Charity begins at home

Inside
P3 Homes for the future
P4 A park to be proud of
P6 Lofty heights of success
Winter 2015
P8 Locals improve their areas
For City of York Council tenants and leaseholders
P8
P4
Charity
begins at
home
Volunteers make
improvements. Page 10
2
WELCOME
You said
we did
Super broadband being installed at our sheltered schemes
YOUR INFORMATION
Housing Week hits home
Welcome
Happy 2015 and welcome to the winter edition of Streets Ahead.
We report on what’s happening in your
neighbourhood, including the work
being done to create extra space in
homes through loft conversions; while
some of your community green spaces
have been receiving makeovers.
I’d like to report that 240 homes are
being modernised in Acomb and
Foxwood as part of the Tenants’ Choice
programme. Meanwhile, the exteriors of
1,100 properties are being redecorated,
including repairs to any surfaces to
be painted. And a soundproofing
programme is to take place in flats with
timber floors between residences.
And just as the 27 homes are nearing
completion on Beckfield Lane, we
are about to go on site at Hewley
Avenue to build eight, two bedroom
apartments. The remaining sites in the
first phase of council house building
are due to start on site in spring/
early summer of this year, delivering a
further 25 homes for rent. Read more
about these projects in upcoming
issues of Streets Ahead.
Tom Brittain,
Head of Housing Services.
If you have a story that you’d like to share, or if you have a suggestion for what
you’d like to see included in future editions, please email: streetsahead@york.gov.uk
what’s inside
3
P3
Renovations underway
P4
Green fingered gardeners
P5
Online to improve
P6&7
Reaching lofty
heights of success
P8
P9
Energy savings
P11 Open house
P12 A cause for celebration
Streets Ahead for you
Streets Ahead is available to download online at www.york.gov.uk/council/council_
publications/streets_ahead and is also available in other languages, in large print, on CD
or can be sent by email. Please call 01904 551 244 or email: streetsahead@york.gov.uk
Streets Ahead is written and designed by RED Publications on behalf of City of York
Council’s Communities and Neighbourhoods directorate.
Streets Ahead www.york.gov.uk
Produced by
Publications (S_453)
01904 479 500
Building blocks
for the future
Our development of 27 homes in
Beckfield Lane is due to be completed
in February. In December, the nine
apartments were allocated to
downsizers aged over 55 and
the nine council houses will be
allocated this month.
The upper floors of the former
White Swan Hotel in Piccadilly have been
converted to 18 one and two-bedroom
apartments, which will be available at the
end of this month. Applicants will need to be
in employment to be considered for one of
the flats.
For details about both developments,
phone Housing Registrations on 01904 554 044
or email housing.registrations@york.gov.uk
Meanwhile, the 55 affordable homes in
Yorkshire Housing’s Hob Stone development are
available to rent and buy by families on average
or low incomes. Visit www.hobstoneyork.
co.uk, www.yorkshirehousing.co.uk or
phone 0345 366 4044.
New
homes
from old
Our latest Housing Week delivered some actionpacked events across York – with many catering
specifically for City of York Council tenants.
From advice about energy tariffs and getting the best
deals, to developing new ways of making a difference in
communities, there was something for everyone at the
event in November last year.
The four community open days at our sheltered
housing schemes attracted over 100 residents, staff and
neighbours, who discovered more about schemes and
enjoyed social activities over a cup of tea.
The property swap shops at West Offices and Space
217 gave council tenants and social housing tenants the
chance to explore mutual exchange options.
Around 90 people attended the housing conference
at the end of the week, which focused on housing
and people’s health and well-being. Experts delivered
workshops on mental
health, dementia
action, ageing well
and safe homes. One
participant described it
as “extremely good,
thought-provoking,
interesting and
illuminating”.
Check future editions
of Streets Ahead for
details about 2015’s
Housing Week.
We are currently renovating 18 homes
in Bishopthorpe and Askham Bryan,
which are part of our existing
housing stock.
These prefabricated properties are of a
non-traditional design called ‘Airey’ after the
company that designed and built them just
after the Second World War.
