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News for tenants of Ipswich Borough Council - Winter 2013

Don’t get missedthis Christmas!SEE INSIDE

Front cover shows Santa catching the Christmas bin collection

housing mattersHouses to homes - It’s not always bad to be wrong!In the last Tenants’ Times I reported new Councilhouses being built in Whitton Church Lane andColtsfoot Road should be available for rentalallocation early in 2014. In fact, they’ve beencompleted earlier than anticipated and housesshould become homes by Christmas. Great news all round.Energy bills - The cost of gas and electricity is amajor news topic - understandable in view of thesoaring price of keeping homes warm during thewinter particularly for those on low incomes. Itwas pleasing in early November to mark the100th council house to benefit from the latestinsulation scheme which involves almost 400

homes being fitted with external wall insulationmaking them more energy-efficient and savingresidents’ heating bills. Work on this project isbeing carried out by specialists Keepmoat onbehalf of the Council. Before securing funding under this scheme, theCouncil had successfully completed two similarprogrammes of wall insulation under theCommunity Energy Saving Programme.May I wish you all a very MerryChristmas and all the best in the NewYear.Councillor John MowlesHousing Portfolio Holder

Page 2

Housing matters 2

Tenant Scrutiny Panel 3

Got a business idea? 3

Subletting 4

Change of circumstances 5

Rent-free weeks 6

Stop loan sharks 7

Community playbus 8

Caribbean fun/Puzzles 9

A garden for all seasons 10

Caring for your pet in winter 11

Keep warm 12

Keep your home damp-free 13

Stop smoking/Tenant inspectors 14

Keeping active 15

What happens to garden waste 16

Holiday bin collection dates 17

Measuring up 18

Conference time 19

Useful Contacts 20

Tenants’ editorial panel Angela Griffiths, Pamela Pamment, Brian Laffling and Derek Rusher

www.ipswich.gov.uk/housing Page 3

Dear fellow tenants,Welcome to Tenants’ Times. We hope you are lookingforward to a festive holidaydespite the gloomy financialsituation. These are expensivetimes so it is important not toincur undue debt especially withdoorstep lenders or pay-dayloan companies. Budget wisely:talk to energy providers if youhave concerns about stayingwarm and use the two-weekrent-free period to reduce anyarrears. In the autumn we produced areport on Community

Caretaking Service - this can befound on www.ipswich.gov.ukWe commend the service fortheir hard work and dedication,sometimes facing intimidationand threatening behaviour. In October, tenants attended aChartered Institute of Housing(CIH) Newmarket conferencediscussing the impact of welfarereforms. In November the Panelmet with Waveney Scrutinymembers in Ipswich. Also Panelmembers attended the regionalCIH (Stansted) conference whereprogress was discussed byNorwich City Council.

Regretfully, after six years, myvice-chair Mike Lloyd resignedfrom post due to personalcommitments. He has alwaysbeen a strong voice and hasworked tirelessly with IpswichBorough Council’s TenantScrutiny Panel. His dedication,knowledge and personalsupport will be missed by all.Have a Merry Christmas and allthe best for a Happy New Year!

Brian LafflingChair,

Tenant Scrutiny Panel

TENANT scrutiny PAN E LUpdates

One hundreth insulationA project transforming homes in part of Ipswich has marked a major milestone with the completion ofthe 100th property. A Hossack Road home is one of almost 400 in the town to be fitted with externalwall insulation - making them more energy efficient and saving residents money on their energy bills.The work is being carried out by regeneration and housing specialist Keepmoat on behalf of IpswichBorough Council. The project is one of the first in the country to be awarded funding through theGovernment’s ECO (Energy Company Obligation) programme.

