issue 09-customer_news_summer2007

Stockportat homeStockport Homes' Customer Newsletter

Issue 9: Summer 2007

Carecall successpages 14 and 15

GardenCompetition pages 6 and 7

Are you ready forthe smoking ban?page 3

2 Stockport at home – Summer 2007 Issue 9 www.stockporthomes.org

April HigsonDirector of Housing Management

Contents

David KirwanMember of Stockport Homes Board

Providing Customer Driven Housing ManagementServices

Welcome to the summer issue of Stockport at home and myopportunity to tell you about some of the recent and plannedservice improvements in Housing Management. In March thisyear we signed up to deliver anti-social behaviour services inaccordance with the Respect Standard for HousingManagement and we now have an action plan in place toensure we meet the standard. We signed up to the Standardjointly with the Council and the other major housingassociations working in Stockport and we will continue to worktogether to look at opportunities for joint funding and trainingand development starting with a joint training event planned totake place in early summer.

At the end of April the West District Team moved to newpremises at Bridgehall School and in early May the East DistrictTeam moved to new premises at Brinnington. This providesstaff with new and improved office accommodation, improvedreception areas for customers and reception services that willnow be provided by the Council as at the Central District. Welltrained reception staff aim to answer queries at the first point ofcontact for a range of services. We hope to have a newgrounds maintenance contractor working with us in thesummer and a big thank you to those of you who respondedto the recent postal questionnaire on the service. This willprovide a clear benchmark on customer satisfaction which thenew contractor will be asked to improve upon over the year.

Happy Reading,

April Higson, Director of Housing Management

PageSmoke Free Stockport 3

Gardening Competition 6

Abusive Customers 10

Get out and about this summer 16

Stockport into Work Initiative 25

Home Contents Insurance 39

Dates for your diary (please see enclosed booklet)

Welcome to the summerissue of Stockport at home.

Following on from the spring issueof your newsletter, we thought youwould like to continue to hear froma range of Board members andtheir role. I am the Chair of theHuman Resources sub-group. Iam also an active member of theTenants' Federation. As Chair ofthe sub-group, I receive a range ofinformation on staffing issueswhich ultimately affect the servicethat the organisation gives to you.We look at the trainingrequirements of staff, new staffingstructures and any new legislationaffecting staff. All of which aredesigned to ensure that the staffwho provide the service to you, ourcustomers, is of an excellentquality. The sub group will addressissues that affect StockportHomes' staff and we hope thiscontinues to be reflected in theservices you receive.

Best wishes

David Kirwan,

Member of Stockport HomesBoard

Front cover image: Bramhall Park duck pond

3Stockport at home – Summer 2007 Issue 9

Smoke Free Stockport!

We believe that it would enable us,as a Federation, to serve allcustomers more effectively from aresource centre with easy access.It would also makecommunications much easier aswe would be able to hear youropinions first hand.

The use of offices would benefitmany of us. However, it wouldalso be a responsibility and wouldhave to be properly managed.

Stockport Tenants' Federation

exists because there are tenants'and residents' groups. It is, in ouropinion, vital that customers'views and influences are heard. Anoffice and resource centre wouldhelp all of us in that task. If you areinterested in being involved withthe Federation please contact us.

We would also like to hear yourviews, whatever they are, soplease contact us at StockportTenants' Federation, PO Box526, Stockport SK1 3WP.

Or you can email [email protected]

I look forward to hearing from you.

Bernard BradburyChair of Stockport Tenants'Federation.

Stockport Tenants'Federation update

www.stockporthomes.org

Stockport Tenants' Federation is currently drawing up abusiness plan. The main objective is to obtain our ownoffice accommodation.

Where will smoking bebanned in StockportHomes?Smoking in all indoor public

places will be banned. Manyplaces - such as cinemas andpublic transport - have notpermitted smoking in recentyears, and so for StockportHomes' customers, it will beplaces like corridors, communallounges, lifts and any enclosedpublic spaces that will beaffected.

Where will you be able tosmoke?You'll still be allowed to light upoutdoors, in the home or placesconsidered to be 'homes', suchas care homes, hotels andprisons.

Smoking could still be banned atcertain outdoor locations that are'substantially enclosed', such asfootball grounds and railwayplatforms.

What will happen if I'mcaught fag-in-hand?

If you're caught smoking in abanned area you could be fined£50.

But who's really going tocare if I light up a sneakyone?Those in charge of the premiseswould be fools to let you getaway with it, as they could face a£2,500 fine if they fail to stopyou. They could also be chargedon-the-spot fines of £200 if theyfail to display no-smoking signs,

The Council and its partners are raising awareness ofthe smoking ban which comes into force in Englandon 1 July 2007.


Housing Options New rules give private tenants a better deal

From April 2007 a new lawmeans that private landlords haveto protect their tenants' depositsin specially set up schemes andgive good reasons for notreturning them at the end of atenancy.

In the past landlords held themoney themselves and oftentenants found it was not returnedwhen they moved out, eventhough they had paid their rentand looked after the property.Under the new rules, anindependent agency will decidehow much, if any of the depositshould be kept by the landlord ifthere is any dispute.

Geoff Binns, Housing OptionsManager said 'This change in the

law improves private renting asan option for people seekinghousing in Stockport and it isimportant that tenants andlandlords are aware of how itworks'.

Further details on the tenancydeposit scheme and generaladvice on seeking private rentedaccommodation is available onthe Stockport Homes websitewww.stockporthomes.orgunder the Housing Optionssection.

The Housing Options Team isalso able to provide advice bytelephone or face to face byappointment at the HousingInformation Centre, by calling0161 474 4237.

Rising property pricesand ever increasing

demand for Council andhousing association

properties mean thatmany people now choose

to rent privately.

5Stockport at home – Summer 2007 Issue 9www.stockporthomes.org

CustomerAwards2007

The scheme was introduced to recognise thecommitment and achievements of StockportHomes' customers. It was such a success thatwe have decided to run it again this year.

The categories of awards are

Individual customers nominated byStockport Homes' staff for: l High levels of involvement

l Mentoring or support given to others

Tenants' & Residents' Groups nominatedby Stockport Homes staff for:l Involvement in improving the

estate/neighbourhood

This is the officers opportunity torecognise customer involvement and

commitment but it's not just StockportHomes' staff who can nominate. You cannominate individual customers for:l Mentoring or support given to othersThere are prizes to be won for individuals andTenant and Resident Groups. This is yourchance to nominate those people or groups thathave made a difference to your community. Wewant to celebrate their success and prizes will beawarded at the Annual General Meeting ofStockport Tenants’ Federation on the 14November 2007.

Nomination forms can be obtained from yourDistrict Housing Office or from the CustomerInvolvement Team. The deadline for nominationsis 15 October. If you would like a nominationform or require any further details then pleasecontact Paul Whitehead on 0161 4742862. Alternatively you can [email protected]

Does your local community have a “champion”? Is there somebody who has made areal difference to your estate or neighbourhood? You will have read in the springissue of Stockport at home that last year Stockport Homes launched its first AnnualCustomer Awards Scheme.

We are also developing an Awards Schemearound tackling anti-social behaviour and beinga good neighbour which will be introduced laterin the year. If you have any ideas or suggestionsabout what types of categories we shouldinclude please contact Liz Ellis, ASBManager on 0161 218 1381 or [email protected]


Categories are:

l Best Individual Garden

l Best Communal Garden

l Best Container Garden

l Best Vegetable Garden

l Best Children's Picture

Prizes for all categories will beawarded in garden vouchers except the

children's picture category which willbe awarded high street vouchers.

There will be 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizesfor all categories in each of thethree Districts. Judging will takeplace in July.

The overall winners of the bestindividual garden will automatically beentered for the best in the Borough.

This lucky winner will receive a trophy inaddition to garden vouchers.

Full terms and conditions are available onthe entry form and on the Stockport Homes

website.

Entry forms are included with this issue of Stockport athome and are also available from all District Housing Offices.Completed entry forms should be returned to your DistrictTeam no later than 29 June 2007.

We are also looking for independent judges, so if you havean interest in gardening, please see the relevant section onthe entry form and ask to become involved.

