Issue 36 - Eastlands Homes
Issue 36 - Eastlands Homes
Issue 36 - Eastlands Homes
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Winter issue 2011 no <strong>36</strong><br />
Customer<br />
Panel<br />
Approved<br />
StreetsAhead<br />
News and views from <strong>Eastlands</strong> <strong>Homes</strong><br />
Inside<br />
Merry Christmas<br />
and a Happy New Year from<br />
everyone at <strong>Eastlands</strong> <strong>Homes</strong><br />
Photograph taken at Clayton Hall<br />
Involvement road<br />
show - Page 4<br />
Major refurbishments<br />
- Page 8<br />
Meet your Housing<br />
Officer - Page 12
The news from <strong>Eastlands</strong> homes<br />
Contents<br />
Welcome to the jam-packed issue of Streets Ahead, Winter 2011.<br />
No more counting down<br />
the days until Christmas,<br />
it’s almost here!<br />
If you’ve been struggling<br />
to get a job, read all about<br />
our Employment Support<br />
service on page three.<br />
Start the New Year off<br />
with a new CV and gain<br />
a positive start to finding<br />
yourself a job.<br />
Nominations for the<br />
<strong>Eastlands</strong> <strong>Homes</strong>’<br />
Awards Night will be<br />
accepted right up until<br />
Friday 30 December, so<br />
if you know an inspiring<br />
individual who has really<br />
made a difference, fill out<br />
the nomination form on<br />
page 15 and send it back<br />
now.<br />
Have a great<br />
Christmas and an<br />
even better 2012!<br />
Editor<br />
Abi<br />
Communications Assistant Apprentice<br />
If you live in East<br />
Manchester, have<br />
recently left school<br />
and are unemployed,<br />
we have an exciting<br />
opportunity for you.<br />
Would you like to work<br />
for <strong>Eastlands</strong> <strong>Homes</strong> and<br />
be responsible for writing<br />
articles for our customer<br />
newsletter, updating our<br />
website, taking photos for<br />
use in publications and many<br />
more other communications<br />
related tasks? Then apply for<br />
our Communications Assistant<br />
Apprentice position.<br />
Application deadline:<br />
Tuesday 10 January 2012.<br />
For further details and to obtain<br />
an application form, please<br />
contact Anthony Kennedy on<br />
0161 274 2182.<br />
In this <strong>Issue</strong>…<br />
2<br />
Customer Involvement p4<br />
Equality and Diversity p6<br />
Money Matters<br />
p14<br />
Awards Night p15 Eco-centre p4<br />
Our<br />
Performance<br />
p10
Community Grant<br />
The <strong>Eastlands</strong> <strong>Homes</strong> Community Grant supports<br />
projects and activities operating in east and southeast<br />
Manchester.<br />
Applications are encouraged from all of our areas, but must<br />
benefit the local community in order to be considered.<br />
Application forms and further information is available at<br />
www.eastlandshomes.co.uk/communitygrant or on request by<br />
visiting your local <strong>Eastlands</strong> <strong>Homes</strong> office or calling your local<br />
Eastline team.<br />
Applications for consideration in the Winter submission must<br />
be received by 5pm on Tuesday 31 January 2012.<br />
Employment<br />
Support Officer<br />
Ardwick<br />
Heating<br />
Project<br />
We started a project back in<br />
August 2011 to remove existing<br />
shared district heating systems<br />
and provide customers with<br />
individual boilers. The project<br />
should be complete by August<br />
2012.<br />
Mrs Carol from Ardwick said “I<br />
was concerned that the central<br />
heating works would take a long<br />
time and be really disruptive.<br />
However, the workers were<br />
brilliant and did a really great<br />
job!’<br />
Do you know someone<br />
who would like to<br />
create their own CV?<br />
The employment service can<br />
help improve the chances<br />
of getting an interview and<br />
getting back into work. The<br />
service is open to anyone<br />
living within the <strong>Eastlands</strong><br />
<strong>Homes</strong> postcode areas who<br />
would like help to write the<br />
perfect CV. To book a slot call<br />
Eastline on 0161 274 2390, and<br />
ask for an appointment with<br />
Lorraine Knipe.<br />
Lorraine<br />
Knipe<br />
Opening<br />
hours over<br />
Christmas<br />
Please be aware that we<br />
close for the Christmas<br />
break on Friday 23<br />
December 2011 at 4pm.<br />
Eastline will re-open at<br />
8am on Tuesday 3 January<br />
