Housing Matters Summer 2010

HousingmattersSummer 2010

horizonswideningKeeping you informed | www.northtyneside.gov.uk

TENANT TALKBACKThe experiences ofan involved tenantPAGE 9

TacklinghousingfraudPAGE 22

GoodNeighbourAwardsPAGE 25

Cutting thecost of yourtelephone callsPAGE 5

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We want to make it as easy as possible for you to get in touchwith us. We provide a wide range of ways to contact us:

Telephone us

You can contact any of our servicesthrough one phone number.

0345 2000 102Simply ask to speak to the team you wantto deal with.

Text us

Unfortunately our text messaging service iscurrently out of order. This does not affectthe Homefinder or Kier numbers. Weapologise for any inconvenience and will letyou know when the service is up andrunning again.

Website

Visit www.northtyneside.gov.uk to findinformation on all our services and todownload forms and leaflets.

Text relay

The Royal National Institute for the Deafsupports the text relay service that isprovided by British Telecom. If you havea textphone, you can contact us on18001 0345 2000 102

Out-of-hours emergencies

If you need to speak to someoneurgently (outside office hours) pleasering the numbers below:

• Emergency repairs (0191) 200 7258

• Emergency re-housing(Care Call service) (0191) 200 6800

• Northumbria Police anti-social behaviourhotline 03456 043 043

Email us

You can also email our teams directly, using the email addresses below.

Visit us

If you prefer to visit us, you can call in to one of our customer services centres:

White Swan Centre, Citadel East,Killingworth NE12 6SSOpening times:

• Monday - Thursday (8.30am to 4.30pm)• Friday (8.30am to 4pm)

A Customer Service fast track desk is located onthe 2nd Floor; staff can deal with quick enquiriesthat do not require a private interview.

• Monday - Friday (8.30am to 7pm)• Saturday (9am to 5pm)

Unicorn House, Suez Street,North Shields NE30 1BBOpening times:

• Monday - Thursday (8.45am to 4.30pm)• Friday (8.45am to 4pm)

Park House, Park Road,Wallsend NE28 6QYOpening times:

• Mon/Tue (8.45am to 4.30pm)•Wednesday (8.45am to 1pm)• Thursday (8.45am to 4.30pm)• Friday (8.45am to 4pm)

44 – 46VictoriaTerrace,Whitley Bay NE26 2QWOpening times:

• Same as Park House above

What is your query about? Email address

General enquiry, comments, complaintsor compliments

[email protected]

Repairs [email protected]

Improvements to your home [email protected]

How to get a council home [email protected]

Text: 07781 486 808To express an interest in a property

Your home, your estate or to reportanti-social behaviour

[email protected]

Your rent account or debt advice [email protected]

Leaseholder enquiries [email protected]

Wanting to help improve our service [email protected]

Advice on homelessness [email protected]

How to contact us

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Welcome toHousing MattersI am delighted to be the new CabinetMember for Housing and would like tothank Ian Macaulay for the excellent workhe did over the last year.

As Cabinet Member, I am keen to listen to your concerns and ensure we deliver thebest quality housing services possible.

We have a busy year ahead of us.

We are spending £39m improving homes which will see over 1,000 homes brought upto the Government's decent home standard.

I know how important a good quality fast repairs service is to you so I will be workinghard with Kier NorthTyneside to ensure the service improves.

We will shortly be launching our new Area Housing Forums to give you more say andwe have provided each of the forums with some money to spend on improving theenvironment.

Later in the year we will be agreeing a new local service offer which sets out clearlywhat you can expect from us.

Our services were recently inspected by the Audit Commission and I look forward toreading the published report in September as I know that this will help us get evenbetter.

Cllr John GoodfellowCabinet member for Housing

Gas safety pays offGas Safety is very important. We are required to doan annual gas safety check on your property – it’s thelaw! Kier NorthTyneside carry out these checks andwill contact you to arrange a convenient time.We holdprize draws each quarter for those that keep to theirfirst arranged appointment time. You could be in therunning to win £100 cash like Mrs Byers of Backworthwho was the lucky winner of the June draw.

Mrs Byers picturedwith Bill Steel,Repairs Co-ordinator,NorthTyneside Homes

Makeyour estate a

great placeto live

Join us on an estatewalkabout and haveyour say about howyour area might beimproved.

We can look together for anythingwhich may make the estate lookunsightly, such as litter, fly tipping,graffiti or unreported repairs.Thewalkabouts are also anopportunity to discuss ideas forsmall environmental improvementsthat could be funded through thenewArea Housing Forum budgets(see page 8)

We hold walkabouts on yourestate every three months. If youcan’t manage the whole route, joinus for just part of it. Numbers forour housing offices and the detailsof forthcoming walkabouts are onpages 28 to 30.

We look forward to seeing you!

North Tyneside Homes –the housing service for North Tyneside Council.

The Safer Estates team has been strengthenedwith community support officer PaulineAllman joining the team.

The move shows the commitment of both the council andthe police to work together to tackle anti-socialbehaviour.

Pauline will help to make more effective use of criminaland civil law against the people who commit anti-socialbehaviour. She will also improve information sharing.

Chief Insp Max Black, of NorthTyneside AreaCommand, said: "Having one of our community supportofficers work with the Safer Estates team on a day-to-day basis will significantly improve how we work togetherto reduce anti-social behaviour.”

Pauline said: "This is a great opportunity to build strongerlinks between NorthTyneside Council, Northumbria Police

and our communities.

“Working in the Safer Estates team, I am able to co-ordinate actionwith units across the NorthTyneside Area Command. By sharing

information between the agencies, we can work together to make ourcommunities safer.”

The move follows the expansion of Operation Childsafe, with the Safer Estatesteam attending patrols with police.

Operation Childsafe tackles youth disorder and underage drinkingby targeting anti-social behaviour hotspots; giving advice toyoung people; confiscating alcohol and, where necessary,taking young people home to get them off the streets.

Strengthening ourSafer Estates team

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Saving you timeand moneyMaking the right call

We know that it was taking too longfor us to answer the phone in thecontact centre and to tackle this wehave now got 10 more peopleanswering your calls. We are delightedthat we are now answering 92% ofhousing enquiries within 30 seconds.

The Contact Centre is open from7.30am to 8.00pm, five days a week,and is the first port of call forthousands of people on a huge rangeof subjects. Each month almost 50,000people phone the contact centre andlast year a total of 582,927 calls weremade.

The new numbers are:

0345 2000 101 General Enquiries0345 2000 102 NorthTyneside Homes

and Kier Repairs0345 2000 103 Envirolink0345 2000 104 Council Tax and Benefits0345 2000 105 Reporting Racial Incidents0345 2000 107 Payments0345 2000 108 Families Information Service

Cutting the cost of your call

We know that 40% of all the calls into thecontact centre are made from a mobile phone.You told us that ringing the council from amobile was costing you up to 40p a minute sowe have introduced new telephone numbers tohelp cut the cost of your calls.

