South Somerset District CouncilResidential Gypsy and Traveller Sites

Chubbards Cross Caravan SiteSite Handbook

Everything you need to know about your site

Page 2

Welcome to Ilton Gypsy Site

This handbook aims to give you all the information you need to know about the site.

Page 2 — Site locationPage 3 — FacilitiesPage 4 — Security on sitePage 5 — About usPage 6 — Support workersPage 7 — Moving to the sitePage 8 — Your tenancy agreement

Page 9 — Your rentPage 10 — Site safetyPage 11 — RepairsPage 12 — Getting involvedPage 13 — Service standardsPage 14 — Useful contactsPage 15 — Useful contactsPage 16 — Your notes

The site is near the town of Ilminster in Somerset and is managed by South Somerset District Council.

Your postal address is:

....... Chubbards Cross, Ilton, ILMINSTER, Somerset. TA19 9HW

2

Page 3

Facilities

Your site has a total of 10 pitches, of which 6 include park home accomodation.Residents living on the other 4 pitches supply their own accomodation

Each pitch has:

• One Park Home caravanPlease note that the fixtures and fittings that come with your new Park Home should not be removed without the Council’s permission.

Your Park Home, and the fixtures and fittings supplied, are covered by a warranty. Removal of any of the contents of your Park Home could invalidate the warranty and could lead to additional expense for the Council.

Any expense reasonably incurred by the Council as a result of your actions that invalidate the warranty will be recharged to you.

In line with your tenancy agreement, you should not make any alterations or improvements to your property. To this end, we ask that you do not carry out any internal decorations unless you request permission.

If you no longer need any of the furniture supplied with your Park Home, you should contact the Gypsy Site Officer.

• An enclosed tarmac drive

• Access to an amenity block with toilet

• A key metre system for your electricity. The metre is located in the amenity block

• Your site is a registered Park Home site. You will need to mention this when applying for insurance. If you have any difficulty gaining insurance, please contact the Site Officer or your People Can Support Worker.

3

Page 4

Security on siteYour site is protected by:

A height-limiting barrier at the main entrance. Requests can be made for the barrier to be lifted, and we will normally help provided:

• The named tenant has requested and been given permission to have another caravan on the Pitch

• The request is made by the named tenant

• The Council is given at least 24 hours notice and you have asked for the barrier to be lifted at a reasonable time

The Council has put procedures in place to ensure that the barrier does not prevent or delay access for the emergency services

Regular visits by the Site Officer and by the Police.

The Council works very closely with the Police to ensure that your site remains a safe and pleasant place to live. You should feel comfortable about approaching either the Council’s Site Officer or the Police if you have any concerns regarding security on the site.

4

Page 5

About usStaff

South Somerset District Council employs a Site Officer, Your site office is responsible for ensuring the smooth day to day running of your site.

You are welcome to speak to your Site Officer when they are on site or you can call (01935) 462747 or 07968 616085.

The Site Officer is normally available during office hours on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays and is also available on Thursday mornings.

The Site Officer is supported by staff based at the Housing Advice Centre in Yeovil. In their absence, you are welcome to contact the Centre on (01935) 462462 and ask for

To ensure that your site is a safe and pleasant place to live, we will:

Visit your site on a regular basis and resolve any issues as soon as possible

Work closely with other departments of the Council and any relevant external agencies

Ensure you know who else you can speak to about any issues that the Council cannot resolve

Recognise that this is your home and treat you with dignity and respect

The Council provides a range of services. Your Site Officer has quick and easy access to other Council staff who might be able to help you. These include homeless officers, housing register and welfare benefit staff. We also have easy links to the Council’s repairs team, Housing Benefits, Housing Standards and the Planning teams.

5

Page 6

You may not always need or wish to speak to Council staff. If you are aged between 25 and 60 years a locally based Support Worker from People Can could give you independent housing related support to:

• Access specialist health services and a wide range of agencies

• Speak to other agencies, including the Council, on your behalf

• Help you manage finances and maximise your benefits

• Understand your rights and responsibilities around your Pitch agreement

• Gain access to other services eg. Training in reading and writing

Your Support Worker will agree an individual support plan with you. You will be able to monitor progress, review your plan and discuss any new issues with you at regular meetings and or telephone conversations with your Support Worker.

Your discussions with your Support Worker will be in confidence. You will be treated with dignity and respect.

