www.warwickdc.gov.uk/homenews

KEEPING YOUINFORMED

ISSUE 71 – SUMMER 2012YOUR WDC HOUSING MAGAZINE

www.warwickdc.gov.uk

A day in the life of a Building Surveyor ‘Award Winning’

Tenant ParticipationUpdate

Contents

Where possible, information can be made available in other formats, including large print, CD and other languages if required. To obtain one of these alternatives, please contact 01926 456447

Designed by The Media Room, WDC Managing Editor (WDC) Fiona Walsh 01926 456 447. Editor Nicki Hughes 01926 456 120.

The virgin fibre used in the paper for this product has been derived

from sustainably managed forests. This product is fully recyclable.

Welcome to the Summer Edition of Home News - although I do hope by the time you read this, the weather is beginning to feel more like summer!We bring you some good news about Margaret Allen, who received an award when she was nominated for Tenant Participation Officer of the year.

We hear from our Tenant Panel and their projects - they have been focusing on the customer service centre and also looking at complaints and how they are dealt with – you will also see how we follow up your complaints.

There is a new option for when you phone the repairs number which will hopefully help you to get through to the right area – let us know how you get on!

You can also nominate someone you know for Tenant of the Year or Young Tenant of the Year – they’ll be awarded at our Tenant Conference on 10 October. Have a look on page 20 and find out what the guidelines are for nominating someone.

On that note, please put this date in your diary for the Tenant Conference, Town Hall 10 October 2012.

I was extremely pleased with how many of you came along to meet the team last year and find out more about the organisations involved in your housing – we are hoping to make it an even bigger success this year!

Do keep in touch with us and if you have any suggestions, please do not hesitate to contact: housingsuggestions@warwickdc.gov.uk

2 Christine Ledger Square

3 A day in the life of a Building Surveyor

7 Leaseholders News

8 Solar Panels

9 New options on the Repair Line

10 Tenant Participation Update

11 Tenant Panel Update

12 Performance Figures

14 Coventry & Warwickshire CDA Anti-Social Behaviour

15 Credit Unions

16 Coffee Corner

17 Electrical Safety Inspection

18 Latest Scams!

19 Right to Buy

20 Get nominating now!

21 Tenant Panel Advisory Service Award Sign up now for e-billing Warwickshire Direct

22 Recipes

23 Olympic Wordsearch Word search winners

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Before Mr Morris and his wife Pam moved into Christine Ledger, they previously lived in a house which had its own garden, but later sold this to live on a narrow boat.

Mr Morris’s parents were great gardeners and this inspired him to start gardening himself. When he moved into Christine Ledger he had seen a small untidy shrub bed and thought it would be great to develop it. To assist with the development, Mr Morris was provided with supplies by the council, private donators and also used items from his old garden.

Colin started with a blank canvas, the whole area was dug out and rock that was buried within the soil was re-used to create a featured rockery. So far Colin has planted 50 Lavender plants,

Christine Ledger Square Garden AreaSome great green fingers have been at work at Christine Ledger Square this year! One of our tenants, Colin Morris has renovated and improved an area of garden for the rest of the tenants to enjoy, with the help of WDC. We had a lovely long chat with Mr Morris to find out what had inspired him to take on the project.

Roses bushes, Holly Hocks, Delphinium’s and Snap Dragons. (See picture for more descriptive details) Colin hopes to welcome new additions through time to an ever changing feature.

Mr Morris recieved help from Eileen the Estate Supervisor and also received assistance from Cllr Knight, who pops round to see how the area is progressing.

The whole experience has given him a sense of satisfaction of seeing how an area of waste land has transformed and blossomed into something new and hopes that it will continue to grow and develop.

Not only has it given him something to do, but he hopes that it will inspire others to get involved.

Any top tips for others starting on their gardens?Colin’s tip to anyone who wants to start their own gardens is not to do it too quickly, take your time and allow the garden to develop. If you rush it you may change your mind half way through and lose heart with what you have worked hard on. His garden is ever-changing and has taken over 6 months so far.

“Try to make it simple and not over complicated as it will take time to develop, for example just cutting the grass or adding a few potted plant can still make a difference to the look of the area.”

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08:45 am Bhavan arrives at the office. He begins his day by reviewing his diary to remind himself of any appointments he has organised for the day.

09:00 am Bhavan checks his emails and answer phone messages. He returns any missed calls. Today most of the enquiries are connected to on-going housing and corporate property repairs. In particular he is following up a letter received from a tenant enquiring about fire safety in their flat – he has organised a site meeting with the tenant at 12:00 today so he can inspect the flat and understand the concerns.

