Winter 2014 - Kensington and Chelsea TMO

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54
WINTER 2014
What’s inside
3
Children’s Forum
4
Ringing endorsement for the
TMO
Annual Gardens Competition
awards
5
6
News from the TMO
8
People and places
10
2013 in pictures
12
Repairs Direct news
13
Residents’ corner
14
From the Council and
Your Credit Union
16
Black History Month
17
Noticeboard
18
Performance chart
19
Membership form
Front cover picture shows the new residents of
Holmefield House. They are (l-r): Margarida Cande;
Jorge, Maria and Tamara Perestrelo; and Huda &
Mouthana Alsabari.
Quickfire with...
Board Chair Fay Edwards
Looking back over the past year
I am very proud of the TMO’s
achievements. Repairs Direct was
launched to improve the repairs
services we receive. This was a
very exciting venture and I have
received some excellent feedback
from you about the service. It’s been
up and running for five months, so
it’s still early days; but we need to
continue to support them and we will hopefully see further
improvements.
As a result of the Hidden Homes programme three
two bedroom flats in Greaves Tower, and three flats in
Holmefield House with three bedrooms, have been created.
This has meant that a number of people who had been on
the Council’s waiting list for a long time, and who needed
adaptable homes to suit their special needs, have been
given a new home. At the launch of Holmefield House I had
the pleasure of meeting some of the families (featured on
front cover) and seeing them in their new homes.
As you may know, last September we had our general
Test of Opinion. I am pleased to report that there was
record participation and that 86% voted yes for the TMO
to continue looking after our homes. I was overwhelmed
to see the support from so many of you. See page 4 for
details.
2013 set the bar high for the TMO and the Board. This
means that we need to keep striving to achieve bigger and
better. I am certain that the TMO will keep moving forward
with our continued support.
I hope you had a fantastic festive season. I wish everyone a
great year ahead!
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This word cloud is
made up of Link
articles and gives
prominence to
words that appear
the most!
In this issue: We’ve got lots of
news and updates to share, but if
you’d like to request a specific news item please get in touch!
We need photos, stories, and
ideas from you! Contact us
editor@kctmo.org.uk
Children’s Forum
Mayor attends Board meeting
The Children’s Forum welcomed some very special guests
to their Board meeting at the Hub in October: the Mayor of
Kensington & Chelsea, Councillor Charles Williams, and a
former mayor, Councillor James Husband.
The children asked many interesting questions, such as
whether the Mayor could provide some funding towards the
Children’s Forum (well, if you don’t ask you don’t get!).
At the end of the meeting the Mayor gave the children a
brief history on his mayoral attire and informed them that
there are actually two chains – one for visits to Kensington
and one for visits to Chelsea. Both chains are over 100 years
old.
The forum was set up to give young people a voice and an
opportunity to engage with their communities. We are now
looking into setting up a similar forum in the south of the
borough.
Fay Edwards (far right) with the Mayor,
KCTMO staff and the Children’s Forum
Repairs Direct sponsors boxing cup
Repairs Direct was one of the sponsors
of the 2013 London Mayor’s Cup, an
annual boxing match held by The All
Stars Boxing Gym last November at
Porchester Hall in Bayswater.
The match was attended by the Mayor
of London Boris Johnson and is the
highlight of the club’s calendar. Young
boxers from all around the Borough
took part to compete for the cup, which
A report of the meeting by Samy Ikhlef, aged
10, of West Row, New Kensal Town
this year was won by Arash Hamardi.
The club, which is on the Harrow
Road in Kensal Town, is a community
institution which teaches young people
the skill, discipline and fellowship
which is essential in team boxing. It
has produced champions on a regional,
national and international level and has
a growing reputation within the boxing
world. The club was founded by Isola
Akay MBE and a number of the club’s
members are TMO residents.
Everine Shand, Sheltered Housing
Community Officer at Tavistock Road
sheltered scheme in Westbourne
Grove, has been a volunteer and
committee member at the club for
nearly 30 years. She helps organise the
Mayor’s Cup.
Left: Cup winner Arash
Hamardi with Everine Shand,
Sheltered Housing
Community Officer
Right:
Boris Johnson, Everine Shand
and boxers
Children’s Forum
If your child would like to get involved with the Children’s Forum activities
email getonboard@kctmo.org.uk
3
WINTER 2014
Ringing endorsement for the TMO
The TMO received a resounding endorsement last
September when 86% residents who voted in the Council’s
Test of Opinion poll said that they wanted us to carry on
managing their homes on behalf of the Council.
