Cobalt Housing - Keeping it Local? You may already know that Symphony Housing Cobalt Housing (Cobalt) is one Group Area of six housing associations in the ‘Symphony Housing Group’ with 41,000 homes across the North-West as shown in the Map. The Symphony Housing Group Board has the authority, after consultation with and approval from member organisations, to agree the future of all the Housing Associations within the Group. 6,000 Symphony provides some services to Cobalt, including Governance, Human Resources, IT and Marketing. Why are you receiving this newsletter? The figures in red show Your Cobalt Board believes it is in the homes across the area best interests of its tenants and the communities it serves in Croxteth, Fazakerley, and Norris Green that What would change? Cobalt should continue as your local Before any decisions are If Cobalt left the Symphony Housing landlord to invest in your homes, taken the Cobalt Board communities, and neighbourhoods as it Group, Cobalt would continue as your landlord. It would be a ‘stand-alone’ Needs Your Views has always done. housing association. Cobalt strongly believes it can save money by delivering Symphony services If Cobalt remains within the THIS NEWSLETTER itself, having a 100% local focus on Symphony Housing Group then, improved delivery and creating local following consultation, should they TELLS YOU: employment. agree to form one organisation then To do this Cobalt would: Cobalt would no longer be your WHAT THE • Leave the Symphony Housing Group landlord. ISSUES ARE and • Become an independent housing The Cobalt Board HOW YOU CAN association. This is called ‘de-merger’. wants your views! HAVE YOUR The Symphony Housing Group Board SAY ON THE has given in-principle approval to this, PROPOSALS provided certain conditions are met.

The Cobalt Board This newsletter has been produced by PS Consultants, the Independent wants to know what Tenant Advisor (ITA) chosen by the Cobalt Tenant Working Group to give independent advice to tenants on these proposals. YOU think. THE VIEWS OF THE COBALT BOARD

E 6 AN 0 The Key Issue Local Housing L A ’S 5 OD I A WO N ER SH T R If Cobalt remains as part of the TW E IGEN Junction 6 and Neighbourhood ARL E CL E O N B W’S LA S OS I E

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D R O R E O C Homes would standards in the Symphony Housing O R M longer be your landlord. P E

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Group. It intends to build on this A C E FER F be managed centrally and there would V O S K I A C

R N E T R R S U I D D N E H T E P V S A A S C O V K S E O U be no local Board managing homes and R Fazakerley N M H A OAD P AKE R T DR S • Cobalt will maintain, repair and ONGA ROAD KAR E I L M D E H E T G M A R I V N A O N OAD A investment in your area as Cobalt does N E R R N WKSMOOR L H C A L continue to improve existing homes O R IC TR ES H S I S S A OV CR A E M IA O N M IT D L R E L now. W H A I O G R R CRE T in line with the priorities it agrees D SCEN K C A A GO B LA Junction 5 E DE Recreation ROAD On the other hand, if Cobalt leaves with tenants and it will make sure Ground N R S W O B T D A NG C O LO K (de-merges from) the Symphony Housing as a minimum that all of its homes L N G A IL L E M D N B O S A S Group, Cobalt will become a stand-alone meet the health, safety and quality E R L HMP A O I N Altcourse D E R P G W AR housing association with responsibility for KV I standards set down by the regulator, E IE E L W A D L 5 V A O R 8 I O W O 0 R R A B R O O K F I E L D D R I V E D managing its own affairs and investment in L the Homes and Communities Agency D B R O O K LA F I A E L D W N A H I G H E Y E L Croxteth, Fazakerley and Norris Green. E

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CK C A I D A I A B FAL W G MOU A H IL R TH O LM RD The Cobalt Board firmly believes that O E R S • The Cobalt Board believes it can N S S H LA Fazakerley T E A E L D Cemetery L E P there are real advantages to becoming D C I W give a clear commitment that its A M E I N N M O V S E S S K a stand-alone housing association. E T N A R own tenants and residents will A O A L P Playing Fields L S N W T Playing Field O A Y E N E These are: N E Croxteth have a direct role in shaping future D B L A A Recreation L R ROAD E E D Ground L C I A G I SCENT TERNHALL R D O Craven Wood B N RE E T standards for the Cobalt local 5 C Sparrow S R 1 O Y D C G S 87 E OA E L L VENUE R N K S A E Hall L T R E L Cemetery B R S A A

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Playing R O O L L C E O T Dam A R A L P Fields AD O A V R RD Wood A H S Cobalt: O E R S T G R D O R D AD O W N C C A A V O A S B O O R ULFOR D E E B AL E E N T R P CK C E M E K E O E R U T N I A C G AR RD N R O E N E Cobalt is H L E C R T V • Is focused entirely on its local S A V A RD R I G D N 80 E R E 5 D R HAS OOK D E A R ELB R D R E A V M E E YB A L I A VENUE E A O O E R H A C R H N W R R T R E D S E E H B O A I D communities in Croxteth, Fazakerley R R N A E IE VE T O F D A UR O M D