We now use the dialling code 0345 for all ourcontact centre numbers. Using this numbermeans that your calls are charged a local rateeven from a mobile phone.

We have calculated thatthis will save tenants awhopping £40,000a year.

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Making money matters countHelp us to help youHopefully you will have noticed as you opened yourcopy of Housing Matters, the Making Money MattersCount questionnaire.

Completing the questionnaire helps us get a betterunderstanding of your requirements so we can tailorour services. It’s also a fantastic opportunity to getimportant information about the financial helpavailable, become involved in one of our workshops,or to find out more about other agencies that couldhelp you.

Return your questionnaire to us by July 31 and youwill be entered into a free prize draw to win £100of Argos vouchers.

Illegal money lendingA ‘loan shark’ is anyone who is lending moneywithout having a licence from the Office of FairTrading (OFT). These unlicensed money lenders areworking illegally.

Spot the signs

Loan sharks tend to work in similar ways:

• They rarely give any paperwork to the peoplethey've loaned money to – making it verydifficult to keep track of how much is owed.

• They often use threats and violence.• They charge very high interest rates and add

‘other charges' to loans whenever they want.• They take away your bank cards or benefit

books as security.

If you spot any of these signs, you probably area victim of a loan shark. Do not worry. If youwant to put a stop to this happening in yourneighbourhood, call the Illegal Money LendingTeamon 0300 555 2222 in total confidence and theywill offer you free help and advice.

Myth busterThere are lots of rumours and myths around loansharks and what they do.These are some of themost common ones, along with the truth.

Myth:Unlicensed money-lending is not illegal.

Truth:It is illegal for any

one to operate a money-lending

business if they don't have a licence from the

Office of Fair Trading.

Myth:You have to pay back what the loan shark

says you owe.

Truth:Any loan made by someone without a

licence is 'unenforceable'– this means you

cannot legally be made to pay it back.

Myth:If you borrow money from a loan shark, youare breaking the law.Truth:It's the loan shark who is breaking the law -not the person who has borrowed themoney. You can't be prosecuted for havingtaken a loan from a loan shark.

Myth:Loan sharks are providing a reasonablypriced service to people who need it.Truth:A loan from a loan shark is, on average,three times the cost of the same loan fromsomeone operating legally. Interest rates ofbetween 8,000% and 117,000% have beenuncovered.

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ServiceStandardsperformanceOur Service Standards set out thelevel of service you can expectto receive from us.

These standards have been agreed withtenants. We have more than 60 standards,which we monitor closely to make surewe do what we say.

We asked you to choose the top 10standards that matter to you most. Thesestandards, and how we are doing againstthem, are set out here. There is alsoinformation on our website.

For more information, contact the ServiceDevelopment team on 0345 2000 102,or email: [email protected]

We aim to carry out emergency repairswithin 24 hours of being reported

Target: 98% | Actual: 97%

We aim to carry out urgent repairswithin five days of being reported


We aim to carry out non-urgent repairswithin 42 days of being reported


We aim to answer your telephonecalls within 30 seconds (10 rings)


We aim to deal with your complaintswithin 10 working days


We aim to respond to Category 1(urgent) anti-social behaviourreports within one working day


We aim to respond to Category 2(serious) anti-social behaviourreports within five working days


We aim to carry out a home visitwithin six weeks of you movinginto your new home

Target: 100% | Actual: Information available in June

We aim to remove racist or offensivegraffiti within one working day ofit being reported to us


We aim to give tenants a minimum of21 days written notice before improvementworks start in their home

Target: 100% | Actual: Information available in June

Your top 10 standardsMarch 2010

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Changes ahead to

area housingforumsArea Housing Forums are being reorganised togive tenants a bigger voice on local housing issues.

The changes follow a review of the forums carried out with councillors and tenants.

There are four area housing forums, covering North Shields,Wallsend,Whitley Bayand the NorthWest area.

In the past, tenant membership of the forums was restricted to elected tenantsrepresentatives. Unfortunately, there has never been enough people to fill this role,and only small numbers of tenants took part.

In the future, the forums will be opened up to allow tenants involved in servicedevelopment groups to become members alongside councillors.The tenants’ mainrole will be to bring their experience of being an involved tenant to the discussions.Tenants would not be expected to represent all tenants in their area.

In addition, all tenants will be encouraged to attend their local meetings and raiseissues under a ‘TenantTalkback’ item on the agenda.

Each forum will also have a small budget to carry out carry out small environmentalimprovement schemes to benefit residents.

Ian Conway, Head Of NorthTyneside Homes, said:“More and more of you arehelping us to improve housing services across the borough through our involvementactivities and events.

“These new arrangements for the area housing forums will make it easier for you totake part in discussions about your housing services at a local level.”

Meetings will take place every three months and will be widely advertised. If youwould like more information about the new arrangements, and how you can getinvolved, contact us on (0191) 643 7749 or email [email protected]

Training programmeSummer 2010

Booking is essential. Please contactthe involvement team for moreinformation on (0191) 643 7749.

How your rent is spentTuesday, June 29, 10am –1pmQuadrant East (room 4.01)

Finding a homeFriday, July 2, 10am –1pm

QuadrantWest (room 1.70)

Understanding the differencesThursday, July 8, 10am –1pmQuadrant East (room 2.27)

DIYTuesday, July 13, 5.30pm – 7pm

Wallsend B&Q store

Making the most ofyour repairs service

Thursday, August 19, 10am –1pmKier North Tyneside, Killingworth

Anti-social behaviour awarenessWednesday, September 8, 10am –1pm

QuadrantWest (room 2.27)

GardeningTuesday, September 14, 5.30pm – 7pm

Wallsend B&Q store

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It’s the event everyone is talking about …

The 2010 GoldTicket EventTuesday 27 July | 9.30am to 3pmFor more information, contact the Involvement team on(0191) 643 7749 or email: [email protected]

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What difference hasbeing involved madeto you?I have a much better understanding ofhow the housing service works. I havemet a lot of very nice people, bothtenants and council staff.When I first

started going to the meetings, I said very

little until I had a better understanding of

what my role was. Now I am happy to chip in

with my thoughts and consider other tenants’

views to improve services for us all. Basic

travelling expenses are paid on the day of the

meeting or taxis are organised for us.Tea and

coffee are always provided.

Do you think yourinvolvement is makinga difference to servicesand what has beenachieved since you havebeen involved?I feel quite strongly that the council arelistening to tenants and acting on what we say.

