This document provides a summary of various housing-related news and initiatives from Birmingham City Council. It discusses the completion of the first new council homes built in over 20 years as part of the Birmingham Municipal Housing Trust scheme. It also announces plans to build more new homes in several areas of the city using government funding. Other sections provide information on mutual home exchanges, extra care housing schemes for older residents, leaseholder initiatives, and improvements to existing homes under the Decent Homes programme.
London Mayoral Election 2012 - The IssuesEdelman_UK
Ken and Boris are neck and neck in the polls heading into the final week of campaigning for the London mayoral election. The document analyzes their positions on key issues like housing, transport, the economy, the environment, crime, and other vote winners. On housing, Ken focuses on affordable renting while Boris promises more affordable homes. Their transport positions center around fares, with Ken pledging a 7% cut and Boris focusing on infrastructure investment. Both aim to boost the economy, though Boris pledges 200,000 new jobs. They differ on the environment and crime, with Ken promising more police and green initiatives while Boris emphasizes existing successes.
PreservingAffordability_Westside_April 22_2016Kevin Mara
This document discusses strategies for preserving affordable housing in the Vine City and English Avenue neighborhoods of Atlanta in the face of rising property values and development. It recommends: 1) preserving existing subsidized affordable rental housing as it ages past affordability restrictions; 2) expanding affordable rental housing through inclusionary zoning, bonds, and financing for developers and landlords; and 3) helping existing homeowners afford rising property taxes through circuit breakers or deferral programs and grants for home repairs. The goal is to maintain a socioeconomic mix in the neighborhoods as they revitalize.
This newsletter provides an overview of recent political developments and local news from Anthony Lawlor TD, representing Kildare North. Key points from the Budget are highlighted, including maintaining social welfare rates and retaining the lower VAT rate for tourism. Garda recruitment is resuming. New school enrollment rules and postal codes are outlined. Local projects like a Guinness sculpture in Celbridge and an energy upgrade for the GAA club are mentioned.
The document provides installation guidelines for Enviro-Span culvert systems. It outlines the steps to select a location, prepare footing logs, place the modules on the footing logs and connect them, cover with geotextile, backfill evenly on both sides to specified depths, and place riprap as needed. Improper installation or inadequate filling may result in failure to withstand loads and void the warranty.
The document is a resume for Hardiep2sandhu@gmail.com. It summarizes their education and work experience. They have a T.Y.B.Com from Guru Nanak Khalsa college and work experience as a Research & Business Operations Specialist at CapGemini working on the Citigroup Global Markets India Pvt. Ltd. project. In this role, they prepare reports, coordinate with vendors, collect client data, handle requests and queries, and manage the distribution of research content to internal and external clients.
1. The document provides instructions for using Dropbox to store and share files across devices. It explains how to install Dropbox on computers and mobile devices, upload and access files from any device, and share files and folders with links.
2. The instructions also cover how to collaborate on documents by setting up shared folders that allow multiple users to work on files simultaneously and see edits in real-time.
3. Additional tips are provided for recovering file versions, managing file storage, and strengthening security settings for the Dropbox account.
This document contains a collection of photos from Flickr shared under various Creative Commons licenses. It also contains citations for 10 sources on the topics of digital distraction, location tracking technologies, targeted online advertising, and the effectiveness of interactive and online marketing tools/strategies. The photos are unrelated to the cited sources.
London Mayoral Election 2012 - The IssuesEdelman_UK
Ken and Boris are neck and neck in the polls heading into the final week of campaigning for the London mayoral election. The document analyzes their positions on key issues like housing, transport, the economy, the environment, crime, and other vote winners. On housing, Ken focuses on affordable renting while Boris promises more affordable homes. Their transport positions center around fares, with Ken pledging a 7% cut and Boris focusing on infrastructure investment. Both aim to boost the economy, though Boris pledges 200,000 new jobs. They differ on the environment and crime, with Ken promising more police and green initiatives while Boris emphasizes existing successes.
