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Digital Den page 2

competition page 4

of Pillar page 6

A newsletter from Severnside Housing Summer 2013

Pillar

Pillar Summer 20132

Cheap computers and laptops!Our new Digital Den, based in Maesbrook Road in Meole Estate, has been helping people bridge the digital divide and get online since it opened in February.

The Digital Den is a new project at the heart of the Meole Estate offering affordable access to home broadband as well as huge savings on telephone calls and computer equipment. It also provides free internet access – ideal for getting online to make claims, search for jobs, or make savings through online shopping.

Since it opened, at least 30 people each day are visiting the Den regularly for advice, training and to use the computers. More than 20 people have

taken the opportunity to buy affordable computers to get online at home.

“Once Universal Credit comes into effect later this year, all benefits claims will have to be made online, yet we know from the recent STAR survey that just 41% of tenants have access to the internet at home. This means facilities like the Digital Den are vitally important in making sure that people

are not excluded just because they don’t have internet access,” said Sue Dell, Community Development Manager at Severnside.

For more information about the Den, home internet, or any of the other services on

offer, visit www.digitalden.org, call 0333 358 3034 or pop into the Den on Maesbrook Road in Meole Estate.

Get online for FREE! Affordable home internet (from just £2 per week).

Following on from our partnership with A Walters Electrical, which we told you about in the last edition of Pillar, we’ve formed a new partnership with a well-established local charity, which will benefit both organisations, and the local community.

We’ve joined forces with Shrewsbury Homes For All, a local charity that works with individuals, landlords and businesses to help homeless people find and keep their tenancies. Based in town, Shrewsbury Homes For All (SHFA) has been providing free and confidential housing advice and support since 1993, to ensure local people are properly housed.

This new partnership means that SHFA will benefit from being part of a larger

organisation, while for Severnside the benefit is to work with an existing charity with over 20 years’ experience of supporting homeless people to find and sustain their tenancy.

New partnership strengthens Severnside

Pillar Summer 2013 3

Benefits changes

As a result, demand for smaller homes has increased, as people look to down-size their home and move to a smaller property.

At the start of the year, well before bedroom tax was introduced, we wrote to or visited every Severnside household that was going to be affected and are now helping more than 50 families to look at their options and get support.

There are still some people out there who are ignoring the situation and are getting into rent arrears, which is not acceptable. Rent arrears can ultimately lead to eviction, so if you are concerned about the changes to the reduction in

benefits you are receiving, or concerned about rent arrears, please contact our Financial Inclusion Officer, who can provide help, support and advice.

It’s important to remember that there are more changes still to be introduced. These include:

•TheBenefitCap-acaponthetotal amount of benefits that working age people can receive. For couples and single parent families, this will be set at £500 per week, and for single adults, this will be set at £350 per week.

We are still waiting to hear exactly when this will be

Bridgeford Way gets a clean sweepIn March we joined a litter pick aroundBridgefordWayandArmdale, organised by local councillor Miles Kenny and supportedbyTidyShrewsbury,Year 4 pupils from the nearby WilfredOwenSchoolandmembers of the local community.

Everyone met at the grassed area on Bridgeford Way, where they kitted up with hi-vis jackets and litter pickers, before blitzing the local area.

In total, around 20 bags of general litter, plus mattresses, furniture and other

rubbish were removed, leaving Bridgeford Way and the surrounding area looking tidier and more attractive.

It’s now been several months since the Government brought in the first stage of changes to the benefits system, with the introduction of what has become known as ‘the bedroom tax’.

introduced, but expect it to be in placebySeptemberthisyear.

•UniversalCredit–asinglepaymentreplacing individual benefits that most people will have to applyforonline.Thisiscurrentlybeing trialled in the north-west of England and is expected to be rolled out across the country from October this year.

If you have any concerns about the changes to benefits and the way they are paid, please contact

our Financial Inclusion Officer on 01743 285000 or 0300 300 0059 for help and support.

Pillar Summer 20134

Our annual gardening competition recognises and rewards those residents who make the most of their outside space.

There are 8 different categories this year, with a £50 first prize and £25 second prize in each category. We’ll also be picking one overall winner, who will awarded £100 and get to keep the trophy for a year.

Each year we’ve had a fantastic response to this competition, so hopefully this year will be the same.

The categories are:•Large garden•Small / medium garden•Sheltered housing garden•Containers•Flats / balcony•Children’s garden (aged up to 16)•Vegetable garden•First-time entrants

To enter, fill in the form and send it back to us by Friday 28 June. All entrants will be visited by the judging team on Friday 19 July. Winning gardeners will then be invited to a special presentation lunch.

