Housing Services

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FIRE RISK CHECKHomes Fire Risk Check contract awarded toStaffordshire Fire & Rescue Service

The contract to carry out Home Fire Risk Checks in all ofTamworth Borough Council’s properties has beenawarded to Staffordshire Fire & Rescue Service.

The safety of tenants is of paramount importance and Home Fire RiskChecks are carried out to ensure the safety of tenants living in councilproperties and to identify any alterations they have made which couldcompromise safety, for example the removal of doors or not having aworking smoke alarm fitted.

The contract with SFR will see each of Tamworth Borough Council’s 4,450homes visited at least once over the two-year period. In instances where itis considered that the tenant is a higher risk due to health, age or mobility,additional visits will be carried out.

The visits will include checks on smoke alarms and carbon dioxidedetectors, replacement of batteries where needed, relocation of incorrectlypositioned alarms and detectors and installation of additional alarms anddetectors where needed.

The contractors will also identify the need for specialist equipment, suchas flashing alarm light for deaf people, as well as offering safety advice.

FIRE RISK CHECK

UNIVERSAL CREDIT

GET INVOLVED

JANUARY NEWS

ASB ZONE

HEALTHY EATING PROJECT

SPRING 2015

Universal Credit started in Tamworth on 23 March 2015for new single claimants previously eligible forJobseekers Allowance.

This change does not affect current pensioners.

From March 23rd 2015, benefits to new single claimants previouslyeligible for Jobseekers Allowance are paid in a new way. UniversalCredit is paid by the Department for Work and Pensions and paid directlyinto a tenant’s bank account, building society or post office account. Itcan be claimed online at www.gov.uk/universal-credit

Council tenants who switch to Universal Credit will all have to startpaying their rent directly to the Council. This will be a big change fortenants who have previously received full housing benefit.

In certain circumstances, the DWP can consider paying the rent directlyto Tamworth Borough Council, especially if you are vulnerable or in rentarrears. If you need support or wish to have your rent paid directly tothe Council, please ensure you mention this when making your claim.

If you are more than eight weeks in arrears, we will request that yourrent is paid directly to Tamworth Borough Council.

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UNIVERSAL CREDIT

When making a claim, make sure that before you start, you have thefollowing details:-

• Your postcode• Your National Insurance number• Details of your bank account, building society or post office account

into which you would like your Universal Credit to be paid• Your current rent agreement • Details of savings or capital or details of any income that is not from

work (e.g. insurance plans)• Details of any other benefits you get• Details of any other people in your household

It can take up to 20-40 minutes to complete a form and the claim willtime out, so have your details ready when you make a claim

Universal Credit will also be paid monthly in arrears, so we aresuggesting that all single people who may be likely to have to make aclaim should start making payments onto their rent account as soon aspossible. This will ensure your rent account does not get into arrearswhile you are awaiting your Universal Credit payment. If you wish toapply to pay by direct debit or payment card, please contact the incometeam on 01827 709514

The Council may not be automatically informed if you switch to Universal Credit. If you do, you must notify the income team immediately on 01827 709514.

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GET INVOLVED!

As a tenant of Tamworth Borough Council, there are avariety of opportunities available for you to get involvedin directly influencing and shaping the housing servicesyou receive. We want tenants to have a real impact indriving improvements, generating quality, openness andtransparency. Through the involvement and keysuccesses of our tenant working groups, this helps tocontinually improve service delivery, which results inhigh levels of customer satisfaction.

Because we know that not all tenants want the same level ofinvolvement we offer a wide range of involvement options to choosefrom. Involvement can be as convenient as you want it to be and thismay range from simply completing an occasional survey to taking anactive role in policy making decisions

Not sure if involvement is for you? Take a look at ourfrequently asked questions

What does getting involved actually mean? There are lots of differentways of getting involved. It can range from completing a survey tobeing trained as a tenant inspector to being part of our TenantConsultative Group. What you what to get involved in and how iscompletely up to you.

How much work is involved? This depends on the level ofinvolvement you would like to have. For example, being a member ofthe newsletter editorial panel ‘Tenants Voice’, means you will have toattend meetings every three months. However completing aquestionnaire can take just a few minutes.

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When and where are meetings held? Meetings can be held at our towncentre offices or in the areas in which we work. They are arranged withyou at times that suit you. If you work in the week or have childcarecommitments, meetings can be held in the evening.

How do I get to meetings? You can either arrange to get to meetingsyourself, we can arrange transport for you, or if you are travelling by caror public transport we will reimburse your travel expenses.

Are meetings friendly? Yes. You will find that everyone is polite andrespects each others’ view. There is also a code of conduct that we likepeople to adhere to, so everyone feels welcome and can make avaluable contribution.

Do I have to attend meetings? No. We offer a wide range ofinvolvement options, both formal and informal, and the choice is totallyup to you. For more information about what’s on offer, take a look at ourTenant Involvement & Consultation Strategy or the Tenant Involvement‘Opportunities to Influence Housing Services’ leaflet available on ourwebsite atwww.tamworth.gov.uk/tenant-involvement-0

What are the benefits of being involved? There are lots!  You will meetnew people, there are free training opportunities and also the chance tolearn new skills. Getting involved may also increase your confidence, giveyou the chance to air your views while making a real difference to whereyou live and the services you receive.

Can anyone have access to my personal details? No. We have a strictconfidentiality policy and also adhere to the Data Protection Act 1998.Your personal details will not be disclosed to anyone without your express consent.

JANUARY NEWS

Staffordshire Police received an outstanding inspectionof its service in 2014. The report, released in November2014, summarised ‘there is a clear commitment totreating ASB as a priority in Staffordshire’.

Specifically looking at partnership working, the inspector reported ‘theforce has strong relationships with partners that help it to tackle ASBeffectively and consistently. Officers referred to their work with housingofficers to provide a joint, cohesive response to ASB. They consideredthis to be more effective, because offenders are increasingly likely tochange their behaviour in response to housing interventions than policeenforcement action. Local neighbourhood teams have developedparticularly strong relationships with housing services andrespond effectively to any escalation of incidents, identifyingand addressing vulnerability and repeat victims’.

ASB ZONE

We have an ASB Zone on our website, which has anupdated news page each month and a FactsheetLibrary. If you would like information on any area of anti-social behaviour, we will be happy to provide you with aFactsheet. Please visit www.tamworth.gov.uk/asb-zone

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WOULD YOU LIKE TO GET INVOLVED…

Tamworth Borough Council’s Tenant RegulatoryInvolvement team:

Leanne AllwoodTenant Regulation andInvolvement Manager07891052184

Diane HughesTenant Regulation and Involvement Assistant01827 709374

Helen RichTenant InvolvementAdministration Assistant01827 709260

Ann SummersLandlord Improvement andProject Officer01827 70937401827 709260

Marilyn McNallyIndependent Tenant Friend01827 709448

email us: tenantparticipation@tamworth.gov.uk

Designed and Produced by Tamworth Borough Council

Tamworth Borough CouncilMarmion House, Lichfield Street, Tamworth, Staffordshire B79 7BZ.Enquiries: (01827) 709709 Main Fax: (01827) 709271

If you require this document in an alternative formator language, please contact us on 01827 709709.

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