Issue 25-customer_news_summer2011

Stockportat home

In this issue...

Stockport Homes’ Customer Newsletter Issue 25: Summer 2011

STAR Awards2011

Tenant Board Elections 2011

Nominate your STARS (Stockport Homes Tribute and Recognition) for an award. PAGE 10

Don’t forget to vote in the Tenant Board Elections for the East and West Areas. PAGE 17

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2 Stockport at home - Summer 2011 Issue 25 www.stockporthomes.org

Stockport Homes’ contacts

Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB)Out-of-hours number

ASB Team (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm)

Carecall

Customer Feedback

Customer FinanceAutomated Payment Line

Customer FinanceTeam (East Area)

Customer FinanceTeam (West Area)

CustomerInvolvement Team

East AreaHousing Office

Governance Team

Homechoice(Bidding Line)

Homechoice (Enquiries)

Homechoice Support Assistant

Housing Options Team

Housing Support Point

Investment Programme Hotline

Leasehold Officer

Repairs

Resettlement Team

West Area Housing Office

Neighbourhood Policing Teams

Stockport Central

Stockport East

Stockport North

Stockport West

Other useful contacts

Animal Warden Service(out-of-hours)

Citizens Advice Bureau(Stockport)

Credit Union(Stockport)

Crimestoppers

Derelict properties(non-Council)

Environmental Services

External Water leaks(United Utilities)

Furniture Station

Procure Plus

Greater Manchester Police

Groundwork

National Grid(gas emergency)

RSPCA

Samaritans

Stray dogs(office hours)

Vandalised bus shelters(JC Decaux)

Vandalised telephone(BT Payphones Security)

Welfare Rights

0161 474 3840

0161 218 1498

0161 218 1655

0161 474 2600

0161 474 4050

0161 474 2677

0161 474 2668

0161 474 2862

0161 474 4372

0161 474 2850

0161 474 4567

0161 474 2975

0161 474 3788

0161 474 4237

0161 474 3719

0161 474 4407

0161 218 1364

0161 217 6016

0161 474 3772

0161 474 4371

0161 856 5902

0161 856 9973

0161 856 9786

0161 856 9770

0161 474 4207

0844 826 9800

0161 430 5808

0800 555 111

0161 474 4268

0161 217 6111

0800 33 00 33

0161 456 0717

0303 030 0030

0161 872 5050

0161 237 3200

0800 111 999

0300 1234 999

08457 909090

0845 241 7253

0161 873 8800

0800 66 16 10

0161 474 3093

Useful telephone numbers

3Stockport at home - Spring 2010 Issue 20www.stockporthomes.org

Features inside...

Stockport at home

Contents...

3www.stockporthomes.org Stockport at home - Summer 2011 Issue 25

new young persons’

Customer news 4-5

Customer Involvement news 6-13

Anti-Social Behaviour news 14-16

Board news 17

Performance news 18-19

Leaseholder news 20-21

Homechoice news 22

Housing Options news 23-24

Repairs news 25-26

Technical Services news 27-28

Social Inclusion news 29

Sustainability news 30-31

New Build news 32

Concierge Service news 33

Carecall news 33

Fire Safety news 34

Police Service news 35

Housing Management news 35-36

Housing Excellence award win!

Local Standards STAR Awards

New YoungPersons’ Zone

Is your home too large for you?

5

24

8-9 10

12 FreeFootball event 36


Customer news

In the future of Stockport’s Council Housing

In the spring issue it was reported that the new ‘self-financing’ system announced by the Government will start from April 2012. This means that the rents you pay will remain in Stockport rather than some of it being paid back each year into a central government pot.

Stockport now needs to plan how best to invest the monies you pay in rent and service charges over the next thirty years into the homes and estates in which you live. The housing stock will need to be maintained over the period with an ongoing cycle of kitchen, bathroom, roofing and window replacements to name a few – this is to ensure that your homes remain decent. Did you know that the housing stock needs a minimum of £332million spent on it over the next 30 years just for these core components? Your rent also pays for the annual repairs and housing management services, such as Caretaking, Grounds Maintenance and Anti-Social Behaviour. There is also the need to make your homes as energy efficient as possible. All of these things will need to be considered in a careful, planned approach to ensure there is enough money over the next 30 years to maintain a fit-for-purpose housing stock and estates where people want to live and which they are proud of.

To do this Stockport Homes are currently working on a 30 year Asset Management Strategy and Business Plan that will take all of these things into account. The strategy will consider future demand for different types of properties, and future requirements such as homes for the elderly. This is where we need your views, as they are crucial to this strategy and will shape the future of Stockport’s Council stock.

Do you have views on what services should be prioritised? Would you like to see additional services in your area? What do you think the future of our tower blocks is? Are there areas of the Borough that you think need more help than others?

Stockport Homes’ Officers will be attending the Performance and Asset Management Customer Action Groups (CAGs) to consult on these themes. However, we also think it is important to set up a dedicated customer panel to discuss these issues as we move forward.

If you would like to join the customer panel, please contact the Customer Involvement Team

on 0161 474 2862 or email [email protected] by Friday 29 July 2011.

Have your say!


5www.stockporthomes.org

Stockport Homes delighted with national housing award win!

Customer news

Stockport at home - Summer 2011 Issue 25

The Housing Excellence Awards, now in its eighth year, highlights and rewards those who are leading the way in the social housing sector.

The winners were revealed at an awards evening on 11 May 2011 at Lancashire County Cricket Club, Manchester. The event has grown from strength to strength over the years, with ever-increasing audiences and a consistently high calibre of nominations. Stockport Homes beat off competition from 60 other housing providers.

The award entry for Stockport Homes was for the Family Interventions Project which has supported 15 families in the Borough.

The Family Intervention Project supports families approaching an eviction or possession order due to Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) affecting the wider community. Families with complex needs including substance misuse issues, domestic abuse, offending behaviour, parenting issues, non-attendance at school / college or vehicle crime and experiencing physical or mental health issues have been supported via a behaviour support contract which has to be adhered to by the family, the Family Intervention Project Workers and all other agencies involved with the family.

The project has involved providing floating support to families in their own homes and ground breaking, innovative Family Interventions Tenancies, whereby the family moves to a new home for a fresh start with intense support.

Elaine Dishong, Director of Housing Need and Support Services congratulated the team and said,

“I’m so proud of the team, they have worked so hard to help these 15 families within Stockport. They’ve helped improve these families’ futures and also those of their neighbours, and it’s great to see all the hard work recognised.”

Kath Jones, Stockport Homes’ Resettlement Manager said of winning this prestigious award, “I am very happy that our Family Intervention Project Officers’ enthusiasm, professionalism, dedication and expertise has been recognised. To experience a family thriving, taking pride in their surroundings, the children attending school and a reduction in ASB that had affected the neighbourhood, has been a reward in itself. To win this Award is a well-deserved accolade for the team’s hard work and enthusiasm.”