Having successfully bid for ECO funding, IpswichBorough Council was awarded £3.2 million toprovide external wall insulation to 384 propertiesthat have either solid walls or cavity walls thatcannot be filled. The funding means 87% of theinsulation costs are covered by the scheme, withIpswich Borough Council having to cover theremaining 13%. Councillor John Mowles, IpswichBorough Council's Housing portfolio-holder, said:"We are working in partnership with Keepmoat toimprove our housing stock across the town and I ampleased we have reached this first milestone. Energyprices are making headlines and we want to helptenants reduce their bills as much as we can."

Pictured are from left: Cllr. John Mowles, Nick Shrieve,Keepmoat site manager, Mr and Mrs Welsh tenants,Lorraine McMullen, Community Investment Manager

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People who sublet their Council homes for profit could be locked up for twoyears under new laws which came into force in October.

Housing Minister Kris Hopkins said: "For years,tenancy cheats have been able to carry on withtheir fraudulent activity, denying social homesto people in real need while facing little morethan a slap on the wrist if they got caught.These new powers will ensure social tenantsfound subletting their home will face the realthreat of prison time and a fine."

It is estimated that 98,000 social housing homesin England might be subject to some sort oftenancy fraud. Ipswich Borough Council iscommitted to tackling this fraud in order to make best use of its housing stock. We want to ensure onlypeople in genuine housing need live in our homes.

So what is tenancy fraud?• unauthorised subletting (tenant claims to live at a property but sub-lets all or part without the

landlord's consent) • non-occupation (tenant claims a property as their principal home but lives elsewhere). • using false information to obtain a tenancy• key selling (tenant leaves a property and passes the keys on in return for a favour or payment). • unauthorised exchange and assignment (tenant gives tenancy to a partner or family member who

lived in the property with them without obtaining the landlord's permission) • wrongly claimed succession (occupier is not a person entitled to succeed after a tenant's death or

after they have vacated the property and/or succession rights have been exhausted).

You can help the Council tackle this fraud - what signs should you look out for?

You might know someone has a home that the Council does not know about or someone who gave falseinformation in their housing application. You might suspect someone of sub-letting if you have seen them collect rent from your neighbours.You might be suspicious because tenants of a property keep changing. You might suspect no one is living in a property, returning only occasionally to collect post.You might know that a tenant is living elsewhere and not using their home.If you suspect tenancy fraud please contact the Council, providing details and the reasons you suspectfraudulent occupation. Your identity will be kept confidential. Telephone 01473 433999 or report onlineby clicking ‘Report it’ and go to ‘Housing or Benefit Fraud’ to provide the details.

Together, the Council and residents can beat social housing fraud

Tackling unlawfulsubletting

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Change of circumstances

what we need to know about ...

If you are unsure whether to tell ussomething please ask.

It is important we know any changes immediatelyas any delay in telling us could seriously affect thebenefits you receive:

Changes that could reduce your benefits:If you delay or fail to tell us about a change youmay find you have to repay any overpaid benefits

Changes that could increase your benefits:Any change that may mean you can get anincrease in benefits will usually only start fromthe date you tell us and not the date the changeactually happened.

What to send us:You must also provide proof of any changes suchas:• your latest payslips or pension slips to show thenew amount you get as wages, pension orpension credit;

• a letter from the Department of Works andPensions or Inland Revenue showing changes inyour allowances or tax credit.

You can report changes at www.ipswich.gov.uk or call 01473 432700.

We need to know any changes in your circumstances, for example if:

• you move home• someone moves in or out• your income changes • you stop getting Income Support or Jobseeker's Allowance • anyone living with you has a change of circumstances• you qualify for another benefit

www.ipswich.gov.uk/housing

Rent-free weeks

Week starting

23 DecemberWeek starting

30 December

TENANTQ+A“What is the Council’s view on rehousingextra large families?”Charles MooreThe Council is legally obliged toadequately house families in housingneed. ‘Extra-large’ families might beovercrowded in which case they would beinadequately housed and the Councilmust find another solution. If they areunable to rent privately and qualify forthe Housing Register they would beconsidered for properties on theGateway-to- home-choice. It is unusual fora family to be too large for any existingCouncil property but the Council is stillobliged to home them. A case recentlymade the news and the Council chose tomeet its obligations with the leastexpense and disruption by joining twoproperties. This is very much an exceptionand has the advantage the properties canbe separated and returned to generalletting later. The Council always seeks tofulfil its duties to provide viable wellmaintained homes for all tenants andresponsible use of the rent revenue.

