Issue 04-customer_news_mar2006

Naturally, therefore,people, homes andcommunities are animportant and vital part ofthis. We have to makesure that our relationshipwith you, our customer, isworking well.That doesn’t just mean thatwe tell you things thatwe’re doing, moreimportantly it means

listening to what you want,what matters to you andunderstanding what youthink of how we’re doingour job!That’s why we areplanning a customerconference on April 4th, tohelp us do exactly that!Now before you all go and

Stockport Homes will soonbe unveiling it’s excitingand fresh new website atwww.stockporthomes.org. It is hoped that the websitewill be unveiled at thecustomer conference,whilst simultaneously beinglaunched around the world!To whet your apetite,

however, we have a sneakpreview of what is in storewhen the site launches!The website is the longawaited digital face of theorganisation and willcontain a great manyfeatures that will appeal tomembers of the general

NEWS and viewsIIssssuuee 44:: March 2006

CUSTOMERCONFERENCECONFIRMED

Find out what we’redoing about Anti-Social Behaviour

Spring has finallyarrived! Seasonalgardening tips for all!

Leaseholder News!All new sectioninside!

Stockport Homes’ mission is to deliver a customerdriven service, providing quality homes wherepeople want to live

Page 14Page 8 Page 12

Countdown for StockportHomes’ Website begins

Where’s themystery location?Well folks, it’s the £100 competition timeagain and this issue we’ve gone forsomething central to Stockport to getyou all guessing!Last issue’s competition location waswon by Mr P Leedham - and ourcongratulations to him. For a better lookat this issue’s mystery location and tofind out where last issue’s was, turn toPage 7. Good luck!

Continued on Page 3

Continued on Page 2

Stockport Homes’ new rentcompetition to help customerswin a first prize of £250, asecond prize of £100 or a thirdprize of £50 for each of thethree districts – Central, Eastand West has got off to a flyingstart!The prize draw which takesplace every three months as athank you to all the tenants whopay their rent and servicecharges on time, has alreadyunveiled it’s winners.Mr Brown, one of the luckyrecipients, pictured opposite,said he was delighted to havewon!And with a draw happeningevery three months, it may notbe long before you are £250

better off! What’s more, enteringcouldn’t be easier! Just makesure that your rent account isup-to-date and we will do therest! For more information,please see the feature on page11 and good luck!

2 3NEWS and views: March 2006 NEWS and views: March 2006www.stockporthomes.org www.stockporthomes.org

Welcome toour 4thnewsletter asStockportHomes.While we mayonly be sixmonths intoour existence,I hope you have already noticedmany differences on the ground. Iappreciate that the real differencefor you, our customer, will onlycome when we succeed inreleasing the significantinvestment provisionally allocatedto Stockport Homes. We will do this with your help.I hope you are one of thecustomers who has beeninvolved in giving your views onsome aspects of our service.There are so many different waysthat you can get involved and tellus what you think. Come alongto our customer conference,attend one of the CustomerAction Group meetings or simplywrite in and let us know! Thedetails for all of these arecontained throughout thisnewsletter.For my part, I am trying to keepyou informed about all servicesdelivered by Stockport Homes,hopefully in a lively andinteresting way.You will soon be issued with acustomer handbook, whichcovers a whole range of servicesdelivered by Stockport Homesand is packed with useful adviceand information. If you read itimmediately, that would be greatbut if not keep it handy for whenyou need us in the future.I will keep you posted.

HHeelleenn MMccHHaallee:: SSttoocckkppoorrttHHoommeess,, CChhiieeff EExxeeccuuttiivvee

Looking forward

I will attend the conferenceTuesday 4th April 2006 in Pavilion Suite 2, Stockport County from 10-4

hide, this won’t be a boringconference where everyone sitsaround and tries to stay awake!It is going to be interactive,informal and fun. We will haveno speeches and no formalpresentations - and that’s apromise!The conference will provide youwith a golden opportunity tomeet managers and decisionmakers in an informal setting.They will come to you at yourtable, introduce themselves andto tell you how their service livesup to the mission statement. Arethey delivering? What else dothey need to do to deliver? Howfar are they on the road tosuccess? Then it’s your turn to askquestions directly of them - andget answers! If you want toknow what someone is doingabout something - just ask!Says Chief Executive HelenMcHale: “This event is anessential part of what we as anorganisation are all about and isa great way for us to hear what

you think. It gives us an uniqueopportunity to meet up with ourcustomers face to face anddiscuss the issues that matter tothem. It’s an exciting event thatbrings everyone under one rooffor the day to allow for anhonest and open exchangeabout where we’re going andhow we can improve. It also letsus answer questions andexplain decisions in more detail.I am very much looking forwardto it and hope that manycustomers will be able to attendand join in.”The day’s events won’t just beabout asking questionshowever; customers will alsoplay the Priorities Board Game.Working with other customers,you’ll have an opportunity to tellus where our priorities shouldbe when it comes to spendingthe money that we have at themoment and what we hope tohave when we achieve a two-star rating.But it’s not all about us! Wewant to celebrate thecontribution that customers have

made in driving forwardimprovements by introducing aCommunity Awards Scheme.We also want to acknowledgethe work that customers do ontheir own estates or in theirneighbourhoods, as individualsor through tenant and residentsassociations. We want you totell us what the differentcategories should be and whatformat the awards should take,e.g. certificates, gift vouchers,etc.And if that wasn’t enough therewill be a buffet lunch andrefreshments will be provided tokeep you fuelled for the day’sactivities. We want as many people toattend as possible. As such wehave booked the Pavilion SuiteNo.2 at Stockport County’sGround between 10am and 4pmon Tuesday 4th April. We wantyou to come along and help usdeliver better services andresults for you. If you havedifficulty getting to the venue orneed help with child care thenjust let us know.

Customer conference confirmed

#

#

YES!YES!Title: First Name:Surname:Address:

Post Code:Phone No:

I do not have any special requirementsI have special dietary requirements as follows: I have access requirements as follows:

I require a taxi there and backI need help with child careOther requirements:

My details: Please tick:

Cut out and post back to us using the freepost envelope included with this newsletter! Youcan also confirm by e-mail at [email protected] or calling 0161 474 2862

Rent reward for lucky winners

One of the top prize winners MrBrown with Stockport Homes’Chief Executive Helen McHale andCustomer Finance ManagerRichard Jeffreys

Stockport Homes’ website

From Page 1

public, other housing groupsand associations as well as ourmost important audience - you,our customers.There will be many new facilitiessuch as ways for you to contactus to pay your rent, report arepair or to simply let us knowwhat you think about ourservices and performance. The website will grow anddevelop over the coming yearsand the services and facilitiesincluded will expand to reflectwhat you want and need. So why not get in at thebeginning and sign up to our

new Internet consultativegroup? What do you want tosee on the site? Let us knowand you could be shapingStockport Homes’ digital future!We are nothing without you andcan’t develop a truly exceptionalwebsite without your help! To express your interest pleasee-mail Mark Sinclair [email protected] or write to Internet Group,Stockport Homes, 1 St Peter’sSquare, Stockport, SK1 1NZ.So come along to the customerconference and see historybeing made.

