Friday 30 December, so
if you know an inspiring
individual who has really
made a difference, fill out
the nomination form on
page 15 and send it back
now.
Have a great
Christmas and an
even better 2012!
Editor
Abi
Communications Assistant Apprentice
If you live in East
Manchester, have
recently left school
and are unemployed,
we have an exciting
opportunity for you.
Would you like to work
for Eastlands Homes and
be responsible for writing
articles for our customer
newsletter, updating our
website, taking photos for
use in publications and many
more other communications
related tasks? Then apply for
our Communications Assistant
Apprentice position.
Application deadline:
Tuesday 10 January 2012.
For further details and to obtain
an application form, please
contact Anthony Kennedy on
0161 274 2182.
In this Issue…
2
Customer Involvement p4
Equality and Diversity p6
Money Matters
p14
Awards Night p15 Eco-centre p4
Our
Performance
p10

Community Grant
The Eastlands Homes Community Grant supports
projects and activities operating in east and southeast
Manchester.
Applications are encouraged from all of our areas, but must
benefit the local community in order to be considered.
Application forms and further information is available at
www.eastlandshomes.co.uk/communitygrant or on request by
visiting your local Eastlands Homes office or calling your local
Eastline team.
Applications for consideration in the Winter submission must
be received by 5pm on Tuesday 31 January 2012.
Employment
Support Officer
Ardwick
Heating
Project
We started a project back in
August 2011 to remove existing
shared district heating systems
and provide customers with
individual boilers. The project
should be complete by August
2012.
Mrs Carol from Ardwick said “I
was concerned that the central
heating works would take a long
time and be really disruptive.
However, the workers were
brilliant and did a really great
job!’
Do you know someone
who would like to
create their own CV?
The employment service can
help improve the chances
of getting an interview and
getting back into work. The
service is open to anyone
living within the Eastlands
Homes postcode areas who
would like help to write the
perfect CV. To book a slot call
Eastline on 0161 274 2390, and
ask for an appointment with
Lorraine Knipe.
Lorraine
Knipe
Opening
hours over
Christmas
Please be aware that we
close for the Christmas
break on Friday 23
December 2011 at 4pm.
Eastline will re-open at
8am on Tuesday 3 January
2012 and our receptions
will be open from 8.45am.
An emergency repairs service
will be provided over the
festive period. If you require an
emergency repair, please call
your local eastline number.
Please report any nonemergency
issues when we
re-open on Tuesday 3 January
2012.
REMEMBER: You may incur
a charge if you call out the
repairs service for a nonemergency
issue.
Meet your
rent officer
p13
Green
Section
p14
3

Customer Involvement
Road show
On Thursday 20 October we
held our first Roadshow at the
Pakistani Community Centre
in Longsight in partnership
with the Police, Housing
Management, Community Safety,
Gas Servicing, Investment,
Financial Inclusion, Sheltered
Housing teams.
You said…
You told us that you would feel
better coming to our meetings
in taxis where the driver was the
same sex as you.
The day was a great success
attracting around 130 residents
from different backgrounds who
received help and advice.
We learnt lots from the day and
are putting your feedback into
practice.
We did…
We are now putting this into
practice. If you attend a meeting
at one of our offices, you will
be given the option of having a
same sex taxi driver.
Eco centre
Situated in Debdale
Park and overlooking
the beautiful Gorton
reservoir, Debdale
Eco Centre is one of
the few eco centres in
Manchester focussing
on organic gardening.
We have been working with
the Eco centre to introduce
basic, grow your own food
training courses to give you
skills which you can use in
your own garden or in an
allotment.
The Plotting the Future
training course covers
all aspects of growing,
site layout, composting,
companion planting, organic
growing etc. and gives
new allotment holders a
user-friendly introduction
on how to cope with their
new allotment, as well as
providing inspiration to
people thinking about taking
on an allotment.
The FREE allotment training
course is run at Debdale Eco
Centre in Gorton, Manchester.
Each gardening topic is
delivered over a two hour
session for six weeks.
Brenda from Clayton said “I
enjoyed the garden group,
picked up lots of ideas and
learnt so much about things
I didn’t know. Marva the
course co-ordinator was
really good at explaining
things and also took the time
to listen. I can’t wait to do
another course!!”
Another six week basic
training course is starting
on Thursday 16 February
2012 between 2.30pm and
4.30pm.
If you are interested in the
course please contact Wendy
Woodfine on 0161 274 2168 to
book your place and arrange
FREE transport to and from
the venue.
4

