National Standards

Consultation on Local Offers for Housing Services

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Contents

Page 4 Background to the Tenant Services Authority (TSA) Page 4 Proposals for the National Standards Page 5 What did we do next? Pages 5 - 6 Partnership working Pages 6 - 7 Summary of what tenants have told us that they want Page 8 Open House tenants newsletter Page 8 Free gifts for all Pages 9 – 16 Appendices Page 17 How to contact the Tenant Participation Team

L- R: John Coombes (Financial Inclusion Officer) Diane Hughes (Tenant Participation Assistant) Julie Clempson (Team Leader for the Income Team)

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Appendices

Page 10 Time table of events for Local Offer Consultations Page 11 December issue of Open House newsletter Pages 12-16 Complete summary of tenant responses

Locality working at the Kerria Centre resource centre

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Background to the Tenant Services Authority (TSA) In April 2010 the regulatory framework for social housing changed. The new regulator became the Tenant Services Authority (TSA). As a result, the TSA brought in a framework for assessing performance which requires housing providers to consult with their tenants to find out the following:

� What their priorities are locally � What outcomes they want to achieve � What they want measured � What good performance will look like � How performance will be reported back to tenants � How the organisation will respond if it fails to achieve the performance

required. The national standards should encourage providers and tenants to agree, at a local level, on the level of standard they should expect, i.e. ‘Local Offers’. It is important to recognise that the priorities of tenants will vary considerably across the country and within regions and neighbourhoods. It is not the role of the TSA to set the performance targets. Proposals for the National Standards The TSA want housing providers to produce local offers to its tenants which set out what they can expect with regards to the six national standards: 1. Tenant Involvement and Empowerment:

• Involvement and empowerment

• Customer service and choice

• Equalities and diversity

• Tenants with additional needs

• Complaints 2. Home

• Repairs and maintenance

• Quality of accommodation (including the Decent Homes Standard 2012)

3. Tenancy

• Allocations

• Rent

• Tenure (Tenancy) 4. Neighbourhood and Community

• Neighbourhood management

• Local area co-operation

• Anti-social behaviour 5. Value for money

• Value for money 6. Governance and Financial Viability (does not apply to local authorities)

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What did we do next? The Tenant Participation Team has regularly informed the Tenant Consultative Group (TCG) on news surrounding local offers and any changes in the TSA framework. The Independent Living Managers who look after the Sheltered Housing Schemes assisted in collecting consultation forms back from their residents. Consultation forms were also sent to everyone registered on the database of tenant involvement and on the ‘Young Tenant’ database of involvement. Further consultation was conducted with tenants in ‘general purpose’ housing at events in Tamworth Market Place, the reception area of Marmion House, Tenant Participation website and the locality hubs (Belgrave, Stonydelph, Amington and Glascote Heath).

Partnership working The Income Team at Tamworth Borough Council undertook a ‘Rent Campaign’ in December 2010 to highlight the importance of paying rent first at Christmas, how to avoid loan sharks, fuel poverty and debt advice to name but a few. Christmas cards were sent to tenants who were in rent arrears and they were also handed out at many events held throughout December as they also displayed the Council opening times. Julie Clempson, Team Leader for the Income Team, Jon Coombes, Financial Inclusion Officer, were present to offer invaluable advice on any issue that tenants had concerns with. The Tenant Participation Team encouraged tenant involvement for all tenants and leaseholders to have a say in the way their housing service is delivered. The aim of consultation is to get the standards right for all tenants in relation to their homes and the communities they live in.

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Throughout the consultations tenants were signposted to other housing services. HomeSwapper forms were issued, Housing Option interviews booked, appointments made with the Financial Inclusion officer, Street Wardens were alerted to complaints surrounding anti-social behaviour and many more.

Cards were designed by pupils from Two Rivers School. The Christmas cards proved very popular and people requested extra copies for friends and relatives. Summary of what tenants have told us and what they want The following is a selection of what Tamworth Borough Council tenants and leaseholders have told us is their priorities and expectations for the future. The consultation survey surrounding the ‘Local Offers’ consisted of four questions relating solely to Housing Services. 213 ‘Local Offer’ responses were collected but in all 800 customers were spoken to. 1. What are your priorities for the future?