From Page 1


There isnever a dullmoment atStockportHomes and2006 iscertainlyproving that!While staff redouble their effortsfor the summer’s inspection,there are many great thingsalready to be proud of.To take only a few examples:the services that we are able todeliver to you, our customers,has improved greatly with thearrival of 27 new staff, moving toStockport Homes fromStockport Direct Services. Withall of our repair staff under oneroof, working together, we canimprove our service, make ouroperation more efficient andpass on the savings to you!Plans are also underway to givethe shop in St Peter’s more thana lick of paint with a designmakeover on the cards. Soonnew display signs, shopdisplays and a plasma screenwill assist those looking to findaccommodation in Stockport.With so much going on it’s goodto take time out to appreciateeverything that is being done tomake Stockport Homes’ aleader in its field.I am sure you appreciate, as Ido, all that is being done todeliver improvements across theboard for Stockport Homes’customers. I look forward tomeeting many of you at theCustomer Conference on April4, but in the meantime, enjoythe newsletter.

Homelessness fallbrings praise and extrafunds from Deputy PM

RRooggeerr PPhhiilllliippss:: CChhaaiirr ooffSSttoocckkppoorrtt HHoommeess BBooaarrdd

The future isbright!

The number of householdswhich are considered to behomeless across Stockportplunged by more than 61% inthe last three months of 2005compared to the same periodin 2004.This impressive andencouraging fall has beencredited to the workundertaken by the HousingOptions team and the manydifferent approaches that theyhave adopted to tackle theissue.The Office of the DeputyPrime Minister has been soimpressed with this and theinnovative ways to helpachieve it, that they haveoffered extra funds to the tuneof £20,000 a year to helpfinance specific initiatives tohelp keep the figure comingdown.Says Simon Welch, HomelessServices Manager: “This is awonderful achievement, ofwhich the whole team can beproud. However there is muchwe still need to do to helpdeliver better quality servicesto our customers and to bringdown homlesness evenfurther.”The Housing Options teamfocussed upon the keyreasons why people weremade homeless, which couldbe anything from being askedto leave home by parents orloss of privately rentedaccommodation.The Housing Options teamhave employed a range of

different approaches to helpaddress each and every case.This has included such thingsas: mediation, where a trainedprofessional sits down withthe parents of a child who hasbeen asked to leave homeand arranges for them to stay,even if this is only until theycan move into otheraccommodation; the provisionof a rent bond, where adeposit is offered to alandlord to help secureaccommodation in the privatesector; a visiting officer, whovisits people in their ownhomes and focuses on waysto resolve any issues as earlyas possible and working withprivate landlords to helprectify problems and findsolutions for and on behalf oftenants.It was, however, the work ofthe visiting officer that caughtthe Office of the Deputy PrimeMinister’s eye. They wereimpressed by the proactiveand successful nature of thework that they awarded agrant of £20,000 for each ofthe next two financial years tocontinue this initiative.Added Simon: “We aredelighted with what we haveachieved and how we areable to help others, but this isjust the start! In the yearahead we will be exploringand developing more optionsfor customers to furtherreduce the number ofhouseholds who need topresent as homeless.”

Standing room only!Customers from across theBorough recently accepted apersonal invitation to join Stockport Homes staff inattending the first DistrictForums of 2006.Record attendance levels,meant a few hasty last minutechanges to ensure that weprovided a well earned seatand warming drink for all ourdedicated customers bravingthe cold January weather!Introduced late last year, theforums are designed to providea new opportunity forcustomers to find outinformation about, andinfluence, decisions made bytheir District Teams. Staff and Managers from theEast, West and CentralHousing Teams met with theircustomers to discuss a variedagenda of local issues andpriorities. Details of forthcoming capitalworks and improvements(including Window replacementschedules) were followed byvaluable discussions about thequality of service currently

offered by Stockport Homes,which performance monitoringindicators are important tocustomers and updates on theestate improvement projects.Aside from the main agenda,for many attendees, the mostvaluable aspect of the forumswas the opportunity to meetwith other customers andspeak directly with officers in afriendly and relaxedenvironment.District Forums are held everyquarter, so please check thelist opposite to see when yournext District Forum is takingplace.When we set the agenda eachmeeting, we want to ensurethat the meetings areinteresting and relevant. Wetherefore welcome yoursuggestions for futurediscussion topics. So, to let us know what youwant to talk about or book yourplace at the meeting, pleasecontact the designatedCustomer Involvement Officerin your area on the telephonenumbers listed opposite.

East District

When: Monday 24th AprilAfternoon-3:30pmEvening-6:30pmWhere: RomileyCommunity Centre,Romiley PrecinctContact: Debbie Despres: 0161 474 4136

West District

When: Tuesday 25th AprilAt 6:30pmWhere: Pavilion Suite 2, Stockport County FootballGroundContact: Jane Clayton:0161 474 2960

Central District

When: Thursday 27th April (Time TBC)Where: The CommunityRoom, The HatworksContact: Peter Egerton:0161 474 4373

FORUM MEETING DATES

In Stockport Homes’ never-ending quest to improve levels ofservice and customersatisfaction, it was decided thatStockport Homes would takedirect charge and responsibilityfor what used to be the housingmaintenance team fromStockport Direct Services (SDS).The purpose of such a movewas designed to help makedelivering these services more

efficient by bringing everythingunder one roof, so to speak. Asa result, Property Maintenance

Solutions was created with 27staff joining Stockport Homes.Ian Simpson, the ContractsManager commented: “We bringa wide range of skills andexperience on both themanagement and trade side ofthings. We look forward tocontinuing and improving furtherstill as part of Stockport Homesand in so doing, provide a firstclass repairs and maintenanceservice to the tenants ofStockport.”

Maintenance solutions for Stockport

The new look vans

Yes! I would like to receive a

caretaking service!

7NEWS and views: March 2006NEWS and views: March 2006

6www.stockporthomes.org www.stockporthomes.org

Following on from thegreat success of lastissue’s mystery photocompetition, here wego again!If you want to win£100 in high streetvouchers then all youhave to do is let usknow where this photohas been taken! It’s assimple as that.All we ask is that yoube as specific aspossible! We want toknow building names,street names orspecific locations. Then once we have all

of the entries in(deadline Friday 5th ofMay 2006) we will pickone out at random andthe winner will beannounced on Friday12th May 2006.So best of luck andremember, be specificwith your location ordescription. Enjoy!Entries can be e-mailed [email protected] or postedto: Photo Competition,Stockport Homes, 1 StPeter’s Square,Stockport, SK1 1NZ

Where’s themmyysstteerryy llooccaattiioonn??

