www.southwark.gov.uk/shnThe magazine for Southwark Council tenants and leaseholders

Meet the new cabinet member for housing p2What do you want to do this summer? p6Free microchipping for your dog p12

Dreams of Lakanalresidents on a new artinstallation p4

SouthwarkHousing News Ju

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2010

Inside this issue:

The elections in May mean that a new group ofcouncillors has taken over running the council. IanWingfield, the councillor with responsibility forhousing in Southwark has been a councillor forover 20 years. Living in Southwark for 25 years,he decided to become a councillor after hearingabout local residents’ concerns about housing. We met him to find out more about him and whathe has in store for the borough.

Q Why is housing such an important issue for you?A Living around Peckham, I got to know a lot of thebigger estates in the area. This inspired my interest inhousing. It is incredibly important, it will always be thenumber one issue in the borough, and it’s the topic ofdiscussion most often raised by residents. Knowing theissues close to their hearts makes me want to fulfil thepromises made to them by the new administration.

Q What's your overall vision for housing inSouthwark?A It’s to ensure that all Southwark’s council homes arewarm, dry and safe. I will support tenant and residentassociations to tackle the issues that concern themmost. I want to work with tenants and leaseholders asan equal partner, to be open, honest about this, and tofulfil the promises made to them.

Q What challenges do you think you’ll face?A The biggest challenge will be the huge expectationsplaced upon me as cabinet member for housingmanagement. People will expect to see things changequickly. In reality, to do this thoroughly and properly itwill take time – there is no quick fix.

Q What's the first thing you're going to tackle?A I will be establishing a single housing departmentwithin the next 12 months to combine services forleaseholders and tenants in a way that puts their needs first.

Q What involvement will you have withleaseholders and how might their service change?A I have a long-standing relationship with leaseholdersin my ward and with my involvement with the homeowners’ council. I support their concerns and will workwith them to bring in fair service charges and makesure they see improvements in their service within thenext 12 months.

Q Following Lakanal and the Sumner Road fires,what is the council going to do to improve firesafety on its estates?A I will ensure that all fire safety inspections areavailable to the public to view, so they can be assuredthat their block meets the required standards. Furtherinspections will be carried out and any issues dealtwith. I will be looking to see that council staff get thetraining they need to perform these inspections.

Q What will you do to improve the repairsservice?A I want to make sure repairs issues are dealt withcorrectly and that the job is done quickly, and to a highstandard. I want to end the issues raised by tenants,caused by confusion between services about who does what. I also want to see a greater emphasis oninspection and monitoring repair work. I want to makesure that the contracts for repairs meet expectations interms of service delivery.

Q Does ensuring all tenants have a safe, warmand dry home mean knocking down some of theexisting housing or will repairs be made tocurrent stock?A Provision of council homes is one of our mainobjectives and this is a long-running debate: to renewor regenerate? The answer must be based on what’sbest for residents. It’s important that residents areincluded in any decision and that options are availablefor them to see and understand.

Southwark Council cabinet member for housing mana

2

Meet Cllr Wing

gement

3Meet Cllr Wingfield

field

We’ll be keeping you updated on changes and improvementsto your housing service in this magazine.

You can also contact Councillor Ian Wingfield by email atian.wingfield@southwark.gov.uk or write to him at

Southwark Council, 160 Tooley St, PO Box 64529, SE1P 5LX

Residents have been working with the South LondonGallery and Southwark Council to produce a huge artpiece to hang on the fencing of Lakanal, whichremains empty while the investigation into the incidentcontinues. Residents were asked to contribute theirhopes and dreams for the future of the estate to a140m2 art installation that would wrap around theground level of the building. Workshops during theEaster holidays gave children living on the estate theirchance to draw and design their ideas for how theinstallation should look, with the theme “If wisheswere birds”, while acclaimed artist Orly Orbachtransformed their ideas into the finished artwork,which was formally unveiled on 21 June 2010.