Tenants are making a difference to the Better

Homes service by having a say in the new

choices available in paint, wall and floor tiles

and kitchen units. We have helped other

tenants at the events and have also reviewed

all the letters sent out and the booklets about

home improvements, to ensure that everyone

will understand them.Tenants are also involved

in staff training and the GoldTicket Events.

Magda Kirtley

The daywill include:A range of funactivities for all ages.

A chance to meet officersfrom NorthTyneside Homesand discuss issues involving yourhome and neighbourhood.Some useful informationto take away.

Venue: Langdale Centre, Langdale GardensWallsend, NE28 0HG

There will be a free shuttle bus from Howdon MetroBuffet lunch and child care will be provided

Booking is essential and your invitation is included with thisissue of Housing Matters. Please detach the tear off slip and returnit to us by 12 July. We expect the event to be popular and we may havemore people wanting to come along than places available. We willlet you know whether or not we can offer you a place by Friday 16 July.

TenantTalkbackWhen and how did youbecome involved?I attended the Better Homes Exhibition at theWhite Swan Centre in January 2009

and said I was interested in being involved. I was then invited to attend the Housing

Investment Panel. It sounded very interesting, as I’d be able to find out more about

improvements. I’d only been a tenant for two years, so I didn’t really know much

about how housing services worked.

How have you been involved?I am on the Housing Investment Panel and the Product Panel looking at the choices

available to tenants when work is done in their homes. I helped out at the Better

Homes Exhibition this year.

I joined the Involvement Group after they produced theTenant Compact. We

consider how we can involve tenants, look at how all the involvement groups’ work

and measure the outcomes in theTenant Compact. I recently chaired this meeting for

the first time, as the council want all the groups to be chaired by tenants once they’re

properly up and running.The experience wasn’t too bad, as I knew all the group

members.

I am also on theValue for Money panel. This group has only met twice so we are still

working out our remit.

I also attended a session on how your rent is spent. This session was very useful and

really helped me to understand where our rent money goes. I highly recommend all

tenants to attend this session.

At your service!In recent months, a new independent watchdoghas been looking out for your interests.TheTenant Services Authority (TSA), which took over as the newregulator for social housing in April, aims to make sure you get afair deal from your landlord.

New standardsTheTSA has set out standards that it expects all social landlords tomeet. These cover the standard of your home, your tenancy agreement,your community and neighbourhood, and value for money.Tenantempowerment is at the heart of all these standards.This means wehave to show we are giving you a real and meaningful say in how yourhousing services are run.

Local service offersLandlords must discuss and agree with tenants how these standardsmight be tailored to meet local priorities. These are called ‘local offers’.We have to introduce the local offers you would like to see by April 1,next year.

We welcome theTSA’s emphasis on tenant empowerment and we arealready working hard to involve more and more of you in discussionsand decisions about your housing service.

Making a differenceThere are lots of different ways you can get involved. More than 1,000of you took part in involvement activities during the last year and over130 are part of our service development groups that meet us regularlyto discuss how housing services are delivered and identifyimprovements.

Your involvement so far has helped bring about many improvements,including new service standards, improved letters and leaflets fortenants, more choices for tenants getting improvements, a new witnesssupport scheme and more help during improvement work.

Over the next few months, we will be discussing local service offersthrough the service development groups and other involvement eventsand activities.We will set out our plan for developing the offers and ourperformance against theTSA standards in an annual report published inOctober.

In the meantime, if you would like to knowmore about theTSA, or how to get involved,contact the Involvement team.

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TenantsTogether

Fund

Are you partof aTenants andResidents group?

Are you interestedin getting a newgroup started?

A newTenants Together Fund has been setup to encourage more council tenants tojoin tenants and residents associations.

The fund can help groups with runningcosts such as paying for meeting rooms,crèches, leaflets and stationery. It canalso pay for activities to get morepeople involved in your group.

The amounts can vary, dependingon the needs of your group but mostgroups will be able to get around £150.

Contact the Involvement team on

(0191) 643 7749or email:

[email protected]

Bridging thegeneration gap

In our last edition, we featured a groupof youngsters from Seaton Burn whocarried out some junior estatewalkabouts to improve their localenvironment.

Now they’re branching out and have been trying tobridge the generation gap by meeting older residentsat the Chapelville sheltered housing scheme.

Callum Bothwick, 13, from Seaton Burn, was one ofthe youngsters that took part.

He said:“I really enjoyed the day. It’s interesting tocome and chat to people who have lived throughthings I’ve only learnt about in school.

“They’ve told us stories about what it was like whenthey were young, and compared it to what we aredoing now.

“I think it’s fun for them too because they get totalk to people who are not the same age as thepeople they normally live with.”

Rene Ferguson, 87, fromWideopen, said:“I think it’s agreat idea that the children have come in to speak tous.

“Young people today often get a bad reputation butit’s only a few that give the rest a bad name.”

If anyone under 16 would like toget involved in their community,please contact the Involvement teamon (0191) 643 7744.

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Listening to whatyou have to say

Aged 13-19 and want to

find out about activities

over the Summer?

There are cool and interesting youthsessions in your area. Staffed by qualifiedyouth workers, they offer all sorts ofactivities, including DJ’ing, graffiti art, teamsports, arts, music, advice and support,somewhere safe to hang out, and muchmore.

This is just a taster of what’s going on inNorth Tyneside. If you want more detailsor to find out what else might be on offer,get in touch with the North TynesideFamilies Information Service by calling0345 2000 108 or drop into your localsports centre or youth club.

For more information on your local youthclub, contact the NorthTynesideYouthService in your area:

NorthWest (0191) 643 7334SouthWest (0191) 287 8618North East (0191) 643 8710South East (0191) 643 2372

Check out the council website atwww.northtyneside.gov.ukor our Facebook groupWhat’s for me in NorthTyneside

We welcome all your views andcomments. Your feedback helpsus to shape and improve our services

We have a range of ways of gathering yourviews – here are just a few.

Formal• Service development groups• Gold ticket events• VMS Surveys• STATUS surveys and residents surveys• Formal complaints

Informal• Telephone calls• Emails• Letters• Face-to-face discussions in our offices and

on our estates

We look at all the comments we receive andtake all your views into consideration. Thismeans we get to know what you like aboutour services, so we can do more of this. Wecan also see the things that you aren’t happyabout. We can then do something to avoidother customers having the same experience.

If you have something to say about ourservices, either good or bad, please contactthe Service Development team on0345 2000 102.

Orlit homes are houses that were built in1948 and mainly constructed from concrete.

NorthTyneside owns 168 Orlit homes acrossNorth Shields and Shiremoor.