2012 and our receptions<br />
will be open from 8.45am.<br />
An emergency repairs service<br />
will be provided over the<br />
festive period. If you require an<br />
emergency repair, please call<br />
your local eastline number.<br />
Please report any nonemergency<br />
issues when we<br />
re-open on Tuesday 3 January<br />
2012.<br />
REMEMBER: You may incur<br />
a charge if you call out the<br />
repairs service for a nonemergency<br />
issue.<br />
Meet your<br />
rent officer<br />
p13<br />
Green<br />
Section<br />
p14<br />
3
Customer Involvement<br />
Road show<br />
On Thursday 20 October we<br />
held our first Roadshow at the<br />
Pakistani Community Centre<br />
in Longsight in partnership<br />
with the Police, Housing<br />
Management, Community Safety,<br />
Gas Servicing, Investment,<br />
Financial Inclusion, Sheltered<br />
Housing teams.<br />
You said…<br />
You told us that you would feel<br />
better coming to our meetings<br />
in taxis where the driver was the<br />
same sex as you.<br />
The day was a great success<br />
attracting around 130 residents<br />
from different backgrounds who<br />
received help and advice.<br />
We learnt lots from the day and<br />
are putting your feedback into<br />
practice.<br />
We did…<br />
We are now putting this into<br />
practice. If you attend a meeting<br />
at one of our offices, you will<br />
be given the option of having a<br />
same sex taxi driver.<br />
Eco centre<br />
Situated in Debdale<br />
Park and overlooking<br />
the beautiful Gorton<br />
reservoir, Debdale<br />
Eco Centre is one of<br />
the few eco centres in<br />
Manchester focussing<br />
on organic gardening.<br />
We have been working with<br />
the Eco centre to introduce<br />
basic, grow your own food<br />
training courses to give you<br />
skills which you can use in<br />
your own garden or in an<br />
allotment.<br />
The Plotting the Future<br />
training course covers<br />
all aspects of growing,<br />
site layout, composting,<br />
companion planting, organic<br />
growing etc. and gives<br />
new allotment holders a<br />
user-friendly introduction<br />
on how to cope with their<br />
new allotment, as well as<br />
providing inspiration to<br />
people thinking about taking<br />
on an allotment.<br />
The FREE allotment training<br />
course is run at Debdale Eco<br />
Centre in Gorton, Manchester.<br />
Each gardening topic is<br />
delivered over a two hour<br />
session for six weeks.<br />
Brenda from Clayton said “I<br />
enjoyed the garden group,<br />
picked up lots of ideas and<br />
learnt so much about things<br />
I didn’t know. Marva the<br />
course co-ordinator was<br />
really good at explaining<br />
things and also took the time<br />
to listen. I can’t wait to do<br />
another course!!”<br />
Another six week basic<br />
training course is starting<br />
on Thursday 16 February<br />
2012 between 2.30pm and<br />
4.30pm.<br />
If you are interested in the<br />
course please contact Wendy<br />
Woodfine on 0161 274 2168 to<br />
book your place and arrange<br />
FREE transport to and from<br />
the venue.<br />
4
Many people in Manchester<br />
choose to rent homes where<br />
support is on-hand, if it’s<br />
needed. You are free to live your<br />
own independent life – come<br />
and go as you please, have<br />
visitors when you choose and<br />
do your shopping and leisure<br />
activities in whatever way suits<br />
you.<br />
We have sheltered blocks in<br />
the following locations:<br />
• North Road, Clayton<br />
Customer Involvement<br />
Sheltered housing<br />
available now<br />
We want to help older people in our communities to enjoy safe, secure and<br />
independent lives with a choice of support services to suit all needs.<br />
• Lily Thomas Court, Botha<br />
Close, Openshaw<br />
• Rose Court, Levenshulme<br />
• Westbrook Court, Gorton<br />
• Patrick Roddy Court, Gorton<br />
• Thomas Regan Court, Gorton<br />
• Frank Hatton Court, Rusholme<br />
• Winifred Massey Court,<br />
Longsight.<br />
All of the sheltered blocks have<br />
lots of leisure activities going<br />
on such as Halloween and<br />
Christmas parties, communal<br />
garden tidy ups and trips out<br />
to local attractions such as<br />
Blackpool.<br />
If you are interested in living in<br />
one of our sheltered schemes, or<br />
know someone who might be,<br />
please call your local eastline<br />
number now. Properties are<br />