Oshun, aged seven, said “It was fun because we got to use different materials. My wish was that people cleaned up their dog mess. I hope things getbetter on the estate.”

Children living on the estate are also involved in the Saturday club, where artists undertake six month residencies and work alongside children and their parents.

Following a £2m investment, the gallery has convertedthe neighbouring Victorian house into three additionalgalleries, and created a café and garden area. The newstudio means the gallery can build on its education andoutreach work with local schools and communitygroups, and get even more residents involved increative projects.

Frances Williams, head of education at the gallery,said “It has been a joy and an honour for oureducation team to work with children, families andresidents on Sceaux Gardens estate over the last two

4

A year on from the fire atLakanal, the community hascome together to see theirvision for the future takeflight, at the unveiling of anew art installation on theSceaux Gardens estate.

years. We hope these recent collaborative workshopsand the resulting wall drawing have allowed a specialplace for artists and residents to speak and imaginenew futures together.”

Margot Heller, director of the South LondonGallery said: “Our expanded building will enhance the gallery’s unique qualities and character and give it a new physical presence as a vibrant cultural resource which is free and open to all, driving theregeneration of the local area and engaging with thelocal community.”

5Update

Michelle* was a tenant in Lakanal inCamberwell for several years before the fireon 3 July and has recently been offered a newhome in Peckham with a garden to bring upher three children. Michelle is mum to twochildren aged five and two and a new babyson, who will all enjoy a fresh start in thenew ground-floor property that he moved toaged just one week old.

Michelle said: “We’ve got free parking andthe area is really nice. I much prefer it towhere I was living before. It was an anxioustime waiting for a suitable home intemporary accommodation, especially as Iwas heavily pregnant, but I’m happy with thesupport we received from the council andpleased with our new home.”

Tenants like Michelle and her children weresupported by the council and local tenantsand resident associations, which pulledtogether to help with practical items such ascots and nappies, as well as finance, food andone-to-one counselling.

*names have been changed to protect identities

If you’re worried about fire safety in your home or want to find out about insuring your possessionsagainst fire, flooding or theft, speak to your housing officer.

Advice centresBorough and Bankside area housing office, 169 Long Lane, SE1 4PN Every first Thursday of the month 10am to 12pm

Dulwich Wood children’s centre, Lyall Avenue, SE21 8QS Every first Wednesday of the month 10am to 12pm

South Bermondsey children’s centre, Tenda Road, SE16 3PN Every second Wednesday of the month 10am to 12pm

1st Place children’s centre, Chumleigh St, Burgess Park, SE5 0RW Every second Friday of the month 10.30am to 12.30pm

Ingeus, Hannibal House, 5th floor, Elephant and Castle Every second Thursday of the month 10am to 12pm shopping centre, SE1 6TE (by appointment only)

If you’ve got questions about your home or yourtenancy, come along to our regular advice surgeriesacross the borough. At these sessions, you will be ableto drop in and get advice about any aspect of yourhousing situation.

While you’re there, Southwark Works advisers are onhand to help you find out what support is on offer if you want to find work, retrain, or gain skills andexperience.

Whatever you want to do this summer, there’s loads goingon in Southwark. Read on for our pick of the best events.

6

What do you want to do this Summer?

I want to...get some advice

If you’re looking for a way to get more involved in yourlocal community, why not think about volunteering?Whether you’re a keen gardener looking to get involvedwith conservation, or a good listener who could sparesome time to befriend older people, Volunteer CentreSouthwark can help you find a project that suits you. Tofind out more, call 0800 018 5692 or visitwww.volunteercentres.org.uk

7

I want to...have some fun

I want to...make a difference

Free and fun in Southwark

There’s loads going on forchildren and young people thissummer. To find out more, visitwww.southwark.gov.uk/more2do,or call 0800 013 0639 for your free copy of the summer activities guide.