10:00 amTo ensure that his projects remain on target and are completed on time, in budget and to the Councils expected standards Bhavan has monthly progress

meetings with the contractors. He monitors cost, completions and quality at these meetings as well as outstanding works, health & safety and customer satisfaction. Today he is meeting with Ian Williams Ltd, the Fire Precaution Works contractor, to work through the meeting agenda and items listed above, they also review the programme of works for the next month and discuss the feedback received from the returned tenant satisfaction forms.

Bhavan says, “When work is completed at a dwelling, the contractor will give the tenant a form to fill in about how satisfied they are with the work. It covers things such as how long they had to wait for the repair to be done, if the contractor was clean and tidy and if they needed any further work doing.

Tenant satisfaction forms are the main tool we have to measure their level of satisfaction. The forms help us to follow up any issues that arise with contractors and respond, so that they know we are dealing with it for them. The forms also allow us to collect data that we can use to improve future projects. It is important that tenants complete these satisfaction forms as they provide us with such valuable feedback.”

Bhavan Jhita, works in Housing and Property Services. He is a Building Surveyor and has a range of responsibilities across the Housing and Corporate building stock. These responsibilities include:

• The repair and maintenance of the Town Hall, Royal Spa Centre, Victoria Park Pavilions, Edmondscote sports pavilion and St Nicholas Park Leisure Centre.• Providing design, construction and project management services to other Council service areas.• The delivery of several housing planned maintenance schemes including: • Windows and door replacement • Loft and cavity wall insulation upgrading • Fire precaution works • Bespoke projects such as the solar panel installation project.

A day in the life of a Building Surveyor

12:00 pmBhavan arrives on site to meet the tenant who contacted him about fire safety in their flat – he also meets the fire precaution works contractor at the flat, so that they can assess the situation and agree on any works that are required. Bhavan says “site inspections are crucial to fully understand enquiries, contractors will attend alongside a Council officer so that a solution to challenges can be agreed clearly and acted on in good time”. Following the site meeting Bhavan will write a letter to the tenant to confirm the observations and decisions made while on site and suggest completion dates for agreed works. During today’s visit, there were other issues that came to light, as there had been some DIY work done in the flat that also needed to be inspected. As a tenant it is important that you don’t forget that you must obtain permission from the Council before carrying out DIY in your home, so we can check that it is safe for you to do so.

01:15 pmBhavan heads off into town to get some well deserved lunch and recharge his batteries ready for the afternoon’s tasks.

02:00 pmBhavan is now following up an enquiry from a Councillor made on behalf of a tenant. Councillors will often contact the Building Surveyors directly for tenants who have raised enquiries at a surgery.

Sometimes tenants aren’t sure where to go with repairs enquiries and so councillors will follow them up. Bhavan has two messages from District Councillors asking when certain properties are likely to have their windows and door replaced; “in order to answer these enquiries I will check our historical replacement and stock condition survey records. Using this information I can usually give an approximate year for replacement based on age and condition of the current windows and doors. “This aspect of our work is one of the most challenging as we try to use the best information available to produce future programmes of work that offer the best value to our tenants. This can be a very complex decision making process when you consider we have about 5622 dwellings” Bhavan responds to the councillors by email so they can return his advice to the tenants.

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Repair and Maintenance of

the Town Hall is just one of

Bhavan’s responsibilities.

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03:00 pmBhavan offers to make his colleagues in the office a cup of tea.

03:15 pmBhavan is now checking a payment application made by the window and door replacement contractor ahead of the contract progress meeting next week. Bhavan explains “for each annual planned improvement project the contractors are paid monthly. One of my jobs as a contract administrator is to check and approve the monthly payment application or valuation. I do this by checking the contractor’s detailed information against the Council’s clerk of works reports, each property that is signed off as complete by the clerk of works before the valuation date is paid. This process ensures that we only pay for work that is completed to our satisfaction, in accordance with agreed rates and the Council can be confident that it is receiving value for money” Bhavan notices that a few of the properties that have been applied for have not yet been signed off by the clerk of works, he contacts the contractor and requests that this is corrected ahead of next weeks meeting.

04:00 pmWhile checking the valuation Bhavan answers a phone call from the Royal Spa Centre who need an emergency repair to a leaking sink. Bhavan takes the details of the job and contacts the Corporate Repair and Maintenance Contractor, Pinner & Sons to arrange for the work to be completed this evening. Bhavan then raises a work order for the contractor on the Council’s repairs system. This ensures that the contractor is clear on what they need to do and allows Bhavan and his colleagues to monitor the status and cost of the work.

05:15 pmWe leave Bhavan working hard to ensure that the window and door replacement payment application is accurate.

Bhavan makes sure that the

Council only pay for complete and

satisfactory work.