If you are interested in receiving housing related support please contact the Site Officer on (01935) 462747 or 07968616085 during the times given on Page 5.

Alternatively, you are welcome to contact People Can directly on (01458) 259619.

Support workers

6

Page 7

How do I apply for a pitch?

You need to complete an application form. Forms are available from the Site Officer or from the Housing Advice Centre. Please let us know if you would like help in completing your application.

What happens after I apply?

We will write to you to confirm that you have been placed on the waiting list. We will also tell you how many points have been awarded to your application.

If you think the points are wrong, you can request a review. The review will be carried out by a senior officer not involved in the original decision.

How does the Council allocate a Pitch?

When we have an empty Pitch it will normally be allocated to the applicant with the highest number of points. The decision to allocate a Pitch is made by at least two housing officers.

Points can normally be awarded if you have children or elderly people in your household, health difficulties, the prospect of work or if you are living on the roadside in South Somerset. Points are also awarded to reflect good references.

To ensure our sites remain a safe and pleasant place to live, points can be taken away from an application if the Council believes that an applicant or their family might not be compatible with existing residents. Points can also be taken away if no references are provided.

Moving to the site

7

Page 8

Your tenancy agreementWhen you move on to your Pitch, you will be required to sign a tenancy agreement.

Your agreement sets out your responsibilities in terms of paying your rent and water charges, looking after your Park Home and Pitch, and getting on with your neighbours.

The Council’s responsibilities include maintaining your Park Home and communal areas. However, please note that if you, your household or your visitors cause damage to your Park Home or your pitch then the Council will recharge you for the cost of the repairs. The Council may also recharge you for a contribution towards the cost of work carried out to rectify damage, the dumping of rubbish and vandalism on the communal areas of the site.

Why is the agreement important ?

The conditions in your agreement are important because:

• They say what you can expect from us• They help ensure that your site is a comfortable and safe place to live

for you and for the other residents. • They say what we can expect from you

The Council will not tolerate antisocial behaviour on your site. We work very closely with the Police and other agencies to monitor your site and we will take immediate action against antisocial behaviour.

We take a firm but fair approach to enforcing the conditions of your agreement. If after warnings from us you continue to breach the condi-tions the Council may evict you from the site.

If you are evicted from the site then the Council is unlikely to have a duty to offer you any other accommodation or land because you might have made yourself intentionally homeless.

8

Page 9

Your rent payment is important because it covers the cost of the services you receive from the Council. If you are having difficulties with your rent, please let us know as soon as possible.

There are a number of ways we can help. For example, the rent charged for Park Home accommodation falls well within Housing Benefit limits and depending on your income you may qualify for this benefit.

We could also refer you to a Support Worker from Novas and / or to the Council’s Welfare Benefits team.

Failure to pay your rent may lead to you becoming evicted. If you are evicted the Council is unlikely to be able to help you find other accommodation.

Your water

Your payment is important because it covers the cost of providing your pitch with water and waste and sewerage services. Wessex Water bills the Council for all water services provided to your site and the Council, in accordance with the Water Industry Act 1991, will invoice you for your contribution. The amount you pay will be based on previous usage on your pitch and you can either pay on a weekly basis or by monthly direct debit.

Failure to pay for your water may lead to the Council taking legal action against you to recover your payment. It can also lead to the Council serving you with a Notice to leave your accommodation. If you are evicted the Council is unlikely to be able to help you find other accommodation.

Your rent

9

Page 10

FireYour Park Home is fitted with a smoke detection system. Your Site Officer will ensure that you have and understand general fire prevention information from the Fire and Rescue Service.

Your Park Home is also fitted with a carbon monoxide detector.

VehiclesTo allow emergency services to gain access to all parts of your site, it is very important that roadways are kept clear.

Most Pitches are large and it should be possible for you and your visitors to park on your own Pitch. Where this is not possible, vehicles can be parked on the site but only in allotted parking spaces.

The speed limit on the site is 10 mph.

GasYou are responsible for providing your own gas (LPG). Bottles should be stored and disposed of as outlined in your tenancy agreement. Please note that you will need a sufficient level of gas pressure to ensure your boiler and all appliances operate fully.

WaterIf you have been away from the site for some time, or you have water left in an external hosepipe, we would advise you to run the tap for a short period to ensure the supply is fresh.

RubbishYou should dispose of rubbish safely and according to your tenancy agreement.