PreservingAffordability_Westside_April 22_2016Kevin Mara
This document discusses strategies for preserving affordable housing in the Vine City and English Avenue neighborhoods of Atlanta in the face of rising property values and development. It recommends: 1) preserving existing subsidized affordable rental housing as it ages past affordability restrictions; 2) expanding affordable rental housing through inclusionary zoning, bonds, and financing for developers and landlords; and 3) helping existing homeowners afford rising property taxes through circuit breakers or deferral programs and grants for home repairs. The goal is to maintain a socioeconomic mix in the neighborhoods as they revitalize.
This newsletter provides an overview of recent political developments and local news from Anthony Lawlor TD, representing Kildare North. Key points from the Budget are highlighted, including maintaining social welfare rates and retaining the lower VAT rate for tourism. Garda recruitment is resuming. New school enrollment rules and postal codes are outlined. Local projects like a Guinness sculpture in Celbridge and an energy upgrade for the GAA club are mentioned.
The document provides installation guidelines for Enviro-Span culvert systems. It outlines the steps to select a location, prepare footing logs, place the modules on the footing logs and connect them, cover with geotextile, backfill evenly on both sides to specified depths, and place riprap as needed. Improper installation or inadequate filling may result in failure to withstand loads and void the warranty.
The document is a resume for Hardiep2sandhu@gmail.com. It summarizes their education and work experience. They have a T.Y.B.Com from Guru Nanak Khalsa college and work experience as a Research & Business Operations Specialist at CapGemini working on the Citigroup Global Markets India Pvt. Ltd. project. In this role, they prepare reports, coordinate with vendors, collect client data, handle requests and queries, and manage the distribution of research content to internal and external clients.
1. The document provides instructions for using Dropbox to store and share files across devices. It explains how to install Dropbox on computers and mobile devices, upload and access files from any device, and share files and folders with links.
2. The instructions also cover how to collaborate on documents by setting up shared folders that allow multiple users to work on files simultaneously and see edits in real-time.
3. Additional tips are provided for recovering file versions, managing file storage, and strengthening security settings for the Dropbox account.
This document contains a collection of photos from Flickr shared under various Creative Commons licenses. It also contains citations for 10 sources on the topics of digital distraction, location tracking technologies, targeted online advertising, and the effectiveness of interactive and online marketing tools/strategies. The photos are unrelated to the cited sources.
Brief Summary of Planning Process TaashikaywinMike Rae
Eabametoong and Mishkeegogamang First Nations have historically shared land and resources based on oral traditions of mutual understanding. In 2000, they signed an agreement to undertake joint land use planning to formally document and protect their shared traditional territory and culture. Beginning in 2002, they developed a community-driven, integrated land and resource management plan called Taashikaywin to sustainably manage resources for current and future generations, informed by extensive natural and cultural inventories of the area. While funding and start-up delays set the project back by years, the plan is now supported by new Ontario legislation enshrining First Nations' land use plans in law.
The sun care category is facing challenges from skin care and makeup products that also provide UV protection. Sales of traditional sunscreen products have declined slightly as a result. However, the sun care industry is innovating by expanding their product ranges to target specific body parts and consumer groups, and by improving formulations to be more easily absorbed and convenient to use. Higher SPF levels and better UVA protection are also increasingly important to consumers and are being addressed by new regulations and product launches. The future of the category depends on continuing to differentiate sunscreen products through segmentation, formulation improvements, and convenience.
Pdf 2015 us_digitalfutureinfocus_engus_mar2015central.zone
The document provides an overview of key trends in the U.S. digital media landscape in 2014-2015. It discusses the rise of mobile platforms and decline of desktop usage. Mobile apps and social networks saw huge growth, with Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook engaging many users. National Geographic emerged as the top social media brand based on user interactions. The report examines platform usage, leading properties and apps, and demographic trends to outline the changing digital media ecosystem.
- The document discusses strategies for building a social media presence that is either global (centralized messaging across all markets) or local (customized messaging for each local market) or a combination of both.
- A global strategy ensures consistent messaging but can be difficult to tailor to local audiences, while a local strategy has more relevant content for each market but is harder to manage at scale.
- The best approach may be a "global-local" strategy that sets core messaging globally but allows local teams to customize as needed. This requires understanding audience location data and balancing standardization with customization.
Meera Arora is a business development manager with 6 years of experience in national and international markets. She has strong relationship building and client needs assessment skills. Her experience includes identifying new clients, negotiating deals, marketing through online tools, and maintaining relationships to establish a network of clients for organizations. She is currently working as a Business Development Manager for a Canadian client, where her responsibilities include developing new business and ensuring delivery of contracts.
