1. Art and Diseño

ISSUE 96 • AUTUMN 2014
OpenHouse
The newsletter for Croydon Council tenants and leaseholders
'Test case' could be
breakthrough for fire safety
In what is believed to be the first case of its kind, the council has served an
injunction to gain access to a property and address potential fire hazards.
The case centres on a leaseholder denying the council access
to her flat to change the uPVC door, which is made of highly
combustible material.
This would not contain a fire and could prevent others using
the escape route.
The council, as freeholder, has responsibility to carry out
fire precaution works and ensure blocks of flats can be safely
evacuated where necessary,
It took the matter, which concerned a flat in Selhurst, to
Croydon County Court to apply for an order granting access to
carry out the necessary work.
This case will now serve as a “test case” which will enable
the council and others, to crack down on instances where
leaseholders are not complying with access requests such as this.
Councillor Alison Butler, cabinet member for homes and
regeneration, said: “Whereas we always do our best to work
with leaseholders, it is vital they give us access to carry out work
that we are required to do by law.
“This is about being able to enforce the law to make people
safe. Taking this matter to court was always going to be a last
resort, but unfortunately we were left with no choice.
“We believe this is the first case of its kind, and a vitally
important one at that. It means we will be able to use this case
as an example to others who might choose to deny the council
access to address any fire hazards.
“The precedent set by this case could potentially save lives.”
New housing boss for Croydon
Croydon Council’s housing service has
a new executive director.
Jo Negrini has taken over from Hannah Miller, who retires
on 31 December.
Hannah, whose remit also included adult social care,
has been executive director for more than six years.
Housing will move under Jo’s development and
environment portfolio, which includes major developments
and the regeneration of the borough.
Jo joined the council at the start of the year, having
previously worked at Lambeth and Newham, where she
was responsible for regeneration and planning and led on
major regeneration projects in Stratford, Canning Town
and the Royal Docks.
Her previous experience includes several housing
estate based roles, working with tenants and leaseholders
around improvements to their estates and their issues
around employment.
In addition, she established Hyde Plus, the economic
regeneration arm of Hyde Housing Association.
Jo, who is originally from Australia, said: “I’m really
Turning the tide on illegal
waste see page 3
This year's Resident
Involvement Awards see page 7
Check out – and ‘like’ – the
new Croydon resident
involvement Facebook
page - the place where
Croydon Council tenants
and leaseholders can find out the latest
resident involvement news and views,
get involved and get talking about the
council housing services they receive.
They can also find out about events,
consultations and surveys, training and
much more.
www.facebook.com/
croydonresidentinvolvement
Would you like
to contribute
to Open House?
looking forward to working with Croydon’s tenants and
leaseholders to ensure the council continues to provide
an excellent housing service and increase the amount of
affordable housing available in the borough.
“It’s fantastic to see that so many residents get involved
with the council in improving housing conditions across the
borough and it is my intention to build on this further.”
Large print: to receive Open House and other housing information
in large print, please call % 020 8726 6100
email us:
[email protected]
Contact the editor
I hope you enjoy reading Open House.
If you have any comments to make please email:
[email protected]
2
OpenHouse Autumn 2014 | Issue 96
New repairs contractor does
its bit for the community
Despite completing more than 12,600 property repairs
in its first four months as the council’s housing repairs
contractor, Axis has found the time to improve more
than just homes.
It has been busy contributing to the council’s community investment programme
with volunteering, material donations, local employment and training.
Here is just a taste of how they’ve been getting involved…
That’s entertainment
Tea parties, film nights and even karaoke is set to become regular
entertainment for residents at Ashburton Memorial Home.
This comes after Axis provided new television equipment and furniture for
them to enjoy in their living and social area.
Volunteers built and fitted four donated storage units that allowed the
cluttered living space to be tidied up and then installed a large wall-mounted
flat-screen TV, surround sound speakers and a DVD player.
In a thank you card from the tenants, they said: “We’ve already started
using the facility much more. We’ve been hosting tea parties, film shows and
we’re even thinking of having a karaoke night. It has made the place much more
sociable and enjoyable.”