There was a record participation in the vote, with 3,420
people taking part. This level of resident participation was a
very good reflection on the organisation.
Residents were also asked about their overall satisfaction
with the service we provide. 75% said they were happy with
the service; this contrasts with only 56% in the 2008 survey.
It’s our highest ever score.
These results reflect all the hard work put in by the TMO,
reflecting well on all the improvements we have made since
2008.
Thank you very much to all those who took part in the secret
ballot, which was carried out online, in polling stations and at
the AGM. A summary is available at www.kctmo.org.uk.
The Council is required to carry out the Test of Opinion every
five years as part of the Modular Management Agreement
which we have with them. The poll was managed and
supervised on the Council’s behalf by UK Engage.
2,717 non-members voted
83%
703 members voted
95%
3,420 in total voted
86%
Percentage
Residents’ overall satisfaction
Test of Opinion key facts
Year
Home and neighbourhood questions
Participation levels
Yes
No
Are you satisfied with overall quality of your home?
3,420 residents participated
30% turnout
122% higher turnout than 2006
50% non-member tenant turnout (2,200)
24% non-member homeowner turnout (517)
41% overall non-member turnout
Are you satisfied with your neighbourhood as a
place to live?
Is there an event happening
in your area? Tell us about it
4
and get published in Link!
020 7605 6346
editor@kctmo.org.uk
CONGRATULATIONS!
to Judith Powell, Jackie Bloomfield
and Fatma Sapan on winning a £50
voucher, each in the quarterly new
members prize draw.
Annual Gardens Competition awards
The 33rd Annual Gardens Competition awards took place
last October in the Mayor’s Parlour at the Town Hall.
There were a high number of entries for the competition,
with over 30 gardens vying for the top prizes. There was
a wide range of entries, all of which impressed the judges.
Some gardeners were entering the competition for the first
time, which was very pleasing.
The judges were Dominic Davies, Michelle Gage and John
Gaffney. They spent July and August visiting all the entries
with great interest
1st place, Gardens category
Mary Benjamin, Appleford House
All the gardeners went to the awards ceremony, taking their
friends and families. In addition to the Mayor, they were
joined by: Cllr Maighread Condon-Simmonds; TMO Chair
Fay Edwards; CE0 Robert Black; all three KCTMO judges;
Richard and David Marinas of Chris Edge Treecare; and
Stephane Ashworth of Tree Wise Men.
It was great to see so many present on the night. This was
a fitting testament to the popularity and importance of this
much loved competition that is now firmly entrenched in the
Borough’s social calendar.
1st place, Balconies/Window Boxes
category
Jean Littman, Pond House
1st place, Patios category
Sue Smith, Holmfield House
Gardens
Balconies/Window Boxes
Patios
1st place
Mary Benjamin, Appleford House
1st place
Jean Littman, Pond House
1st place
Sue Smith, Holmefield House
Joint 2nd place
Mr & Mrs R Harwood, St Mark’s Road,
Olive Ling, St Mark’s Road
Regagholi Sokhamvari, 540/542
King’s Road
2nd place
Fay Edwards, Manchester Drive
Joint 2nd place
Kassad & Etimed Goma, Chelsea
Manor Court
Josephine Malate, Gadsden House
3rd place
Forouz Tehrani, Bramley House
The Mayor with winners and runners up
Our mission
To deliver excellent housing services through resident-led management.
5
WINTER 2014
News from the TMO
Community centres survey
We are reviewing the usage of community rooms and club
rooms on all our estates, to make sure they provide as many
benefits as possible to residents. All the community centres
and club rooms are listed below.
We want to hear from you if you currently use one of these,
what additional activities you would like to see and what
issues we should be aware of. If you don’t use them, this is
just as important as we’d like to know why not.
Cover story
Hidden Homes at Holmefield House
Three new family homes have been created at Holmefield
House (pictured) from an underused ground floor area on
the estate in Kensal New Town. These are the first council
homes to be built in the Borough since the 1980s.
Work on the new flats started in April 2013 and was
completed in November. They were officially opened by the
Mayor on 6 December. Part of the surroundings are now
being renovated by the Landscape & Environment Section, to
encourage all the residents to use them.
The properties have been specifically designed for residents
with disabilities. They meet the Lifetime Homes Standard,
meaning that they are suitable for all residents and can
be adapted again in the future if necessary. We worked
closely with the Council’s Housing Needs team and the
Occupational Therapist team.
The Hidden Homes initiative aims to create homes by
making better use of underused areas. RBKC and the TMO
are working together to identify more spaces for hidden
homes and create more much needed affordable housing.
