Island region newsletter - One Housing Group

Contact usTelephone: 0300 123 9966Website: onehousinggroup.co.ukIf you’d like to speak to us in person,please visit one of our offices:12 The QuarterdeckLondonE14 8SJ17 Castalia SquareLondonE14 3PQSuttons Wharf South44 Palmers RoadLondonE2 0TARepairsTo report a repair, please call0300 123 9966(daytime and out of hours)Spring 2013lsland RegionNewsletterKey contactsSuzanne HorsleyHead of Regional HousingOperations - Island020 8821 5351Rosemarie MunroeNeighbourhood Coordinator020 8821 5364Steve CouzensEstate Services Manager020 7428 4130Kiera CurranAnti-social Behaviour Coordinator020 8821 5359Kerry VowlesNeighbourhood Officer020 8821 5354Fay McGregorNeighbourhood Officer020 8821 5355Anthonia FagbureNeighbourhood Officer020 8821 5382Patrick BrownEstates Services Supervisor020 8821 5134Errsala AhmedSenior Administrator020 8821 5379Samya SalouaneHousing Administrator020 8821 5380Reema BegumHousing Officer020 7428 4180Sayeed AliHousing Officer020 7428 4222Estate inspections - working hardto keep our Island clean and tidyWe carry out monthly inspectionson all our estates to monitorgrounds maintenance, communalcleaning and repair work.The next estate inspections aredue to take place on:Samuda Wednesday 3 JulyKingsbridge Tuesday 23 JulyBarkantine Tuesday 9, Wednesday17 and Thursday 25 JulySt Johns Tuesday 2 JulyVirginia Quays Friday 21 JuneRifle Street Monday 8 JulyPiggot Street Monday 8 JulyElesmere Street, Brabazon Street,Upper North Street Monday 8 JulyMikado Court Monday 15 JulyFusion Building, 187 East IndiaDock Road Monday 15 July133 East India Dock RoadMonday 15 July14 West India Dock RoadWednesday 26 JuneIf you don’t see your estate / area listed,please visit our website to find out whenthe next estate inspection is taking placein your estate/area: onehousinggroup.co.uk/estateinspectionsIf you are interested in becomingan estate champion for whereyou live please contact yourNeighbourhood Officer.John PhelanResident Involvement Officer020 8821 53777 Gill Street Wednesday 26 JuneSailors Palace Wednesday 26 JunePhoenix Heights Thursday 27 JuneOHG039 One Housing Group June-13 E&OE onehousinggroup.co.ukPage 8

ContentsPage 2Page 3Page 4Page 5WelcomeHow are we performing?Island Area Board recruitedMaking it easier to find your way - SignageWelfare reform – what will it mean for youApprenticeship fair -Employment and training serviceEnsuring your estates are clean and ingood condition – Estate servicesLocal offers – what’s happeningon your estateLight bulb out in a communal area or Bulkrubbish causing an eyesore?Page 6Page 7Page 8Working hard to keep your estates asafer place to live – tackling Anti-socialbehaviourNew youth service provision atPhoenix Heights Community CentreActive at 70Got an idea for a community projectEstate inspectionsContact usWelcometo the Island RegionnewsletterIt’s now 10 months since we formed the IslandRegion. It has been a very busy but exciting timefor the Island team. We have been working hardto get to know all our new residents as well aslaunching new services and continuing to delivertargeted services across the board.This newsletter will update you on the progresswe’ve made.I’d like to give a warm welcome to our new IslandArea Board. Six members have now been recruited,four of whom are residents – see page 3 for moredetails about them and their roles.Thank you to all residents who took the time tocomplete our customer survey. I’m delighted tosay the majority of you told us that we have madeimprovements since September. Your views areimportant to us and help to shape our policy andimprovement plans. We will continue to work withyou and the Island Area Board to ensure the team’sperformance and our service improvement planscontinue to make a difference.I’m pleased to say that we have almost completedour action plan agreed with the London Borough ofTower Hamlets when we formed the Island Region.We will be continuing to build on the good workwe’ve started, improving our local accountability,communication, engagement and neighbourhoodmanagement as well as estate services.We hope that you have noticed the new andimproved signage on several of our estates. Theseshould now all be consistent and easy to read.I look forward in continuing to work with you andhope we will continue to see the benefits of thechanges we have made.Suzanne HorsleyHead of Regional Housing Operations - IslandHow are we performing?We pride ourselves on delivering excellent services to you and your families and makingyour homes and estates better places to live. To ensure our teams are deliveringquality services we regularly review how we are doing against our published targets.I’m pleased to say the results from thecustomer survey show that we haveimproved in all areas since Island Homesbecame part of One Housing Group.Our latest figures show that:. 90.5% were satisfied with repairs. 