Summer 2012 (1.2 MB PDF) Opens in a new window - Angus Council

Summer 2012
23 and
counting ...
We’re still on track to
deliver 147 affordable
homes by August 2013.
Read about our progress
to date
PAGE 20
Also inside
Meet our new Convener and Vice-Convener
The Scottish Social Housing Charter
Save and borrow with Angus Credit Union
Welfare Reform: what it means for you
Fostering in Angus
Performance matters

Housing news
Featured Contents
ON THE COVER
New build affordable homes at Harry
Farmer Close, Arbroath
2
Scottish Housing Charter
Antisocial behaviour
Save and borrow
Welfare Reform
Home building
Anti social
behaviour damages
communities but
it can take some
time to get an
ASBO from the court
4
The Scottish
Government
introduces a national
outcome framework
for every social
housing provider
6
12
There are several
alternatives to high
interest lenders.
Angus Credit Union is
one option to consider
14
The UK government
began its changes
to the benefits
system. What could
this mean for you?
20
We’re still on track
to deliver a total
of 147 new homes
for rent by August
2013. Follow our
progress to date.
Head of Housing
Welcome to the Summer edition of
our newsletter. The sun may have
forgotten to put its hat on for large
parts of our summer but as you
can see later that did not dampen
the spirits or efforts of our excellent
gardeners who transform their
gardens into kaleidoscopes of colour
that brighten up their local areas.
in this edition you are also meeting our new Convenor and
Vice Convenor, Councillors Donald Morrison and Jeanette Gaul.
Our new Conveners are taking a keen interest in every aspect
of our work and are keen to get an in depth understanding of
your interests and priorities. Over the life of this administration
they will be attending as many tenant events as possible.
You’re also hearing about the good side of our work in terms
of our continued investment and commitment to building new
modern energy efficient homes throughout Angus. Having
built and opened new homes in Carnoustie, Monifieth and
Arbroath we’re now on site in Forfar, Kirriemuir, Inveraldie and
Montrose, where we’ll have the third of our four show homes
so you can see how your money is spent.
We’re also setting out the changes to the welfare system that
are being introduced apace by the UK Government. These
changes are going to reach and impact upon many tenants
and citizens. Unfortunately the news we have to tell you is not
good but we are passing the information on as soon as we can
so those who are going to see their income fall as a result of
welfare reform can get in touch with us as soon as possible. As
you read this, we are contacting every tenant caught up in the
UK Government’s ‘bedroom tax’.
On top of this the introduction of the new Universal Credit
will see all benefits ultimately rolled into one benefit paid
monthly to claimants direct and no longer to landlords. This
move will bring challenges for tenants and landlords alike but
again we are here to help where and when you need us.
Finally we’re giving you an update on our performance and
a link to our new monthly performance and financial spending
which we will be publishing online from 3 September.
I hope you enjoy the newsletter and find it informative
and I look forward to seeing you at the tenant conference in
September. •
Buying your home
Joining Forces
Kirriemuir ACCESS office moved
to the police station in Reform
Street in March 2012. The
new shared office brings
together two important
community services
under one roof to
improve the service to
customers and reduce
running costs.
Officers will now deal with
routine police enquiries, such
as lost property, as well as the usual range of
enquiries about council services.
From May this year, Tayside Police, began holding
community surgeries in Brechin ACCESS office
from 2 to 4pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Local people will be able to drop in to the office
at these times to discuss any issues or problems
with Community Police Officers. •
Housing news
Over 7,000 former council tenants chose to exercise their right to buy since the
scheme was introduced by the government in 1980 but there have been several
changes to the scheme since then. The right to buy changed again last year: if
you transfer to one of our new build homes, you lose your right to buy.
Buying your home is exciting: finding out the value and the discount you’ll get for the time
you’ve been a tenant, through to signing the documents that transfer ownership of your home
to you. One day you’re a tenant: the next, a homeowner.
If you want to apply to buy your home, you’ll need
to complete an application form available from
your local ACCESS office and return it to us. We will
acknowledge your application to purchase within five
working days. Once you have started the process to
purchase your home, we will carry out emergency
repairs only. The average time it takes to complete
buying your home is 26 weeks from the date applied.
If you are in the process of buying your home or
you’re thinking about applying to buy in the future,
you need to think carefully about how you’d afford
the cost of essential repairs to your home.
For advice about the right to buy and the responsibilities
you’ll assume if you apply to buy, contact the Angus
ACCESSLine on 08452 777 778. You’ll find free, independent
information on your right to buy online from the
Scottish Government at www.scotland.gov.uk. •
Guaranteed discounts
Did your tenancy begin before
or after 30 September 2002?
Years as a Before
tenant Houses Flats
After
0-2 No discount
2-4 32- 34% 44- 48% -
5-9 35- 39% 50- 58% 20- 24%
10-14 40- 44% 60- 68% 25- 29%
15-19 45- 49%
30- 34%
20-24 50- 54%
70% 35% or
25-29 55- 59%
£15,000
30+ 60%
The amount of discount you get depends on whether
you live in a house or a flat if your tenancy began
before 30 September 2002
What are these?
It’s a QR code. We
introduced QR (or Quick
Response codes) in the last
edition of Housing News. QR
codes are very similar to the
barcodes you see on items
you buy at the supermarket.
QR codes can be read using
smartphones and other dedicated QR reading
devices. The code links directly to text, emails,
websites, phone numbers and more. They
take you direct to the link without the need to
type: just scan and go!
QR codes are huge in Japan and across
the Far East, and are slowly becoming
commonplace in the West. You’ve probably
seen QR codes on product packaging, shop
displays, printed and billboard advertisements
as well as in emails, on websites and in
magazines. •
3