It will soon be even easier tofind a new home throughStockport Homes’ Homechoicescheme. In April, Homechoice will belaunching a new choice-basedlettings website.Every fortnight the website willbe updated with details of theproperties available that week.Eager home hunters will beable to look for properties byproperty type, area andnumber of bedrooms available.Individual property sheets willprovide further information,such as the type of heating, ifthe property has a warden orcarecall and whether pets areallowed. Photos of theproperties will also be includedon the website (whereavailable).What’s more, using thewebsite couldn’t be easier! Assoon as you have decidedwhich homes you would like tobid for you simply complete anon-line form to place your bid.Then you will be contacted inthe usual way. The

Homechoice website won’t justoffer a home hunting facilitythough, it will also enable youto:

register with Homechoice bycompleting an on-line application form view the mutual exchanges advertsview lettings statisticsdownload Homechoice literature and newsletters

Don’t forget that free Internetaccess is available at librariesand information centresthroughout Stockport if youaren’t connected at home.If you would like to know moreabout the new Homechoicewebsite or how Homechoiceworks, then please contact amember of the Homechoiceteam on 0161 474 4567 whowill be happy to help. But inthe mean time remember,we’re hoping to launch in midApril, so keep checking backat www.stockporthomes.org/homechoice

Do you know what a hateincident is? Officially it istermed as ‘Any incident whichis perceived to be motivated byhate by the victim or any otherperson”.This can be motivated by anumber of different issues,such as:

Race: On the grounds of a person’s membership or presumed membership of a particular racial groupSexuality: On the grounds of a person’s sexual orientation

Gender: On the grounds of a person’s genderDisability: On the grounds of a person’s disabilityReligion: On the basis of a person’s religion or perceived membership of a religious group.

Stockport Homes will nottolerate such behaviour on theirestates and will take actionagainst any resident who isinvolved or who allows peoplewho are living with them orvisiting them to carry out suchbehaviour.

If you have been a victim of, orwitnessed a hate incident wewould encourage you to reportit directly to the Police on 0161872 5050.Alternatively, you can report itdirectly to your District HousingOffice or the Anti-SocialBehaviour Team on:Adswood: 474 4371Brinnington: 474 4372Reddish: 474 4373ASB Team: 476 2467If you would like furtherinformation on our Hate Crime Policy and Procedurethen please contact the Anti-Social Behaviour Team as above.

A new house... with a click of a mouse

Stamping out hate

We can now reveal where thelocation of last News and View’smystery location was... It wasnon other than the car park

above the the Merseywayshopping centre. We had manyentries and thank you all forsending your guesses in. Forthose who didn’t win last time,why not enter again? Goodluck!

REVEALED!

Sweeping changesHere at Stockport Homes weare always looking for new wayto improve how we deliver ourservices to you. One ways to help us achievethis is to see how we canimprove and develop ourcaretaking services.As you may know, caretakingstaff undertake dedicatedcleaning and maintenancewithin the communal areas ofmany of our blocks of flats. Inaddition, area caretakersundertake general litter picking,rubbish removal and tidyingacross estates.However, not everyone hasaccess to this service and sowe want to know if customerswho don’t currently enjoy thebenefits of this service now,would like to. This wouldtypically cost around £5 perweek and would be collectedvia your rent. And remember,the more people who sign up -the cheaper it will be! So, if youlive in a block of flats or on ahousing estate and think you’dbenefit from caretakingservices, let us know!

Yes! I would like to receive a

caretaking service!Name:

Address:

Postcode:

Please hand this in to anydistrict office or post it backto us using the reply paidenvelope included in thisnewsletter

9NEWS and views: March 2006

8NEWS and views: March 2006 www.stockporthomes.org www.stockporthomes.org

So, what have wedone so far?

Since April 2005 we have takenout eight injunctions and carriedout seven evictions.

To offer just two examples ofwhat this means in practice:

A tenant from Pendlebury Towers, Lancashire Hill, was evicted on 24th January 2006 for behaving in an anti-social manner. There were continuous reports of loud music, fighting, and drunken behaviour that was a cause of constant distress and nuisance to the neighbours.

In October 2005 an injunction was obtained on an individual at Brinnington to stop him drinking alcohol in a public place. This person’s behaviour caused alarm and distress to residents living, working and visiting the area.

These two examplesdemonstrate the type ofbehaviour that we take actionagainst. If you are sufferingfrom anti-social behaviour ofthis nature or would like furtherinformation on our policy andprocedures, then pleasecontact your district housingoffice.

How do you refer acase of Anti-SocialBehaviour to us?

If you are suffering from anti-social behaviour then you mustcontact your district housingoffice as soon as possible. Thereport can be made in person,in writing, by telephone, byemail or through a third party.

Your complaint will be fullyinvestigated and your HousingOfficer will draw up an actionplan with you. This action planwill detail how your complaintwill be progressed and whataction will be taken.If the initial action does notresolve the problem, or at anytime during the process theissue is deemed urgent orserious, then the case will bereferred to the ASB team. Anamed Tenancy EnforcementOfficer will be assigned to yourcase. At this stage it isprobable that some form oflegal action will be taken toresolve the problem.

How do we tackleAnti-Socialbehaviour?

There are many different toolsthat Stockport Homes and ourpartners can use to tackle anti-social behaviour. Below arejust a few of the more commonactions we take:

Anti-Social Behaviour Order(ASBO)

Is imposed by the court and carries restrictions on a person’s behaviour and the

area the person can reside orvisit. It can also restrict thepeople that he or she associatewith. The ASBO can beeffective for two or more yearsdepending on the directions ofthe court. If the terms of anASBO are broken then theindividual can face a prisonsentence of up to 5 years.

Acceptable BehaviourContract (ABC)

A voluntary agreement betweenan individual, Stockport Homesand the Police, thoughsometimes other agencies maybe involved too. ABCs contain pledges to behave in a particular manner or to stop doing certain things. Thoughnot legally enforceable, if theterms are broken it is usual toproceed to another level ofaction, such as court.

Injunctions

Civil orders obtained from the county court. An injunctionprohibits the person concernedfrom engaging in the behaviour detailed in the injunction.

Possession Proceedings

This is court action that canlead to Stockport Homes’

tenants being evicted. Evicting someone, who may have family and children, fromtheir home is a very seriousmatter. Stockport Homes willhave to prove to the court that‘on the balance of probabilities’the tenant has broken theterms of their tenancyagreement and that it isreasonable for the court to evictsomeone from their home.