available for people over 60<br />
years old or over 55 with<br />
some form of Disability Living<br />
Allowance.<br />
Multi-storey<br />
walkabouts<br />
A series of walkabouts are taking place<br />
at our six multi-storey blocks.<br />
This is an opportunity for you to<br />
contribute to enhancing cleaning<br />
standards on your block with the<br />
Caretaker, Estate Management<br />
Co-ordinator and Customer<br />
Involvement Officer. Each<br />
walkabout will take an hour<br />
(please note, this is not an<br />
opportunity to discuss housing<br />
queries or rent problems).<br />
Abbey Court<br />
Thursday 12 January 2012<br />
at 10 am<br />
Cornwall Court<br />
Thursday 26 January 2012<br />
at 10 am<br />
Bickerdike Court<br />
Thursday 9 February 2012<br />
at 10 am<br />
Cundiff Court<br />
Thursday 1 March 2012<br />
at 10 am<br />
Platt Court<br />
Thursday 15 March 2012<br />
at 10 am<br />
Worsley Court<br />
Thursday 29 March 2012<br />
at 10 am<br />
If you are interested<br />
in taking part please<br />
contact Wendy Woodfine<br />
on 0161 230 1000.<br />
5
Equality<br />
and Diversity<br />
6<br />
World Aids Day<br />
On the 1 December, we showed<br />
our support for World Aids Day<br />
by wearing the iconic red ribbon<br />
and making donations.<br />
Over 90,000 people are living<br />
with HIV in the UK and new<br />
infections continue every year.<br />
World Aids day aims to take<br />
action to tackle HIV prejudice<br />
and to protect yourself and others<br />
from HIV transmission.<br />
Your Right to<br />
Control your own<br />
care budget<br />
Are you a disabled person in<br />
receipt of a personalised budget?<br />
If you are a Manchester resident<br />
and are entitled to certain<br />
disability funding streams, the<br />
Right to Control principle, now<br />
allows you to manage your own<br />
personalised budget.<br />
Before the Right to Control<br />
principle was brought in, many<br />
disabled people had to use care<br />
companies for support with their<br />
care needs and restricted their<br />
care package.<br />
People with a disability can<br />
now use their budget to hire<br />
their own personal assistants<br />
and make sure that the support<br />
they get, fully meets their needs.<br />
This allows more people to live<br />
independently.<br />
You can now write your own<br />
support plan according to the<br />
allocated budget, and choose<br />
who and what you need to<br />
purchase in order to achieve your<br />
needs and aspirations.<br />
You could do this yourself, with<br />
a family member or a friend,<br />
starting with identifying your<br />
support needs and the things you<br />
want to do in everyday life.<br />
The Breakthrough Right to<br />
Control Centre for Independent<br />
Living can provide the options to<br />
do this:<br />
• Arrange for independent<br />
support from people who have<br />
also been through the personal<br />
budget process (peer support),<br />
and/or<br />
• Arrange to work with staff who<br />
deliver independent advocacy<br />
and brokerage services<br />
together with disabled people.<br />
Four members of staff have<br />
recently passed a training<br />
course in British Sign<br />
Language (BSL). The staff<br />
are now on hand to help<br />
customers who are deaf or<br />
suffer from hard of hearing.<br />
The staff have been signing<br />
to residents about work that<br />
The Centre offers an accessible<br />
approach to meeting your needs<br />
by helping you to complete your<br />
Support Plan and helping you to<br />
identify alternative providers for<br />
your care needs.<br />
The Support Plan will then go<br />
through the appropriate decision<br />
making process for approval.<br />
The outcomes of your choices<br />
will be presented to a Panel for<br />
agreement and you will then be<br />
able to manage your own budget<br />
according to the agreed plan.<br />
For more information about<br />
your ‘Right to Control’ please<br />
contact: Breakthrough UK<br />
Right to Control Centre for<br />
Independent Living on<br />
0161 273 5412<br />
www.breakthrough-uk.co.uk<br />
will be made to their homes as<br />
part of a £110 million five-year<br />
improvement programme.<br />
Project Officer Sandra Harrison<br />
is shown signing to resident<br />
David Marsden about his<br />
refurbishment work that will<br />
take place to his house over the<br />
next five months.