Garden competitionHave you got green fingers, a passion for plants or a love of gardening?

Press 1 for electrical repairsYou may recall that in the last edition of pillar we asked for your views on reporting electrical repairs and on our proposal for electrical repairs to be by appointment. You may also have been asked this in the recent satisfaction survey carried out after electrical repairs were completed.

In the satisfaction survey, 86% of residents said that a Freephone service would be important and 93% of residents thought it was important to offer an appointment, so from June we will be taking steps to introduce this when you want to have electrical repairs carried out.

In the last edition of Pillar we also asked you whether residents should contact Severnside to report an electrical repair or whether it would be better to contact Andy Walters directly. Residents did not indicate any preferences so we plan to change the existing way you report your electrical repairs and enable you to report them direct to A Walters Electrical and make an appointment at the same time – just like you can do with PH Jones for gas repairs.

From the 10th June 2013, to report your electrical repairs please call 0300 300 0059 and ‘press 1’ for electrical repairs. Your call will be transferred to Andy Walters staff who will take the details of your repair, diagnose the fault and then offer a morning or afternoon appointment when work can be carried out on a day that is convenient to you.

Calls to the new 0300 number will be charged at the normal local rate from a landline or mobile, however if calling from a landline or mobile phone with anytime or inclusive minutes, the call may not cost you anything.

The arrangements for reporting emergency repairs outside of office hours remain unchanged and you should continue to call 01743 360945.

We hope that the new arrangements will be seen as an improvement in service… You will be able to let us know what you think when we carry out the next satisfaction survey in early 2014.

To enter, please cut out this form and return it to: Elaine Porter, Severnside Housing, Brassey Road, Shrewsbury, SY3 7FA

Name:……………………………….............…….......….…… Age:…...................

Address:……………………………...................................................……….....…..

Postcode:............................. Telephone number:.......…….........………...................

Category entered(select from list above):……........………………………………….....……………..

Pillar Summer 2013 5

Development round-upWith the introduction of the ‘bedroom tax’ the demand for smaller homes has never been greater, so you’ll be pleased to know our development plans include building more than 100 new one-, two- and three-bedroom homes over the next couple of years.We’re currently building:

•7newhomesatFentonCloseandSheltonGardensinShrewsbury,which will be completed in August this year

•21newhomesatWestonRoadinMorda, which are scheduled to be finished in May next year

At the end of March we bought 18 homes across Shropshire, from a mixture of private landlords, individuals and developers. At the same time, we started work at Chapel Close in Bomere Heath, where we are replacing unpopular

bedsits with new one- and two-bedroom bungalows and building 6 new houses.

Looking ahead, we’ve submitted an application for planning permission for 12 new homes at Middleton Road in Oswestry which, subject to planning approval, will be completed in July next year.

We’re also redeveloping Heaths Houses in Abbey Foregate. The plans for this low-demand sheltered housing scheme include replacing the existing small flats and bedsits with 41 new flats and townhouses. We expect to start work at Heaths Houses early next year.

Accessfor Gas ServicingBylaw,housingprovidersmustcarry out a gas safety check at everyhome,everyyear.Thisisan important legal requirement, to make sure that you and your family are safe in your home, as faulty gas appliances can cause a fire or carbon monoxide poisoning, which could both be fatal.

Our contractor PH Jones carries out these annual checks, to make sure that every Severnside customer remains safe. We’re pleased to say that currently, annual gas services have been completed at 99.75% of homes. This should be 100%, but sometimes we struggle to get access to the home.

We will always try to offer a convenient time for these safety checks to be carried out, so it’s important that you are available for the appointment.

If we are not able to gain access to carry out these important safety checks, we will take legal action to gain entry. This is because an unsafe gas appliance may cause a danger to neighbours, as well as to the people living in the property.

So, if we call you to arrange a gas safety check, please make sure you are in for the appointment, and remember – everyone who lets our gas contractors have first time access to their home will be entered into a monthly prize draw to win £50.

For gas servicing, please contact PH Jones on Freephone 0800 316 2104

or from a mobile phone on 01743 719051.

Above: Artist’s impression of Heaths Houses.

Plans for Chapel Close.

Pillar Summer 20136

Pillar is your magazine, with news and information about your home and community and the services we provide.We want to know your feedback, so that we can keep developing the magazine in a way that meets your needs. Please take just a few minutes to fill in the survey below and send it back to us by Friday, 12 July. All entries will be entered into a prize draw to win £20 of shopping vouchers.