Housing news
Housing news
Scottish Social Housing Charter
What is it?
The Scottish Social Housing Charter sets the standards and
outcomes that all social landlords aim to achieve. It came into force
on 1st April following an extensive consultation with landlords and
tenants.
Tenants and other customers made it clear they wanted to
participate in decisions that affect them, live in well-maintained
neighbourhoods where they feel safe and receive services that
provide continually improving value for the rent and the other
charges they pay.
Its purpose?
The Charter will improve the quality and value of services provided
to tenants and other customers. In Angus we will work with our
customers over the next six months to set meaningful local targets
and standards to create an Angus Social Housing Charter. By doing
this, we will provide our tenants and other customers with a clear
statement of what they can expect from Housing services and
focus our efforts on achieving the outcomes that matter most to
tenants and customers.
When we talk about ‘tenants and other customers’, we mean
current and future tenants, homeless people and other people
who use our housing services such as owners in mixed tenure
blocks and gypsy travellers who use our site at St. Christophers.
Getting involved
We want to involve as many tenants and other customers as
possible in creating the Angus version of the Charter so we can
set meaningful outcomes you want us to achieve. The Scottish
Housing Regulator will use the Charter to assess and report on
our performance against the outcomes set. Their reports will help
ensure that public money for new social housing goes to landlords
that perform well.
The Charter replaces the performance standards we have
worked to since 2002. It does not replace any of our legal duties
- such as the duties we have to homeless people - although the
outcomes describe the results we should achieve by meeting our
legal duties. •
If you would like to view a copy of
the Charter, you can visit the Scottish
Social Housing Charter website
at http://tinyurl.com/9ulvq6e
We have new Conveners
Following the local government elections in May,
a new administration took control of the council.
Councillors Morrison and Gaul were appointed as
Convener and Vice-Convener respectively of the
council’s Neighbourhood Services Committee
Councillor Donald Morrison
Convener
Councillor Donald Morrison was
appointed as Convener of the council’s
Neighbourhood Service Committee
following his re-election to the council
in May this year. With a media and
communications qualification, experience
of working in the mortgage
Councillor Jeanette Gaul
Vice-Convener
Councillor Jeanette Gaul is a
newly elected councillor, but
having worked for the council’s
Social Work and Health department
for 21 years in various
roles, she’s no stranger to the
council! Since her election in
May, Councillor Gaul has spent
time visiting council facilities,
speaking to officers and listening
to the views of customers.
department of a legal firm and his work
as parliamentary assistant to Angus MP,
Mike Weir, Councillor Morrison brings a
wealth of experience in social housing
including its allocation, housing support
needs, and antisocial behaviour.
He is well placed to lead the department
through the coming changes to
the benefits system that begin in 2013.
Councillor Morrison has pursued a
policy of new social house building
since his election to the council in 2007
so he is delighted that tenants have
shown such strong support for the
Council’s programme of investment in
building new homes. He will continue
this support as Convenor while pursuing
all viable policies that will increase
the number of homes for rent across all
the burghs and rural areas of Angus.
Councillor Gaul has a keen interest
in working with tenant and resident
groups having attended the last
meeting of the tenant scrutiny panel
and the Knowehead Residents group.
She hopes to help increase the role
that customers play in shaping the
Housing service, so is keen to continue
to work with tenant, resident
and community groups. She has
always been particularly interested
in the community aspects of service
provision, and having sat on many
different groups and worked with
voluntary organisations to bring
forward lots of community events, she
is very well placed to bring a renewed
vigour to tenant participation. •
Celebrations in Kirriemuir
Lord Lyell of Kinnordy joined tenants of Lyell
Court in April as tenants marked the 25th
anniversary of it’s opening. His Lordship
joined residents and friends from past and
present who have supported the complex
through the years with a toast of good health and
happiness.
Lord Lyell said: “The look of the place hasn’t changed
in all these years, it’s spick and span, and its good to
see all of you so full of beans today.” He added: “It is
marvellous to have a centre like this in the middle of
the town, where it is easy to get around and easy for
friends and family to visit.”
Annie Robertson, 92, has lived in Lyell Court since
1994, helped cut the anniversary cake generously
gifted by Audrey Ireland, resident warden for almost
19 years. Annie said: “I’ve been very happy here over
the past 18 years and Lord Lyell has been such a good
friend to us.” She added: “We would also like to extend
our thanks to Lady Lyell – who is now 96 years old
– who visited and provided lunches for us on many
occasions down through the years”. Afternoon tea and
buffet was enjoyed by all – memories of the past and
future plans were joyfully shared during this special
afternoon. •
…and at Glebe Court …
Frank Henderson (resident)(pictured)
started the 20th anniversary
celebrations of Glebe Court by playing
his pipes. Joe Aitkin, a local singer
whose mother lives at Glebe Court,
joined Wayne Robertson on the
accordion and the Forfar Instrumental
Band entertained residents.
Everyone enjoyed the entertainment
and had a good day, although the
weather could have been better. Mrs Isabel Brown and
Mrs Nan Carnegie, who have both lived at Glebe Court
for 20 years, cut the anniversary cake. Mrs Brown said:
“This has been our home for 20 years and we have
enjoyed living here, we are cared for and well looked
after by the staff and could ask for nothing else, this is
our home” •
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5

Housing news
Housing news
Anti -Social Behaviour
An Anti Social Behaviour Order or ASBO is a preventative measure
enforced by the court placing limits on what a person can or can’t do.
They are to used to prevent further acts of anti-social behaviour or conduct
that would cause alarm or distress. Breach of any conditions in the
order is a criminal offence.
An Anti Social Behaviour Order or ASBO
is a preventative measure enforced
by the court placing limits on what a
person can or can’t do. They are to used
to prevent further acts of anti-social
behaviour or conduct that would cause
alarm or distress. Breach of any conditions
in the order is a criminal offence.
Our Community Safety Team has
officers with specific responsibilities for
dealing with anti-social behaviour. The
team can give advice on the various
measures available to deal with problems
arising from anti-social behaviour.
We only use the orders where evidence
suggests it’s the most suitable
method for tackling the problem.
The process of obtaining an ASBO
is sometimes a long and lengthy one.
Complainants very often become
frustrated if the problems with their neighbours
continue over a long period of time.
Mediation can be very successful and
resolve differences with your neighbour
without having to resort to legal measures.
If you are the victim of any form of
anti-social behaviour then contact
the Community Housing Team on the
ACCESSLine or office. Officers will provide
advice and assistance on the process and
can refer to Mediation and Victim Support
should you feel frightened or vulnerable. •
Do it and lose it
We believe everybody should be able to live in their home
and community in safety and peace. We’re committed to
tackling anti-social behaviour wherever it happens and we’ll
continue to use eviction as a last resort where we need to do
so. Our approach is mainly to prevent anti-social behaviour
happening and to tackle problems at an early stage. Some
of the ways we try to prevent anti-social behaviour and nuisance
are by:
• enforcing the terms of tenancy agreements so that tenants
take responsibility for their behaviour and the behaviour of
their household members and visitors
• supporting perpetrators to change their behaviour
• publicising the actions we take to help send a clear message
that we do not tolerate anti-social behaviour
• working with partners such as the Police to prevent and
stop ASB
Ultimately, if we have to take legal action to evict a
tenant, we will do so. We evicted three tenants in the last
six months following their convictions for drug dealing.
This demonstrates our ‘zero tolerance’ approach
to those who blight the lives of the community and
sends a clear message to those who sell drugs.
Remember, if you witness anything suspicious activity
such as a lot of different visitors to a property who
only stay for a few moments, phone Crimestoppers
anonymously on 0800 555 111 and report it. You can
also pass on information or report incidents of antisocial
behaviour to the ACCESSLine on 08452 777 778.
Our message is clear: if you deal drugs from
your home, don’t or you’ll lose it! •
Drug litter: don’t
ignore it – report it
At times we receive reports
from members of the public
about discarded drugs
paraphernalia, including
syringes and needles. If you
find drugs litter, report it to
the ACCESSLine at any time
on 08452 777 778 or to your
nearest ACCESS office.
Do not:
• touch the drugs litter
• hide the drugs litter
• put the drugs litter in a normal
litter bin.
Not only do we use the information
to form an understanding
of how often drug litter is
found, but also to identify
areas that are ‘hot spots’.
We share this information
with the Police, which allows
them to target resources to
tackle drug suppliers and
drug abusers in these areas.
6
7