The GCC Business Council provides memberships to companies looking to expand their network, increase market visibility, find new leads, develop their capacity, and enhance their profitability.
Eabametoong and the NWMO engagement reportMike Rae
The document summarizes a nuclear waste dialogue between the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) and Eabametoong First Nation in northern Ontario from September 2004 to January 2005. It provides background on nuclear waste storage issues in Canada. It describes four meetings between NWMO and the Eabametoong Elders Working Group where the Elders asked questions and raised concerns about nuclear waste storage options and their potential impacts. The Elders initiated further community engagement and established organizational structures for ongoing dialogue to inform decision making around nuclear waste storage in their traditional territory.
1) A group of 9 Christian university students in Port Moresby debate whether to continue dialoguing with two Mormon missionaries to learn more about their faith and address cultural issues important to locals.
2) The missionaries were able to address questions about ancestry that Christians struggle with from a biblical perspective.
3) The students were unprepared to respond to the missionaries' teachings and argue why Mormonism differs from Christianity, pointing to a need for better discipleship.
Abdullah is a licensed Saudi pharmacy technician seeking a position in a hospital. He has over 3 years of experience in various pharmacy roles including as an assistant pharmacist, retail pharmacist, and QA chemist. He has a bachelor's degree in pharmacy from TN Dr. MGR Medical University in 2010. He is proficient in English, Arabic, and computer skills relevant to pharmacy.
The complete guide to analytics on Facebookcentral.zone
This document provides a comprehensive guide to analyzing metrics on Facebook. It defines key metrics like page likes, engagement, engaged users, reach and impressions, and engagement rate. It explains how to understand these metrics and use them to measure the success of Facebook strategies. Advanced techniques covered include identifying growth opportunities, performing competitive analyses, and using insights data to build effective video content. The document aims to help marketers leverage Facebook analytics to interact with audiences and answer important questions about campaign performance.
This short document promotes the creation of presentations using Haiku Deck, an online presentation tool. It includes a photo credit and encourages the reader to get started making their own Haiku Deck presentation by sharing it on SlideShare.
Barnet Labour Housing Commission ReportRoss Houston
There is a housing crisis in the London borough of Barnet, as highlighted by residents' concerns about affordability. Housing costs have risen substantially, with average house prices nearly half a million pounds and private sector rents among the highest in outer London. However, wages have fallen in London, leaving more residents unable to afford their housing costs. The borough is failing to meet targets for overall home building and for affordable housing. A lack of affordable housing options means more residents must rely on the private rental sector, where rents consume a large portion of incomes. Additional living costs like energy are also rising, leaving many households in fuel poverty.
McCarthy & Stone is looking to invest £2 billion over 4 years to acquire 100 new sites and double the size of the business in order to meet growing demand for retirement housing in the UK. The document outlines the economic and social benefits of McCarthy & Stone's developments, including boosting local economies through construction jobs and resident spending, as well as reducing social care costs by enabling older people to live independently for longer. McCarthy & Stone has a track record of securing planning approval efficiently and works with landowners and local authorities to maximize returns.
McCarthy & Stone is looking to invest £2 billion over 4 years to acquire 100 new sites and double the size of the business in order to meet growing demand for retirement housing in the UK. The document outlines the economic and social benefits of McCarthy & Stone's developments, including boosting local economies through construction jobs and resident spending, as well as potential health and social care savings when older people can live independently for longer. It also discusses McCarthy & Stone's expertise in achieving planning consents efficiently and working with landowners to maximize returns.
Losing the plot: An investigation into Britain's broken planning systemMartinaLees
Shortlisted for the British Journalism Awards and winner of a Property Press Award, this six-page investigation for The Sunday Times reveals the extent of the planning crisis. Britain needs 1m new homes by 2020, but 240,000 applications - one in five - suffer delays, and a postcode lottery means you are twice as likely to get consent for an extension in Hampshire than in east London.