� Remain in good health and remain as independent as possible � Continue receiving support from my Independent Living Manager � Have my concerns listened to as a tenant � Turn my life around and find employment � Keep a good repairs service � People with additional needs to be catered for � Remain in Council / affordable housing � Keep a roof over my children’s head � Get repairs completed on time � Secure tenancy. � To be free from debt � Feel safe in my own home � To live on an estate with no ant-social behaviour � To continue to receive good services.

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2. What improvements would you like made? � Listen to what your tenants are telling you � Council to acknowledge and accept participation from local

residents and groups to enhance and improve local areas. � New doors, windows, heating, kitchens and bathrooms. � Do not allow tenants above ground level to have laminate flooring � Contact tenants if repairs are not going to be completed � To know when improvements to properties are going to be made � All properties to be completed to a high standard � Affordable rent and Council Tax � Review the Choice Based Lettings allocations policy � Community policing to prevent or control anti-social behaviour � A safe and secure home to live in � Easier ways to log complaints about nuisance neighbours and anti-

social behaviour � Do more for kids � Modernise properties to ensure energy efficiency.

3. What standards do you want us to achieve?

� Listening and caring to what and how people feel and what affects their communities.

� We want to be proud of where we live � Provide homes that we can be proud of � Repair standards need to be improved � Address the mould in our properties � Review the allocations system � Allocate houses quicker � Make a secure future for your tenants � Keep caretaking teams and wardens � Good policing on estates / streets � Tackle anti-social behaviour � Achieve the highest possible standards with the money available � Same high standards that we receive at present.

4. What information do you want from us and how do you want us to communicate it to you?

� A timetable detailing upcoming upgrades of Council housing stock area by area in Open House

� Open House to represent more tenant views � Review the repairs service � Upgrade all homes to a decent home standard as promised by 2012. � Letter, Open House tenants newsletter, Sheltered Times, email, verbal

communication in person, telephone, posters, leaflets, information in large print, website, communication through Independent Living Managers, six monthly meetings at sheltered schemes to discuss changes.

The comprehensive summary of responses can be found in the appendices of this report. (Appendix 3)

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Open House Tenants Newsletter

The Tenant Participation Team also took this opportunity to talk to tenants about the Open House tenants newsletter (sent out quarterly to all tenants and leaseholders of Tamworth Borough Council) to see whether they read it or not. Only two tenants said that they did not read the newsletter. When tenants were asked about the size of the newsletter they stated that they were happy with the current A3 size and the information within it. Free gifts for all At each event free gifts were given away to residents of Tamworth on behalf

of e.on energy providers. The following were offered free to all residents: 1. Power down plugs for televisions 2. Power down plugs for computers 3. Power downs for electric showers

The Tenant Participation Team also entered any Council tenant or leaseholder who completed a consultation survey into a free prize draw offering a chance to win one of two £25 High Street Vouchers.

In total, approximately 800 residents were spoken to, issued with free e.on energy gifts and signposted to other housing services where required. Of these 213 Council tenants completed a ‘Local Offers’ consultation survey.

Market day 11 December 2010

Councillor Mary Oates( Port folio holder – quality of life) and Diane Hughes

(Tenant Participation Assistant) and customers receiving their free e.on energy gifts.

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Appendices

1. Timetable of events for Local offer Consultations

2. Open House tenants newsletter

3. Complete summary of tenant responses

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Appendix 1:

Local Offer Consultation timetable of events

Date Venue Time Partnership working Monday 25 October

Posted to all tenants on the database of tenant involvement

N/A Tenant Participation Team

Monday 1 December

Posted to all tenants on the ‘Young Tenant’ database of involvement.

N/A Tenant Participation Team

Tuesday 9 November

Tenant Consultative Group at Marmion House

6:00pm -8:00pm

Tenant Participation Team

Monday 15 November

Information placed on website with online form

N/A Tenant Participation Team

Monday 1 – 25 December

All Sheltered Housing Schemes

Various Independent living Managers

Tuesday 7 December

Tamworth Market 10:00am – 3:00pm

Working with Income Team as part of their ‘Rent Campaign’.

Wednesday 8 and Thursday 9 December

Reception area of Marmion House

9:30am – 12:30pm

Working with Income Team as part of their ‘Rent Campaign’.

Saturday 11 December

Tamworth Market 10:00am – 3:00pm

Working with Income Team as part of their ‘Rent Campaign’.

Monday 13 December

Reception area of Marmion House

9:30am – 12:30pm

Working with Income Team as part of their ‘Rent Campaign’.