Housing news
Housing news
We take your safety seriously
Gas Safety
What is a gas service?
Gas servicing is the inspection of your
gas appliances. We are legally obliged,
under the Gas Regulations, to carry out a
gas service every year. Making sure your
appliances are working efficiently and are
safe.
Who will carry out the service?
A registered contractor will carry out the
service.
What happens during the service?
If your home has gas heating, then your
boiler and gas fire will be inspected. This
might involve the removal and renewal
of parts and cleaning. The engineer may
ask you if you have noticed any noises,
smells or other problems. Your ventilation
will also be checked to ensure it is not
obstructed. You will be asked to sign any
relevant paperwork and will be given a
copy.
How long will the service take?
Depending on the number and type of
gas appliances in your home, it may take
between 30 and 90 minutes. However,
it may take longer if the engineer finds
problems.
Why do we need to do gas servicing?
Your gas appliances must be serviced to
ensure that they are working safely. Gas
appliances that are not working properly
can give out carbon monoxide fumes.
These fumes are colourless and odourless
8
If you can smell gas, think you
have a gas leak or your CO
is detector is sounding, call
Scottish Gas Networks on
0800 111 999 straight away
and you will not know they are there. If
you are exposed to carbon monoxide
fumes it can cause serious injury or even
death.
What will happen if I do not allow the service
to take place?
Your appliances will not work as efficiently
as they should and they may even be
unsafe or breakdown. This could mean
that you, others in your home and any
neighbours are at risk. It may also mean no
hot water or heating.
We are legally bound under the gas
regulations to check that your appliances
are working safely. We may force entry
and will cut off your gas supply if you
fail to give access to your property. We
will recharge the cost of the forced entry
to you and will require 48hrs notice to
reconnect your gas supply. •
Smoke Detectors
You should have at least one smoke alarm
in your home, they’re important as they
give you a warning if a fire breaks out in
your home and can save your life. It is your
responsibility to check the smoke alarm
works properly. If you suspect your smoke
detector is faulty contact us immediately
and we will send a contractor to fix it. If
you have an older style battery powered
smoke detector please contact us and we
will renew this with a more modern mains
powered version.
How does my smoke alarm work?
Smoke alarms work by detecting smoke
and invisible fumes passing through the
alarm. You may find that the alarm goes
off when you are cooking in the kitchen.
To prevent this from happening, keep the
kitchen door shut when cooking and open
your kitchen windows.
Tenant and Community Participation
Officer takes up post
My name is Beverley Gibb and I have
recently taken up the position of Tenant
and Community Participation Officer within
Neighbourhood Services Department.
I have worked for Angus Council for the past
16 years, in Housing, Community Safety and
latterly Local Community Planning and am
looking forward to developing my new role
and working closer with the tenants in Angus.
I will be looking at ways of broadening
participation and investigating new ways of
getting people involved in influencing their
Housing services, as well as reviewing the
current Tenant Participation Strategy. At the
moment I have been working with a group
of tenants organising this years annual
Angus Council Housing Conference to be
held in Montrose on 29th September. The
Conference is open to all Angus Council
How can I check my smoke alarm works?
You should check the alarm is working
regularly by pressing the test button on
your alarm. If the alarm doesn’t go off
when you do this, contact us immediately.
You must never -
• disconnect the alarm
• move it
• paint over it
My smoke alarm beeps regularly, what
should I do?
Your mains smoke alarm has a back-up
battery that will run for a short period of
time if there is no electricity supply to your
home. Once the battery starts to drain,
it will beep at regular intervals. This is a
reminder that the battery needs changing.
If this happens, contact the ACCESSLine
immediately on 08452 777 778. •
tenants and I hope to meet some of you there.
If you would like more information on
Tenant Participation, or would like to become
involved, contact your Local Community
Planning Team or give me a call on 01307
474142 or email GibbBJ@angus.gov.uk. •
Your invitation
• Would you like to know more about the changes
to benefits and how they will affect you and your
family?
• Would you like an opportunity to speak to council
officers in private?
• Would you like to hear about new houses for rent
being built across Angus?
• Would you like to tell the council how you think they
could improve your area?
If you can answer ‘yes’ to any of these questions,
then the Local Community Planning Team are
delighted to invite you to come along to the Annual
Housing Conference.The event is open to all
council tenants and will take place on Saturday
29 September 2012 from 10am to 2.45pm at
Montrose Town Hall, Melville Gardens, Montrose.
A buffet lunch will be available. For more information
or to book your place call Claire Donald
on 01241 433561.
RSVP by 17 September
9

Housing news
Housing news
10
Problems gulls cause
• Noise caused by calling gulls
• Mess caused by droppings,
fouling on washing,
gardens and people
• Damage to property, caused
by gulls picking at roofing
materials and by nests which
block gutters or hold moisture
against the building structure
• Diving and swooping on
people and pets. This usually
occurs when chicks have
fallen from the nest and adult
birds attempt to prevent them
coming to harm by frightening
away potential threats
• Block gas flues by nesting
materials which can have serious
consequences if gas fumes are
prevented from venting properly
Tackling seagull nuisance
You may be affected by seagulls nesting on your home
particularly in coastal areas. Gulls are attracted to areas where food is
plentiful, however, they are also opportunistic, and will scavenge waste bins
and look for food from the public. It is advisable not to encourage the
gulls by feeding them, either at home or in any open space.
The public and businesses are also asked to ensure that litter and
other food waste is properly stored and disposed of using the bins
provided, and to avoid leaving food waste in black bags
wherever possible.
The council currently adopt a range of measures
to tackle the seagull nuisance such as flying birds
of prey to deter nesting, applying bird proofing
devices such as spikes, nets or wires, and
also offering a free service to remove nests
and eggs from properties where these
are accessible. Residents who would like
further information on seagull problems in
general should contact the ACCESSLine on
08452 777 778. •
Reviewing your housing application
If you have an application for housing with us,
you’ll need to keep us up to date with any changes
as the changes might affect your position of the
waiting list and the points you get.
We review each application every six months.
You’ll get a letter from our Common Housing
Register team. It will ask you to confirm your
details and those of everyone living with you
(including your national insurance number)
and whether you want to stay on the waiting
list. You have 10 days to reply. We will send
you one reminder but we will cancel your
application if you don’t reply to the reminder.
If you have any questions about your application,
if you want to check we have all your
details and they’re up to date, or you have
a question about the turnover of homes
in your areas of choice, call the Common
Housing Register team on 01307 476392. •
Where do you live?
What would you do if disaster struck?
The weekly cost of home
contents insurance may
not be as much as you
think and guarantees
peace of mind that
your possessions will be
replaced in the event of
a disaster.
It’s your responsibility to
insure the contents of your
Right to repair
The ‘Right to Repair’ scheme was introduced by
the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 to ensure you
have a simple way of getting certain small but
urgent repairs—called ‘qualifying repairs’ up
to a value of £350 —carried out within a given
timescale.
If our first contractor does not start the qualifying
repair within the time limit set, you can
contact the reserve approved contractor yourself
to carry out the repair.
When we write to you to confirm any
Find your right to repair contractor
Milnbank
What trade you you need?
Builder Electrician Joiner Plumber
Muirfields
D Adam
W Mustard
D McNulty
D Petrie
home against unsuspected events. What
if you were burgled or your home caught
fire? How would you replace your precious
possessions and could you afford to replace
your furniture out of your own pocket?
We’re currently reviewing the results
from a survey we undertook to gather
your views about whether we should
set up an insurance scheme. •
RS Joinery
David R
Whyte
McIntosh
& Fenton
Arbroath • • • •
Brechin • • • •
Carnoustie • • • •
Forfar • • • •
Kirriemuir • • • •
Monifieth • • • •
Montrose • • • •
repair you report, we will let you know if
the repair is a qualifying repair and the date
the repair must be completed. If that date
passes and the repair is not complete, use
the table below to find the reserve contractor
for the area where you live and the trade
you need. You should only use this table
for repairs that qualify under the scheme.
You may have a legal right to compensation
if we do not carry out certain
repairs within a set period of time. •
Call the contractor
D Adam 01241 872425
D Petrie 01575 572203
D McNulty 01241 879690
David R Whyte 01382 480853
McIntosh & Fenton 01241 878920
Milnbank 01307 475346
Muirfields 01382 810000
RS Joinery 01241 873463
W Mustard 01674 673982
11

