1. for Birmingham council tenants and leaseholders
Open for business
page 7
Birmingham in Bloom –
pages 16 & 17
bright, beautiful boxes!
WIN
DISNEY
ON
ICE TICKETS
page 31
Autumn 2010
page 12
budding ‘silver surfers’
IT training boost for
2. 2
FEATURES
5 An easier way to swap your home
6 The results are in
7 Open for business: new extra
care schemes
10 Leaseholders: should you be a
candidate?
20 Baughan House in bloom
21 Together we can – on Welsh House
Farm estate
22 Are you ready to go digital?
23 Housing Benefit and rent arrears
24 It’s now up to you to find a home you
would like to live in
25 A recipe for success: the Menu
of Involvement
26 Countdown to the 2011 census
NEWS
3 The future starts here…
4 …and more homes are on
the way
10 Big cash boost for Decent Homes
11 New start for Newtown
13 Litigation Team steers £4m into repairs
14 News in brief
32 Use your mouse to repair your house
LIFESTYLE
12 IT training for ‘silver surfers’
16 Birmingham in bloom: bright, beautiful
boxes
REGULARS
8 You said, we did
18 Action on antisocial behaviour
27 CTGs: Sutton – asking the right questions
28 What’s on this autumn
30 Money Corner: Child Trust Fund
31 Competition – win tickets to Disney On Ice
Pages 8 and 9
Studies show that
Tai Chi can improve
balance, strength and
flexibility at any age
Page 30
Child Trust Fund
vouchers will stop
altogether
for children born
on or after
1 January 2011
Page 21
People come together
to clear an overgrown
area on the Welsh
House Farm Estate
Th
Contents
Councillor John Lines,
Cabinet Member for
Housing, at a special event
to celebrate the completion
of the first BMHT home at
Brooklea Grove in July
3. Residents will be moving in to the first new council homes to be built in
Birmingham for more than 20 years later this month, when their keys are handed
over at a special event.
They will move into their
new neighbourhood at
Pershore Road in Balsall
Heath – one of four sites
where new council homes
are being built in the first
stage of the Birmingham
Municipal Housing Trust
scheme, set up to
provide affordable quality
homes for city people.
In July, a traditional
‘topping out’ ceremony
was held at one of the
he future starts here…
page3
other first phase sites –
Brooklea Grove in Kings Norton
– to mark the first homes to
have all external work completed.
The other two sites are in Hodge
Hill and Handsworth.
A second phase of building is
also underway at sites across
the city with another site at
Ingoldsby, in Bournville, due to
start later in the year.
There are also homes for sale
as part of the scheme, which
should be available from March
next year. Councillor John Lines,
the council’s Cabinet Member
for Housing, said: “We are now
well on our way to achieving our
ambition to provide new homes
for the people of this city: it is
rapidly becoming a reality.”
Design for life
The new homes have been
designed to a high standard with
many state-of-the-art features.
The materials chosen for window
frames and doors have been
tested for their safety, whilst
residents in most of the homes
will be able to generate their
own free electricity thanks to
‘photovoltaic’ panels on roofs.
One of the city’s landscape
architects has been working
across the BMHT sites on the
appearance of the new homes,
including looking at parking
places and communal open
spaces. They are also helping to
make sure that any mature trees
are protected while also
promoting ways to encourage
wildlife.
Getting to know you…
Residents are due to move in
soon and will talk to housing
officers about their new homes
with a number of welcome events
being set up to meet the
neighbours and explain the
features of their new properties.
Turn over to find out about
more new homes…
Artist’s impression Brooklea Grove
4. 4
…and more new hom
are on the way
Artist’s impressions new homes for sale and rent
More new council homes are coming to seven areas of the city thanks
to the council securing up to £4.7 million of government funding for a
new scheme.
Altogether 234 high quality
family homes for sale and
rent, many of them four and
five-bedroom houses, will be
built in Sheldon, Bartley
Green, Handsworth,
Longbridge and Tyburn with
83 of them for Birmingham
City Council to allocate.
This is in addition to the 319
new Birmingham Municipal
Trust homes already under
construction (see page 3).
All of the areas included in
the new scheme currently
lack affordable homes for
rent and sale.
Councllor John Lines,
Cabinet Member for
Housing, said: “This scheme
is another way in which we
have supported the private
sector to start building again,
and we have not borrowed a
penny to do it.
“Securing this funding means
we can get back to building
more homes for our people
and proves once again that the
government trusts us to get
the job done.”
Council land donated
The new scheme came about
after the council pledged to
donate £8.1 million of its own
land to build new homes on,
and the government’s Homes
and Communities Agency
(HCA) agreed to help
fund the development
through the ‘Public
Land Programme’.
In order to move
towards greener,
safer and more attractive
homes, all the new properties
will be designed to meet the
highest standards possible.
As part of the programme,
young people will be taken
on as apprentices so they
can develop new skills with
on-the-job training on the
building sites.
www.birmingham.gov.uk/bmht
5. mes
If you’ve been thinking about moving home but
are worried about the time it might take to
apply for a transfer, there is a quicker way:
swapping homes with another tenant through
‘mutual exchange’.
This is where a council
tenant or someone who
rents from a housing
association can swap
homes with another
social housing tenant
as long as both
tenants agree and get
written permission
from their landlords.
A mutual exchange
doesn’t have to be
like for like. You could
downsize to a smaller
home or move to a
different area of the
country, for example.
Free scheme
There are a number of
schemes on the
internet that can help
you find a swap
partner for a mutual
exchange – most of
which are free or
charge a small fee –
but Birmingham City
Council tenants can
now join the largest
service in the UK
for property
exchanges,
Homeswapper, for free.
You register online (see
web address below) and
Homeswapper will
automatically match you to
any potential homes, details
of which are sent to you by
email or text.
If you find a property you are
interested in, you should
arrange with the other tenant
to visit each other’s homes.
If both of you want to go
ahead with the exchange,
you should contact your local
housing team for permission
and then complete an
application form.