Many people in Manchester
choose to rent homes where
support is on-hand, if it’s
needed. You are free to live your
own independent life – come
and go as you please, have
visitors when you choose and
do your shopping and leisure
activities in whatever way suits
you.
We have sheltered blocks in
the following locations:
• North Road, Clayton
Customer Involvement
Sheltered housing
available now
We want to help older people in our communities to enjoy safe, secure and
independent lives with a choice of support services to suit all needs.
• Lily Thomas Court, Botha
Close, Openshaw
• Rose Court, Levenshulme
• Westbrook Court, Gorton
• Patrick Roddy Court, Gorton
• Thomas Regan Court, Gorton
• Frank Hatton Court, Rusholme
• Winifred Massey Court,
Longsight.
All of the sheltered blocks have
lots of leisure activities going
on such as Halloween and
Christmas parties, communal
garden tidy ups and trips out
to local attractions such as
Blackpool.
If you are interested in living in
one of our sheltered schemes, or
know someone who might be,
please call your local eastline
number now. Properties are
available for people over 60
years old or over 55 with
some form of Disability Living
Allowance.
Multi-storey
walkabouts
A series of walkabouts are taking place
at our six multi-storey blocks.
This is an opportunity for you to
contribute to enhancing cleaning
standards on your block with the
Caretaker, Estate Management
Co-ordinator and Customer
Involvement Officer. Each
walkabout will take an hour
(please note, this is not an
opportunity to discuss housing
queries or rent problems).
Abbey Court
Thursday 12 January 2012
at 10 am
Cornwall Court
Thursday 26 January 2012
at 10 am
Bickerdike Court
Thursday 9 February 2012
at 10 am
Cundiff Court
Thursday 1 March 2012
at 10 am
Platt Court
Thursday 15 March 2012
at 10 am
Worsley Court
Thursday 29 March 2012
at 10 am
If you are interested
in taking part please
contact Wendy Woodfine
on 0161 230 1000.
5

Equality
and Diversity
6
World Aids Day
On the 1 December, we showed
our support for World Aids Day
by wearing the iconic red ribbon
and making donations.
Over 90,000 people are living
with HIV in the UK and new
infections continue every year.
World Aids day aims to take
action to tackle HIV prejudice
and to protect yourself and others
from HIV transmission.
Your Right to
Control your own
care budget
Are you a disabled person in
receipt of a personalised budget?
If you are a Manchester resident
and are entitled to certain
disability funding streams, the
Right to Control principle, now
allows you to manage your own
personalised budget.
Before the Right to Control
principle was brought in, many
disabled people had to use care
companies for support with their
care needs and restricted their
care package.
People with a disability can
now use their budget to hire
their own personal assistants
and make sure that the support
they get, fully meets their needs.
This allows more people to live
independently.
You can now write your own
support plan according to the
allocated budget, and choose
who and what you need to
purchase in order to achieve your
needs and aspirations.
You could do this yourself, with
a family member or a friend,
starting with identifying your
support needs and the things you
want to do in everyday life.
The Breakthrough Right to
Control Centre for Independent
Living can provide the options to
do this:
• Arrange for independent
support from people who have
also been through the personal
budget process (peer support),
and/or
• Arrange to work with staff who
deliver independent advocacy
and brokerage services
together with disabled people.
Four members of staff have
recently passed a training
course in British Sign
Language (BSL). The staff
are now on hand to help
customers who are deaf or
suffer from hard of hearing.
The staff have been signing
to residents about work that
The Centre offers an accessible
approach to meeting your needs
by helping you to complete your
Support Plan and helping you to
identify alternative providers for
your care needs.
The Support Plan will then go
through the appropriate decision
making process for approval.
The outcomes of your choices
will be presented to a Panel for
agreement and you will then be
able to manage your own budget
according to the agreed plan.
For more information about
your ‘Right to Control’ please
contact: Breakthrough UK
Right to Control Centre for
Independent Living on
0161 273 5412
www.breakthrough-uk.co.uk
will be made to their homes as
part of a £110 million five-year
improvement programme.
Project Officer Sandra Harrison
is shown signing to resident
David Marsden about his
refurbishment work that will
take place to his house over the
next five months.