Housing news
Housing news
Angus Credit Union (ACU) has developed a
great partnership with a number of primary
schools around Angus with their ‘Smiley
Savers’ scheme. The idea is to encourage
children to develop the savings habit
early in life and to start them on the road
to good personal money management.
In each school there is a regular collection
point staffed by volunteers (many of them
parents), and in some schools the collections
are run by pupil tellers under the supervision
of their adult helpers. Children can
also keep saving in the school holidays by
making their deposits at any ACCESS office.
The big banks don’t want to be bothered
with the tiny amounts that children can save,
but ACU takes a different view. We want
children to discover for themselves that:
• saving up for something can really increase
the pleasure we feel when we reach our
target, and helps us to value the thing we’ve
saved up for.
• saving creates that comfortable feeling that
we have something put aside for a rainy day
and in the ups and downs of today’s financial
conditions there are plenty of those!
As well as operating the ‘Smiley Savers’
scheme, we also run child-friendly money
workshops in schools for P6 and P7 pupils,
where they get hands-on practice at managing
the money coming in and going out
of a typical family household. They have to
pay the bills and decide how to split up the
money between spending and saving. The
workshops have been a great success with
both children and teachers, and earned ACU
12
Save as you borrow with Angus Credit Union
an Enterprise Ambassador award last year.
Saving isn’t just for kids, though. Adult
members of ACU are busy saving for all
sorts of things—a new car, their summer
holiday, Christmas expenses, replacing the
fridge. One member started saving with the
money she gained when she quit smoking.
Another couple took nine months to save
up for their flights to America to see their
first grandchild. Many members put a bit
aside with a payroll deduction or a standing
order, or make a deposit when visiting
an ACCESS office to pay a bill. Whichever
way you do it, saving makes good sense.
The pool of savings in ACU is also available
for members to take out affordable loans, at
better rates than a credit or store card, and
way better than a doorstep lender can offer.
The credit union can also set up the repayments
so that each time you make a payment,
a bit of the money goes into your savings,
so at the end of paying off the loan your
savings have grown too—a double win!
Follow the lead of the ‘Smiley Savers’ and get
into the savings habit with ACU. Soon your
savings will be putting a smile on your face
too—that is, unless you’re the parent of one
of our ‘Smiley Savers’ who said he’s saving up
to buy a python to keep in his bedroom! •
Angus Credit Union is a cooperative, owned and
controlled by its members. This service is not necessarily
recommended by Angus Council, and other similar
services may be available from other providers.
Consider getting independent financial advice.
What you could save
Borrow
What you’ll repay
£100
£300
£500
ACU
Provident Loan 149.50
ACU
Provident Loan
ACU
Provident Loan
103.37
310.19
448.50
516.97
747.50
Save
46.13
Save
138.31
Save
230.53
Contact Angus Credit Union today
T. 01307 463388
E. office@anguscreditunion.co.uk
W. www.anguscreditunion.co.uk
Visit. 11 Castle Street, Forfar DD8 3AE
Save money on your energy bills
The Angus Energy Saving Project
could help you find the cheapest
tariffs currently available to
you and understand how to
reduce your overall energy
consumption.
People who have used the
project have been able to save
as much as £372 per year by
switching their energy supplier:
that’s over £30 a month.
Your rent is still good value
The average council rent in Angus is still one of the
lowest in Scotland
Council Average weekly rent Change %
City of Edinburgh £80.78 7.9
Aberdeen 68.08 4.4
Renfrewshire 65.81 4.5
Shetland 64.27 5.3
Orkney 64.15 6.5
City of Dundee 63.09 4.7
The Highland Council 62.26 1.9
West Lothian 61.80 3.0
East Dunbartonshire 60.72 2.5
North Ayrshire 59.92 2.3
Clackmannanshire 59.83 6.8
Stirling 59.63 6.2
Scotland 59.23 4.0
South Ayrshire 57.82 5.2
Aberdeenshire 57.60 4.7
East Renfrewshire 57.45 5.6
Perth & Kinross 57.36 5.2
East Ayrshire 57.12 3.6
West Dunbartonshire 56.93 4.5
Fife 56.54 4.6
South Lanarkshire 56.51 1.0
Midlothian 54.43 6.0
North Lanarkshire 53.99 1.6
Angus 53.49 7.2
Falkirk 53.43 0.0
The Moray Council 48.84 3.5
East Lothian 48.08 4.3
Officers use a price comparison
website to find which energy
suppliers provide gas and
electricity at the lowest price
and can help you to switch to
a new supplier or a better rate
from your current provider. You
can use the price comparison
website yourself: the link is
available on our website.
Officers can provide advice on
how to reduce
overall energy
consumption, which will also
help lower bill costs.
For full details of the project,
look for the Angus Energy Saving
Project link on the council’s
website at www.angus.gov.
uk or call the ACCESSLine on
08452 777 778. •
13