While Orlits are structurally safe and sound, weneeded to improve the energy efficiency andexternal weatherproofing, and give them a facelift.

The solution – a ‘brick slip’ system that transformsthe Orlit to look like a traditional brick-built home.By adding extra insulation, we also save Orlit tenantsaround £235 per year in heating costs.

To transform these homes will take us approximatelythree years and will cost around £4.6m.

Work started on phase one in North Shieldsin November 2009 and was completed lastmonth. The before and after picturesshow the difference the work has made.

Phase two started in Shiremoor in Apriland should be finished by the end of thisyear. To complete the scheme, phasethree will start in October and is due tobe finished by next summer.

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Transforming ourOrlit homes

Planning for theyear ahead

We are planning even more improvementsto our service and have set these out inour Service Business Plan 2010-13, whichcan be downloaded from our website.

We are paying particular attention to those areas that you havetold us are a high priority for you, including:

• Working with Kier NorthTyneside to get a faster, moreresponsive repair service.

• Reducing the number of empty homes and the time takento let them.

• Helping to put more money in your pockets by improvingthe energy efficiency of your homes, helping you get all ofthe benefits you are entitled to and working on initiatives tocreate more jobs.

• Spending more than £39m on improving council homesacross the borough.

• Agreeing a local service offer – setting out the standards ofservice you can expect from us.

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Services inspectedThe Audit Commissionlast month inspectedthe council’s housingservices.

We are now waiting for the results to find outthe areas where we are performing well and ourweaker areas, where we can improve. We willtell you about the key findings in the nextissue of Housing Matters.

Our recent leaseholder forum anddrop-in session proved to be a success.Here are some of the comments fromthe leaseholders who attended . . .

“I found the staff helpful and informative.It was nice to put faces to names. Theylistened, advised and were sympatheticto various minor problems.”

“I found the drop-in session very useful. Itanswered the questions I did not know.”

“The session was handy to drop in forqueries and the staff were friendly andhelpful.The leaseholder handbook isuseful for reference.”

Kier NorthTyneside vans are often parkedinconsiderately.

Drivers have been reminded to be moreconsiderate when they park and not to blockaccess.

It would be useful to have more drop-in sessionson a six-monthly basis.

The next drop-in session will be held onThursday,August 19 at Howdon Community Centre,between 10am and noon.

Tree roots are causing potential problems to thefoundations.

An inspection has been arranged to find out theextent of the damage and to determine remedialaction.

Communal lights were not working.

A repair to the lighting has been requested.

Leaseholdersnewsyou said

we did

you said

we did

you said

we did

you said

we did

Help us to help youA big thank you to everyone who completed a ‘help

us to help you’ survey. These surveys are very

important to us so we can understand your needs

better and tailor our services.

Congratulations to our lucky winners; Mr Christianson

who won £50 and Mr and Mrs James who won £25

worth of high street vouchers in our prize draw.

If you would like to complete a survey,

you can request one by emailing

[email protected]

or by calling us on (0191) 643 7740.

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Leaseholdersyou said, we did

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CHILD’SIt’s

A team of play rangerswill be hard at workduring the summerweekends – leading arange of activities atparks throughout theborough.

The team will be providingactivities for children and youngpeople (aged 8 to 13) includingbadge-making, card-making,painting and modelling.Theywill also be supervising sportssuch as football, cricket,volleyball and skipping.

Under-8s are welcome but needsupervising by a responsibleadult who is over 16.

The sessions are due to takeplace in all weather (unlessextreme!) and thereforechildren should be aware itcould be hot, cold, wet ormuddy!

See the play rangers timetablefor events at a park near you.The venues are staffed between1pm and 7pm, however, childrenare free to come and go as theyplease.

Killingworth Lake Park

Howdon Park

Springfield Park

Churchill Playing Fields

Richardson Dees Park

Norham Playsite

Whitley Park

Tynemouth Park

Northumberland Park

For more details on the play ranger sessionsor the summer playschemes, contactDawn Murray or SteveThompsonon (0191) 643 8382/8383 or email:[email protected] [email protected]

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Sun, July 25; Sun Aug 29

Sun, June 27; Sat, July 31; Sat,Aug 21

Sat, July 3; Sun,Aug 1; Sat, Sept 11

Sun, July 4; Sun, Sept 12

Sat, July 10; Sun,Aug 22

Sun, July 11; Sat,Aug 14

Sat, July 17; Sun,Aug 15; Sat,Aug 28

Sun, July 18; Sat,Aug 7; Sat, Sept 4

Sat, July 24; Sun,Aug 8; Sun, Sept 5

SUMMERPLAYSCHEMESDo you struggle to keep the kidsamused in the summer holidays?

There are a number of playschemes running betweenAugust 2 and 27 for young people aged between 8 and 13.(Again, under-8s are welcome but must be accompanied bya responsible adult, who is 16 or over.)

The playschemes offer a wide range of activities includingarts and crafts, sports and team games, swimming, bellboating, wall climbing and bowling, as well as a newultimate sports craze street/urban surfing. There are alsotrips and outings to local attractions.

At only 50p per day, for each child, it’s a great way foryoung people to get active or learn something new!

The schemes run from 10am to 3pm with a supervisedlunch break between noon and 1pm (lunch is notprovided).

A parent or carer must complete a consent form on thefirst day a child attends a playscheme. Please note:playschemes operate on an open access policy wherebychildren are free to leave if they choose.

There are schemes running at various locations acrossNorthTyneside, so there’s bound to be somethinghappening near you. To find out more, contact the council’sPlay & Urban Games section (see details opposite).

lay!

Family Fundayat the

Rising Sun Countryside Centre

Thursday,August 19

(between 11am and 2pm)

This free event celebrates ‘National Children’s Playday’

and includes bouncy castles and entertainers as

well as arts, crafts, sports andgames.

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Did you know that you may still be entitled toHousing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit if you work,have private pensions or capital in the bank?

EXAMPLE

Rose and John are a retired couple.They live in a council bungalowand pay £75 per week, and £989.93 per year Council Tax.

They live on £250 per week, which is made up of state pensionsand a private pension.

They have £10,000 capital in the bank that doesn’t affect theirentitlement, as we ignore up to £10,000 of capital for pensioners.

Rose and John qualify for more than £61 per week HousingBenefit and almost £15 per week Council Tax Benefit.

Are you missing out on helpwith your rent payments?

Funding boost for CABwill help more people

Don’t miss out -

check it out!Use the benefit calculator on the

website to see if you would qualify

www.northtyneside.gov.uk/benefits

Return the tear-off slip below to

claim and we’ll contact you.