The refurbishment involves excavating
new foundations around the outside,
removing old concrete slabs, building new
load-bearing walls with cavity bricks on the
outside and reroofing with new tiles.
We are also fitting new double-glazed
windows and new front and back doors,
along with cavity and
loft insulation.
“These properties had internal
modernisation under the Tenants’ Choice
scheme two years ago, including new
kitchens, bathrooms and rewiring,” said
John Walker, Capital Surveyor in the
Capital Projects Team.
Once these works are complete,
they will be like new homes,
complying with modern-day
building and insulation standards.
The works on these homes, which are
all occupied, started in early September
2014 and will be completed by end of
March 2015.
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4
You said
we did
YOUR GARDENS
Growing
in their
community
New housing feedback forms in response to residents associations’ comments for a more consistent approach
Play park makeover
Members of Clifton Residents’
Association, along with volunteers
from Aviva and charity York Cares,
have painted the equipment and
fencing in the play area in Ashton
Park, Clifton.
Marjorie Sharp, Chair of CRA and
They also litter picked the area as part Geoffrey Williams, Treasurer, CRA.
of an ongoing project to give the park a
in the spring, and planters. They are also
makeover.
“It’s a big park, so we are dividing it hoping to do a monthly litter pick.
During the last two
into areas to work on a bit at a time,” “There’s a good community spirit
years, volunteers have explained Marjorie Sharp, Chair of
in Clifton and we hope more
armed themselves
residents will come and join us. We
Clifton Residents’ Association (CRA).
with spades and
should have a lovely park by the
They are hoping to involve local
transformed the
summer,” added Marjorie.
schoolchildren to work in the park
unused garden at
during February’s half-term holiday.
For further details, come to Clifton
Sanderson House
“We would like to encourage
Residents’ Association meetings
into Chapelfields
them to have pride in their park,”
on the second Wednesday of the
Community Garden.
added Marjorie.
month at 10am at Burton Stone
This was part of
Residents voted to spend money on
Community Centre, phone Marjorie
Yorkshire Wildlife’s
the park out of the Estate Improvement
on 01904 655151, or email
Dig In project.
Grant. Future plans include investing
cliftonresidents@hotmail.co.uk
They have grown
in metal tables, which they hope to fit
produce such as fruit
and vegetables and
are continuing to run
events, including regular
sessions on Tuesdays
(3pm-5pm NovemberOur Garden Assistance to maintain their lawns
February, and 4pm-6pm Scheme is proving
and hedges. If your
March-October).
popular with our
household are all aged
tenants, and much
over 65, or if you are
of this is down to
registered as disabled
ground maintenance
and do not live with
specialists Oakdale,
someone capable of
who are once again
maintaining your garden,
operating the scheme you may be eligible for
throughout 2015.
garden assistance.
“Their results speak for
themselves. Customer
“All the lads were well mannered
satisfaction levels of 93
and very hard workers. I offered them
per cent demonstrates
the fantastic job being
cups of tea but they’ve never had one,
Find out more at
done to help maintain
they don’t stop. Great workers.”
www.facebook.com/ customers’ gardens,”
ChapelfieldsCommunity said Peter Holt, Housing Christine Wright, Derwent Bungalows.
GardenYork or email
Assistant Team Leader.
chapelfieldcommunity
Please contact our Housing Assistants
The scheme is available
garden@gmail.com
on 01904 552 096 or email
to households where
housing.assistants@york.gov.uk
occupants are unable
i
Assisting with your
gardening needs
i
i
Streets Ahead www.york.gov.uk
YOUR TECHNOLOGY
5
Taking control of technology
If you struggle with computers and
want to develop your IT skills, you
could benefit from York Housing
Association’s digital inclusion project.
The project – funded in part by City
of York Council – is designed to help tenants to
become more confident using computers. They are
offering free, inclusive training activities to help
you develop skills such as:
• Conducting job searches and increasing the
visibility of your CV;
• Having the confidence to use government
agency websites, such as applying for
Universal Credit;
• Using the internet to lower the cost of living;
• Preventing social isolation by emailing, using
social networks and online software or apps
such as Skype; and
• Managing finances via online banking.