Housing news
Housing news
Will your housing benefit be cut?
The UK government is cutting housing benefit by
up to 25% from April next year
You’ve probably seen stories in the press
about the UK government’s plans to
reform the welfare system. One of the biggest
changes that will affect council and
housing association tenants are changes
to the housing benefit system.
In short, this change means that
if you’re not using one or more of
the bedrooms in your home, you’re
under 62 and you’re claiming housing
If these changes affect you, there are some
options you need to consider:
14
do nothing: you can continue to stay
in your home but you will have to find
money from your personal allowance to
cover the difference between your rent
and the amount of housing benefit you
get;
downsize: we helped 21 applicants in
the last financial year to move to a smaller
home because they had bedrooms they
didn’t use;
exchange: you can apply under the
house exchange scheme to ‘swap’ homes
with another tenant provided you get our
permission to do so (other criteria still
apply);
move out: have you considered renting a
smaller property from a private landlord?
You need to think this option through
carefully because rents in the private
sector are often higher than a social rent.
benefit, you’ll lose either 14 or 25% of
your housing benefit from April 2013.
We are not changing rents in light of
these changes to the welfare system.
The rent set will be the amount we
expect the tenant to pay even if your
housing benefit is cut. This means
that you have to find the shortfall
from your own pocket as you are still
responsible for the rent charged. •
Help with your rent account
Arbroath, Carnoustie & Monifieth
Elaine Swankie or Debbie Thomson
T. 01241 435264 | 01241 435262
M. 07824 481818 | 07825 112029
Forfar & Kirriemuir
Kirsty Soutar or Jill Chapman
T. 01307 474159 | 01307 474732
M. 07799 714257 | 07827 283988
Montrose & Brechin
Gary Henderson or Sue Smith
T. 01674 664130 | 01674 664107
M. 07920 586984 | 07771 910921
Help with a housing application?
Speak to Tracey, Hazel, Vicki, Kelly or Lisa
01307 474765
Help with financial problems
Contact the council’s Welfare Rights service
through the ACCESSLine on 08452 777 778
The changes in brief
Who is affected?
Anyone under 62
When will this happen?
The change will take effect from April 2013
How will this affect the rent we charge?
It won’t. If your housing benefit is cut, you
must find the shortfall from your other benefits
because you’re still responsible for paying all
your rent. If you fail to pay, we will still take
action against you for non-payment of rent.
What will you lose?
Bedrooms
Rent charge
not used
Reduction Loss in benefit
1 £55.93 14% £7.83
2 64.53 25 16.13
1 64.53 14 9.03
2 80.91 25 20.22
Is anyone exempt?
• Everyone 62 years and over
• If you or your partner are disabled and you
need a carer to stay with you overnight
Other changes
Deductions will be made if you have nondependents
living with you (someone over
18 that isn’t your partner, a joint tenant or
sub-tenant or a dependent child) by £11.45
each week
What are you entitled to?
• a single person or couple is entitled
to benefit for one bedroom
• children of the same sex under
16 must share a bedroom
• children of different sexes under
10 must share a bedroom
• if you share care of your children with your
partner or former partner, the partner
that gets child benefit will get housing
benefit. The other parent gets nothing
What you can do
Downsize
We helped 21 applicants living in
properties larger than they needed
through our Downsizing Incentive
Scheme or DIS and we’re continuing
with this scheme in this financial year.
You’ll get a grant of up to £2,500 to
help you with the cost of removal,
carpeting, decoration,
telephone re-connection and
new fittings such as curtains
and blinds if you qualify for the
scheme.
Find more information
on the scheme at
www.angus.gov.uk/housing. •
Exchange
The Angus House Exchange scheme
is for people that want to move but
don’t have an urgent need to do so.
So if you’re an existing tenant and
you’re currently in the ‘inadequate
accommodation’ or ‘choice’ categories
of the housing list, this scheme is for
you!
Full details of the eligibility criteria are
available on-line, along with advice
and guidance for tenants using the
system.
You must have a current live housing
application with the Angus Common
Housing Register to arrange an
exchange via Angus House Exchange.
It may be a quicker way to move than
waiting on the housing list.
Once you have applied to register,
your registration will need to be
approved for Angus House Exchange.
The information you have provided
will be checked and verified by
your current landlord. This can take
up to five working days. Once your
registration has been approved,
we will send you an e-mail
with your unique ID number
and password. You will then
be able to search Angus House
Exchange for possible swaps.
Join today at
http://tinyurl.com/cjs9a6t •
15

Housing news
Housing news
Universal Credit
From October 2013 a
number of benefits that
are currently paid separately
will be brought
together into one payment
called Universal
Credit. The process will
be staggered (so not
everyone will move to
Universal Credit at once)
so it will take a few years
for Universal Credit to
be paid to everybody
Universal Credit will include
benefits such as Job Seekers
Allowance and Housing Benefit,
and the payment will be made
straight to the claimant. This
means you will have to make sure
you use this money to pay your
rent because if you don’t, you risk
losing your home. The rest of
your money should then be used
to pay your bills and household
expenses. You will receive this
monthly so you will need to think
about budgeting as well as how
you are going to pay your bills.
We can help with budgeting
advice as well as talking about
how you will pay your rent from
your Universal Credit payment.
Changes from April/May
2012 that could affect
Employment and Support
Allowance (ESA)
Employment and Support
Allowance provides financial
help to people who are unable
to work because of illness
or disability. It also provides
personalised support to those
who are able to work. The
medical test for ESA is changing
and claimants will need to take
part in ‘work related activity’.
Working tax credit (WTC)
From April 2012 there were
changes to working tax credit for
families and single people who
are employed or self-employed. If
you are a couple you must work
a combined total of 24 hours to
qualify for working tax credit.
There are exceptions which allow
some couples to work no more
than 16 hours between them and
still receive working tax credit.
Child tax credit
The income limit to qualify for
child tax credit has been reduced
to around £26,000 for a onechild
family with higher limits
for families with more children.
Benefit caps
From April 2013 the total amount
of benefit that you can receive
will be capped. The Government
will add up how much money
you get from a range of benefits
including housing benefit, child
benefit, tax credit and employment
support allowance.
If the total amount comes
to more than the maximum
amount allowed, your benefit
payments will be reduced.
The maximum amount
you will get from April 2013 is:
• £500 for couples and lone parents
• £350 per week for single
people without children
This cap will not apply if you get pension
credit or working tax credit or if a
member of your household is claiming
disability living allowance, attendance
allowance or the support element of the
employment support allowance. •
Here’s an example for you
Dave is 56 years old and lives in a 3-bedroom house
with his 14 year old son Harry. His other son Ken,
16, comes to stay most weekends. For the past few
years Dave has been getting Incapacity Benefit, a
small Income Support top-up, and partial Housing
Benefit and Council Tax Benefit. His rent is £64.53
a week.
Will he be affected by the under occupancy penalty?
Yes. Dave only needs two bedrooms for himself
and Harry - no extra bedroom is allowed for Ken
because he only comes to stay at weekends.
How much will he have to pay for the extra bedroom from
April 2013?
It is estimated that Dave will have to pay an extra
£9.03 a week as his Housing Benefit will be reduced
by 14%. Dave will need to find this money to pay
towards his rent or move to a two-bedroom house.
For information
Visit Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, the Direct
Gov site or the Department for Work and Pensions:
http://tinyurl.com/cecdw7n (HMRC)
http://tinyurl.com/cfrghqw (Direct Gov)
http://tinyurl.com/acvsj (DWP)
Feeling the financial strain?
• Keep a spending diary for a week. You’ll
be amazed at where your money goes
and where you can make savings.
Work out a budget and stick to it
• Don’t pay over the odds on your credit card
or loan. Try shopping around for a better
deal but don’t use door step lenders. Think
about joining the Angus Credit Union
• If you fall behind with your rent payments,
talk to us. We will do our best to work
something out with you. Get advice
from your housing officer or from
independent debt advice agencies:
it’s free and they’re there to help
• Don’t ignore the debt: it won’t go away and
the longer you leave it, the worse it gets.
Work with who you the owe money to. Offer
to repay your debt at a level you can afford
• Don’t borrow more money to pay off your
debts. This could lead to you getting further
in debt and possibly losing your home
• Tackle priority debts like your rent, council
tax, gas and electricity first because
you could lose your home if you miss
payments, your wages could be arrested
or your supply could be cut off
• Our Welfare Rights Officers can help with
financial problems. Contact them today
through the ACCESSLine on 08452 777 778
16
17