Community Safety<br />
<strong>Eastlands</strong> <strong>Homes</strong> has been granted a<br />
Possession Order against a resident living in<br />
the Levenshulme Road area of Gorton South.<br />
We have had an ongoing<br />
nuisance case against a resident<br />
of Kirkman Close, Gorton.<br />
This resident was making<br />
numerous malicious complaints<br />
against many of her neighbours,<br />
as well as subjecting them<br />
to abusive and sometimes<br />
threatening behaviour. After<br />
ignoring warnings, she was<br />
eventually served with a<br />
notice, intending to end her<br />
tenancy with us. Her nuisance<br />
behaviour continued and this<br />
led to legal action being taken,<br />
and an interim injunction order<br />
being granted. Thankfully for<br />
all residents who were victims<br />
of this resident's behaviour,<br />
in October 2011 she left her<br />
property in line with the notice<br />
that was served.<br />
Another ongoing nuisance case<br />
had been occurring against a<br />
resident of Longsight Road,<br />
Gorton. This resident and her<br />
children have been responsible<br />
for anti-social behaviour at their<br />
home, and as a result we were<br />
granted an Injunction Order<br />
by the court. Unfortunately<br />
the resident failed to stick to<br />
the conditions of the order so<br />
we began to prepare further<br />
legal action for the breaches<br />
of the Injunction order, and an<br />
application for a Possession<br />
Order. In September 2011, the<br />
resident vacated her property to<br />
avoid legal action being taken<br />
against her.<br />
Remember, we can, and<br />
will, as stated in your tenancy<br />
agreement, take action against<br />
any people who live or visit you<br />
in your home if their behaviour<br />
is unacceptable. Make your<br />
communities a great place to<br />
live by respecting people and<br />
property around you.<br />
101 is the new police nonemergency<br />
telephone number<br />
A national programme has<br />
started to make it easier for<br />
you to contact police in a nonemergency<br />
where you don’t<br />
require an immediate police<br />
response.<br />
For instance:<br />
• Reporting a crime that has<br />
already happened<br />
• Getting crime prevention<br />
advice<br />
• Giving police information<br />
about crime in your area<br />
• Contacting local officers or,<br />
• Any other non-emergency<br />
Call from landlines and mobile<br />
networks cost 15 pence per call,<br />
no matter what time of day or<br />
how long you are on the phone<br />
for.<br />
Using 101 for situations that<br />
don’t require an immediate<br />
police response will help to<br />
make sure 999 calls can be dealt<br />
with speedily.<br />
Deaf, hard of hearing or speech<br />
impaired callers can access the<br />
service via textphone on 18001<br />
101.<br />
Remember, in an<br />
emergency, where<br />
there is a threat to life<br />
or a crime in progress,<br />
always call 999.<br />
7
Major refurbi<br />
to multi-stor<br />
in Rusholme and Longsig<br />
From January, we will be starting an £8 million<br />
pound improvement programme on two multistorey<br />
blocks in Rusholme – Platt and Worsley Court<br />
and one in Longsight – Bickerdike Court.<br />
Presently, the flats suffer<br />
from heat loss which make<br />
the flats cold and cause high<br />
heating bills. Some of the<br />
flats suffer from mould and<br />
condensation and draughty<br />
windows.<br />
The work will include<br />
insulation, new windows and<br />
external cladding, to reduce<br />
heat loss from the blocks,<br />
help keep flats warmer and<br />
reduce fuel bills. There will<br />
be new community rooms at<br />
Worsley Court and Bickerdike<br />
Court. All customers will also<br />
benefit from communal and<br />
environmental improvements<br />
which include recycling<br />
facilities and bicycle stores<br />
(with green roofs), allotments,<br />
and an older persons’<br />