Training also includes how to use technology
such as Wi-Fi hotspots, smartphones, tablets and
internet cafes.
A drop-in clinic is held every Tuesday, 10am-4pm,
at Auden House, where you can ask questions or
arrange one-to-one training.
Save the date!
There are also two free advice roadshows in
February and March, including:
Thursday 12 and Thursday 19 February;
Thursday 5 and Thursday 12 March, 1pm4pm, Space 217, Lyndsey Avenue.; and
Every Tuesday, 10am-4pm, Auden House,
St Ann’s Court, Cemetery Road.
more details, contact Stuart Gray, Digital Inclusion Officer, on 07710 731 834, email
i For
StuartGray@YorkHA.org.uk, or check the noticeboards of your local community centre.
It’s all about
our customers
We’d like to thank the residents who gave
up their time to help us restructure the
information on our website.
Since then, we have worked out different
website user groups
which will help inform
the design work we’ve
planned.
Watch this space for
further updates.
Our new team player
Meet Caroline Osborne, the new Housing Estate
Manager for Cornlands Road and Chapelfields.
She said: “I want to be able to deliver a robust and
relevant service to the tenants living in my area. This
includes resolving anti-social behaviour,
letting properties, supporting tenants to
maintain their tenancies, monitoring and
enforcing tenancies where appropriate,
signposting tenants to other services
where necessary and helping to ensure
that the surrounding environment is a
safe and pleasant place to live.”
details, call Caroline on 01904 551 550
i Forextfurther
3270 or email caroline.osborne@york.gov.uk
6
YOUR HOMES
You said
we did
Three new shorter walkabouts in Clifton after the residents’ association asked for changes as the original walkabout was too long
Converting lives
for the better
We’ve been helping growing
families across York by
converting loft space in
existing properties and giving
tenants much needed extra
space.
“We appreciate the great
demands on social housing in our
city,” explained Joanne Lofthouse,
Housing Team Leader.
“Although at times we can move
families to bigger properties, this
is often not an option, and when
the option is there, it’s a massive
upheaval for families.
“So the loft conversion scheme
is a happy medium – it gives
families the extra space they need
without them having to move. On
top of this, the conversions mean
we’re significantly investing in our
current housing stock – making
the best of what we’ve got and
helping families at the same time.”
Everyone worked together to make
sure we got what we needed. Our family’s
quality of life has now improved beyond
belief. We are absolutely delighted.
Streets Ahead www.york.gov.uk
Alan Havercroft
So how does
it work?
YOUR HOMES
What has the extra space
meant for families?
7
The whole process can take four
to five months. However, once
we have established that the
Case study 1:
conversion is possible and we
have agreed a price with our
“Although this was a terrible
her family
and
ool
ckp
Bra
Lily
contractor, then the building work
time for our family, we contacted
verted last
con
loft
ir
the
had
we knew
itself will take around six weeks to
consequences our Estate Manager as l for
the
and
r,
me
sum
complete.
Leah would be in hospita
nging.
cha
life
n
bee
e
hav
rk could
We always try to minimise
e children – two a long time, so the woLily.
thre
e
hav
e
“W
stress on tenants, so a
finally be done,” said
girl, Leah,”
e
littl
a
and
s
boy
programme is created, individual
“The council team and the
.
Lily
ed
lain
exp
tastic,
to each household, which
on the list for a contractors were fan weeks,
n
bee
had
e
“W
outlines what we will be doing
within just eight
loft conversion for a while, as our and came back from hospital
and when, and what they can do
children were sharing bedrooms Leahnewly converted and
to help, such as moving furniture
to a
and the house was becoming
in particular rooms.
decorated room – it was just
increasingly cramped. On top of
st she and the rest of
this, unfortunately Leah is poorly the booily needed.
the fam
and needs her own bedroom to
Who is eligible for
“To have the extra room
house her equipment. Because
has been life changing for us.
the loft conversion
she’s poorly, though, we had
We now work so much better
g
ldin
bui
the
off
ting
put
p
kee
to
scheme?
as a family, and Leah has her
work, as she just wouldn’t have
own space, which is really
You can apply for a loft
been able to cope with the dust
nt. Being able to stay
conversion if:
and general upheaval, as minimal importa
in the family home is priceless,
• Your house is classed as
as they were.”