HOUSING AND PROPERTY SERVICES

LEASEHOLDERS NEWSAt the Annual General Meeting in June, a new Committee was elected for the Leaseholder Action Group and includes some familiar names from the previous year’s group;

ChairmanGerald Haseldine

TreasurerBernie Cuffe

Secretary Lorraine Webb

Committee Members Mark Leeson Phil McGaffin Margaret Marshall Tim Weatherhead

You can join LAG at their General Meetings. If you would like more information please email lag2010wdc@yahoo.com or visit www.warwickdc.gov.uk/leaseholder

The Chairman presented his Annual Review for 2011/12 which is available on our website www.warwickdc.gov.uk/leaseholder

Communications with MembersWe produce The Leaseholder which is sent to Leaseholders four times a year. We are continuing to build up our email database for communication and put important information onto the website.

LAG communications with Warwick District Council We have good communication with WDC officers. We also sit on the Performance Service Improvement Group which scrutinises and monitors complaints and also the Repairs and Maintenance Service Improvement Group which monitor repairs.

Special Projects undertakenWe carried out a Survey of our Leaseholders in December 2011 and the results were featured in the spring issue of Home News and in The Leaseholder. There is still more analysis being undertaken. We are also reviewing the Leaseholder handbook, which was published many years ago. This is being co-ordinated with the council’s review of the Tenant Handbook.

We hope to continue representing the issues and aspirations of Leaseholders, by working with Warwick District Council and in particular with Housing & Property Services, to improve the services and improve the channels of communication.

Meeting Dates for General MeetingsAll at the Town hall starting at 7:00pm Wednesday 29 August 2012Wednesday 28 November 2012Wednesday February 27 2013 Wednesday 29 May 2013 is also the AGM

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This was a very ambitious project which exceeded the number of installations we planned to complete as agreed by Executive. The project also came in under budget.

This project involved carrying out research to select the properties which were suitable to have solar panels – and obtain permission from the Distribution Network Operator, Western Power, to install them.

For those tenants with the solar panels, their tenancy agreements had to be amended to reflect this and this had to be done with our legal department.

When the panels were being installed Councillors were taken to the houses to meet the tenants and to see for themselves the work being done.

All in all it was a successful project and both the council and tenants are pleased with the end results.

S lar PanelsHousing & Property Services, has successfully installed solar panels into 173 council owned houses and 3 sheltered properties, which will assist in reducing fuel costs for 270 households.

We have made some changes to our repairs options when you call us, which will help you reach the right person with your enquiry.

When you dial

412828 you will get more options to choose from.

PRESS 1 to speak to the BAXI Heateam If you want to report or query a GAS repair involving your central heating or a faulty carbon monoxide detector

PRESS 2 to speak to EM&I If you want to report or query an ELECTRICAL repair including storage heaters,

PRESS 3 If you want to report a BLOCKED drain or sewer

PRESS 4If you want to report a new GENERAL REPAIR

PRESS 5 If you are chasing a GENERAL REPAIR and have an order number to speak to Ian Williams Ltd.

For all other repair enquiries, hold to speak to customer service advisor

New options on

the Repairs Line

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Feedback has been nothing but positive. Mr Toney from Warwick, had 8 PV panels installed on his bungalow, said;

“I’m delighted that my property can benefit from this programme I think it’s a great idea. The installation process took less than an hour to complete. I’m now looking forward to reduced bills!”

Brunswick Roadshow23 MayThe Tenant Panel along with housing officers, the senior estate supervisor, the recycling team and Councillor Jane Knight, all enjoyed a sunny afternoon with the tenants who live in and around Radcliffe Gardens.Tenants had the opportunity to speak with the housing team, discuss any concerns or issues they had and hear the latest news from the Tenant Panel members. In fact three new Tenant Panel members were signed up, so it was a very successful event all round.

Back in early 2011, Yvonne Haywood and a group of tenants including Frank and Gloria McCrae, Mary Gough and Rose Owen who live at Ingle Court, applied for funding from Housing’s Environmental Initiative Fund to sort out the communal garden area outside their flats.

The railway embankment was becoming overgrown and sliding down, it was also looking neglected and unsightly, becoming difficult to maintain.

“The residents here are fairly elderly and were finding it impossible to climb up the muddy bank to do any weeding” says Yvonne Harding “I have been a tenant here for 9 years and wanted to tidy up the garden and make it more manageable and create a space where we could all meet up and have a chat and a coffee during the warmer months.”

They were successful in their bid for the funding. “And now it looks beautiful! There are bedding plants, a fence and a summer house is being installed. It means that we can all get out in the garden and enjoy it this summer and we can’t wait to invite friends and neighbours in to see how good it looks.”

The team of keen gardeners have also entered Britain in Bloom and having achieved Gold last year, are aiming for the same again this year.They certainly deserve it for all their determination!