recreation area for Platt and<br />
Worsley Courts. There will be<br />
new fencing and automatic<br />
gates to improve security at<br />
the blocks, and the old metal<br />
roofs on Platt and Worsley<br />
Courts will be recycled and<br />
turned into tool sheds and<br />
raised planters for use in<br />
community gardens and<br />
allotments.<br />
A feature of the project will<br />
be a ‘green wall’ at Worsley<br />
Court. This will be the tallest<br />
green wall in the North<br />
West. It will help to insulate<br />
the block and to capture<br />
carbon dioxide from the air<br />
alongside a busy traffic route<br />
into Manchester. It will also<br />
help to improve biodiversity<br />
in the area and will provide<br />
an interesting research<br />
opportunity for local schools<br />
and colleges.<br />
The improvement project will<br />
take around 12 months to<br />
complete.<br />
Coming soon in phase<br />
two – Abbey and<br />
Cornwall Court, Gorton<br />
and Cundiff Court,<br />
Levenshulme.<br />
8
shments<br />
ey blocks<br />
ht starting January 2012<br />
Platt Court Worsley Court Bickerdike Court<br />
Above are heat sensitive photos showing the areas of heat loss.<br />
The red areas show where most heat is lost.<br />
9
Our Performance<br />
Facts and figures from July to September 2011<br />
How do YOU think we’re doing?<br />
Your<br />
Complaints<br />
• Complaints received: 65<br />
• Outcomes: <strong>36</strong>% upheld /<br />
partially upheld<br />
• % tenants satisfied with the<br />
way their complaint was<br />
handled: 60%<br />
Complaint<br />
Number<br />
Type<br />
received<br />
Tenancy management 7<br />
Tenant rents & service charges 7<br />
Repairs & maintenance 14<br />
Investment programme 26<br />
Staff & customer services 4<br />
Allocations 1<br />
Anti-social behaviour 1<br />
Housing Support Services 3<br />
Other 2<br />
Your<br />
Compliments<br />
• Compliments received: 25<br />
other<br />
housing support<br />
asb<br />
allocations<br />
Complimented<br />
staff<br />
Number<br />
Department received<br />
Neighbourhood investment Services 10<br />
Maintenance 5<br />
Investment 10<br />
repairs<br />
Ways to Complain, Comment<br />
or Compliment tenant rentsus<br />
We want to hear from you and<br />
will act on tenancy every management complaint we<br />
receive. You can call, write, email,<br />
visit us in person or online at<br />
www.eastlandshomes.co.uk or<br />
request a complaint form from us.<br />
We are pleased to hear what we<br />
are doing well too! Let us know<br />
by using any of the contact<br />
methods listed above.<br />
We monitor our performance<br />
closely so we know how we’re<br />
doing and where we need to<br />
improve.<br />
You can keep an eye on our<br />
performance too – every issue<br />
of Streets Ahead includes the<br />
latest on how we compare<br />
with some of the targets set in<br />
our Customer Service Charter.<br />
If you have any ideas on how<br />
we can improve this page,<br />
please let us know – whether<br />
you want more, less or different<br />
information. Just email<br />
eastline@eastlandshomes.<br />
co.uk or call your local<br />
neighbourhood services<br />
Eastline team.<br />
investment<br />
maintenance<br />
Investment Programme<br />
Ardwick, Gorton North, Gorton<br />
South, Levenshulme, Longsight<br />
and Rusholme:<br />
Total number of<br />
improvements as at 30<br />
September 2011: 14,388<br />
including:<br />
• Double Glazed Windows and<br />
Doors: 3897<br />
• Electrical Rewiring: 888<br />
• Kitchens: 2615<br />
• Bathrooms: 2618<br />
• Boilers: 2545<br />
• Cavity Wall Insulation: 126<br />
• External Wall Rendering: 337<br />
• Structural Improvements:<br />
714<br />
• Roofs & Chimneys: 648<br />
Beswick, Clayton & Openshaw:<br />
Total improvements since<br />
2003: 17,553<br />
10
Repairs Service<br />
Type Our Target 11/12 Quarter 2<br />
Emergency Repairs – within 3 hours 100% 100%<br />