Community Safety
Eastlands Homes has been granted a
Possession Order against a resident living in
the Levenshulme Road area of Gorton South.
We have had an ongoing
nuisance case against a resident
of Kirkman Close, Gorton.
This resident was making
numerous malicious complaints
against many of her neighbours,
as well as subjecting them
to abusive and sometimes
threatening behaviour. After
ignoring warnings, she was
eventually served with a
notice, intending to end her
tenancy with us. Her nuisance
behaviour continued and this
led to legal action being taken,
and an interim injunction order
being granted. Thankfully for
all residents who were victims
of this resident's behaviour,
in October 2011 she left her
property in line with the notice
that was served.
Another ongoing nuisance case
had been occurring against a
resident of Longsight Road,
Gorton. This resident and her
children have been responsible
for anti-social behaviour at their
home, and as a result we were
granted an Injunction Order
by the court. Unfortunately
the resident failed to stick to
the conditions of the order so
we began to prepare further
legal action for the breaches
of the Injunction order, and an
application for a Possession
Order. In September 2011, the
resident vacated her property to
avoid legal action being taken
against her.
Remember, we can, and
will, as stated in your tenancy
agreement, take action against
any people who live or visit you
in your home if their behaviour
is unacceptable. Make your
communities a great place to
live by respecting people and
property around you.
101 is the new police nonemergency
telephone number
A national programme has
started to make it easier for
you to contact police in a nonemergency
where you don’t
require an immediate police
response.
For instance:
• Reporting a crime that has
already happened
• Getting crime prevention
advice
• Giving police information
about crime in your area
• Contacting local officers or,
• Any other non-emergency
Call from landlines and mobile
networks cost 15 pence per call,
no matter what time of day or
how long you are on the phone
for.
Using 101 for situations that
don’t require an immediate
police response will help to
make sure 999 calls can be dealt
with speedily.
Deaf, hard of hearing or speech
impaired callers can access the
service via textphone on 18001
101.
Remember, in an
emergency, where
there is a threat to life
or a crime in progress,
always call 999.
7

Major refurbi
to multi-stor
in Rusholme and Longsig
From January, we will be starting an £8 million
pound improvement programme on two multistorey
blocks in Rusholme – Platt and Worsley Court
and one in Longsight – Bickerdike Court.
Presently, the flats suffer
from heat loss which make
the flats cold and cause high
heating bills. Some of the
flats suffer from mould and
condensation and draughty
windows.
The work will include
insulation, new windows and
external cladding, to reduce
heat loss from the blocks,
help keep flats warmer and
reduce fuel bills. There will
be new community rooms at
Worsley Court and Bickerdike
Court. All customers will also
benefit from communal and
environmental improvements
which include recycling
facilities and bicycle stores
(with green roofs), allotments,
and an older persons’
recreation area for Platt and
Worsley Courts. There will be
new fencing and automatic
gates to improve security at
the blocks, and the old metal
roofs on Platt and Worsley
Courts will be recycled and
turned into tool sheds and
raised planters for use in
community gardens and
allotments.
A feature of the project will
be a ‘green wall’ at Worsley
Court. This will be the tallest
green wall in the North
West. It will help to insulate
the block and to capture
carbon dioxide from the air
alongside a busy traffic route
into Manchester. It will also
help to improve biodiversity
in the area and will provide
an interesting research
opportunity for local schools
and colleges.
The improvement project will
take around 12 months to
complete.
Coming soon in phase
two – Abbey and
Cornwall Court, Gorton
and Cundiff Court,
Levenshulme.
8

shments
ey blocks
ht starting January 2012
Platt Court Worsley Court Bickerdike Court
Above are heat sensitive photos showing the areas of heat loss.
The red areas show where most heat is lost.
9