Stockport Homes has been named winner of the 2011 Housing Excellence Awards in the category of Tenant Care Programme of the Year.

Martin Smout, Chairman and Chief Executive of GB Building Solutions, who sponsored the category presenting the award to Stockport Homes’ Kath Jones, Resettlement Manager; Helen McHale, Chief Executive; and Karen Jones and Denise Shufflebotom, Family Intervetion Project Officers.

www.stockporthomes.orgStockport at home - Summer 2011 Issue 256

Customer Involvement news

YouSaid...

We Did...

You asked us to include craft based courses, baking and tracing your family history in our Skills for Life customer training programme.

Customers who attended the Customer Involvement Customer Action Group (CAG) expressed an interest in piloting online ‘E-learning’ training courses.

Community groups in Offerton said they wanted to know more about how to run a Committee and the different roles and responsibilities of Committee Members.

Young people told us what would encourage them to get more involved.

A Homechoice bidding period was missed while changes to your application were being processed.

You asked us to have a ‘Decent Homes – what next?’ theme at the next Area Forums.

Berrycroft Tenants’ and Residents’ Group told us they wanted to get to know the young people in the area better.

You were unhappy with the choices that were offered when you needed a new front door. You wanted one that offered more light into your hallway.

Sometimes you found it confusing working with different services within Stockport Homes while in temporary accommodation.

Members of Oldham Drive Tenants’ and Residents’ Group asked us to help them find a use for a derelict patch of land on their estate.

We included these ideas in our current Skills for Life programme. The Trace your Family History course starts on the 3 August. Contact the Customer Involvement Team to book your place.

We have arranged for two members of the CAG to complete online learning courses in Community Action and Chairing Skills.

We worked in partnership with Manchester and District Housing Association to hold an open Committee Skills session for residents on the estate.

We have designed an incentive scheme based on the feedback we received that is aimed specifically at young people.

We have agreed to reduce processing times for change of circumstances forms to 10 days. Weekly bidding was also introduced from May 2011.

We have based the July Area Forums on this theme.

We arranged a Wii bowling tournament between members of the tenants’ group and children at the local school.

We have reviewed our procedure and we now offer a much wider choice of doors and colours - six door types and colours, and all for the same price.

Monthly meetings have been arranged to ensure a seamless service between Temporary Accommodation, Housing Options and Homechoice in progressing rehousing and managing difficult cases.

We are supporting the group to turn the patch of land into a Community Garden where they can grow their own plants and vegetables.



You Said... We Did...

For more information, please contact the Customer Involvement Team on0161 474 2862 or email [email protected]

You were unhappy that your condensation pipe had frozen during the cold weather causing your boiler to break down.

You thought we were taking too long to repair boilers when they needed new parts.

Brinnington Council Tenants’ Association said they wanted to provide more activities for young people on the estate.

Resettlement Services customers who attend the ‘Focus on You’ service improvement meetings asked for another venue to accommodate more people.

You were unhappy that a leak had been attended to on more than one occasion without being resolved.

The Lancashire Hill Family Group told us they wanted to be more involved in the Lancashire Hill fun day and to develop their skills.

In-depth Housing Options advice is sometimes hard to remember and follow up on after an interview.

The H3 (Helping the Homeless into Housing) Group asked us to help them organise a pool competition to raise funds.

You received conflicting information regarding bidding on a property.

New heating installations will have condensation pipes run internally to minimise the risk of frost damage. Properties that had condensate pipes damaged during the cold weather have been identified and follow on repairs have started.

The parts are now being supplied direct to The Dodd Group rather than being sourced from the manufacturer, which means we can carry out the repair much quicker.

We helped the Committee apply to Stockport Homes’ Community Fund. The Group successfully obtained enough funds to provide a climbing wall at the Brinnington fun day.

We have changed the date and venue of the Focus on You Meetings. The next meeting will be held at the Salvation Army Hall, Lancashire Hill on 17 August.

A one day disrepair course for supervisors is being arranged. The course will focus on the importance of resolving repair issues first time. Supervisors will cascade information from this course to operatives.

We arranged for members of the group to be trained in the art of face painting. They put their new skills into practice volunteering at the Easter event painting over 50 children’s faces.

We have agreed to follow up Housing Options and Homelessness interviews with written confirmation of advice within three working days.

We helped the group to arrange a pool competition at the local snooker hall and to sell tickets.

Staff training has been provided regarding the shortlisting of adapted properties. The adapted property details on the website has been amended to include advice about priority and a booklet called ‘How do I get a property?’ has been created.



These new Local Standards have been combined with our existing service standards to make one comprehensive guide that sets out what you can expect when using our services. Below is a sample of what you told us you wanted to see happening

and the Local Standards we have created to meet your requirements. For a full list, please see our website www.stockporthomes.org under 'How are we performing'.

Involvement and Empowerment

You told us... Our Local Standard says…

You want to be kept better informed of changes as a result of your feedback and suggestions.

We will increase customer satisfaction with being kept informed by ensuring we give you feedback at all formal customer meetings, in the newsletter and on the website.

You want us to help more people to get involved and have their say, especially young people and customers with disabilities.

Our Menu of Involvement will provide a variety of ways for people to get involved at a level that suits them. The Menu of Involvement will be widely publicised and available in a range of formats.

Stockport Homes’ Local Standards Our Commitment to You

It is important to us that you, our customers are happy with the services you receive. We have been busy working with you to develop Local Standards that help to ensure we are meeting your needs and priorities.



Home: Repairs and Maintenance and Quality of Accommodation

Neighbourhood and Community: Managing where you live


You want repairs appointments at times that are convenient for you.

We will provide greater flexibility in our repairs appointments including offering Wednesday evenings up to 6pm and Saturday mornings from 8am to 12noon (for repairs that can be completed within the appointment slot, do not need specialist materials and only need one operative to attend).

You want to see more work on energy efficiency.

We will consult with you on the development of an environmental and energy efficiency guide for customers.

You want to influence the delivery of the major repairs Investment Programme on a regular basis.

We will involve you in the development of the Investment Programme up to 2015 through annual surveys and consultation.

Our Commitment to You


You want your estates to be inspected regularly and to be clean.

We will carry out a quarterly programme of estate clean ups following Estate Walkabouts and advertise them locally.

You want a range of ways to be involved in the development of action plans for your neighbourhood and to be kept informed of progress.

We will develop a Neighbourhood Action Plan for each Neighbourhood Housing Officer and provide you with progress updates every six months in the Neighbourhood Newsletters and on the website.

You want to feel safe and secure in your home and local area.

We will provide a Concierge service with CCTV 24 hours a day, seven days a week to blocks of flats to help to deter crime and Anti-Social Behaviour.

You want support for vulnerable people who report Anti-Social Behaviour to be a priority.

We have reduced the timescales for contacting vulnerable complainants. We will contact Level One vulnerability complainants within 24 hours and Level 2 vulnerability complainants within 48 hours.