It is important to make sure
that you understand the
implications of the mutual
exchange before going
ahead. When you exchange,
for example, you take on the
tenancy of the person you’re
exchanging with, so you
need to be happy with the
new tenancy conditions.
You can get independent
advice from a solicitor or the
Citizens Advice Bureau.
Register for Homeswapper
Sign up for free if you want a mutual exchange –
or find out more at: www.homeswapper.co.uk
234 high
quality family
homes for
sale and
rent…
AN EASIER WAY TO
SWAP YOUR HOME
page5
6. Thank you to everyone who took time to fill in the 2010
Status Survey – a customer satisfaction survey for
tenants that lets us know what you think of the services
provided by the council as your landlord.
THE RESULTS ARE IN…
The surveys are sent out to a random selection of around ten per cent of
the council’s tenants. This survey was sent out during October and
November last year.
The overall customer satisfaction of Birmingham City Council’s tenants is
more favourable than that in the country as a whole – with 70 per cent of
our tenants satisfied compared to 69 per cent nationally.
Your top three
concerns in your
local area are:
■ car parking
■ rubbish and litter
■ disruptive children
and teenagers.
of you rate your
neighbourhood as a
good place to live…
…with less than 1 in 5 of
you dissatisfied with
where you live.
You told us…
7 10OVER OUT OF
enants think their rent is value for money.
2 in 3 tenants were happy with the outcome
when they last contacted the council.
tenants are
satisfied with
the service
provided by
the council.
7
10
OUT OF
70%of tenants are
satisfied with
their repairs and
maintenance –
up by 5% on last
year’s survey.
7IN 10
of you rated the
council as good at
keeping you
informed.
56% of you
believe we take your
views into account.
6
2in
3
Take a look at the full results from the 2010 survey online at
www.birmingham.gov.uk/housing-performance
7. page7
Over-55s can apply now for a home in
one of two ‘extra care’ schemes where
they can be independent but have a
range of facilities and support to hand.
Two-bedroom flats in
Westhall Court at The
Meadway, Yardley and
Saxon Court in Turves
Green are open now
for applications to rent
or buy.
Residents are set to
move in by the end of
year to the Yardley
scheme – where a
show home is now
open to view – and
spring 2011 to
Saxon Court.
The council is working
with Housing 21, a
leading provider of
homes for older
people, on the
schemes.
All homes feature
fully-fitted kitchens and
each scheme has an
onsite hairdresser,
laundry, restaurant,
landscaped gardens,
and guest flat for
family and friends.
Both schemes are
pet-friendly and will
also provide a focus
for the local community
who will be able to
access some of the
facilities.
People who apply for
one of the flats must
need support or
personal care. All
applications will be
considered by a council
allocations panel.
Events have been
held at each site
to celebrate the
completion of the
external works – both
attended by the
Cabinet Member for
Housing, Councillor
John Lines. He said: “It
is wonderful to mark
the progress made on
these developments.
In a few months time
some of our older
citizens will be able to
live in fantastic, high
quality, affordable
housing.”
■ To be considered for
a rented flat at one
of the schemes call
the Housing 21
lettings team on
0345 606 6363.
■ To ask about
buying one of the
homes – either
outright or part-buy,
part-rent – call
0345 608 4021.
Open for business:
new extra care schemes
Main picture: Residents, staff and partners at Saxon Court
(clockwise from front) Elaine Elkington, David Rhead, Stan
Andrew, Derrick Novell, Ron Baldwin, Barry Clewer, Eamon
Burns, Tayo Bilewu and Councillor John Lines; and below
interior pictures of the show home at Westhall Court
8. You said…
Older people in sheltered schemes told us they
want more opportunities to be active and to
continue developing their skills and interests.
Although the council has many scheduled
activities for tenants, sometimes these are
under subscribed. This may be because not
enough tenants who live in nearby schemes
are interested in the activities offered. If the
council researched tenants’ interests, it could
programme activities that involve more people.
We did…
The council’s Services for Older People team
is currently consulting with sheltered housing
tenants from across the city to find out which
activities work well at local sites, but more
importantly to find out tenants’ skills and
interests. From this research, a database of
information is being developed. This is being
used right now to match interested tenants
to current activities, and to guide the
council in developing new programmes
which better reflect activities that people
really want to take part in.
For the first time, this research really
takes account of people’s existing
skills and talents, so we can provide
opportunities for sheltered housing
tenants to set up their own groups.
This has helped to create new fishing,
swimming and crafts clubs, social
events and fundraising opportunities.
All of these activities are fun, but
also help to keep tenants active, fit
and well.
8
You said,…this research
really takes
account of
people’s existing
skills and talents
Tenants enjoy relaxing
Tai Chi classes at Silver
Street Sheltered Scheme
9. Promoting wellbeing
Karen Robinson is the wellbeing activity co-ordinator for
Northfield, Hall Green, Kings Heath, Druids Heath and
Billesley. At the Silver Street sheltered scheme in Kings
Heath, tenants asked for Tai Chi lessons. Karen was able
to work with Age Concern to deliver sessions onsite in
their community lounge. These are open to tenants, and
to members of other sheltered schemes.
Pauline Daley-Simms is a wellbeing activity co-ordinator
working across Yardley and Hodge Hill. Responding to
requests, she has helped arrange gentle exercise
classes, serving sheltered housing in Pemberley Road,
Acocks Green. Also, there is now a regular group
sharing craft skills to raise money for local, national
and international organisations.
If you live in a sheltered scheme in Yardley and
Hodge Hill and have any ideas for activities, please
contact Pauline on 0121 303 3637.
If you live in a local sheltered scheme and would
like to join in the Kings Heath Tai Chi classes,
please contact Karen on 0121 303 3637.
If you have a hobby or a skill you'd like to share
and live in Ladywood or Edgbaston, you can
contact Doris Francis on 07795 611 850.
Studies show that
Tai Chi can improve
balance, strength and
flexibility at any age
page9
we did
10. should YOU
be a candidate?
10
Residential leaseholders have a special perspective
on services in their neighbourhood, and clear views
on the development of local initiatives. This is why
for the past ten years the Leasehold Liaison Board
has played a key role in improving services and
informing positive change. Elections for the 2011
Leasehold Liaison Board will be held soon – up to two
leaseholders from each constituency will be elected.