Silver surfing
Volunteers from Axis’ IT team hosted a digital workshop designed to help
elderly residents get the most out of going online. The things many people take
for granted, like being able to talk to family over Skype, shop from the comfort
of your home, or do online banking, are ironically harder to access for the
members of our community who need them the most.
As one Axis volunteer put it: “Particularly for older people, being online can
give you valuable independence and more ways to stay in touch with the ones
you love at a time when physical mobility can restrict you.
“The web is something everyone should learn, regardless of age and we are
happy to be contributing to Croydon’s programme.”
Youngsters build up momentum
Earlier this year, Axis and the council sponsored the Momentum Youth
Conference, which aimed to inspire young people and support them in finding
their direction in life. Axis donated £2,000 via their charity the Axis Foundation
towards the cost of promoting and
running the event.
More than 800 under 20s attended
Momentum 2014 where local
employers (including the council and
Axis), training and career advisors,
welfare and support organisations
provided them with information,
guidance and opportunities specifically
targeted at the young and delivered in
a way that they can easily access.
The Great Big Minibus Giveaway
Do you know about or work for a local charity making a big difference in our community? Would a new minibus help them
extend the care they provide? If yes, then read on…
The charity arm of our property maintenance partner Axis is donating a
brand new Mercedes minibus to a worthy registered charity.
The Axis Foundation has been a long-time supporter of local causes,
helping hundreds of smaller charities reach thousands of people in need,
through their donations and volunteering.
Until 28 November 2014, the Axis Foundation is accepting applications
from registered charities wishing to be considered for this generous donation.
We’d like you to spread the word to organisations in our area letting them
know about this opportunity and that full details can be found on
www.axisfoundation.org/minibus along with the application.
You can also help decide on the charity that receives the minibus by taking
part in the public vote that will take place on the same website between 8 and
12 December.
How the neighbourhood warden mobile team is helping you
Now a permanent part of Croydon Landlord Services, the neighbourhood warden mobile team has been
busy tackling anti-social behaviour, environmental nuisance and helping build community spirit.
The team of four dedicated officers covers all areas of Croydon’s housing
estate on receiving referrals from the tenancy team, antisocial behaviour team,
and other agencies.
Residents on the Coulsdon and Tollers Lane estates in particular have said that
they have been very pleased with the high profile visible presence of the wardens.
The team is going from strength to strength and making a difference in the
areas referred to them.
Following its success, the team has now
become a permanent feature within
neighbourhood services.
To find out more about the warden
service, call Stanley Enyinnaya on
% 020 8726 6100 or visit
www.croydon.gov.uk/neighbourhoodwardens
OpenHouse
Autumn 2014 | Issue 96
3
Turning the tide on illegal waste
Council’s campaign to rid borough streets of fly-tipping sees people rallying to the cause and
clear-up rates improving.
Croydon’s war on illegal waste has seen a dramatic increase both in the speed
with which rubbish is cleared off the streets and with more people receiving fines.
“Don’t mess with Croydon: take pride” is the battle cry that has been taken
up by street sweepers, council enforcement officers and members of the public
across the borough.
The campaign was launched in June and has seen clearance times for
reported fly-tips dramatically improved.
While, previously, only 3% of reported fly-tips were cleared in less than two
days, almost 80% are now cleared within 48 hours. Only one in 10 takes more
than three days to be dealt with.
Overall, the number of fines being issued by the council has gone up by 50%
since the campaign started.
Examples of successfully issued fines include one involving an abandoned
truck, suspected of being used for fly-tipping, that was crushed after being found
in a residential street in Woodside with five tonnes of waste on board.
The waste was traced back to a nearby resident who admitted she had given
it to an unlicensed rogue trader.
As a result, she received a fine – a risk run by anyone who thinks they can get
away with paying for cut-price rubbish clearance.
At the time of publishing, the council is trying to trace the owner, and asks
anybody with information that could help to call the fly-tip hotline, in confidence,
on % 020 8604 7000.
The reporting app, My Croydon, is just one of the new methods the council
has put in place to allow residents to flag up environmental issues in their
neighbourhoods.
It can be used for a wide range of
environmental problems and is free to
download for Android and Apple phones.
More information is available at
www.croydon.gov.uk/dontmess.