Rotherhithe Festival24 July, King George’s Field,SE16July sees the return of thepopular Rotherhithe Festival,with live musicians,entertainment, food and funfor all the family. The festival isfree, and everyone is welcome.

Carnaval del Pueblo1 August, Burgess Park, SE5Carnaval del Pueblo is Europe’s largestLatin American outdoor festival, and thisyear thousands of people will cometogether to enjoy music, dance, andculture. So whether you’re into salsadancing, want to try some exotic cuisine,or just want to enjoy the sunshine, you’reguaranteed a good time!

The Mix festival14 August, Burgess Park, SE5The Mix, Southwark’s freefestival run by young people, foryoung people is back, and thisyear will be bigger than ever.The UK’s hottest musicians andperformers will be there, alongwith workshops, food, adviceand entertainment.

Hablamos Espanol in Borough and Bankside A dedicated housing officer from Borough andBankside has been helping Spanish speaking residentswho have queries about their tenancy. Starting out on the Tabard Gardens estate, word quickly spreadabout the help being offered, and now a large numberof residents have benefited from help with a diverserange of issues. Feedback from residents has beenoverwhelmingly positive, meaning that issues relatingto rent, and bidding for a home have been swiftlyresolved. To speak to a member of the team, call 020 7525 2500.

A hero’s welcome inBermondseyThe regeneration of Bermondsey Spa has takenanother step forward with a new name for the newbuilding. Hyde housing asked local residents inVauban and Neckinger buildings to suggest and voteon what the new house should be called. They votedfor naming it after Albert McKenzie, who was born inBermondsey and was awarded the Victoria Cross inrecognition of his dedication and bravery in the FirstWorld War, following the Royal Navy’s raid atZeebrugge on St George’s Day, 1918. The newdevelopment will see high quality homes, includingaffordable homes for shared ownership and to rent, aswell as shops and community facilities.

Camberwell

A Big Lunch in the garden The Camberwell Farmers Garden on the Brandonestate is coming along well, and now has an orchardof apple and pear trees, and July will see the layingout of the raised vegetable beds. To celebrate theproject's progress, the Farmer's Garden is taking partin The Big Lunch www.thebiglunch.com. Come along,bring your picnic or barbecue, and enjoy fun andgames including a grow your own vegetablesworkshop and a double decker bus. Jess Seddon,who's organising the lunch, said "We want toencourage the community to get involved in thegarden, and get to know each other, and The Big

Lunch is a greatway to do that.”Everyone iswelcome from 1pm on 18 Julyat CamberwellFarmer's Garden,Bath Passage,SE5 0SX.

Bermondsey

Dulwich

8

Playtime comes naturally in Dulwich!The residents of Halliwell Court are enjoying a newlyopened play area, built on an under-used gardenbehind their homes. The small garden was overgrownand almost inaccessible, but in 2008 her neighbourapplied for cleaner greener safer funding to clear thearea and turn it into a play area for local families.With funding from Dulwich Community Council andthe government Playbuilder scheme, the area wastransformed, with wooden balance beams, a ropeswing, and hand-carved woodenplay equipmentmade by local artistArthur DeMowbray.It’s already provinga success with localchildren andfamilies, and agreat addition tothe community.

Borough and Bankside

Back tonature inLorrimoreGardens Pupils at John RuskinSchool have helpedcreate a newcommunity art project,sponsored by SurreyGardens TRA. Inspiredby wildlife and nature,the children have beenhelping to brighten upa corner of LorrimoreGardens in Walworth.

Sue Pritchard, a local artist who led the workshops,said: “The kids have really enjoyed the sessions, andare very keen to see their pictures in the park. Art is anexcellent way of involving young people in thecommunity, and has such a positive impact on thelocal area.” The paintings will be officially unveiled atthe TRA’s annual picnic in the park on Tuesday 6 July,from 6pm in Lorrimore Gardens.