90.3% of respondents felt theirneighbourhood is a safe and cleanplace to live. 98.7% are satisfied with gas servicing.Your feedback is very useful in helping us tounderstand what we’re doing well and wherewe can do better. Thank you to all residentswho took the time to complete our customersurvey. If you didn’t but would like to let usknow your feedback please get in touch viaour website, by phone or in person.Moving forwards we will be puttingperformance information on our websiteeach month so that you can see howwe are doing atonehousinggroup.co.uk/performance.Island Area BoardrecruitedWe are delighted to welcome ournew Island Region Area Board whowill be responsible for monitoring andscrutinising our local services, policiesand performance.The Board has a resident majority andwill drive the delivery of local communitypriorities. Over the coming months,members will be meeting key residentrepresentatives and working with you tounderstand what is important to you andto make sure our services offer value formoney.We look forward to working with the newboard to continue to improve our services.The members consist of:- Muruf Deen (independent)- Maium Miah (independent advisor)- Martin Heys(Executive Team member)- Suzanne Horsley (Head of RegionalHousing Operations)- Paul Summit (resident)- Sarah Edwards (resident)- Tony Ford (resident)- Jan Bros (resident)Making it easier tofind your way aroundYou may have noticed that we’ve beenimproving and in some cases replacingthe signs on your estates so that they areall consistent and easy to read. We stillhave a few left to do, but we expect tohave this completed by the end of June.We hope you like the new signs and feelthey improve the overall look and feel ofyour estates.Page 2Page 3

Welfare reform -what will it mean for you?The Government is making major changes tothe benefits system, which may well affect you.Read on for details of the changes and whatthey will mean for you.One of the biggest changes isUniversal One of the Credit. biggest This changes is new single ispayment the introduction that will replace of Universal severalbenefits Credit. including: This is a new singlepayment that will replace• Jobseeker’s Allowanceseveral benefits including:• Income Support• Jobseeker’s Allowance• Employment and Support• Income SupportAllowance• Employment and Support• HousingAllowanceBenefit• Working• HousingTaxBenefitCredit• Child• WorkingTax Credit.Tax Credit• Child Tax Credit.There is a cap on how much money youcan receive, depending on yourcircumstances. If you have any sparebedrooms in your home you may alsosee a reduction (the ‘bedroom tax’).If you are claiming any of these benefitsyou will be affected. We have contactedand are working with all residents that willbe affected by the Bedroom Tax and theBenefit Cap in order to help you prepare forthe changes. To find out exactly what thechanges will mean for you see the leafletsent in the post, visit our website or byvisiting your local housing office.Over 100 people attended our first financialawareness open day in March on theSt John’s estate the event was organised inpartnership with Tower Hamlets Council.A resident attending the event said“It was well advertised, there were posterseverywhere advertising the event”.Suzanne Horsley, Head of RegionalHousing Operations - Island, commented:“The event was a definite success. Some ofthe welfare reform changes are complicatedand residents were able to speak to staff tofind out exactly what the changes will meanfor them and how we can help. Our newIsland Area Board members came along andthey were very impressed with the event.”Representatives from Tower Hamlets’Housing Benefit Service and HousingOptions Service, the Department for Workand Pensions, Job Centre Plus and theCitizens Advice Bureau were on hand tooffer advice and support.For more information about the optionsand help available, please call or email us:Customer Accounts Teamon 020 8821 5184Customer Contact Centreon 0300 123 9966Email: welfarereform@onehousinggroup.co.ukVisit our website for updates and to useour welfare impact calculator to get a moreaccurate idea of how your income may beaffected:onehousinggroup.co.uk/welfarereformApprenticeship fairhelps residents to findwork placements andtrainingOur Employment and Training service ranan apprenticeship fair as part of NationalApprenticeship Week in March at PhoenixHeights community centre, Isle of Dogs.The fair was attended by 200 people,residents and non-residents and was agreat opportunity to give young people achance to network and speak directly withindustry experts who offered free advice,career guidance and opportunities.Aimed at 16 -24 year olds, the eventbrought together local people to find outapprenticeship placements and trainingopportunities provided by companiesacross a range of industries. Exhibitorsinclude Skills Match, City Gateway andJobwise training.We’ve also helped 13 local residents to learnpractical DIY skills that they can use aroundtheir home through a one day course held atPhoenix Heights community centre.This gave residents the chance to gain skillsincluding how to wire a plug, cut wood, drillsurfaces, secure loose fitting cupboardsand unblock a sink. The participants gainedvaluable hands-on experience in each of theskillsets, and an experienced tutor was onhand to give demonstrations and answer anyquestions. A course completion certificatewas presented at the end of the day.We’ve also recently helped 26 residents onthe Island to gain new skills and becomemore employable by taking part in trainingcourses in Food Safety Level 2, Health andSafety Level 2 and First Aid Level 2 courses.We will be rolling out more DIYcourses throughout 2013, so lookout for more classes in your area.We offer a wide range of employmentand training support, to find out