Day at the palace for dedicated couple
A day of pampering and relaxation is on the cards for a New Addington couple who
regularly selflessly give up their time to help organise a local young football scheme.
Sue and Steve Errett, of Thistlewood Crescent, are regular volunteers with
Neighbourhood Warden Milne Park FC, whose members range in age from
seven to 14.
In fair weather or foul, the couple have turned up – week in, week out – to
lend a hand and keep things going. Most importantly, they’ve given the 30
registered youngsters something to look forward to that helps keep them on
the straight and narrow.
While Sue takes the role of coach, keeping the young teams in order,
husband Steve is a great motivator, especially when he’s refereeing the games.
Such has been their level of commitment, the local neighbourhood
wardens, who run the club, decided to reward them in
some way.
They told managers at Addington Palace of Sue
and Steve’s selfless community work and, turning on
the charm, were able to secure a pair of vouchers for
the couple.
So, at some time over this coming Christmas,
Sue and Steve will each be enjoying the facilities of
the palace’s health club as a thank-you gesture for the time, enthusiasm and
positivity they’ve brought to the football scheme.
Leaseholders get the
chance to quiz the council
The first ever Your Housing, Your Questions event exclusively for council
leaseholders took place over summer.
The July event, which was held in the community space at Bernard Weatherill
House in Croydon, was attended by more than 50 people.
The evening began with an hour-long drop in surgery, which gave leaseholders
the chance to ask about the full range of services that affect them, such as their
service charge bills, caretaking and grounds maintenance, and repair services.
In particular, a number of issues were raised relating to the cost of
improvement works such as replacement windows and security works.
The second part of the event was a series of four presentations from senior
officers and managers responsible for the key leaseholder services, who spoke
about the work of their teams and how their service affects
leaseholders.
Each presentation was followed by a short question and
answer session.
Some challenging questions were raised by
leaseholders relating to the full range of services and
these often led to quite lively discussions.
A common theme was that the services, which
leaseholders receive and pay for through their service
charge fees, do not meet their expectations.
Just under half of the attendees completed a feedback form and 84% felt the
organisation of the event was either very or fairly good and 82% felt the event
was useful.
We listen
Concerns that were raised about services provided by external contractors,
such as grounds maintenance, have been discussed by the relevant senior services
managers. The contractors then attended a recent tenants and leaseholders panel
meeting to respond to residents questions and explored ways to improve their
services.
There were concerns about dog fouling on Tollers Estate and the
neighbourhood wardens have increased their patrols in the area in
response to this.
The neighbourhood services co-ordinator also noted a number of
issues related to poor caretaking services and these have all been
passed to the local staff and managers to address.
Further events for leaseholders are planned, although the format
will be altered, since many attendees felt more time should be allowed
for individual questions and less time for presentations.
4
OpenHouse Three more years of
housing investment
in youth services
Youth services on council housing estates will benefit from a £445,000
investment over the next three years.
Croydon Landlord Services, which manages
the council’s housing
stock of 16,000
properties, has
earmarked the funding
for school holiday
provision, youth clubs,
along with healthy
lifestyle and sports
activities.
The allocation for
youth services works out
at nearly £150k a year,
which comes from the
council’s housing revenue
account.
These services are designed to improve the health and wellbeing of
youngsters on council housing estates, while getting them involved in a range of
community activities.
Specific projects include PlayPlace, which will provide school holiday
activities and youth clubs.
The Croydon Youth and Information Service is to run healthy lifestyle
activities, while the Crystal Palace Football Club Foundation will arrange
sporting events.
Croydon Landlord Services has commissioned activities for young people for
more than 10 years, from initially providing games courts and youth shelters
to now offering supervised activities such as youth clubs and summer play
schemes.
Councillor Alison Butler, cabinet member for homes and regeneration, said:
“Having a wide ranging provision of activities for young people on our housing
estates is vital to building a strong sense of community and ensuring they have
healthy, active and social lifestyles.
“We have been providing youth services on our housing estates for more
than 10 years, and they continue to be hugely popular with our younger
residents.”
Autumn 2014 | Issue 96
Neighbourhood
wardens under scrutiny
The housing scrutiny panel spent the summer looking at the
neighbourhood warden service.