Stockport Homes tacklingAnti-Social BehaviourAnti-Social Behaviour is something that we areall aware of. It may not be something that wehave witnessed ourselves, but whether throughfriends and family or just hearing about it in themedia, we all know that there is plenty ofcoverage given to the topic.Anti-Social Behaviour can be anything fromnuisance youths congregating and intimidatingpeople, it can be graffiti around yourneighbourhood or it could be your neighboursbehaving in an anti-social or threatening way,such as playing their music too loud. Whatever

form it takes, it can have a negative impact onyour quality of life.At Stockport Homes we are constantly workingto improve our services to you, our customer,and in so doing, raise the quality of life for all. Assuch we will not tolerate any form of Anti-SocialBehaviour. It is for this reason that we set up adedicated Anti-Social Behaviour team who areworking together to reduce and eradicate anybehaviour that stops you from enjoying yourhome. Here they answer some of yourquestions:

This Anti-Social Behaviourteam members are:-

ASB manager: Michelle Mackey

Tenancy EnforcementOfficers:

Ged Pilling Alan Kent Matthew Cox

ASB Assistant:Natalie McNulty

If you would like furtherinformation about Anti-SocialBehaviour Team pleasecontact Natalie Mcnulty ontelephone number 01614762467 or by email [email protected]

The Anti-Social Behaviour partnership at a recent conference

Meet the team

The Resettlement team, whohelp vulnerable tenants set uptheir new homes, recently held a number of focus groups with current and pastservice-users. One of them wasfor service-users from blackand minority ethnic groups(BME).The groups were lively andseveral suggestions and ideasput forward at the meeting will

be taken forward to improve theservice. These include:

changes to the information in the welcome packssimplification of the Support Plan documentsprinting a Housing Options leaflet for refugees.

The next focus group is at 6pmat the Minor Hall, StockportCentral Library on 25th April2006.For more information and acopy of the agenda, pleasecontact the Resettlement teamon 0161 474 3772. Or just turnup on the night!

Resettlement focusing on change



Stockport Homes is committedto making it as easy as possiblefor you to pay your rent andservice charges and offers alarge variety of different paymentmethods:

AATT SSTTOOPPFFOORRDD HHOOUUSSEE

You can pay by cash, chequeand debit/credit card at thePayments Hall, Stopford House,Piccadilly, Stockport. Openinghours are 9:00am – 4:30 pmMonday to Thursday and9:00am – 4:00pm Friday.

AATT AA PPOOSSTT OOFFFFIICCEE OORRPPAAYYPPOOIINNTT OOUUTTLLEETT

You can pay at any Post Officeor any retail outlet displaying thePayPoint logo using a swipecard. Post Offices are open onSaturday mornings and manyPayPoint outlets are open 7 daysa week and late night.

To request a free payment swipecard please telephone 08451283933.

OONN TTHHEE IINNTTEERRNNEETT

You can pay with a debit orcredit card at:www.stockport.gov.uk/payments

BBYY PPOOSSTT

Pay by cheque through the post.Cheques should be madepayable to StockportMetropolitan Borough Counciland sent to StockportMetropolitan Borough Council,Payments, PO Box 4, Stockport,SK1 3FN. Please write your name, addressand payment reference numberon the back of the cheque.Cheques must not be postdated. Please enclose astamped addressed envelope ifyou require a receipt. PPLLEEAASSEEDDOO NNOOTT SSEENNDD CCAASSHH..

BBYY TTEELLEEPPHHOONNEE

You can pay using a debit orcredit card by telephoning 08451297010. This service isavailable 24 hours a day.

SSTTAANNDDIINNGG OORRDDEERR

Payments can be made directlyfrom your bank or buildingsociety account. Pleasetelephone 0161 474 5163 torequest a standing order form.

DDIIRREECCTT DDEEBBIITT

Direct debit will soon beavailable to all customers and adirect debit mandate form will besent to you in due course.

Stockport Homes will nowbe holding a quarterlyprize draw for all tenantswith a clear rent account.

TThheerree wwiillll bbee aa ffiirrsstt pprriizzeeooff ££225500,, sseeccoonndd pprriizzee ooff££110000 aanndd tthhiirrdd pprriizzee ooff££5500 ffoorr eeaacchh ooff tthhee tthhrreeeeddiissttrriiccttss –– CCeennttrraall,, EEaassttaanndd WWeesstt..

The prize draw will takeplace every three monthsas a thank you to all theconscientious tenantswho pay their rent andservice charges on time.

All you have to do to beentered in the prize drawis to ensure that your rentaccount is clear and youcould win a cash prize.

Prize draws will take placeon the following dates:

WWeeddnneessddaayy 55tthh AApprriill 22000066WWeeddnneessddaayy

55tthh JJuullyy 22000066WWeeddnneessddaayy

44tthh OOccttoobbeerr 22000066

PAYING YOUR RENTis easier than ever!

If you encounter difficulties paying your rent, you should contact the customerfinance team on 0161 474 5163 as soon as possible. In most cases we will beable to help you and by making an early arrangement you may be able to avoidcourt proceedings and extra costs being incurred.

Problems paying your rent

£250PRIZE DRAW

£250PRIZE DRAWIs there something that you

want us to know. Maybe it’s ageneral observation orcomment about how we dothings. Maybe you want tomake a complaint or pay us acompliment! Whatever it is, here atStockport Homes we arealways working to betterimprove our service deliveryand customer satisfactionlevels. To do that it is essentialthat you regularly let us knowwhat you think - good, bad andeven ugly!And if you think there arethings we could do better -then just let us know.We arealways interested in new andinnovative ideas!All the feedback we receivewill be used to improve ourservices, so you know the timeyou spend getting in touch, willbe time well spent.Furthermore, all improvementsmade will be published infuture editions of thisnewsletter.So pick up a pen, the phone,ordrop us an e-mail - whicheveris the most convenient methodfor you - get in touch!Your thoughts, opinions andideas are always appreciated.

Want to let us know what you think?

In person: visit your localoffice or the HousingInformation Centre inStockport town centre.

By telephone: telephone yourlocal office or the CustomerFeedback Officer on 0161474 2600

By email: [email protected]

By text message: to 07891949 399

Through the StockportInterpreter Unit: on 0161 4779000

By post: you can write yourcomments down and sendthem to us at Service Improvement Team,1st Floor, St Peters Square, Stockport , SK1 1NZ

or send them in the reply paidenvelope included with thisnewsletter

How you can let us know...

What has sharing opinions with StockportHomes ever achieved before...?

Customers’ views have directly led to improvements inservices delivered by Stockport Homes on several occasionsin the last few months alone! Here’s just a few examples:

A welcome pack is now available to new tenants moving into properties because customers thought it would be a good idea. The content of the pack was also influenced by customers.

Historically, the contact centre was criticised for the amountof time taken for calls to be answered. Staff have now been trained to deliver quicker response times. And in response to customer feedback, more staff were employedin the centre.

Customers that work full-time have commented on their difficulty to arrange appointments, as a result Saturday morning appointments have now been introduced to cater for both rent and repiars services.

Contact centre staff now aim to give appointments to all routine repair jobs, rather than just letting a contractor appear at your home unannounced to fix the problem.

When customers commented that it was difficult to choose a replacement door without physically seeing it, the door replacement contractors introduced road shows and open days to allow customers to see the doors and make their decision in person.

None of these could have happened without you! Youropinion matters, so let us know what you think!

Spring is here! And with itcomes the glorious sight offlowers slowly budding andtrees reawakening after theirwinter’s rest.Finally after months of snow,frost and cold, our parks,gardens and window boxesremember what it’s like to bealive and the rich diversity ofcolours become evident onceagain.But what can we all do to helpget our gardens in tip-top shapefor the rest of spring and thearrival of summer? A few simple

things will not only liven up ourgardens but ensure we areseeing and smelling the benefitsfor months to come!