TENANT PARTICIPATIONHOUSING AND PROPERTY SERVICES

Ingle Court

If you would like to apply for Housing’s Environmental Initiative Fund, please talk to Margaret Allen on 01926 456451

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August Thu 9 Packmores, Lyttleton Road 10am - 12noon

Wed 22 Beauchamp Court 10am - 12noon

Thu 23 Gap Drop In 2pm - 4pm

Tue 28 The Tenant Panel Town Hall 7pm - 9pm

SeptemberThu 6 Packmores, Lyttleton Road 10am - 12noon

Wed 19 Beauchamp Court 10am - 12noon

Thu 20 Gap Drop In 2pm - 4pm

Tue 25 The Tenant Panel Town Hall 7pm - 9pm

OctoberThu 4 Packmores, Lyttleton Road 10am - 12noon

Wed 17 Beauchamp Court Community Room Drop In 10am - 12noon

Thu 18 Gap Drop In 2pm - 4pm

Tue 30 The Tenant Panel Town Hall 7pm - 9pm

Cubbington Village Hall drop-ins have been cancelled for now as there were not enough attendees.

To keep up to date check: www.warwickdc.gov.uk/housing

TENANT PARTICIPATIONHOUSING AND PROPERTY SERVICES

Ingle Court Drop-insCome along and join us for a coffee and a chat at one of our drop in sessions. You can report repairs, or other Housing issues and find out what’s going on in your area.

Meet the team of gardeners 11

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The majority of tenants are very happy. Everybody likes to be given praise and if good work is done please say so on the “Satisfaction Questionnaire” or hand held device. The comments are used and assist in monitoring the service – and if there are any problems, please put those down as well!

Training and new arrangements are being made to help Champions to “man the office” to receive your calls and as we move closer to carrying out the Scrutiny function, this will fit in nicely as another way for you to get in touch with us. We’ll update you more on this next issue.

The response from our telephone mystery shopping and visits has shown that although tenants are happy with the work completed there are other issues where there seems to be a breakdown in communication and lack of action. For example, issues are being raised, but officers are not calling back or responding as arranged, so please make the effort to chase up if you are waiting for a response from an officer.

We have also found that there is some confusion about different words used, for instance, what is an “issue”, “comment” or “complaint?”• If you want to report a repair then this is called

“reporting a repair” or “putting a job on the system”.

• If you have received poor service or response or query then this is “requesting a service action” – and you should keep doing so until you are happy.

• If you have requested a service or action and you have not been satisfied with the response, then this is called “raising a complaint”.

Things can go wrong and a “complaint” should be raised when you have tried to obtain satisfaction but feel you have been mistreated or ignored on the service you have received. Complaints are treated very seriously and an investigation is undertaken to ascertain the facts and assess, if improvements are required, then these can be arranged and the service revised for the good of everyone with the same issue.

You will need to provide as much information as possible to support your complaint and it will be dealt with properly and with no labelling as a “troublesome tenant”. The tenant panel review all complaints and they will be useful in identifying problem areas. You can find out more about our complaints monitoring on the next page.

By the same token, “compliments” and reports of good work are always welcome and if you feel someone needs rewarding, then please send them in.

We must also mention “comments” – if you feel something was done in a manner that could be improved, then say so, it might be a good idea that we can use!

Your tenant panel is here to help you obtain the best service possible in your environment, so please support us to our mutual benefit.

Tim Eden, Rob Harris, Emma Baylis

Compliments, Comments and Complaints

TENANT HOUSING AND PROPERTY SERVICES

PANEL

The last few weeks have seen your Champions undertaking mystery shopping phonecalls and door to door visits checking the satisfaction level of the work being done by the contractors.

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Our complaints procedure is a 2 stage process;

Stage 1 - the complaint is investigated by the manager from the department that the complaint is about.

Stage 2 - if the person complaining is unhappy with the outcome of their complaint, they can ask the Chief Executive for an investigation by a senior officer from outside the department.

When an investigation results in a complaint being upheld, we try to put the person back into the circumstances/situation they were in before they had cause to complain.

We hope this makes sense, if you have any queries, please contact Fiona Walsh, Customer Relations Officer on 01926 456447.

