112443 GHC newspaper 23 (+East) - Gateshead Housing Company

Above: Lynne Dempsey, right, of the housing company presents Maureen Thwaites with her key with the help of
Mark Nockels of Riverside North East. Below right: Derwent Tower, which is set to be demolished.
Relocation, relocation – first tenant
of Ravensworth Road is rehoused
The first tenant of the Ravensworth Road
clearance area has found a new home
thanks to help from the housing company.
Following Gateshead Council’s decision to
redevelop the Ravensworth Road area of
Dunston and demolish Derwent Tower – the socalled
‘Dunston Rocket’ – the housing company
has been working with tenants in the area to
find alternative accommodation.
Maureen Thwaites, 55, originally of Cleveland
Mews, was the first resident to be relocated,
and has now moved into her new two-bed
house on Newton Street, Dunston.
She said: “I am really pleased with the housing
company’s work to find me a new home; and
that they have done it so quickly.”
Lynne Dempsey, Estate Regeneration Officer for
the housing company, worked closely with
Mrs Thwaites.
She said: “It was perfect timing that a property
came available that suited Mrs Thwaites’ needs.
“By working alongside with Gateshead Council
and Riverside North East we have found an
appropriate housing solution, and it is good to
see the tenant settling into her new home.”
Proposals for a redeveloped Ravensworth Road
area include a range of residential
development, including affordable housing in
the form of social rent, a supermarket, a
number of shop units, and possibly a doctor's
surgery.
For further information on developments
in the area do not hesitate to contact the
HomeChoice Team on 0191 433 5345.
Making a difference...
From April to December 2008,
we let over 300 homes in your area.
See page 19 to find out more.
Making a difference in
Inner West Gateshead
13

You can’t run from rent arrears
For free and confidential
rent advice call 0191 433 2685

Who’s Who
in Inner West Gateshead
Dunston (including Teams and Whickham) - 0191 433 8888
Housing
Manager
Ian Burton
Estate
Officer
David McCracken
Housing
Manager
Billy Liddell
Estate
Officer
Ray McKenry
Neighbourhood
Relations Officer
Laura Bell
Estate
Officer
Lesley Pickup
Decent Homes Team - 0191 433 5450
Tenant Liaison
Manager
Alan Sandey
Senior Tenant
Liaison Officer
Esther Hedley
Senior Tenant
Liaison Officer
Kate McDougal
Neighbourhood
Relations Officer
Jim Foster
Estate
Officer
Heather Skipper
Tenant Liaison
Assistant
Iain Crosbee
Estate
Officer
Emma Haley
Estate
Officer
Trish Slater
Tenant Liaison
Assistant
Kelly Richardson
?
Area Housing
Manager
Craig Gandy
Sheltered
Housing
Estate Officer
Dunston, Teams
and Whickham
Christine Potts
Tenant Liaison
Assistant
Lucy Goldsborough
15