The panel, made up of nine specially
trained tenants and leaseholders,
looked at the information provided to
tenants, interviewed the neighbourhood
wardens, their managers and other
senior managers, including the managing
director of Croydon Landlord services,
surveyed tenants who had used the service
and reviewed performance data.
The panel have produced a report along with an action
plan, which details their findings and this can be found on the
council’s website at www.croydon.gov.uk/housingscrutiny.
The report, which contains 27 recommendations for service
improvements, was presented to senior managers in August.
All recommendations were agreed and these have all been included in
the action plan. This is now being implemented and will be monitored by
the panel.
The recommendations include better provision of IT for mobile working
out on the estates, review of the warden bases and how best they can
serve the community, ongoing training and development of the staff, more
effective partnership working with both internal and external partners and
improving publicising of the service to tenants and leaseholders.
Chris Crossdale, chair of the scrutiny panel said: “The scrutiny went
well and highlighted a number of issues which we will work together
with managers to improve the service. I thank both the panel and staff of
Croydon Council for their work and cooperation.”
The anti-social behaviour service is the next area to be scrutinised and
the panel will present their findings in the spring.
Would you like the panel to review a housing service? If so, then please
contact us (details below) giving your suggestions and reasons for choosing
that area. This will help the panel to make an informed decision for a future
scrutiny exercise.
Membership of the housing scrutiny panel is open to council tenants and
leaseholders. If you would like to find out more and join the scrutiny panel
please contact the resident involvement and scrutiny team on
% 020 8726 6100 or email [email protected]
Dreaming of buying your own home?
Do you dream of buying your own home, maybe you want to move
nearer to your family, or perhaps just want a bigger house? Whatever
the reason, if you’re a secure Croydon Council tenant, the assisted
private purchase scheme (APPS) could help make your dreams
come true!
This scheme helps people to buy a home on the open market (the APPS can’t
help you to buy your present home) by paying grants of up to £40,000. Why not
find out if you are eligible and how much grant you could receive?
To find out more, visit www.croydon.gov.uk/appscheme or contact the home
ownership team on % 020 8726 6100.
No home contents insurance! Why risk it?
Home contents insurance may be the last thing on your mind – but just imagine how you would cope should the worst happen - a fire, flood
or burglary for example.
You may think that these things won’t happen to you, but what if they do?
This will make it a little easier to manage than finding a
large lump sum payment.
The cost of replacing or repairing lost, stolen or accidentally damaged
possessions such as furnishings, clothing or electrical items, could run into
To be insured, all that you need is a clear rent account,
thousands of pounds.
and to complete an application form to obtain approval.
So why take the risk of being without home contents insurance when you can
The insurance premiums are cheaper than many other
get peace of mind knowing that the insurance company could take care of the
insurance companies offer.
costs of replacing or repairing your possessions?
You can insure your home contents for between £10,000
You can arrange your own home contents insurance or apply for the counciland £35,000, with premiums ranging from £1.56 to £5.47
run scheme.
per week, according to the amount of cover you want.
Croydon Council has teamed up with Allianz to bring you contents insurance
For a home contents insurance scheme information
that you can pay at very reasonable rate each week.
booklet and application form, call % 020 8726 6100.
OpenHouse
Autumn 2014 | Issue 96
5
Garden competition
to return next year
Next year sees the return of the garden competition, and what
better way to give yourself a chance of being the winner than
by attending a talk where you can learn how to grow your own food.
In partnership with Croydon Council and Axis Europe, South London
charity Ecolocal are offering free food talks to Croydon residents.
It’s an opportunity for you to learn how to grow your own vegetable
patch, find out why local food is important, how buying local is better for
the environment and your community, and where to get tasty, healthy
local food in your area.
The talks will take place in March next year and will last about an hour.
They are interactive and will generate plenty of discussion and ideas!
Please note that there is a maximum of 30 attendees.
To sign up please contact Emeka Obiandu, neighbourhood inspector on
% 020 8726 6100 ext. 61587 or email: [email protected]
Are you missing out? Get connected
Being able to get online is taken for granted by most people but, for
the want of a simple connection, many continue to miss out.
Shopping. Job searching. Playing games. Banking. Keeping in touch. Saving
you money.