The UK is facing a significant housing crisis as demand for homes continues to outstrip supply. Housing prices are predicted to increase 50% over the next decade due to lack of new construction. There is currently a shortage of over 1 million homes. Several UK cities like Birmingham are facing shortfalls of tens of thousands of homes as populations grow rapidly. A long-term strategy is needed to increase housing supply through partnerships between investors, developers, and local governments to address land acquisition and new construction.
This document outlines regeneration proposals for the Excalibur housing estate that would see the existing homes replaced with 397 new homes built by housing association L&Q. It details that a vote in favor of the proposals would allow the plans to proceed, while a no vote would mean residents keeping their current homes but no improvements. The plans include a mix of house sizes, including bungalows and apartments, with existing residents guaranteed a new 2-bed house. The development would be built in phases over several years to minimize disruption.
This document summarizes new one and two bedroom apartments for sale through shared ownership in a development in south-west London. The apartments are designed to high standards and located in a landscaped garden development near transport links to central London. They offer an affordable way to purchase a first home through paying a mortgage on a share of the property value and rent on the remaining share. Floor plans and specifications for the available apartments are provided.
Brief Summary of Planning Process TaashikaywinMike Rae
Eabametoong and Mishkeegogamang First Nations have historically shared land and resources based on oral traditions of mutual understanding. In 2000, they signed an agreement to undertake joint land use planning to formally document and protect their shared traditional territory and culture. Beginning in 2002, they developed a community-driven, integrated land and resource management plan called Taashikaywin to sustainably manage resources for current and future generations, informed by extensive natural and cultural inventories of the area. While funding and start-up delays set the project back by years, the plan is now supported by new Ontario legislation enshrining First Nations' land use plans in law.
The sun care category is facing challenges from skin care and makeup products that also provide UV protection. Sales of traditional sunscreen products have declined slightly as a result. However, the sun care industry is innovating by expanding their product ranges to target specific body parts and consumer groups, and by improving formulations to be more easily absorbed and convenient to use. Higher SPF levels and better UVA protection are also increasingly important to consumers and are being addressed by new regulations and product launches. The future of the category depends on continuing to differentiate sunscreen products through segmentation, formulation improvements, and convenience.
Pdf 2015 us_digitalfutureinfocus_engus_mar2015central.zone
The document provides an overview of key trends in the U.S. digital media landscape in 2014-2015. It discusses the rise of mobile platforms and decline of desktop usage. Mobile apps and social networks saw huge growth, with Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook engaging many users. National Geographic emerged as the top social media brand based on user interactions. The report examines platform usage, leading properties and apps, and demographic trends to outline the changing digital media ecosystem.
- The document discusses strategies for building a social media presence that is either global (centralized messaging across all markets) or local (customized messaging for each local market) or a combination of both.
- A global strategy ensures consistent messaging but can be difficult to tailor to local audiences, while a local strategy has more relevant content for each market but is harder to manage at scale.
- The best approach may be a "global-local" strategy that sets core messaging globally but allows local teams to customize as needed. This requires understanding audience location data and balancing standardization with customization.
Meera Arora is a business development manager with 6 years of experience in national and international markets. She has strong relationship building and client needs assessment skills. Her experience includes identifying new clients, negotiating deals, marketing through online tools, and maintaining relationships to establish a network of clients for organizations. She is currently working as a Business Development Manager for a Canadian client, where her responsibilities include developing new business and ensuring delivery of contracts.
The GCC Business Council provides memberships to companies looking to expand their network, increase market visibility, find new leads, develop their capacity, and enhance their profitability.
Eabametoong and the NWMO engagement reportMike Rae
The document summarizes a nuclear waste dialogue between the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) and Eabametoong First Nation in northern Ontario from September 2004 to January 2005. It provides background on nuclear waste storage issues in Canada. It describes four meetings between NWMO and the Eabametoong Elders Working Group where the Elders asked questions and raised concerns about nuclear waste storage options and their potential impacts. The Elders initiated further community engagement and established organizational structures for ongoing dialogue to inform decision making around nuclear waste storage in their traditional territory.
1) A group of 9 Christian university students in Port Moresby debate whether to continue dialoguing with two Mormon missionaries to learn more about their faith and address cultural issues important to locals.
2) The missionaries were able to address questions about ancestry that Christians struggle with from a biblical perspective.