’re really grateful for the
overcrowded, as per the North
However, in July last year, Leah and we nity to be part of the
opportu
Yorkshire HomeChoice policy
was rushed into hospital for a
scheme.”
criteria – you can check this at
bone-marrow transplant.
www.northyorkshirehomechoice.
Case study 2:
org.uk
• you have a clear rent account
When Alan Havercroft and his
“I can’t thank and praise
• you have no record of antiwife fostered their grandchildren
everyone involved enough,”
social behaviour at the property
and took them into their home,
said Alan.
• the property is kept in good
they were prepared to sell all their
“Steve Lawson and Mark
condition.
worldly goods to make sure they
Shepherd from the council bent
could fund the extra space they all over
backwards to make sure it
All loft conversions are subject
needed.
happened, and the contractors
to building regulations, so if
“There were six of us living in
Energytek were fantastic and kept
you are eligible a check will be
a three bedroomed house, so we
disruption to a minimum.”
done in your house to see if the
had to seriously consider leaving
conversion is possible.
our lovely home in which we have
lived for 16 years,” said Alan.
How do I apply?
However, Alan discovered
Phone Joanne Lofthouse,
our grants available for loft
Housing Team Leader, on
conversions and applied. His bid
01904 551 277 or email
was successful and we were able
joanne.lofthouse@york.
to convert his loft into not one, but
gov.uk, or talk to your
two further bedrooms.
Estate Manager.
i
8
You said
we did
YOUR VOLUNTEERS
Volunteers dig deep
for their community
Green-fingered residents in Tang Hall have
been busy transforming a derelict space into a
community garden and orchard.
Tang Hall and Heworth Residents’ Association
came up with the idea to transform the area
alongside the Sustrans cycle path into a blooming
lovely area for the community to enjoy.
The idea has come to fruition thanks to funding
from the council’s estate improvement fund and
support from York Conservation Volunteers.
Volunteers undertook clearance work on the
site in November and December and prepared the
ground for planting fruit early this year. There will be
bird boxes and hedgehog homes to attract wildlife
back to the area.
Everyone I’ve spoken to in the local
community thinks it’s a wonderful idea.
It really will benefit the whole
community.
said Sheila Wilkinson,
Secretary of Tang Hall and Heworth Residents’ Association.
The group is also looking for volunteers with a keen
interest in gardening to manage their own plot once
planting is complete.
you want to get involved, please
i Ifemail
tanghallra@gmail.com
Bike shed installed at Lovell House
details of the next clean up
i For
and how to get involved in the
residents’ group, phone Emma
on 07948 561449 or email
peserga@virginmedia.com
You could be on to a winner by switching
your energy tariff – as Mr Husain from Clifton
knows...
After changing his energy tariff last October via the
Big Community Switch and referring five friends, he
entered our partner iChoosr’s national competition –
and won a year’s worth of gas and electricity.
He said: “I entered the competition mainly to
tell my friends about the Big Community Switch
so they could save money on their bills. It was a
great surprise to win a year’s supply of energy
worth £925.”
The current Big Community Switch is free to sign
up to until 2 February – all you need is a recent fuel
bill – and iChoosr are running another competition
for people who refer the highest number of people to
the scheme. Five prizes of £100 worth of high street
vouchers are up for grabs in the competition and you
need to switch to the energy supplier which offers
the best deal to be eligible.
Collective savings of
approx
£46,161
During the last Big Community
Switch, 223 households in York
switched to the winning tariff,
averaging a saving of £207.
Stay warm this winter
There are plenty of ways you can be
warm and conserve energy this winter:
• Close your curtains at dusk and fit thermal linings
if possible. This will keep the heat in.
• Get to know how the timer and thermostat on your
heating system work. If it’s very cold, set the timer
to switch the heating on earlier, rather than turning
the thermostat up to warm your house quickly. If
you have individual thermostats on your radiators,
make sure they’re set at the right temperature in
the rooms where you spend time.
