North edition - Nottingham City Homes

12 News from Nottingham City Homes April 2010 North Edition: Bestwood•Bulwell•Mapperley•Sherwood News from Nottingham City Homes April 2010 North Edition: Bestwood•Bulwell•Mapperley•Sherwood 13Decent homes scheme isOne in a MillionOur Secure Warm Modern programme is improvingthousands of council homes across Nottingham.Over one year on, theimprovements have included:• 12,375 properties fitted withnew windows and doors• 4,719 heating systems• 5,530 kitchens• 2,088 bathrooms• 825 electrical rewires• 874 loft insulation upgradesWork starts on newhomes in CliftonHave a look at these artist’s impressionsof the eight brand new family homes beingbuilt in Clifton.These are the first council homes to be built in Nottinghamfor more than 25 years. Work started in April to prepare thesite and the properties are expected to be completed byDecember 2010.This is just the start of Nottingham’s council house buildingprogramme. We have already secured further funding for15 homes on Camrose Close in Bilborough and eight onLillington Road in Bulwell. Work will start on these homeslater this year.We will continue to bid for funding over the next few yearsto build more council properties across the city.Secure Warm Modern also has its own awardwinningapprenticeship scheme – One in aMillion. This scheme says that for every millionpounds of work we award to a Secure WarmModern contractor, the partner must recruitan apprentice. We aim to create between 165and 200 apprenticeships by the end of theprogramme – so far we are up to 57!Apprentices are training in plastering, bricklaying,joinery, plumbing, gas engineering, windowfitting, electricaltraining, surveyingand businessadministration.One of ourOne in a Million!Name: Jason TownsendAge: 39Job Title: Apprentice Plumber“I left school in 1986 with nine GCSEs andI wasn’t sure what I wanted to do for a job.At the time my Mum worked in a bakery so Idecided to go to Clarendon College and trainto be a baker. I worked in various bakeriesacross Nottingham, eventually becoming anoperations manager.”In 2005 Idecided to doa DIY coursein plumbingfor personaldevelopment.I enjoyed thecourse somuch that Idecided to dotwo eveningsa week tocompletemy technicalcertificate inplumbing.“My tutor told me that I had a flair for this kindof work so I decided on a change in career.I knew I needed experience, so I workedvoluntarily for Nottingham City Homes, oneday a week and completed my NVQ Level 2.“I finished my training whilst still workingfull time at the bakery. It was then thatNottingham City Homes told me about anapprenticeship that had come up. This wasa big decision for me. It meant going back tobasics and changing my career at the age of38. But I applied and was successful.“I now work full time for Vinshire Plumbingand Heating as a One in a Million apprentice.I am working towards my NVQ level 3 and 4in gas engineering.It has been a steep learning curve, but I canhonestly say it is the best decision I haveever made.”One in a Million recently won a Chartered Instituteof Building (CIOB) Committed to Constructionaward for its commitment to training.For more information on the Secure WarmModern programme, please visit the website:www.nottinghamcityhomes.org.ukAnti social behaviour...Refs for PetsAre you living in fear of your partner and need toleave but are scared about leaving pets behind?Refs for Pets can help!Animals can often be used in manyways in abusive relationships. Theycan be used to make you stay, anabusive partner could threaten tohurt or kill your pet if you behave incertain ways or if you leave. If youdo leave they could neglect your petor make threats against your pet tomake you come back.If you fear your animal’s safety andthis is stopping you from leaving arelationship, there is a service inNottingham that can help.Refs for Pets will help any womanleaving or thinking of leaving anabusive relationship by findinga temporary home for your petswhile you are living in temporaryaccommodation.If you’re leaving an abusiverelationship and are worried aboutthe safety of your animals try andtake them with you and leave themwith family or a friend. ContactRefs for Pets who will then arrangefor your animals to be fostered. Ifyou’ve left in an emergency and leftyour pets behind it may be possiblefor Refs for Pets to collect youranimals with a police escort.What Refs for Pets will do:• They will collect your pet• House your animals with ahome checked foster carer• Provide you with updatesabout your pet• Collect payments from youto pay for your animal’s food• Re-unite you with your petwhen you are readyWhile your pet’s away, you won’t beable to visit your pet. This is for thesafety of you and the fosterer. You’llalso be required to pay for yourpet’s food while it’s being fostered.For more information on Refs forPets call 07971 337 264 or emailrefs4pets@yahoo.co.ukIf you need to talk to someoneabout domestic violence ring the24-hour helpline on: 0808 800 0340.Anti-social behaviour Scrutiny GroupMake your voice heard!Anti-social behaviour (ASB) issomething that sadly effects all toomany of us. Nottingham City Homeswill not tolerate anti-social behaviour inany of its forms and will take a toughand uncompromising stance againstanybody found to be causing ASB.We can’t do this alone and rely onour tenants and leaseholders to fightASB head on. To help with this wehave a tenant and leaseholder ledASB Scrutiny Group, created to makesure Nottingham City Homes and ourpartners’ response to tackling ASB isfocused on the needs of tenants andleaseholders.The group is always looking for newmembers with an interest in ASB.As a member of the group you willhave a direct input into our policiesand practices for dealing with ASB,make sure we continue to meetthe requirements of the ‘RespectStandard for Housing Management’and put forward suggestionsand make recommendations forinforming and involving tenants andleaseholders on our work with ASB.Interested? All meetings are heldmonthly in the Board Room at HoundsGate and refreshments are provided.Contact the Tenant and LeaseholderInvolvement team on 0115 9157380 or email gettinginvolved@nottinghamcityhomes.org.uk to findout more.Report ASB onlineYou can now report anti-social behaviour (ASB)online following the launch of a new website,www.protectnottingham.co.ukSet up by Nottingham CityCouncil’s Community Protectionteam, it contains lots ofinformation about different typesof ASB and how we can tacklethese issues.Through the website you canreport ASB, such as loud noise,dog fouling and street drinkingand give feedback to CommunityProtection Officers about theservice they provide.You can also find out who inNottingham is currently subjectto a civil order, which includeAnti-social Behaviour Orders,Injunctions and Drinking BanningOrders.The new website is anotherexample of how, through workingin partnership, we are reachingout to the victims of ASBand dealing with those whocommit acts of ASB.Over the next few months the sitewill develop to offer a facility toallow online reporting from yourmobile phone.Not online?You can still report ASB on theconfidential helpline, available 24hours a day, on 0115 915 2020.You can also email asbhelp@nottingham.gov.uk or go towww.protectnottingham.co.ukNEWWEBSITE