What do you think of Pillar?

Please tick the box which best describes your thoughts or feelings about Pillar. Strongly Strongly agree Agree Not sure Disagree disagree

1. It is about issues that are important to me q q q q q2. It is an interesting read q q q q q3. It tells me what other residents are doing q q q q q4. It tells me about what is happening at Severnside q q q q q5. I like the pictures q q q q q6. I like the colours q q q q q7. I enjoy the competitions q q q q qPlease take the time to answer a few further questions.

8. Pillar comes out four times a year. Do you think this is frequent enough, or would you like to see more or less editions across the year? Please let us know your thoughts.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

9. What other items would you like to see included in Pillar? Please write your answer below.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

10. Please let us know any other comments. For example if you disagreed with the statements above, tell us why and what we could do to improve.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….……………………….

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….……………………….

WIN£20

Sendyourcompletedformto:MattCritchley,SevernsideHousing,BrasseyRoad,OldPottsWay,Shrewsbury,SY37FA.

Pillar Summer 2013 7

Justice CornerWelcome to Justice Corner, where we update you on what we have been doing to stop anti-social behaviour in local communities.

We have been involved in a number of cases recently, which are still being dealt with through the courts. Throughout these cases, we have been helping and supporting witnesses, whose evidence is vital when it comes to attending the hearings.

The examples below have all happened since the last edition of Pillar and illustrate how Severnside works with partners such as the Police and local residents in dealing with unacceptable behaviour, and how, together, we can make a real difference.

•Localresidentsprovidedintelligencetothepoliceaboutaresidentusingdrugsattheirproperty.Thisresulted in a police raid, where drugs were found. We also discovered that the tenant had made a fraudulentclaimforhousing.ThisledtoSevernsideobtaining a Possession Order and the tenant has been evicted.

•Thelocalcommunityraisedconcernsaboutonetenant who was regularly under the influence of alcohol and was causing anti-social behaviour,

which included noise, foul and abusive language andcriminaldamagetoaSevernsideproperty.Asaresult,SevernsideobtainedanAnti-SocialBehaviourInjunctionwiththePowerofArrest,which led to the tenant being evicted.

It’s important to understand that eviction is always the last step that we take, and wherever possible, we try to help and support people to change their behaviour before taking this ultimate sanction.

However, our regular Justice Corner articles shows how pro-active Severnside is in tackling anti-social behaviour and that we take such matters very seriously. If you have any information, please do not hesitate to contact the ASB reporting line on 0345 6789020.

Community Chest funds new benchesResidentsatDovehouseCourtinBroseleyhavereceivednewbenches, to make the most of their communal outdoor space.

Broseley Residents Group, representing residents from Dovehouse Court and Miners Meadow, applied to the Severnside Community Chest for money

to buy two new benches for their communal garden.

The Community Chest Fund was set up to provide funding to support local voluntary, community and recreational groups in the local area. Grants are available for specific projects, or to purchase specific items.

If you are interested in applying to the Community Chest for funding, please contact us on

0300 300 0059 or 01743 285000.

Pillar Summer 20138

We’ve launched a new Job Club that offers support to people who are currently unemployed, helping them with everything from searching and applying for jobs, preparing strong CVs, gaining confidence for interviews and getting to grips with benefits.

The Job Club meets:•everyTuesday11am–1pmatthe

DigitalDen,MeoleBrace

•everyThursday11.30am–1.30pmatSevernside’soffices,BrasseyRoad,Shrewsbury

The Job Clubs are free to attend. Everyone who comes along will be made very welcome and will have the chance to:•BuildtheirCV•Applyforjobs•AccesstheUniversalJobmatch•Findtrainingandworkexperience

•Exploreapprenticeship opportunities

•Findoutmoreaboutvolunteering

There’s no need to book – just come along on the day.

Melanie Pilliner, Into Work Officer at Severnside, said: “We know from our work with residents that there is a need for a service like this. In the current economic climate it is tough finding a job and some people may need to gain new skills through training. It is our mission to enhance life chances and the job club will help people who have been out of work for a while, or those wishing to climb their career ladder.”

Don’t forget, we offer specific courses through the Learning Programme too:

clubs

Haveyoubookedyourplaces yet?We launched this year’s Learning Programme back in March, and since then hundreds of places have been booked, for courses ranging from food hygiene to water colour painting and from plumbing to football coaching.