Our Performance
Facts and figures from July to September 2011
How do YOU think we’re doing?
Your
Complaints
• Complaints received: 65
• Outcomes: 36% upheld /
partially upheld
• % tenants satisfied with the
way their complaint was
handled: 60%
Complaint
Number
Type
received
Tenancy management 7
Tenant rents & service charges 7
Repairs & maintenance 14
Investment programme 26
Staff & customer services 4
Allocations 1
Anti-social behaviour 1
Housing Support Services 3
Other 2
Your
Compliments
• Compliments received: 25
other
housing support
asb
allocations
Complimented
staff
Number
Department received
Neighbourhood investment Services 10
Maintenance 5
Investment 10
repairs
Ways to Complain, Comment
or Compliment tenant rentsus
We want to hear from you and
will act on tenancy every management complaint we
receive. You can call, write, email,
visit us in person or online at
www.eastlandshomes.co.uk or
request a complaint form from us.
We are pleased to hear what we
are doing well too! Let us know
by using any of the contact
methods listed above.
We monitor our performance
closely so we know how we’re
doing and where we need to
improve.
You can keep an eye on our
performance too – every issue
of Streets Ahead includes the
latest on how we compare
with some of the targets set in
our Customer Service Charter.
If you have any ideas on how
we can improve this page,
please let us know – whether
you want more, less or different
information. Just email
eastline@eastlandshomes.
co.uk or call your local
neighbourhood services
Eastline team.
investment
maintenance
Investment Programme
Ardwick, Gorton North, Gorton
South, Levenshulme, Longsight
and Rusholme:
Total number of
improvements as at 30
September 2011: 14,388
including:
• Double Glazed Windows and
Doors: 3897
• Electrical Rewiring: 888
• Kitchens: 2615
• Bathrooms: 2618
• Boilers: 2545
• Cavity Wall Insulation: 126
• External Wall Rendering: 337
• Structural Improvements:
714
• Roofs & Chimneys: 648
Beswick, Clayton & Openshaw:
Total improvements since
2003: 17,553
10

Repairs Service
Type Our Target 11/12 Quarter 2
Emergency Repairs – within 3 hours 100% 100%
Urgent Repairs – within 5 working days 100% 99.8%
Routine repairs – within 10 working days 100% 99.4%
How are we going to improve?
We continue to meet our targets in all but a very few instances. We have identified some
technical issues with our repair booking system that will help us to achieve 100% of all repairs
within our target times in future.
Eastline – Customer Service Calls
Calls answered within service standard of 20 seconds 93% 78.3%
How are we going to improve?
The number of calls received during parts of this period was higher than normal. We have also
been in the process of recruiting new Eastline staff, which may have affected our performance.
Rent
Current rent arrears (%) 5% 7.32%
Former tenant arrears – rent collection (%) 12.5% 12.15%
Rent loss from empty properties 1.3% 1.07%
How are we going to improve?
There have been a high number of evictions during these months which has resulted in
increased former tenant arrears. We are working more closely with the Housing Benefit Team
at Manchester City Council to help us improve our performance in this area.
Empty Properties
Empty properties as a % of the properties we own 1% 1%
Average re-let times of empty properties 20 days 25 days
How are we going to improve?
We are continuing to improve our processes in this area, which will help us to turn around
empty properties more quickly.
Nuisance & Anti-Social Behaviour
Cases referred 144
Cases resolved and closed* 144
Legal actions taken 6
* Includes cases from a previous period.
11