Property condition surveys
We’re currently undertaking property condition surveys
across the Borough. This is part of our long term planning to
look at both the external and internal condition of properties
and blocks, and to keep our information up to date.
It will also assist in the identification of properties for
possible future improvement works and better inform our
future investment programmes. Residents will be consulted
and advised well in advance if any programmed works
are proposed to their home. For more information please
contact Resident Liaison Officer Lorna Cunningham on
020 8964 6071 or email lcunningham@kctmo.org.uk
To do this please go online at www.kctmo.org.uk and
click the ‘Have your say – consultations’ option and then
click ‘take a survey’. To complete it should only take a few
minutes. The survey closes on 15 February 2014.
Alternatively, if you would prefer to complete a paper
survey, we can send you one with a reply paid envelope
(so you don’t have to pay for postage). If you would like
a paper survey, or have further questions, please contact
Nick Rendle, Project Manager, on 020 7605 6467 or email
nrendle@kctmo.org.uk
Each response will be confidential, but we will use the
overall findings as a basis for discussion at public meetings;
these will be held over the next few months and we hope to
see you there.
If you already completed the survey in late 2013, then thank
you. Your feedback will help us plan the project in more
detail. You don’t need to complete the survey again, but
please do contact Nick Rendle if you want to discuss the
project in more detail.
Community centres and club
rooms are on the following estates:
• Convent
• Silchester West
• Edenham Way
• Sir Thomas More
• Henry Dickens Court
• Swinbrook
• Kensal House
• Talbot House
• Kensal New Town
• Trellick Tower
• Lancaster West
• Treverton
• Manchester Drive
• West Row
• Pond House • Wiltshire Close • Portobello Court
• World’s End
Have you got ideas to
share? Tell us about it and get
6
published in Link!
editor@kctmo.org.uk
You can sign up for Direct Debit or
pay your rent or service charges
online at our website
www.kctmo.org.uk
New kitchen and bathrooms for
World’s End and Cremorne estates
As part of our ongoing estate improvement programme,
we’re starting to put in new kitchens and bathrooms on the
World’s End and Cremorne estates.
Following detailed surveys which told us exactly which flats
needed an upgrade (200 properties in World’s End and
100 in Cremorne), we held drop-in meetings last August.
Residents chose their preferred colour schemes and met
members of the programme team.
The work is being carried out by Apollo, who now have
an office on Blantyre Walk. A monthly newsletter keeps
residents up to date with progress and provides other
informaton too.
One of the first beneficiaries has been the Under 5s facility,
which has a new kitchen provided free of charge by Apollo.
Apollo started in October and will finish at the end of March.
Each week sees Apollo starting work on 25 flats, each of
which takes 15 days to finish.
New neighbourhood officers
for the North
We have made some changes to the Housing
Management structure in the North.
The main change is that each area now has a new
neighbourhood officer; rent income officers and
estate service assistants remain the same.
The change has been made as part of our ongoing
policy to provide our teams with new opportunities
and variety. Each officer has a great deal of
valuable experience and this will be used to good
benefit in their new role.
Should you have any queries or would like to meet
your new neighbourhood officer, please contact the
Customer Services Centre on 0800 137 111 or join
your next estate inspection (see noticeboards for
dates).
Setting new standards
We are working with the Council on a new strategy that
which will define the work we will carry out to ensure that
your home meets modern standards.
Called the Asset Management Strategy, it will define our
approach to the prioritisation and delivery of works to homes
including:
• health and safety
• roofs and windows
• kitchens and bathrooms
• environmental improvements to blocks and estates.
It will also detail our approach to planned maintenance
works such as the regular external repair and redecoration of
blocks.
Residents will play an active role in the development of
the strategy and its ongoing monitoring. If you would be
interested in being involved, please contact John Borra,
Performance and Compliance Manager, on 020 8964 6083
or email jborra@kctmo.org.uk
Feedback loop
If you have any feedback on Link, or news you’d like to share, please
forward it to editor@kctmo.org.uk
7
WINTER 2014
People and places
Meet Lisa Wilkinson
Resident Engagement Panel Chair
Lisa Wilkinson is a very active member of the TMO
community. She has been voicing her valuable thoughts,
suggestions and ideas to the TMO for many years.
Link went to meet her.
How did you get involved with
What skills do you need to get
the Resident Engagement Panel? involved?
How long have you been
involved with the TMO?
I’ve sat on several TMO committees
over the years and became involved
with re-establishing the panel about
three years ago.