Annual GardeningCompetition 2007

Stockport Homes

If you are a tenant, leaseholder or you live in a Stockport Homes'property, then this is your chance to show off your gardening skillsin our great competition.


Recycling tips for the garden

Half a pot is all you need, justlaid on its side so the plant cangrow and spread over a smallmound of compost.

Mix a soil-based compost withplenty of grit to give gooddrainage, place the plant youwant inside the broken pot andfirm the compost well.

If the compost is loose, the rootswill dry out and may die

Growing your alpines like thismeans they take up very littleroom and still provide lots ofcolour.

Food for your gardenKitchen waste can be worth itsweight in gold to a gardener.

Along with debris from thegarden, it can make one of thebest materials ever for improvingthe soil.

Rotting green waste (likevegetable trimmings and grassclippings) feeds the microbesthat inhabit a healthy fertile soil,especially once it all reaches thebrown, peat-like material weknow as garden compost.

This is the ultimate in recycling -all the fibre and plant foods left inthe waste go straight back intothe ground to feed the nextgeneration of plants. Within afew months you have compostto add to the borders andimprove your soil.

ONE way to recycle your broken pots is to grow alpinesin them. These plants need only a small amount ofcompost and hardly any feeding, all they want is verygood drainage, so they don't get too wet.

Some of last year's entries


Repairs and Investment Service Exceed Targets!

Providing a quality repairs service has always been the aim of StockportHomes, and year end performance for the service shows continuedimprovement in this area.

Bredbury depot update

Repairs

Repairs and Investment news

This shared working initiative willbring operating efficiencies andvalue for money and will improvethe communication and serviceto you our customers. Joint

working initiatives will beexplored. For example, where wemay have missed a repairappointment due to staffsickness; we can get another

contractor to pick up the jobimmediately The Carecall andConcierge services are part ofthis, with a brand new highquality control centre which isplanned to offer furtherimprovements to security featuresfor these essential services.

Customer Satisfaction remains high with8,945 surveys returned in 2006 and ofthese 94% of respondents were VerySatisfied or Fairly Satisfied with the

standard of the repairs service provided tocustomers.

Appointments made and kept for non-emergencyresponsive repairs is an important indicator for bothStockport Homes and our customers, as missedappointments cost money and cause unnecessaryinconvenience. From April 2006 to April 2007 a targetwas set to make and keep appointments for 85% ofall routine repairs, and we just exceeded this with85.4%. This is a considerable improvement onprevious years - during 2004-05, only 28% of routinerepairs had appointments made and kept. A numberof initiatives have been introduced including a “text-ahead” service to remind customers on their mobilephones that they have an appointment, and the new“Quickcall” service offering 2 hour appointment slotsfor high frequency / low cost repairs, for which the

target for the 2007/8 year ahead is 91%.

The Government set time limits they expect a numberof urgent repairs to be completed in (details can befound in the Customer Handbook and Repairs Guide),and during 2006-07 we completed 96.6% of theserepairs in time - 3.1% ahead of the target set. Ourtwo repairs contractors Mears and PMS work out-of-hours to complete these urgent repairs.

Not all repairs are urgent. This year's target tocomplete a routine repair was set at 19 days, theaverage time was actually 16.6 days.

Safety continues to be paramount for StockportHomes, and servicing at least 99% of all gasappliances within the year was our target. At 31March 2007 only 6 properties were left to service, andall of these either had appointments already made orlegal action proceeding to gain access. A new robustno-access procedure had been introduced whichhelped to achieve the result of 99.93% of servicescarried out.

Stockport Homes is always looking to improve the serviceswe offer. A major project this year is to move a range ofexisting services into the same office and depotaccommodation within the Bredbury area.


Service Exceed Targets!

The Government set a target to bring all local authority housing up to the “DecentHomes Standard” by 2010. After the successful inspection result, StockportHomes have over £100 million pounds of additional funding to spend to meet thistarget by 2010.

Investment

As at 1 April 2006, 37% of Stockport Homes' propertieswere non-decent and we set a target to improve this by2.7% during the year. Actually this improved by 13.5%at 31 March 2007, reducing non-decent homes to 32%.This means that 68% of our properties now meet thestandard. During the year we have taken more of a“one hit” approach to improve properties - this means ifthere are a number of internal modernisation failuresagainst Decent Homes, all will be completed in one go,rather than works being scheduled over a few years.

In autumn 2006,when we receivedextra Governmentfunding forachieving 3* status,we had a target tospend around £20million on DecentHomesimprovements before the end of March 2007.Stockport Homes managed to spend all this money inthe time by installing kitchens and bathrooms, rewiringproperties, replacing central heating systems, over-cladding tower blocks and fitting new windows anddoors. As our performance is recognised to be so goodin this area, we have approached the Government forany spare funding available but so far without success.

Although thisimprovement workis a benefit tocustomers, there isconsiderabledisruption whenreplacing a kitchen,bathroom or central

heating system. Regardless of this, customers were90% satisfied with investment works throughout theyear.

Considerable savings have also been made throughStockport Homes' involvement in GM Procure, which isthe largest social housing buying consortium in thecountry. Up to 31% of savings on materials and labourhave been made through a combined supplierpurchasing process and bulk purchasing, workingtogether with 25 suppliers and 40 contractors. ThroughGM Procure we really are getting more for less andtherefore able to do more work to your home.


Abusive customers

Our staff and contractors are hereto help you and have a right towork without fear of abuse fromcustomers.

Abuse includes:l Swearing on the telephone or

face to face

l Verbal or written threats, forexample to follow a member ofstaff home, hurt a member ofstaff, damage a vehicle or otherStockport Homes property

l Physical assault

Stockport Homes does not tolerateverbal or physical abusive directed

at its staff or contractors. If youthreaten our staff or contractors,we will act immediately. Minorabuse will result in a warning letter,and if the abuse continues or ismore serious, in a warning markerbeing placed on your tenancyrecord.

Further or more serious incidents ofabusive behaviour can result inlegal action being taken againstyou by Stockport Homes, forexample an injunction or the futureof your tenancy being at risk.

An injunction can have the powerof arrest attached to it and can be

obtained within 24 hours of theincident to prevent you threateningor harassing staff, and may preventyou entering some of our offices.We can also apply to the court foryour tenancy to be demoted,which means rather than being asecure tenancy, it could bereduced to an introductory tenancywhich gives you fewer rights.

The vast majority of you behavewith respect towards our staff,thank you, but we will take strongaction against those who do not.

For further information pleasecontact our Anti-SocialBehaviour Manager, Liz Ellis,on 0161 474 1381 or [email protected]

We are sure that you will be shocked to learn thatduring March and April 2007, there were sevenincidents where staff or contractors were threatenedor physically assaulted by customers.

Anti-Social Behaviour news


Case study

Two contractors, who were carryingout improvement works in the area,and a neighbour, were threatened bythe resident living next door to whereimprovement works were beingcarried out.

A complaint was made to StockportHomes about the resident's conductand statements were takenimmediately by the ASB Team toascertain exactly what happened.

Due to the nature of the incident andthe threats made, Stockport Homesapplied for a without noticeinjunction against the resident as itwas felt there was a significant risk ofharm to the contractors and the

neighbour should the resident begiven notice of the proceedings wewished to take.

An application to the County Courtwas made the same day and thefollowing morning representativesfrom Stockport Homes attendedcourt and secured the injunctionorder.

The injunction was served on theresident prohibiting behaviour thatwas capable of causing nuisance orannoyance to the contractors andthe neighbour and also prohibitedthreatening or abusive conduct. Apower of arrest was attached to theorder. This meant that if the resident

breached the terms of the order,they could face being committed toprison.

The resident attended court at alater date and the court ordered thatthe injunction remain in force fortwelve months offering protection inthe short term for the contractorswhilst they continued with their workand in the longer term for theresidents' neighbour.

This is another example of StockportHomes' commitment to tacklinganti-social behaviour. It clearlydemonstrates our willingness to usethe powers available to us, whereappropriate, to protect ourcustomers, contractors and staff. Italso demonstrates the enthusiasm ofour customers to work with us totackle anti-social behaviour on ourestates.