If you want to get the most outof your spring garden then youneed to maximise on the rangeof plants available for theseason and the benefits eachoffer. The Royal HorticulturalSociety recommend suchwonderfully smelling shrubssuch as Christmas box(Sarcococca confusa), winterhoneysuckle (Lonicera xpurpusii), wintersweet(Chimonanthus praecox), inaddition to many species of

Daphne. All of these plantswill give you a spring scent

sensation that will liven

the senses! If you are thinking a little morelong term and are about to putin new plants then there’s a fewthings you need to remember.For one, with various frosts andchills, these plants will need youto remember to water and feedthem! To assist with theseason’s best and to encouragegrowth you may want to addsome compost to your flowerbeds, pots or just around theplanting area and add someslow release general fertilisers.This will help to protect andencourage growth.

Don’t be afraid of experimentingwith colours and varieties ofplants. There’s no right orwrong when it comes toplanting and so go mad and mixin a range of different plantsthat have different sizes,

colours and types.

The result will be an enchantingmix of texture and visualvariety!

To help secure that all importantearly colour make sure thatyour bulbs are planted early inSpring (March/April) Aconites(Eranthis hyemalis) andsnowdrops (Galanthus) usuallydo battle to be the first to flower,followed by narcissi and tulips.Soon after you will see thatthese plants will soon be joinedby the earliest floweringperennials, such as hellebores.As the early bulbs begin to dieaway we see the progression ofthe other herbaceous plants tohelp mature our gardens.

Irrespective of when you goabout planting, when you areengaged in a new bout ofplanting you must alwaysensure that you protect youryoung plants against snails andslugs! There are many

different organicways to

achieve

this and every gardener willhave their own that they swearby! Usual methods can includetempting them into a trap setinto with beer or an upturnedcitrus fruit, like a grapefruit orusing crunchy gravel. None canbe sure to work 100% so thebest preparation is ensuring thatgardens, borders and plants arekept clean over the winterof dead vegetation sothat it removes theirfavourite hidingplaces and helpsto reducenumbers. Forthe braveamongst you,nothingbeats goingout andcollectingthem up!This

will usually occur at night andthus require a bucket and atorch, so it is not for the feinthearted! So whatever plants you chooseor method of bug collecting youadopt, enjoy the flourish ofcolours spring and summer

deliver!


FINALLY, SPRING IS HERE!

NEWS and views: March 2006www.stockporthomes.org www.stockporthomes.org

And with it a host of opportunities for going back outside andmaking our gardens, yards or window boxes a riot of colour!

For more information:

SSttoocckkppoorrtt HHoommeess Gardening for you

Stockport Homes has specially writtentwo useful and informative guides on how

best you can maintain yourgardens and what you canexpect from the groundsmaintenance staff. Ask atyour local direct office for acopy.SSttoocckkppoorrtt HHoommeess

Gardens

And with it a host of opportunities for going back outside andmaking our gardens, yards or window boxes a riot of colour!

LEA

SE

HO

LDE

R N

EW

S



The survey says...

A survey of all leaseholderscompleted in May 2005,indicated an overall low levelof satisfaction of the service.At the time 74% ofrespondents thought that theorganisation took little or noaccount of their views beforemaking decisions that affectthem.Since then, we have beenworking very hard to look atthe way in which we provideservices and importantly, howwe can improve. Thecomments and feedback wehad received from theleaseholder survey and thediscussions we have at theLeaseholder Action Grouphelped us to identify keyareas, which requiredimprovements. This formed the direction ofour review of the service,which commenced in October2005, in which we focused onthree key aspects of theservice affecting leaseholders:These were

> Information and customeraccess to services

> Maintenance and repairs > Service charges

Staff and leaseholderrepresentatives met to look athow we currently deliveredthese services, discussedwhere problems had arisen inthe past, and shared ideas ofhow changes could be madeto improve things for the

future. In addition, wecompared how otherorganisations delivered theirservice and considered if wecould adopt any of their goodpractice and ideas. The evidence collated in thereview resulted in a number ofrecommendations that wereoutlined in a final report thathas just been completed.Many of these actions will beincluded in the LeaseholdersService Improvement Plan for2006-2007. See a selection inthe box to the right. Some of these commitmentshave already beenimplemented and others will be actioned throughout 2006 andbeyond. Jane Jullien, a leaseholderfrom Offerton was one of therepresentatives who took partin the review, she commented:“Stockport Homes hasindicated its willingness tolisten in that it has undertakena ‘Best Value Review’ exercisewith the assistance ofleaseholders.“I am confident that thefindings from the outcome ofthis review will be addressedand a more manageable wayforward developed”Customers like Jane havebeen central to developing theService Improvement Plan.They will be able to review andmonitor our progress indelivering theses promises,through regular updatesprovided at the LeaseholderAction Group, and in futurenewsletters.

Listed below are some keyproposals being developed inline with what our customershave told us are priorities:

Information & Access toServices:> Leaseholder addresses

recognised on computer system.

> Service standards and Leaseholder Handbook. (currently being drafted)

> Named officers in key services established.

> Commitment to appoint designated Leaseholder Officer.

> Introduction of pre-sale interviews with prospective leaseholders.

Maintenance & Repairs:> Formal procedure

established for consulting with leaseholders on major work and improvement programmes.

> Clear procedure for recharging individual general maintenance repairs.

> Explore leaseholder options for buying into gas servicing.

Service Charges & Invoicing:> Customer finance team to

have responsibility for invoicing and collection and recovery of service charges.

> Provide clear information on bills and invoices.

> Review existing procedure for calculating service charges.

Bringing you up-to-dateStockport Homes currently has 269 leaseholdersliving across the Borough. If you are one of theseleaseholders, you may feel that, in the past, youhave had difficulty accessing services andinformation relating to your home.Well, we are working to put that right! We arealways trying to make positive changes to theway in which we deliver our services to you, ofwhich, ensuring that you receive regularinformation and updates is an essential andintegral part.We are hopeful, therefore, that by having thisdedicated leaseholder News section in this, andfuture Newsletters, that it will help us to achieve

our goal of better service delivery and deliver theinformation you want and need to know.As a leaseholder, you are a valued customer ofStockport Homes, and can opt to become moreinvolved in any of the activities and meetingsdetailed throughout the Newsletter. However youmay want to talk about and influence decisionsmade specifically about the Leaseholder Service,for instance by joining us at a Leaseholder ActionGroup meeting or commenting on our draftLeaseholder Handbook. To do this or simply tofind out more about how you can get involved,please contact Debbie Despres, CustomerInvolvement Officer on 0161 474 4136.

influencing change...The Leaseholder Action Groupis just one of the new waysthat has been introduced toensure that customers can beinvolved in decision makingabout the services that affectthem. It provides a positiveenvironment in whichleaseholders are encouragedto discuss their experience ofthe existing services and givesuggestions about how theycan be developed in the future.The Group meets on a Bi-monthly basis, and is provingto be a very successful inimplementing realimprovements to our services. All the ideas and proposedchanges we discuss in themeetings are captured inAction Plans, which are jointlyprogressed and monitoredthrough the Group. Successes so far haveincluded the drafting of the

Leaseholder Handbook,Service Standards andagreeing many of the otherdevelopments outlined in theLeaseholder ServiceImprovement Plan.Each new achievement ishelping to encourage arenewed confidence in ourcustomers, that participating isworthwhile and can make adifference. Here some of ourleaseholders share theirexperience of attending themeetings and tell you whatimpact they feel it has made tothe service.Our next leaseholder meetingis scheduled to take place onThursday 18th May 2006 at6:30pm (Refreshments from6pm) at The CommunityRoom, The Hatworks-A6.If you want to know more or toget involved, contact Debbieon 0161 474 4136.