16
Easy ways
to pay
Did you know you can pay
your rent at over 200
PayPoint locations in
Gateshead and Newcastle
city centre, as well as at all
Post Offices?
All you need to do is take your payment card
and money to anywhere you see the PayPoint
sign including newsagents, supermarkets,
convenience stores and garages.
PayPoint locations in and
around Dunston and Teams
• Co-op - 1 Tower Court
• Co-op North East - 9 The Crescent, Dunston
• Earls Convenience Store - 66 Malvern Gardens
• Finlays Newsagents - Maingate, Kingsway
North, Team Valley Trading Estate
• Lobley Hill News - 16 Rothbury Gardens
• Malthurst Fuels - Lobley Hill Filling Station,
Lobley Hill Road
• Saltwell Newsagents - 60 Saltwell Road,
Gateshead, NE8 4XE
• Saltwell Supermarket - Bensham Road, Bensham
• Teams Supersave - 3 Askew Road West, Teams
• Tower Court News - 13 Tower Court, Dunston
• 8 Till 10 - 101 Coatsworth Road
• Cellar 5 - 172-174 Prince Consort Road
• Costcutter – 201-203 Coatsworth Road
• Ivan's Value Stores - 168 Prince Consort Road
• Jenny Halls - 4-6 Brinkburn Avenue
• John Cowan Newsagent - 123 Coatsworth Road
• Saltwell Newsagents - 60 Saltwell Road
• Saltwell Supermarket - Bensham Road, Bensham
• The Corner Shop - 285 Rawling Road.
Post Office branches
• Dunston - 8 Tower Court
• MetroCentre - 59 The Galleria, MetroCentre
• Lobley Hill - 12 Rothbury Gardens, Gateshead,
NE11 0AT.
PayPoint locations in and
around Whickham
• Chapel Food Store - 2 Gateshead Road,
Sunniside
• Co-op North East - St Marys Green, Whickham
• Co-op United - Dewhurst Terrace, Sunniside
• Earls Convenience Store - 66 Malvern Gardens
• Jet Service Station - Front Street, Swalwell
• Lobley Hill News - 16 Rothbury Gardens
• Londis Supermarket - 72 Clavering Road,
Winlaton, Blaydon-on-Tyne
• Malthurst Races Services - Derwenthaugh
Road, Blaydon-on-Tyne
• Martin the Newsagent Ltd - 1-2 Oakfield Road,
Whickham
• Top Shop - 23-25 Clavering Road, Swalwell.
Post Office branches
• Fellside - Unit 1 & 2 Clavering Centre, Whickham
• Sunniside - 12 Dewhurst Terrace, Sunniside
• Whickham - 5 The Square, Front Street, Whickham.
Play area put to bed
Cheviot Green estate improvements.
Residents of Cheviot Green, Dunston, raised
concerns with the housing company due to
problems with a number of local children using
the grassed area of the estate to play football.
A housing company Estate Officer worked to find a
solution to the problem area as several windows
were broken and the grass became churned up.
A planted area was created but the problem still
persisted.
Your estate, your views
The Gateshead Housing Company wants your views on how we could make your estate even better.
One way to do this is to come on an Estate Tour - see page 20 for details of your next tour.
But, if you can't make a tour, you can still give us your views and we will make sure your housing office,
our Neighbourhood Relations Team or other services get to hear about it.
Simply fill in the form below and return it to us - no stamp is needed.
Important: You don't have to give us your name and address - but it will help us to give you feedback if
you do. You must tell us the estate you live on though, to help us look at the issue.
Your name:
Address:
Tel: E-mail:
Or
The estate I live on is:
I think my estate is:
The housing company requested further planting
and small trees to be added in and around the
green to make it difficult to play on the area, which
has proved a success.
The work was completed through the
Neighbourhood Pride scheme. Residents
wanting to find out more information on the
scheme can contact their housing office.
What is the most important issue you think the company should tackle on your estate?
(Please just tick one - the one you think is most important)
Untidy gardens Youth disorder Cleaning/grounds maintenance
Better lighting Community facilities Other (please specify)
Please give this to any of our employees, drop into your housing office of post to us (no stamp is needed) at
Freepost Plus RRZG-CLYL-XKRU, The Gateshead Housing Company, Keelman House,
Fifth Avenue Business Park, Fifth Avenue, Team Valley Trading Estate, Gateshead, NE11 0XA.

Teams estates to be
‘bloomin marvellous’
One hundred tenants in Clasper Village and
Rose Milling will soon be receiving free
hanging baskets courtesy of The Gateshead
Housing Company.
The Gateshead Housing Company with
Gateshead Council will install the baskets to
homes of the residents who were the first to take
up the offer.
Ian Burton, Housing Manager for Inner West
Gateshead, said: “The 100 lucky tenants will
receive a hanging basket in the spring and a
second free basket in the summer.
“We will be installing the baskets, and all tenants
have to do is water the plants to keep them
looking marvellous."
The hanging baskets will be installed thanks to
funding from the Neighbourhood Pride scheme.
Neighbourhood Pride is a partnership between
The Gateshead Housing Company, Gateshead
Council and Safer Gateshead, which aims to
increase pride in neighbourhoods by improving
the local environment.
Tenants who would like to find out more
about more Neighbourhood Pride work in
their area should contact their housing
office.
Decent Homes work changes
face of Moorfoot Gardens
Tenants of Moorfoot Gardens are waving
goodbye to dated exterior features and
saying hello to new windows thanks to
Decent Homes work on their estate.
The Gateshead Housing Company is busy carrying
out the work to update the estate and bring the
properties up to the Decent Homes
standard.
Lucy Goldsborough, Tenant
Liaison Officer for the housing
company is working alongside
Gateshead Council’s Joanne
Hetherington to help tenants with
the transition.
Lucy said: “Decent Homes is a
major project that many tenants
have questions and concerns
about; and it is our job to work
with them to answer their queries.
“The process so far has been a
positive one and I know tenants
are looking forward to the new appearance of
their estate.”
Tenants requiring more information on
Decent Homes work can contact their
Decent Homes Team on 0191 433 5450.
Improvement work continues at Moorfoot Gardens.
Making a difference in
Inner West Gateshead
The housing company has been doing a lot to
improve the Inner West of Gateshead with the help
of customers – here are just a few recent examples.
Lovett Walk - Teams
A new fence was added to Lovett Walk after
tenants complained that youths on motor bikes
were cutting through the back of the area.
A metal fence was agreed to ensure youths cannot
cut through or move the fence to gain access.
Milling Court - Teams
Tenants complained the
grassy area near the
footpath on the estate was
overgrown and was
attracting youths.
As a result the trees were cut
back and the area has been
seeded for grass to grow.
Redheugh and
Eslington Court - Teams
Redheugh and Eslington
Court have benefited
from newly added
sustainable planting to
help improve the
appearance of the
blocks’ entrances.
The work was completed
with funding from the Neighbourhood Pride
scheme.
Rose Milling - Teams
On a recent Estate Tour tenants identified
unsightly graffiti on the estate.
Estate officers requested graffiti be removed and
work has now been completed resulting in a
tidier estate.
Yetholm Road - Teams
Upon receiving
suggestions from
tenants, plants and soil
were replaced at
Yetholm Road to
improve the appearance
of the area.
The work was completed with funding from
Neighbourhood Pride.
Whickham North - Whickham
Tenants identified a number of improvements
needed during a tour of the estate.
Issues raised were churned up grass, uneven
pavements and graffiti.
All issues have been reported and repairs have
been made.
17