3) The students were unprepared to respond to the missionaries' teachings and argue why Mormonism differs from Christianity, pointing to a need for better discipleship.
Abdullah is a licensed Saudi pharmacy technician seeking a position in a hospital. He has over 3 years of experience in various pharmacy roles including as an assistant pharmacist, retail pharmacist, and QA chemist. He has a bachelor's degree in pharmacy from TN Dr. MGR Medical University in 2010. He is proficient in English, Arabic, and computer skills relevant to pharmacy.
The complete guide to analytics on Facebookcentral.zone
This document provides a comprehensive guide to analyzing metrics on Facebook. It defines key metrics like page likes, engagement, engaged users, reach and impressions, and engagement rate. It explains how to understand these metrics and use them to measure the success of Facebook strategies. Advanced techniques covered include identifying growth opportunities, performing competitive analyses, and using insights data to build effective video content. The document aims to help marketers leverage Facebook analytics to interact with audiences and answer important questions about campaign performance.
This short document promotes the creation of presentations using Haiku Deck, an online presentation tool. It includes a photo credit and encourages the reader to get started making their own Haiku Deck presentation by sharing it on SlideShare.
Barnet Labour Housing Commission ReportRoss Houston
There is a housing crisis in the London borough of Barnet, as highlighted by residents' concerns about affordability. Housing costs have risen substantially, with average house prices nearly half a million pounds and private sector rents among the highest in outer London. However, wages have fallen in London, leaving more residents unable to afford their housing costs. The borough is failing to meet targets for overall home building and for affordable housing. A lack of affordable housing options means more residents must rely on the private rental sector, where rents consume a large portion of incomes. Additional living costs like energy are also rising, leaving many households in fuel poverty.
McCarthy & Stone is looking to invest £2 billion over 4 years to acquire 100 new sites and double the size of the business in order to meet growing demand for retirement housing in the UK. The document outlines the economic and social benefits of McCarthy & Stone's developments, including boosting local economies through construction jobs and resident spending, as well as reducing social care costs by enabling older people to live independently for longer. McCarthy & Stone has a track record of securing planning approval efficiently and works with landowners and local authorities to maximize returns.
McCarthy & Stone is looking to invest £2 billion over 4 years to acquire 100 new sites and double the size of the business in order to meet growing demand for retirement housing in the UK. The document outlines the economic and social benefits of McCarthy & Stone's developments, including boosting local economies through construction jobs and resident spending, as well as potential health and social care savings when older people can live independently for longer. It also discusses McCarthy & Stone's expertise in achieving planning consents efficiently and working with landowners to maximize returns.
Losing the plot: An investigation into Britain's broken planning systemMartinaLees
Shortlisted for the British Journalism Awards and winner of a Property Press Award, this six-page investigation for The Sunday Times reveals the extent of the planning crisis. Britain needs 1m new homes by 2020, but 240,000 applications - one in five - suffer delays, and a postcode lottery means you are twice as likely to get consent for an extension in Hampshire than in east London.
The UK is facing a significant housing crisis as demand for homes continues to outstrip supply. Housing prices are predicted to increase 50% over the next decade due to lack of new construction. There is currently a shortage of over 1 million homes. Several UK cities like Birmingham are facing shortfalls of tens of thousands of homes as populations grow rapidly. A long-term strategy is needed to increase housing supply through partnerships between investors, developers, and local governments to address land acquisition and new construction.
This document outlines regeneration proposals for the Excalibur housing estate that would see the existing homes replaced with 397 new homes built by housing association L&Q. It details that a vote in favor of the proposals would allow the plans to proceed, while a no vote would mean residents keeping their current homes but no improvements. The plans include a mix of house sizes, including bungalows and apartments, with existing residents guaranteed a new 2-bed house. The development would be built in phases over several years to minimize disruption.
This document summarizes new one and two bedroom apartments for sale through shared ownership in a development in south-west London. The apartments are designed to high standards and located in a landscaped garden development near transport links to central London. They offer an affordable way to purchase a first home through paying a mortgage on a share of the property value and rent on the remaining share. Floor plans and specifications for the available apartments are provided.