Could you be one of them?
Membership of the board will start in January 2011. Members will
examine topics that affect them, such as improving day-to-day
communal repairs, reviewing leasehold service standards and
making sure the voices of service users are being heard.
Members are not expected to answer leaseholders’ queries or
deal with complaints, these are handled by the Leasehold
Services Team and the council’s ‘Your Views’ service.
Members also:
■ attend meetings of the board – at least six every year, one of
which is the Annual General Meeting each January.
■ participate in training – to learn more about the lease, service
charges, council policy and other matters that affect
leaseholders.
■ contribute to the Leaseholders’ Voice and the Leaseholders’
Handbook, suggesting topics and commenting on the draft
before it goes to print.
As a member you will be able to provide information to
leaseholders locally about who to contact for help and support.
You will be able to raise the queries of leaseholders about service
improvements and then work with the council to make those
improvements happen.
If you are interested in becoming a member of the board,
would like more information or would like to attend a meeting
as an observer to see how things work, contact Karen Nicholls,
leasehold services manager, on 0121 303 2147 or 2148.
CLOSING DATE FOR NOMINATIONS: 31 October 2010.
Board elections –
Leaseholders’ Liaison The Decent Homes programme
will benefit from another £102
million cash injection this year
– with more than 3,000 homes
set for improvements under the
scheme by next April.
The Decent Homes scheme aims
to make council homes warm and
water tight and in a reasonable
state of repair with modern
facilities. It started in 2004 and
has so far improved 50,000
properties.
Birmingham is one of the few local
authorities on track to meet the
government’s target for 95 per
cent decent homes by the end of
this year.
Woodgate Valley tenants Walter
and Kathleen Cheshire are happy
with the improvements to their
three-bedroom home after getting
new doors, new guttering, uPVC
double-glazed windows, insulation
work and new central heating. Mr
Cheshire said: “The central
heating is brilliant. We both have
breathing difficulties but the new
heating system has improved our
health. The workmen did a great
job and kept everything tidy.”
The council will also continue to fit
new kitchens and bathrooms as
part of the Decent Homes Plus
programme. Properties with
kitchens more than 20 years old
and bathrooms more than 30
years old will be modernised,
once the main Decent Homes
programme has been delivered.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
ON DECENT HOMES:
•Go online to
www.birmingham.gov.uk/housing
-improvement
•Call the Investment Programming
Team on 0121 303 4036.
•Ask at your local neighbourhood
office.
11. Big cash boost for Decent Homes
Over the summer, a special ceremony was held at
the Crocodile Works near Newtown Shopping
Centre to mark the end of external works on the
site, which will provide 168 homes for sale and
rent, including some new council homes.
Residents are due to move in by February 2011.
The council is working in partnership with
Midland Heart, Urban Living and
the government’s Homes and
Communities Agency on the
schemes, which will all be
energy-efficient to help
keep fuel costs down.
Crocodile Works is part of a wider 21st-century
transformation of Newtown that will bring the total
number of affordable new homes in the area to
around 400.
A ‘masterplan’ for the regeneration has been
developed with the help of residents. Work in north
Newtown – the area next to Holte School – is
progressing with new homes, a state-of-the-art
youth centre, a public square and improvements to
flats at Manton and Reynolds Houses.
If you have a question about the Newtown
developments, email:
regennewtown@birmingham.gov.uk
New start for Newtown
Affordable homes designed by an award-winning Birmingham architect are
on their way to the heart of Newtown.
Architect’s drawings
of how the exterior of
Crocodile Works will
look when finished
page11
BEFORE: removing old windows AFTER: new uPVC double-glazed windows
12. Tenants in Northfield are now budding ‘silver surfers’
thanks to some intensive IT training from youngsters at a
nearby school.
Pupils aged between 11 and 12 at
Turves Green Boys’ School gave
one-to-one tuition to a group of
tenants from Club View, Airecroft,
Middlemore Road, Tennyson
House and Moat House sheltered
housing schemes in the latest bid
to create a stronger bond between
the school and the local community.
The move went down a treat with
residents who overcame their fear
of modern technology to learn
about the basic functions of
emailing, using the internet and
working with Microsoft software.
The school provided a computer
each for residents and also laid
on refreshments and transport
during the sessions.
Tracy Mustafa, senior support
officer in Northfield, said: “Both
residents and staff have
commented how clean and tidy
the estate is. This in part was
down to children at the school
showing respect for the area.
Then, last Christmas, the school
donated hampers and a Christmas
tree to local residents. This led to
discussions about how they could
help further and the IT training
being set up.”
The training, run over two
mornings, has been a huge boost
to residents who previously had
little IT experience. Now they have
the know-how to carry out
important tasks like emailing
relatives and friends overseas or
finding their nearest GP.
Tennyson House resident Hazel
Smart has been involved with the
project from its earliest days. She
said: “At these sessions we’ve
been made so welcome by all the
teachers and pupils, we left on a
high! Sometimes elderly people
just need a little reminder to enjoy
life. This has been one of those
times.”
Paddy Allaway, assistant head
teacher at the school, says: “We
hope that by fostering stronger
links with our local community
children will think twice before
committing any antisocial
behaviour. Schools should
be one of the hubs
of the local
community and
an initiative
like this
gives pupils
contact with
people they
would
normally
never
meet.”
12
Gladys Baxter, a tenant fromClub View sheltered housingscheme and Dylan Hill, a pupilfrom Turves Green Boys School
IT tra
for b
‘silver
13. page13
Council Litigation
Team steers £4m
into property repairs
You can report a complaint online at:
www.birmingham.gov.uk/yourviews or by
visiting your local neighbourhood office.
As much as we try to get your repairs done as
soon as possible we know that we don’t always
get things right first time. Some tenants have
taken legal action against the council to try and
get their repairs done faster, but this isn’t the
solution.