Looking after youHousing officers are finding that regular visits totenants are having a real impact for vulnerabletenants. Over 700 visits have been carried out in thelast year, to make sure that tenants are receiving thesupport they need, and know who to turn to if theyhave concerns. This proactive approach is making areal difference, as one elderly tenant found out. Hewas very worried and felt at risk, so contacted hishousing officer, who understood his situation and wasable to get him the support he needed. When askedwhy he had contacted his housing officer first he saidshe was the person who visited regularly, knew himand he felt sure that the she would know what to do.

Green shoots for Caversham house Work is now underway to convert the green spacebehind Battle and Caversham House on HaymerleRoad into the Battle and Caversham communitygarden. Local residents are eagerly looking forwardto the new garden, where they hope to grow fruitand vegetables, brighten up the estate, andstrengthen links in the community. Dorothy Sinclair,a local resident who helped to put together thecleaner greener saferbid, said, “I’m over themoon. It can’t happenquickly enough andwe’re all very excitedabout the whole thing.”

Peckham

Branched off inRotherhithe A Rotherhithe residentwas recently taken tocourt under theAntisocial Behaviour Actfor refusing to maintain thesix metre high hedges in theirgarden. This issue had been going onfor some time, with local residents complaining aboutthe over-hanging hedges blocking out natural light andcausing a nuisance. The case was heard in themagistrates’ court where the tenant was given aconditional discharge and ordered to cut the treesback. While we want tenants to enjoy their homes andgardens, it’s important to balance their needs withmaking sure that everyone can enjoy theirsurroundings. It’s now hoped that the situation can beresolved in the best interests of the community.

Nunhead and Peckham Rye Rotherhithe

Walworth

9

If you’re thinking of moving, it’s now even easier to find out what yourhousing options are, with our new housing options wizard. Instead ofqueuing and making an appointment at the homesearch centre, youcan do an online assessment and print a personalised action plan. Theuser-friendly self assessment takes around 15 minutes to complete,and you can start it whenever you like. To find out more, go towww.southwark.gov.uk and search for“homesearch”, or call 020 7525 5950.

That’shandy! We have recently updated thetenants’ handbook, with all theimportant information you mayneed, from how to report arepair to what to do if you’reexperiencing antisocial behaviour. If you havenot received your new handbook or have lost it, collect acopy from your nearest one stop shop or housing office.

Smart Move launchand older person’soptions event

Refunds of heating and hot water charges

10 News

Finding family-sized homes forpeople living in Southwark is a bigpriority for the council. That’s whywe’re launching Smart Move, anew scheme to help people who’dlike to move to a smaller homefind somewhere that suits thembetter, so that overcrowdedfamilies can find homes in whichto live and grow. Smart Move givesyou a newly improved home, plushelp with the cost of movinghouse. To find out more, comealong to the launch event. Therewill also be advice for older peopleon all areas of your housingoptions, including an onlinebidding demonstrations.

Thursday 22 July, from 12 to 4pm

Inspire, St Peters churchLiverpool Grove, off Walworth RoadSE17 2HH

On some estates homes gettheir heating and hot waterfrom a central boiler. This isknown as district heating.Instead of getting a bill from anenergy supplier you will see thecharge on your rent statement.

We do our best to ensure ourdistrict heating schemes worksmoothly all year round butoccasionally things go wrong.And when they do, you may be entitled to a refund.

From August you will get arefund automatically whenyour district heating is downfor more than 24 hours at atime. You won’t have to make a claim. You can still claim compensation and we will make that process as easy as possible.

If you’re on a district heatingscheme your housing officercan tell you how much youneed to pay.

Housing options just got easier

A number of Aylesbury residentshave now moved to new homes inthe Falcon Works development inLynton Road, Bermondsey. Ian andJill Gardner spoke to us aboutsettling into their new home.