For more information about Local Standards, please contact the Customer Involvement Team on 0161 474 2862 or email [email protected]



Who was your shining STAR in 2011?

community safer or by offering support to their neighbour such as shopping or another kind of helping hand.

Green Award – An individual or group who have suggested a new scheme or idea which has helped to improve the visual appearance or sustainability of their community. This could include a wildlife garden, community recycling or any other ‘green’ scheme.

For a copy of the STAR Awards nomination form, please visit the Housing Information Centre,

your Area Housing Office or Stockport Homes' websitewww.stockporthomes.org For more information, please contact the Customer Involvement Team on 0161 474 2862 or email [email protected]

Do you know someone special who has worked hard to help

improve the lives of others? Or are you part of a group that has

made a difference within the local community?


Deadlines for entries

12 August 2011

Now is your chance to highlight the success of your STARS, by nominating them for a special award. Winners will receive a trophy and a £50 high street voucher. A special joint award ceremony for customers and Stockport Homes staff will take place:

At: Stockport Town Hall

On: Friday 23 September 2011

Details of the categories for 2011 are as follows: Customer of the Year Award – An individual that has shown outstanding commitment to working with Stockport Homes to improve the services available to customers.

Young Persons' Award – A person aged 25 or under who has worked to improve their area, made a positive difference to someone else’s life, stood up to bullying, hate crime, racism or any other form of Anti-Social Behaviour or shown particular bravery.

Community Award – A customer or group of people who have been working hard to make a positive difference within their community, such as being actively involved in making their local




The Family Activities Group celebrate their first year!

It’s been over a year since the Family Activities Group in Lancashire Hill successfully received funding for a trip to Camelot.

The group have grown from strength to strength and have successfully bid for monies from Stockport Homes’ Community Fund and You Say We Pay to take the group to the Blue Planet and Knowsley Safari Park. This money funded coaches and entrance fees for the young families from the estate providing opportunities to experience something new. The group plan to go to Stockley Farm on their next trip.

The group have taken part in consultation exercises and undertaken training. Some of the group did face painting training and successfully painted over 50 children's faces at the Lancashire Hill Easter Eggstravaganza. The group have also had food hygiene training and plan to do further courses this year.

They applied to the Plaza for Christmas Pantomime tickets and received 40 free of charge. They raised money at the Lancashire Hill Fun Day and were able to take the children to a play centre.

Leanne Birrell, a resident and mum said,“The Family Activities Group has made the community closer and offered opportunities to the kids on the estate.”

The group meet weekly on a Tuesday from 9.30am onwards at the Lancashire Hill Community centre for tea, toast and company. Anyone on the estate is welcome to attend.

For more information about the group, please contact Helen Alderson, Customer Involvement

Officer on 0161 474 2862 or email [email protected]

Lancashire Hill Family ActivitiesGroup at STAR Awards 2010.



Hello, I am the new Customer Involvement Officer

focusing on involving young people. The Young

Persons’ Zone will be a regular feature in this

newsletter, so watch this space for updates! I

am also looking for budding young journalists to

contribute to this feature, so let me know if you are

interested.

Stockport Homes have recently launched a plan

showing how we aim to involve young customers

aged 18 to 25 and children living in our properties.

Some of the themes of the plan and upcoming

projects are shown here. To find out more or

sign-up to any of these projects, please contact

me. I look forward to hearing from you!

Young People Influencing Housing Services

Sign-up to the Young Customer Group to receive

regular information about getting involved. • New

Incentive Scheme coming soon - get rewarded

for giving us your views! • Help us improve online

communication through our website and social

media. • Help us improve support for young

people in their first tenancy.

Activities for Under 16’s

Reward young people for completing positive

activities through the ‘Bring it On’ scheme for 8-14

year olds - coming to an area near you! • Take

part in the annual football event in August 2011!

(see page 30 for details) • Help us develop more

positive activities for young people and improve

play spaces and facilities.

Encouraging Good Citizenship

Deliver workshops to promote good citizenship to

prevent young people becoming involved in crime

and Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB). • Develop an

intergenerational project to build respect between

the generations. • Develop a domestic abuse and

ASB DVD with young people.

Training and Development

Deliver courses for young people through Skills

for Life (starting in November). • Develop arts and

creative media projects. • Develop the ‘Pathway to

Work’ initiative to help school students experience

work in different trades and industries.

• Encourage young people to use Stockport

Homes’ Employment Support Service.

Nicola GreenCustomer Involvement Officer

(Young People)Phone: 0161 474 5811

Text: 07800617 695

Email: nicola.green @stockporthomes.org

Contact Me :)

new young persons’





Lancashire Hill Young Photographers get snapping!Lancashire Hill has seen some real talent from its young people as they have learnt new skills to produce interesting photographs of themselves and their environment.

Stockport Homes in partnership with the local tenants’ group bid for monies to fund this project to enable young people from 10-16 years to have a go at using a variety of photography techniques and produce a photo book for them to keep.

The project could not have taken place without guidance from Stockport College BA Photography students who designed the programme and delivered the workshops for the young people. The group’s creative images were exhibited in Merseyway in Stockport on Saturday 7 May 2011. The photos taken were so good that we have used one on the front cover of this newsletter.

The project has enabled Stockport Homes to work more closely with young people on the estate. The tenants' group have supported the young people by offering to be models for a photoshoot directed by the children on the course. All the young people involved received a copy of the photo book with their photos inside, a camera to continue their new found skills and framed copies of their chosen work from the exhibition.

For more information about this project, please contact Helen Alderson, Customer

Involvement Officer on 0161 474 2862 or email [email protected]


Anti-Social Behaviour news

Positive action against Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB)In each issue of Stockport at home we provide you with a breakdown of the different types of legal action against perpetrators of ASB.

Stockport Homes has continued to take legal action against the perpetrators of ASB. Here is a

breakdown of the number of legal actions taken during 2010/11 compared to 2009/10.

Type of legal action Total year end (2009/10)

Qtr one (Apr - Jun 2010)

Qtr two (Jul - Sep 2010)

Qtr three (Oct - Dec 2010)

Qtr four (Jan - Mar 2011)

Total year end (2010/11)

Notice of Seeking Possession

11 3 2 1 2 8

Postponed Possession Orders

5 1 0 0 1 2

Outright Possession Orders

6 1 0 0 1 2

Evictions 2 1 0 0 0 1Notice to Terminate (Introductory Tenants)

5 3 3 0 0 6

Notice to Extend (Introductory Tenants)

6 1 1 2 2 6

Demotion Notices 6 2 0 1 0 3Injunctions 57 8 17 9 9 43Undertakings 10 3 0 1 1 5Noise Abatement Notices

4 0 1 0 0 1

Demotion Orders 1 0 0 0 0 0Closure Orders 1 1 1 0 1 3Committal 3 0 0 0 0 0Acceptable Behaviour Contract (ABC)

0 0 0 2 2 4

Anti-Social Behaviour Order

4 0 0 0 1 1

Total 121 24 25 16 20 85

Although the number of legal actions has decreased slightly when compared with last year, this is balanced with an increase in cases being

resolved through early intervention (108). This demonstrates that cases are being managed well and that appropriate action is being taken.