The council completes urgent repairs within one to seven days
and others within 30. Through the work of the Housing and
Legal Services Litigation Teams, we’ve reduced legal costs
from £6m to £1.8m a year. This is £4.2m that we’ve been
able to spend on delivering necessary repairs to your homes.
We’ve also been working harder to meet your expectations on
repairs; the number of claims has fallen from over 1,000 a
year in 2004/5 to just 150 last year. We promise to
acknowledge complaints in two days and provide you
with a response within ten.
f you need a repair in your home, make sure you call the
Repairs Contact Centre as soon as possible. It is open
24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you aren’t happy
with the way we respond to a request for a repair, please
contact your repairs partner in the first instance. If you
still aren’t satisfied you should make a complaint through
the council’s Your Views scheme. You
can also approach the Local Government
Ombudsman if you are not satisfied
with the way we handle your complaint.
The Housing Repairs Contact Centre
is open 24 hours a day, seven days a
week.
Call 0800 073 3333 or 0121 678 5343 (textphone for
people who are hearing impaired).
Clockwise from left: Hazel Smart,SHLB member from TennysonHouse, Tracy Mustafa, seniorsupport officer for Services forOlder People, Paddy Allaway,assistant head teacher, TurvesGreen Boys School, KarenRobinson, activity co-ordinatorfor Services for Older People andScott Bold, a pupil from TurvesGreen Boys School
ining boost
udding
surfers’
14. Our gas team is
simply the best!
The team that carries out gas safety
checks in council homes across the
city has scooped a major award – and
it’s thanks to you.
14
The Gas Maintenance Team has
won the national ‘Team of the
Year’ honour at the Local
Government Association (LGA)
Council Worker of the Year Awards.
The award was voted for by
members of the public – including
Letterbox readers who filled in the
voting form in the last issue.
The Gas Maintenance Team has
managed to carry out gas safety
checks in every one of the council’s
homes that have gas for the past
three years.
It also works to make sure tenants
and leaseholders get an excellent
service all year round. Last winter
was the coldest for 30 years, and
many of the team took calls in their
own time to help keep people warm.
City tenant Joseph Jennings, who
was interviewed by the LGA for a
short film shown at the awards
ceremony held in Bournemouth in
July, said: “They've always been
nice, polite, happy and friendly
people. I'm
glad to have
them in my
house.”
• The council’s Leo McMulkin also
won a LGA Council Worker of the
Year award for his work on ‘green’
energy. He has helped set up the
scheme that means tenants living in
Cambridge and Crescent Towers in
the city centre will enjoy cheaper
heating
bills when
their
homes are
linked to a
system
that uses
heat that
would
otherwise
be wasted.
CUSTOMERS BENEFIT
FROM NEW E-SCHEME
A new ‘e-Benefits’ system is revolutionising
the delivery of the Housing Benefit and
Council Tax Benefit Service.
The online scheme streamlines the application
process so payments can be made more
quickly. Council staff complete the form while
they talk to customers over the phone. Out of
1,315 claims lodged since the start of March
this year, 70 per cent have been dealt with
via e-Benefits.
Karen Markall, council service delivery
manager, says: “The e-Benefits scheme has
had an immediate positive impact on the
quality of service experienced by our customers.”
News in BRIEF
Above: The award winning
Gas Maintenance Team and;
Right: Leo McMulkin
15. LONG-SERVING
TENANT REP
WILL BE SADLY
MISSEDA new messaging service that alerts
residents by text or email to any serious
incidents happening in their area – such as
flooding, security problems or evacuations – is
now available and anyone can sign up for free.
Birmingham Community Alert is run by the council’s
Resilience Team, which helps the city prepare for
emergencies, large and small. If you sign up, the alerts will
be delivered to your email address or mobile phone (or
both) to help you avoid travel delays.
Recent alerts told residents about a water mains burst on a
busy suburban street and a suspicious package in the city
centre that had closed off access to bus stops and a main
railway station.
Sign up for Community Alerts
■ Fill in a secure form on the website at
www.birminghamprepared.gov.uk
■ Send a text message with
the word ALERT followed by
your postcode to 83118.
peace of mind
Friends, colleagues and family
are mourning the sad loss of
Steve Walters – who served
as an outstanding tenant rep
for almost 20 years.
Steve, aged 62,
who died suddenly
from a heart
attack, was
probably best
known for a
13-year stint as
chairman of
Brandwood End
Development
Group. The
group was
formed in
1997 to
spearhead
a pioneering
£17 million regeneration
project in Kings Heath.
Steve Dallaway,
development manager at
the council, said: “Steve’s
vision for creating a new
Brandwood End was an
inspiration to everyone
involved. It is a real-life
example of what
sustainable communities
are all about. The
housing we put back
offers something for
everybody.”
service offers
Free messaging
Steve Walters at
Brandwood Endpage15
Congratulations to
Kenneth Jones from
Quinton, who won £50 worth
of shrubs in our last competition
and J Alcorn of Northfield
who won £25 in
our survey draw.
Turn to page 31 for our new
wordsearch.
16. 16
Now in its third year, ‘Birmingham in Bloom’
has become one of the council’s best-loved
initiatives, attracting hundreds of hard-
working and hopeful entrants. As this latest
issue of Letterbox went to press, the judges
were beginning their search for the city’s
most beautiful tenant and leaseholder
gardens.
But what if you don’t have a garden? Your home may
have a small outdoor space instead – perhaps a paved
courtyard? For many tenants this is a good thing;
gardens make demands on busy families and can
become an unwelcome responsibility for older people.
But if you want to get green-fingered and don’t have
any grass – or you just don’t like the idea of mowing
a lawn – ‘container’ gardening could be for you.
Here’s some advice from two experienced gardeners
and regular Birmingham in Bloom entrants on how
to make a space beautiful with just containers
and pots.
Godcene Lewis Leopold, Kings Heath
“I find containers are a wonderful way to make a
small space beautiful. Placing them at different
heights adds interest and can make them
comfortable to work with. Hanging baskets and
window boxes bring colour to walls and fences,
and are easy to change. When you start out you
should choose plants you like, especially ‘old-
fashioned’ plants, which are often easier to grow
– busy lizzies, geraniums, dahlias. I like to work
with colours; fiery reds and oranges, blues and
whites against a backdrop of clematis.”