LEASEHOLDER NEWS

my viewby Pat Perks, Mottram

“

“

On first attending ameeting of theLeaseholders CAG Iexpected to be bored, butto my surprise I foundmyself really interested inthe subjects brought up fordiscussion and the peoplewho run the services in thevarious departments veryhelpful indeed.

LEASEHOLDER NEWS: updates >>>highlights>>


Customer Action GroupMeeting dates January - March 2006

DiversityWednesday April 12th2-4pm, Stockport Town Hall, Committee Room 6

Wednesday May 10th2-4pm, Stockport Town Hall, Meeting Room 6

Wednesday June 14th 2-4pm, Stockport Town Hall, Meeting Room 6

Allocations & HomelessnessThursday April 20th 6-8pm, Hatworks, Conference room

Sheltered HousingTuesday March 28th2-4pm, Pavilion Suite 1, Stockport CountyWednesday May 24th2-4pm, Pavilion Suite 1, Stockport County

Stock InvestmentTuesday March 21st 6-8pm, Hatworks, Community Room

Tuesday April 18th 6-8pm, Pavilion Suite 1, Stockport County

Tuesday May 23rd 6-8pm, Pavilion Suite 1, Stockport County

Tuesday June 20th 6-8pm, Pavilion Suite 1, Stockport County

Tenancy & Estate ManagementThursday March 23rd2-4pm, Stockport Town Hall, Meeting Room 6

Thursday May 25th6-8pm, Hatworks, Community room

Leaseholders

Thursday May 18th 6.30-8.30pm, Hatworks, Community Room

Customer InvolvementWednesday March 29th6-8pm, Stockport Town Hall, Meeting Room 6

Wednesday May 17th 6-8pm, Stockport Town Hall, Meeting Room 5

Wednesday June 21st 6-8pm, Stockport Town Hall, Meeting Room 2

Income ManagementThursday April 20th 2-4pm, Hatworks, Conference Room

my viewuseful contactsby Jane, Offerton

““

I haven't been aleaseholder for all that longbut still it was long enoughto feel that I was one of the'great unwanted'. Peopletried to be nice but it wasdifficult for them. We werenot on any computersystem - except the onewhich sent us (often wrong)service charge bills. Notonly could we not be foundto be informed of things weshould have been told, butalso no-one reallyunderstood our rights or ourresponsibilities - includingus - for leases are about asclear as onion soup. Overthe last year it has beenwonderful to talk with theofficers of StockportHomes. One by one themajor issues have beenaddressed as we explainedour problems, theyexplained theirs andsolutions have been settledon. Promises have beenmade and kept to. Newinitiatives are beinginvestigated. We are nowon the repairs computersystem so, not only is iteasier to ask for work to bedone, but also we areguaranteed to receive thecorrect service charge billsin the future.

Leaseholders have told us they often experience difficultyin accessing the correct information or the appropriateofficer to assist with their enquiries. An important service improvement has therefore been toestablish a number of key contacts within the mainservices that affect leaseholders. The officers we haveidentified in the list below will be able to deal directly withyour enquiries.

You may want to cut out and retain these helpful numbers for your future use.

SERVICE CHARGES:Accountancy Department 0161 474 2834

CAPITAL INVESTMENT AND MAJOR WORKS:Helen Mottram, Customer Liaison Officer 0161 474 4513

ESTATE MANAGEMENT:East District:Emma Crick, Local Housing Manager 0161 474 2944

West District:Dave Meredith, Local Housing Manager 0161 474 4225Jane Parson,Local Housing Manager 0161 474 4335

Central District: Keith Nadin,Local Housing Manager 0161 474 4373

REPAIRS:24 hour repairs contact centre 0845 644 4304

LEASEHOLDER NEWS

Officers and customers fromthe Leaseholder ActionGroup are currentlydeveloping the StockportHomes LeaseholderHandbook. Once completedthis will be issued to all newand existing leaseholders. Itwill provide details about allaspects of your leasetogether with your rights andresponsibilities. It will alsocontain useful informationabout how to access theservices you are entitled to.This is an importantdocument, and we want toensure its contents arerelevant and informative forleaseholders. We aretherefore consulting withboth staff and customers tocheck if they think that wehave included the right kindof information.

> If you would like to read acopy and comment on thedraft handbook, pleasecontact Debbie on 0161 4744136 or [email protected] forfurther information.

Your comments andsuggestions will be warmlyand gratefully received.

Judginga book...



We are committed to involvingyou when making decisionsabout your homes and theenvironment where you live.We believe quality customerinvolvement is an essential partof improving, delivering andmaintaining housing servicesand decent homes, where:

Customers are at the heart of decisions about current services as well as the future requirements of their homes;Services continuously strive to improve, reflecting customer’s diverse needs and priorities and where customers influence, shape and monitor the planning and delivery of these services.

Your input is essential inhelping us to improve theservices you receive. To showour commitment to involvingyou we have reviewed and re-launched our original Compact,now called the PartnershipAgreement 2005.

So, what is a ‘PartnershipAgreement’?

It is a three-way agreementbetween customers, StockportCouncil and Stockport Homesafter consultation with manycustomers. The agreement isnot a legally binding contractbut is a public policy statementthat will be carefully monitored.

The agreement sets out howyou can become involved in

decisions affecting your homeand community:

Having a say on housing issuesMaking a real difference in how run servicesBeing involved in a way and at a level that suits youHow we will deal with complaints or disputes aboutthe Agreement

Core standards of thePartnership Agreement

The Agreement is intended tohelp you decide how you wantto become involved ininfluencing and shapingdecisions taken by StockportHomes. It contains corestandards that comply withguidance from the Office of theDeputy Prime Minister on howwe should do this:

Ways you can get involvedHow you can influence servicesInformation we will provideHow meetings will be arranged and conductedHaving accessible services for everyoneStandards for tenant and resident associationsSupport and resources we will provideActions to increase involvement in Stockport HomesMonitoring and reviewing theAgreement

How can you get involved?

We have a range of ways foryou to get involved at a levelthat suit you – just look atwhat’s on offer!