Focus on... Restorative Justice

Restorative justice processes bring those harmed by crime or conflict, and those responsible for the harm, into communication, enabling everyone affected by a particular incident to play a part in repairing the harm and finding a positive way forward.

In criminal justice, restorative processes give victims the chance to tell offenders the real impact of their crime, to get answers to their questions, and an apology. It lets offenders understand the real impact of what they’ve done, to take responsibility and make amends. Restorative Justice holds offenders to account for what they have done, personally and directly, and helps victims to get on with their lives. There is strong evidence that almost 90% of victims who chose to participate were satisfied with the process.

In the Community

Restorative practice in communities resolves conflict before it turns into crime. It is an effective approach to dealing with Anti-Social Behaviour, graffiti, noise and criminal damage, enabling people to understand the impact of their behaviour on others. For victims of Anti-Social Behaviour it delivers effective outcomes owned by the local community, and reduces the fear of crime.

Reparation

Reparation is a practical way to pay back for the harm caused by the offence, either by directly repairing the harm or through constructive work to help the local community. The victim is usually

consulted about what should be done. Reparation can include:

Reparation to the victim

For example, a verbal or written apology, or financial or supervised activity-based reparation to the victim.

Community reparation

Includes a variety of activities to ‘pay back’ benefits to the community, including work similar to community service activity.

Stockport Homes is committed to tackling and resolving nuisance and Anti-Social Behaviour and will be consulting customers in the very near future about including restorative justice processes in its Anti-Social Behaviour Policy and Procedure.

For more information, please contact Paula Field, ASB Manager on 0161 218 4316 or

email [email protected]

What is Restorative Justice?



CASE STUDY

Injunction against neighbour Stockport Homes believes that every customer has the right to peaceful enjoyment of their home and when this is threatened action will be taken.

In August 2010 a customer contacted their Neighbourhood Housing Officer to report that the next door neighbour was holding regular alcohol fuelled parties which involved loud music and disturbance into the early hours of the morning.

The customer informed the Neighbourhood Housing Officer that a party the previous night had resulted in him having to call the police. After the police had attended and broken up the party the resident was verbally abusive and threatening to the Stockport Homes customer.

The Neighbourhood Housing Officer informed Stockport Homes’ Anti-Social Behaviour Team and a member of the team visited the customer that day to discuss the incident and what action

could be taken. Because the customer had been threatened the officer took the decision to prepare a case for an Injunction against the resident to protect the customer from further incidents and loud music.

In October 2010 the Court granted an Injunction against the resident to prohibit him from using abusive or insulting or threatening behaviour or language and playing music at such volume as to be capable of causing a nuisance or annoyance. After the Court hearing the resident apologised to the customer. The Anti-Social Behaviour Team continued to monitor the situation and made regular contact with the customer. There were no more complaints made and the case was successfully closed in March 2011.


Board news

Make sure you vote!

There are 13 people on the Board altogether. Tenants form the largest individual group on the Board with five members; there are also four Councillors and four independents who sit on the Board. Board Members are elected for a three year term, and can stand for a maximum of three terms (nine years in total). Please make sure that you read the candidates’ statements and cast your vote, as it is really important that the tenant’s voice is heard on the Board.

For more information about the elections or the Board in general, please contact Jeremy

Beatty, Governance Manager on 0161 474 2850 or email [email protected]

There is currently an election for two Tenant Board Members, one in the East Area and one in the West Area. Customers will have received a ballot paper with this newsletter enabling them to vote for a candidate in the area they live in.

You can complete your ballot paper and send it back in the freepost envelope provided or you can vote online at www.stockporthomes.org under 'About us / Board'.

The deadline for voting is Friday29 July 2011

It is really important that customers vote in this election, as you are deciding who will be one of the tenant voices at the heart of our decision-making for the next three years. The Board are a group of people who are collectively responsible for directing and overseeing the work of Stockport Homes. This means that they set the strategic direction of the organisation and make sure that we are delivering excellent services to all our customers.

Tenant Board Member Election

Are you a tenant or leaseholder of

Stockport Homes?

Would you like to be involved at the

very heart of Stockport Homes?

Would you like to make a difference

in your community?

Would you like to impress future

employers?

�


Performance news

www.stockporthomes.org18

Spotlight on... performance at Stockport Homes

Customerpriority

Decent Homes

Repairs qualityservice

Repairs satisfaction

Repairs speed

Households in hostelaccommodation

Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) – action taken

ASB – satisfaction

Empty propertymanagement

Investmentsatisfaction

Customer feedback

Performanceindicator

% properties which meet the Decent Homes standard.

Average time for completion of non-urgent repairs.

% of customers satisfied that their repair was right first time.

% of urgent repairs completed on time.

Number of households in hostel accommodation.

Number of legal actions taken against ASB perpetrators so far this year.

% ASB cases who were satisfied that the ASB had been resolved (victim)

Average number of days taken to re-let dwellings

% customers satisfied with investment works.

% of tenant satisfaction with caretaking service

How we are performing

100%

9 working days

98%

98.6%

27

85

94%

13 days

95.1%

100%

Ontarget?

A customer-driven update, giving you information that you want to know.

In each issue of Stockport at home, we will be providing you with updates on how we’re performing in your top ten areas, whether we’re really pleased with how we’re doing, or are still striving to get better. So you can be sure that

when it comes to our performance – we’re always putting it in the ‘spotlight’. Here is an update on Customer’s Top Ten performance indicators for Year End 2010-11 (April 2010 – March 2011).

At the end of the 2010-11 financial year, 85% of corporate performance indicators were on or above target. This is a great achievement and shows that the organisation is meeting its challenging targets and improving services for customers.

Stockport Homes performing well


Performance news


Spotlight on... performance at Stockport Homes

Ontarget?

We recently reported 100% compliance with gas safety for 2010/11, the fourth consecutive year in which this has been achieved.

It is our legal duty to ensure that all gas appliances provided by Stockport Homes are serviced annually by an engineer. This requires the engineer to check appliances are correctly installed, safe, efficient and well ventilated. The importance of such checks cannot be underestimated, as the effects of carbon monoxide poisoning can be severe. Regular checks are the best way of alleviating any risks.

If you have any questions about this article, or if you would like to know how Stockport Homes

is performing in an area not covered, please contact Samantha Donigan, Performance and Improvement Manager on 0161 474 3279 or email [email protected]

Stockport Homes is committed to keeping you safe and warm in your home. We have a team devoted to making sure any gas appliances provided by us are both safe and efficient.

Spotlight on... Empty Property Management

Customer Feedback Policy

You can do this by:

• phoning 0161 474 2600;

• emailing [email protected];

• completing a paper customer feedback form;

• visiting the website and completing an electronic form; or

• visiting one of Stockport Homes’ offices.