Birmingham in Bloo
bright, beautiful
Godcene Lewis Leopold
17. page17
Kathleen Pound,
Kingstanding
“Pots and planters
give you an advantage
if you are a gardener
who is getting on! It’s a
great way to share the
work with others; my
sister and her husband
help me. I had pebbles
and diamond flagstones
put down when my
garden got too much for
me. Now I’ve put a
planter on each flagstone
and I think my garden
looks wonderful again. I
like to lay everything out
by colour. Pansies are my
favourite, but they don't
last long! I’d encourage
anyone to start container
gardening – people even
grow vegetables in them
now!”
If this article has
encouraged you to start
gardening in containers,
planters and pots, let us
know. Write to us at the
Letterbox
address on
the back
page.
Blooming
lovely
You can read about another
Birmingham in Bloom entrant on
page 20. Baughan House tenants
worked with council contractors,
officers and Future Jobs Fund
trainees to build raised
planters.
om –
boxes!
Kathleen Pound
18. Help at hand to
resolve disputes
18
The Mediation Service can
help if you have a problem
with a neighbour…
Facing up to antisocial behaviour can be difficult,
but there are a number of ways in which the
council and its partners can help you – including
the dedicated Mediation Service.
The service is run by Birmingham Antisocial
Behaviour Unit (BASBU) – part of the Safer
Birmingham Partnership that includes the council
and police, and which delivers a whole range of
services across the city to help reduce nuisance.
The Mediation Service can help if you have a
problem with a neighbour over noise, parking,
pets, boundary disputes, their children’s behaviour
or any other issues.
What does mediation involve?
Mediation can help to resolve disagreements. A
‘mediator’ – someone who isn’t involved in the
dispute and so is impartial – will help both parties
work towards:
■ solving any difficulties and reaching a situation
that is acceptable for everyone involved
■ focusing on the future, with an emphasis on
rebuilding relationships rather than blaming
people for past problems
■ acknowledging feelings as well as facts so
those involved can let go of anger and upset
and move forward
■ enabling those involved to come up with their
own practical solutions.
What are the benefits of mediation?
It gives those involved an opportunity to step back
and think about how they could put the situation
right. This can mean looking at their own behaviour
as well as that of other people.
Meeting the other people involved in a dispute can
be intimidating, so the service can be offered
without using face-to-face meetings if preferred.
How do I access the Mediation
Service?
You can access the service through your local
housing team or by calling the 24-hour Antisocial
Behaviour Helpline on 0121 303 1111.
ACTION ON anti
19. Youngsters have been enjoying a feast
of regular football coaching over the
summer. The sessions have been run in
Frankley to help 11 to 16 year-olds use
their time more wisely – rather than
becoming bored and possibly causing a
nuisance.
hanging around for
football
Youngsters swap
The Thursday evening two-hour
coaching sessions have been
organised by Pertemps
Coachright – the sports and
recreational arm of Pertemps
People Development Group – at
Frankley High School.
Local police community support
officers distributed leaflets to
youngsters in school – some of
whom had been identified as
causing antisocial behaviour –
in order to encourage them to
take part and to keep them on
the ‘straight and narrow’.
Explaining the popular move,
local housing manager Valerie
Pottinger, said: “This is a great
opportunity for all agencies to
get those youths involved who
come to our attention after we
receive complaints from
residents about them
‘hanging around’ or playing ball
games in ill-chosen places or at
unsuitable times.
“Problems and complaints about
young people have kept us
extremely busy and this always
increases during the school
holidays. These coaching
sessions are brilliant as they
give youngsters something
positive to focus on.”
Rob Houlston, project manager
at Pertemps Coachright, said:
“Around 30 youngsters had
taken up the coaching challenge
under the guidance of full-time
sports coaches. Training focused
on key disciplines like shooting
and heading plus fun games.”
Funding for the project came
from West Midlands Police and
the Safer Northfield Partnership.
Rob said: “There had
been a number of
complaints about
children playing
football in the street –
but then kicking balls
into gardens. Ever
since the coaching
got underway the
complaints started
to reduce and the
high numbers
attending speak
volumes for the
popularity of the
coaching.
“The coaching gives
children the best
skills to work as
part of a team, to
enjoy themselves
and make the most
of a great
opportunity.”
social behaviour
page19
Youngsters from Frankley
enjoy themelves playing
football
20. One of the council's extra care
sheltered housing schemes,
Baughan House in Erdington,
has 56 flats and bungalows with
shared communal areas. It’s a
place where tenants can be safe
while continuing to enjoy their
independence. But residents were
unhappy that their communal
garden had become overgrown,
and had even tried cutting it
back themselves.
After speaking to their support
officer and local tenant
participation officer a new-look
garden was planned. Residents
and staff from Services for Older
People thought that raised flower
beds would provide a practical
way for everyone to enjoy
gardening. A clean-up day – with
everyone lending a hand at their
own pace – helped to prepare
the ground, with construction set
for a day in May. On the day
everyone pitched in, staff,
residents, council contractors
and officers as well as Future
Jobs Fund trainees (see page
opposite).
• Willmott Dixon built one
planter from railway sleepers
supplied by Archers, and
Tomlinsons and Prestec
made the second.
• Travis Perkins provided tools
and supplies, and Glendale
provided a team to prune
back the overgrowth and
grass a small lawn under the
apple trees.
• Dunpark Civils and Lintels
provided the waterproof lining
and Kiely Bros supplied the
soil to fill the finished
containers.
When the truck-load of soil
arrived, everyone busied
themselves with wheelbarrows and
spades, filling the new containers.
The residents themselves did all
the planting of the raised beds, the
pots and hanging baskets. A Parks
Team from Kings Heath brought a
lorry-load of plants which they sold,
running planting demonstrations and
advice workshops all day. This had
been advertised beforehand at
other sheltered schemes
and also around the
community, bringing in
dozens of people to
help, learn and enjoy
the great weather.