“I am receiving DLA - how will I be movedonto PIP (Personal Independent Payment)”Paul SmithNearly everyone receiving Disability LivingAllowance will need to make a new claimfor PIP. There will be an assessmentprocess which will most likely take placein person and you will need to provideinformation to support your claim. TheDepartment of Work & Pensions will writeto let you know if you will need toreapply and be assessed.

If you want to have your housingquestions answered here emailtenant.participation@ipswich.gov.uk

December can be costly so the rent you have topay is usually worked out over 50 weeks of theyear (this year it is 51). This means there are twoweeks when it's not due.

The rent-free weeks are:

If you are in rent arrears you mustcontinue to pay in these twoweeks. This is particularlyimportant if you are subject to aCounty Court Order.

If you pay monthly, these weeks are included inyour calculations and your payment will stay thesame.

If you have fallen behind with your rent paymentsor are struggling to keep up with your paymentsplease contact us for advice on 01473 433370

For money saving tips or advice on managingyour money better please visit the Money AdviceService at www.moneyadviceservice.org.ukThe following organisations offer free, impartialsupport and advice to anyone in debt, worriedabout debt or facing bankruptcy you can contactthe following:

Citizens Advice Bureau 01473 219777Step Change Debt Charity 0800 138 1111National Debt line 0808 808 4000Debt Advice Foundation 0800 043 40 50Pay Plan 0800 280 2816

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As Christmas approaches and money is tightmany people might be tempted by loan sharks,but these criminals should always be avoided.Loan sharks will exploit families as they knowthey will be struggling for cash.

These lenders act like your best friend, they seemto be doing you a favour, and it might be hard toresist the cash but steer clear of them at all costs.What might seem like a small loan to tide youover for Christmas, could end up costing youdearly for years and years - and not just financially.It could end up having an horrific impact on yourlife and the lives of those around you. You couldbe subjected to threats, violence and worse.

The England Illegal Money Lending Team iscracking down on these criminals and bringingthem to justice. Look out for offenders and don’taccept loans from them. Report them inconfidence. Typically loan sharks will:

• appear friendly at first, enticing theirborrowers to take out a loan - this is often afacade and very quickly debt begins to spiralas extra charges are added

• force their borrowers to hand over items ‘assecurity’. This could include passports, drivinglicences or even bank cards with the PIN, inorder to withdraw directly from borrowersaccounts. This is how people are left with littleor nothing to get by on.

• offer little or no paperwork and are unclear ofthe loan terms. People are then unsure howmuch they are actually repaying.

Think about setting up a savings account to putmoney aside for Christmas. If you do need toborrow, make sure it’s from a reputable lender.We recommend credit unions as a safe and legalalternative. Contact Ipswich and Suffolk CreditUnion on 01473 690690 or www.iscu.org

Remember, loan sharks do not have an Office ofFair Trading licence to legally lend money. Check a

lender is licensed before considering a loan; youcan do this online at www2.crw.gov.uk/pr

No matter how desperate you are,loan sharks are never the answer. You can report these criminals in thestrictest confidence - action will betaken.

The Illegal Money Lending Team already helpedmore than 22,000 victims, secured nearly 300prosecutions with custodial sentences totalling170 years and cleared illegal debts to the tune of£40.3 million.

To report a loan shark: Call the 24/7 confidentialhotline 0300 555 2222 Text ‘loan shark + your message’ to 60003 Email reportaloanshark@stoploansharks.gov.uk Private message onwww.facebook.com/stoploansharksproject

Stop loan sharks

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Community playbus

On 3 October, the Mayor, Councillor Hamil ClarkeMBE met with Playbus organisers and residents ofDownside Close to celebrate the tenth birthday of‘Maggie’ the Playbus.