Annual Customer Conference - to ensure accountability and sharing ofinformation we hold an annual conference, where customers can attend and ask questions directly to the Chief Executive, senior managers and board members. See the front page for details.Annual Customer Training Programme – If you want to learn new skills, you can access our annual CustomerTraining Programme. We provide training on a variety of subjects and some specific training tailored to tenants groups. What’s more, we will pay for it.

Customer Information - we send out regular information to you (including this newsletter) to keep you informed about what’s happening. If you want further information about a range of services, you can go on our mailing list!Customer Action Groups - these include staff and customers who meet on a regular basis to discuss how a service can be improved and to monitor the progress made against service improvement plans. For a list of meetings, see page 17.District Forums – these are held on a quarterly basis in each district and give customers access to District Managers. They also look at how we are performing and how you can influence estate improvements and how budgets are spent. Estate Inspections - we carry out inspections of all our estates on a regular basis. Tenants and residents who live in the area are encouraged to join staff and local councillors. See page 22 for your next inspection.Hot Topics - we hold regular “Hot Topic” meetings around the Borough to look at community or estate issues that are of interest or concern to customers. Recent hot topics have focused on anti-social behaviour and grounds maintenance.Housing 100 Club - you can choose how you would like to be involved or consulted by joining our database. If you don’t like meetings, or find it difficult to leave your

home, you can take part in postal surveys, review and comment on documents or be consulted by telephone.Mystery Shopping - you get involved in testing out how we are performing. It can be done from the comfort of your own home by reporting a routine repair, making a general enquiry over the phone, or by calling in person at one of the local housing offices. Stockport Tenants’Federation - the Federation is an umbrella group that represents the interests of alltenant and resident associations in the borough. They have a committee of tenant representatives and meet on the second Wednesday of every month.Tenant and Resident Groupsyou can join an existing tenants and residents group in your area or if not, you can start a group with other interested people in your area. You will receive lots ofhelp from the Customer Involvement Team. Get in touch with your local Customer Involvement Officer to find out more.We are setting up a group designed to focus on the needs and views of young people (under 25). Do you have any suggestions for involving young people? If so, join in! We want to hear from you.Are you a leaseholder who wants to be heard? Maybe you thought that because you have exercisedyour ‘Right to buy’ that your opinion does not count. Not so! We also have a Leaseholders Forum.So Joinin!

Your quick guide to thePartnership Agreement

A copy of the Partnership Agreement.Full copies are available to all residents

All customers are welcome tojoin in. It’s a good opportunityto really get involved andmaking services better!

For copies of the Partnershipagreement call SamanthaLloyd, Customer InvolvementManager on 0161 474 2861 ore-mail [email protected]



Where the money is going

Draft 2006/07 capital budget: £11,137,000

Carry over From 2005/06 £1,200,000

CENTRALKitchen, bathroom and drainage system replacement129 in Heaton Norris £800,000

Windows, doors/PPR and painting698 in Heaton Chapel, Heaton Norris, Lancashire Hill& Mottram Street High Rise £845,440

New concierge system487 in Lancashire Hill £450,000

Electrical rewires198 in Lancashire Hill £544,000

Sub Total £2,639,440

EASTRoofing11 in Woodley £26,350

Windows, doors/PPR and paintingBredbury, Brinnington, Hazel Grove, High Lane,Marple & Romiley £3,345,078Sub Total £3,371,428

WESTKitchen and bathroom installations111 in Cheadle Hulme £610,500Windows, doors/PPR and painting1546 in Bramhall, Cheadle, Cheadle Heath, CheadleHulme, Edgeley, Gatley, Heald Green, HeatonMersey, Heaton Norris, Shaw Heath & Woodford

£2,908,968Structural Repairs1 in Cheadle £5,000Sub Total £3,524,468

ALL DISTRICTSRoof Coverings £350,000Electrical Rewires £80,000Various Heating System £200,000Asbestos Works £100,000Major Repairs/Contingency £500,000Sub Total £1,230,000GRAND TOTAL £11,965,336

Stockport Homes has a solidpartnership with involvingStockport College and NationalLottery funding.This has enabled us to developa skills show which we will takeround to local schools inStockport to let students get ahands on feel for the buildingtrade and the skills that theycan acquire within it. In running this road show wewill be linking up with variousagencies, includingManchester Enterprise.Currently we are looking for agreater representation fromwomen and people from Blackand Minority Ethnic (BME)groups within the buildingindustry. So if this is somethingthat you think may interest you,please get in touch. Through this we hope we canhelp each candidate develop afuture career in building and orhousing. Interested? Then call RodgerStead on 0161 474 4576.

Stockport Homes maintenance andinvestment has a very busy year ahead.As ever, our principle objective is todeliver the capital works programme ontarget. We are already planning work upto the value of £11 million for 2006/07 andlooking forward to the prospect of havingextra resources for being awarded a two-star rating.Regular readers of this newsletter willrecall how we reported in the last issueStockport Homes teaming up with otheragencies to form GM Procure. By workingtogether we can secure products andservices cheaper by buying in bulk. Thatis working very well and is helping us getvalue for money on all of our projects.We are also aiming to help train peoplewho are unemployed or re-training peoplewith building and construction skills, sothat we can invest in our future, theirfutures and have a positive impact uponsustainable communities. Below are someof our key performance indicators to showhow we are improving the service.

REPAIRS NEWS AND UPDATES

Update: how we’re doing... Saturday morning appointments available for repairs to make life easier for you and our services more accessible.Technical support for theContact Centre to be developed on a permanent basis to help deliver better results for all callers.Contact Centre team going out into the “field” getting awareness of the issues facing our teams and customers on a day-to-day basis.More co-operation between all contractors which means more efficient working, betterco-ordination and better results.Attending contractors site meetings and liaison meetings to ensure we stay in touch with what is happening ‘on the ground’.

Appointments now offered on all types of jobs, making it easier for you to schedule your time. New and better procedures for gas equipment handling with training for customers so that they safely operate gas equipment in their new homes.Pilot initiatives for kitchens and bathrooms on site with DVDs available for viewing.More awareness of leaseholders’ needs and the value of working with them.Better awareness of sheltered schemes and the need for better maintenance plans. Disability Discrimination Act (DDA), asbestos and fire risk assessments all carried out.Additional Customer Liaison Officers appointed for both investment and repairs.

Work opportunities

Without you...Customers are helping us todrive our plans forward butwe need more of you to getinvolved with the running ofthe business.Do not forget that yourinput, your opinions, yourviews can make a hugedifference.Suggestions for work onestates and in all of ourcommunal areas are alwaysrequired and welcomed.If you have a great ideawhich would make animpact now is the time toshout about it! Let us worktogether to improve ourhomes and deliver results.To do this, contact RodgerStead on 0161 474 4576.