The Baughan
gardens were
entered in
this year’s
Birmingham
in Bloom competition.
Looking out over a beautiful garden you've helped
to plant yourself is something you can enjoy
at any age. Thanks to partnership working by
residents, council staff and approved contractors,
this is a pleasure that's now easy to achieve at
Baughan House.
20
Brenda Davis came from
the Laurels sheltered care
scheme to help on the day –
“Marvellous, absolutely
wonderful. I enjoyed
helping out and taking
the photographs to
commemorate the day.”
Baughan House resident
Christine Johnson – “The
Future Jobs Fund
trainees were so helpful,
and they looked so smart
in their uniforms. They
worked non stop
throughout the day, and
their enthusiasm made it
fun for all the residents.”
Baughan House in bloom
Tenants and volunteers started a
marathon soil move to fill the beds
An example of the
tenants’ hard work
21. Willmott Dixon tries to involve
all its staff in community
development projects. This
broadens employees’ skills as
part of their professional
development, but also helps
leave a lasting legacy on the
ground. Typical projects might
be helping to cut back
overgrown gardens and play
areas or painting and decorating
community rooms and halls. In
April this year Willmott Dixon
approached the local housing
manager for Edgbaston
Constituency. She instigated the
Welsh House Farm clearance
project, a partnership that
would bring together Willmott
Dixon staff, housing officers,
district neighbourhood
caretakers, neighbourhood
cleaners and neighbourhood
Council and community efforts to improve people’s lives on and around Quinton’s
Welsh House Farm Estate have received national attention. Now those efforts have
been boosted by staff from Willmott Dixon, the council’s repair partner
in the area, and trainees from the Future Jobs Fund.
office staff for a week, to clear
a neglected and overgrown area
on the Welsh House Farm
Estate.
Future Jobs Fund trainees
The efforts of the clearance
project team were supported by
Future Jobs Fund trainees.
These environmental trainees
are young people between the
ages of 18 and 24 who have
been unemployed for six
months or longer and are
undertaking short-term
placements with the council to
increase their employment skills
and prospects. They work in
priority neighbourhoods of the
city to support neighbourhood
managers and neighbourhood
caretakers to help make these
areas better and cleaner places
to live.
Contributing their time and
energy to the project, the
trainees were in Welsh House
Farm Road every day during
project week, cutting back
hedges, clearing the ground,
and getting rid of green waste.
Their help made a big difference
and was much appreciated by
tenants and the rest of the team.
The partnership initiative has
made a real difference to the
appearance of the area and to
the community. Feedback from
tenants in low-rise blocks in the
project area has so far been
very positive.
Together
we can – the Welsh
House Farm
clearance project
BEFORE: trainees from the Future
Jobs Fund clear an overgrown area
at Welsh House Farm
page21
AFTER: Welsh House
Farm now
22. The Menu of Involvement gives
you a list of activities that you
can pick from. The Menu of
Involvement could offer you
chances to participate in shaping
council services in ways that you
may well not have thought of.
These include:
■ Housing Liaison Boards
(HLBs). HLBs are
democratically elected groups
of tenants, leaseholders,
homeowners, councillors
and housing staff, each
representing a specific local
area. The boards have been
very successful in getting
local people involved.
There are currently more
than 30 HLBs covering most
of the city. Each HLB usually
holds ten meetings a year,
arranged for a set time and
venue that suits most of the
members.
Some of the activities you
would get involved in as a
member of a HLB include
discussing housing
management and repairs
issues, monitoring
performance against agreed
page25
Having your say on local housing issues or helping
make your neighbourhood a better place doesn’t
have to mean sitting in meetings. The council’s
Menu of Involvement is offering tenants and
leaseholders a range of opportunities that will fit
anyone’s free time and interests.
standards, taking part in
estate walkabouts and
producing newsletters.
■ Letterbox editorial
board. As a reader, you’ll
already know that we publish
four issues a year, mixing
news and features on housing
services with money advice
and ideas for days out. You
may not know that you could be
at our next editorial board
meeting, giving us your views
about future issues.
Heather Stephenson from Erdington
applied to join her Constituency
Tenants’ Group after reading the
Menu of Involvement. She said: “I
was really impressed by the menu.
It opened my eyes – I didn’t know
there were so many activities you
could do. There are so many that
don’t take up much time at all.”
You can download a copy of
the Menu of Involvement
(pictured) from
www.birmingham.gov.uk/moi
or contact your local TPO.
You’ll find their telephone
numbers on page 27.
A recipe for success:
the Menu of
Involvement
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
23. TV is changing. In 2011 the traditional
‘analogue’ TV signal will be switched off in
Birmingham and replaced with a digital TV signal.
Are you ready to
go digital?
The team installs new cablesTo make sure residents who live
in blocks with a shared analogue
TV reception system, maintained
by the council, will still be able to
watch TV after the switchover,
we have been carrying out a
programme to install new digital
systems to blocks, which means
you will be able to access both
digital TV and radio.
When the work is done, there will
be a single combined aerial
socket in your home delivering
free-to-air services and Sky (if
you buy a subscription). New
aerials, a satellite dish and
reception equipment will be
installed on the roof.
Residents who live in blocks that
are part of the digital installation
programme should have received
a leaflet giving more details.
If you have any questions,
call 0800 587 4988.
For more information:
Call Freephone 0800 4085 900 or
go online to www.helpscheme.co.uk
An engineer installs
an integrated
reception system for
people living in flats
New cables to where the
TV socket is now are
covered with small, white
plastic trunking
Satellite dish and new
reception equipment is
installed on the roof
Switchover help for older and disabled residentsWhereas the council can take care of you and your block’s
aerial, the Switchover Help Scheme – set up by the government
and run by the BBC – makes switchover easier for older and
disabled people by converting one TV in their home to digital.You are eligible for the scheme if you are:■ aged 75 years or over
■ have lived in a care home for six months or more■ get disability living allowance, attendance or constantattendance allowance, or mobility supplement■ registered blind or partially sighted.
It is free for eligible people who get:■ pension credit
■ income support
■ income based jobseekers’ allowance■ employment and support allowance.
