North edition - Nottingham City Homes

8 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 9Round your way. . . Round your way. . .Green lightfor final phaseof BuildingSchools for theFuture (BSF)programmeNottingham City Councilhas been given thego-ahead to start deliveryof the final phase of itsBuilding Schools for theFuture (BSF) programme.Partnerships for Schools have approvedNottingham’s Outline Business Case whichindicates £89m of new funding for NottinghamCity Council to complete the transformation ofsecondary and special schools in the city.This new funding will benefit the followingschool in the north area:• Top Valley Comprehensive, Top ValleyLearning Centres for vulnerable children andyoung people who are not attending school willalso benefit from the funding. Reasons for nonattendancemay include sickness, medical reasons,becoming a young mother or because they arepermanently excluded from school.The new schools will be delivered by Nottingham’saward winning Local Education Partnership (LEP)which is a public/private partnership betweenNottingham City Council, ‘Inspiredspaces’ andBuilding Schools for the Future Investments. Workis due to begin in April 2011.Visit www.nottinghambsf.co.ukPicture: Big Wood School, which has been completely rebuilt as part of the BSF programme.Garagesavailableto rentright now!Did you know there are morethan 1,000 garages in and aroundNottingham that are available to rent?Who can have a garage?Anyone can rent a garage. You do not even haveto be one of our tenants or leaseholders. They costas little as £7 per week for council tenants and £8for non-tenants (with a £40 deposit). And there arelots available in and around the city centre – so lotscheaper than having pay for parking!You can use your garage to store your car orother motor vehicle – but not for any business,trade or professional purpose. You must notstore flammable or potentially dangeroussubstances or materials (except for the fuel inyour petrol tank of course!)We will provide a separate rent account for yourgarage, which is paid exactly the same wayas your house rent. The best way to pay yourgarage rent is by Direct Debit.If you want to rent agarage, contact yourlocal housing office andthey will tell you aboutthe empty garages in thearea you want.Where are the garagesites in the city?Visit our website, www.nottinghamcityhomes.org.uk/your_tenancy and click on ‘Renting a garage’.On this page there is a link with maps of all thegarage locations across the city!Secure•Warm•ModernThe Secure Warm Modernprogramme is continuing at apace. In each issue of News fromNottingham City Homes, we’ll tellyou what work we’re doing andwhere. This is what’s happeningin the North area in May:Nottingham SecureNottingham City Homes’ windowteam is fitting new windows anddoors in Basford, Old Highbury Vale,New Highbury Vale and Whitemoor.Warmth for NottinghamSPI is improving heating systemsin Bulwell.Nottingham City Homes’ gas team isworking across the city.Find out moreContact our Secure Warm Modern team:Tel: 0300 333 8100 Minicom: 0115 915 7447Email: SWM@nottinghamcityhomes.org.ukFor details of the latest coffee mornings go to our website:Web: www.nottinghamcityhomes.org.ukJoin the board!This September, two tenant Board Members will be elected onto theBoard of Nottingham City Homes. This could be you!We are looking for two tenant Board Members to help make the decisionsthat shape the future of Nottingham City Homes. Our current Chair, JanetStorar is herself a Nottingham City Homes tenant. This means that wehave a Board that is tenant led from the very top. You could join her! Thenew members will be elected by all tenants and leaseholders through apostal ballot in the summer.To be elected you will need:• To be a tenant or leaseholder of Nottingham City Homes• Have an understanding of the issues affecting your community• To want to make a difference• To be ready for a challenge.Being a Board Member means you can help shape the services ofNottingham City Homes as well as influencing the decisions made aboutthe future of council housing in Nottingham.If you’re already involved with your local tenant and resident association,have experience in housing or other service industries then you might bejust what we’re looking for!Interested? Call us on 0115 915 7212 by Friday 25 June to express aninterest and to find out more!Get Involvedand haveyour sayWe want you to get involved and influence the way weshape and deliver our services. Area panels give you thechance to have your say and make a difference to your area.Get hands on in your area now!The panels are made up of tenants and leaseholders, who meet everytwo months to discuss issues including performance, local issues andvalue for money.Local housing managers will be there, along with an officer from ourProperty Services team (to discuss repairs). Local councillors and the citycouncil’s neighbourhood management team are also invited.We are always looking for enthusiastic people to join us!Meetings are held in comfortable surroundings and food, refreshments,child care and travel expenses are provided. Don’t miss out on anopportunity to have your say for your local community, or for tenants andleaseholders citywide.Check the information below to find your next AreaPanel meeting.Area Panel 1 BulwellDate: 20 May 2010Venue: Lathkill CloseTime: 5.30pm to 7.30pmArea Panel 2 BestwoodDate: 17 June 2010Venue: Bestwood Housing OfficeTime: 5pm to 7pmArea Panel 5 Sherwood & MapperleyDate: 21 June 2010Venue: Wells Road Community CentreTime: 6pm to 8pmFurther InformationTo find out more about getting involved, contact ourTenant and Leaseholder Involvement Team:Tel: 0115 915 7380Text: text INVOLVE to 60066, followed by your name and addressEmail: gettinginvolved@nottinghamcityhomes.org.ukWeb: www.nottinghamcityhomes.org.uk