• Make sure you keep your hands and face warm.
As well as wearing gloves and a hat, always wrap
a scarf around your face when you go out in cold
weather, even for short intervals. This helps to warm
the air you breathe.
• Wear several thin layers, rather than one thick layer,
as layers trap warm air close to the body.
• Wear clothes made from wool, cotton or
fleecy fabrics.
• When sitting down, a shawl or blanket will provide
a lot of warmth. Try to keep your feet up, as the air
is cooler at ground level.
• Wear warm clothes in bed. When very cold, wear
thermal underwear, bed socks and even a hat.
• Hot meals and drinks help to keep you warm, so
eat at least one hot meal each day and have hot
drinks during the day.
• Draught-proof doors and windows, insulate your
loft and lag the hot-water tank and pipes. These
measures will help to keep your home warm and
your bills down. Check with your Estate Manager
whether these have been done
in your home.
Want to find out more?
To find out about your local residents’ association, please email
shapingneighbourhoods@york.gov.uk or phone 01904 551 832.
Streets Ahead www.york.gov.uk
9
Switching really
can help you save!
Taking pride in their neighbourhood
Residents of Doherty Walk in Foxwood are
planning another thorough tidy up of the
area in the spring, following a successful event
in December.
“We cleaned all the pathways, cut back overgrown
hedges, cleaned up dog mess and leaves,” said
Emma Storey, who organised the event along with
neighbour, Emma Miller.
“Plenty of people got involved from the
neighbourhood, including some of the children, plus
members of Foxwood Residents’ Association, PCSO
Richard Tempest.
“The day went well – we had cake and hotdogs to
celebrate our hard work.”
Emma says that they intend to set up their own
residential group in Doherty Walk following this
successful event, as well as a Neighbourhood Watch.
YOUR ENERGY
more details about the Big Community Switch, or to register, visit
i For
www.york.gov.uk/switchingenergy or phone 01904 551 550 ext 5188.
10 YOUR CHARITY
YOUR COMPETITION
Charity begins at home
developed the project.
Alice said: “We run a housing
advice service for older people and
their families, and from this came
the idea of joining up older and
younger people to enable them to
share skills, make new relationships
and make a real difference to both
age groups.”
The young volunteers decorated
the bedroom and living room in
the home of 89-year-old Nora
Blake. Nora, who has mobility
problems, said: “The young people
have done a great job. If
I won the lottery I’d buy
them all a house.”
Gary added: “The day far
exceeded our expectations
with all three young people
saying they really enjoyed
it. We felt that the day was
a great success and look
forward to organising our
second Enable project in
the near future.”
Come and see what we do!
Joan Stewart’s yard and garden
were given a festive makeover by
two young people from SASH.
They weeded and cleaned
the area, with help from Alice
Walker, our Older Persons Housing
Specialist, SASH employees, plus
volunteers from Homebase, who
provided the materials.
The walls were repainted and a
new gravelled area was created
and stocked with lowmaintenance plants.
Mrs Stewart said: “I
can’t believe there are
people like you who are
willing to help somebody
like me, it’s amazing.”
more details about the
i For
Enable project, please contact
Alice on 01904 554 095 or
email alice.walker@york.
gov.uk
Residents get crafty in
their community
Lindsey Avenue residents armed themselves with
needles, thread and material to create festive
socks for York’s foodbanks.
The workshop was organised by Lindsey Avenue
Residents’ Association and run at Space 217 by art
tutors Donna Taylor and Bryony Downing, who provided
the materials.
The socks were taken to the Gateway Centre in
Acomb, where they were filled with donated sweets and
distributed throughout York.
A community arts project is also planned to improve the
area outside Space 217.
“We would like it to reflect the estate and brighten up
the area,” said Estate Manager, Nicola Lammiman. “We
need ideas and designs, as well as help with the work.”
i
If you are interested, please email lindseyavera@outlook.com or go along to one of their meetings
at Space 217 on the first Monday of every month at 5pm. Or phone Nicola on 01904 553 745.
Streets Ahead www.york.gov.uk
Our sheltered housing schemes
are opening their doors to
the local community to try
to prevent isolation and
encourage more local people
and residents to get involved
among those who live within
our schemes and the local area.