Anyone eligible for the scheme should get an information pack
through the post soon.
22
24. page23
Did you know that you
could easily end up in
rent arrears on your
home if your Housing
Benefit is suspended
or cancelled?
If you get a letter telling you that
your Housing Benefit has been
suspended, it means that there is
a query about your claim that you
need to answer.
Ignoring a letter like this could mean
that your Housing Benefit is stopped
altogether, which could lead to you
getting into arrears with your rent if
you can no longer pay it.
Don’t panic!
If you get a letter telling you that your
Housing Benefit claim has been
suspended, you have a month to respond
with any information and proof that will
answer the query.
If you haven’t answered the query and/or
provided the information needed in time, yo
Housing Benefit claim will be cancelled and
you may have to complete a new claim form
So get help as early as possible if you don’t
understand what you need to do (see contact
details below). Who to contact
If you have had a letterabout your Housing
Benefit that says it hasbeen suspended or
cancelled and you needfurther help, telephonethe Benefit Service on0121 464 7000 and anadviser will take you
through what you needto do.
Housing Benefit and rent
arrears: don’t get caught out
YOUR CHANCE TO
WIN £100
Remember, everyone with
a clear rent account is
automatically entered into a draw
for the chance to win one of ten
prizes of £100 four times a
year. The Rent Team will
contact you if you are
a winner.
26. 26
…make the
census in
Birmingham
a success by
filling in the
census
questionnaire
The countdown to the 2011 census is well and
truly underway – and Birmingham residents are
being urged to fill in the questionnaire for the
good of the city.
D-day itself – when all the country will be asked to take part
in the census – is 27 March 2011. The questionnaire covers
a broad range of topics including health, sex, age, marital
status, language, employment, relationships between
household members, ethnic background, religion and type of
accommodation.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimates that each
person counted in the census is worth £5,000 to Birmingham
City Council over ten years.
Amerdip Kaur, senior policy officer with the council, says: “This
means that with an undercount of just 100 people Birmingham
could be missing out on £500,000 worth of funding.
“ONS and Birmingham City Council staff will work with community
organisations and local partners to raise awareness of the
importance of the census and to support residents who need help
filling in the questionnaire.
“You can help make the census in Birmingham a success by filling
in the census questionnaire yourself, and supporting those around
you to do the same.
BIRMINGHAM
COUNTS DOWN TO
THE 2011 CENSUS
“The questionnaire must be completed
in English, so can you support those
whose first language isn’t English? Are
you a member of a community group that
could hold a drop-in session on census
day? If yes – then please get in contact
with us.”
If you have any questions about the census,
want to get involved, or have suggestions
about how we can make it a success in
Birmingham, contact Amerdip Kaur on
0121 303 4846 or email
census@birmingham.gov.uk
Each person
counted in the
census is worth
£5,000 to
Birmingham City
Council over
ten years
27. page27
Birmingham City Council knows that when
tenants and leaseholders get together they can
generate practical new ideas and help resolve
issues which affect everyone. In this regular
column we look at the work of the ten
Constituency Tenants Groups (CTGs).
SUTTON CTG
– asking the right
questions
In Sutton, the CTG is a lively mix
of tenants and leaseholders from
around the constituency. Every
CTG can review a different aspect
of housing policy; learning how it
works and seeing where
improvements could benefit all
council tenants.
Sutton CTG wanted to find out more
about the council’s rent policies.
Guest speakers from the Rent Team
were invited to constituency meetings,
and the group decided that it really
wanted to learn more about the
evictions policy. The Rent Team were
able to offer two ‘away days’ to
share its knowledge and experience.
On the first day the team talked
residents through what happens
before, during and after an eviction.
On the second day, the New Lettings
Support Team, Anti-Loan Shark Team,
Debt Advice Service and Citysave
Credit Union ran presentations showing
how vulnerable people could be
assisted before falling into debt.
At its next meeting, the group plans to
brainstorm where any gaps might be,
and what new practical measures could
be put into place. It plans to focus on
the 18–30 age group who appear to be
at a greater risk of being evicted than
others. Already the CTG is thinking of
simple solutions like monthly talks,
distributing debt information leaflets
locally and setting up a Facebook page to
involve younger people in delivering the
‘Rent First’ message.
If you would like more information,
contact your tenant participation
officer:
Edgbaston 0121 303 5359
Erdington 0121 303 1952
Hall Green 0121 675 6098
Hodge Hill 0121 303 7128
Ladywood 0121 464 1614 or
0121 675 9903
Northfield 0121 464 3492
Perry Barr 0121 303 3074
Selly Oak 0121 464 3626
Sutton Coldfield 0121 303 1952
Yardley 0121 464 1615
Amjeed Kabil, income maximisation
officer, shares his knowledge with Sutton
CTG members pictured below
It plans to
focus on the
18–30 age group
who appear to be
at a greater risk
of being evicted
than others
29. You can find out more about what’s happening in the city by going
to the What’s On guide at www.birmingham.gov.uk/whatson
Remembrance Day
Hall of Memory,
Centenary Square
From 10am, 14 November
Remembrance service for all
who have lost their lives in
defence of their country.
Telephone: 0121 303 1999
www.birmingham.gov.uk/
leisureevents
Christmas Parade
City centre
21 November
FREE
Come and enjoy entertainment out on
the street, with festive characters
providing fun for all the family.
Telephone: 0121 303 3008
www.birmingham.gov.uk/leisureevents
Thomas Vale Pantomime
Horse Grand National
Centenary Square
28 November
– this autumn
Birmingham’s wackiest race
returns! Enjoy the thrills and spills
as pantomime horses jump the
fences in aid of charity.
Telephone: 0121 303 3008
www.birmingham.gov.uk/
leisureevents
Museums
■ 13 November to 13 February
2011 – New Art Now,
Waterhall, city centre.