Urgent Repairs – within 5 working days 100% 99.8%<br />
Routine repairs – within 10 working days 100% 99.4%<br />
How are we going to improve?<br />
We continue to meet our targets in all but a very few instances. We have identified some<br />
technical issues with our repair booking system that will help us to achieve 100% of all repairs<br />
within our target times in future.<br />
Eastline – Customer Service Calls<br />
Calls answered within service standard of 20 seconds 93% 78.3%<br />
How are we going to improve?<br />
The number of calls received during parts of this period was higher than normal. We have also<br />
been in the process of recruiting new Eastline staff, which may have affected our performance.<br />
Rent<br />
Current rent arrears (%) 5% 7.32%<br />
Former tenant arrears – rent collection (%) 12.5% 12.15%<br />
Rent loss from empty properties 1.3% 1.07%<br />
How are we going to improve?<br />
There have been a high number of evictions during these months which has resulted in<br />
increased former tenant arrears. We are working more closely with the Housing Benefit Team<br />
at Manchester City Council to help us improve our performance in this area.<br />
Empty Properties<br />
Empty properties as a % of the properties we own 1% 1%<br />
Average re-let times of empty properties 20 days 25 days<br />
How are we going to improve?<br />
We are continuing to improve our processes in this area, which will help us to turn around<br />
empty properties more quickly.<br />
Nuisance & Anti-Social Behaviour<br />
Cases referred 144<br />
Cases resolved and closed* 144<br />
Legal actions taken 6<br />
* Includes cases from a previous period.<br />
11
Meet your<br />
Housing Officer<br />
Each area has a specific Housing Officer who you will meet in the beginning<br />
when you sign up to your property, and who you’ll deal with throughout the<br />
duration of your tenancy. There are 15 Housing Officers across three offices.<br />
Joanne Casson -<br />
Ardwick and Longsight<br />
My name is Joanne Casson and<br />
I am the Housing Officer for the<br />
Ardwick and Longsight area.<br />
I have been a Housing Officer<br />
for the past 24 years and have<br />
worked for <strong>Eastlands</strong> <strong>Homes</strong><br />
since the initial transfer in 2003.<br />
My favourite part of the job is<br />
making a difference to people's<br />
lives and helping to improve the<br />
community I work in.<br />
In the last three months I<br />
have carried out five estate<br />
walkabouts and weekly estate<br />
inspections whilst carrying<br />
out home visits. I have also<br />
signed up properties to eight<br />
new tenants and dealt with<br />
seven anti-social behaviour<br />
complaints.<br />
Joanne works from our<br />
Cornbrook office.<br />
Lee Goddard - Beswick<br />
I’ve been working at <strong>Eastlands</strong><br />
<strong>Homes</strong> for two and a half years<br />
now.<br />
On a typical day I am often out<br />
of the office, visiting customers<br />
about repairs, rehousing,<br />
neighbour disputes, and other<br />
tenancy issues. It’s a busy and<br />
varied role, but coming from<br />
East Manchester myself, I feel<br />
pride for the community and the<br />
area, and want to help to make<br />
it a good place to live.<br />
Lee works from our <strong>Eastlands</strong><br />
House office.<br />
Jeff McKenzie - Gorton<br />
My name is Jeff McKenzie<br />
and I am the Housing officer<br />
for areas of Gorton. I manage<br />
approximately 586 properties<br />
and have worked at <strong>Eastlands</strong><br />
<strong>Homes</strong> since July 2011.<br />
My job as a Housing<br />
Officer is varied and I enjoy<br />
accompanying customers<br />
viewing properties.<br />
Once they've moved in I call<br />
to see them within a month to<br />
check everything's ok.<br />
Jeff works from our Belle Vue<br />
office.<br />
12<br />
The three Housing Officers are just<br />
three of our 15 Housing Officer staff.<br />
Meet another three in March!