BUILD TO RENT - Funding Britain's rental revolution - single pagesTom Roberts
This document discusses the growth of the build to rent sector in Britain. It notes that homeownership is declining while the private rental sector is growing, driven by increased housing demand and a lack of supply. Institutional investors and specialized developers are entering the build to rent market to develop new rental housing communities as long-term investments. This could generate over £30 billion in new investment and deliver over 150,000 new homes. However, further policy changes are still needed to fully unlock the potential of build to rent.
This document provides an executive summary of a report on shared ownership in the UK. The key points are:
1) There is large demand for shared ownership with 85,000 approvals reported annually. Housing associations are committed to further growth.
2) Awareness of shared ownership is growing, with 51% of the public able to correctly describe it, but more can be done to increase understanding.
3) The sector is working to improve standards through a new charter. Modeling shows shared ownership remains affordable even with interest rate rises.
4) There is market capacity for 60,000 shared ownership units annually. Lender appetite is growing as data issues are addressed. Overall, shared ownership is becoming
Shared Ownership 2.0 towards a fourth mainstream tenureChristoph Sinn
Shared ownership could help address the UK's broken housing market by becoming a mainstream tenure option for more people. The report examines barriers to expanding shared ownership, including increasing awareness of the product, developing consistency in eligibility criteria to boost lender confidence, and providing flexibility for households as their circumstances change. Achieving greater scale will require efforts from housing associations, developers, government, lenders, and regulators to streamline the product and increase investment.
Top tips for Council new build: Hackney Council's Chartered Institute of Hous...jameswillsher
This document summarizes a presentation given by Hackney Council officials on their experience building over 220 new homes with plans for more. It discusses Hackney's housing stock and regeneration programs, the challenges of affordable housing and increasing supply, and strategies for developing new homes, managing existing housing, and addressing wider housing issues through partnerships with developers and changes to national policy.
Place RESI 2017: Paul Westhead, Trafford Housing TrustPlace North West
Head of property business development at Trafford Housing Trust, Paul Westhead, gives an update on the Trust's work in the region, including the Trust's new homes brand, Laurus Homes and the joint partnership with L&Q
This document discusses the need for more housing delivery in Britain and proposes some potential solutions. It highlights that collaboration between the public and private sectors, enabling more suitable development through planning reforms, and recognizing different housing tenures like build-to-rent in planning are important steps. A key idea is that the planning system needs to properly support and incentivize build-to-rent housing, which could significantly increase delivery and improve rental standards. Collaboration between local councils and other groups is also emphasized as important to unlocking more supply.
Presentation from Richard Bacon MP
Richard Bacon is the MP for South Norfolk. He served on the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) for sixteen years and was the PAC’s deputy chairman from 2010 to 2017. Based on his PAC experiences, Richard wrote the book ‘Conundrum: Why Every Government Gets Things Wrong - and What We Can Do About It’ (published by Biteback Publishing) and also contributed to the book ‘How to Run a Country’ (published by the Reform think tank). He has lectured widely, including at the London School of Economics and at Saїd Business School, University of Oxford. Parliamentary colleagues have voted him the House Magazine's ‘Backbencher of the Year’ and also ‘Commons Select Committee Member of the Year’ and he has twice been named The Spectator magazine’s Parliamentarian of the Year.
He founded the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Self-Build, Custom and Community Housebuilding and Place-Making, and steered through Parliament a Private Member's Bill which became the Self-Build and Custom Housebuilding Act 2015. He is now Ambassador for the Right to Build Task Force, focusing on implementing the Right to Build legislation.
Slides used by Graham Brookfield from Homes England, during a visit to Homebaked CLT, Anfield by members of the Big Local Better Homes and Building Homes Learning Cluster
Community Led Housing (CLH) as part of larger schemesfutureoflondon
On 23 July, Stephen Hill, adviser to London CLT on its St Clement’s Hospital Project, shared lessons for groups seeking to develop community-led homes as a component of larger developments.
With Help to Buy never far from the headlines, this quarter Countrywide plc looks at where those buying through the scheme come from and the types of mortgage products they’re using.
Countrywide plc’s Q2 2014 Quarterly Market Review also looks at the number of homes built across Europe over the last decade, the impact of the £500,000 loan to income cap introduced by major banks and how rising house prices are driving first time buyers to cheaper areas of the country.