“We’d lived on the Aylesbury forjust over 40 years, and we were thefirst tenants to move intoWolverton which was the firstfinished block on the estate. Therewere a lot of good things aboutliving there, particularly the strongsense of community, and we hadgood neighbours. We hope thatthis new area also develops a goodcommunity spirit!

Moving was quite stressful, and itwas emotional leaving the homeyou have raised your family in, but the old flat was too big for ourneeds. The new flat is very cosy,and it’s nice to have gone fromliving on the Aylesbury when it wasnew to living here when it’s new.

There are no stairs, which is reallygood, and it’s very quiet andpeaceful. Also, as it’s neweverything works really well,particularly the heating and thedouble glazing means it’s quiet and should keep the electricity bills down.”

Homeowner’s council, the group that works with thecouncil to represent the views of homeowners inSouthwark, has elected new members. Ballot papers were sent to leaseholders to vote and theboard now includes members living in streetproperties and non-resident landlords for the firsttime. This will help to ensure that whether they liveon estates, in street properties, or let their homes theyare able to have their say on issues that affect them.

The representatives will be part of the council forthree years, and their role is to represent the needs ofhomeowners to the council on a wide range of issues,such as major works, service standards, andperformance figures. John Nosworthy, the chair of thehomeowner’s council, said: “We welcome the newmembers to homeowners council, and we lookforward to continuing to work with the council tosupport the needs of homeowners.”

Services to suit youSouthwark is a diverse community with people from many backgrounds and with different needs. In order to serve all our community effectively, as part of our tenancy checks, we're going to ask youinformation about your ethnic and family background. Please, help us with this when your housingofficer contacts you.

11

New members for homeowner’s council

Leaseholder news

Aylesburyresidentsmove to newhomes inBermondsey

It’s now a condition of your tenancythat if you keep a dog at home, youneed to let us know and have themmicrochipped. It’s a quick andpainless procedure that makes iteasier to reunite you if your doggets lost and we’ve teamed up withThe Dogs Trust to do it for free,saving you up to £25 per pet.

Another simple step to being aresponsible owner is having yourdog neutered. As well as reducingthe number of unwanted puppiesin need of homes, it’s better fortheir health and behaviour, andreduces the risk of straying. TheMayhew Animal Home offers freeneutering for bull breed dogs,including Staffordshire bull terriers.To find out more or to make anappointment, call 020 8969 0178.

One of the most commonproblems our street cleaning teamface is dog poo – last year theycleaned up 450 tonnes of thestuff! When you’re out with yourdog, please remember to bag it

and bin it, wherever you are, oryou could face a £50 fixed penaltynotice. You can now dispose ofyour dog’s mess in any council binin the borough. Get free dog bagsfrom your library or area housingoffice. By playing with your dogregularly and training them insome basic obedience, you’ll build

a stronger bond with them andthey’re less likely to bark all day orbe destructive. Dogs are verysociable animals, and shouldn’t beleft alone all day, so make sure theyget regular exercise and companyand you’ll have a pooch to beproud of!

• If you lose your dog or find a stray animal you can call Southwark Council on 020 7525 2000

• To report dog fouling, or antisocial behaviour like noise or dogs being allowed to damage trees, visitwww.southwark.gov.uk or call 020 7525 5777

12 News

Best in show

Venue DateNursery Row Park, Orb Street, SE17 1AL 8 July, 2 SeptemberSouthwark Park, Gomm Road entrance, SE16 2UA 22 July, 16 SeptemberBrunswick Park, Gables Close, SE5 7RN 5 August, 16 SeptemberBird in Bush Park, Bird in Bush Road, SE15 6RW 19 August, 30 September

Free microchipping events

Aylesbury youth club Taplow (above chemist), Thurlow Street, SE17 2UQA wide range of things to do, including health andbeauty days, cooking, sports and trips includingswimming, bowling and horse riding.Age: Eight to 19 Contact: Sylvia Martyr, 020 7525 2588Monday to Thursday, 26 July to 26 August, from 2.45 to 6.45pm

Y-volunteer allotmenteering Youth Allotment (behind café), Southwark Park,SE16 5LXHave a go at growing your own fruit, veg, herbs and flowers. Age: 16 to 25Contact: Michelle or Kate, 020 7403 2444 ext 201Call for dates and times.