Tuesday 14 December

Amington Arch, Kerria Centre

10:00am – 13:30pm

Tenant Participation team/ Yasser Din (Community Development Team)

Wednesday 15 December

Stonydelph Arch, 44 craven

10:00am – 15:00pm

Tenant Participation team/ Neil Mushrow (Community Development Team)

Thursday 16 December

Glascote Heath Arch (library)

10;00am – 15:00pm

Tenant Participation team/ Stuart Etheridge (Community Development Team)

Tuesday 21 December

Belgrave Arch, Belgrave

10:00am – 15:00pm

Tenant Participation team/ Mark Aston (Community Development Team)

A big thank you is sent to everyone who supported the Tenant Participation Team throughout the consultation period on ‘Local Offers’. A special thank you is sent to Julie Clempson (Team leader for the Income Team) and John Coombes (Financial Inclusion Officer) for allowing us to team up with them on their ‘Rent Campaign’ for the Income Team.

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Appendix 2:

Information is displayed in the centre pages of the December issue of the Open House newsletter. Copies can be obtained by contacting the Tenant Participation Team.

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Appendix 3:

Complete summary of what Tamworth Borough Council tenants have told us:

What are your priorities for the future?

Tenant Involvement and Empowerment

� Remain in good health; keep warm and able to buy good food. � Continue receiving support form my Independent Living manager � To keep fit, healthy and as independent as possible � Better homes so that everyone is equal. � Be listened to as a tenant and have my concerns heard. � More community events to bring communities together and get a

community spirit like it used to be. � Learning to live a fuller life following serious illness. � Turn my life around and find employment which will help to sort out my

bills. � Would like a long retirement. � People with additional needs to be catered for. � Be around for my children who I am very proud of. � Remain in Council / affordable housing. � Keep a good repairs service. � Move to a different area because of the problems with youths, people

drinking and violence. � Have more interaction with the Council by you coming into the

community to talk to us at the local ‘Arch’s’. � Retrain and get myself back into employment. � Knowing where I live that I can get involved.

Home � Be housed appropriately for my family to settle � Keep a roof over my children’s head. � Get repairs completed on time � Sheltered scheme Independent Living managers to remain living on

site � Have wet room showers fitted where required. � Live in a decent, well maintained home. � Move to a bungalow when the time is needed and I’m less mobile. � My home needs to be warmer. � Better maintenance of my home.

Tenancy � Secure tenancy � To become a home owner � To be free from debt � To live in my home until the end of my days � No rent increases

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� More assurances of being able to keep our tenancies safe. � Aware that as mobility changes I will need to move to more suitable

housing.

Neighbourhood and Community � A safe and secure home to live in. � A home that is hazard free. � See the return of bus routes for all � Live on an estate with no anti-social behaviour � Keep pavements and roads clear to avoid trips and falls. � Feel safe going in to Tamworth Town centre on a Saturday night. � See less 60 year olds being housed in flats � Find work in the local area. � Improve the upkeep of our neighbourhoods. � Look at disabled access near shops. � Youth clubs and centres opened for youths /children to keep them off

the streets. � Live safely and comfortably. � It is reassuring to have Neighbourhood Watch, Park Attendants, and

Community Safety Officers. Please keep these services. � See more road improvements and safer pavements. � Stay within a good neighbourhood and community. � Feel safe in my own home and in my neighbourhood. � Look at drug and alcohol problems on the estates.

Value for money � To continue to receive good services � Affordable housing � Rents to remain affordable and manageable. � Want value for money in relation to what rent is paid

What improvements would you like made?

Tenant Involvement and Empowerment

� Help and service available by patient and pleasant staff � Council to do their jobs properly � To have wet room shower rooms for all that require them � Keep pull chord services at sheltered schemes � Listen to what your tenants are telling you � Random checks to be made to ensure the Open House newsletter is

being delivered in the High Rise flats. � Local Council’s to acknowledge and accept participation from local

residents and groups to enhance and improve local areas.

Home � New internal and external doors � Get repairs completed and maintained to a good standard � New kitchens and bathrooms � Keep laundry rooms in sheltered schemes

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� Do not allow tenants above ground floor to have laminate flooring in flats

� Contact tenants if repairs are not going to be completed � More communication between council tenants and repairs service � Upgrade heating systems � Secure properties with safety chains on doors, locks and windows � Fit extractor fans in kitchens and bathrooms � Use a different repairs provider. � Repair roofs on properties � Windows to be replaced with double glazing � Plumbing and electrics checked regularly in all properties. � Lagging needs to be more effective and deeper where required. � All properties should be completed to a high standard. � Review your repairs service � To know when improvements to properties are going to be made. � Grants and support to enable residents to undertake improvements to

their homes, gardens and local environment. � Improve local bus services.