At the launch we also held a prize draw to win a £20 shopping voucher, for everyone who signed up to a course on the day. 46 people booked courses and congratulations to Sandra Cox, who was the lucky winner.

So far, the most popular courses have included IT, flower arranging and first aid. All courses are FREE for Severnside tenants, and take place at convenient locations around the area. We also offer help with transport and childcare costs, if needed.

For more information, or to book your courses, visit www.severnside housing.co.uk/learning, pick up a brochure at our Brassey Road offices in Shrewsbury, or call us on 01743 285000 or 0300 300 0059.

NewLearning Programme launched

Subject Digital Den Severnside ResourceCentre

Confidence buildingand assertiveness 25 June 2013, 10.00am 27 June 2013, 10.30am

Numeracy and literacy 9 July 2013, 10.00am 11 July 2013, 10.30am

Over the next five years, we are aiming to spend almost £51 million on planned improvements and repairs to our homes and estates.

Works will include new kitchens, bathrooms, heating, roofing, wiring and external decoration.

We know that carrying out improvements can be disruptive so we have put together a list of the

improvement works we plan to carry out and where, over the next five years. This list is a guide to our improvement plans, and does not guarantee your home will receive the listed improvements; it depends on the results of a survey we will carry out prior to any work starting.

The list can be viewed on our website – visit www.severnsidehousing.co.uk/improvements or at our Brassey Road offices.

Investing inyour Home

Pillar Summer 2013 9

Estate WalkaboutsIf we’re in your area, come and say hello!Estate walkabouts give you the chance to join us for a walk around the area you live in and point out any issues or concerns you may have.

Walkabouts are led by your local Neighbourhood Officer, along with representatives from the Council, the Police and other local partner agencies.

Action plans are drawn up following each walkabout, with copies available from our website: www.severnsidehousing.co.uk/walkabouts

Cheaper Energy TogetherIn the last edition of Pillar, we included a flyer about Cheaper EnergyTogether,acommunitypartnershipthatSevernsideissupporting, that aims to help people get cheaper energy.

Cheaper Energy Together works by the power of numbers. The more people who sign up to say that they are interested in cheaper energy, the more bargaining power Cheaper Energy Together has. They then talk to all of the energy suppliers to see who can offer the best deals.

In the last Cheaper Energy Together campaign, more than 5,500 people signed up, and as a result saved an average of £167 per year.

Cheaper Energy Together runs regular campaigns, so if you’re interested in finding out how much you could save, sign up by visitingwww.cheaperenergytogether.org or call 0800 888 6611. By signing up you are not committing to anything, and are free to accept or decline any offers made to you.

clubs

Did you know?Since 2003, the average household energybill has risen from £600 to £1,412 per year.

Here’s our next schedule of walkabouts:

Month Timeanddate Location Meetingplace

June 19 June 2pm Ford West View Communal Room

July 17 July 10.30am Harlescott Grange 1 Kynaston Road Community Centre

July 24 July 10.30am Monkmoor 1 Porchfield Communal Room

August 14 August 10.30am Meole The Meet Place

August 28 August 10.30am Springfield Mereside Shops

Pillar Summer 201310

SothatwecanfindoutwhatyouthinkofSevernsideandtheservices we offer, there are lots of different ways that you can get involved and have your say.These range from taking part from the comfort of your own home, to setting up local neighbourhood groups or attending meetings. Every tenant and leaseholder can get involved, and everyone’s voice helps to make a real difference.

Some of the main ways to get involved include:

•Resident Inspectors–testand inspect the services that Severnsideprovides,throughsurveys and mystery shopping, and identifying areas for improvement.

•Customer Panel–looksatnew projects and how they affect customers, and gives residents

the chance to improve the way services are delivered.

•Estate Walkabouts–asteady walk around your local areawithSevernsidestaffandother agencies, to look at issues affecting the neighbourhood.

•Community Events –localactivities aimed at providing information and advice in a fun and interactive way.

•Equality & Disability Group–offering the chance to look at the way we are delivering services and ensuring that we tailor them to our diverse customer needs.

•Resident Senate–enablingresidents’ voices to be heard and have an influence in shaping Severnsidenowandforthefuture. Get involved to improve services and key issues that are important to residents.

•Youth Involvement–enablingyoung people to develop their skills and life chances, through involvement in projects and programmessuchasThePrince’sTrust.

•Neighbourhood Groups–meet people from your local area to identify common issues orconcerns.Thesegroupshelpto identify ways to improve the local area and influence what is happening.