There are a wide range of powers available toStockport Homes that are used to tackle anti-social behaviour. One example was when legalaction was taken against a resident onBrinnington Estate in February 2007.


Anti-Social Behaviour news (continued)

Respect Agenda

At that time Stockport Homeshad carried out an assessment ofits current services in line with theRespect Standard for HousingManagement and found that inmany areas our services met orexceeded the standard.

We consulted with our customersand listened to what you had to

say about where improvementscould be made. As a result ofextensive consultation with staff,partners (such as the CommunitySafety Unit) and customers,Stockport Homes has puttogether a Respect Action Planwhich outlines what activities wewill undertake to ensure that the

services we offer for ASB meetthe Respect Standard.

On 15 March 2007 StockportHomes officially signed up to theRespect Standard with otherregistered social landlords acrossStockport, making a publiccommitment to deliver qualityservices in accordance with thestandard and to create a cultureof respect on its estates.

The action plan to meet thestandard includes:

l Working closely with residentsand tenants, listening topeople and giving people thechance to influence decisions;

l Taking anti-social behaviourseriously, prevent it happening,and if it does, tacklingproblems, such as thoseconnected with drugs oralcohol, quickly and effectivelythrough early intervention,mediation, or clear warnings;

l Providing advice andassistance, tailored services forresidents and tenants, andsupport for victims; making iteasy for people to complain

In the last issue of Stockport at home we told youabout the work taking place in preparation for the signup to the Government's Respect Standard for HousingManagement by Stockport Homes.


and provide ongoing support forwitnesses who wish to giveevidence;

l Protecting local communitiesthrough quick enforcement -these include Anti-SocialBehaviour Orders (ASBOs),Acceptable BehaviourContracts, Demoted Tenancies,Final Warnings, and Evictions.

If you have any questions orcomments or want any furtherinformation on the RespectStandard for Housing Managementplease contact Liz Ellis, Anti-SocialBehaviour Manager,1 St Peter's Square, Stockport,SK1 1NZ or email:[email protected]

Positive action against anti-social behaviour

Stockport Homes has clear policies and procedures for anti-social behaviour and staff are well trained sothey can identify the best solution for each case. From January to April 2007 Stockport Homes has takenlegal action in a number of cases. Here is a breakdown of the different types of legal action we have taken:

Type of Action Number Secured

Notice of Seeking Possession 6

Notice to Terminate (Introductory Tenancies) 1

Notice to Extend (Introductory Tenancies) 1

Demotion Notice 1

Suspended Possession Order 1

Outright Possession Order 1

Injunctions 8

Undertakings 5

Each case of anti-social behaviour presents different challenges, so a range of differentlegal remedies are used to bring about a successful solution.


The customer would be returnedto their bed or chair and havingmade them comfortable, if nospecific medical treatment wasrequired for an injury, thecustomer would be left. Followup action or referral of customersto other services was rare.

The outcome for customers oftenresulted in admission to hospitalor long term residential andnursing care following repeat falls.

At the beginning of 2006, twocomplaints were received in closesuccession relating to the movingand handling of customers whohad suffered falls. Oninvestigation of the complaints, anegative trend in the provision ofthe falls service was identified anda more in depth review of the fallsservice was carried out.

This resulted in the Carecall CallHandling system being modifiedto enable data collection andanalysis of emergency alarm andresponse calls to falls. Analysis ofthe two complaints led to theimmediate development of atelephone based falls survey toobtain feedback from customerswho had suffered a fall. Theimprovements which wereimplemented have resulted inpositive outcomes for customers,enabling them to remainindependent within their ownhome.

Furthermore, as a result of thisproject, we have seen a range ofvalue for money savings from theprovision of the Carecall Falls

Service for the Local Authorityand Primary Care Trust.

In early 2006, the falls statisticsshowed that Carecall attendedover 2000 falls per year. Thesecustomers were included in thefalls survey. Of the 2000 fallsattended by Carecall, 70% weredealt with by the mobile wardensand only 30% required furtherattendance of the AmbulanceService.

By comparison, the ambulanceservice attend around the samenumber of falls per year of which70% result in attendance atAccident and Emergency.

The results of the initial fallssurvey highlighted that thespecialist moving and handlingequipment was only being utilised5% of the time.

Focus groups, along with themobile wardens, identified thatthey did not feel confident inusing the specialist moving andhandling equipment due toinsufficient training and that therewere insufficient quantities ofequipment which led to delays inthe calls and thus reluctance toutilise it.

As a result, of the feedback anddata analysis, a trainingprogramme was developed formobile wardens including trainingon safe moving and handling ofcustomers. The training wasdelivered by a specialistoccupational therapist whorecommended further goodpractice equipment including ELK

Prior to 2006, on receiptof a call from a customer

who had fallen, twomobile wardens would

attend and the customerwould be moved often

without use of anyspecialist moving andhandling equipment.

Carecall


Delivering PositiveOutcomes forOlder People

and Slip Sheets and these werepurchased accordingly. Theoccupational therapist alsosuggested that the equipmentshould be used at least 75% ofthe time for moving and handlingand this was set as the target forequipment utilisation.

Benefits and PositiveOutcomes:

By the end of 2006 StockportHomes' aim of providingappropriate support servicesenabling customers to remainindependent in their own homes,had been achieved with positiveoutcomes as follows:

l The 75% equipment utilisationtarget was achieved and hasnow been exceeded

l Customer feedback clearlyshows that customers muchprefer to be assisted with thespecialist equipmentevidencing improved qualityservice delivery to customers

l Statistical data has been usedto show savings to the PrimaryCare Trust. Reduced calls tothe Ambulance Service havesaved the Primary Care Trustover £250,000. Evidence alsohighlights that this has alsoresulted in reducedadmissions to the Accidentand Emergency Service whichis a key government objective.

l Feedback from staff has alsobeen positive with improvedmoral and reduced injury andsickness.

Further developments in 2007

l Improved partnership workwith other agencies, leading tothe development of animproved Falls Pathway forcustomers and implementationof an overnight District NursingService which Carecall refersto directly, further reducingadmissions to hospital.

all• Independance• Reasurance• Peace of mind

A rapidresponseservice forolder orvulnerablepeopleDirect Link 24 hours aday 365 days a year

or write to:

For more information or a freeCarecall demonstration in yourhome ring Carecall

Carecall, 1 Ratcliffe Towers,Bosden Fold, Hillgate,Stockport SK1 3PB

or email to:[email protected]

All alarm calls received and madefrom the centre are recorded.

0500 130585F R E E P H O N E

Carecall

Always there whenyou need us ...


They offer an array of activitiesand events for all to enjoy, fromsport and exercise facilities toareas where you can relax andenjoy the outdoors this summer.Many of these parks now have“friends of parks” who help tomanage and provide events andactivities over the year.

This summer there will be lots ofevents and activities that areoffered, including brass bands,teddy bears picnics, communitygardening, bee demonstrations,task days and lots more.

And, if you are thinking of pullingon your hiking boots thissummer did you know there area number of long distance trailsrunning through Stockport. Thisincludes the Trans Pennine Trail,an exciting route for walkers,cyclists and horse riders thatlinks Southport on the Irish Seawith Hornsea on the North Sea(207 miles, 331Km) and passesthrough the Pennines, alongsiderivers and canals and throughsome of the most historic townsand cities in the North ofEngland.

There are some shorter trailsaround Stockport including theFred Perry Way, named after oneof Stockport's most famousresidents and the last Englishman to win Wimbledon in 1936.Other trails included theMiddlewood Way, a formerrailway linking Marple andMacclesfield and a place whereyou might want to have achange of pace and take alongyour bike and Etherow Valleytrail, which starts from VernonPark and links with theLongdendale Trail in the PeakDistrict near Hadfield.

Sustainability news

Did you know that there are 21 major urban parks in andaround Stockport, as well as 2 country parks and awhole range of smaller open spaces and recreationgrounds all within easy walking distance of your home?

