Estate Walkabouts

2012

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Contents Page: 3 What are estate walkabouts? Page 3: Where do they take place? Pages 3 -4: Partnership working Pages 4 -5: How many residents attended on the day? Page 5: How can I get involved? Pages 6-11 “You said, we did” Page 11: Action planning Page12: Contact details

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What are Estate Walkabouts? The estate walkabouts are a great opportunity for you as tenants to tell us about where you live and any issues you may have. By working together we strive to improve communities for all. Where do they take place? Estate walkabouts take place across Tamworth Borough Council and are the result of either tenant requests or areas where there are ongoing issues. Examples of issues often raised by tenants are:

� Anti-social behaviour (ASB)

� Fly-tipping

� Graffiti

This year the 4 areas chosen for an estate walkabout were;

� June -Tinkers Green, Wilnecote

� July - Glascote

� August - Leyfields

� September – Stonydelph

Leyfields walkabout

Partnership working Glascote walkabout, July 2012 Councillor Michael Greatorex (Portfolio Holder for Housing) Councillor Garry Hirons Diane Hughes (Tenant Involvement Assistant)

Stonydelph walkabout, September 2012 Street Wardens with a local resident

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Staff and Partners who attend on the day; � Tenant Involvement Team � Caretaking Team � Estate Management Team � Street Wardens � Street Scene � Police Officers � Representative from the Council’s repairs Team � Representative from Mears (repairs contractor) � Representative from the Highways Authority � Representative from Neighbourhood Watch � Fire Officers � Councillors � Recycling team /waste management � Community Development Officers

How many residents attended on the day?

Stonydelph Glascote Leyfields Come rain or sunshine tenants and residents are happy to join in and

tell us about the area they live in and their community.

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It is important that tenants / residents can get involved in a way that suits them, from attending in person on the day, stopping us en route or by completing feedback sheets to let us know about their communities and the area in which they live. This offers the opportunity to chat to Councillors, Housing Services and other representatives from other organisations.

Glascote Although it was raining quite heavily the estate walkabout continued with residents eager to join us and to share with us their concerns.

How can I get involved? You can get involved in the Estate Walkabouts in a way that suits you

� Attend on the day and walk around with us. Some tenants use their mobility scooters, bring children in pushchairs and some come in wheelchairs.

� Tell us your concerns by telephone � Completing feedback sheets before or on the day of the event (these

can be posted back to the freepost address provided, handed in to Marmion House or handed to a member of staff on the day.

When preparing for an estate walkabout all tenants and residents living in the area being covered will receive an invite to attend or to fill in the feedback sheet provided. Invitations usually get sent to 500+ households to encourage tenant involvement.

Estate walkabout area

Attendees on the day

Feedback sheets completed

Stopped us en route

Total

Tinkers Green

5 32 7 44

Glascote

4 19 6 29

Leyfields

23 19 9 51

Stonydelph

12 19 6 37

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“You said, we did” Date and area of Estate Walkabout

Service area managing the Estate Walkabout

“You said” “We did”

Reported to the Highways Authority

Hole in Overwoods Rd

Response received - “Potholes have already been identified by our Highways Inspector and tasks SIL2-9194-155789 & SIL-9194-155791 were raised and are in the system for repair”.

Estate management Team

Bins left out after emptying has taken place

Housing Officer has sent letters advising residents to put their bins away as stated in their Tenancy Agreement.

21 June 2012 Tinkers Green, Wilnecote

Saxon Walk, Linthouse Walk and Stonehill – Overgrown planters

An environmental works bidding form was submitted with a view to removing the planters to provide more parking areas. This has been put forward for approval.

In Tinkers Green many concerns were raised about the state of the garages in the area that were in a state of disrepair. The following response was received by Mr Mohammed Alam, Project Officer and Quantity Surveyor on behalf of Repairs Services at Tamworth Borough Council;

1) As part of the on going environmental improvement programme, we are carrying out site specific survey to ascertain the work required to the sites in the Tinkers Green Road area and any immediate or long term health and safety implications. These matters are being dealt with on a case by case basis include Ivyhouse Walk and where garages are exposed to the elements.

2) Where garages are being used as a dumping site, these will be cleared.

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3) Majority of the roofs with in the area are presumed to be made out of asbestos. The health and safety significance of the roofs are impacted where only the roofs are disturbed only. Where left in situ without any significant damage, the material is sound and safe. Where disturbance is observed which affects the safety of the public, measures will be taken to minimise the potential exposure. If roofing issues are reported by resident to garages which they rent to our contractor, Mears, then action can be taken to these garages. The safety of users and the public is paramount in the work that we do.