Meet your Rent Officer<br />
Every customer has their own designated rent officer depending on<br />
where they live. They give you advice and support in arranging payments,<br />
advising on direct debits and helping you to claim housing benefit.<br />
<strong>Eastlands</strong> House:<br />
If you need to<br />
speak to any of<br />
the Rent Officers,<br />
phone your local<br />
eastline and<br />
you’ll be put<br />
straight through.<br />
Carolyn Hamlin -<br />
Beswick and Bradford<br />
Emma Doyle -<br />
Clayton<br />
Lorraine Anderson -<br />
Openshaw and Miles<br />
Platting<br />
Cornbrook House:<br />
Adam Purnell -<br />
Rusholme, Ardwick (off<br />
Plymouth Grove and<br />
Hathersage Road) and<br />
Stockport Rd<br />
Lisa Taylor -<br />
Longsight/Rusholme<br />
Shubash Miah -<br />
Langport Avenue<br />
flats, Longsight,<br />
Levenshulme<br />
and Mount Road<br />
(Longsight)<br />
Joe Scully - Ardwick<br />
- Coverdale estate<br />
excluding Langport<br />
Avenue<br />
Belle Vue House:<br />
David Cordt -<br />
Gorton South<br />
Anne Worrall -<br />
Gorton South<br />
Diane Sidlow -<br />
Abbey Hey area<br />
Janet Wilson - Gorton<br />
North (Not Abbey Hey)<br />
13
The Green Section<br />
Changes to your refuse collection<br />
over the Christmas period<br />
Over Christmas there will be changes to your<br />
bin collection days.<br />
Normal Collection Date<br />
Monday 26 December 2011<br />
Tuesday 27 December<br />
Wednesday 28 December<br />
Thursday 29 December<br />
Friday 30 December<br />
Monday 2 January 2012<br />
Tuesday 3 January<br />
Wednesday 4 January<br />
Thursday 5 January<br />
Friday 6 January<br />
Temporary change<br />
Tuesday 27 December 2011<br />
Wednesday 28 December<br />
Thursday 29 December<br />
Friday 30 December<br />
Saturday 31 December<br />
Tuesday 3 January 2012<br />
Wednesday 4 January<br />
Thursday 5 January<br />
Friday 6 January<br />
Saturday 7 January<br />
Christmas<br />
Trees<br />
This year, please put your<br />
Christmas tree next to your<br />
green garden bin or food<br />
caddy on your collection day<br />
throughout January 2012.<br />
We will no longer collect<br />
Christmas trees from your<br />
local park.<br />
For more information visit<br />
www.manchester.gov.uk/<br />
recycling, email contact@<br />
manchester.gov.uk or call<br />
0161 234 5004.<br />
Collections will be back to normal on Monday 9 January 2012.<br />
14<br />
Money Matters<br />
Welfare Benefit<br />
Changes<br />
In the last few newsletters we have been trying to keep you<br />
up to date with changes that the government intends to<br />
bring in for people on housing benefit.<br />
In this edition we want to highlight the plan to pay housing benefit<br />
on a monthly basis direct to customers. This will be a big change and<br />
customers will need to have bank accounts and pay by direct debit<br />
to help prevent arrears. Direct debits can be set up by your Eastline<br />
Office or by speaking to your Rent Officer. If you want advice on<br />
setting up a bank account or Direct Debit then please call your local<br />
Eastline and ask to be put through to the Financial Inclusion Team.<br />
Your<br />
rent at<br />
Christmas<br />
If you are up to date with<br />
your rent, you can enjoy<br />
a week off from your<br />
payments this Christmas!<br />
But, if your rent account is<br />
in arrears, you must pay<br />
your rent.<br />
If you are on a monthly<br />
arrangement or paying<br />
monthly Direct Debit or<br />
Standing Order, please note<br />
that you should continue to<br />
make your payment as usual,<br />
as your rent-break week will<br />
already have been calculated.