Total number of complaints received April – June (quarter 1 2012/13) = 45These are broken down as follows;

Repairs & Maintenance (17)

Housing Management (13)

Housing Strategy (7)

Supporting People Services (4)

Leaseholders (3)

Rents & Finance (1)

Not upheld, after investigation found not justified (18)

Partially upheld, after investigation found that some parts of the complaint are justified (7)

Upheld, 4 of these were escalated to Stage 2 (9)

Still being investigated (11)

Repairs & Maintenance (17)

Housing Management (13)

Housing Strategy (7)

Supporting People Services (4)

Leaseholders (3)

Rents & Finance (1)

Not upheld, after investigation found not justified (18)

Partially upheld, after investigation found that some parts of the complaint are justified (7)

Upheld, 4 of these were escalated to Stage 2 (9)

Still being investigated (11)

Repairs & Maintenance (17)

Housing Management (13)

Housing Strategy (7)

Supporting People Services (4)

Leaseholders (3)

Rents & Finance (1)

Not upheld, after investigation found

not justified (18)

Partially upheld, after investigation

found that some parts of the

complaint are justified (7)

Upheld, 4 of these were

escalated to Stage 2 (9)

Still being investigated (11)

Repairs & Maintenance (17)

Housing Management (13)

Housing Strategy (7)

Supporting People Services (4)

Leaseholders (3)

Rents & Finance (1)

Not upheld, after investigation found

not justified (18)

Partially upheld, after investigation

found that some parts of the

complaint are justified (7)

Upheld, 4 of these were

escalated to Stage 2 (9)

Still being investigated (11)

We are always looking at ways to improve our service and for this reason we monitor the complaints we receive so that we understand the issues you have and whether we have been able to put things right for you.

PerformanceFigures

117

13

7

43

18

79

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Coventry and Warwickshire CDA can help with:

• budgeting advice, general budgeting tips to make household budgets go further and money management.

• Opening basic bank accounts even if you haven’t got the ‘normal ID’ ie, drivers licence, passport, or a poor credit history. With a bank account you can have your wages and benefits paid directly into the account and be able to set up direct debits to pay bills, use cash machines and internet banking.

• Access to affordable loans, even with a poor credit history.

• Regular savings, with close connections to the Credit Union.

We can also help with employment by giving advice on exploring career choices, on preparing a CV and job searches. Take the first step and speak to someone who can help and start moving in the right direction.

You can speak to one of our friendly advisers at Warwick District Council, Riverside House, Thursdays 9.30am - 2.15pm.

To make an appointment call 07968 672954 Coventry & Warwickshire CDAThe Scala, 115a Far Gosford Street, Coventry, CV1 5EA Tel: 024 7663 3911 Email: info@cwcda.co.uk

CDA

In May this year, the council secured the following evictions for anti-social behaviour;

Anti-Social Behaviourupdate

Coventry & WarwickshireSupporting local people within Warwick District, helping them take control of their financial and work situations with free, confidential and impartial advice.

A family in Warwick, were evicted for persistent anti-social behaviour (ASB) including noise nuisance, making threats to their neighbours, and harassment.

The council obtained a possession order with witness statements from the neighbours and the Police.

A man was evicted from his flat in Warwick for persistent ASB including noise nuisance.

The council has also obtained an ASB injunction against a woman in Lillington where she is not allowed to make any contact with her neighbours whatsoever.

We take reports of anti-social behaviour very seriously and will pursue the perpetrators. These are examples of when neighbours and the authorities work together to make our neighbourhoods a better place to live.

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Credit Unions provide a range of benefits including• Low-cost loans up to £5,000 with interest rates

from 1% (12.7% APR)• Easy saving at your local savings point,

direct from your bank by Standing Order, or from your pay by Payroll Deductions

• Insurance on savings and loans (subject to conditions)

• Profit used for the benefit of the members

How do I get a loan? Once you have shown that you can save regularly (minimum of 10 weeks) with the Credit Union, you can then apply for a loan. Credit Unions are different from banks and building societies because they only lend to members who are regular savers. You can save as much or as little as you want.

How safe is my money?Credit Unions are regulated by the Financial Services Authority just like every other financial organisation and are required to hold insurance which protects them from fraud or theft.

The head office is in Stratford-upon-Avon and there are collection points throughout the surrounding areas. If you have any questions or would like to find your nearest collection point please contact 01789 261505 or you can email for further information on southwarwickshirecreditunion@rocketmail.com.

To be a full member of the Credit Union you must be at least 16 years of age, and 18 to obtain a loan. Members under 16 are called Young Savers.

Credit UnionsYour money in safe hands

What is a Credit Union?- A co-operative organisation that offers its members a savings and low-cost loans service.

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Coffee Corner

Coffee Corner

Southorn Court, Lillington

New parent and

toddler (up to 5 years)

sessions are being held

every Tuesday from

9.30 – 11.30am.

It’s not always easy to get out and about with young children, which is why this new session is being held right on your doorstep! Just drop in with your children, who can play in the play area while you chat with other parents over a coffee and share your experiences.

If you are thinking of coming along and would like to know more, please call 01926 337506

We have now written to every one of our tenants asking you to contact EM&I to arrange your Electrical Safety Test (PIR Test). We would like to thank those of you who have already contacted them and now have a valid electrical certificate for the next 5 years.