4) Once all the surveys are completed to the area, a feasibility and costing exercise will be carried out to provide option solutions for the issues that residents have. Subject to budget, we hope to carry out a rebuild/refurbishment programme to sites which the council wish to retain. Where garage causes a significant health and safety risk, TBC will make safe the areas in concern. In some instances it may require TBC to remove and dispose of the garage completely.

Date and area of Estate Walkabout

Service area managing the Estate Walkabout

“You said” “We did”

Caretaking Team

Oil drum dumped in Kirtley causing a risk of fire if set alight

Removed by Tamworth Borough Council’s team within three working days

Caretaking Team

Overhanging bushes and shrubs. Flower beds require attention

Cleared by Caretaking team within 10 days

Fly-tipping of sofa & overgrown

It was confirmed on the day that this has already been reported and the sofa was awaiting collection. The Caretaking Team attended on the 8 August 2012 and cleared the alleyway where it was overgrown and cleaned the area up.

19 July 2012 Glascote

Street Scene

Bushes and grass cutting to be actioned across the estate as very overgrown.

Street scene are aware of the issues with overgrown bushes in the area and are trying to cut back as many as possible especially if they are over footpaths.

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Glascote

Leyfields

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Date and area of Estate Walkabout

Service area managing the Estate Walkabout

“You said” “We did”

Estate Management

Masefield Drive - All tenants to be sent tenancy letters reminding them of the correct use of balcony areas and communal walkways to avoid storage issues and blocking walkways.

Letter sent within a week of the walkabout by the area Housing Officer

Estate Management Team

Masefield Drive - Red sofa and concrete slabs plus contaminated green bin with concrete in it.

It was removed within 48 hours as agreed.

16 August 2012 Leyfields

Estate Management & Street Wardens

Masefield Drive -Caretakers cleared bulk waste on Monday 13 August and it has now been filled again with fly tipping of a sofa and bulk waste.

Several witnesses approached staff on the day to report fly-tipping. The Street Wardens took statements on the day, spoke to the perpetrator and issued a 'notice of environmental crime' which gave them 24 hours to remove all the rubbish left. This was cleared as advised.

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Date and area of Estate Walkabout

Service area managing the Estate Walkabout

“You said” “We did”

Estate management and Street Scene

Shrubs are very overgrown in the communal area and have become unmanageable. The tenant also stated that she had been clearing away needles and syringes.

This has been cut back to a height that is reasonable enough for the tenant to manage. It no longer blocks out the light in her property. Tenant has been advised not to move needles and syringes herself and given details on who to report this to if it occurs in the future.

Street Scene Shrubs and weeds across the estate Fly-tipping in the area

Winter maintenance for cutting back shrubs has now commenced until the end of March 2013. If they are overgrowing onto pavements and pose a health and safety risk they will be cut sooner. All fly tipping is taken seriously and will be followed up if we know who the perpetrator is.

20 September 2012 Stonydelph

Street Scene Overgrown trees Overgrown trees are currently being reviewed under the 'environmental funding' across Tamworth Borough as a whole. The weeds have been sprayed but are on a programme of works.

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Stonydelph Bushes and shrubs: Bushes and shrubs are only cut for Health and Safety reasons in the summer; the normal time of year for this for is autumn and winter. Any areas that pose a health and safety concern will be dealt with sooner. Trees: Overgrown trees are currently being reviewed under the 'environmental funding' across Tamworth Borough as a whole. The weeds have been sprayed but are on a programme of works to be cleared. Unfortunately this year we have experienced “ideal” growing conditions. Litter: All areas are de-littered on a three week cyclical basis. We also have a priority litter picking cycle which can vary from daily, weekly etc. these are based on historic need and requests for service which are monitored and black spot areas added if required. Action planning After each estate walkabout, those that attend prioritise works highlighted to 7 day priority or 9 day priority. The Tenant Involvement Team then collate all information within an excel spreadsheet and this is then forwarded to the various departments/ partners/service areas to be actioned. On completion of the works, the spreadsheet is updated. The results of “You said we did” are reported through the tenant’s quarterly newsletter ‘Open House’ and on the Council’s website.

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If you wish to discuss this review or to get involved in having your say about the Housing Service you receive then please contact the

Tenant Involvement Team

Telephone: 01827 709 448 Freephone: 0800 183 0454

Email: tenantparticipation@tamworth.gov.uk

Tenant Involvement Team

Tamworth Borough Council Marmion House Lichfield Street

Staffordshire B79 7BZ