These are just some of the things that can be done on the internet – and
modern life almost demands that every household has online access.
Unfortunately, many people are missing out on the benefits of the internet,
and one of the reasons is simply because they do not have an internet
connection.
The most popular way to connect to the internet at home is to have a
broadband connection through the telephone line (landline).
This allows anybody in the household to get on line from any internetenabled device in the home, at any time.
All modern computers and laptops can connect to the internet, as can a
range of other devices, such as smartphones, tablets, e-readers, televisions
and video games consoles.
Many companies – known as internet service providers, or ISPs – offer
home broadband connection.
You will need to select an ISP and a package that is right for you. There are
many differently priced packages that cater for different needs and budgets.
Packages are priced based on factors such as the speed of your broadband
connection or the amount of data (digital information, such as music and
video files) you can download each month (‘download’ means to transfer a file
from the internet to your computer).
Often, broadband is bundled with your landline rental, satellite or cable TV
package, which can reduce costs.
However, if you don’t have a landline or if you want to be able to use the
internet when you’re out and about (anywhere there’s a mobile signal), you
might prefer mobile internet from one of the mobile network providers.
Connecting to the internet through a landline is still the most popular, least
expensive and fastest way to get broadband connection in the UK.
Once you’ve picked a package, call the ISP for a check on your phone line to
make sure broadband can be accessed that way.
The ISP can explain what happens next and get you started, once you have
signed a contract.
A good way to search available deals is to check the price comparison sites
which have been accredited by the communications regulator Ofcom.
• BillMonitor (www.billmonitor.com)
• Broadband.co.uk (www.broadband.co.uk)
• Broadbandchoices (www.broadbandchoices.co.uk)
• Cable.co.uk (www.cable.co.uk)
• Simplifydigital (www.simplifydigital.co.uk).
The council have teamed up with IT providers to offer FREE one-to-one or
group digital training sessions for tenants to learn basic computer skills which
could help make everyday tasks a lot easier. To find out more or to register
your interest in either the one-to-one or group setting training session, please
contact the resident involvement and scrutiny team on
% 020 8726 6100 or email [email protected]
New sprinkler systems could save lives
Sprinklers that could save lives in the event of a fire are being installed in sheltered
housing blocks.
The council has won £7,500 in a London Fire Brigade (LFB) competition which will help fund
the installation of portable sprinkler units for individual sheltered properties.
They will be used in cases where a person is living in a sheltered housing block and could not
evacuate by themselves in the event of a fire within their own flat.
Full sprinkler systems are also being fitted throughout the council’s six special sheltered
housing blocks, which accommodate residents with care and support needs.
The council has received praise from LFB for introducing this form of protection.
Councillor Alison Butler, cabinet member for homes and regeneration, said: “Croydon has
been pioneers when it comes to fitting our sheltered housing units with sprinkler systems.
“They really are potential life savers, which is why it is an essential investment by both the
council and London Fire Brigade.”
6
OpenHouse Autumn 2014 | Issue 96
Survey shows customer satisfaction riding high
Consultation and quality of work are rated very highly as tenants reveal
their delight when improvements are carried out.
Feedback from tenants shows that more than 95% are happy with the way they
are consulted about work when improvements are made to their homes, and more
than 98% were happy with the contractor.
These encouraging customer satisfaction figures emerge from the results of
7,073 questionnaires that were sent to tenants in 2013/14; 28% responded.
Overall, 95.31% of residents were satisfied with the way in which they were
consulted about the work, and 49.18% of those were very satisfied.
Only 8.82% found that the work caused more disruption than expected, and
Reduce bills with
98.62% felt the contractor treated them with consideration.
The quality of the work carried out drew a satisfaction result of 91.94%, with
51.93% of respondents saying they were very satisfied.
If you are affected by major works during 2014/2015 you will get a letter giving
details of the start date, who the contractor will be, and who to contact with any
queries or concerns.
We would ask that, if sent a questionnaire, you fill it in and return it in the prepaid envelope.
As you can see, your views and comments really do make a difference – and
they help us in continuing to improve the service you receive.
Help for domestic
violence victims
Have you suffered domestic violence? If so,
help and support is at hand.