Get out and about this summer


What is a dreamscheme you ask?Well a dreamscheme works toencourage young people tobecome actively involved incommunity based projects in theirlocal area, for which they can earnpoints. These points can beexchanged for trips and activities oftheir choice. The concept of adreamscheme not only providesactivities for young people and thecommunity to participate in, buthas many other benefits includinghelping to reduce anti-socialbehaviour, youth nuisance, improvecommunications and relationshipswith residents and improve theenvironment of the estate. In thecase of Cherry Tree, Romiley, 12local young people were involved indelivering leaflets advertising twoclean up days at the end of March.

The young people worked withstaff from Stockport Homes,Community Development, Youth

Services, the Cherry TreePartnership and local youth clubworkers from St Chads, withsupport funding from Sure Start. Asa reward for their effort the youngpeople were taken to Alton Towersfor the day over the Easterholidays.

The clean-up was carried out overtwo lovely sunny Saturdays and asyou can see from the photographsa lot of rubbish was collected.Items ranged from garden waste tosomeone's old kitchen sink.

We spoke to lots of people fromthe estate and they all said that itwas a fantastic idea and whencould it be done again.

The appearance of the estate hasclearly benefited from this initiative.

If you have any questions aboutthis initiative please contact Julie Nelson, CustomerInvolvement Officer on 0161 218 1382 or email [email protected]

As a pilot for a future dreamscheme in Stockport we ran a youth project inRomiley which involved a leaflet drop and two clean up days.

Cherry Tree


Recent changes to the WasteManagement and StreetCleansing Service within theCouncil aims to help improve thequality of the local environmenton our estates. A newly formedEnvironmental Services is nowresponsible for Council servicesrelating to recycling, householdrubbish, litter, street cleansing, flyposting, fly tipping, graffiti,abandoned vehicles and publicconveniences. To support thenew service a team of officers areaiming to increase recycling,improve street cleanliness andenvironmental conditions througheducation, awareness raisingevents and enforcement.

RecyclingStockport Council operates afortnightly recycling collection.

You can use your blackrecycling box to recycle thefollowing:

Glass bottles and jars:

3 All clear, green, brown andblue glass bottles and jars,Please rinse these out andremove all lids

7 No broken glass, mirrors,windows or windscreen glass,drinking glasses, leaded glass,milk bottles, light bulbs, Pyrexglass or crockery.

Food and drinks cans:

3 Food and pet food cans, fizzydrinks and beer cans. Pleaserinse out and push in anysharp lids.

3 Aerosols: these must beempty. Do not squash orpierce the cans. Please removeany plastic lids or caps.

7 No aluminium foil, cooking ormotor oil cans.

If your box is full, please put outany extra cans in carrier bagsnext to your box.

Use your white paper sack torecycle waste paper:

3 Junk mail, white paper,catalogues, pamphlets,magazines and newspapers.

7 No phone books, YellowPages, cardboard, envelopes,greeting cards or dyed paper.

A safe, clean and attractive place to live,work and relax are important things inhelping us all to maintain and improvethe sustainability of our estates.

Sustainability news (continued)


Bargain Compost BinsBargain compost bins are available from the RecycleNow Home Composting Campaign.

Ecomax 220 ltr £8.00 free delivery

Ecomax 330 ltr £10.00 free delivery

Komp 250 ltr £20.00 free delivery.

Order your bin online at www.recyclenow.com/compost or call 0845 077 0757.

Did you know that we can provide anassisted collection service if you arenot able to put your recycling box or

garden waste container out forcollection (for example because of

disability or illness)?

Further information is available by phoning0845 833 4444 or visit

www.stockport.gov.uk/waste

If you do not have a box or paper sack or havea question about your service, please phone

0845 833 4444 or visitwww.stockport.gov.uk/waste or email

Environmental Services [email protected]

AssistedCollection Service

FlatsIf you live in a flat you may have already received recycling containersfor recycling glass, cans and paper. If not and you would like toparticipate in this service, please telephone 0845 833 4444.

Bulky WasteHaving a spring clean? Don't throw away thoseunwanted pieces of furniture, or electrical goods- give them to charity. The Furniture Station andSt Ann's Hospice collect furniture free of charge.

The Furniture Station 0161 456 0717

St Ann's Hospice 0161 445 7990


“The Piazza” Mottram StreetProposed Improvements to

Mottram EstateTenants Association

Mottram Estate Tenants'Association has identified “thepiazza” as a key area where theywould like to see improvementswithin the estate.

The event was well attendedand a lot of very interesting andinnovative ideas were expressed.

For example to include trees,flowers, paths, lighting, seatingareas, litter bins and provision foryoung children's play. The nextsteps are to pull together all ofthe ideas from the event andprepare some sketch designplans for customers to have alook at. Further consultation with

customers will take place overthe summer to agree a project inpartnership with the Tenants'Association.

Congratulations to the winnersof the prize draw on the daywinning £25 was Mrs J Sunter &£15 won by Michael Connell.

During spring over 90customers attended a

drop in session at RatcliffeTowers lounge to have

their say on whatimprovements they would

like to make to the areaknown as the “piazza” on

the Mottram Estate,Hillgate.

Sustainability news (continued)

Stockport at home – Summer 2007 Issue 9www.stockporthomes.org

Do you need housing legal advice?Stockport Law Centre

Law Centres have been set up toovercome the obstacles faced bypeople who need access to thelegal system. Legal advice shouldbe available to everyone, not justto those with financial resourcesor to those eligible for legal aidbecause of their income. LawCentres are manageddemocratically by individuals andorganisations from their localareas. They work closely withtheir communities to provide thekind of services that are mostsuitable for that area. StockportLaw Centre is managed by anelected Board of Trustees andstaffed by both professionalsolicitors and advisers. They can

provide advice, assistance andrepresentation on housingmatters including: l Homelessness l Allocation of housingl Tenants Rights l Claims for Possession l Disrepair

l Racial Harassment l Housing and Community Care

Please note, they are unable toadvise on: landlords, businesstenancies, conveyancing orhouse purchase or neighbourdisputes. They can only provideassistance where there is a legalremedy or issue. The Law Centrestaff do not fill in forms or givepractical information aboutobtaining housing.

Stockport Law Centre is a registered charity and a limitedcompany and provides advice, assistance and representationin specific areas of law such as debt, education,employment, housing and immigration.

Housing drop-in advice sessionsOur Housing Advice drop-in sessions run every Wednesday morningbetween 10.00am and 12.00pm. Please try to arrive early, and bringwith you any correspondence/evidence that relates to your enquiry.You can find us at Stockport Law Centre, 85 Wellington Road South, Stockport, SK1 3LS. Telephone: 0161 476 6336 • Fax: 0161 476 2719

21

We had promised an informal,interactive and fun day withserious messages about achievingthe Decent Homes Standard,creating sustainable communities,and tackling anti-social behaviourthrough the Respect Agenda. Didwe succeed? 70 attendees (79%) completedand returned their evaluation formsof which:l 59 (84%) rated it as Excellent or

Good and 4.3% rated it asOkay - the rest did not answerthis question. This compared to71% Excellent or Good lastyear.

l 57 said that we should hold aconference every year

l 53 said that they would attenda similar conference

Not everybody felt that we goteverything right and we will taketheir comments on board to make

sure that next year is even better.We appreciate all of the feedbackbecause, without it, we cannotimprove.David Kirwan, a very activecustomer from Brinnington Boardand Federation member, CAGs,District Forum, Quality Panel, etc.,chaired the conference andwelcomed everybody to Stockport


Customer Involvement news

CustomerConference

StockportHomes

2 0 0 7

A record turn outfor the second customer conference!

It was a lovely sunnySaturday with a predicted

temperature of 24oC and wehad to compete with the FA

Cup semi-final and theGrand National (both of

which were thankfully latestarters) but 89 customers

gave up their Saturday toattend our second customer

conference.