Gale Farm Court, Barstow House,
Marjorie Waite Court and Glen
Lodge will all be holding open
afternoons in the near future.
People can participate in a range
of activities, including indoor
curling, bingo and dominoes,
or just join us for a cup of tea
and chat.
“We want to give everyone the
opportunity to have a say in what
they would like to see happening
in the schemes to meet everyone’s
needs,” said Karen Elcock,
Team Leader for Sheltered
Housing Scheme Managers.
Please look out for dates,
which will be advertised in
the local areas.
All 11 sheltered housing schemes also host regular weekly
events, including coffee mornings, bingo, exercise classes
and art/craft classes. Please feel free to come along.
It’s cold and dark outside and the thrill of Christmas may seem like a distant memory.
So we’ve decided to cheer your winter up with this fun, seasonal wordsearch.
WORDSEARCH
An elderly housebound tenant
was delighted after three
young people redecorated her
home as part of a new scheme.
The project, called Enable, is
designed to bring together older
people who need help around the
home with young volunteers who
are keen to help and gain valuable
practical skills.
Alice Walker, our Older Persons
Housing Specialist, and Gary Hogg,
Young Person Coordinator at
youth homelessness charity SASH,
11
We have two £25 Marks and
Spencer gift vouchers up for
grabs to give away to two lucky
wordsearch winners.
Words are hidden up, down, across
or diagonally in any direction.
The closing date is 28 February
2015. The first correct entry drawn
out after this date wins the prize.
Good luck!
Boots
Frost
Frozen
Hat
Ice
Jacket
Jumper
Mittens
New
Snow
Woollen
Year
Congratulations to last edition’s winners, Mrs L G Holland of
Lucas Avenue and Norman Kitching of Hope Street, who both won
a £25 Marks and Spencer gift voucher.
Please return your entry to: Kelly Conn, Customer Services Team Leader,
West Offices, Station Rise, York, YO1 6GA.
Name:
Address:
WIN!
We
have tw
of £25 Mao lots
and Spen rks
c
vouchers u er gift
p for
grabs!
YOUR STREET
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
HCelebrating our H
exceptional youngsters
Inspirational young people who
have made a difference in their
communities were honoured at
the third annual Lord Mayor of
York’s Shine Awards in December.
The nominees, their families and
guests were treated to a buffet
at the ceremony at the Mansion
House, where 14 winners aged
between five and 18 years old were
presented with their certificates.
The Lord Mayor of York, Councillor
Ian Gillies, said: “This special
event celebrates extraordinary
young people who have made a
difference in our city.”
Teenagers take over jobs in the city
Workers in York
put their feet up as
youngsters took over
their jobs during our
first Takeover Week
in November.
Thirty-three young
people from across
York and North
Yorkshire were given
the opportunity to have
a go at roles including
i
interviewing Jon
Stonehouse, Director
of Children’s Services,
Education and Skills.
“It was a great success
and went really well –
we’ll definitely be doing
it again next year,”
said Alison Cammiss,
Volunteer Lead.
We are currently
recruiting volunteers
to help in a number of
roles, from youth clubs
to mentoring young
people. Training will
be provided.
If you are interested or want further information, please email
alison.cammiss@york.gov.uk or phone 01904 554 565.
New look for
play park
Cornlands and Lowfields
Residents’ Association
have worked in
partnership with our
Communities and Park
teams to refurbish
the play area on
Cornlands Road.
The old equipment was
falling apart so residents
raised £25,000 to buy new
swings, climbing frames,
nest swings and a seesaw.
Pupils from York High
School came up with
designs for the park and
have also made signs
directing people to the area.
“We tried to make it
attractive to more than
one age group,” said
Ann Major, Secretary of
Cornlands and Lowfields
Residents’ Association.
They now need to raise
another £15,000 to add
more play equipment.
i
If you are interested
in getting involved,
email phone Ann on
07792 010661, email
majormargaret89@
yahoo.com, or go to
one of their meetings on
the second Wednesday
of every month at 7pm
at Gale Farm Court.