Do you want to get a better deal for your energy bills? If so, you can
club together with others and drive down gas and electricity bills.
This is because Croydon Council has joined together with other London
boroughs to set up the Big London Energy Switch scheme, which taps into
consumer power to help negotiate a better deal on gas and electricity, via an
auction.
Anyone who pays a household energy bill can take part, including tenants
and customers on pre-payment meters.
On the day of the auction, energy companies are invited to offer their best
prices to everyone who registers.
The energy company which offers the lowest tariff wins the auction. Energy
companies may offer tariffs lower than those available elsewhere.
After the auction has closed, you will receive details of how much money
you could save by switching.
You will have a few weeks to decide whether to accept the offer or not, and
if you decide not to switch, there are no charges.
Personal information will not be passed on to the energy suppliers until you
have confirmed that you wish to change to the winning supplier.
London residents joined together in June 2014 and saved on average £170
a year on their gas and electricity bills through the Big London Energy Switch.
Councillor Kathy Bee, cabinet member for transport and environment,
said: “A lot of us don’t realise that we can save significant sums of money by
changing our gas and electricity supplier.
“The Big London Energy Switch takes this
a whole lot further, by bringing residents
together to make energy companies drive
down prices.
Are you paying
“With colder, darker days approaching,
too much for
it makes getting the best energy deal all
your gas and
the more important. You really could save
electricity?
money, so register today without any
obligation to switch.”
For more information visit
www.croydon.gov.uk/energyswitch
Increased safety and support services are
being offered to domestic violence victims
following the introduction of specialist support
workers based at Windmill Road police station
and Croydon University Hospital.
An independent domestic violence
advocate (Idva) is now based at the station
to help high-risk victims and their children.
The council-funded support officer will be
the main point of contact for victims, and will
work with them from the point of the incident to assess their level of risk, discuss
the range of options available to them and develop safety plans.
Councillor Mark Watson, cabinet member for safety and justice, said:
“Domestic violence has a devastating impact on the lives of those who experience
it, their families and friends.
“This is why we are working more
If you are the
closely with police colleagues to offer an
victim of domestic violence,
immediate, on-site support service to
don’t suffer in silence.
victims, which increases their safety
and improves their pathways to
National Domestic Violence
support.”
Helpline: [ 0808 2000 247
The move is included in the first
Family Justice Centre Helpline:
phase of a development that aims to
[ 020 8688 0100
increase support services in key public
www.croydon.gov.uk/
sector organisations for victims of
community/dabuse/
domestic and sexual violence.
fjcentre
A specialist worker will begin at
Croydon University Hospital in December.
Detective Chief Inspector Sian Thomas, who leads
Croydon's Community Safety Unit, said: "Having an Idva based here with our
team will benefit victims of domestic abuse and it will also help my officers deal
with what are often very delicate and complex cases.
“It means we can refer people there and then, and get them the support and
advice they need at an early stage."
The next housing services forum takes place on Wednesday 28 January 2015 in the Community Space, Bernard
Weatherill House, 8 Mint Walk, CR0 1EA from 7pm to 9pm.
Housing
services
forum
We listen
During recent forum meetings, residents reported communal recycling bins on the estate had not been cleaned and the food
bins were not being emptied properly. A cleaning schedule for these bins has been brought in and work is underway to clean the
bins regularly.
It was reported that the lines marking out the parking bays on an estate are so badly worn, that it is difficult to enforce
the residents parking scheme that was introduced in the area around 15 years ago. Officers have inspected the estate and the
lines are due to be repainted in the coming weeks.
A resident suggested installing yellow control buttons in the lifts on a black background to help partially sighted residents.
This will now be considered when lifts are renewed or significantly refurbished.
It was also agreed that contact details for caretaker managers be included in the contact information posters in blocks.
OpenHouse
Autumn 2014 | Issue 96
7
Searching for our ST★R RESIDENTS
It’s time for you to nominate the person who you feel is worthy of a
resident involvement award.
Each year the resident involvement and scrutiny team asks other colleagues,
councillors and residents to put forward nominations, as we prepare to find
Croydon’s stars of resident involvement.
The annual resident involvement awards recognise the hard work and
dedication shown by residents’ representatives throughout the year.