•Virtual Groups–keepintouchand up to date through our website,FacebookandTwitter.

We’re on the lookout for people who want to get more involved and help us to deliver

even better services. If you are interested in getting involved, or would like more information, please call the Community Development Team on 01743 285000 or 0300 300 0059, or email community@severnsidehousing.co.uk

Ways to get involved...

SevernsidehasjoinedtheMinsterley and Pontesbury Community Alcohol Partnership, part of a county-wide scheme to tackle underage drinking and anti-socialbehaviourinShropshire.

The new partnership, which includes Shropshire Council, Pontesbury and Minsterley Parish Councils, the police, Severnside and the local co-op, aims to reduce underage drinking and address the associated anti-social behavior by providing youth activities, alcohol education and enforcement.

This is one of several CAP groups, and will be working with young people and residents around the Minsterley and Pontesbury area, including:

•Providingtrainingtoplacesthat sell alcohol

•Lookingatnewactivitiesforunder 18s

•Workingwithparentstounderstand the impact of alcohol and the laws about it

For more information, or to get involved, contact Louise Money, Minsterley

& Pontesbury CAP coordinator on 01743 256110.

Tackling underage drinking

DAWN’S SENATE BLOGHello

So summer has arrived and we are all looking forward to long lazy days! The Senate is looking forward to the next few months as we’re currently in the planning stage of a new project. The Senate wanted this project to be something that affects most residents so we will be looking at the ‘new ways in which Severnside communicates with us’.

We are hoping to look at the website, the use of Facebook, Digital Den, ASTAR text messages, etc to see how these are used. This will be an interesting project and we will of course be asking for your help and comments. I will keep you posted on our progress.

The Senate has also been working closely with senior management to make sure that ‘a tenant’s voice’ is heard when policies are updated, and ensure that they are shaped around us, as customers. We feel this is a major step forward and we will continue to do this at every chance we get!

The Senate also attends the monthly Customer Panel meetings, where we give a regular update of what we have been doing and also answer any questions about the Senate. It’s a great way for tenants to find out what is happening within Severnside.

I hope that you find these updates informative as we’d really like to hear from anyone who is interested in becoming a Senate member or would just like some more information or a chat.

The Senate is a great, positive way to get involved in shaping the future of Severnside, so please have your say and get involved. You don’t need to have loads of free time, all you need is the desire to help make change and have a voice!

Have a great summer!

Pillar Summer 2013 11

Name ................................................................................. Age ...............

Address ...................................................................................................

..................................................... Telephone ..........................................

Send your entries to:Matt Critchley, Severnside Housing, Brassey Road, Old Potts Way, Shrewsbury, SY3 7FA.

If you are aged 15 or under try our spot the difference competition for a chance to win a £20 shopping voucher. Circle the 10 differences on the right picture, fill in you details below and send your entry to us by Friday 5 July 2013.

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE COMPETITION

If you would like any more information about Severnside Housing, please contact us:

Write to usSevernside Housing, Brassey Road,Old Potts Way, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY3 7FA

Ringus01743 285000 or 0300 300 0059

Email usenquiries@severnsidehousing.co.uk

Visit our websitewww.severnsidehousing.co.uk

Find us on Facebookwww.facebook.com/severnsidehousing

FollowusonTwitter@severnsideha

SevernsideHousingprovidesatelephone interpreting service formore than 150 languages and canprovide this document in a rangeof formats.

Jesli potrzebna jest jakakolwiekpomoc w zrozumieniu niniejszegodokumentu, lub potrzebne jesttumaczenie na inny jezyk, prosze otelefon na numer 0300 300 0059.

Os hoffech gael cymorth i ddeall yddogfen yma, neu os hoffech gaelei chyfieithu i iaith arall, ffoniwch0300 300 0059.

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Thisdocumentisalsoavailablein:

Large print Audio tape Braille Different Languages

Homes & Communities Agency Registration number LH4325. A company limited by guarantee. Company No. 04025816.

Gardening wordsearchGardening wordsearch Find the ten garden themed words, to be in with a chance to win a £20 voucher.Send us your entries by Friday 5 July to be in with a chance to win. The first correct entry drawn will win the prize.

SendtoMattCritchley,SevernsideHousing,BrasseyRoad,OldPottsWay,Shrewsbury,SY37FA.

Name ....................................................

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Address .................................................

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Telephone ..............................................

Green Flowers

Leaves Vegetables Lawn

Blossom Grass Planter

Patio Garden

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