I’ve been involved for about eight
years, starting with my own residents’
association, Clydesdale House off
the Portobello Road (our building is
famous for its annual Christmas lights
display). I recognised that the
association was a really important
way to resolve issues in the area.
The first chair was Mike Doolan, who
was instrumental in revitalising it.
When he stepped down in 2012 I was
voted in as Chair, being re-elected last
October.
Is there anything you would like
to say to residents about
getting involved with the TMO?
As we are a tenant management
organisation, the more tenants are
engaged and provide feedback the better
services become for us. An important
mechanism for resident involvement is the
Resident Engagement Panel. Any TMO
resident can be involved and we’d love to
have anyone who’s interested on board.
Being the Chair does involve some
work, but it’s not as scary or
intimidating as you might think. You
don’t need to have particular skills,
as the TMO gives support and offers
free training. People may also think
it will take up a lot of time, but that’s
not true. I manage to participate in
these groups in addition to my work
as a community gardener and my
studies.
The more people that get involved,
the less work there is all round. It’s
our community, so I feel it’s
important that I engage with it and
encourage others to. I would love to
see others get involved – with over
30,000 people living in the Council’s
properties, we must always have a
strong voice.
Some of the things we have achieved
have included: building a community
hut for meetings in; redesigning the
front entrance of the building; getting
window boxes installed and generally
helping tenants who have difficulty
with resolving issues around repairs
etc. We also make regular site visits
with the Neighbourhood
Management team.
SPID Theatre Company
There are lots of opportunities for
becoming involved and having a say.
Coming to the panel’s meetings is a good
way to find out about groups such as
the Residents’ Communications Reading
Group, the Asset & Regeneration
Engagement Panel and Repairs Direct
Service Users Panel.
SPID is the award winning theatre company based on the Kensal House
Estate. It specialises in putting on performances on council estates.
Panel members can participate as much
or as little as they want; but the more
residents are involved the better
represented all residents are.
Anyone aged 8-25 is welcome at its FREE weekly workshops and community
hub activities:
Tuesdays 4.45-6.15 pm: Far Far Away – workshops for 8-13 year olds
Wednesdays 7.30-8.30 pm: Gong Fu – martial arts classes for 15-25 year olds
Thursdays 12.00-2.00 pm: Yoga for 15-25 year olds
Saturdays 12.00-5.00 pm: Kensal Voices – workshops for 13-25 year olds
If someone is not sure about getting
involved, they can come along as an
observer for a while and then join the
panel and/or other groups when they feel
ready.
On Twitter?
8
Its style has been called ‘wraparound theatre’ or ‘living film’, and appeals
especially to young audiences and to those who would not otherwise go to the
theatre. It teams up young residents with professional writers, directors,
illustrators, film makers, dancers, singers, actors and many more to create new
and exciting shows.
@SPIDTheatre
SPID Theatre Company
Follow us and get the latest updates
@kctmo
If you would like to find out if there is a
resident association in your area, or to get
help setting one up contact us
0800 137 111
residentsfirst@kctmo.org.uk
A tribute to the legendary
Juanita Carberry
Juanita Carberry was a resident who played a walk-on part
in one of the 20th century’s greatest scandals and who, for
the last 20 years of her life, lived in Brunel House on the
Cremorne Estate in Chelsea. An active supporter of the
TMO, she died last July aged 88.
In 1941 the philandering 22nd Earl of Erroll, a prominent
figure in the louche Happy Valley set in Kenya that inspired
the Hollywood film White Mischief (1987), was murdered.
She maintained that (although she was just a 15-year-old
schoolgirl at the time of the killing) the chief suspect in
Erroll’s murder, Sir Jock Delves Broughton, had confessed his
guilt to her shortly after the murder. Sir Jock’s wife,
Diana, was Erroll’s mistress and friend of Juanita’s
stepmother.
Juanita was the daughter of the 10th Lord Carberry of Castle
Freke. She was born on 7 May 1925 in Nairobi, and grew up
on her father’s coffee farm during the Happy Valley era.
The Happy Valley set was largely a group of infamous
self-indulgent British and Anglo-Irish aristocrats and
adventurers who settled in the Central Province of Kenya
between the 1920s and the 1940s.
In 1946 Juanita became one of only a handful of women to
join the Merchant Navy. She was a captain’s steward in the
cargo ships Langley Scot and Langley Clyde and on various
Norwegian cargo vessels.
Afterwards she became
active in animal welfare in
Kenya, finally settling in
Mombasa from where she
ran photographic safaris in
the 1960s.
Juanita often told her
friends how bored she was
with people’s incessant
interest in the unpleasant
aristocrats of her childhood.