Housing news
We need your views
The ACCESSLine have been carrying out telephone
surveys with customers for the past few months
over several services. Each survey follows a
standard model and asks questions about
things such as how you found the service, how
professional we were, and whether you got all the
information you needed.
Callers are selected at random. We do not
call everyone that gets a service, just a small
percentage. If you use several housing services,
you may get a call about how you found each
service. We analyse the responses to identify
where we need to do better and what service
improvements are needed.
Early analysis suggests that the largest majority
of our customers are either satisfied or very
satisfied with the services they receive. We could
do better as your comments suggest we need to
work on improving communication, and making
sure contractors turn up for appointments when
they say they will.
The services we currently survey include
the housing appeals, housing options, gas
maintenance and housing applications services.
Make your voice heard
As part of our commitment to tenant participation,
we are currently looking for tenants who would be
interested in having a say in the way we manage
your homes.
We want to know your views about the service
you receive. We need to know what works, what
we could do better and where we are getting it
wrong so we can improve the services we provide.
You don’t always have to come to meetings to
take part: you can give your opinion in different
ways such as email surveys, tenant focus groups,
tenant forums, through social media like Facebook
and Twitter working with your neighbours to build
a sense of community.
No experience is needed, other than an interest
in working with us to shape the services and
the Scottish Social Housing Charter. This is your
chance to discuss where improvements are
needed and to consider new ways of doing this.
Evening and Weekend Appointments
for Gas Heating Servicing
Last year some of our tenants participated in the
Gas Maintenance contract consultation group.
One of the outcomes you requested was to have
evening and weekend appointment slots for Gas
YPHOS launches
A new project to tackle and prevent
homelessness for anyone 25 and under
was launched in May this year
The Young People’s Housing Options Service
(YPHOS) opened its doors in May 2012. The
service aims to help young people aged 16
to 25 look at their situation and explore what
kinds of housing might be right for them. The
service will also help families work out problems
which can lead to homelessness.
Workers at YPHOS have experience helping
young people and work in partnership
with other services to help provide support.
This may include welfare rights, education,
training services and housing support.
When a young person contacts the
service, we will try to find out as much
about them to assess how we can help.
This will include where they currently live,
whether they have other support needs,
what income they have and how urgently
they need to find somewhere else to
stay. We have the best chance of helping
when contacted as early as possible.
We will then discuss the choices
The Young People’s
Housing Options
Service (YPHOS)
You can contact us in person at
Arbroath ACCESS Office
or phone the ACCESSLine
on 08452777778
www.angus.gov.uk/housing/options
Age 16-25?
Thinking of leaving
home?
Homeless?
Our picture shows the YPHOS team
L-R (Back row) Alison Paton, Bill Takhar and Karen
Smillie (Front row) Claire Greenhill and Susan Travis
available: this may include filling in a
housing application form, trying to get
a private let or even a shared tenancy
with a friend. It will all depend on the
individual needs of the young person.
Our aim is to get a result where the
young person gets a planned, long-term
housing solution. We will keep in touch
with the young person for as long as they
need us to achieve the agreed plan.
You can find our online Housing
Options Guide at www.angus.gov.
uk/housing/options. It contains information
on how we can help.
The YPHOS is running as a pilot for two
years to see what difference
it makes for young people.
Young people can contact
the service by calling 08452
777 778 or by dropping
into Arbroath ACCESS
office asking for YPHOS. •
Housing news
Heating Servicing. We are pleased to announce
that from 1st September you will be able to book
these evening and weekend appointments.
Appointments will be available between 8am
and 8pm Monday to Friday and 8am and 5pm on
Saturdays.
If you live in the Forfar/Kirriemuir area, call Saltire
on 01698 743645. Call WRB Gas on 01382 204030 for
all other areas.
Pay by direct debit
Cut out the middleman and pay by the easiest,
quickest and most cost-effective way to pay
What to do: If you want to pay by direct debit,
complete a Direct Debit form, available from your
ACCESS offices or download a copy from our web
site and we’ll do the rest.
No stress: Once you have signed up, that’s it! You
need do nothing else ever! It’s all done for you. We’ll
amend your instalments automatically each year or
when the amount you need to pay changes. We’ll
give you at least 3 working days’ notice before we
request any amended amounts from your bank or
building society account.
Flexibility: You can pay weekly or monthly. Monthly
payments can be made on the 1 st or 15 th and weekly
payments are taken on a Friday.
Protection: If there’s a problem, you have the
reassurance of knowing that whatever happens your
money is protected.
Recruiting in Angus
Angus Community Mediation
is currently looking to
recruit volunteer mediation
assistants in the Angus area.
Community Mediation
is a free service available to people who are
experiencing difficulties with a neighbour. As
a mediation assistant, your primary role would
be to support the mediator when they visit
clients and take notes. You need to be a good
communicator – both written and oral, a good
listener, non-judgemental, mature in approach,
confident and flexible. It is important that you
are able to respect issues of confidentiality.
You will also be expected to attend regular
training evenings. The time commitment
will vary depending on case loads but you
will not be expected to work more than four
hours per week. Full expenses will be paid.
For an application pack call 01382 459252
or email info@dundee.sacro.org.uk
18
19

Housing news
23 and counting
Our ambitious plans to boost the number
of affordable homes for rent across the
county continues. The April rent increase
allows us to continue our new build plans
while continuing to invest in existing
homes and communities.
Kirriemuir
10 homes
What we’re building
1 bed -
2 bed 8
3 bed 2
4 bed -
20
Inveraldie, By Forfar
5 homes
What we’re building
1 bed -
2 bed 3
3 bed 2
4 bed -
On site
10 new homes at Mortarholes
and at Marywell Gardens
On site
5 new homes at Inveraldie,
By Forfar
Carnoustie
28 homes
What we’re building
1 bed 4
2 bed 24
3 bed -
4 bed -
On site
28 supported housing units
and care complex at Kinloch
Street
Forfar
18 homes
What we’re building
1 bed -
2 bed
3 bed
-
18
18 new town houses at Newmonthill,
Forfar, two homes
will be barrier free for tenants
4 bed - with physical disabilities
Arbroath
11 homes
What we’re building
1 bed -
2 bed 6
3 bed 5
4 bed -
On site
On site
11 new homes from new
build and conversion at Noran
Avenue
Montrose
45 homes
What we’re building
1 bed -
2 bed 17
3 bed 24
4 bed 4
On site
45 detached and wheelchair
accessible homes on a new
mixed tenure development at
Dungman’s Tack, Montrose.
Arbroath
11 homes
What we built
1 bed -
2 bed 1
3 bed 2
4 bed 8
Carnoustie and Monifieth
12 homes
What we built
1 bed -
Complete
2 bed
3 bed
-
4
12 homes at Burgh School
Close, Kinloch Street and
Dundee Street (Carnoustie)
4 bed 8 and Laird Street, Monifieth
Complete
11 new homes at Harry Farmer
Close
Housing news
Investing in homes and communities
In addition to our new homes, we’re working in
partnership with other social housing providers,
and the private sector, to deliver up to 150 affordable
homes to increase access to high-quality
homes for people to rent and buy. The building
programme provides an important boost to the
construction industry and the local economy.
Show homes were open at
Carnoustie and Arbroath
and will be open at future
sites to give you the opportunity
to have a look at
what we have achieved.
Your feedback told us
that you felt the homes
were good quality and
were completed to a high
standard. If you didn’t
manage to go along and
see the show homes, you
can view the Carnoustie
show home online: search
for ‘Kinloch development’
at www.angus.gov.uk.
We used a special initiative
to allocate the new
build properties to create
a chain of allocations to
help 25 families to date
and the chain continues.
We will continue to
target new build homes
towards council and
Hillcrest tenants with no
housing debt or history
of antisocial behaviour.
Some images are artist’s impressions, architect
site plans or are illustrative generally of the
stage of development
Our new build work
continue in Forfar and
Montrose. In Forfar, we
are breathing new life
into an old, unpopular
housing scheme
with the demolition of
Newmonthill to create 18
high quality town houses
with sprinklers and high
levels of insulation to
increase home safety
and help combat fuel
poverty because fuel
bills will be substantially
lower for new tenants.
We’ve also identified
sites at Marywell Gardens
and Mortarholes in
Kirriemuir and a rural
site at Inveraldie for
new build homes.
In Montrose, the new
build programme started
in April and we are on
target to complete the first
phase of 45 homes for late
2013. •
21
»