Meet your
Housing Officer
Each area has a specific Housing Officer who you will meet in the beginning
when you sign up to your property, and who you’ll deal with throughout the
duration of your tenancy. There are 15 Housing Officers across three offices.
Joanne Casson -
Ardwick and Longsight
My name is Joanne Casson and
I am the Housing Officer for the
Ardwick and Longsight area.
I have been a Housing Officer
for the past 24 years and have
worked for Eastlands Homes
since the initial transfer in 2003.
My favourite part of the job is
making a difference to people's
lives and helping to improve the
community I work in.
In the last three months I
have carried out five estate
walkabouts and weekly estate
inspections whilst carrying
out home visits. I have also
signed up properties to eight
new tenants and dealt with
seven anti-social behaviour
complaints.
Joanne works from our
Cornbrook office.
Lee Goddard - Beswick
I’ve been working at Eastlands
Homes for two and a half years
now.
On a typical day I am often out
of the office, visiting customers
about repairs, rehousing,
neighbour disputes, and other
tenancy issues. It’s a busy and
varied role, but coming from
East Manchester myself, I feel
pride for the community and the
area, and want to help to make
it a good place to live.
Lee works from our Eastlands
House office.
Jeff McKenzie - Gorton
My name is Jeff McKenzie
and I am the Housing officer
for areas of Gorton. I manage
approximately 586 properties
and have worked at Eastlands
Homes since July 2011.
My job as a Housing
Officer is varied and I enjoy
accompanying customers
viewing properties.
Once they've moved in I call
to see them within a month to
check everything's ok.
Jeff works from our Belle Vue
office.
12
The three Housing Officers are just
three of our 15 Housing Officer staff.
Meet another three in March!

Meet your Rent Officer
Every customer has their own designated rent officer depending on
where they live. They give you advice and support in arranging payments,
advising on direct debits and helping you to claim housing benefit.
Eastlands House:
If you need to
speak to any of
the Rent Officers,
phone your local
eastline and
you’ll be put
straight through.
Carolyn Hamlin -
Beswick and Bradford
Emma Doyle -
Clayton
Lorraine Anderson -
Openshaw and Miles
Platting
Cornbrook House:
Adam Purnell -
Rusholme, Ardwick (off
Plymouth Grove and
Hathersage Road) and
Stockport Rd
Lisa Taylor -
Longsight/Rusholme
Shubash Miah -
Langport Avenue
flats, Longsight,
Levenshulme
and Mount Road
(Longsight)
Joe Scully - Ardwick
- Coverdale estate
excluding Langport
Avenue
Belle Vue House:
David Cordt -
Gorton South
Anne Worrall -
Gorton South
Diane Sidlow -
Abbey Hey area
Janet Wilson - Gorton
North (Not Abbey Hey)
13

The Green Section
Changes to your refuse collection
over the Christmas period
Over Christmas there will be changes to your
bin collection days.
Normal Collection Date
Monday 26 December 2011
Tuesday 27 December
Wednesday 28 December
Thursday 29 December
Friday 30 December
Monday 2 January 2012
Tuesday 3 January
Wednesday 4 January
Thursday 5 January
Friday 6 January
Temporary change
Tuesday 27 December 2011
Wednesday 28 December
Thursday 29 December
Friday 30 December
Saturday 31 December
Tuesday 3 January 2012
Wednesday 4 January
Thursday 5 January
Friday 6 January
Saturday 7 January
Christmas
Trees
This year, please put your
Christmas tree next to your
green garden bin or food
caddy on your collection day
throughout January 2012.
We will no longer collect
Christmas trees from your
local park.
For more information visit
www.manchester.gov.uk/
recycling, email contact@
manchester.gov.uk or call
0161 234 5004.
Collections will be back to normal on Monday 9 January 2012.
14
Money Matters
Welfare Benefit
Changes
In the last few newsletters we have been trying to keep you
up to date with changes that the government intends to
bring in for people on housing benefit.
In this edition we want to highlight the plan to pay housing benefit
on a monthly basis direct to customers. This will be a big change and
customers will need to have bank accounts and pay by direct debit
to help prevent arrears. Direct debits can be set up by your Eastline
Office or by speaking to your Rent Officer. If you want advice on
setting up a bank account or Direct Debit then please call your local
Eastline and ask to be put through to the Financial Inclusion Team.
Your
rent at
Christmas
If you are up to date with
your rent, you can enjoy
a week off from your
payments this Christmas!
But, if your rent account is
in arrears, you must pay
your rent.
If you are on a monthly
arrangement or paying
monthly Direct Debit or
Standing Order, please note
that you should continue to
make your payment as usual,
as your rent-break week will
already have been calculated.