Another film told these
Juanita in her Cremorne
events from Juanita’s point
Estate home
of view: ‘The Happy Valley’,
was produced by the BBC in
1987 (with Holly Aird as Juanita). She co-authored a
memoir, Child of Happy Valley (1991).
In later life Juanita moved to London and to Brunel House
in 1992. Neighbourhood Officer Glen McAllister went her
memorial service.
Glen said: “There was no funeral because, as unconventional
as she was, she donated her body for exhibition by the
controversial anatomist and showman Gunther von Hagens.
her body was flown to China for the treatment.”
SPID
In a personal emergency, always call 999 for assistance.
You should call 111 when you need medical help fast but it’s not a 999
emergency.
You should call 101 to report crime and other concerns that do not require an
emergency response.
9
WINTER 2014
2013 in pictures
2013 was yet another successful year, with several landmark achievements. Here’s a reminder o
March
y
ar
u
n
a
J
Tile painting family day
Senior Citizens’ Annual Party
December
Sept
emb
er
New homes at Holmefi
New homes at Greaves Tower
er
emb
t
p
e
S
Cllr Rock Feilding-Mellen, Cabinet
Member for Housing, Property and
Regeneration
10
Are you proud of your neighbourhood?
Send us your thoughts about what it’s like
to live in Kensington and Chelsea!
editor@kctmo.org.uk
Repairs Direct launch: Ian Will
Gawlowski, Antonia Lee-Wi
Home work
Please contact the TMO before
starting any works at your home
0800 137 111, 020 3617 7080
of some of the highlights.
April
Map Out your Future roadshow
KCTMO Chair Fay Edwards with Cllr
Timothy Coleridge, Cabinet Member for
Planning Policy, Transport and the Arts
July
(l-r) The former Mayor and Mayoress, Cllr. & Mrs Buckmaster, former Deputy
Mayoress, Cllr Lady Borwick and KCTMO CEO Robert Black at the first Map
Out your Future roadshow in April
r
Resident association chairs’ social event
Septem
ber
field House
Residents’ Conference
ls, Selina Saddul, Gabriel
ilmot and Peter Doway
Subletting If you have information regarding tenancy fraud, you
can speak to us in confidence
0800 137 111, 020 3617 7080
11
WINTER 2014
Repairs Direct news
Repairs Direct Service User Panel member Eman Yosry
I have been a Kensington and Chelsea tenant
for 29 years and have worked for a charitable
trust in the area for 16 years. I chaired the
Silchester Residents’ Association 1998-2009
and now chair the North Kensington Area
Review Board. I am widely involved in
community affairs.
Like many people, I’m excited that KCTMO
has set up its own repairs service. I became
a member of the Repairs Direct Service User
Panel at the very start; it was set up so we
the residents can have a greater say in the
service Repairs Direct provides.
Currently 15 residents from across the
Borough are on the panel and I am proud to
be one of them.
The panel reviews all Repairs Direct
performance data, discussing it at each
meeting. I am confident that Repairs Direct
will continue to deliver an excellent service.
Letters to Repairs Direct
Just a note to say what an excellent plumber we had from
Repairs Direct. He conscientiously inspected pipework
through my building with a sophisticated camera and
identified the roof leak this morning. He then brought in
equipment to repair the roof leak damage in my
bathroom.
Thank you for the excellent work Repair Direct’s
operative performed in renewing the two UPVC door lock
on the amenity hut pitch 18. He performed a task I was
told that it had to be referred to a specialist company. His
action shows what can be accomplished when the will is
there to perform at one’s best.
Satisfaction figures
Since the launch of Repairs Direct in September staff have been carrying out customer satisfaction surveys on
completed jobs, contacting as many residents as possible. The average satisfaction rate up to the end of December
was 95.7%, which was above target.
Full details are here:
Performance indicator September
OctoberNovember
December
Looking after your home
Customer satisfaction
12
Tell us about activities
you are involved in
editor@kctmo.org.uk
96.86%
95.2%
95.7%
95.2%
Do you have feedback about the
new company so far?
repairsdirect@kctmo.org.uk
Residents’ corner
Many congratulations to Soledad Bautista of Trellick Tower, who won a £30 cash prize for completing and
returning the resident satisfaction questionnaire; this was about the completion of a lift refurbishment project at
the tower. The prize was kindly sponsored by the Contractor Liftec.
Your views and feedback are important to us to assist in informing and influencing the service.
Comments/feedback received through this process will be noted and wherever possible acted upon.