County's conference facilities.The fun started with a quiz toidentify photos of directors andmanagers, with a few celebritiesthrown in to confuse matters.Jon Blackwell (Investment andProcurement Manager) then ran a'Play Your Cards Right' session forcustomers to guess the number ofproperties receiving variousimprovement works in the coming12 months. This raised awarenessof just how much work will bedone and how much will be spentin achieving the Decent HomesStandard. The event became a little moreserious as teams discusseddifferent elements of theimprovement works, includinghow Stockport Homes has tocomply with the DisabilityDiscrimination Act and Fire Safetyregulations. This included the

average length of time taken tocomplete the works and howofficers liaise closely withcustomers to ensure that accessis available and that disruption iskept to a minimum. A DVD basedon customers' real experiences ofkitchen and bathroomreplacement was shown and thisis available for anyone who isincluded in the programme.After lunch, customers were givena profile of a fictional estate and 10'local issues'. The issues werebased on the sort of situations thatHousing Officers have to deal withon a regular basis, either throughTenancy Management, EstateManagement, or Anti-SocialBehaviour but they all have a linkwith achieving and maintainingSustainable Communities. Teamshad to choose a name for theirestate and prioritise the local

issues. Jo Cole (SustainabilityManager) and Liz Ellis (Anti-SocialBehaviour Manager) thenresponded to the suggested toppriorities. Although some teamsfound it difficult to choose just onepriority, they felt that tackling onecould reduce the effect of others.

Rodger Stead (MaintenanceOperations and ContractsManager), David Kirwan and JaneClayton, (Customer InvolvementOfficer), launched the Quality Panel- with apologies to John Cleese,Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbettfor copying their 'I know my place'sketch. Since the conference, onecustomer has expressed aninterest in joining the panel and willbe attending the basic training.

Helen McHale, Chief Executive,closed the conference andpresented a prize to the team withthe best estate name (Utopia) andto Ian Johnstone who won theMystery Star (a star hidden on theinside of the conference pack)prize of a luxury hamper.

There was still time for customersto go home and watch the GrandNational, sit in the sunshine, orwatch the football. Officers wenthome feeling very satisfied that theday had gone well.


tcustomer conference!

On the whole a very positive outlook coming from StockportHomes' staff. Well done.

Good info. Well presented. V good.

A good conference. Keep us updated and in touch.

Interesting, good fun, with some helpful comments from both sides.

Very well organised as usual.

I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciated the conferenceon Saturday. The time went really quickly, due mainly I guess to goodplanning and communication; so essential for this type of meeting.

Here are some of the compliments that we received:

BCTA represents tenants andleaseholders in Brinnington andlower Brinnington. ‘The Brinningtonestate is the largest Council estate inStockport. Stockport Homes hasdone, and is still doing a lot of workto improve the properties and widerestate as part of our commitment tomeet the Decent Homes Standardby 2010. Members of this grouphave worked closely with StockportHomes staff to monitor the progressof the Capital Improvement Plan.The group also take a keen interestin the visual appearance of theestate and are working together toimprove this, particularly with regardto rubbish around the estate.BCTA take an active interest inhousing issues that affect theBrinnington estate and members ofthe group are representatives on theStockport Tenants' Federation.Theyattend numerous Customer ActionGroups, Estate Walkabouts, DistrictForums, and training sessions andthey are some of the most involvedand informed tenants in Stockport. The group received a certificate fromStockport Homes at the end of2006 for their involvement inimproving estates andneighbourhoods. This was part ofour customer awards scheme andthe group were delighted to berunners up (next year they will behot on the heels of the winners).Keith Spurr, member of BCTA, wonan award for his contributions to

Stockport Homes and his high levelof involvement. Members dedicatea huge amount of their free time tothis group and to wider activitieswith Stockport Homes and deserveto be commended for their efforts toimprove the Brinnington estate. As one member of the group said“I'm working to improve the socialhousing and the facilities on theBrinnington estate for futuregenerations.” The group are currently working onpublicising themselves more and

have recently designed a new logoto give the group more identity.They are also committed toproducing their own newsletter forall tenants and leaseholders inBrinnington which will be circulatedtwice a year and aims to keepeveryone informed of anydevelopments in Brinnington andupdate everybody on the groups'activities.

This is a really friendly group and anyCouncil tenant and leaseholder iswelcome to join. So why not comealong to the meetings where you'llget a cup of tea, a biscuit and agroup of people who are alwayswilling to listen.

The group is supported by arepresentative from the HousingOffice and the CustomerInvolvement Officer for the district. If you would like more informationabout BCTA please don't hesitate tocontact Julie on 0161 2181382 or email at [email protected]


Brinnington Council Tenants’ Association

Brinnington Council Tenants’Association, (BCTA) hasbeen active for over 5 years.The group meet on the lastThursday of every month at6.30pm in St Luke's ChurchHall in Brinnington.

BCTA Awards

page 5Rubbish collection

page 2

First House

pages 3 - 4

Brinnington Council

Tenants’ AssociationWho we are:

As Chair of BCTA I would like to

welcome you to our first newsletter.

We will send a newsletter out to all

tenants and leaseholders in

Brinnington twice a year. We

wanted to produce a newsletter to

give you all some information on

what we've been doing, what we

want to do and to promote

ourselves more within the area.

We've been up and running since

2001 and whilst members may

have changed we are still going

strong. We have worked closely

with housing staff to improve the

estate through estate walkabouts.

For further information about these

please see page 4. We have also

helped to get the skips rotas on the

estate going.

A list of streets and dates can be

found in First House reception area.

We often have guest speakers

attending our meetings and a

representative from Mears

contractors attend most of our

meetings to answer any of your

questions and queries.

What we want to do:

We would like to increase our

membership and attract some

younger tenants to our group, as

well as making ourselves more

widely known on the estate. We

also want to attend more estate

walkabouts and help to increase

the numbers who attend these to

work on improving the appearance

of the estate. The appearance of

the estate is important to us so we

would like to work on reducing the

amount of litter on the streets and

green areas and to improve

recycling. If there is anything you

would like us to look at please let

us know. There is a tear off slip on

page 4, please write any

comments you have here and

hand it in to the reception at First

House.

Why you should join us:

We are a really friendly group of

people who are always willing to

listen. We are supported by staff

from the district housing office and

the Customer Involvement Officer

for the district who will try to

answer any housing queries that

you may have.

For further information on this

group please contact Julie Nelson,

Customer Involvement Officer on

0161 218 1382 or email Julie at

[email protected]

1A bi-annual newsletter Summer 2007 – Issue 1newsBrinnington

Councillor Maureen Rowles -

Chair

Mr David Kirwan - Vice Chair

Mr Carlton Lyons - Secretary

Mr Keith Spurr - Treasurer

Officers of the Group

’


work initiativeStockport into

The 'Stockport Into Work Initiative' was launched lastmonth and is based in Brinnington.

The project offers a full and flexible package ofsupport to help Stockport residents gain sustainableemployment which includes:

l CV writing

l interview preparation

l job search and job matching

l work placements

l individual learning plans

l skills development

People involved in the scheme will also receiveongoing assistance once they have securedemployment.

The Council has commissioned Standguide, a wellestablished training provider, to deliver the project,which includes the services of two employmentadvisers and a job broker to work with residents.The team delivering the project is based atBrinnington Community First's new centre, FirstHouse.

Although the project is based in the Brinnington area,Standguide will be providing an outreach service inthe other two top priority neighbourhood renewalareas - Adswood and Bridgehall and Lancashire Hilland Heaton Norris.

However, the Project is open to residents fromacross the Borough, who fall into the target groups,and who would not otherwise benefit from existingJobcentre Plus employment support.

Councillor Sue Derbyshire, Executive Member forRegeneration, said: “The 'Stockport Into WorkInitiative' is an exciting project which will have anextremely positive affect on people's lives by helpingthem to find sustainable employment. I am confidentthat this scheme will make a real difference.”

Richard Lewis, Standguide's Regional Manager,said: “The key to what we're providing here is thatit's friendly, relaxed and flexible. People can use thefacilities as little or as much as they like, for as longas they need. We want people to get involved andmotivated to work.”

For more information about the project contactJohn Bleasdale, Project Team Leader, orJayne Dixon, Employment Adviser on 0161406 8998.