All nominees are invited to the awards ceremony which is part of an event
where we say ‘thank you’ to the individual residents and groups who have helped
to make things better for you and your local area.
If you know someone in your community or group that has not had the
recognition you feel they deserve, then why not nominate them for an award.
The list of categories is below but hurry as the deadline for entries for the
2014 Resident Involvement Awards is fast approaching.
You can make a nomination online at www.croydon.gov.uk or you can ask
for a hard copy of the nomination form from the resident involvement team by
email [email protected] or call on 020 8726 6100.
Categories
OUTSTANDING RESIDENTS’ GROUP
This can be for any residents’ group or panel who has done outstanding
work to benefit and improve their community as a whole, or for the benefit of
individuals in their community.
The following three categories are for individuals only
RESIDENT OF THE YEAR
This award has been created to recognise outstanding achievements or efforts
by a resident who has gone the extra mile to benefit their community in some
way.
EMBRACING NEW WAYS OF WORKING
The individual who receives this award does not need to be someone who is
an expert with a PC but they will have demonstrated a willingness to adapt to
the new ways of communicating and working and will use new technology in their
role in resident involvement.
BEST PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
This award is for someone who has been keen to attend various training
sessions, carry out research, or otherwise significantly develop their personal
skills and understanding, in a way that has benefitted the resident involvement
activities they take part in.
Nominations can be made for all awards by any resident or by officers and
councillors of Croydon Council. Nominees and those who made nominations will
be invited to the awards ceremony.
All nominations must be received by the resident involvement team by 5pm on
Friday 28 November 2014.
Checking heating before the winter
and info on condensation & damp
With cold days and darker nights round the
corner, checking your boiler and heating are in
working order now by following the tips below,
could help you from being left in the cold when
winter comes.
When you first turn on your gas boiler, there may
be a little bit of dust accumulated over the summer
which will give off a slight burning smell. Don’t be
alarmed by this as it should disappear after a minute
or two.
And if your boiler doesn’t seem to be working,
check to see if it’s been switched off or if your gas and/
or electricity supply have stopped working, or that you
have sufficient credit on your gas meter.
During the winter months (1st October to 30th
April), a broken boiler or loss of heating is a priority
repair and we will aim to fix this within 24 hours.
You should also look now to plug all drafts. This is
probably one of the most cost effective ways of saving
money on your heating bills. Letterboxes, poorly
insulated windows and doors, floorboards and cat
flaps are the usual suspects and can easily be insulated
to save money.
But despite the cold weather, it’s important to keep
a window open – even if just for a short time each
day – to allow moisture and condensation to escape.
Otherwise this risks creating a build-up of mould. You
should also, where possible avoid hanging clothes
over radiators to dry, open a window when bathing,
showering or cooking (or turn on the extractor fan if
you do not a have a window) and wipe down surfaces
where moisture has settled.
Our new damp and condensation leaflet provides
more information and can be found on the council’s
website www.croydon.gov.uk/housingrepairs or to
request a copy please call Virginia Nieves-Pearce in
the repairs team on % 020 8760 5768 ext. 63571.
CHECKLIST
You can check your heating is in wo
rking order by doing the following:
1. Turn your heating on at the boiler
2. Turn the thermostat up to 30 degrees
and leave for 20-30 minutes
3. Make sure that the radiator valves are
turned on and up
4. Check that your radiators are warming
up – feel each radiator at the top and
bottom along the middle and in the
corners. If you feel any cool or cold
spots this
could mean your radiator needs ble
eding
5. Check your timer to see if this is workin
g
6. It is also a good idea to check the pipew
ork where possible to make sure tha
t this
isn’t leaking, but remember that the
pipes will be hot so be careful not to
bur
n
yourself.
7. Look over your boiler for obvious signs
of
wear and tear. Is the boiler running
noisier than usual? Does the runnin
g hot water heat up quickly? Is the
pressure on
the gauge in the right area?
8
OpenHouse Autumn 2014 | Issue 96
A summer of fun and games
A packed programme of events for the summer school break kept kids active and amused,
and parents grateful that their children were enjoying organised, healthy and safe pursuits.
This year saw the 10th staging of the annual Warden Olympics, held over
three days in July at Ashburton Park, Milne Park East and Duppas Hill.