Other lucky questionnaire winners are:
Giorgio Chiodi, Tavistock Road, W11 Cyclical decorations
Steven Pretty, Verity Close, W11 Window replacement
Madeleine Le Rasle, Danvers Street, SW3 Cyclical Decorations and Repairs
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Thanks
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Paula Evangelid
Spare a thought to our feathered friends
flocking to bird tables and gardens
feeders. Birds are really going to struggle
to find food in the winter and they are
likely to seek refuge in our gardens. Keep
feeding the hungry birds to get them
through the cold months to come, as
their natural sources of food are scarce
at this time of the year. Give them pieces
of overripe apples, grated cheese, cooked
rice and, of course, bird seeds to feast
on. But no bread for the birds. It is vital in
the months ahead to provide adequate
food and shelter. Planting your gardens
with thick shrubs to create a bird-friendly
habitat will help.
Also, provide fresh water for drinking and
bathing so they can wash their
plumage to maintain insulation. We can
stop an area of water from freezing over
by floating a ping-pong ball on the
surface. Robins, tits, finches and other
birds can survive the severe winter with
just a little help from us. The chirpy birds
will reward you by eating pests next year
and by the antics of their behaviour and
colours.
The RSPB has a very useful website:
www.rspb.org.uk
On Twitter?
Follow us and get the latest updates
@kctmo
13
WINTER 2014
From the council
A new type of tenancy
All new tenants now have fixed term tenancy for five years,
or in some cases two years. At the end of the fixed term, the
household’s circumstances are reviewed and if they still need
the accommodation, their tenancy can be renewed.
Community kitchen
gardens
The government introduced the Localism Act in 2011. This
Act gave local authorities the right to grant flexible fixed
term tenancies, allowing the Borough to do this.
Several TMO estates now have community kitchen
gardens, where residents are growing their own fresh
fruit and vegetables (for free!).
This new policy will not affect existing secure council
tenants, even if they transfer to another council tenancy in
the future.
If you are interested in creating one for your estate, or
know where a new community kitchen garden could
be planted, please contact Terry Oliver, Environment
Manager, on 020 7341 5684 or email
terry.oliver@rbkc.gov.uk
In order to use this new type of tenancy, a tenancy policy has
to be published and a new tenancy agreement is required
for fixed term tenants. If you would like to read the tenancy
policy it can be viewed on the Council’s website
www.rbkc.gov.uk
If you have any questions you would like to ask contact your
neighbourhood officer on 0800 137 111.
Mutual exchange drop-in sessions
• Are you worried about changes to your benefits?
• Would you like to understand mutual exchange better?
• Do you want a smaller property?
World’s End
Mutual exchange has become the most suitable housing
option that residents should consider if you are affected
by: the welfare benefit changes; overcrowding; or would like
to move to a smaller property.
The Borough now has a new website devoted to its mutual
exchange scheme. This scheme gives residents more say in
promoting their properties; for instance, you can create an
update adverts, add photographs and chat with other people
looking to swap homes.
You can see the new site at: rbkc.exchangelocata.org.uk
The Council is holding regular drop-in sessions, providing
help and guidance, on the 10th and 25th of each month (if
those dates are a weekday). Details are:
Time
Location
Office
Morning (9.30 - 1pm)
North
Unit A, 292 Kensal Road
London W10 5BE
Afternoon (2.30 - 4.30pm)
South
Blantyre Street
London SW10 0DS
ANSWERING YOUR CALLS
14
Swinbrook
Between July and September our
customer service centre received 19,955 calls and answered on average within 24 seconds.
On average
We re-let empty properties
in 19.3 days between July and
September
Greener Living Guide
Greener Living
Guide
OUT
NOW
!
Your Credit Union lends
first £100,000
Your Credit Union (YCU), which is based
in Kensington, has now lent its first
£100,000 to members of the local
community.
With 240 active members, YCU is seeing
its membership increase by 30 or more
people every month; it is lending on
average over £40,000 per month.
Membership is open to anybody who
lives, works, volunteers or studies in Royal
Borough of Kensington & Chelsea; the
boroughs of Westminster and
Hammersmith & Fulham; Queen’s Park
and Kensal Rise in Brent; and Queenstown
and St Mary Park in Wandsworth.
Affordable credit plays an important part
of the work of YCU for those unable to
access borrowing facilities at reasonable
rates or at all.
The Council has just published a handy, practical guide to green living. The
Greener Living Guide, which has been produced as a one-stop resource for
the borough’s residents, is available online at
www.rbkc.gov.uk/greenerliving
Printed copies are available at all borough libraries, TMO offices or by
special request (see below for further details).