Housing news
»
It’s not all about new build!
£6.581m … the money we invested in homes
and communities in the last financial year
Kitchens 1.5m
New kitchens in 320 homes across Angus
Heating 1.19m
340 replacement gas central heating
systems
Energy saving
951K
External insulation systems for 32 homes
Sheltered Housing
935K
Modernising two schemes and replacing the lifts in
three schemes
Other Improvements
691K
Security fencing, fire separation works and footpath
resurfacing
Windows
499K
188 homes in Forfar
Aids & adaptations
420K
Level access showers, ramps and other adaptations
Conversion
395K
Converting 8 flats to 6 houses at Noran Avenue,
Arbroath
Would you qualify for a new home?
Our new homes are a mix of two, three, and four
bedrooms and will be let according to need. To be
eligible for a new house, you must meet a number
of key criteria:
• a new home must have the number of bedrooms
you need and must meet your medical needs if
you have any;
• you must have a current housing application;
• you must already be a tenant of Angus Council or
Hillcrest Housing Association (other partners may
be considered);
• you must have no rent arrears or other the council
any other money;
• you must not have a history of antisocial behaviour.
22
Fostering: can you help?
Fostering is a way of providing a nurturing and safe
environment for somebody else’s child in your own
home when they are unable to live with their birth
family.
What is fostering?
When families foster, they need to provide
a safe, secure and stable environment
so that children and young people can
recover from any potential traumas they
have experienced. Foster care is about
giving children and young people the
opportunities to reach their full potential.
To help you understand fostering, it’s
important to realise that there are different
types of fostering placements. Fostering can
be short term or long term, and fostering
can last for days, months or years.
Many children return home to their birth
families, but others may receive long term
support, either through continued fostering,
adoption, residential care, or by
being helped to live independently.
A foster family should give children and
young people the chance to experience
a positive and rewarding family life which
enables them to rebuild their trust in adults.
Who can foster?
The minimum age for fostering under
UK law is 18 years old. There is no upper
age limit but you do need to be fit,
healthy and have plenty of energy.
You do not need to be married to become
a foster carer. You can be single, divorced or
cohabiting. Gender is not a prohibiting factor
either. Both men and women can foster. Gay
men and women can become foster carers.
Foster carers are needed from all ethnic
origins with varying cultures and languages.
You do not need any particular qualifications
or education to be a foster carer. You
need to like children and young people, and
to be able to communicate well with them.
What do foster carers get paid?
The council has a system is in place to
give foster carers more recognition and
payment for the professional job they
do. This is reflected in the number of
children being fostered and the skills,
knowledge and experience of the foster
carer. There can be tax exemptions and
continuing entitlement to benefits.
As an example, a carer approved to take
two children aged 8 and 13 receive the following
allowances; Level 1 carer receives up to
£30,000, a Level 2 carer receives up to £33,000
and a Level 3 carer receives up to £40,000. •
Housing news
SUPPORT FOR FOSTER CARERS
• You and your family will have support from
your own link worker and from a network
of professionals
• Comprehensive range of support including
round the clock telephone support from a
member of the Angus fostering team
• Training is provided, to prepare you to
become a foster carer and also on an ongoing
basis after a child is placed with you
• Barnardo’s Therapeutic Service works in
partnership with Angus Council Social Work
and Health to provide additional support
for foster families
• Support for your own children including
involvement and taking part in the ‘Funky
Fosters’ group
• Holiday and respite care
• Support from other foster carers, including
social events, organised to allow foster
carers to meet and share their experiences.
For much more information on fostering:
www: fosteringandadoption.angus.gov.uk
Call: The Angus Fostering Team on 01241 435078
23

Housing news
Housing news
Blooming Marvellous
A nice garden brightens up even
the dullest day. Despite the dreary
weather we have been having, a ray of
sunshine was brought to many a street
in Angus thanks to the hard work
and effort of many council tenants.
Their efforts were awarded at a
prize giving ceremony on 3 rd August
hosted by the Vice Convenor of the
Neighbourhood Services Committee.
The competition has been running
for decades and the Local
Community Planning team were
delighted to receive record nominations
this year. Well done and thanks
to those who have made the effort.
Pictured is Mr Andrew Lawson of
Glamis, who won the Directors Special
Award for the most outstanding
garden in Angus. He is seen receiving
his award from the Provost of
Angus, Councillor Helen Oswald and
Vice Convener of Neighbourhood
Services, Councillor Jeanette Gaul. •
Getting in touch
Visit our ACCESS or ACCESS and Police
offices between 9am and 4.45pm
Old Parish Church, Arbroath #
Bank Street, Brechin * (L)
High Street, Carnoustie # (L)
Castle Street, Forfar *
Reform Street, Kirriemuir * (L)
Town House, Montrose *
High Street, Monifieth # (L)
* These offices open at 10am each Wednesday
# These offices open at 10am each Thursday
(L) Closed for lunch 12.30 to 1.30pm
Our picture shows Mr Lawson receiving the Stewart Edward
Cup from Provost Helen Oswald (Left) and Councillor
Jeanette Gaul, Vice-Convener of Neighbourhood services.
Our larger picture shows the winning garden
Call us between 8am and 6pm
Don’t forget that Angus ACCESSLine deals with
every telephone contact on 08452 777 778
Email us any time
Email us on housing@angus.gov.uk
Serve yourself any time
Information and payment facilities are
available at www.angus.gov.uk
All the Winners
Directors Special Award
Stewart Edward Cup
Andrew & Charlotte Lawson, 3 Strathmore Road,
Glamis
Overall Winner
Bill Roberton Trophy
George & Isobel Meldrum, 12 Tyndall Crescent,
Monifieth
Jim Miller Sustainable Garden Trophy
Lachlan Forbes, 18 Langlands Road, Forfar
Arbroath, Carnoustie and Monifieth
Murray McGlyn
1st. George & Isobel Meldrum, 12 Tyndall Crescent,
Monifieth
McCrae Wilson Cup
2nd. David & Thomasina McBeath, 19 Union Street,
Friockheim
Carnoustie Rosebowl
3rd. Douglas Mitchell, 23 West Smieton Street
Forfar, Kirriemuir, Landward and Sidlaw
Sidlaw Challenge Plate
1st. Robert & Sandra Black, 4 Hill Terrace, Birkhill
Kirriemuir AC Barrie Cup
2nd. George Wood, 15 South Esk Road, Tannadice
Forfar Horticultural Cup
3rd. Ian & Helen Guthrie, 14 Easterbank, Forfar
Montrose, Brechin and Landward
George Norrie Rosebowl
1st. Robert Barron, 42 Little Nursery, Montrose
Ruth Leslie Melville Rosebowl
2nd. Robert Hutcheon, 111 Market Street, Brechin
Councillor Ritchie Brechin &
Montrose Landward Plate
3rd. Alexander & Marion McPherson, 8 Slateford
Road, Edzell
24
25