Supporters of the project, including the Mayor andBen Gummer MP shared birthday cake incelebration of all the assistance given to Ipswichfamilies over the past 10 years. Launched in 2003,the Playbus project provides a fun, safe learningenvironment for children across Ipswich. The bus ispacked with games, arts and learning activities forchildren under-five and is run by qualified andexperienced staff. It’s free to attend and runsthroughout term-time.

Bring your little ones along to join in the fun.You can find out more about the Playbus atwww.ipswichplaybus.org.uk or by calling 01473 221521.

celebrates 10th birthday

9.45-11.45am 1.15-3.15pm

Monday Ravenswood (by the school)

Tuesday Jamestown Boulevard Bramford Road Conservative Club

Wednesday Congreve Road Kelly Road

Thursday Downside Close Derby Road, by Eric Dines Carpets

Friday Moffat Avenue, Rushmere Ulster Avenue, Whitehouse

Christmas opening timesAt your service for the Christmas periodThe Customer Service Centre and the Contact Centre will be open onthe following days and times for any tenant enquiry:

Christmas Eve (Tuesday 24 December) 8.30am-3pmMonday 30 December 9am-3pmTuesday 31 December 9am-3pmThursday 2 January 2014 Normal working hours

We will be closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day, Friday 27 December andNew Year’s Day.

You can contact us on 01473 433444 for emergenciesoutside these opening hours.

www.ipswich.gov.uk/tenants Page 9

Walton House organised a Caribbean fun day.The day showcased the rich historical and culturalheritage that represents the Caribbeancommunity. The highlights of the day included ayouth steel band, and Caribbean-flavoured buffetincluding a variety of salads, pasta, rice and peasas well as an array of desserts and coffee. MayorHamil Clarke and his Mayoress, Daisy Weekes,were present to support the fun day.

Caribbean fun at Walton House

ACROSS1 Thin fog (4)3 Hades (4)6 Part of foot (3)9 Misbehaved, mischievous (7)10 Still, not noisy (5)11 Containing nothing (5) 12 Firing mechanism (7)15 Not in a straight line (8)18 Fizzy sweet drink (4)20 Period of time (3) 22 Period of discount selling (5)24 Alien from Mars (7)25 To order, limit or rule (7)26 Mock playfully (5)27 Person demanding the very

highest standards (13)

Houses into homesAs we went to press, our newest tenants werepreparing to move into the first council homesbuilt in Ipswich for more than 20 years. Theseven homes are in Coltsfoot Road and WhittonChurch Lane. Meanwhile, more than 100 homes are to be builtnext year in Bader Close in south-east Ipswich.This will be the first large-scale construction ofcouncil houses for a generation.

Puzzle cornerDOWN1 Seasonal sweet pastries

(5,4)2 Stuck, confounded (7)4 Middle eastern country (5)5 Fluid (6)6 Object (5)7 Shows providing

amusement (13)8 Call used by sailors (4)13 Belonging to a female (3)16 Book, shyness (7)17 Home of King Arthur’s

round table (7)19 Art of paper folding (7)21 Cave, sometime home of

Father Christmas (6)23 Someone preferring own

company (5)25 Drink container (3)

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Winter arriving has not deterred residentsgetting involved with the Caretaking Services ongarden projects.The aim was to improve communal areas byproviding individual garden plots for tenants tomanage their own gardens. Before this project,housing officers asked for ideas to improve areaswith a sympathetic approach to the environment.Suggestions were put forward including ideassuch as a fruit orchard, eco-composters, waterbutts and individual tenant plots for tenants toshow their gardening skills. Some tenants were soexcited they immediately began to plan theirgarden layout before the Caretakers hadcompleted the fencing of the area.