Eastlands Homes'
Awards Night
Do you know an inspiring individual who has done something to make a
difference? Then why not enter them into our Awards? You can enter one
person in each category. If someone you have nominated is shortlisted,
you will be invited to attend the awards night with them (January 2012).
The categories are:
People's Choice for
Outstanding Achievement
This award is available to any
person or group of people
who you feel have made and
sustained and committed
contribution to the community
in the last 12 months. Previous
winners have included a new
tenants group that took on
the problems with Neighbour
Nuisance in their area and
improved the lives of local
people. Also a group who
worked tirelessly to improve the
local environment by applying
for and securing grants and
ensuring the area was made
better for everyone.
Person/group you are
nominating
Reasons for nominating
them
Good Neighbour Award
This award is for anyone you
feel has a positive influence on
your community. Are they the
person all the neighbours go to
for support and advice? Do they
keep an eye on the neighbour’s
properties and report any
problems to the police or
wardens or tackle issues of anti
social behaviour.
Person you are nominating
Reasons for nominating
them
Young Person of the Year
This award is for any young
person under the age of nineteen
who has been a positive
influence on the community
and their peers. Someone who
dedicates his or her time and
energy to making a difference.
Person you are nominating
Reasons for nominating
them
Volunteer of the Year
This award is for anyone
involved in volunteer work,
maybe they help run a local
community project. Volunteer
their time to a local charity,
take time or out of their week
to visit people in hospital.
You can nominate anyone
who is involved in any kind of
community based volunteer
work.
Contribution to the
environment
This award is for anyone
involved in the organisation of
environmental events, such as
litter-picks or planting, or works
to raise awareness about the
environment.
Person you are nominating
Reasons for nominating
them
Name:
Address:
Tel:
Please fill out your contact
details above and someone
will be in touch to find out a bit
more about the person you have
nominated.
Take completed forms into
any of the local offices.
If you’ve nominated someone for
the Customer Awards, why not
fill out a Value for Money idea at
the same time on the back of this
page?
Closing date: Friday 30
December for all entries.
15

Money Saving Ideas?
Eastlands Homes want to achieve demonstrable
value for money in all of our activities.
It is our commitment to deliver a service that is highly cost
effective, that meets or exceeds the expectations of our customers
and makes a significant contribution to the sustainability of the
communities where we operate.
If you have seen or experienced good practices, or if you have
any ideas on how we can continue to improve efficiency, then we
want to hear from you.
VALUE FOR MONEY SAVINGS IDEA
Your Suggestion
Your Details
Name:
Address:
Telephone:
Email:
If you require further information please contact Lesley Brereton,
Customer Involvement Officer on 0161 230 1013. Please fill out
your contact details above.
Take completed forms into any of the local offices.
How to contact us
☎
☎
Call Us
Lines open 8am – 5.30pm weekdays.
Belle Vue House: 0161 230 1000
(if you live in Gorton North
or Gorton South)
☎
Cornbrook House: 0161 276 7300
(if you live in Ardwick, Levenshulme,
Longsight or Rusholme)
☎
Eastlands House: 0161 274 2390
(if you live in Beswick, Clayton
or Openshaw)
An out of hours service is provided
for emergency repairs.
✉
✉
✉
✉
Write or visit: Receptions are
open 8.45am – 4.30pm weekdays
Belle Vue House, 27 Garratt Way,
Gorton, Manchester, M18 8HE
Cornbrook House, 217 Stockport
Road, Ardwick, Manchester, M12 4DY
Eastlands House, Victoria Street,
Openshaw, Manchester, M11 2NX
Email: eastline@eastlandshomes.co.uk
Web: www.eastlandshomes.co.uk
If you would like information in another language or format such as large print or audio, please ask us.