% of appointments made, versusappointments kept

TARGET:97.5%

TOTALACHIEVED

98.5%

TARGET:38 days

TOTALACHIEVED

37 days

Average re-let time for empty properties

Did you knowif you complete a customersatisfaction form and return itwithin 21 days you areentered into the quarterlyprize draw? First prize is£100 in High StreetVouchers, with two runner-upprizes of £50 in High StreetVouchers.

So what exactly have we done?

An important note for all our customers:

Every time a repair job is ordered and a tradesman is sent outto complete the work but can’t gain access, even when anappointment has been confirmed, did you know that this job willcost us £30-£40 every time we can’t gain access. Please notethat we need your help to drive our business forward and wewill not be able to do this without you. Let’s make sure themoney goes where it matters most and not wasted with noshows! Thank you.

Our congratulations go outto the recent winners ofthe following prizes:

Congratulations to MrsMargaret Marchant ourCustomer InvolvementSurvey winner. MrsMarchant won £30 ofshopping vouchers forcompleting a telephonesurvey with a member of theCustomer InvolvementTeam. All those who tookpart in the survey wereentered into the prize drawand Mrs Marchant was thelucky winner.

To Mr Mr P Leedham ofCheadle who was the luckywinner of our £100 ‘Spot theMystery Location’competition. Have a look atPage 7 for your chance towin!

Congratulations to all ofthe winners of the rentcompetition:

Central: Miss K Adie: £250,Miss A McCormack: £100, Mr J Murphy: £50East: Mr S Burgess: £250,Mr A Leah: £100, Mr M McCrevey: £50West: Mr D Brown: £250,Mrs M Brown: £100, Mrs D Cairns: £50

See page 11 for details onhow you could win up to£250!



CONGRATULATIONS!

Estate Walkabouts are carriedout on a quarterly basis on allestates and give customers theopportunity to get involved inmonitoring the services beingdelivered in their area. It means

that customers can check thatany problems in the area havebeen dealt with andimprovements to standards havebeen made. The dates, times and locations

of your next nearest walkabout islisted below. Feel free to contactany of the relevant staff to bookyour place on each walkabout!Your company, opinions andthoughts will be very welcome!

CENTRAL DISTRICTHOUSING

0161 474 4373

Heaton ChapelMarbury Road ShopsIan Creveul4 May at 10.00am

South ReddishAbingdon Primary SchoolIan Creveul11 May at 10.00am

Mottram Street EstateRatcliffe TowersVal Percy4 April at 10.00am

Shawcross StreetEbbdale Close/Top Car ParkShawcross StreetVal Percy23 May at 10.00am

Covent GardenHillgate. Outside Block 1-8Covent GardenVal Percy27 June at 10am

Offerton North at StephenWalk to Hallgate Roadoutside Stephen WalkParking BayJackie Heapy12 April at 2pm

Offerton North at DorkingClose to Greenwood Avenueat Chorlton GroveJackie Heapy11 May at 10.30am

Tamworth Green & AlpineRoad Outside No. 1Tamworth GreenJackie Heapy15 June at 2pm

Offerton Estate Parish CentreHexham CloseJacqy Allatson5 April at 10am11 May at 10am16 June at 2pm

Lancashire Hill StonemillTerrace FoyerKen Higgins14 April at 10am12 May at 10am

Poets Corner. Corner ofFarley Way and LongfordRoad WestEileen Lloyd6 April at 10am

Harrogate RoadPriory RoadSpa/Bedford ClosePriory CourtEileen Lloyd17 May at 10.00 am

Somers/Betley RoadCriterion StreetLindfield Road Junction ofLindfield and Betley RoadEileen Lloyd28 June at 10am

Burton Street EstateHeaton NorrisEdmund CloseMarion Rigby20 April at 2pm

Heaton and Norris TowersQuantock/Mendip/Ince CloseHeaton TowersMarion Rigby13 June at 2pm

EAST DISTRICT HOUSING0161 474 4372

Dunton Towers, Brinnington6 April at 10am

Farndon Avenue, HazelGroveHazelwood RoadShops, Hazel GroveCassie Ward19 April at 10am

Mill Lane Estate, WoodleyJunction off WoodstockRoad/ Briar GroveKatie Hines06 June at 10am

The Mount Area, BrinningtonThe Mount, BrinningtonRob Mitchell1 June at 6.30pm

Essex Road Estate,Brinnington JunctionBrinnington Road/Essex RdPam Pollitt18 May at 2pm

Cherry Tree Estate, RomileyCherry Tree ShopsDee Ellis18 May at 10.30am

Lapwing Lane/Dent Close,Brinnington Outside 1Lapwing Lane, BrinnigtonMelanie Selby9 May at 10am

Putting the best foot forward

WEST DISTRICT HOUSING0161 474 4371

Walnut Tree EstateCheadle Heath OfficeWendy Bibby5 April at 10am3 May at 10am7 June at 10am

School Street EstateNorthgate RoadWendy Bibby12 April at 10.00am5 May at 10.00am

Oak RdOaktree CourtWendy Bibby28 April at 10am17 May at 10am

Grange AveWarwick Road Flats Wendy Bibby24 May at 10am

Didsbury Road EstateRussell GardensRichard Smith21 April at 10am

Hollywood Towers &Montague HouseRichard Smith23 May at 10am

York Street EstateRadnor HouseRichard Smith22 June at 10am

Bradshaw Hall EstateHall Meadow Car ParkEmma Crosby13 June at 10am

Larkhill EstateOutside Wimborne CloseEmma Crosby1 May at 10am

Adswood Estate OutsideAdswood Housing OfficeAdele Keating andEmma Crosby26 April at 10am

York Close/TheCloisters/Councillor LaneCouncillor Lane Mike Fitzsimmons 20 April at 10am

Cale Green/Heaviley EstateOutside Public House onAdswood RoadAdele Keating26 April at 10am

If you would like acopy of this

newsletter in largeprint, Braille, or onaudio tape or CD,

please contactPhil Rhodes

(Diversity PolicyOfficer) on

0161 474 4566 or email

[email protected]

STOCKPORT HOMESDIVERSITY STATEMENT

Diversity and accessibility

At Stockport Homes, we believe that everyone has the right to be treated equally, with respect and to feel safe and secure in their own home and neighbourhood.Everyone has a right to make use of the opportunities offered by our organisation and to use all parts of our service. We will promote equality and diversity in the provision of our services and employment and we will not tolerate discrimination.We will make sure that no person or group applying for housing services or employment will be treated less favourably than any other person or group because of their individual characteristics. These characteristics include, but are not limited to, disability, ethnicity, colour, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation and age. We will work together with all of our service providers and customers to ensure that this commitment is met across our entire organisation.

The creation of this statement is one of thecommitments made by Stockport Homes. It sets out our commitment to providing excellentservices to all our customers, regardless of theirindividual circumstances or background. It waswritten by the Diversity Customer Action Group,

then approved by Stockport Tenants’ Federationand Stockport Homes Board. If you want to any more information aboutdiversity and Stockport Homes please contactPhil Rhodes on 0161 474 4566 or e-mail him [email protected]

Documents

Issue 04-customer_news_mar2006