A garden for all seasons

... with a little Caretakers’ help

Pictured is Defoe Road

The Eastern Enterprise Hub is excited to announcea partnership with UnLtd to help Ipswich peopledevelop business ideas to improve their localareas. The aim of the Star People award,delivered by UnLtd, one of the national Big Localpartners is to encourage people living in CastleHill, Whitehouse or Whitton areas of Ipswich topositively change their local communities bywork, volunteering or running a business. Ideascan be big or small, with the objective to enhancethe skills and opportunities of those living withinthe 150 Big Local areas in England.

The dynamic organisation will be offeringindividuals the ‘Try It’ award, to enable them toaccess funding up to £500. They can progress attheir own pace with high levels of support todevelop entrepreneurial skills needed, in some

cases, take on larger projects and apply for the‘Do It’ award of up to £5,000 funding andsupport. Those applying must show they arepassionate about improving their local area,gaining relevant skills, have a good idea for aninnovative project and live, work, volunteer orhave an established business in one of the namedIpswich areas in Ipswich.To find out whether youare eligible for the ‘Try It’ funding go towww.eehub.co.uk/enterprise-support/unltd.aspx or ring 01473 527100.

Got a business idea?EE Hub has an answer for northwest residents

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Healthwatch Suffolk is an important body givingSuffolk people real influence over health and careservice decisions in the county. They aim tostrengthen the voice of local communities andbecome "consumer champions". HealthwatchSuffolk helps local people get the best out oftheir local health and social care services, whetherimproving them today and helping to shape themfor tomorrow. It also helps people navigate the

health and social care system by signpostinginformation. They are funded by public moneybut are independent of the services, this isimportant as it means people can have confidencewhen sharing their views with us. They have manypowers to enable them to be an effective voicefor Suffolk communities.

To find out more please contact: Unit 12&13, Norfolk House, Williamsport Way,Needham Market IP6 8RWt: 01449 703949 e: info@healthwatchsuffolk.co.uk www.healthwatchsuffolk.co.uk Follow Healthwatch Suffolk on Twitter orFacebook

Tips... for caring for your pet

For some of us cold weather is seen as a mere nuisance, for others it’s a fun time while others find thebone-chilling snow a nightmare.

It’s a time when pets need a little extra care. Tips to protect them from the dangers of winter:

In or Out?Does your pet spend most of the time in thegarden? You might have to keep your pet indoorsduring the freezing months especiallyDecember-February

No more frozen dinnersFresh running water is vital for maintaining health,keep an eye on water bowls and make sure they arenot turned into ice cubes. Your pet does not want afrozen lump of ice instead of water.

Latest fad dietIt takes more energy to stay warm outdoors animalseat more during winter. Indoor animals havedifferent dietary needs as they conserve energy bysleeping more in the winter. Dogs and cats alsoexercise much less when they do not go outside, so you may need to adjust the amount of foodaccordingly.

Pictured are Angela Griffiths’ pets Roxy and Butch

www.ipswich.gov.uk/housing Page 12

Heat your homeBy setting your heating to the right temperature18-21oC or 64-70oF, you can still keep your home warmand lower your bills. If you feel cold at night use a hotwater bottle or electric blanket but never use bothtogether.

Get financial supportThere are grants, benefits and advice available tomake home more energy efficient, improve yourheating or help with bills. It’s worthwhile claiming allof the benefits you are entitled.

Get a flu jabIf you or your children have a long term health condition, you can get a free jab from your GP to protectagainst seasonal flu strains.

Look after yourself and othersRemember to wrap up warm if you need to go outside on cold days. If you have an older neighbour orrelative, look out for them during winter to make sure they are safe and well.

Tips for keeping warm

and well

Tips for heating your home effectively

Set your heating to come on just before you wake up and switch off before you go to bed. If it’s verycold, set your heating to come on earlier and turn off later rather than turning the thermostat up.