Full details of the Customer Feedback Service can be found in your Customer Handbook or by visiting www.stockporthomes.org and then

going to ‘Our Services / Customer Feedback’.

Stockport Homes have updated its Customer Feedback Policy, which is available on the website and in your Area Housing Offices. Customers are able to make Compliments and Complaints about the services that Stockport Homes provides by contacting the Customer Feedback Officer.

A compliment is a positive comment about a member of staff, team or service.

A complaint can be made when you are unhappy with a service provided by Stockport Homes.


Leaseholder news

You had your say!In August 2010 Karl Coyler (Head of Partnership Delivery) and Jon Blackwell (Head of Investment) came along to the Leaseholder Forum to listen to what you had to say about the service that they manage.

Following the meeting a Service Improvement Group was formed and Leaseholders and staff discussed how the issues raised could be taken forward. We have included some of those issues in the ‘you said, we did’. If you would like to know more about the service improvements that Leaseholders suggested or would like to get involved, please contact Tracy Nield. Involvement can be as little or as much as you can manage.

We shall be holding further Leaseholder Service Improvement meetings and if you would like Tracy Nield to contact you with dates and times please let her know.

Current topics - Gas Servicing

Annual gas safety checks are a vital – and potentially lifesaving – service which all occupiers should have done on an annual basis. Stockport Homes complete the annual gas-safety checks in properties that they still own but cannot offer assurance that all the gas appliances in the block are safe where there are Leaseholders present.

To remedy this Stockport Council are to amend the lease so that a Gas Safety certificate will need to be supplied annually. We will ask existing Leaseholders with gas in their property to provide a copy of their Gas Safety certificate.

In our January 2011 forum on service charges Leaseholders asked how residents would benefit from the new lifts. We estimate (based on the new lifts being fitted at Hollywood Towers) that the potential energy savings will be in the region of 70% which equates to about £1,000 per year. This would also give a reduction of 4,910KG of CO2 emissions.

New lifts will not only be more efficient in both electrical consumption and ride quality but be more reliable resulting in fewer breakdowns.

Can Leaseholders instruct Stockport Homes’ contractors to carry out the Gas Safety Check for a small fee?

Yes – Leaseholders raised this at the August 2010 forum and since then we have had a lot of positive feedback from leaseholders about giving them the option of using Stockport Homes’ gas contractor (Dodds) to undertake their annual gas-servicing. As a result of this feedback, Stockport Homes have worked with Dodds to develop a scheme which is available to all our leaseholders.

It is important, and we would actively encourage all Leaseholders to have their gas appliances and gas boilers serviced regularly, to both maintain their efficient running and identify any potential hazards, which are not only possible gas leaks but also carbon monoxide leaks.

Next Leaseholder forum ‘Building and contents insurance’

On: 6 September 2011 at 6.00pm (for refreshments).

At: 1 St. Peter’s Square, Stockport SK1 1NZ


Leaseholder news

You Said, We did

Tracy NieldLeasehold Officer

T: 0161 218 1364M: 07800 617810E: [email protected]

Next Leaseholder forum ‘Building and contents insurance’

On: 6 September 2011 at 6.00pm (for refreshments).

At: 1 St. Peter’s Square, Stockport SK1 1NZ

You said...

Could we add flags onto our system so if a repair is required and it is under warranty, information is directed to the contractor as a recall rather than passed as a responsive repairs which results in a charge to Leaseholders.

You would like us to explore the best way to issue a programme of works to Leaseholders.

You want more information on major works so that you can take advantage of the discounts Stockport Homes benefit from through Procure Plus.

You would like a dedicated line into the Repairs Contact Centre.

Repairs carried out as an insured peril should be claimed by Stockport Homes, not you the Leaseholder.

We did...

Flags are now on the system and will make staff aware of works under warranty.

Following discussions with Leaseholders an up-to-date programme will be placed on Stockport Homes’ web pages.

Leaseholders in the same block as the works being carried out will receive information on the works and how to make enquiries.

Leaseholders decided that they would see more benefit from improving the information the Repairs Contact Centre have access to.

We contacted Zurich who are happy for Stockport Homes to submit a bulk claim on behalf of Leaseholders. Leaseholders would still like to see where we claimed so information will be included on the minor communal repairs invoice.

For more information or to

get involved please

contact your Leasehold Officer

on the details opposite.


Homechoice news

Homechoice – working to keep people in their homes!

Allocation Policy Review

Homelessness across the country has begun to rise for the first time since 2003. With jobs hard to come by and changes to benefits affecting lots of people, this situation is expected to be getting worse over the next few years.

Despite this difficult situation, the Housing Options Officers at Homechoice are working hard to make sure that everyone gets the help they need if they are at risk of losing their homes.

Heather McFarlane, Housing Options Manager said, “During the last year we have prevented 881 households becoming homeless, in 255 cases through mediating with family members alone. The important thing is that people seek help as soon as possible when they get into difficulty.”

If you or anyone you know is struggling to keep their home, the Housing Options Officers

can be contacted at Homechoice on 0161 474 2975 or email [email protected] There is also a lot of information on Stockport Homes’ website www.stockporthomes.org

During the last year a lot of customers were involved in reviewing the Council’s Allocation Policy. Unfortunately, just when the new policy was ready to go, some potential changes to the law around allocating properties were announced. This has delayed the new policy being introduced – but all the views and suggestions put forward will be taken into account when we are able to go ahead.

Thanks to all who contributed at the Area Forums, through questionnaires and at other meetings.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact the Homechoice Team on

0161 474 2975 or email [email protected]

Housing Options news


H3 provide 'move-on-packs'The £900 raised by H3 (the constituted group of current and former residents from the three Temporary Accommodation Schemes) has meant the group are able to provide ‘move-on packs’ to over 100 homeless families. Items to help them on their way range from kettles and toasters to crockery and cutlery.

Since then the group have had another boost, being awarded £1,000 by the Red Nose Day Community Cash fund to spend on tailor-made training and skills workshops, which H3 members can pass on to other homeless residents. H3 welcome your ideas on how they can go on ‘Helping the Homeless into Housing’.

For more information about H3, please contact the Customer Involvement Team on 0161 474

2862 or email [email protected]

Get Volunteering!

Stockport Homes has a range of fantastic opportunities for people to gain skills, work experience and have a great time through volunteering. With activities ranging from helping people who have become homeless through to one-off projects improving the appearance of our communities, there are opportunities for everyone.

As well as doing something valuable and satisfying with your spare time, volunteering is a great way to build your CV if you are looking for work and is viewed really positively by employers.

Bryan’s Experience: “I decided to volunteer after meeting the Employment Support Officer at Stockport Homes. I really enjoy

DIY and gardening, and it turns out these were skills that were really needed at one of the Temporary Accommodation Schemes for homeless people in the Borough. It gets me out of my flat, is a great way for me to keep active and more importantly has enhanced my CV as I am looking to get a job.”