Ref: Housing Matters Campaign

Name

Address

Contact number

Please return toNorthTyneside CouncilFreepostRSAE-SHKR-JCKSNewcastle uponTyneNE27 0BY

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NorthTyneside Citizens Advice Bureau isexpanding its debt advice service to meetincreased demand as a result of the recession.

A new full-time debt caseworker has joined the existingteam of seven debt advisers at the bureau.

The new service is being set up with money from theNorthern Rock Foundation to fund face-to-face andtelephone debt advice for people in financial crisis in theNorth East.

The new debt adviser will help the bureau deal with theextra demand for its service, resulting from the recession.

Last year, NorthTyneside CAB advised clients with acollective debt of more than £26m, of which almost£4.5m was written off.

CAB director Mark Almond said:“The recession hashad a big impact in NorthTyneside and we have seena sharp increase in demand for advice on debt andother related issues.

“This much-needed funding boost will help us to reachmore people who are struggling and make sure theyget the practical and personalised advice they need.”

The NorthTyneside Debt Hotline is available Mondayto Friday, 10am to 3pm. Telephone (0191) 270 4485.

What is it?The garden tool loan scheme is our newinitiative to help you to maintain your garden.We know that equipment and tools can beexpensive, so this is a way for you to get helpto keep your garden clean and tidy.

Who can apply?Anyone over the age of 18 who can use theequipment can apply to the scheme.

How much does it cost?Nothing! This scheme is free of charge

What can you loan?We have 5 packs of tools available to loan.Each pack contains:

• Electric lawnmower• Electric strimmer• Garden spade• Garden fork• Hand shears• Soil rake• Dutch hoe• Loppers• Extension cable• Circuit breakers

You can loan:• A full pack including all of the above• An electrical tools pack (lawnmower and

strimmer only)• A non-electrical tools pack (all tools

except lawnmower and strimmer).

How do I apply?Simply fill out a loan request form.You can get a copy of this by:

• Calling the Estate CaretakingTeamon (0191) 643 7515.

• Picking one up from your localcustomer service centre.

• Contacting your local Patch team.• Downloading a copy from our website.

Return your completed form to acustomer service centre or post it toTool Loan Scheme, 44-46VictoriaTerrace,Whitley Bay, NE26 2QW

Free toolsup for grabs!

Ever wanted to do a fewodd jobs in the garden butjust don’t have the righttools to do it? Well nowhelp is at hand with ournew tool loan scheme.

19

What happens next?Once your form has been received andapproved, we will contact you to arrange thedelivery of your tools.

How long can I keepthe tools?All of the tools are loaned out for five days.We will drop them off usually on aWednesday, between 9am and noon, and pickthem up the following Monday.

Do I have to be into receive the tools?Yes. We cannot leave the tools at your home.When the tools are delivered, we need toexplain how to use the equipment safely.Youwill be given safety documents and you mustsign up to the terms and conditions.

How do I know thetools are safe?We carry out safety checks on theequipment before they are loaned out.Staff have completed all the necessaryHealth & Safety training.

NorthTyneside HomesGardenTool Loan SchemeLoan Request Form

Name

Address

Postcode

Telephone Number

I would require:

A full pack (Lawnmower,strimmer, spade, fork, handshears, soil rake, hoe, loppers,extension cable)

Lawnmower and strimmer only

Non-electrical items only

Referral taken by:

Date:

�

What to do if there is a fire in your home:

• Close the door to the room where the fire is located• Alert other people in your home• Leave the premises and close the door behind you• Remain at the front of the building so that you can

direct the fire brigade to the floor with the fire• Dial 999 and ask for the fire service

Remember not to tackle the fire yourself.

What to do if you live in a flat withcommunal areas:

• Stay in your flat until you receive further instruction –it is designed to prevent fire spreading and stairwellscan become filled with smoke

• Keep all doors and windows closed

As a resident, you can help toavoid the risk of fire by:

• Checking smoke alarms regularly• Not storing flammable materials, like large

amounts of paper in your flat or communal areas• Not blocking escape routes with bulky items• Not wedging fire doors open – they must remain

closed to prevent the spread of smoke and fire• Not leaving cookers unattended when using the

hob• Not using chip fat frying pans• Not storing petroleum gas or paraffin

This information has been preparedby NorthTyneside Homes in conjunctionwithTyne andWear Fire andRescue Service.

Pay your rentand win £250The Clear Rent Account scheme is a greatincentive for you to keep a clear rent account.Every quarter, we hold a draw of all clear accounts,with £250 going to the lucky winner.

Housing Income Officer Joanne Murray presentedthe cheque to the winner of the April draw; MrsWhinney from Percy Main. MrsWhinney wasdelighted with winning and said:“I am really happyto win the money and I am going to spend it onsome kitchen improvements”.

Fire safetyINYOUR HOME

20

Your home will be safer from fire - thanksto a partnership betweenTyne andWearFire and Rescue Service and NorthTyneside Homes.

The fire service has trained 25 gas fitters from Kier NorthTyneside to install the smoke alarms and to show you howto test them once they have been fitted.

The initiative will see more than 4,000 homes become saferover the next 18 months.

As part of our annual programme of gas safety inspections,we fit a smoke alarm if you haven’t already got one. Everyyear, we also check the systems already in place in more than10,000 homes.

TrevorTague, of Tyne andWear Fire and Rescue Service, said:"We're delighted to be working with NorthTyneside Homeson this project.

“It makes sense to join forces and train the staff who are already goinginto these homes.The relationship they have with the occupiers, and the factthey will be returning on an annual basis to check gas fittings, will bring realbenefits.

“It means smoke alarms can be maintained regularly, in addition to staffencouraging occupiers to test them weekly.”

He added there was no doubt that a working smoke alarm could make thedifference between life and death - giving occupiers an early warning of fire

and vital minutes to escape.

“You are twice as likely to die in a house fire if you don’t have asmoke alarm,” he said.“Our aim is that every household inTyne andWear should have one fitted - this scheme is another example ofour innovative approach to achieving this aim."

Ian Conway, Head of NorthTyneside Homes, said:“We take thehealth and safety of our tenants seriously.

“Not only do we ensure gas appliances are serviced to reducethe risk of carbon monoxide poisoning but we can also helpimprove fire safety at the same time.

“The partnership withTyne andWear Fire and Rescue Service isgreat news for our tenants and it makes perfect sense fitting the

smoke alarms while our gas fitters are in the home anyway.”

21

Red hot partnership

HELP USTO CATCHTHE CHEATS

22

The government launched the firstnational crackdown on tenancycheats last November.Tenancy cheats are people who earn thousands ofpounds a year by illegally subletting their homes, charginghigh rents. Often those occupying the sublet homes donot know about the fraud.

We have been awarded £30,000 to tackle housing fraud.Working in partnership withYour Homes Newcastle andGateshead Housing Company, we will set up a joint fraudhotline for theTyne &Wear region.