Stockport Council has launched anew initiative aimed at helping morethan 100 people who are onIncapacity Benefit, or lone parents onIncome Support, gain sustainableemployment.


Berrycroft LaneTenants' and Residents' Association

This group began due to thedetermination and efforts ofMargaret Kirkham, a tenant inBredbury. Margaret is dedicatedto improving the local field for thechildren on the estate to play on.She approached StockportHomes and asked for help. Stafffrom Stockport Homes haveworked closely with this lady andnumerous others from the estateand a tenants' and residents'group has now been set up.There has been a huge amountof support for this group from thelocal estate.

The group are starting to plan afun day for everyone on theestate over the summer. This is agreat idea designed to bring localpeople together and have a reallymemorable and enjoyable day.

The groups launch meeting at theend of January was attended bylocal tenants and residents,Councillors, members of theStockport Tenants' Federationand staff from Stockport Homes.This group has a really positivefeel to it and the evidence ofcommunity spirit and acommitment to the estate wasplain for all to see. This is acommunity who will work veryhard to make sure that theirestate is a safe and fantasticplace to live for people of all ages.

Young people from the estatehave been a major driving forcebehind the creation of the groupand the plans for a fun day.There are lots of young peoplethat work with the group and theycontribute to the meetings with agreat deal of enthusiasm.

If you would like to get involvedwith this group please contactJulie Nelson, CustomerInvolvement Officer by phoneon 0161 218 1382 or by emailat [email protected] or if youwould like to set up a group inyour area then you can get intouch with the CustomerInvolvement Team on 0161474 2862 to discuss.

Berrycroft Lane Tenants' and Residents' Association inHigher Bredbury launched as a new group in Stockport inJanuary 2007. The group meet every other month on thelast Monday at 6.30pm in Bredbury Library.

Tenant & Resident Association

Funday

pages 3 - 4Roads

page 2

Youth Centre News

pages 2 - 3

Berrycroft Tenant &

Resident Association

now officially launched!

Our agreed purpose is to try

to improve the quality of life

for all residents on the

estate and to create a much

missed community spirit.

Our initial focus is on:

l Getting the police to enforce the

access restrictions to the

estate, to prevent the danger

from those drivers using the

estate as a short cut to Bents

Lane.

l To reduce litter around the

estate and on the field.

l To improve facilities for sport

and other activities for the

children and young people living

on the estate.

l To organise a Fun Day to bring

residents of all ages closer

together.

Our meetings are open to

everyone from the estate and we

meet on the last Monday of every

other month in Bredbury Library at

6.30pm. Forthcoming meetings

are 25 June, 20 August and 29

October 2007.

ISSUE 2 – SUMMER 2007

Residents NewsletterBredburyTenant & Resident Association

The Association was launched,

by a group of residents, at an

inaugural meeting on the 31st

January 2007, since then three

further meetings have been held.


Victoria Park Tenants'and Residents' Group

Introducing...

But, I do prefer it that waybecause it means morecustomers want to get involved.I am delighted to introduce oneof our newest groups - VictoriaPark Tenants' and Residents'Association in Offerton.

This group of people cametogether following a survey. We made a commitment toreturn, and help them set up atenants' and residents' group torepresent the interests ofVictoria Park residents. Thegroup has held 6 meetings,including its inaugural Generalmeeting in February 2007.

During the group's meetings wehave debated such things as: l Allocations and

Homelessnessl Capital Improvement and

Customer Care l Age Restrictions

l Estate Walkabouts

l Membership of the StockportTenants' Federation

l Anti-Social Behaviour andLocal Policing

l Estate Improvement BudgetBid

Currently the group areconsidering details of an estateagreement with local officersand they are proposing to invitethe local police to their nextmeeting to talk about their roleon the estate. The group hasalso appointed a managementcommittee that regulates itsmeetings and is alsorepresented at the StockportTenants' Federation.

The group meets monthly withofficers from Stockport Homes,at the Woodbank Centre onTurncroft Lane. Everyone hascontributed to constructivedebates and I think they have all

taken something positive fromour meetings. StockportHomes is committed toestablishing as many ways aspossible for its customers to getinvolved. One of the most wellestablished of these methods ofinvolvement is the creation oftenants' and residents' group. Ifyou would like to know moreabout how to get involved,please contact your localhousing officer, or for furtherdetails please contact PeterEgerton, CustomerInvolvement Officer on0161 474 2968 or [email protected]

One of the best parts of my job as a Customer Involvement Officer is the opportunity tomeet new people. Recently several customers have approached me to help establishgroups. So I'm very busy!


Re-branded CAGAt this CAG you will be given theopportunity to discuss all aspectsof the Homechoice andAdaptations service including:l The allocations policy;

l The bidding and pointsscheme;

l The age restriction policy;

l Major adaptations service.

This is your chance to reallyinfluence Stockport Homes'policies and procedures, so ifHomechoice and Adaptations aresubjects that interest you, whynot come along to the firstmeeting of this group on Friday

22 June 2007 from 10am to12pm at Stockport Homes' headoffice at No 1 St Peters Square,Stockport. Martyn Shaw -Allocations Services Manager andGail Jones - Adaptations Officerwill be there to listen to yourviews and share information withyou.

Have you ever been to a Stockport Homes Customer Action Group (CAG) before? We liketo call them CAGs for short as it's a bit less of a mouthful (and quicker to type!) Whetherthe answer is yes or no, we would love to see you at our new CAG - the 'Homechoice andAdaptations CAG'.

New customer action group - new members needed • New customer action group - new members needed • New customer action group - new members needed

Homechoice and Adaptations Customer Action Group

Name:

Address:

Tel:

!

Do you require a taxi ? (taxis will be booked to collect you at 9.30am)

(Must be provided if taxi required)

email:

Yes No

• I would like to attend the Customer Action Group on Friday 22 June 2007

• I am unable to attend this meeting but would like to attend future meetings. Please send me a copy of the minutes.

Hearing loop Interpreter (which language)

Wheelchair user

Other - please specify

Large print Sign language Braille

Afternoon Evening

I have dietary needs.

If yes, please give details:

I have other needs as follows (please tick boxes as appropriate):

If you are unable to attend because you cannot attendmorning meetings, please tell us your preferred time of day

Yes No


d CAGAll attendees will receive £5.00and refreshments will beprovided. We can also arrangetransport and reimburse you forchildcare if necessary.

If you are interested in gettinginvolved in this way, please fill inthe slip, then cut out and returnto:

Stella Cook, Customer Involvement Officer, Stockport Homes,1 St Peters Square,Stockport SK1 1NZ or text'Homechoice CAG' and your

name and address to 07797806630 or email [email protected]

*It will not be possible to discussindividual applications atCustomer Action Groups. If you

need to discuss your applicationwith a Homechoice Officer, pleasecall Homechoice on 0161 4744567 or email [email protected]

This database, known as theHousing 100 Club, has beengoing for almost 2 years and it'snow time for it to be reviewedand refreshed.

We would like to update thedatabase, include newinformation and increase thenumber of customers on itwhich currently stands at over200 customers. To give thismore perspective, our averageattendance at the DistrictForums is about 250 people.We would like to increase thenumber on our database to bemore representative of the

turnout of customers we aregetting to our events.

Have you attended one of ourDistrict Forums or a CustomerAction Group? Have you everattended one of our trainingsessions? If you answer yes toany of these questions wewould like to include you on ourHousing 100 database. Thisdatabase is a register of themethods and service areascustomers are interested in. Wetry to involve you in a way that issuitable and convenient for you.Let us know how we caninvolve you.

Do you like the name Housing100 Club? Would you like us tochange it? If you have anyquestions or suggestions aboutthis please contact Paul fromthe Customer Involvementteam on 0161 474 2862 oremail at [email protected]

Housing 100 ClubThe Customer Involvement team has adatabase of Stockport Homes' customers whoare interested in being involved in our services.