Have you had your Electrical Safety Inspection?

A number of tenants still haven’t made contact and you might not realise that you are putting yourselves at risk. EM&I have been advised to knock on your door and ask to do your inspection there and then. If it’s convenient and you are satisfied with their ID you can let them in. If not you can call the number below to double check who they are before you let them in.

During the inspection the electrician will check that your electrical installation is safe and compliant with

the regulations and will do any necessary upgrades while they are there. The test will take between one and four hours depending on whether any work is needed.

PIR Testing is part of Warwick District Council’s obligation to ensure your home is safe for you and your family, so please, if you have received a letter, contact EM&I promptly to arrange your test.

You know it makes sense!

Ignore our letters and you may be faced with this......

EM&I Limited 01926 889989 or 07577 435 133 17

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A resident reported receiving a visit from a woman who asked whether he had any gold in the house and whether he wanted to sell it.

The caller would not reveal the name of the companyshe represented and would not share any contact details.

If you do wish to sell gold, then do so through a reputable business with a verifiable address and make sure you compare the prices on offer.

On a single day for example, the price you might be able to obtain for 10 grams of 9ct gold could vary from £22 to £100 depending on which business you choose.

There have been traders visiting homes and using electronic devices which they claim can determine cardiovascular (or heart) health, blood pressure and the ‘biological age’ of the subject.

You could be given the wrong advice by door step traders who are not medically qualified and you may be pressured into buying unnecessary health monitoring equipment or dietary supplements.

Anyone who is concerned about their health is advised to stop smoking, maintain a healthy weight, keep physically active and eat a healthy balanced diet. If you do have specific health issues then it is best to discuss the matter with your Doctor, call NHS Direct: 0845 46 47 or visit www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk

Beware of unexpected package deliveries. A resident reported receiving two parcels that they weren’t expecting.

They didn’t open the parcels but shortly afterwards received a phone call to say that there had been a mistake and that the parcels would be collected the next morning. However, a man called soon afterwards in a taxi to collect them.

It turned out that the parcels contained mobile phones and a genuine delivery firm later tried to recover the parcels.

Trading Standards Officers believe that fraudsters use the name and address of an unsuspecting resident as a delivery location for mobile phones which may have been purchased using stolen credit cards. They then wait for the delivery by a genuine company and then phone and visit the resident, claiming the packages have been sent in error, collect the phones and disappear.

Later when the mobile phone company realises something is wrong and attempts to recover the packages, it is too late.

Anyone experiencing this scam may have been a victim of identity theft and should report the matter to the Police. In addition they should also check their bank accounts and credit record.

For more information visit: www.identitytheft.org.uk

Door to Door Health

Screening Warning

Unexpected Parcels

Latest Scams!Trading Standards

Unexpected callers

visiting homes

and offering to buy gold

Latest Scams!

Right to BuyDo you have the Right to Buy? The answer is probably yes if you are living in a council property and you have been a council or housing association tenant for at least 5 years. If any family members have lived in your home for the past 12 months, they may be able to join the Right to Buy with you.

However, you cannot buy your home if a court makes a possession order saying you must leave your home or if you are an undischarged bankrupt or have other legal problems with debt. There are also some homes that you are not able to buy under the scheme. These include sheltered housing for older people and those adapted for people with disabilities.

What would your home cost?The longer you have been a tenant the more discounts you get on the market value of your home. The highest discount you can get is now £75,000.

Can you afford it?For most people, buying a home is the biggest investment they will ever make. Owning your own home brings many benefits and responsibilities. When you buy your own home you take on some ongoing costs that you might not have as a

tenant. These include repairs, maintenance, and improvements you might want to make, as well as buildings insurance.

As a tenant you may be able to claim housing benefit to help with your rent; however you cannot claim this to help with a mortgage.

Questions to ask• Do I have the Right to Buy?• Can I afford it? • Can I still afford it if things change in the future?• What are the benefits and risks for me?• What advice do I need?

For further information and an application form please contact the Housing Finance Team on 01926 456408.Email hsgfin@warwickdc.gov.ukLook on www.direct.gov.uk/righttobuy or www.communities.gov.uk/righttobuyguide

For free impartial advice about money, including on buying a home and taking out a mortgage, contact

The Money Advice ServiceTel 0300 500 5000www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk

There have been recent changes in the amount of discount that is now available if you should decide that buying your council home is the right decision for you.

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Get nominating now!