Recycling collection day: Every General rubbish collection day: Every other Wednesday

Site safety

10

Page 11

How do I report a repair?

During office hours

You should contact the Site Officer when they are on site or you can call (01935) 462747 or 07968616085.

The Site Officer is normally available during office hours on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays and is also available on Thursday mornings.

The Site Officer is supported by staff based at the Housing Advice Centre in Yeovil. In their absence, you are welcome to contact the Centre during office hours on (01935) 462462 and ask for

Out of office hoursYou should call (01935) 462462 and follow the recorded instructions

How soon will we respond? This will depend on the seriousness and urgency of the problem. As a guide, we normally apply the following timescales:

One hour response: One hour response: We aim to provide you with emergency advice and instruct a contractor within one hour if there is a potentially life threatening difficulty caused by bare electrical wiring, internal water leaks coming through light fittings, and gas fire leaks

24 hour response: Failure of boiler and gas or electric installations, blocked drains, exterior flooding and pump failures

14 days: Any other, non urgent, maintenance problem

When you call us please give us as much detail as possible. We will then decide the level of priority to be given to your repair

Repairs

11

Page 12

We aim to provide you with excellent services. To do this we need to listen to you, take appropriate action and learn from our mistakes.

Comments and Suggestions

If you would like to say thank you or have a suggestion to help improve our services, we would be happy to hear from you.

Complaints We define a complaint as “an expression of dissatisfaction, however made, about the standard of our service, actions or lack of action by the Council or its staff affecting an individual customer or group of customers”. Complaints are dealt with in a series of stages. A senior officer will look at your case and make an independent assessment.

If you are dissatisfied about the standard of service by the council, please tell us. Your comment will then be handled in accordance with our com-plaints procedure. Details of the procedure are available from the Council’s area offices or from your Site Officer.

Getting involved

12

Page 13

For all our service users we will

• Be polite, welcoming and interested• Act professionally• Treat you with respect & listen to what you have to say• Be willing to help you• Try to deal with your query at the first point of contact• Be responsive and reliable

We aim to

Answer phone calls promptly within normal office hours. Reply to e-mails and letters within 14 days of receiptReply to complaints within 3 working days or if a full reply cannot be done that quickly, acknowledge receipt of your complaint and send a full reply within 7 days of receipt

Our service standards

13

Page 14

Your Local Offices:

South Somerset District Council South Somerset District CouncilPetters House Holyrood Lace Mill Petters Way Holyrood StreetYeovil ChardBA20 1SJ TA18 7LN

Telephone and opening times for both offices: 01935 462462

9:00 am – 5:00 pm (Monday – Thursday), 9:00 am – 4.45 pm (Friday)

Emergency Call Out Procedure (out of hours after 5:00 pm or weekends):

Telephone 01935 462462 and ask for Property Services

Other useful phone numbers

NHS Direct 0845 4647

Southern Electric 0800 980 0414 (meter and key enquiries. In an emergency, ring before 7pm for a next day call out).

Western Power 0800 365 900

Floodline 0845 9881188

Wessex Water 0845 600 4600

British Gas 0845 955 5510

British Telecom 150 or 0800 800150 (from a non BT line)

Useful contact numbers

14

Page 15

Housing Benefit & Council Tax 01935 462462

Refuse Collection 01935 462819

Social Services 01935 422111

Social Services 01458 253241 - Out of hours

Travellers Advice Team 0845 120 2980

Travellers Advice Team 0776 831 6755 – 24 hour emergency service

Shelter 0808 800 4444 – National free housing advice

Community Legal Service Direct 0845 345 4345

Fire, Police or Ambulance 999 in an emergency Non–emergency calls to the Police

To report a crime, incident, or general enquiries please call the Police on 101

You are also welcome to contact the Police Gypsy Liaison Officer. Please ring 101 and ask for

To report a crime you can call CRIME STOPPERS on 0800 555 111Your call cannot be traced and you will not be asked your name.

For more information and advice about the service provided by the Police please visit www.avonandsomerset.police.uk

Useful contact numbers (continued)

15

Topping up your prepay electric meter

16

Ilton site:

Leos Food Store Cornhill Ilminster Post OfficeIlminster East StreetSomerset IlminsterTA19 OAH TA19 OAJ

Martin McColls CoOp2 –4 East Street 2/4 St James Street Ilminster South PethertonTA19 OAJ TA13 5BS

Look for these signs