This document discusses omnichannel retail trends and how stores are seen as playing a key role in omnichannel strategies according to major European retailers. It provides coverage from over 17 sources on the topic, with insights from consulting firms and retailers on the strategic importance of stores. Key metrics are provided on the estimated monthly visitors and views for each coverage source.
The document discusses a study that found only 18% of European businesses have a digital testing strategy in place. It provides data on 14 websites that covered the story, including their estimated monthly visitors, views of the coverage, and domain authority scores. The sites with the highest numbers of visits and views included CIO, ITProPortal, and Digital Marketing Magazine.
Generate was looking to simplify its IT infrastructure and transition to cloud services. Viadex provided a solution that migrated email to Office 365, consolidated servers reducing their footprint by 75%, and provided backup and IT support. This helped Generate streamline operations and reduce costs while maintaining functionality during its office relocation. Viadex now acts as Generate's IT department, providing monitoring and support to minimize downtime. The transition was a success, allowing Generate to save on infrastructure costs and gain flexibility through cloud services.
The government is consulting on how to increase the percentage of the population with higher level skills. Currently only 31% have level 4 qualifications or above, below the target of 40%. While more students are graduating, employer demand for higher skills continues to grow due to needs for innovation. Higher skills also need to be developed in the workplace throughout employees' careers. Foundation degrees, developed jointly by employers, universities and colleges, are an effective way to provide higher skills training tailored to employer needs while also benefiting employees. For example, a foundation degree in retail management created with Tesco is being expanded to other retailers after successful implementation. Similar programs have been developed across other sectors such as IT and travel through the Foundation Degree Forward organization.
The NHS in the West Midlands received mostly positive coverage in regional media in October. Coverage focused on corporate issues and service delivery topics. South Staffordshire PCT and Dudley PCT received both positive and negative coverage, while organizations like University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire and Worcestershire Royal Hospital saw positive mentions. The Dudley Group of Hospitals received some praise but also criticism over quality ratings.
NHS Warwickshire safer sex - approved - 191109Jonny Sharp
NHS Warwickshire has launched a campaign urging young people to practice safer sex over the festive season. Statistics show more teenage pregnancies occur in December and January when partying and alcohol consumption increases the risk of unsafe behavior. The campaign will distribute 1,000 postcards with condoms bearing the message "Have fun. Be careful" at local colleges and youth centers. It aims to remind young people to stay in control and use protection to avoid sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancy if becoming sexually active over the holidays.
The document provides information about health services and initiatives in Coventry, England. It discusses plans to open additional dental surgeries, changes to GP surgery hours, support available to stop smoking, the Change4Life campaign to tackle obesity, and a community pharmacy weight management program that helped patients lose over 20 stone. It also describes a repeat prescription system that allows patients to receive multiple prescriptions at once from their pharmacist rather than visiting their GP each time.
The document summarizes a scheme called "Innovation Vouchers" that provides £3,000 grants to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the West Midlands region of the UK to work with local universities on incorporating new technologies into their businesses. Since launching in 2007, over 140 vouchers have been awarded through the INDEX program. The scheme is now being expanded nationwide based on its success in strengthening collaboration between industry and higher education to promote innovation.
This document summarizes fdf's strategic plan for 2008-2011 and various articles in its publication. The strategic plan outlines fdf's mission to stimulate employer partnerships with higher education to meet workforce development needs. It details fdf's strategic aims including leading national strategies around employer-led higher education, providing quality enhancement services, developing strategies for diversity in participation, communications, and strategic partnerships. One article discusses how employer consortia are an effective approach to address sector skills needs through partnership with higher education. Another examines the role of union learning representatives in unlocking workforce potential. A third outlines how apprenticeships could facilitate higher education progression with the right program features.
A customer satisfaction survey conducted by Exponential-e, a leading business technology provider, found that 95% of customers were satisfied or very satisfied with the quality of service, an improvement from 89% the previous year. Additionally, 95% of customers stated they were likely or very likely to recommend Exponential-e's products and services. Senior management will use the findings to continue improving customer experience. The survey also provided insights into current IT priorities such as security, virtualization, and remote working.