If you are interested in helping out, please contact Martyn Preston, Employment Support

and Volunteer Coordinator on 0161 474 2836 or email [email protected]

Make a change in your community, gaining skills, meeting people and having fun!

Helping the Homeless into Housing


Housing Options news

Is your home too large for you? If so, this may affect how much housing benefit you receive from 2013

From April 2013, the Government are reducing the amount of housing benefit for tenants in Council or Housing Association homes that are too big for them. This only affects people of working age, so if you are old enough to receive a state pension there is no need to worry.

This will have an impact for a lot of Stockport Homes’ customers, for example most single people or couples in two bedroom flats, or people in houses whose children have grown up and left home. Although 2013 sounds a long way off, it is important to think about how you will able to budget for this if you are going to be effected. If you think you are going to struggle to pay your rent, there are two main options available to you:

Moving to a smaller home - Through Homechoice we give people in homes that are too large for them extra priority for a transfer. If you are moving from a house to a flat, we can also help

financially through our ‘Down-Sizing Scheme’. The Homechoice Team can help with advice on seeking a move and are available on 0161 474 2975, or details are on Stockport Homes’ website www.stockporthomes.org Moving to a smaller home may also reduce your heating and other bills, and be easier to manage than a larger property.

Increasing your income - If you are not working, but would like some help in finding employment, training schemes or voluntary work to improve your skills, the Stockport Homes can help. Our Employment Support Officer is available to help on 0161 474 2836 or by email at [email protected]

If you have any concerns about how you may be affected by this change or want to discuss what to do, please contact your Area Housing Office (see page 2 for contact details).

Your views on...

Stockport at homeFollowing some recent feedback from the Customer Involvement Customer Action Group (CAG) we have made a few changes to this newsletter. You may have noticed that this newsletter is slightly shorter than previous issues.

We would like to know what your thoughts are on Stockport at home, such as what you would like to see more of and what you don’t want to see in this newsletter.

You can send us your views on the newsletter by:

emailing [email protected]

phoning the Marketing and Communications Team on 0161 474 3768

writing to the Marketing and Communications Team at 1 St. Peter’s Square, Stockport SK1 1NZ.

✎

☎:


Repairs Service news

Customers make a differenceTechnical Services strive to improve their services by listening to customer feedback and acting upon it (see example below).

A customer who needed an external door replaced was unhappy with the choices available to them. In an attempt to resolve the matter a home visit was arranged to discuss the situation. During this visit it became clear that more natural light was needed in the hallway of their home than the original door choices offered.

Stockport Homes contacted the door manufacturer and following discussions it was agreed that additional choices and styles of doors would be made available for our customers at no extra cost to Stockport Homes. As a result there are now six door choices available to customers who need new external doors fitting.

We have been trying to develop a delicate balance between allowing people to report repairs on behalf of others and the need to protect customers’ personal information and data. If you ring to log a repair on behalf of another person, it is very helpful if you can describe the issue as clearly as possible so we can get the right tradesperson out to complete the works.

We may seem to ask some questions about the repair that you may not be able to answer, but we do this to correctly assess the priority and extent of works needed. We may need to ask more questions than usual to clearly understand how we can best help and this may seem a little different than you reporting a repair for your own property. It is particularly helpful to agree what dates / times we can visit the property to complete the repair so this ideally needs to be discussed and agreed before you call us. For repairs that are not urgent in

Stockport Homes' Responsive Repairs Team deal with over 200 repairs per day.

Over 97% of customers who return their

customer satisfaction surveys tell us that they are

more than satisfied with the service they receive.

This is really positive and pleasing; however, there is always room for improvement. There are many more stories just like this where customers 'make a difference' to the Repairs Service and we intend to feature more in future issues of Stockport at home.

Protecting customer information


nature, an appointment slot will typically be in four to eight days.

We continue to support vulnerable customers and customers who speak a different language to report repairs. If you or somebody else tries to help by reporting repairs on their behalf, we will be as flexible as we can in sharing information understanding our obligations to protect personal information from distribution to others. Thank you for your help and patience.

To provide your feedback about the Repairs Service, please complete a Customer Satisfaction survey or a Customer Feedback form. To report a repair please contact the Repairs Contact Centre on 0161 217 6016.

We will not share personal information with you if you are not our customer.


Repairs Service news

A rechargeable repair is one which a Stockport Homes customer, or former customer, is liable for meeting the cost of that repair. The customer (or former customer) would either pay Stockport Homes for the cost of that repair, or arrange for the work to be carried out themselves at their own expense.

Stakeholders (staff and customers) have recently been consulted at customer and staff forums to establish which of our current procedures work well, and which need to be changed.

As part of this initiative, an exercise was carried out to look at the cost of repairs that are commonly generated because of customer misuse or abuse. These included renewal of locks due to lost keys, re-glazing of broken windows and also the replacement of internal doors.

Customers’ responsibilities

The Tenancy Agreement states that you are responsible for paying for repairs needed to your homes as a result of:• any act of vandalism;• damage to interior furnishings (if supplied by

Stockport Homes);

• any act of negligence – including repeated lock changes; and

• rubbish being left in the property, loft, outhouse or garden area once a tenancy has been terminated.

Typical examples of repairs that are the customers’ responsibility include: • replacement of plugs and chains to wash hand

basins and sinks;• door handles and furniture;• replacing plug tops to electrical appliances;• renewal of toilet seats;• cost to replace locks / lost keys; and• replacement of battery smoke detectors.

By being more consistent in our approach to managing recharges, we will be able to reinvest the money to help improve the quality of our homes and the delivery of our services.

For more information, please contact Mike Eastham, Maintenance Manager on

0161 218 1900 or email [email protected]

Explained!Rechargeable Repairs?

As part of our commitment to delivering consistent and quality repairs services, Stockport Homes are pro-actively reviewing our Rechargeable Repairs Policy and Procedures to identify areas where the delivery of our services can be improved.



Technical Services news

Is your cooker fitted with a Flame Failure Device?

Moving into a flat?

If you move into a flat and want a gas cooker (or other flueless appliance) to be fitted, you must ensure that it has a Flame Failure Device or FFD (sometimes referred to as a Flame Safety Device or FSD) otherwise it cannot be installed – this became legislation on the 1 June 2008.

A Flame Failure Device means that if a flame goes out then the gas will be automatically cut off to prevent any risk of a gas leak.

This applies to all residents moving into any multi-dwelling building, the table below will tell you if you are likely to be affected by this legislation.

Property Type Do I need a cooker with a Flame failure Device?

Flat YesMaisonette YesStudio YesApartment YesDetached house NoSemi-detached house NoBungalow NoTerraced house NoAny of the above sub-divided into flats / studios. Yes

This list doesn't cover all circumstances, but your Gas Safe registered engineer can advise you whether the cooker you have is suitable to be installed in your property or property you are moving to.