Tenancy & Estate Management Thursday 14 June 2.00pmTown Hall

-4.00pm Meeting Room 5

Customer Involvement Wednesday 20 June 6.00pmTown Hall


Homechoice and Adaptations Friday 22 June 10.00am 1 St Peter’s Square

-12.00pm Conference Room

DiversityWednesday 27 June 2.00pm 1 St Peter’s Square


Income ManagementWednesday 18 July 6.00pm 1 St Peter’s Square


Stock Investment and Repairs Tuesday 24 July 6.00pmTown Hall


DiversityWednesday 25 July 2.00pm

Town Hall


Customer Action Group meeting dates

If you would like to know more or to book your place on one of the Customer Action Groups please contact

Paul Whitehead on 0161 474 2862 or email: [email protected]

Name of meetingDay Date Time

Venue

4 Dates for your diary – June to September 2007www.stockporthomes.org

oup - new members needed • New customer action group - new members needed


Annual Service-User Questionnaire

Resettlement news

Main findings61% of respondents completed the questionnaire

66% of respondents were referred to the service viaother service areas within Stockport Homes

95% of respondents confirmed that theirResettlement Officer discussed their support needsand jointly agreed the Support Plan

95% of respondents confirmed that they were givenregular opportunity to review their progress againstthe Support Plan

100% of respondents confirmed that their

Resettlement Officer was polite, helpfuland knowledgeable

100% of respondents rated the standard ofthe service as either 'good' or 'very good'

96% of respondents felt the service wasappropriate to their needs

100% of respondents were satisfied withthe service as a whole

Breakdown of respondentsA wide range of service-users completed thequestionnaire and are represented in the findingsabove.

All age groups were represented. 29% ofrespondents were aged between 17 and 24 and7% of respondents were aged 55 and over.

BME groups are represented within the findings, with12% of respondents saying they were from one of awide range of BME groups. The remaining 88%described themselves as White British.

Single person households were the largest grouprepresented within the consultation exercise, with61% of respondents being from this group. Singlewomen with children were the next largest group ofrespondents (26%).

The Resettlement Team used a written questionnaire to consult all currentservice-users, during October and November 2006.The consultation asked for feedback from service-users on the service theyreceived from the team and the resettlement team will then use this to informfuture service developments and improvements.


e

Suggestions for improvements

Few suggestions for improving the service were made and opinions differed on this. Suggestions included:

l More interview rooms in the Housing Information Centre

l Mobile telephone numbers for officers

l Pocket sized contact cards

l Posters advertising the service

These suggestions are now being considered and will inform future service developmenthelp us develop the service.


Resettlement news (continued)

Nicky began working with her Tenancy SupportOfficer and addressing each problem in turn. FirstlyNicky was supported to maintain contact with theAlcohol Service in order to address her drinkingproblem. Secondly work was undertaken to ensureNicky was in receipt of the benefits she was entitledto and to deal with an overpayment of one particularbenefit. Nicky was also supported by her officer toattend Core Groups with Social Services to discussestablishing regular contact with her children.

During this time Nicky had several relapses in relationto her drinking, at one stage resulting in readmissionto hospital due to a further suicide attempt.Throughout this time her Tenancy Support Officercontinued to support and encourage her to deal withher alcohol dependency, whilst continuing to addressa variety of issues in relation to her finances and debtproblems.

To date Nicky has refrained from drinking alcohol forseveral months. She is now in receipt of all eligiblebenefits which has changed her financial situationdramatically enabling her to manage her financialcommitments. Nicky has also had a diagnosis inrelation to her mental health and has beenprescribed appropriate medication. This has enabledNicky to face up to and deal with her problems.Nicky has regular telephone contact with her childrenand is looking to progress this further. She has alsobeen awarded a large payment from her bank forbank charges made when her account was in debit.

Nicky has made excellent progress, turned her lifearound, and is now awaiting a placement on acollege course and managing her home and tenancywell.

* Service-user name has been changed

ResettlementSuccess

Nicky* was referred to the TenancySupport Team in summer 2006. Herreliance on alcohol and mental healthproblems had led to a number ofproblems including large debts,domestic violence from her ex-partnerand her children being taken into care.Unable to cope with these events Nickyhad attempted to take her own life.

Story


I work mainly with households from the black minorityethnic (BME) community and a major part of my roleinvolves assisting people from BME backgrounds to settleinto their local community and establish links so they donot become isolated and socially excluded. One of mytasks is to establish links with a variety groups andorganisations working with BME communities in theStockport area.

The links I have built with these organisations serve twopurposes. Firstly, service-users have been encouragedto attend the above groups which gives them anopportunity to meet new people in their communities.

Secondly it is an opportunity to promote the work ofthe Resettlement Service, and Stockport Homes

more generally, amongst the wider BMEcommunity.

If you are part of a group ororganisation working with,

or on behalf, of BMEservice-users and

would like to knowmore about thework of theResettlementService, pleasecontact me on0161 4743772.

Resettlement

Officerworking with BMEcustomers

My name is Asaf Iqbal Bazand I am employed by

Stockport HomesResettlement Service as aResettlement Officer. The

Resettlement Service workswith a wide variety of

vulnerable households whoneed support and assistancein order to set up home andmaintain their tenancy on a

long-term basis.


Performance news

% ASB cases that were dealt with to the satisfaction of the customer

Anti-social behaviour

Although performance has varied between April and September and was at its highest betweenDecember and February, customer satisfaction is ahead of the target of 50% at the end of the year.

Performance compared to target =

Where we are performing well and have achieved our target

Where we are performing well but are just under our target

Where we are not performing as well as we would like to and are not achieving our target

Performance information has been provided fromApril 2006 to March 2007 and is compared againstour targets (which are our desired levels ofperformance that we aim to achieve by the end ofthe year). Our targets are decided either by centralGovernment or, they are based on performance last

year and performance in other high achievinghousing organisations that are similar in make-up toStockport Homes.

To show you how we are doing compared to ourtargets at year end, 'smiley face' symbols havebeen used. These symbols show:

We want to tell you how Stockport Homes performed against itsperformance indicators (known as 'PIs') for the year 2006/7. Performanceindicators help you to see what we are doing well or where we need tofocus more time and effort to improve performance.

Apr 06

120

May 06

Jun 06

Jul 06

Aug 06

Sep 06

Oct 06

Nov06

Dec 06

Jan07

Feb07

Mar07

Averageat theend ofyear

100

80

60

40

20

0


Performing over target

Performing under target

2006 - 2007 Target

Key:

Performance has varied between April 2006 and March 2007 and was at its highest betweenJanuary and February. Nonetheless, this indicator narrowly missed the target for the year of 75%.

Performance is measured by the completion of a telephone satisfaction questionnaire with thecustomer once the case is passed to the Anti-social Behaviour Team from the District Team or thecase is closed.

For the coming year (April 2007 to March 2008) the questionnaire has been revised and reworded inconsultation with customers to ensure that performance is measured against the action plan which isagreed at the start of a case and sets out the agreed contact with the customer as the caseprogresses.

Performance compared to target =

% customers satisfied they were kept up to date with the progress of a complaint

Apr 06

120

May 06

Jun 06

Jul 06

Aug 06

Sep 06

Oct 06

Nov06

Dec 06

Jan07

Feb07

Mar07

Averageat theend ofyear

70

80

90

50

60

30

40

10

0

20


Supporting People? So what is

Most of us want to liveindependently in our own homes,but some people need help andsupport to be able to do this.Housing related support servicescan help vulnerable members ofthe community to continue to livesafely and comfortably. SupportingPeople promotes straightforward,cost-effective and reliable housing-related solutions whichcomplement available careservices.

Below are some examples of whatSupporting People can do:

l Help older people remain in theirown home by funding homecare services.

l Continue to provide supportservices in sheltered housingschemes.

l Help young people leaving careprepare for greaterindependence through trainingin basic skills such as cookingand shopping.

l Support teenage parents oryoung people at risk ofbecoming homeless.

l Arrange services for people withsensory, physical or learningdisabilities to enable them to

remain as independent aspossible.

l Help people leaving prison,refugees or those who arehomeless to set up home.

l Support people who haveexperienced mental health, drugor alcohol problems.

l Provide on-going support forpeople adjusting to moreindependent living, perhaps aftermoving into their own homeafter living in sheltered orsupported housing.

l Offer help with moneymanagement and help claimingwelfare benefits.

l Support vulnerable people toaccess health, education andemployment services.