18
Local information
Housing offices
Your housing office can offer you a range of
services, including advice on rent or to make
payments, neighbourhood nuisance issues
and benefits advice.
In the Inner West of Gateshead the housing
company has an office for customers in and
around Dunston, Teams and Whickham.
Dunston Activity Centre
Ellison Road, Dunston, Gateshead, NE11 9SS
• Monday - 9am to 5pm
• Tuesday - 9am to 5pm
• Wednesday - 9am to 3.45pm
• Thursday - 9am to 5pm
• Friday - 9am to 4.30pm.
Tel: 0191 433 8888
E-mail: dunstonoffice@gatesheadhousing.co.uk
Finding your housing office
Decent Homes Team
This team covers the Inner West of Gateshead,
including Teams, Dunston and Whickham and
works with Gateshead Council's Local
Environmental Services for the improvements.
Tel: 0191 433 5450
E-mail les@gatesheadhousing.co.uk
Tenant and resident associations
Tenant and resident associations are made up of
volunteers from the local community.
Associations encourage residents to get involved
with local issues, with meetings open to everyone.
Tenant and resident associations in your area are at:
Clasper Village Estate Management
Board (EMB)
Sue Mackereth 73 Wilberforce Walk, Clasper
Village, Gateshead, NE10 0HY Tel: 0191 477 5778
Redheugh and Eslington Focus
Group
Contact Paul Cairns Tel: 0191 433 2816
Swalwell Residents' Association
Wyn Brophy 102 Shibdon Road, Blaydon,
Gateshead, NE21 5LX Tel: 0191 421 6916
Teams high-rise changes
The Gateshead Housing Company is working
hard to continually improve Redheugh and
Eslington Court in Teams.
A number of improvements have been made
including painting work throughout the internal
corridors and newly added grass and flowerbeds
to brighten up the estate for the spring.
The two tower blocks will benefit from up to
three million pounds of improvements, including
being brought up to Decent Homes standard
with work beginning at Eslington Court in
August and Redheugh to follow.
Residents will be invited to an event in the near
future where they will view a selection of
windows and doors for their properties and find
out more about the Decent Homes process.
The blocks have greatly benefited from the local
lettings plan for over 30s, which was introduced
in May 2007.
The plan has helped reduce crime by 48 per cent,
Residents of Dunston Park estate will
benefit from improvements being made to
their estate.
Following Decent Homes work the housing
company and its partners are carrying out
sustainability work to help improve the exterior
and environment for tenants.
A walk around the estate took place with ward
members, and officers from the housing
company.
Tenants were then invited along to discuss with
the group a list of their priorities for the estate.
Ray McKenry,The Gateshead Housing
Company’s Estate Officer for Redheugh and
Eslington Courts, with tenant Gillian Osborne
on a recent Estate Tour.
reduce damage done to the estate and resulted
in better estate management overall.
Tenants wanting to get involved in an Estate
Tour can contact their nearest housing office
or see page 20 of this newspaper.
Dunston Park makeover
As a result, Athol and Buchanan Green will
benefit from a makeover on one of the main
external areas.
The area was made up of tarmac, was poorly lit
and did not have access for vehicles.
As a result it is being resurfaced, pathways will
be added as well as planting and trees to help
improve the appearance.
The walls surrounding the area will be
lowered so residents can enjoy the view and
feel safer as they were previously too high
and caused concern for tenants.
Esther Hedley, left, of the housing company's Decent Homes Team is pictured with Lewis Armstrong
and Alex Linton of Gateshead Council's Local Environmental Services.