Millwall – street pro Burgess Park astroturf, Neate Street, offTrafalgar Avenue, SE5 1YUFootball training with professional coaches.Age: 12 to 18Contact: Richard White, 020 7740 0503Date: Every Friday from 23 July to 3 September, 6 to 8pm

Music and art project Dulwich Library, 368 Lordship Lane, SE22 8NBWith an expert artist and musicians to help you putyour lyrics into music and a chance to win a freestudio session and art materials.Age: 13 to 17 Contact: Elaine Walters,elaine.walters@southwark.gov.uk Dates: 8, 12, 22, 26 July and 6 August from 5.30 to 7pm

Drama workshopsRockingham Community Centre, Dickens Square,Falmouth Road SE1 4JLWant to develop your acting skills? Join our dramaworkshops and get in touch with your creative side.Age: 9 to 19Contact: Keris Dahlkamp, 020 7820 8200Date: 3, 5, 10, 12, 17, 19, 24, 26 August from 11am to 1pm

Summer activitiesfor children and young people

There’s loads going on for childrenand young people in Southwark over the summer holidays! Whateveryou’re interested in, from football to fashion, arts to abseiling, you’llfind something for everyone. Hereare a few ideas, but for even morethings to do this summer, visitwww.southwark.gov.uk/more2do orcall 0800 013 0639 for your copy ofthe summer activities guide.

What’s on 13

For your copy of the summer activities

guide, call 0800 013 0639 or visit

www.southwark.gov.uk/more2do

Performance reviewWe’re working hard to improve our services to you. We are better than we were last year with the vastmajority of services showing improvement. We also know there is still some way to go in areas such asthe number of repairs completed right first time and the speed with which we handle your complaints.

Performance indicators

Customer care

Satisfaction with recently completed repairs

Resident satisfaction with the five area housingreception services

Resident satisfaction with how housing officerresolved query

% of tenants complaints answered within target time

Estate services

% of six weekly estate inspections completed on time

Repairs

% of repairs completed on time

% of repair appointments made and kept

% of repairs completed right first time

% of properties with a valid gas safety certificate

% of lift availability

Collecting rent

% rent collected (current tenants)

Tenancy management

Average time to re-let empty properties

How we did in

2008/09?1

87.8%

new in 09/10

63%

40%

new in 09/10

96.8%

98%

81.9%

92.7%

94.7%

99.2%

54 days

How we did in

2009/10?2

90.75%

95%

80%

67%

98.3%

94.4%

99.6%

79.6%

98.7%

95.8%

99.7%

36 days

Target 2009/10

90%

90%

90%

80%

100%

95%

90%

90%

100%

96%

100%

30 days

Are weimproving?

▲

new in 09/10

▲

▲

new in 09/10

▼

▲

▼

▲

▲

▲

▲

Between April 2009 and March 2010 tenant satisfaction with the most recent repairs, engineering and the areareception services was above 90% and the number of repair appointments made and kept beat our target at 99.6%.Most of our service areas showed improvements against targets. But compared to other local authorities we have along way to go and there is still a lot of room for improvement, especially around complaints handling and repairs. Wewant performance on repairs to improve rapidly and are in urgent discussions with contractors to make this happen.

Making sure you know how well we are doing is one way of keeping us on our toes. Let us know what areas are the most important to you or what changes you’d like. You can email antoinette.stasaitis@southwark.gov.ukor call 020 7525 7713.

1Performance between April 2008 to March 20092Performance between April 2009 to March 2010

14 News

Last issue, weasked you what you'dlike to see in the next issue of Southwark Housing News, and you asked for moreinformation on what happens to your recycling.