The Supporting People team workswith service providers in theStockport area, who are equippedto make assessments of individualneeds and provide housing relatedsupport accordingly. Theseservices are regularly reviewed toensure that they continue to meetthe current and future needs of the

people who use them, and meetthe objectives of the SupportingPeople programme. Services mustbe of a high quality and representgood 'value for money'.

The Supporting People programmewelcomes the views of the peoplewho use these services, their familyand carers, and also the views ofany professionals involved in theircare, such as GPs or SocialWorkers. The first SupportingPeople newsletter is now availableand this aims to encourage peopleto become more involved in theservices they receive. A Directoryof Services for all services fundedby Supporting People in Stockportwill be available in June, if youwould like to receive a copy of this,please contact the team on 0161474 4317.

The Stockport Supporting PeopleProgramme is a partnershipbetween Stockport Council,Stockport Primary Care Trust andthe Probation Service. For moreinformation, ring the team on0161 474 4317.

Stockport Council'sSupporting Peopleprogramme is committed toensuring that vulnerablepeople have the opportunityto live more independentlyby providing services forresidents who are eligiblefor housing related support.


Service Improvement news

You said, we did...We value your feedback on our services, whether you wish to make a complaint, complimentor comment. We try to learn from our mistakes and some of the things we have done as aresult of your feedback are listed below. As you can see there are a lot of improvements inplace and we are continually trying to improve our service to our customers.

What you said... What we did...

l You said you had been sent mail whichdid not carry any postage.

l You said you believed your personaldetails had been given out to a third party.

l You said a nearby lift at one of the towerblocks caused a lot of noise.

l You said there was a lack of storage for a scooter in a sheltered scheme.

l You said; you experienced problems usingthe emergency phone when stuck in a lift.

l We did; Our staff were retrained on usingthe franking machine,

l We did; Our staff received training from theCouncil's Data Protection Officer. Therewas also an article published in the staffnewsletter.

l We did; we were able to inform residentsthat the lift was due to be replaced as partof the capital investment programme.

l We did; a new policy will now be put intoplace and where possible scooter storagewil be provided at sheltered courts as partof the capital investment works

l We did; four additional phone lines havebeen introduced.

Repairs Telephone 08456 444 304

Email [email protected]

By text message from a mobile

telephone on 07797 806626By fax to 0161 217 6032Or by filling in a report online atwww.stockporthomes.org

Please only telephone 08456

444 304 about repairs

We have a large number ofcustomers who telephone thisnumber every week with otherenquiries. This makes it harder forcustomers with repairs to getthrough, and means enquiriescannot be dealt with so quickly.

Contacting Stockport Homes If you don't have the time to contact us during normaloffice hours, did you know some of our services areavailable 24 hours a day, 7 days a week?

Anti-Social Behaviour reportingTelephone 0845 833 4444(if serious please phonethe Police directly on 999)

Email [email protected]

By Text Message from a mobiletelephone on 07797 806626 By faxing your District Office Fax West - 0161 483 9357Fax East - 0161 486 8377

Fax Central - 0161 443 2394

Or by filling in a form at

www.stockport.gov.uk and

click on the 'Do it on line' link.


Do you live in Bredburyor Hazel Grove?

Some Stockport Homes' customers told us they'd like housing information to be availablein their local library. We have listened to their comments and a trial service starts onMonday 18 June 2007 in Offerton, Hazel Grove and Bredbury.

From Monday to Saturday, anduntil 8pm most week nights youcan:

l use a freephone to reportrepairs

l use free internet facilities touse our websitewww.stockporthomes.org

l make a complaint, commentor compliment aboutStockport Homes

l see the latest Homechoiceproperty list

l leave letters/completedforms/other mail to bepassed on to housing staff

l leave a message for housingstaff to contact you

l get details of customermeetings, Forums and otheropportunities for you to giveyour views and find outabout services.

These services are available at:

Stockport Direct Local Centre Hazel Grove Library, BeechAvenue, Hazel Grove, StockportSK7 4QP

Tel. 0845 644 4307Fax. 0161 483 9864Email [email protected]

Opening Hours Monday 10am - 8pmTuesday 9am - 8pm Wednesday Closed

Thursday 9am - 8pm Friday 9am - 5pmSaturday 9am - 4pm

Stockport Direct Local CentreBredbury Library, GeorgeLane, Bredbury, Stockport SK6 1DJ


Opening Hours Monday 10am - 8pmTuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 8pmThursday closed Friday 9am - 8pmSaturday 9am - 4pm

Stockport Direct Local CentreDialstone Library, LisburneLane, Offerton, Stockport SK2 7LL


Opening Hours Monday 9am - 1pm

and 2pm - 5pmTuesday 2pm - 5pm Wednesday closedThursday 2pm - 5pm

and 6pm - 8pm Friday 9am - 1pmSaturday 9am - 4pm

As well as housing information,these Stockport Direct LocalCentres provide residents withinformation and access to:

l All Council services

l Benefits and Tax Credits

l Consumer Issues

l Employment Rights

l Environmental Issues

l Leisure Key applications andRenewals

l Money Matters

l Planning Applications

l Books

l Audio-visual equipment

l DVDs

l Free Internet

l Newspapersa

l Local Publications

l Fax Service

l Exhibitions and Talks

l Photocopying

l Bus Passes

If the trial is successful, it maybe extended to other areas inStockport.

For further informationplease contact theService ImprovementTeam on 0161 474 2854or [email protected] ortext to 07891 949399


Customer FinanceHome Contents Insurance Scheme

Many of our customers believe that Stockport Homes automatically insure their furniture, decoration andbelongings against theft, fire, vandalism or water bursts.

This is not the case. Unfortunately many people only realise this after the damage has been done.

We strongly advise you to take out household contents insurance.

Stockport Homes in conjunction with Norwich Union operates a special household contents insurancescheme.

The scheme is available to all Stockport Counciltenants and leaseholders.

It offers:

l Weekly payment facilitiesl Insurance for your furniture, TV, clothing, carpets

and electrical goodsl Insurance against fire, theft, vandalism and

water damagel “New-for-Old” insurancel Special low minimum sums insuredl Accidental damage cover optionl NO EXCESS to pay on claimsYou will find a Home Contents InsuranceScheme pack enclosed with this newsletter,which contains a prospectus, policy summaryand application form.

If you are interested in joining this popularscheme, simply complete the application formand either hand it in at your nearest DistrictHousing Office or post it to:

Customer Finance Team,Stockport Homes, 1 St. Peter's Square, St. Petersgate, Stockport SK1 1NZ

If you require any advice or assistance pleasetelephone the Customer Finance Team on 0161 474 2820.


Diversity and accessibility

A free interpreting service is available if you need help with thisnewsletter. Please telephone Stockport Interpreting Unit on

0161 477 9000. Email: [email protected]

The paper which is used for this newsletteris from a sustainable source. Once you havefinished with this newsletter, please recycleit in an appropriate way.

We can also provide informationin large print.

If you want to know more, pleasecontact Phil Rhodes ontelephone 0161 474 2860,

text him on 07891 949 399

email him at [email protected]

or write to him at Stockport Homes, ServiceImprovement Team, Directorate of Quality 2nd Floor,1 St Peters Square, Stockport SK1 1NZ

If you find reading difficult, did you know you can get copies ofnewsletters and other documents from Stockport Homes onaudiotape or CD, free of charge?

Useful PhoneNumbers Repairs 0845 644 4304

Customer Finance Automated Payment Line 0845 129 7010

West District Housing Office 0161 474 4371 Customer Finance Team 0161 474 2668

East District Housing Office 0161 474 4372Customer Finance Team 0161 474 2677

Central District Housing Office 0161 474 4373Customer Finance Team 0161 474 2676

Customer Feedback 0161 474 2600

24hr Anti-social behaviour 0845 833 4444

issue 09-customer_news_summer2007

Documents

summer issue of stockport

home summer

summerissue of stockport

early summer

range of services

new legislationaffecting

new staffingstructures

new premises