how wecan help you to find work or training inyour area, please contact Sonia Shahon 020 7428 4193 or emailemployment@onehousinggroup.co.ukEnsuring yourestates are cleanand in good conditionYou may have seen our estates servicesstaff out and about on your estates.Their role is to ensure that the internal andexternal communal areas on your estatesare kept clean and in good condition.To improve the service we provide toyou, we have purchased new equipment,re-branded all our vans to make them easyto spot and our staff new uniforms.They should now be easier to spot.So who does what?The work is split into four areas: caretaking,concierge, gardening and handypersonteams.The caretaking teams uniform is blue.They deal with everything from cleaning,bulk and domestic waste to general healthand safety checks around all estates.The concierge team provides a receptionservice and is the first point of contact forall residents and visitors. They monitor theCCTV in all blocks to manage and addressany anti-social behaviour that occurs.You may have spotted their black uniforms.The gardening team takes care of allgardening ranging from mowing a lawnto pruning a tree or bush. Their uniform isalso blue.The handyperson team provides a helpinghand to tenants with maintenance jobsthey are struggling with inside their homes,such as unblocking sinks and changing lightbulbs. They wear grey uniforms. We haveincreased the range of services they offer toinclude carpentry, plumbing, electrical work(changing light bulbs and fittings, carryingout PAT testing), finding and fixing leaks,general repairs such as bleeding radiators,changing taps, tracing leaks, fitting baths /showers and odd jobs such as hangingdoors, mounting brackets/shelves andassembling flat packs.Coming soon: Handypersonservice for leaseholdersLeaseholders seeking help with jobs aroundtheir homes will soon be able to accessour handyperson service. There is a costfor this service, but we’re confident you’llfind our prices competitive. Rather thanusing a company without recommendation,you can use our service safe in theknowledge that our staff are reliable, knowyour estates and are based locally so canbe with you quickly. We will write to allleaseholders soon with full details.For more information about ourestate services teams please contactSteve Couzens on 020 7428 4130.Leaseholders seeking help with jobs around their homes will soonbe able to access our handyperson service.Local offers –what’s happeningon your estateLocal offers, or estate management plans,are one of the ways we work with you tomake your estates better places to live.To help us put these plans together, wemeet the people living on that estate todiscuss your priorities and hear about theimprovements and developments youwould like to see. We then put togethera timed schedule detailing how we willaddress each area.Following the integration process, we areworking to ensure that all local offers areamalgamated and tailored specifically toour estates and areas.We are looking at whether the changeswe’ve made so far are making a differenceand improving your experience. A reviewwill be taking place this summer.To view the local offers for your estate orarea visit our website: onehousinggroup.co.uk/local-offers-whats-happening-yourestate.If you don’t have a local offer set upfor your estate, please contact your localHousing Officer to discuss how you canget one set up.Light bulb out in acommunal area orbulk rubbish causingan eyesore?Sometimes it’s the little things that makea big difference. That’s why we haveintroduced a new, easy to use alert systemto address two key issues that affectyou on a day to day basis: bulk rubbishcollection and the frequency of changingcommunal light bulbs that aren’t working.You have told us that these two issuescause you a constant headache.If you spot a light bulb in a communal areaon your estate that is not working, thequickest and easiest way to let us know isby emailing us at: communallightingteam@onehousinggroup.co.uk. Remember tolet us know where and when you saw it.Alternatively you can contact your HousingOfficer, see contact details at the back ofthis newsletter.If you notice that someone has dumpedlarge items of rubbish, causing an eyesoreyou can now let us know by emailingbulkcollectionteam@onehousinggroup.co.ukor by letting one of our caretaking staffknow. Remember they wear a blue uniform.You can of course continue to use the othermethods of contacting us if you prefer:by phone, in person at one of our offices orvia our website.Page 4 Page 5