How do we perform in...
Inner West Gateshead?
Rent arrears
In December 2008, the average rent arrears in
your area was £139. Boroughwide, it was an
average of £99. The company is currently
collecting record levels of rent.
HomeRepairs
From April to December 2008, we kept 97.8
per cent of HomeRepair appointments in your
area. This compares to 96.9 per cent of
27,887 appointments boroughwide.
Anti-social behaviour
From April to December 2008, 98 per cent of
271 closed cases were resolved without legal
action. 146 new cases were opened and 58
legal and formal actions taken.
Letting homes
From April to December 2008, 305 properties
were let in your area, being vacant for an average
of 37 days. Boroughwide, 1,400 properties were
let, vacant for an average of 36 days.
Decent Homes
From April to December 2008, 322 properties
received Decent Homes improvements in your
area. Boroughwide, 2,269 homes received
improvements during the same time.
Empty homes
In December 2008, 67 out of 3,736 of our
properties in your area were empty. This
means 1.8 per cent were empty, compared to
1.5 per cent boroughwide.
Estate Tours
From April to December 2008, 135
Estate Tours were carried out in your
area. 91 per cent were attended by a
total of 84 residents. Boroughwide,
893 tours saw 56 per cent attended by a
total of 383 residents.
If you want to know more about how we
perform across the whole of Gateshead
or just in your area then ask at your
housing office or log onto:
www.gatesheadhousing.co.uk/performance

Inner
West
• Dunston
• Teams
• Whickham
We will tour all estates
including sheltered housing
and blocks of flats on at least
a bi-monthly basis.
Residents will be offered the
opportunity to accompany
the Estate Officer during
these tours.
We will identify and take
appropriate action with regard
to any issues detracting from
the appearance of an estate.
Feedback from the Estate
Tours will be provided to
residents.
We will publicise the dates
of all Estate Tours.
We will monitor our
performance and publish
the results.
Tours can take up to two
hours depending on the
size of the estate, you can
join in at any part if you
do not want to take part
in the whole tour.
April-Sept Tours
Dunston For more information contact: 0191 433 8888
Holmeside
Thursday 18 June – 10am
Thursday 20 August – 10am
Ravensworth Road
Wednesday 24 June – 2pm
Wednesday 26 August – 2pm
Rose Milling
Tuesday 12 May – 10am
Tuesday 14 July – 10am
Lower Teams
Tuesday 16 June – 10am
Tuesday 18 August – 10am
Clasper Village
Tuesday 28 April – 9.30am
Tuesday 2 June – 9.30am
Victoria
Tuesday 23 June – 10am
Tuesday 25 August – 10am
Byermoor
Tuesday 23 June – 10am
Tuesday 25 August – 10am
Sunniside
Tuesday 19 May – 10am
Tuesday 21 July – 10am
Watergate
Tuesday 26 May – 2pm
Tuesday 28 July – 2pm
Rectory Glebe
Monday 18 May – 10am
Monday 20 July – 10am
Dunston Hill
Thursday 21 May – 10am
Thursday 23 July – 10am
Dunston Park
Tuesday 5 May – 10am
Tuesday 7 July – 10am
Eslington Court
Wednesday 13 May – 10am
Wednesday 10 June – 10am
Redheugh Court
Wednesday 27 May – 10am
Wednesday 24 June – 10am
Eslington Park
Wednesday 17 June – 10am
Wednesday 19 August – 10am
Racecourse
Thursday 14 May – 10am
Thursday 16 July – 10am
St Mary’s Green
Thursday 2 July – 10am
Thursday 3 September – 10am
Whickham North
Thursday 14 May – 10am
Thursday 16 July – 10am
Swalwell
Thursday 21 May – 10am
Thursday 23 July – 10am
Lobley Hill
Thursday 28 May – 10am
Thursday 30 July – 10am
Dunston Road
Tuesday 12 May – 10am
Tuesday 14 July – 10am
West Park
Friday 19 June – 11.30am
Teams For more information contact: 0191 433 6135
Derwentwater
Tuesday 23 June – 10am
Tuesday 25 August – 10am
Victoria House
Friday 5 June – 3.30pm
Yetholm Road
Thursday 18 June – 3pm
Whickham For more information contact: 0191 433 8888
Coach Road
Tuesday 19 May – 10am
Tuesday 21 July – 10am
Derwentside
Tuesday 9 June – 11.30am
Rectory Hall
Wednesday 3 June – 11.30am
Sun Hill
Thursday 18 June – 11.30am
To find out more about Estate Tours in your
area contact your housing office or visit www.gatesheadhousing.co.uk/estatetours