A dedicated housing fraud officer will also work closelywith the revenues and benefits team, housing patchteams, local housing associations and Kier NorthTynesideto tackle housing cheats.

Fraud can include:

• Giving false information to get an offer of housing.• Not telling us something you should have done to getan offer of housing.• 'Sub-letting' the whole of your home to somebodyelse (this is not the same as taking in a lodger).• Remaining in a property after a tenant has left ordied. In some cases there is a right to 'succeed' to atenancy, but this only applies where certain conditionsare met and we have been made aware of this.• Paying money to someone to persuade them toexchange homes with you.

If you are worried that you may have alreadyunintentionally done one of the things listed above, youshould contact us immediately.

Play your part

Public tip-offs are vital – half of all homesrecovered from cheats are done so aftertip-offs from neighbours.The government isoffering a reward of £500 to anyone whoseinformation leads to the recovery of one ofthe first 1,000 homes.

Spotting the signs

• Are you suspicious because the tenantsof a property keep changing?

• Does someone come to collect rentfrom your neighbours?

• Do you know that someone has givenfalse information on a housingapplication?

• Does someone own another home thatwe don’t know about?

We have already had four anonymoustip-offs from the public. Housing patchteams are checking who are living in theseproperties and who are the legal tenants.As this initiative develops, we will tell youhow many properties we recover.

To report someone, or a property whereyou believe illegal sub-letting is taking place,you can contact us anonymously, and inconfidence, by phoning the 24-hour FraudHotline on (0191) 643 2300 or [email protected]

We will investigate and take the necessaryaction.

Remember – if caught, tenancy cheats will lose their tenancy!

23

NORTHTYNESIDE HOMEFINDER

the low downNorthTyneside Homefinder – the scheme that gives you more choicein where you live – has been operating for just over four months.We currently have 4,097 people signed up to the scheme.

Since January, we have had more than 24,000expressions of interest, with 17,800 of these goingthrough the NorthTyneside Homefinder website– a staggering 89 per cent.

While the web is quick and easy, there are anumber of other ways to express your interest ifyou can’t get to a computer.

• By telephoning our 24-hour multi-languageautomated line on 0845 230 4367

• Via text message to 07781 486 808• By calling the NorthTyneside Homefinder team

on 0345 2000 102

All you need is your housing registration referencenumber, your PIN number and the propertyreference of the home you’re interested in.

In total, we have rehoused more than 350 housingapplicants. The chart above shows the number of peopleand their different bands.

Just over half of those rehoused have been in bands 3 and4. So it just goes to show, even if you are placed in one ofthe lower bands, it doesn’t mean there’s no hope of beingsuccessful in getting a home. It all depends on the kind ofhome you are looking for, and what expressions of interestare made by others. You can see the priority of successfulapplicants for recently-let homes on the website and in theweekly newsletter available in customer service centres.

The NorthTyneside Homefinder scheme doesn’t justadvertise homes with the council. We have alsoadvertised 77 homes on behalf of our 12 HousingAssociation partners, such as Home Housing Group andRiverside.

Are you 60 or over and looking to rent a home in NorthTyneside?

We have sheltered housing available nowSheltered accommodation can provide a wide range of support to meetyour needs. We currently have a number of sheltered homes available acrossthe borough. If you would like more information, please contact us on(0191) 643 7681 or email: [email protected]

2500

2000

1500

1000

500

0Band 1 Band 2 Band 3 Band 4

50

581

1551

1951

160

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0Band 1 Band 2 Band 3 Band 4

46

120140

47

Number of people signed up Number of people rehoused

24

Rechargeable repairs -it’s pay back time!YourTenancy Agreement says that you must keepyour home clean, tidy and in a good state of repair.If you cause any damage to your home or its fittings (beyond general wear and tear), leaveyour home, garden or garage in a state of disrepair or leave behind rubbish or any belongingswhen you move out, we will do the work that’s required to fix it but will charge you for it.This is known as a rechargeable repair.

What will be recharged?• Unauthorised alterations

Apart from decorating, you must have written permission beforestarting any alterations or improvements to your home. It is importantto check before you move to find out if you are expected to leave anyalterations or improvements in place or whether you are expected toreturn the property to its original condition.

• Moving outWhen you end your tenancy, your housing officer will explain yourresponsibilities. You must not leave any rubbish or belongings behind.The council will also recharge you for any repairs that are yourresponsibility.

• Emergency repairsIf emergency repairs are necessary due to deliberate damage,vandalism, neglect or botched DIY, the council will carry out the repairand recharge you.

• GaragesGarages must only be used for the storage of a motor vehicle.The costof any clearance or repair work due to misuse will be recharged.

Tips on how you can avoid being recharged

• Always report repairs and keep your property in a goodstate of repair.

• Know your responsibilities as explained in yourTenancy Agreement.• Seek written permission from your housing officer before making any

alterations.• Clean and clear your property before leaving (including floor coverings),

do not leave any rubbish in your garden or outhouses or sheds.• Remember non-payment of recharges can result in court proceedings.

Effects of rechargingIf necessary, legal action will be takento recover recharge debts.You will bewarned before any legal action is taken.

Your ability to transfer or exchange toalternative accommodation, or buyyour home, may also be affected.

Payment methodsOnce you receive your invoice, youcan pay for rechargeable repairs usingany of the methods listed below:• Cash, cheque or debit card

payment at any customer servicecentre.

• Debit card payments via ourwebsite –www.northtyneside.gov.uk

• By phone on 0345 2000 102.• Bank standing order.• Swipe card payments, where you

see the PayPoint sign.• Cheque payment by post (made

payable to NorthTynesideCouncil).

25

Good NeighbourAwards 2010Last year, we had a fantastic responseto the awards and celebrated thewinner’s community spirit at theGold Ticket Event.

It’s easy to get caught up in our own lives but when youneed some help it’s reassuring to know you can rely onyour neighbours.

We would like you to tell us about yours. If you know an unsunghero whose kindness has made a real difference to your life,or that of another neighbour, why not show them how muchyou appreciate what they’re doing by nominating them for aGood Neighbour Award.

Winners will receive £100 worth of High Street vouchers,with runners up taking home £50. Nominate and youcould also win a £50 High Street voucher.

Here are the categories . . .

Young Person of theYear AwardFor a tenant or leaseholder, under 25, who has:• Made a positive difference to their neighbourhood or• Made a positive contribution to promoting the views of young people or• Overcome personal barriers to achieve success or• Shown a commitment to intergenerational work.