For further information please contact Jon Blackwell, Head of Investment on 0161 218 1313 or

email [email protected]


Technical Services news

Planned Maintenance Leaflet

Stockport gets power from the sun

Stockport Homes has work planned to maintain and improve the housing stock and environment over the next twelve months. We want you to know what to expect, where and when.

To help you, we have produced a leaflet called ‘Planned Maintenance Programme – What’s in it for you?’. The leaflet contains information on the proposed Investment works to be carried out in the 2011/2012 financial year.

You can view a copy of the leaflet on our website www.stockporthomes.org under ‘Improving your home’, or you can request a printed copy by contacting the Assets and Development Team on 0161 218 1373. With your feedback, you can influence what work is needed and where the works are carried out.

Stockport Homes have launched a multi-million pound Investment Programme to install Solar Panels on eligible customers' roofs. This innovative project will see around 1,000 installations across the Borough; helping to reduce energy costs amongst our customers as well as reducing carbon emissions associated to the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, gas and oil for energy provisions.

The installation of Solar Panels on your home will help you save money on your electricity bills, is good for the environment and it won't cost you anything. We will require access to your home for one day and scaffolding may need to be erected for about a week. The minimal disruption will be worth it as you will have more money in your pocket to spend on other things!

To find out more about this project and whether your property is eligible to have

Solar Panels installed, please visit our website www.stockporthomes.org under 'Improving your home / Solar Panels'. Alternatively, please contact the Maintenance and Investment Team on 0161 474 4407 or email [email protected]

Stockport Homes Investing in Natural Energy


Social Inclusion news

Stockport Credit Union collection point

St. Peter’s SquareFletcher Street

Great Underbank

St. Petersgate

Head OfficeStockport Homes has worked with Stockport Credit Union and is pleased to announce the opening of a new Credit Union collection point at the Housing Information Centre, 1 St. Peter’s Square.

The collection point is open every Thursday between 10am-11am and is staffed by Stockport Homes’ employees who are volunteering for Stockport Credit Union.

As well as obtaining information and advice on housing options, customers can now also open an account, make deposits and take out a low interest loan from Stockport Credit Union all in one place.

If you are not yet a member of Stockport Credit Union and want to know more about what the Credit Union is and the services it offers, why not pop into the collection point next time you’re in the area.

You can also get more information about Stockport Credit Union by calling 0161

430 5808 or visiting www.stockportcu.com

NOW OPEN at St. Peter’s Square

Stockport Homes Energy is an easy way to compare prices and switch suppliers.

Go to www.stockporthomesenergy.org.uk or call free on 0800 410 1245 to find out how much you could save.

Save money on your gas and electricity bills with Stockport Homes Energy

Sustainability news

New neighbourhood agreement for Offerton

Heaton Norris Future Footprints Project

Over recent months consultation with residents, children and young people in Offerton has highlighted a range of issues in the area.

Working in partnership with the 'Friends of Offerton', the community and partners including Greater Manchester Police, Manchester and District Housing and Stockport Council services, a Neighbourhood Agreement is being developed. The Agreement will be between residents and providers of services to make the local neighbourhood a safer, cleaner, greener and healthier place to live and work. Children living in and attending Offerton High School and Stockport School are also involved in helping to identify neighbourhood issues and developing the agreement.

The Agreement will provide a useful way for residents living in an area to influence the way

services are delivered and they can be further improved in the future. To be successful both the community and services have committed to working together and the agreement sets out what services will do, when and where and what residents agree to do themselves. The Agreement for Offerton will focus on issues including litter, recycling, dog fouling, fly-tipping, Anti-Social Behaviour, housing and facilities and services for children and young people.

To help develop the Agreement and promote the issues in Offerton a range of community events have been delivered including community clean-up events, a fun day, Estate Walkabouts, a community forum and street art theatre performances.

As part of the Future Footprints Project, Groundwork have been engaging with a group of young people aged 11 – 16 from the Heaton Norris area on a weekly basis since September 2010. As a result, the group got the panel members to sign-up and commit to their eight pledges that would prevent the impact of climate change.

The panel has responded very positively and so far 29 people (including local residents plus Stockport Homes and Stockport Council staff)

have committed to these pledges. The Heaton Norris Future Footprints Group will have the opportunity to showcase their hard work and the impact they have had on their local community at a presentation evening at Stockport Homes. This event will include Stockport Homes' staff, customers, local Councillors and partners at Stockport Council. The group are also presenting their project at the Community Development Exchange Annual General Meeting (AGM) and to key politicians in London.



Sustainability news

Making a difference in your neighbourhood


A range of activities and projects have recently been delivered to provide andpromote safer, greener and cleaner neighbourhoods.

A former play area opposite Radnor House, York Street Estate, Edgeley has been transformed from a once under used and neglected area into a tiered garden. The project was funded from the Procure Plus 'Sense of Place' funding and Stockport Homes’ sustainability Capital Programme.

The play area on Lancashire Hill has been upgraded following consultation with local residents and children. New equipment including a basket swing, multi-adventure climbing frame and spring rocker are included in the area. The 'Easter Bunny' officially opened the play area at the Easter 'Extravaganza' held in April. There were other activities too including craft activities delivered by the local Children’s Centre and a bouncy castle. The event ended with a 'Beat the Bunny' penalty shootout against the Easter Bunny.

In Catherine Street, Hazel Grove a range of environmental improvements works have been completed to improve external communal areas, including the upgrading of garages, access and car parking improvements. In Brinnington the Mount and Monton House have benefitted from landscaping improvements, including new fencing, footpath improvements. At the play area at Peak Street in the town centre, extensive works to upgrade the footpath leading from Rectory Fields to Vernon Park Primary school on Peak Street with funding support from Stockport Council's highways department has been completed.

For more information about any of the sustainability articles, please contact Jo Cole, Sustainability Manager on 0161 474 2918 or email [email protected]

Radnor House - Before Improvements

Radnor House - After Improvements


New Build news

Mendip Close and Marlhill Close

Blackberry Lane, Brinnington

We are pleased to announce that new build schemes at Mendip Close, Heaton Norris and Marlhill Close, Offerton have now been completed.

In total Stockport Homes built 18 new houses of which four houses have been adapted for special needs.

All new homes have been built to meet level 4 of the Code for Sustainable Homes. That means that the houses are highly insulated (above Building Regulation requirements) and they have renewable energy technologies such as Solar Thermal Panels, a Zenex Gas Saver unit and a Mechanical Vent Heat Recovery system.

Mendip Close was formally opened on 24 May by the Stockport Homes’ Board Member, Jane Clayton and Marlhill Close was opened on 10 June with customers, Stockport Homes Staff and Stockport Council Staff.

Customers are really pleased with their new homes and have commented: “good sized bedrooms”, “love the modern design”, “the new homes have a light and airy feel.”

In total, 486 people placed bids on the properties at Mendip Close and 228 on the Marlhill Close properties.