R F NT S N C G R D V Croxteth R E R financially strong I U C P S R N R P I Y E AINB U I A C E D E O A O R R N U R W C ST S O D N D R E S W L F

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and Norris Green. Symphony homes A E G H

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are across Greater Manchester, T R N N N ROM I O N Y D P M E E O D L T O T O N A O L L A E T R O R D E D A N commissioned independent, external E O R L E L I V L B V R R

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E D E D W D F S F A F I R VENUE R , , Tameside and D R O A E N N D I D R R A R X S R N N U D E V A Y U R R E consultants to examine its financial C L E NORW M E D N Mull Wood T E A R A S R ANSTREE E T A S S C Dog & Gun L BR D C A IL I R A H R S FO U the Wirral. The Cobalt Board believes C R L P E I T N R G IS A UM L H S B R R T Norris Green A K case to ‘go it alone’. They said that B R H T A A I A S R C E W O Croxteth K N R E N E Playing Field R W O L A I D M T AD C D R D N O O that its local voice for Croxteth, D RIVE E O Country Park CH RD X R R R D EA K B RO H A Playing LB A T A C A HI F OO U B W S Cobalt has the necessary financial P R E HERW D R E H I T D Field NE D V E W H A R N E R F CARR LANE R A R E D S R T R Y E E Fazakerley and Norris Green would be F MEAD V B E R R Y P N R H V A K A R O R A D A S O O D I B R AIR B O strength to do this. It is their view E M A R F T T S U N 0 A E K E R I P D H WALLO L L T E S W O S N E 8 L H C N D O V N U E L R O L I R A lost if Cobalt does not become a stand- G N 5 S I S Y L N T M L L O E F

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N A A A A O T T D D W W A tests to be a strong and viable G A U O M R R D A O H IT A I L R GLASS E A O E ON V M R T B CR • Currently makes a surplus of around E S Y E R N S E E CENT

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D U I £6.3m per year which it reinvests in the T U T N A E S I A V Y TON RD E S RING G LA SETT DENCOUR A L L • The financial consultants told the UR G T R E IST I N E F

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R O D E E C S D L O A R E C L The Cobalt Board N E D H H E Y W C R homes it can build from 100 (at a R AVAN I R R O R I Y L OAD V A E U 50 M L A 5 E N 8 N strongly believes cost of £13.6m) to 175 (at a cost E A S S E A R R L E F O D Q E RG R A R O N U U A D A P I S of £23.6m) in the next 5 years. O D K E L R V E N I U M K I A LR 0 500 1000 METRES N Recreation E E E N O O C that by becoming Ground L A E N O E N V R S R R D B S S O D A ’ © Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. Licence Number PU100029016 S This would provide new affordable A S Y D D L D R Produced by Location Maps Ltd. Tel: 01746 768388. www.locationmaps.com E I A D D V N D A E E R O D S K R R A E V E independent: social homes for rent in Croxteth, M H R G I N I L L I A H R A G R D M L V A R E W L L I E A E A N I S U O D O N E • Any surplus would continue to be Fazakerley and in Norris Green to T E N M N R E AND PLEASED REMEMBER D L W O A N O used for the sole benefit of tenants in give more flexibility and choice for 0 E T 8 E W 5 ADSHEAD O ROAD S E L A W E N Croxteth, Fazakerley, and Norris Green, T M existing and for new tenants. It will N A

L V D and A also allow Cobalt to replace those D E DRIVE RNFIELD WHICH EVERA R DECISIONBA E H B lost under the Right to Buy. R • The Cobalt Office will continue to be I Y E R U A T O E O W M N N A your local point of contact with Cobalt L L L E 9 Y 4 A L F E I I E 0 5 L E 0 M D R 5 T 5 R A 8 IS MADE: O K B A N A R M I L L O W RD D Y A E ERB D ST D Y WE THE VIEWS OF THE COBALT BOARD

6 NE 0 LA A ’S 5 OD I A Key WO N ER SH T R TWIGEN E C Junction 6 ARLO NE L E B W’S LA S OS Fazakerley & I E

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R N E T R R S U I D D N E H T E P V S A A S C O V K S E O U R M N H A OAD P AKE R T DR S ONGA ROAD KAR E I L M D E H E T G M A R I V N A O N OAD A N E R R N WKSMOOR L H C A L O R IC T S H S I R E S S A OV CR A E M IA O N M IT D L R E W H A IL R O CR T G D R ESCEN K C A A GO B Aintree LA Junction 5 E DE Recreation ROAD Ground N Gillmoss R S W O B T GD A ON C your O K L L N G A IL L E M D N B O S A

S E R L HMP A O I N Altcourse D E R P G A W RK I V E IE E L W A D L 5 V A O R 8 I O W O 0 R R A B R O O K F I E L D D R I V E D D L A B R O O K L F I A E L D W N A H I G H E Y