Housing news
performance
In line with our commitment to
provide you with information
about how we perform in each
edition of Housing news, we
review how we performed in the
last full financial year
Repairing your home
Over 36,000 repairs were completed
Over 98% were completed on time
Our performance this year %
Actual 98.2
Target 96.0
Scotland 93.3
Performance in previous years
2010 95.5
2009 94.9
26
Are we better than …
Last year?
Scotland?
We compare our performance
with the average performance
across Scotland using the
most up to date figures we
have. For this year, we use the
Scottish figures for 2010-2011.
We’ll be publishing our
performance and financial
information online each month
at www.angus.gov.uk/housing
from 03 September this year
Target met?
Collecting rent
The percentage rent collected and outstanding
We collected £20.5m in rent but £655,000 is still due
Our performance this year %
Actual 6.9
Target 7.5
Scotland 5.9
Performance in previous years
2010 7.7
2009 7.9
Are we better than …
Last year?
Scotland?
Target met?
Homelessness
Making decisions on cases (Duty to house)
We made 76% of these decisions in 28 days
Our performance this year %
Actual 76.0
Target 75.0
Scotland 87.3
Performance in previous years
2010 63.9
2009 40.9
Letting low demand homes
We let 81 low demand homes
It took an average 34 days to relet them
Our performance this year
days
Actual 34
Target 32
Scotland 63
Performance in previous years
2010 32
2009 83
Are we better than …
Last year?
Scotland?
Are we better than …
Last year?
Scotland?
Target met?
Target met?
20 housing facts
1. We dealt with 1,113 households
that said they were homeless or
were threatened by homelessness
2. We received 2,896 complaints
about antisocial behaviour during
the year
3. Spent £2,029,453 completing
36,830 repairs to your home, one
quarter of which were completed
within 2 hours
4. Received 161 appeals and upheld
one quarter of the appeals we
heard this year
Letting not low demand homes
We let 817 not low demand homes
Homelessness
Making decisions on cases (No duty to house)
Are we better than …
Last year?
Scotland?
5. The average time it takes us
to make a decision about a
homeless case fell to 24.9 days
this year from 33.6 days last year
6. We dealt with 753 applications
from households that wanted
to move on medical or support
grounds
7. We spent over £6m improving
your homes and communities
8. We collected 10% of the money
former tenants owed us when
they left their homes owing rent
It took an average 38 days to relet them
Our performance this year
days
Actual 38
Target 30
Scotland 36
Performance in previous years
2010 33
2009 43
Are we better than …
Last year?
Scotland?
We made 68% of these decisions in 28 days
Our performance this year %
Actual 68.1
Target 75.0
Scotland 85.2
Performance in previous years
2010 57.1
2009 29.5
Target met?
Target met?
Housing news
9. We evicted 23 tenants for rent
arrears, antisocial behaviour or for
drug dealing
10. Our Common Housing Register
team processed 2,622 new
housing applications this year.
It took an average 16 days to
complete all checks so they
application could go live
11. We sold 22 homes to tenants who
exercised their right to buy. This
brings the total number of homes
we have been forced to sell to
7,179 since the right to buy was
introduced in 1980
12. We spent £984,000 repairing
homes at the end of a tenancy
13. 18 full Antisocial Behaviour Orders
(ASBOs) were in force at 31 March
2012. Our Community Safety
service opened 299 new cases
during the year
14. We gave 21 grants for tenants to
'downsize' to smaller homes
15. There were 140 homes empty at
the end of the year (March 2012)
16. 99.6% of all homes with gas
heating were serviced in 12
months
17. 86.7% of your homes now meet
the Scottish Housing Quality
Standard (SHQS)
18. We had 7,775 homes in the letting
pool; 835 homes (10.7% of all
homes) became available for let
during the year
19. We surveyed 25% of all our
homes so we can understand
what we need to do meet the
Scottish Housing Quality Standard
by 2015
20. We published our Local Housing
Strategy outlining how we will
build new homes for rent and
make better use of existing
homes up to 2017
27

Housing news
Word search
You must find all the words in the grid. Each word appears only once and can
be in any position (top to bottom, left to right, diagonal or back to front).
A A A R G E V S A V I N G S A S C S M M Adoption
I A D E E N E R G Y C E V R C I U T U E Aids and Adaptations
D M O A T S L S B O E O E H O N T H T D Benefits
S G P D O N A E G T F N A C E V N O U I Charter
A I A O S V N N R E E R A F L E W U A A Cuts
N V E P B E I A R T A L I H O S O S L T Energy
D A E T F S H C E F C U D O C T C I E I Fostering
A S W I U C H D T E M N M U E M H N X O Glebe Court
D M T O I A I R F R O I E S B E I G C N Housing Options
A S H N R A T O E I N E D I E N A O H Y Investment
P E I T S T U C T F N M I N L T R P A U Mediation
T B E M E D I A T E O V N G G C E T N B Money
A R B N E B R O B O I R N O I U F I G O Mutual Exchange
T E T I F E N E B O R R M P M M R Y E T Reform
I Y O Y N M E D I O F O S T E R I N G T Regeneration
O T R E G N I S U O H L A I C O S M R H Right To Buy
N L G A Y O U N G P E R S O N S N O I G Savings
S E U D A D O R A E A H O N M O C N G I Social Housing
R W G O I T P A D A D N A S D I A E H R Welfare
H N F B S A M G L E B E C O U R T Y O U Young Persons
Prizes
The first correct entry
picked at random gets
£50 in shopping vouchers
for a supermarket of
their choice. The second
gets £30 and the third,
£20, in vouchers.
Send us your entry
You can return your
entry to us through your
local ACCESS office: you
don’t need to post it
back to us.
Remember to include
your name, address
and a number or email
address so we can get
in touch if your name is
drawn out of the hat.
Something to say?
Name:
Address:
Number:
Email address:
Comments:
The information you have provided
on the Housing Newsletter will
be used by Angus Council (the
“data controller” for the purposes
of the Data Protection Act 1998)
in order to analyse levels of
customer satisfaction and to
contact you only where you have
agreed to become involved. The
information will be held securely
by the Council and will be treated
as confidential except where the
law requires it to be disclosed.
Contact the Angus ACCESSLine
on 08452 777 778 if you want
Housing News translated
into another language or in
large print, audio or Braille
28
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