If you cannot heat all the rooms you use, heat the living room throughout the day and bedrooms justbefore you go to bed. Remember to close curtains and shut doors to keep heat in the rooms you usemost.

Heating your homesafely is really important.Remember to get yourheating system checkedregularly, and keep yourhome well ventilated.

If you don’t already havecentral heating contactus. As a council tenantyou can apply to haveone installed at no costto yourself.

Condensation, mould

and damp

What is condensation?It is a process where water vapour in theatmosphere is turned into liquid. Condensation ofwater vapour occurs when the temperature of air islowered.

Where do you get condensationdampness?Rooms where a large amount of moisture isprovided, such as kitchens, bathrooms and roomswith cold outside walls are worst hit bycondensation. This may be very visible for exampledroplets of water on a PVC or gloss paintedwindow cills, but sometimes the water soaks intothe wall and it is not obvious until mould starts toappear.

Why is it a problem?Water formed by condensation can be damagingto your home and health. It can provide idealconditions for mould especially mildew whichcauses black patches on walls. Some mould spores(the microscopic dust given off) can be bad foryour lungs.

How to avoid condensationProduce less moisture• Dry clothes outside if possible - if they are beingdried inside, dry them in the bathroom with doorclosed and windows open or fan on

• Keep your bathroom door shut during use, afteruse open the windows to let the steam out.

• Vent any tumble dryers to the outside unless it isself condensing

Increase ventilationMake sure air bricks/double glazing vents are clearDon’t keep furniture against the wall, always havea small gap Use the extractor fan to clear steam in your kitchenor bathroom (where fitted)

Adequate heating in your room Ensure your sitting room is heated to at least 21oCand 18oC in other rooms.

How to prevent mouldTo kill and remove mould wipe walls and windowframes with a fungicidal wash and follow themanufacturer’s instruction. Dry-clean mildewed clothes and shampoo carpets.Wipe away any surface moisture. If a paper towelis used throw it away immediately. If a sponge isused wring it out immediately to avoid moisturebeing re-circulated.After treatment redecorate using a good qualityfungicidal paint to help prevent mould recurring.The paint should not be overlaid with ordinarypaints or wallpaper.Mould caused by condensation can take a fewmonths to disappear completely.

If you are a council tenant who, after followingthis advice is still suffering from severecondensation please contact the Repairs Centre on 01473 432100.

www.ipswich.gov.uk/tenants Page 13

www.ipswich.gov.uk/housing Page 14

4 ‘stop smoking’ myths

Is it healthier to smoke roll-ups than normalcigarettes?No. Hand-rolling tobacco is just as bad for youas manufactured cigarettes and can result inthe same health risks. Roll-ups contain 4,000toxic chemicals and the amount of nicotine,tar and carbon monoxide is higher in roll-upsthan ordinary cigarettes.

Is it true that when you stop smoking it’s easy toput on weight?Unfortunately yes - there is the possibility theaverage person will put on around seven kilosonce they quit. Nicotine is an appetitesuppressant, so stopping smoking will cause yourappetite to return to normal. Avoid gainingweight by planning your meals and stocking upon healthy snacks, and doing regular exercise

I want to quit but smoking helps me to calmdown when I’m stressed or anxious.It’s a myth that smoking helps to relieve stress and

anxiety. What actually helps you relax is the factyou go outside for a few minutes away from thesituation. Next time you're feeling stressed, trygoing outside for some fresh air. You will besurprised at how it will help calm you down,without the need to smoke.

Do nicotine patches really work?Statistics show they can help you quit, but youneed to make sure you have got the rightstrength patch for your needs. If this is somethingyou are unsure about, call Livewell Suffolk on01473 229292 or visit your local pharmacy or GP.

Live Well Suffolk answers the most common questions about quitting smoking and respondsto the most popular stop smoking myths …

Tenants become inspectorsA team of tenant representatives have trained to become tenant inspectors

What will they be doing?• Spot checking empty properties to ensure theymeet the property letting standard.