If you would like to make a nomination for Tenant Of The Year, or young tenant of the year, please send it to Margaret Allen, by 10 September 2012, by email to Margaret.allen@warwickdc.gov.uk or in writing to Tenant Participation Officer, Riverside House, Milverton Hill, Leamington Spa, CV32 7EW

For either nomination, you will need to include the following information;• Name and address of the person you are

nominating• How they have shown they understand the needs

of the community and their fellow tenants• How they have delivered a positive impact• How they have shown personal development through

their actions• How they have developed and improved relationships• How their actions or involvement will have a lasting effect

on the community

Our winners will be given their award at the Tenant Conference on 10 October 2012.

This is the sort of person that gets involved and gets things done in the local community - and the work they get done has a lasting effect. They go the extra mile to build up good relationships with other tenants and the landlord.

Tenant of the Year!

Young

Tenant of the Year!This will be awarded to a young person, under 16 years who demonstrates understanding of the community and a commitment to getting things done.

Do you know someone that you would like to nominate for these awards?

Kenilworth – Smalley PlaceMon 9am – 5.30pmTue 9am – 5.30pmWed 10.30am – 5.30pmThu 9am – 5.30pmFri 9am – 5.30pmSat 9am – 1pm

Whitnash – Franklin RoadMon 10.30am – 5pmTue 10.30am – 5pm Wed 1.30pm – 5pm Thu ClosedFri 10.30am – 4pmSat 10.30am – 1.30pm

Lillington – Valley RoadMon 9.30am – 12.30pm 1.30pm – 4.30pmTue 9.30am – 12.30pm 1.30pm – 5.30pmWed ClosedThu 9.30am -12.30pm 1.30pm – 5.30pmFri 9.30am – 12.30pm 1.30pm – 5.30pm Sat 9.30am – 12.30pm

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Warwickshire Direct

Whether you pay council tax or business rates, you can register to receive your bills on-line. It’s quick and easy and a reliable way to make sure you get your bill sent straight to your inbox. It also saves on your paperwork and saves money!

All you need to do is register your email address and your next bill will be sent to you on-line.

Business rates please send your email address to - nndrebilling@warwickdc.gov.uk

Council tax, please email your details to -ctaxebilling@warwickdc.gov.uk

A saving of 26p per bill will be made, and with over 60,000 households – the savings made could be quite significant!

Sign up now for e-billing

Earlier this year the Tenant Panel nominated Margaret Allen for Tenant Participation Officer of the year!

She was short listed and invited to the Awards Ceremony to receive her award.

Congratulations to Margaret Allen, seen here with the Tenant Panel and Dave Ward.

Tenant Panel Advisory Service Award

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Nut RoastFor those of you that fancy

trying something different,

then follow our recipe below

and have a go at this nut roast.

Serves 4 – 6300g Sweet Potato, peeled and chopped

150g potato, peeled and chopped

250g parsnip, peeled and chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

1 red onion, diced

2 celery sticks, diced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

200g carrots, peeled and grated

300g nuts – chopped

75g cheese, grated

chopped parsley

To makePre-heat the oven to Gas mark 6/200C or 180C fan

Cook the sweet potato, potato and parsnip in water

until tender. Then drain and mash.

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and fry the onion,

celery and garlic for 2-3 minutes and then add this to

the mashed vegetables along with the grated carrots,

nuts and parley. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour mixture into a lightly greased oven proof dish

and sprinkle with cheese.

Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, then remove

the foil and cook for a further 10 minutes until the

cheese is golden.

You can serve with vegetables or salad for a healthy

vegetarian feast!

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RecipesCauliflower and Broccoli with a difference!These two vegetables are very popular and

easy to get hold of, but they can become a bit

boring if you cook them in the same way with

each meal. Here's a deliciously different way of

cooking them - no water, just in the heat of the

oven, which makes a very different flavour.

Serves 4Ingredients8 oz (225 g) cauliflower8 oz (225 g) broccoli2 tablespoons olive oil1 heaped teaspoon whole coriander seeds,

coarsely crushed2 garlic cloves, peeledsalt and black pepper Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 6, 400F (200C).

You will also need a large solid roasting tray.

To MakeAll you do is trim the cauliflower and broccoli

into florets, place them in a mixing bowl, and

sprinkle in the crushed coriander seeds.

Crush the cloves of garlic together with 3/4

level teaspoon salt until you have a paste.

Stir the oil into this, then pour the whole mixture

over the broccoli and cauliflower. Use your

hands to mix everything together to get a nice

coating of oil and coriander, and then arrange

the florets on the roasting tray and season with

salt and pepper.

Bake for 25-35 minutes or until tender and

serve straight away. You can serve this as a

vegetable with meat, or on its own with a nice

salad. You could also make this with frozen

cauliflower and broccoli, but you would need to

defrost it before cooking for the best results.

Why not give it a go?