In March 2011 construction began on Stockport Homes’ first housing development for sale on a Shared Ownership basis. Shared Ownership is a form of affordable home ownership whereby the customer purchases a share of the property and rents the remainder from Stockport Homes. The

customer can then purchase further shares of the property until they own the property outright (if they want to). In total eight x three bedroom houses will be built on the former Tame Valley Primary School site on Blackberry Lane in Brinnington. The scheme is expected to be completed in November 2011.

Look out for further information in the next newsletter and information on how to register your interest in buying one of the new homes!

For more information about these new build projects, please visit our website www.stockporthomes.org under

‘Improving your home / New build’ or contact Thomas Miles, Development Officer on 0161 474 4322 or email [email protected]

Artists impression

Opening at Mendip Close on 24 May 2011


Concierge Service news

Carecall news

Keeping you safe

in your homes The Concierge Service now covers approximately 2,000 Stockport Homes’ properties across five estates:• Mottram Street;• Brinnington;• Lancashire Hill;

Concierge are responsible for the monitoring the CCTV and visitors to the properties they cover. All intercom calls from the main entrance doors are answered by the Concierge Officers and the identity of the visitor is established before asking the customer if they want the visitor in or not.

The CCTV covering the estates is of the highest quality, colour and digitally recorded. The Concierge have identified lots of incidents that have occurred around the estates they cover, including assault, criminal damage and customers

breaking their tenancy conditions. Concierge have attended court and the people responsible for the criminal activity have been convicted by the courts.Recently a Stockport Homes customer has been evicted from their high rise property on the Mottram Street Estate for keeping a dog in their property; the Concierge CCTV was used in this case as evidence.

Customers that receive the Concierge Service can contact a Concierge Officer 24/7, reporting any incidents that they may have or need assistance with.

For more information, please contact David Farmer, Concierge and CCTV

Manager on 0161 218 1662 or email [email protected]

Carecall, our Community Alarm and Mobile Warden response service, has retained its Premium Member Status to the Telecare Services Association, by passing its annual inspection.

The Code of Practice sets out service standards that are expected of the TSAs members and in March 2010 the service passed the full audit with flying colours. As with all inspections, services are expected to evidence those high standards year-on-year and Carecall is proud to have demonstrated that the team consistently apply those standards to every customer, all year round.

• York Street; and • Hollywood Towers.

Carecall’s quality flag flies high

Help at the touchof a butt n

0500 130 585

Stockport at home - Summer 2011 Issue 25


Fire Safety news

Help keep your childrensafe this summer

Please follow the following simple guidance:

Fires - Keep matches and lighters away from children. As the weather improves and things start to dry out, children setting fire to rubbish and grass can result in fire crews attending minor incidents that not only damage the natural and local environment, but potentially delay fire crews in attending more serious life threatening fires.

Water awareness - Make sure your children are aware of the dangers of swimming in canals, ponds and rivers. The temperature of inland water does not vary much throughout the year. The water in Britain is still very cold in the summer, and people can quickly become affected by the cold, placing themselves in difficulty. Tragically too many children drown every year. Swimming should always be confined to a supervised pool with lifeguards.

Dangerous buildings - Children climbing onto factory roofs and other buildings put themselves in great danger; all too often this results in the fire service attending a fatal incident to assist paramedics in gaining access to buildings where children have fallen through the roof.

Malicious calls - Know where your children are this summer - hoax calls tend to increase during the spring and summer months. Remember, hoax calls cost lives! A fire engine cannot be in two places at one time. If we are responding to a hoax call it means we may be delayed in responding to a life threatening emergency.

Barbeque and patio heater safety - Keep children well away from barbeques and patio heaters. There have been instances when children, whilst playing, have run into barbeques and heaters and suffered burns. NEVER use petrol to help light a barbecue.

Road safety - The age group most “at risk” of being involved in an accident are children aged between 5 -14 years of age, with the highest casualty rates occurring with children aged 12. As a minimum, please ensure your children know how to cross the road safely, have taken a cycling proficiency course and always wear a seat belt when travelling in a car. All cyclists should wear a properly fitted cycle helmet.

For more information, please visit www.manchesterfire.gov.uk

Stockport Community Fire Safety Officer, Robert McHugo says, “Each year we attend an increased number of incidents involving young children, sadly quite often these incidents end in tragedy. Adventurous children often place themselves in danger without realising the potential consequences.”

Police Service news

Housing Management news

Free dog chipping!

Keep yourhome safe this summer

Owning a dog can be a very rewarding and enjoyable experience, however, it also comes with responsibilities. Ensuring your dog is able to be identified is essential in case it strays from your property or away from you whilst out to significantly increase the chances of your dog being returned to you.

The Dogs Trust has provided Stockport Homes with 400 free microchips, which are being offered to all Stockport Homes customers. Stockport Homes, in partnership with the Council’s Dog

Warden Service, will be holding events in Stockport over the summer where the dog wardens will microchip your dog for free and provide advice about responsible dog ownership. The microchips will be allocated on a first come, first serve basis. Events will be publicised during the summer.

For more information, please contact your Area Housing Office

(please see page 2 for contact details).

During the summer months as temperatures rise, we open windows and doors to allow a fresh breeze into your home.

Although burglary rates in Stockport are falling, nearly a quarter of all burglaries nationally happen because residents leave doors and windows unlocked.

In the warmer weather, please keep your home safe from burglars by:

• locking all doors and windows whether you are at home or not;

• getting a burglar alarm fitted and using it every time you go out or go to bed;

• leaving a light on or using plug-in timers to operate lights and radios if you are going out in the evening;

• tidying away tools from your garden as these can be used to break into your property;

• not leaving your car keys near the front door;• leaving expensive possessions out of sight; and• not leaving a ground floor window open when

you go to bed.

Help us bang up burglars by reporting suspicious activity to police on 0161 872 5050 or Crimestoppers anonymously on

0800 555 111.


Housing Management news

Diversity and accessibility

You can get copies of newsletters and other documents from Stockport Homes on audiotape or CD, or in large print free of charge.

For more information, please contact Phil Rhodes on telephone 0161 474 2860 text 07891 949 399 email [email protected] or write to Social Inclusion Team, Directorate of Housing Management, 2nd Floor,1 St. Peter’s Square, StockportSK1 1NZ

The paper which is used for this newsletter is from a sustainable source. Please recycle it in an appropriate way.

This newsletter includes information about Stockport Homes’ events and services. A free interpreting service is available if you need help with this newsletter. Please telephone Stockport Interpreting Unit on 0161 477 9000. Email:[email protected]

Portuguese

Farsi

Chinese

Urdu

Arabic

Polish

Free football eventfor 8-14 year olds

To book your child’s place, please contact the Caretaking Team on 0161 474 4335 or email [email protected]

At: The Power League, Off Didsbury Road, Heaton Mersey

24 August 2011, 11.00am to 4.00pm

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