Tenancy � Affordable rent and Council Tax � Review the Choice Based Lettings allocations policy

Neighbourhood and Community

� Review the refuse collection service � Keep communities free from graffiti and vandalism � Community policing to prevent or control anti-social behaviour � Keep Independent Living managers on site at Sheltered Housing

Schemes. � Smarten up Tamworth town centre � Provide a modern theatre in Town and a hall that holds functions and

not just a pub. � Cut back overgrown trees, cut laws and assist with gardens

Value for money � Better car parking at sheltered schemes � Council owned hedges to be cut more than once � Easier ways to log complaints about nuisance neighbours and anti-

social behaviour. � Cleaner streets and more street wardens to deter the teenagers. � To have someone who can do odd jobs � Have a gardener or caretaker on each sheltered scheme � Open up youth centres and get kids off the streets. � Improve refuse collections. � Do more for the kids to improve on anti-social behaviour. � Improve fencing around estates.

Value for money

� Modernise properties to ensure energy efficiency

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What standards do you want us to achieve? Tenant Involvement and Empowerment

� Listen and caring to what and how people feel and what affects their communities.

� Stick to the things that you tell people you are going to do � Provide a much clearer view of all Tamworth borough council policies � We want to be proud of where we live � Listen to what your tenants are telling you and what they want. � Keep us informed about home improvements. � Contractors to be more respectful and careful when carrying out

repairs. � Happy with the way that staff communicates with us. They are very

polite when they visit our property. � Provide homes that we can be proud of. � Standards are getting higher but not quite there yet. � Repair standards need to be improved. � Improve heating in all properties that need it.

Home � Provide comfortable homes � When reporting a repair I would like an acknowledgement to say it has

been received. � Repairs to be completed sooner � Things for the disabled � Keep properties to a decent standard for all. � Better home improvements, more Council homes, improve local town’s

shops and the local environment. � My home is of a good standard. � Good quality housing standards for all. � High standard and decent home. � Higher standards for the home and repairs. � Address the mould in properties.

Tenancy � To review the allocations system � Allocate houses quicker

Neighbourhood and Community � Make a secure future for your tenants � Cleaner and tidier estates � Keep caretaking teams and wardens � Tackle anti-social behaviours, graffiti and vandalism � Clean up streets from drug addicts � To have a decent General Hospital in Tamworth � Good policing on estates /streets. � Keep neighbourhoods to a clean and high standard. � Find ways to keep children occupied.

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� I want to feel safe when I’m out. � Find ways to slow traffic down in the area. � Trees should be kept to a reasonable height.

Value for money � To achieve the highest standards possible with the money available � Modernising housing stock to ensure energy efficiency � Same high standards that we receive at present � Best possible standards that money allows.

What information do you want from us and how do you want us to

communicate it to you? What do you want from us?

� A timetable detailing upcoming upgrades of council housing stock area by area in Open House

� I would like to know when my house is going to be suitable to raise my family in

� Perhaps on open forum in Town Hall either annually or bi-annually with a theme and an opportunity to have debates / discussions on how to improve

� We want Open House to represent more tenant views. � Standards to remain as good as they are now – happy with my home. � Higher standards in relation to home and environment. � Good standards that is equal for all. � The highest possible standards that money will allow. � Review the repairs service and complete them sooner with higher

standards. � Upgrade all homes to a decent home standard as promised by 2012. �

How should we communicate with you?

� Letter � Open House tenant newsletter � Sheltered times � Email � Verbal communication in person � Telephone � Posters in public places � Leaflets � Information in large print � Website � Communication through Independent Living managers � Six monthly meetings at local community centres � Monthly meetings at sheltered schemes to discuss any changes.

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

the Tenant Participation Team in the following ways:

Telephone: 01827 709448 Freephone: 0800 183 0454

Email: tenantparticipation@tamworth.gov.uk

Tenant Participation Team Tamworth Borough Council

Marmion House Lichfield Street

Tamworth Borough Council Staffordshire B79 7BZ