We'd love to hear your views on Southwark Housing News, ifyou'd like to contact us you canwrite to: The Editor, SouthwarkHousing News, CommunicationsTeam, PO BOX 64529, London SE1P 5LX or emailliz.almond@southwark.gov.uk

If you require information in your language, or in other formats such as audio or large print, please call 020 7525 5000.

15

www.southwark.gov.uk/garages

Garages for rentSecure garages across Southwark from £12.41 per week

Visit www.southwark.gov.uk/garagesCall 020 7525 2600 Email garages@southwark.gov.uk

Interested?

Word searchAnd finally...16

How to make a difference to your area How to apply for a school place in SouthwarkHow to make the most of your money

Pick which of the followingsubjects you’d most like to readabout in a future issue ofSouthwark Housing News

Send back your completed word search by 31 July to: Southwark Council,The Editor, Southwark Housing News, Communications Team PO BOX64529, London SE1P 5LX. Winners will be announced in the next edition.

Name:

Address:

Comments:

Tel no:

Age:

The information you provide will be used fairly and lawfully and Southwark Council will notknowingly do anything which may lead to a breach of the Data Protection Act 1998.

The lucky winner last issue was Hannah Agbeni, 14

Search for the words below and you could WIN £50 worth ofshopping vouchers.

Publication date March 2010. This magazine is printed on recycled paper.

D O R E H N A L V W O S N I F AC E D Y T I N U M M O C K S I AU N B E N E P E R N D S P U N CE Z U E S B R A I X T I C M L TN R D U R U I L R N M G N M U IV E G P T I C T V K H I P E S VH Y R A A E F R S G S E C R E IE B N D C K C D E B D C T L M TQ L B E L E R C W N E I Y I J II F R I G I P B I N E V A N N EC I D P B J H W N R S R H N U SA U Z D S C I C V W N E V S U FG C H A S R R T A U D S Z A I XE X R E G E N E R A T E M B T E

WORDS:BIRDSCOMMUNITYSERVICE

CHILDRENREGENERATEFIRESUMMER

FUNNATUREHEROACTIVITIES

Useful housing contactsRentPay by direct debit: 020 7525 2600Pay by debit/credit card: 0845 6000 611 (24hrs)

Pay online: www.southwark.gov.uk/onlinepayments

To pay in person: Peckham cash office: 19-23 Bournemouth Road, SE15; Walworth cash office: 177-179 Walworth Road SE17;Opening hours: Mon to Fri 8.30am to 4.45pm, Sat 8.30am to 2.45pm

To pay by post: The London Borough of Southwarkcashiers, 19 Spa Road, PO Box 11767, London SE16 3QN

Repairs Tel: 0800 952 4444 (24hrs) Utilities (emergencies): Electricity: 0800 096 9000; Gas: 0800 111 999;Water: 0845 200 800

Leaseholders/freeholders Home ownership unit - Mon to Fri, 9am to 5pm Tel: 020 7525 1400Email: hsg.homeownership@southwark.gov.uk

Environment Abandoned vehicles, flytipping, bulky collections (free),graffiti, rubbish collectionTel: 020 7525 2000 (24hrs) Email: environment@southwark.gov.uk

Benefits Council tax benefit - Mon to Fri, 8am to 6pm Tel: 020 7525 1850 Email: soucounciltaxuk@liberata.com Housing benefit - Mon to Fri, 8am to 6pm Tel: 020 7525 1880 Email: souhousingbenefitsuk@liberata.com

Southwark antisocial behaviour unitTel: 020 7525 5777 Email: sasbu@southwark.gov.uk Web: www.safersouthwark.gov.uk

Southwark Homesearch Bidding hotline: 0845 270 0655 Bidding text line: 07781 486 526 Advice line: 020 7525 4140 Web: www.southwarkhomesearch.org.uk