<strong>Eastlands</strong> <strong>Homes</strong>'<br />
Awards Night<br />
Do you know an inspiring individual who has done something to make a<br />
difference? Then why not enter them into our Awards? You can enter one<br />
person in each category. If someone you have nominated is shortlisted,<br />
you will be invited to attend the awards night with them (January 2012).<br />
The categories are:<br />
People's Choice for<br />
Outstanding Achievement<br />
This award is available to any<br />
person or group of people<br />
who you feel have made and<br />
sustained and committed<br />
contribution to the community<br />
in the last 12 months. Previous<br />
winners have included a new<br />
tenants group that took on<br />
the problems with Neighbour<br />
Nuisance in their area and<br />
improved the lives of local<br />
people. Also a group who<br />
worked tirelessly to improve the<br />
local environment by applying<br />
for and securing grants and<br />
ensuring the area was made<br />
better for everyone.<br />
Person/group you are<br />
nominating<br />
Reasons for nominating<br />
them<br />
Good Neighbour Award<br />
This award is for anyone you<br />
feel has a positive influence on<br />
your community. Are they the<br />
person all the neighbours go to<br />
for support and advice? Do they<br />
keep an eye on the neighbour’s<br />
properties and report any<br />
problems to the police or<br />
wardens or tackle issues of anti<br />
social behaviour.<br />
Person you are nominating<br />
Reasons for nominating<br />
them<br />
Young Person of the Year<br />
This award is for any young<br />
person under the age of nineteen<br />
who has been a positive<br />
influence on the community<br />
and their peers. Someone who<br />
dedicates his or her time and<br />
energy to making a difference.<br />
Person you are nominating<br />
Reasons for nominating<br />
them<br />
Volunteer of the Year<br />
This award is for anyone<br />
involved in volunteer work,<br />
maybe they help run a local<br />
community project. Volunteer<br />
their time to a local charity,<br />
take time or out of their week<br />
to visit people in hospital.<br />
You can nominate anyone<br />
who is involved in any kind of<br />
community based volunteer<br />
work.<br />
Contribution to the<br />
environment<br />
This award is for anyone<br />
involved in the organisation of<br />
environmental events, such as<br />
litter-picks or planting, or works<br />
to raise awareness about the<br />
environment.<br />
Person you are nominating<br />
Reasons for nominating<br />
them<br />
Name:<br />
Address:<br />
Tel:<br />
Please fill out your contact<br />
details above and someone<br />
will be in touch to find out a bit<br />
more about the person you have<br />
nominated.<br />
Take completed forms into<br />
any of the local offices.<br />
If you’ve nominated someone for<br />
the Customer Awards, why not<br />
fill out a Value for Money idea at<br />
the same time on the back of this<br />
page?<br />
Closing date: Friday 30<br />
December for all entries.<br />
15
Money Saving Ideas?<br />
<strong>Eastlands</strong> <strong>Homes</strong> want to achieve demonstrable<br />
value for money in all of our activities.<br />
It is our commitment to deliver a service that is highly cost<br />
effective, that meets or exceeds the expectations of our customers<br />
and makes a significant contribution to the sustainability of the<br />
communities where we operate.<br />
If you have seen or experienced good practices, or if you have<br />
any ideas on how we can continue to improve efficiency, then we<br />
want to hear from you.<br />
VALUE FOR MONEY SAVINGS IDEA<br />
Your Suggestion<br />
Your Details<br />
Name:<br />
Address:<br />
Telephone:<br />
Email:<br />
If you require further information please contact Lesley Brereton,<br />
Customer Involvement Officer on 0161 230 1013. Please fill out<br />
your contact details above.<br />
Take completed forms into any of the local offices.<br />
How to contact us<br />
☎<br />
☎<br />
Call Us<br />
Lines open 8am – 5.30pm weekdays.<br />
Belle Vue House: 0161 230 1000<br />
(if you live in Gorton North<br />
or Gorton South)<br />
☎<br />
Cornbrook House: 0161 276 7300<br />
(if you live in Ardwick, Levenshulme,<br />
Longsight or Rusholme)<br />
☎<br />
<strong>Eastlands</strong> House: 0161 274 2390<br />
(if you live in Beswick, Clayton<br />
or Openshaw)<br />
An out of hours service is provided<br />
for emergency repairs.<br />
✉<br />
✉<br />
✉<br />
✉<br />
Write or visit: Receptions are<br />
open 8.45am – 4.30pm weekdays<br />
Belle Vue House, 27 Garratt Way,<br />
Gorton, Manchester, M18 8HE<br />
Cornbrook House, 217 Stockport<br />
Road, Ardwick, Manchester, M12 4DY<br />
<strong>Eastlands</strong> House, Victoria Street,<br />
Openshaw, Manchester, M11 2NX<br />
Email: eastline@eastlandshomes.co.uk<br />
Web: www.eastlandshomes.co.uk<br />
If you would like information in another language or format such as large print or audio, please ask us.