• Report communal area repairs to see if theyhave been completed within the response time.

• Join housing team on estate walkabouts to testthe local standard.

• Mystery shop our telephone services, publicoffices and website contents to test the qualityof customer services.

www.ipswich.gov.uk/tenants Page 15

Keeping active

Neck rotationFor improving neck mobility and flexibilityA. Sit upright with shoulders down, look

straight aheadB. Slowly turn your head downwards,

towards your left shoulder as far as itscomfortable. Hold for five seconds andreturn to starting position.

C. Repeat going right. Do four rotations each side.

Sideways bendTo restore flexibility to lower backA. Stand upright with feet hip width apart

with your arms by your sideB. Slide your left arm down your side as

far as is comfortable C. As you lower your arm, you should feel

a stretch on the opposite hipD. Repeat with your right arm down your

side. Hold each stretch for three secondsand perform four on each side.

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... is the key to staying fit,mobile and independent

Neck stretchFor loosening tight neck musclesA. Sitting upright, look straight ahead and hold your left shoulder down with your right handB. Slowly tilt your head to the right while holding your shoulders downC. Repeat on the opposite side. Hold each stretch for five seconds and repeat four times on each

Calf stretchGood for loosening tight calf musclesA. For stability place hand on a wall, bend right leg. Keeping it straight, step left leg back at least a

foot. Keep both feet flat on the floor.B. Left calf muscle is stretched by keeping the left leg straight and the left heel on the floor.C. Repeat with the opposite leg and perform four times on each side.

What happens once your

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www.ipswich.gov.uk/housing

brown bin has been collected

1.After collection brown bins aretaken to the tipping hall at CliffQuay compost plant. Last yearIpswich residents sent more than9500 tonnes of garden waste tothe plant.

4.Shredded garden waste is bulkedup ready to be placed in heatingtunnels which are heated to 60o.Waste is kept at thattemperature for seven days toensure it is sterile.

7.After maturing the material getsrun through a trummel whichsieves anything over 40mm thick(tree roots that didn’t degrade inthe tunnels).

2.Operatives glance over thewaste removing by hand anyobvious contamination. Theyhave found ... lawn mowers,bags of dog waste and even adead iguana!

5.Probes monitor the environmentinside, keeping conditions at anideal level. Air can be added orremoved, moisture increased ordecreased and heat raised ordropped. Tunnels can hold200-225 tonnes of waste each.

8.Soil improver is stored outsidefor another 3 weeks while testsare carried out on its quality. It isnow a finished product and willbe used as organic agriculturalsoil improver.

3.Garden waste then passesthrough a huge shredder. Anylarge branches are quickly cutdown to size.

6.After seven days waste hasdecomposed to soil improver. Itis removed from the tunnels,stored in long piles calledwindrows. The material is left for18 days to mature.

That’s how your green waste isturned into organic soil improver.How many of you thought it wasjust left to decompose by itself?If the right items are put inthe brown bin the processwill be even easier.

Remember brown bins areVEGETARIAN

so no meat or fish please. The process at the compost plant is

turning garden waste intosoil improver, it doesn’t

recondition old soil or compostso please do not include soil,

compost or turf in your brown bin.

Remember to recycle old clothesand textilesUse the council textile bags, tie it up toprotect the contents and place in the top ofyour blue bin. Need a bag? Ring 0845 603 9412email: textiles@suffolk.gov.uk or collect fromcouncil offices and libraries

Recycle your real treechopped up in the brown bin, or placedbeside the brown bin if too big to go inside.