WO

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K ArcheryAthletics BasketballBMX Cycling

Diving Fencing Football GymnasticsHandball

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a t h l e t i c s s b ff g n i l c y c c a i eo o l m m e h i s p l no b m x k o t k s m o ct a l c o s e c h u e ib t o n a t i g a j t na h e n b f e w l g n gl n m a l l a b d n a hl y l d i v i n g o e hg l g h h e r s d l f it t s c f e r u p o i fh o e n r i j s i t t t

WIN a £40 TESCO Gift card or one of the four runners-up prizes of a £5 TESCO Gift Card!

One word from the word bank is not in the puzzle. If you can find it, complete the form below and post it to us before 7 September 2012. In the event of a tie, first out of the hat wins.

Name: ...............................................

Address: ...........................................

...........................................................

Tel: ....................................................

The missing word is:

...........................................................

Send your entries to:Fiona Walsh, Housing Services, PO Box 2175, Warwick District Council, Riverside House, Milverton Hill, Royal Leamington Spa, CV32 5QE

Olympic Wordsearch

Wordsearch WinnersCongratulations to Mrs Burt of Warwick, she wins a £40 Tesco voucher for finding the missing word, DIAMOND. Why not have a go, it could be you next time!

23

24

Terms and conditions apply. Orbit HomeBuy Agents is managed by Orbit Homes (2020) Limited, a member of Orbit Group Limited

which is an exempt charity registered under the Industrial and Provident Societies Act 1965.

Thought you couldn’t afford a home of your own?Think again!

Orbit HomeBuy Agents act as the government’s one-stop shop for all low-cost home ownership and discounted market rent in Warwickshire We have a range of affordable options, designed to help you get your foot on the property ladder.

We have opened the door for thousands of people just like you, so contact us today and see if we can help you too.

Make your dream home a reality.

www.orbithomebuyagents.co.uk or call 03458 50 20 50 (option 2)

Follow us on @OrbitHomeBuy

HOuSING REPAIRS 01926 412 828HomeChoice and Housing Officer enquiries 01926 412828

Council Housing Estates Supervisors Eileen McKeoghChristine Ledger Square .........07866 609 655John Lamb - Fallow Hill/Stamford Gardens/Binswood Street (grounds maintenance only) ...................................................07866 609 674Andy Smith - Kennedy/St Paul’s Square ...................................................07866 609 657Ant Collins - New Brook Street/Radcliffe Gardens/Westbrook House/Dell House/44 Clarendon Square (grounds maintenance only) .........................................07866 609 656James Baker - Senior Estates Supervisor .........................07979 486 617/01926 456 444

Disabled Adaptations.........(01926) 456 405

GaragesApplying for a garage – Mrs Darlison/Mrs Leech ..................................(01926) 456 424/5Garage Repairs .....................(01926) 412 828

Housing Advice, HomeChoice and Homelessness ......(01926) 456 427/428/359

Home News Fiona Walsh ...........................(01926) 456 447

Overdue Gas Servicing.......(01926) 456 035Sue Sweeney ........................ (01926) 456 434

Tenancy Enforcement ...........(01926) 456 419Corporate ComplaintsFiona Walsh ...........................(01926) 456 447

Leaseholder Enquiries ................................................(01926) 456 420

Refuse & Recycling ............(01926) 412 464

RentsProblems with paying your home rent Yusaf Ramzan/Mark Herbert ..................................(01926) 456 438/457/435Problems with paying your garage rent Kathy Lewis ............................(01926)456 239Rent Direct Debit, Eva Nicholls ................................................(01926) 456 409Rent Allpay CardsSatnam Sangh .......................(01926) 456 408Pay your rent by phone............................FREEPHONE 0800 028 3377Managing Your financesLisa Crossland ......................(01926) 456 454

Tenant Involvement(Tenant Panel & Residents Groups) Margaret Allen .......................(01926) 456 451

Tenants’ Contents Insurance SchemeSatnam Sangha .....................(01926) 456 408

Warwick Response (Lifeline Service)24 hour number .....................(01926) 339 577Supporting People Services Manager Joan Hicks .............................(01926) 456 405

If you prefer to write, our address is: Housing and Property Services, Warwick District Council, P.O. Box 2175, Riverside House, Milverton Hill, Royal Leamington Spa, CV32 5QEIf you prefer to email:Housing Register & Homelessnesshadvice@warwickdc.gov.ukReporting Repairscontactus@warwickdc.gov.ukRepairs Queries – not for reporting repairshsgrep@warwickdc.gov.uk Housing Officers & Estate Managementhsgem@warwickdc.gov.ukRent Arrears Teamhsgra@warwickdc.gov.ukLettings & Moving Homehsglet@warwickdc.gov.ukHousing Complaintshsgcr@warwickdc.gov.ukLifeline Control Centreccms@warwickdc.gov.ukLeaseholdersleaseholdteam@warwickdc.gov.uk