Across the three days, more than 160 youngsters attended, eager to take
park in rounders, football penalty shoot-out, basketball shoot-out and a
challenging obstacle course.
The energy-sapping events ensured that thirsts were worked up, so it was
as well that wardens were on hand with plenty of liquid refreshment, much to
the appreciation of the many parents that attended to support their children.
And, true to the Olympic tradition, each event was marked with the
presentation of gold, silver and bronze medals, as well as certificates for all
who took part.
The beginning of August was memorable for families of the Handcroft
estate as a great evening outing was organised.
A packed minibus took them to the West Sussex resort of Goring-by-Sea
where a barbecue was enjoyed, with everybody taking food to add to that
provided by the project.
The evening ended with a large games session involving children and
parents, with everybody taking part, before an upbeat drive home featuring
much happy chatter and singing.
Croydon Landlord Services (CLS) organises a number of events that bring
together children, young people and adults of all ages.
For information on the All Ages projects, contact [email protected]
and for more All Ages stories, go to www.2views.co.uk
Another CLS event took place in Addington Park on
6 August as part of National Play Day.
The free event attracted more than 1,400 people who
were able to take part in as many as 50 activities,
promoting free play for children, young people and adults.
Play Day was just one part of the overall CLS summer scheme, offering
activities for children, young people and families across 13 communities.
Activities included outings, coaching sessions, Croydon Drop-In detached
sessions and a dance workshop.
For feedback or questions about the Croydon Play Strategy or other play
and youth opportunities, please contact [email protected].
Make life easier – sign up to My Account
The council’s dedicated online services and reporting facility saves
you time and money.
Residents’ transactions with the council – everything from paying the rent, to
reporting a fly-tip – are now easier than ever, and all achievable from home.
Simply by logging on, residents can open the council’s My Account facility,
designed with simplicity and ease of use in mind.
Carrying out such tasks as paying rent, requesting housing repairs, and
reporting a range of issues can be done from the comfort of the sofa, taking away
the need to travel to the council’s offices – saving time and money.
To log onto My Account, go to www.croydon.gov.uk/myaccount
The council does, however, recognise that not everybody is confident when it
comes to carrying out such transactions online, so it is offering a helping hand.
In the town centre, staff from Learn Direct are available in Access Croydon,
Bernard Weatherill House, Mint Walk, every Friday between 10am and 3pm,
offering advice on tuition courses suitable for individuals’ requirements.
And people can get online, free of charge, at any borough library.
See page 5 to find out about computer training opportunities.
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY 2014
Housing disability panel
18 November 2014
2pm - 4pm
(pre-meeting surgery 1.30-2pm)
Housing services forum
28 January 2015
7pm - 9pm
Community Space, Bernard Weatherill House, 8 Mint Walk, Croydon CR0 1EA
(pre-meeting surgery 6.30 - 7pm)
Tenants and leaseholders panel
4 February 2015
6.30pm
Sheltered housing panel
17 March 2015
2pm - 4pm
Community Space, Bernard Weatherill House, 8 Mint Walk, Croydon CR0 1EA
(pre-meeting surgery 1.30 -2pm)
Housing disability panel
24 March 2015
2pm - 4pm
(pre-meeting surgery 1.30-2pm)
Community Space, Bernard Weatherill House, 8 Mint Walk, Croydon CR0 1EA
Council Chamber, Town Hall, Katharine Street, Croydon CR0 1NX
Community Space, Bernard Weatherill House, 8 Mint Walk, Croydon CR0 1EA
Always check to confirm dates and venues, as these can change at short notice. You may also be able to reclaim travel costs to meetings by completing a claim form
(supported with receipts). For any further information, or to confirm meeting details, contact the resident involvement team on % 020 8726 6100 ext. 62954 or
visit www.croydon.gov.uk/housing/residents/whatsnew
To keep up to date with the latest news and information from the resident involvement and scrutiny team and to find out more about your housing
services and how to get involved and have your say, sign up to receive the e-newsletter - Involve at www.croydon.gov.uk/subscribe. You can also
subscribe to the Your Croydon eBulletin and receive a free monthly email that’s full of news and information about your borough.
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