Find your local glass recycling bankswww.recyclenow.com or www.ipswich.gov.uk

www.suffolkrecycling.org.ukfor lots of Christmas recycling andcomposting information

www.lovefoodhatewaste.comfor tips and recipes to reduce food waste and use up leftovers

@IpswichGov

www.ipswich.gov.uk

Collections return to normal Monday 6 January 2014

We wish the residents of Ipswich a

Happy Christmas

Bin collection dates forChristmas and the New Year 2013/14

Normal collection date Christmas collection date

Monday 23 December Saturday 21 December

Tuesday 24 December Monday 23 December

Wednesday 25 December Tuesday 24 December

Thursday 26 December Friday 27 December

Friday 27 December Saturday 28 December

Monday 30 December no change

Tuesday 31 December no change

Wednesday 1 January Thursday 2 January

Thursday 2 January Friday 3 January

Friday 3 January Saturday 4 January

www.ipswich.gov.uk/housing Page 17

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HomeGAS SERVICING% of stock with annual gasservice at end of July.

Target 100% 100% �

REPAIRS% of repairs completed ontarget within period

Target 98.5% 99.1% �

EmpowermentCOMPLAINTSFull response within 20 working days83%

CUSTOMER SERVICE% of calls answered (contacts)Target 90% (13,722) 87%

Neighbourhood and CommunityANTI SOCIAL BEHAVIOURTotal number of tenants evicted for ASB 2

COMMUNITY CARETAKERS% minor repairs in communal areas completed on time withinperiod (target 95%) 99.8%�

TenancyALLOCATIONSaverage number of working days to process housing applicationTarget 20 days 18.7 days�

Average number of days a property is empty between tenancies

Target 15 days (year to date cumulative average) 14.8 days�

RENTS

Current arrears as % of total rent for the year 2.23%

HOME IMPROVEMENT% of houses rated 'Poor' and 'Fair' that improved a ratingby the end of the period 7.6%

update on housingperformanceAugust-October

2013

Measuring up

Remembering BobBob Fletcher passed away earlier this year. Bob was a very active member of the Tenant Participationprogramme for Stratford Court sheltered residents at Stratford Court.

He took this role very seriously and made himself available at everyopportunity, wherever he could assist.

His funeral was very well attended and our thoughts are with Bob’s wifeShirley and all the other members of his family and friends.

Thanks to all who contributed to the RSPCA, a charity very close to Bob’s heart.

A good man gone but not forgotten(Pamela Pamment)

www.ipswich.gov.uk/tenants Page 19

Mary Jolly and Doreen Dann, pictured opposite,who regularly prepare meals for the lunch cluband bake for the cake sale, recently passed theirFood and Hygiene course with five stars.

Ipswich Borough Council conference was held at the Ramada hotel and attended by more than 50guests including housing officers and tenant representatives from different housing providers.

Ipswich Borough Council Portfolio Holder Cllr John Mowles, Head of Housing, Ian Blofield and StephenJaves, Chief Executive of Orwell Housing Association were present to answer questions from tenants onthe day. Two workshops sessions were held:

How to deal with Anti-Social Behaviour and Money Matters from the Financial Inclusion Team.

We received some fantastic feedback from tenants attending the conference.

“A very good rating for the workshopsand venue for the conference”(comment received from

Christine Macdonald

Great Yarmouth delegate)

Many thanks to everyone involved who

made the event such a success.

If you would like more information on

the workshops from the conference

please contact the Tenant Participation

Team.

Email: tenant.participation@ipswich.gov.uk

Conference time

Morecambe Court achievement

Congratulations ladies

Remember if you oranyone you know requiresthis newsletter to beprovided in large print oraudio format, pleasecontact TenantParticipation on 01473 433345.

USEFUL TELEPHONE NUMBERS

You can contact us on 01473 433370

To report a repair or if you have a repair enquiry 01473 432100

(including out of hours emergency repairs)

To order a gas repair or gas service 0800 533 5630 or

01473 835145

CUSTOMER SERVICES CENTRE OPENING TIMES See page 8 for Christmas opening times

NEW TENANT HANDBOOK OUT NOWAvailable to download atwww.ipswich.gov.uk/tenants.