The guide will provide you with no-cost and low-cost measures to:
• Save energy and water, and reduce your bills
• Learn about energy efficiency and renewable energy options for your
home
• Choose environmentally sound materials
• Reduce your household waste
• Improve your health, as unhealthy activities are often carbon intensive
• Improve your garden and enhance biodiversity, plus much, much
more.
The guide has been developed for the Royal Borough, so all advice is
tailored specifically to Kensington and Chelsea residents. If you’d like to
request a copy, or for further details on how the Council is combating
climate change, email environment@rbkc.gov.uk
If you need to report anti-social behaviour
please call our customer service team on
0800 137 111, 020 3617 7080
New members are able to join, apply for
a loan and receive the amount within 48
hours. Loans are available from £50 to
£7,500 and are repayable between six and
60 months.
The credit union holds a drop in session
every Friday at the KCTMO offices in
Blantyre House, World’s End estate, 12
noon–3pm.
Any TMO resident is welcome to drop
by to have a chat, join, open a savings
account or apply for a loan. The process is
quick and simple.
For more information, you can call them
on 020 7605 6341. You can also join
online at www.yourcu.co.uk
15
WINTER 2014
Celebrating with Black History Month
with Lord Ouseley
TMO CEO Robert Black with Lord Ouesley
With Mercy Acquah, Customer Service
Adviser
With Rudi and Aisha Braithwaite, former TMO Board
members, Fay Edwards and Roy Sawh
Every year we celebrate October’s Black History Month,
recognising the cultural diversity in our organisation and
the diverse community we serve. The Black History Month
theme for 2013 was ‘I have a dream’, commemorating the
50th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s legendary
Washington DC speech ‘I have a dream’.
We organised a special event at our Hub office, at which the
16
Having problems
paying your rent?
Call to speak with a welfare
reform officer
0800 137 111,
020 3617 7080
With Fay Edwards and Roy Sawh, civil rights
campaigner
Janet Edwards, TMO Resident Engagement
Manager, with Roy Sawh
guest of honour was Lord Ouseley of Peckham Rye. He is
the Chairperson of Kick It Out, the internationally acclaimed
campaign to make football free from discrimination and
abuse and to be more inclusive of people of all backgrounds.
He gave an inspirational speech. Our Chair Fay Edwards and
Vice Chair Mary Benjamin also came along to the event and
inspired our staff by sharing their thoughts.
You can now register for the TMO
online service on
www.kctmo.org.uk
Noticeboard
The next roadshow will be held 10am-4pm on
Saturday 22 February at the Harrow Club, 187 Freston
Road, London W10 6TH.
Are you interested in
improving tour neighbourhood?
Then why not become a
Resident Block or Street Champion?
Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation
(KCTMO) wants to create a neighbourhood that looks and feels
better and that are greener and safer.
To do this we need residents who care about the environment they
live in to work closely with us. Your role will be to participlate in
estate inspections, report issues such as cleaning, grounds
maintenance, communal repairs and enviro-crime (graffiti,
abandoned vehicles and bulk refuse).
In return we will give you free training and any out of pocket expense
for travel.
Plan the best route
to your new career
Getting anywhere is much easier when you have a map; work and training
is no different. KCTMO has partnered with local agencies and businesses to
help our residents who need career advice and support.
Next stop: KCTMO road shows for your personal map into employment and
training…see over for more details.
If you are interested
please contact the
Resident Engagement team
on 0208 964 6060
or by email
getonboard.kctmo.org.uk
• Refreshments
• Supervised‘Funzone’forchildrenbetween5and11years,limitedplaces
TMO Online Service
•
•
You can now access
your accounts, make a
payment, raise a repair
online, anytime.
•
•
•
•
It’s completely secure
Register for access
•
You can view your accounts 24/7
Pay service charges or major works online
View up to the last 24 months service charge and/or
major works accounts
Check recent payments to your account
Raise a repair online
Receive special messages related to your account or
property
Visit our website www.kctmo.org.uk for more information
www.kctmo.org.uk
Become a member for free!