Birmingham Museum and
Art Gallery, New Art Gallery
Walsall and Ikon Gallery
have been creating a
collection of international
contemporary art. This is
the first chance to see
some of the works. FREE.
www.bmag.org.uk
Cannon Hill Park
2 Russell Road,
Moseley B13 8RD
Kingfisher
Country Park
Sports Pavilion,
Kendrick Avenue,
Shard End B34 7SA
Lickey Hills
Country Park
Warren Lane,
Rednal B45 8ER
Sheldon Country Park
Ragley Drive, Church Road,
Sheldon B26 3TU
The Shire Country Park
and Chinn Brook
Sarehole Mill, Colebank Road,
Moseley B13 0BD
Sutton Park National
Nature Reserve
Park Road, Sutton Coldfield
B74 2YT
Woodgate Valley
Country Park
Clapgate Lane, Bartley Green
B32 3DS
There are 14 major parks in
Birmingham, and many smaller local
parks and open spaces. Plan your
autumn walks by visiting the website at
www.birmingham.gov.uk/parks
Birmingham’s
Frankfurt Christmas
Market and Craft Fair
Victoria Square and
New Street
10am – 9pm
18 November – 23 December
Everyone’s seasonal favourite
returns. Enjoy delicious German
food and explore over 180
authentic stalls in search of that
perfect Christmas gift.
Telephone: 0844 888 3883
www.birmingham.gov.uk/
frankfurtmarket
page29
CITY PARKS
AT A GLANCE
30. Over the past five years,
most families of children
born after September
2002 have been able to
open a Child Trust Fund
savings account with a
£250 voucher from the
government. Further
cash could be paid in by
parents, family or friends
to build up the savings,
and another £250
voucher was available
from the government
when a child turned
seven.
As of 1 August
this year, the
government reduced
the value of the
voucher children
receive when they
are born from £250
to £50. For children
from lower income
households it was
reduced to £100. The top-up
payments for seven-year-olds
ended on 1 August.
Child Trust Fund vouchers will
stop altogether for children born
on or after 1 January 2011.
Most families who have been
eligible for Child Trust Fund
vouchers will have received a
voucher automatically when they
claimed Child Benefit. If you
think your child was entitled to a
voucher but you haven’t received
it, you should contact the Child
Trust Fund helpline (see below
for details).
If you have already received a
Child Trust Fund voucher but not
yet used it, check the expiry
date. If you don’t set up a fund
with it before this date, HM
Revenue and Customs will open
an account on your child’s
behalf.
30
This is your last chance to find out if you are
entitled to open a savings account for your child
with a free money voucher from the government,
as the Child Trust Fund scheme is being wound
down.
Child Trust
Fund vouchers
will stop
altogether…
More information on the Child Trust Fund
If you want to ask a question about the Child Trust
Fund – or check if you are still entitled to a voucher for
your child – call the helpline on 0845 302 1470 or
Textphone on 0845 366 7870.
If you need advice about debt, contact the Debt
Advice Team on 0121 303 2087.
– have you claimed?
MONEY CORNER
Child Trust Fund
31. Join the celebration as 65 of Disney’s unforgettable
characters from 18 of its best-loved stories come to life in
Disney On Ice celebrates 100 Years of Magic, which arrives at
Birmingham’s National Indoor Arena (NIA) in November.
Your name:
Address:
Postcode:
Telephone number:
Letterbox competitions are only open to Birmingham City Council
tenants and leaseholders and their families. For our full competition
rules go to www.birmingham.gov.uk/letterbox – the closing date is
Friday 22 October 2010.
The missing word is:
To buy tickets for Disney On Ice celebrates 100 Years of
Magic call: Db Promotions UK on 0121 308 4511. YOU CAN SAVE UP TO £5
PER TICKET ON SELECTED SHOWS.
You’ll be captivated by
Mickey Mouse, Minnie
Mouse, Goofy, Donald
Duck, Jiminy Cricket,
Pinocchio and the Disney
princesses and see
magical moments from
The Lion King, Mulan, and
Disney/Pixar’s Finding
Nemo, The Incredibles and
Toy Story.
Letterbox has a family
ticket for four people
to see the opening
performance of Disney
On Ice celebrates 100
Years of Magic at the NIA
at 7pm on 3 November. For
the chance to win, complete
this Disney-themed word
search and find the
missing word. Fill in the
form below and post it to
the address on the back
page.
The closing date is Friday
22 October. The winner
will be contacted by the
organiser Db Promotions
UK after the closing date
to arrange posting out the
tickets.
31
Win – tickets to Disney On Ice
ALADDIN
BAGHEERA
BAMBI
BASHFUL
BEAST
BELLE
BUZZ LIGHTYEAR
CAPTAIN HOOK
CHRISTOPHER ROBIN
CINDERELLA
CRUELLA DE VIL
DONALD DUCK
DOPEY
DORY
DUMBO
GENIE
GOOFY
JESSICA RABBIT
JIMINY CRICKET
MARLIN
MICKEY MOUSE
MINNIE MOUSE
MOWGLI
NEMO
PINOCCHIO
PLUTO
PRINCESS ARIEL
PRINCESS JASMINE
ROGER RABBIT
SHERE KHAN
SHERIFF WOODY
SIMBA
SNOW WHITE
TIMON
THUMPER
TINKER BELL
WINNIE THE POOH
WOODY
ZAZU
ZIRA
32. The address for all your
letters and competition entries is:
Letterbox, Housing Communications Team, Level 2,
Louisa Ryland House, 44 Newhall Street, Birmingham B3 3PL
If you would like Letterbox in Braille,
large print or audio CD,
please call the Communications Team
on 0121 303 4206
For deaf or hearing impaired readers
only, our minicom textphone number is
0121 303 2551
HouCom 10.295 73K 09/10
Use your mouse,
to repair your
‘house’
Did you know that instead of phoning
you can now report your routine housing
repairs on the internet? No matter what
the time – you can do it online!
We can schedule the repair to suit you. You
choose the best time – morning, afternoon or
perhaps to avoid the school run – and we’ll fit in
with your plans as best we can.
Contact us online 24/7, quickly
and easily at the click of a mouse at
www.birmingham.gov.uk/houserepairs
For emergency repairs, including
gas and communal repairs,
please continue to call us on:
0800 073 3333