Working hard tomake your estates asafer place to liveWe recognise the negative effects anti-socialbehaviour (ASB) can have on our residents andhow important it is for you to feel safe both insideand outside your home. We are working hard totackle ASB on your estates and are starting tosee real improvements.Some of these improvements are due to the closepartnerships we have developed with localauthorities, the police and other agencies.These partnerships enable us to take swift actionto address any activities that are having a negativeimpact on your quality of life.Some of the improvements we’ve made over thelast six months include:Reporting ASB onlineLast year we introduced a new onlineASB reporting service to residents, whichyou can find on our website:www.onehousinggroup.co.uk/reportASBThe service allows you to report ASB onlineto us at anytime, both inside and outsideoffice hours. All reports made online aremonitored daily and as soon as a report ismade we will be in contact with you to letyou know who is dealing with your case.Drug raidsIn partnership with the MetropolitanPolice Service, we’ve worked extremelyhard to tackle reports of drug dealingand usage on our estates. To date wehave attended many successful searchwarrants and uncovered two largescale cannabis factories worth up to£60,000 in the last two months.CCTVAs residents you have first-handexperience of what type of ASB isoccurring on your estate and where.So we’ve been asking you to tell uswhere you think you would benefitfrom additional security, such asCCTV and where. We’ll be using whatyou’ve told us to make improvementsover the next few months. To ensureyou receive the full benefit of newCCTV systems, our Concierge teamhas undertaken further training andare now all certified by the SecurityIndustry Authority.Our proactive effortsin seeking innovativeways to combat ASBhave been recognisedand some of ourachievements todate are:National HousingFederation (NHF)Safer Streets AwardWe were delighted to receive the NHFSafer Streets Award for the London regionin October 2012 in recognition of thework we are doing to improve our ASBservice. Our on-going programme movesaway from an isolated approach to ASBmanagement to local partnership workingthat delivers an effective, responsive androbust service.Home Office inviteto scrutinise theGovernment’s draftASB Act 2013Following the award win, Kiera Curran,our Anti-social Behaviour Coordinator,was invited to attend a HousingPractitioners’ workshop at the Home Officeto discuss and scrutinise the draft ASB Act2013 before it gets royal assent.During the workshop real cases werediscussed, potential problems andsolutions as well as recommendationsto the impending legislation were made.The workshop proved a valuable experiencefor One Housing Group and we shall beusing the knowledge gained to embedimprovements into our existing ASB service.To report ASB you can:• call our Customer ContactCentre on 0300 123 9966• write to us• use our online reporting formby visitingonehousinggroup.co.uk/reportASB• contact your local housingoffice /officerNew youth service atPhoenix HeightsCommunity CentreIn January we launched a new youthservice for young people aged 13 -19living in Tower Hamlets in partnershipwith Tower Hamlets Council’s Youth andConnexions at Phoenix HeightsCommunity Centre, 140a Byng Street,London E14 9AR.A range of activities are on offer includingmentoring, employment and training adviceand guidance, all of which aim to bringtogether young people to enjoy themselvesin a safe and secure environment.The sessions run between 4.00pm and8.30pm Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and10.00am to 2.00pm on Saturday.If you would like to get involved or knowany young people who would benefit fromthis service, please contact Harun Rashidon hrashid@onehousinggroup.co.uk or020 8821 5374.Aged 70 or over andwant to keep active?Our Active at 70 programme may just bewhat you are looking for. It is designedto work with residents aged 70 and overwho are keen to socialise and get involvedin activities, meet new people and remainactive in the local community.Over 50 people are involved with theprogramme. It provides information aboutthe services we can offer such as adaptingyour home to better fit your needs andletting you know about services availableto you locally through other organisations.For example, we can put you in touch withUswitch who will help you get the best dealon your energy bills or Dial-a-ride who offerfree travel for people who are disabled orhave mobility issues.Pam Cole, who has lived in the Islandregion for 30 years said: “A lot of olderresidents on the Island don’t get out.This programme has helped us to uniteas a community, support one another andobtain information regarding opportunitiesand benefits. It is great we get to askquestions whilst getting to know otherresidents at the same time.”If you would like to find out more or getinvolved please contact Samya Salouaneon 020 8421 5404 or visit the Millwallhousing office.Got an ideafor a communityproject?Why not apply to theCommunity Chest for funding?The only requirements arethat your idea would benefitthe local community.Each year the Community Chest awardsa total of £100,000 to maintain communityfacilities and support community cohesionprojects that make a difference tothe lives of local people and make yourestates better places to live.We recently awarded £7,000 toMudchute Farm to provide volunteeringopportunities for seven young peoplewho are 16 or over and not currently inemployment, education or training.Participants will gain a range of vocationaland life skills that can be added to your CVto make you more attractive to potentialemployers. If you would like to find outmore or to apply for one of the positionsplease contact Margaret Tracey atMudchute Farm on 020 7538 8456.The money will also be used to fund drop insessions for families during school holidaysto see and learn about farm animals andtake part in outdoor activities.To find out more about the CommunityChest or to make an application pleasecontact Lorna Browne, ResidentInvolvement Team Leader on020 8821 5169.Page 6 Page 7