Contact us for your membership pack or download one online
0800 137 111 kctmo.org.uk
17
WINTER 2014
Performance chart
Performance indicator
*Repairs
Emergency repairs completed within 24 hrs
Urgent jobs completed within five days
Routine jobs completed within 20 days
Gas servicing
Properties with valid landlord’s gas safety
certificate
Customer services
Calls answered
Average call waiting time (seconds)
Residents’ complaints responded to within
target
Empty properties
Average time taken to re-let empty
properties
Rent collection
Collection (excluding arrears) brought
forward
Grounds maintenance
Estates passing estate inspection standards
KEY:
Target met
How we did
last year
2012/13
Quarter 1
Quarter 2
Target
2013/14
96.0%
90.8%
91.1%
97.5%
94.2%
94.7%
-
98.0%
98.0%
97.0%
99.9%
99.8%
99.5%
100%
83337
24
83.6%
19141
26
100.0%
19955
24
96.6%
<=40 secs
90.0%
22.65
20.9
19.3
<=24 days
100.3%
99.71%
100.24%
99.57%
96.9%
96.9%
96.4%
>=95%
Near to target
Traffic
light
N/A
Off target
* Year to date. We will be reporting on repairs in the next edition.
Stay safe this winter with some tips from the NHS
Keep warm
•
•
•
•
•
•
Make sure you keep warm
Keep curtains drawn and doors closed to block out draughts
Have regular hot drinks and at least one hot meal a day if possible
Wear several layers of warm clothes (rather than one chunky layer)
Wrap up if you need to go outside on cold days
Keep active - stand up and move about at least once an hour
Stay safe in icy conditions
Snow and ice can make roads very slippery, and it is best to avoid long car
journeys. If you really need to go outside:
• Wear shoes with good grip
• Try to stay on well used pavements or roads that have been gritted
• Walk slowly and concentrate on where you are going
Is this true in your
neighbourhood? We’re working
18
hard to improve our services - tell us about your experience!
editor@kctmo.org.uk
Our performance information
is updated monthly on our website. If
you’d like to keep track of our progress, visit us online!
I would like to become a member
MEMBERSHIP PAGE
Please print all details in this box in BLOCK CAPITALS
Mr
Mrs
Miss
Ms
Other Address
First name(s)
Surname Postcode
Tel no Email
Please tick if we can contact you by email
How did you hear about signing up to become a member?
Would you like more information about opportunities to be involved with us? Yes No
I confirm that I am over 18 years old and the named tenant, leaseholder or freeholder of a
property owned by RBKC and managed by the TMO.
Please enter my name on the register of members of the organisation.
Signature Date
In the event that the company stops trading while I am a member (or within one year of my ceasing to
be a member) I will contribute to the assets of the company a sum not exceeding £1 for payment of the
liabilities of the organisation.
It would be helpful to have some information for our records. This will be protected by the Data
Protection Act. We will not share this information with anyone (unless we are required to under law).
Date of birth
Gender:
Male
Female (please tick)
How would you describe your ethnic group? (please tick one box)
White:
British
Irish
Mixed:
White & Caribbean
Asian or Asian British:
Black or Black British:
Other
White & Black African
Indian
Pakistani
Caribbean
Chinese or other ethnic group:
Bangladeshi
African
Chinese
White & Asian
Other
Other
Other
Other
Do you consider that you have a disability? Yes No
If yes, please give details
Please tell us your first language
PLEASE SUPPLY WITH BLEED
When you have completed this form please return it to any member of KCTMO staff or post it to:
The Company Secretary, Kensington & Chelsea TMO
FREEPOST RLYX-BE2B-CLYB, Unit A, 292 Kensal Road, London, W10 5BE
TMO USE ONLY
Verified eligible by ______________________ Occupancy ___________ Date ____/____/________
Membership no ____________________ Date entered ____/____/________
Occupancy Key: Tenant = T Leaseholder = LH Non-Resident Leaseholder = LT
K
k
N
n
I
i
L
Did you know you can
access our website for
free at the Network
Hub reception?
CONTACT US
0800 137 111, 020 3617 7080
Kensington & Chelsea TMO,
Unit A, 292 Kensal Road, London W10 5BE
www.kctmo.org.uk
• RES
EA
ENT ID
ID
ID
EA
• RES
Finished reading me? Recycle me!
Residents told us they wanted to see contact
details for our services as well as advice of where
to use our website for free!
We include a translated statement on the Link
to ensure it is accessible to all residents in the
borough. We arrange translators for those
who do not speak English, and sign post to
local English classes.
100% RECYCLABLE
YOUR LOCAL
HOUSING OFFICES
Network Hub
Unit A, 292 Kensal Road
London W10 5BE
Open weekdays 9am-5pm
World’s End Estate Office
Blantyre Street
London SW10 0DS
Open weekdays 9am-5pm
Lancaster West Estate Office,
Grenfell Tower
London W11 1TQ
Open Monday to Thursday
8.30am-4.30pm and Friday
8.30am-1pm
ENT ID