Good Neighbour AwardFor a tenant or leaseholder who has:• Gone “over and above” what a neighbour would normally do or• Always been on hand to help a neighbour or• Been a good neighbour

Community AwardFor a tenant or leaseholder who has:• Encouraged the community to come together or• Encouraged residents to have a sense of pride in their community or• Promoted an initiative that has made the community safer, healthier

and/or greener or• Worked on a project to benefit residents financially

GOODawardsGet yournominationsin by July 5

Application formon page 26

The rules• All nominees must live in one

of our homes.• Anyone can nominate.• You can make as many

nominations as you like.• An individual or group can be

nominated for more than onecategory.

• There is no age limit (excepttheYoung Person of theYearaward where entrants mustbe under 25).

JudgingA panel of tenants and staff willdecide winning nominees. Therewill be one winner and runner-upin each category.

NEIGHBOUR

26

You saidThere should be more help

for people to do their gardens

We didWe have introduced a new garden tool hire

scheme.Tenants can borrow a range of

tools free of charge (see page 19)

Nominate agood neighbour

Category in which youwish to nominate:

� Young Person of theYear Award� Good Neighbour Award� Community Award

Name and address of the person you are nominating(All persons nominated must live in one of our homes.)

Please tell us why you have nominated that person.Give details of how they have met the criteria intheir category. Feel free to use extra paper.

Your details

Name

Address

Telephone no

If you require any further information about the Good Neighbourawards, please contact the InvolvementTeam on (0191) 643 7749.

Return completed forms to:InvolvementTeam,NorthTyneside Homes,QuadrantWest (2nd Floor),The Silverlink North,Cobalt Business Park, NorthTyneside, NE27 0BY

Or email: [email protected]

You saidYou wanted more choice in the

furniture packages we provide

We did

you said

You saidThe 0845 numbers for phone calls to the council aretoo expensive if you are calling from a mobile

We didWe have replaced them with 0345 numbersthat are cheaper for mobile users. Callers fromlandlines will still be charged at the local rate

GOODawardsNEIGHBOUR we did

We have introduced a new system that lets you

choose the furniture and white goods you need

You saidYou wanted to see the area coveredby your estate walkabout

We didWe have introduced maps on our website.You can nowclick on any walkabout and see the streets it includes

You saidTenants s

aid the standardof cleanin

g wasn’t up

to scratch at homes that were ready to let

We didWe have introduce

d a new cleaningservice for

empty homes.Therehas been

a 39 per cent

increasein satisfactio

n among new tenants

27

Our ‘clean-up’ days are provingto be a huge success.Many of you are now joining us on our estatewalkabouts and helping to identify areas that needextra attention. These ‘hotspots’ are then targetedon our clean-up days.

One of the clean-up squad, said:“The clean-updays are a great way for us to see how we canmake a big difference to people’s neighbourhoodsin a short space of time.”

So far, we have carried out 12 clean-up days andhave taken away more than 52 tonnes of rubbish.

Here are some of the comments from residentswho have recently had a clean-up day in their area:

Why not help to improve your area, and join us on an estate walkabout?Now we have introduced maps on our website, click on any walkaboutand see the streets it includes. See pages 28 to 30 for upcoming dates.

There you go …spic and span!

“An absolutely great idea. It worked really well.”

“The effort made to improve theestate has made a big difference.”

“A great service. It’s quick andeasy to phone with your issues.”

North East estate walkabouts

Month Date Time Estate Starting Location

June Thurs 29 noon Parks Spar Store – Park Lane

Thurs 29 1pm Grange 1 Grange Avenue

July Thurs 8 10am Wellfield Otterburn Court

Tues 13 1pm Whitley Bay town centre Margaret Road Roundabout

Thurs 15 10am Backworth Eccles Court

Thurs 15 11am Castle Park 1 Killingworth Avenue

Wed 21 11am Cullercoats Village Community Centre – Bell Vue Street

Thurs 29 10am Hillheads Kingsley Avenue / Hillheads Road

August Thurs 5 1pm Monkseaton Roseberry Court

Thurs 12 10am Moorside Pryce Ryte Store – Station Road

Tues 17 1pm Broadway 1Whittingham Close

Tues 24 10am Seatonville Roker Avenue / Hillheads Road

September Thurs 2 1pm Marden Kirklinton Road / Hartington Road

Tues 7 10am Parks Spar Store – Park Lane

Tues 7 11am Grange 1 Grange Avenue

Thurs 9 10am Murton Sherwood

Thurs 9 10.30am West Allotment Cheviot View

Thurs16 10am Shiremoor – Brenkley Avenue Health Centre – Brenkley Avenue

Thurs 16 noon Shiremoor – Lesbury Avenue Shiremoor Chippy – Lesbury Avenue

Thurs 23 1pm Beaumont Park Clifton Court

Tues 28 1pm Wellfield Otterburn Court

Whitley Bay and Shiremoor - (0191) 643 7591

NorthWest estate walkabouts


July Tues 6 10am Annitsford 1 Bridge Cottages, Annitsford

Thurs 15 5pm Dudley 1Weetslade Road, Dudley

Tues 20 2pm Fordley 1 Fern Drive, Dudley

Thurs 29 10am Seaton Burn 1 Oak Street, Seaton Burn

August Tues 3 5pm Wideopen 2 Gray Avenue,Wideopen

Thurs 12 5pm Burradon/Camperdown 1 Allanville, Camperdown

Tues 17 2pm West Bailey, Killingworth 1 Deepdale Gardens, Killingworth

Thurs 26 10am East Bailey, Killingworth 1 Garth 20, Killingworth

Annitsford, Dudley, Fordley, Seaton Burn andWideopen - (0191) 643 7620

Walkabouts are a great opportunity for you to point out the things that youthink need tackling in your area.

They are held every three months. Join our staff as they go on a tour. Thename of the estate is followed by the place to meet.

If you are unsure which estate walkabout your street is in, please contact yourlocal housing office (see numbers below) and they will be able to tell you.