Exponential-e's high-definition broadcast network played a pivotal role in transmitting live coverage of the Royal Wedding to over 100 million viewers worldwide. The network provided connectivity between broadcasters' locations in London and New York to transmit uncompressed video feeds. Bell Media in Canada delivered the most watched Royal Wedding coverage nationally, with over 7 million Canadians tuning in. Exponential-e's service-aware network gave broadcasters the reliability and performance needed to transmit high-quality live broadcasts of the historic event.
The Wellcome Trust is a large UK charitable foundation dedicated to improving health. It funds biomedical research and related activities. Exponential-e provides the Trust with internet and networking services including a dedicated fiber connection between its London headquarters and backup data center, supporting services like email, hosting, and video conferencing. The networking solution provides security, reliability, and quality of service guarantees. Exponential-e also provides application monitoring and traffic control tools that help the Trust optimize its bandwidth usage. The relationship has expanded over time and Exponential-e is now a strategic partner for the Trust's networking needs.
Exponential-e was founded in 2002 to provide network service excellence, customer service excellence, and applied innovation. Since 2006, their research has focused on a flexible "Smart Wires" network infrastructure that can accommodate emerging cloud technologies. Their Smart Wires network matured to support hundreds of customers leveraging their highly resilient network for business critical cloud services. Smart Wires provides a versatile solution that merges the traditional LAN-WAN-cloud perimeter and can seamlessly integrate private virtualized environments with public cloud resources.
The document summarizes Exponential-e's role in providing the broadcast infrastructure for live coverage of the 2011 royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. Exponential-e's high-throughput broadcast network enabled major broadcasters like CBS News and Bell Media Canada to transmit continuous feeds from various locations in London and New York to audiences in North and South America. Executives from the broadcasters praised Exponential-e's reliable and responsive service.
This document provides UK SEAT dealers with public relations guidance and ideas for generating positive media coverage. It outlines the PR support services available from SEAT's Dealer PR team, including photography and pre-written press releases. The guide then lists numerous story ideas that past SEAT dealers have successfully pitched to local media, such as charitable events, staff achievements, and customer tales. It encourages dealers to think of potential news coming from sponsorships, awards, community involvement, new staff, and more. Contact details are provided to access the PR team's assistance.
TUI developed a Travel Operations Foundation degree (Fd) in partnership with fdf and higher education institutions to help retain staff, develop skills, and create managers. The 2-year Fd balances theory and practical skills through online and classroom learning. It was informed by input from TUI's competitors and addresses the needs of the wider travel industry. Pilot students have achieved high pass rates in initial modules, showing the relevance of the Fd for the sector. The Fd will be rolled out more broadly across the industry in 2008.
A consortium including Tesco, universities, and industry partners developed a Foundation Degree in retail management to address skills gaps in the growing retail sector. The 2-year, work-based program was piloted with 40 Tesco employees and combines workshops, online learning, and work experience. Students study topics like retail operations, consumer behavior, and leadership. Graduates report increased confidence and career prospects from applying their new knowledge on the job. Tesco aims to recruit and promote from within using the tailored qualification.
The document summarizes a new foundation degree program in East Midlands, UK for healthcare science workers. The 2-year part-time program aims to equip assistant-level staff with scientific knowledge and work experience to become associate practitioners able to perform basic diagnostic tests across specialties. This will allow multiple tests to be done by one practitioner and reduce wait times, fulfilling the vision of healthcare reform. The first cohort of 25 students works in areas like pathology and medical physics.
The document summarizes a foundation degree course in Health Informatics developed through a partnership between the NHS, Connecting for Health, and the Strategic Health Authority for the Northwest of England. The degree was created to train healthcare workers in using technology to manage patient data and improve efficiency. It uses a blended learning approach, where students spend one day per month on campus and complete online work in their own time. The flexible course structure adapts to students' work schedules and the changing needs of the NHS. Students report career benefits from increased skills and confidence leading to promotions.
BT initially developed foundation degrees to fill technical skills gaps through apprenticeships. They have partnered with universities to create programs in IT, networking, and management. Foundation degrees allow apprentices to earn a salary, gain work experience, and obtain a recognized degree. BT employees note that foundation degrees provide both broad knowledge and focused work skills, greater self-motivation, and open career paths compared to traditional university programs. Foundation degrees have high retention rates and help BT attract, develop, and retain talented employees.
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