Join us on a tour

28

29

NorthWest estate walkabouts


July Thurs 8 10am West Farm Avenue (1) 1 Chesters Court

Tues 13 10am Goathland (1) Block 68 – 78 Hailsham Avenue (flats)

Thurs 22 10am Lansdowne/Granville Ave/Hillary/Granville Dr 12 Granville Avenue (Bungalows)

August Tues 3 10am West Farm AvenueWest (2) 1 Kingsdale Road

Thurs 12 2pm Goathland (2) & Fairways 11 Ashleigh Grove

Tues 17 10am Clousden Hill/RocketWay 2 Ivy Road

September Thurs 9 2pm West Farm Avenue (3) 2 Charnwood Avenue

Tues14 10am Balliol/Glebe/Lynholm Grove 2 Albert Terrace

Thurs 23 10am Palmersville/Holystone 1 Palm Court

Benton, Longbenton, Fairways and Forest Hall - (0191) 643 7632

South East estate walkabouts


July Thurs 8 9.30am North MeadowWell Avon Avenue shops

Thurs 29 9.30am Percy Main & East Howdon Junction of Burdon Street & Brunton Street

August Thurs 19 9.30am Minton Lane Outside Riverside Centre

September Thurs 23 9.30am South MeadowWell Outside 18 BanburyWay

MeadowWell - (0191) 643 7720


July Thurs 1 9.45am Chirton 2 Simpson Street

Tues 6 9.45am Alwinton Avenue Junction of Alwinton Avenue &Whitehouse Lane

Thurs 8 9.45am NewYork & Guisborough Drive 1 Guisborough Drive

Tues 13 9.45am Balkwell 2 Junction of Heaton Terrace &The Quadrant

Mon 19 9.45am Greenlea Junction of Adderstone Gardens &Warenton Place

Thurs 22 9.45am North Shields Town Centre Morgan House

August Tues 3 9.45am Norham Road North Junction of Norham Road North & Darras Drive

Thurs 5 9.45am West Chirton 1 1 Craster Road

Wed 11 9.45am Tynemouth & East End of North Shields Spanish Battery

Tues 17 9.45am Preston Village Argyle Place

Mon 23 9.45am Garrick Close & Phoenix Chase Junction of Garrick Close & Drury Lane

Thurs 26 9.45am Barnstaple Road 1 Barnstaple Road

September Tues 7 9.45am West Chirton 2 Junction ofWark Avenue & Langley Road

Thurs 9 9.45am Whitehouse Lane Junction ofWhitehouse Lane & Sherborne Avenue

Tues 14 9.45am North Shields Outside Carlton Court

Thurs 16 9.45am Balkwell 1 2 Central Avenue

Tues 21 9.45am West Chirton 3 Junction of Chollerford Avenue & Falstaff Road

Tues 28 9.45am Lynn Estate Netherton Avenue Shops

North Shields - (0191) 643 7929

Join us on a tour continued

SouthWest estate walkabouts


June Wed 30 4.30pm Hadrian Park, Battle Hill, Coast Road Broadway Court

5.30pm Following on meet Jolly Bowman car part

July Wed 7 4.30pm Hedley Place and Town Centre Footpatch leading to 1 Headley Place

5.45pm and Rawdon Court/Carville Eden Following on meet outside Eden Court

Wed 14 10am High Farm North Chicken Road shops

August Wed 4 10am High Farm South Bedford Avenue shops

Wed 18 10am Central Battle Hill and The Dene Lidl car park

11am Following on meet Bude Court

September Wed 8 10am Brighton/Bowness/Bodmin Jolly Bowman car park

Battle Hill

Wed 22 10am Westmorland Estate Junction Cross Avenue/Strawberry Gardens

Battle Hill andWallsend - (0191) 643 7690


July Wed 7 5.30pm Rosehill Outside Fern Dene on Threap Gardens

Wed 21 5.30pm Martin Rd/Willington Quay Corner of Martin Road and Rosehill Bank

August Wed 4 5.30pm Churchill Street Outside the library

Wed 18 5.30pm Holy Cross St Hilda’s Avenue shops

September Wed 1 10am Henley Gardens/Ridley Avenue Corner of Denbigh Avenue andWindsor Drive

Wed 15 10am High Howdon Beal Gardens car park

Howdon - (0191) 643 7699

Join us on a tour continued

30

CommunalstandardThe Living in Flats group has recentlydrawn up a standard for the cleaningstandards in communal areas.

Over 1200 tenants and leaseholders livingin flats were consulted on the proposedstandard. From the responses received,76% agreed with the standard, 8%disagreed and 16% neither agreed nordisagreed.With a majority agreeing thestandard, this has now been put in placeand will be monitored.

If you have any queries, please call the Estate Caretaking Service on (0191) 643 7515 or ifyou would like to be involved in the group, contact the Involvement team on (0191) 643 7749.

The Standard• Notice boards will be provided in blocks of flats with eight or more properties

• A “Living in Flats” newsletter will be delivered to all tenants and leaseholdersof all blocks of flats on a half yearly basis

• Annual fire checks will be carried out

• Five year painting programme with a choice of colours

• Repairs to communal lighting will be carried out within 5 working days –unless it is reported as a health and safety matter when it will be dealt withwithin 24 hours

• Fly tipping will be removed within two working days of it being reported

• Rubbish and litter will be removed within two days of it being reported

• Inspection of blocks of eight properties or more will be carried out everymonth to identify any rubbish that needs to be picked up or if communalareas need any additional work. The inspection will identify any repairs thatneed to be reported along with any Health and Safety issues.

31

kids’

corne

r

Design your ownfootball stripThere are lots of countries takingpart in the football World Cup thissummer and they all wear differentfootball strips. Here is your chanceto design your own unique shirt!

Let your imagination takeover,use any colours you like andbe as crazy as you want.

E E E T E W F K S A N DA B O O K K I S A B N OK S N W R T S U N C A NL B B E A C H S D G E KG D O L C A A L C U A EC A I B A F B O A T E YE A L E R F A C S A T BS E A E A K G S T T B NP I C N I C A C L B A AA R R K N I S H E L L SD A A L J L S A T C L DE B B U C K E T N C A A

SeasideWordsearchFind all the seaside themed

words in the grid above

3 LETTERSBAG HAT SUN

4 LETTERSBALL BOAT BOOK CRAB

FISH RAIN SAND5 LETTERS

BEACH SPADE TOWEL6 LETTERS

BUCKET DONKEYPICNIC SHELLS

10 LETTERSSANDCASTLE

We can provide Housing Matters in other languages and indifferent formats, such as large print, Braille or audiotape.

For more details, please contact us on:Telephone: (0191) 643 7749SMS(Text Messages): 07855 417 413E.mail: [email protected]

Hindi Polish

Cantonese Bengali

Russian Farsi

Albanian Urdu

Ne mund ta ofrojmë këtë informacion në gjuhë tëtjera dhe në formate të ndryshme si në shkronja tëmëdha, në një formë të shkruari për të verbërit osenë kasetë dëgjimi. Për informacion të mëtejshëm, julutem na kontaktoni në

Telefon: (0191) 643 7749SMS(Mesazhe me anë të tekstit): 07855 417 413

Tel.: (0191) 643 7749SMS: 07855 417 413

(0191) 643 774907855 417 413

(0191) 643 774907855 417 413

(0191) 643 774907855 417 413

(0191) 643 7749

07855 417 413

(0191) 643 774907855 417 413

(0191) 643 774907855 417 413

HOMESNorth Tyneside

Documents

Housing Matters Summer 2010