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CK C A I D A I A B FAL W G MOU A R TH H ILL R O M E D R OS N S S H LA Fazakerley T E Everton A E L views! D Cemetery L E P D C I A W M E I N N M O V S E S S K E T N Before any final decisions A R A O A L P Playing Fields L S N W T O Playing Field A N E Y E E N D B Croxteth L A A Recreation L AD R E D are taken the Cobalt Board RO E Ground L C I A G I SCENT TERNHALL R D O Craven Wood B N RE E T 5 C S R 1 O Y D C G S 87 E OA E L L VENUE R West Derby N K S A E L T R E L Cemetery

B R S A A A P ULFOR A H needs to know what Cobalt

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Playing R O O L L C E O T Dam A R A L P Fields AD O A V R RD Wood A H S G O E R S R T D O R O W N AD C tenants think. D C A A V O A S B O O R ULFOR D E E B AL E E N T R P CK C E M E K E O E R U T N C I R A N G R A RD E E H O N C L R T V E S A V A RD R I G D Over the next 6 weeks or so PS N 80 R E 5 D R HAS D E A R ELB ROOKE D R E A V M E E YB A L I A VENUE E A O O E R H A C H N W R R T R E D S E E H BR O A I D R R N A E IE VE T O F D A UR O M D Consultants, the Independent Tenant

R F NT S N C G R D V Croxteth R R I CE U P S R N R P I Y E AINB U I A C E D E O A O R R N U R W C ST S O D N D R E S W L F

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A E G C S H U M T OT O A Recreation T A R L ESB Advisor (ITA), will be giving you plenty R R

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T R N N N ROM I O N Y D P M D E E O of opportunities to tell us what you L T O T O N A O L L A E T R O R D E D A N E R O L E L I V L B V R R

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E D E D W D F S F A F I R VENUE R D R O A E N N D A I D R R EE R X V think about these proposals. S R N N U D E A Y U R R C L E NORW M E D N Mull Wood E T E A R A S R ANSTR E T A S S C Dog & Gun L C A BR D L I I R A S H F R R O U C P L E I T N R G IS A UM L H S B R R T Norris Green A K B R H T A A I A S R C E W O Croxteth K N R E N E Playing Field R W O L A I D M T AD C D R D N O O D R E O Country Park IV O E CH RD X R R R D EA K B R H A Playing ILB A T A C B W A PH F RWOOD U S IR E THE RD E H Field NE D V E W H A R N E R F CARR LANE R A R E D S R T R Y E E See Page 4 for more F MEAD V E B R R Y N R H A K P R R V A D A A S O O D AIR O I B E M A R R T B O T F S U N 0 A E K E R I P D H WALLO L L T E S W O S N E 8 L H C N D O V N U E L N R O L I R A G I 5 S S Y L N T M L L O E F

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L W C N D E information and how R I S H E T H

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N A A A AEllergreen O T T D D W W A G A U O M R R D A O H IT A I L R GLASS E A O E ON V M R T B CR E S Y E R N S E E CENT

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A C E R R R D O T E to contact the ITA A D I N V R E W E P N N D U I

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ON T T RD O B R O A D E RD U R DALE L A N E N We will also be providing more information in

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E A A O E N A D N Grd AV L O D R S U August and September about Cobalt’s offer A

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G S I W I R V L A IN A V L T AP N E A N

T E SA D W S A A N M U E H to its tenants if it does become a stand-alone, G D N D N D N A Z E Y A W R H V A S O N M IL O E Norris Green E L R C A A I N E R

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R O D E E C independent housing association. S D L O A R E C L N H E D H E Y R W CAVAN R R R O R I I Y L OAD V A E U 50 M L A 5 E N 8 N E A S S E A R R L E F O D Q E RG R A R O N U U A D A P I S O D K E L R V E N I U M K I A LR 0 500 1000 METRES N Recreation E E E N O O C A E N O E Ground L N V R S R R D B S O D A ’ © Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. Licence Number PU100029016 S S A S Y D D L D R Produced by Location Maps Ltd. Tel: 01746 768388. www.locationmaps.com E I N A D • Your rents andD any serviceV charges will not change D A E E R O D S K R R A E V E M H R G I N I L L I A H R A G R D M L V A R E W L L I E A E A N I S U O D O N E E N T N M R E as a result of leaving the Symphony Housing Group AND PLEASED Clubmoor REMEMBER D L W O A N O 0 E T 8 E W 5 ADSHEAD O ROAD S E L A W E T N N M A V L • Your rights and responsibilities as a tenant will not D A D E DRIVE RNFIELD WHICH EVERA R DECISIONBA E H B R I Y E R U A change, whether Cobalt continues as your landlord T O E O W M N N A L L L E 9 Y 4 A L F E I I E 0 5 L E 0 M D R 5 5 or you become a tenantT of Symphony R A 8 IS MADE: O K B A N A R M I L L O W RD D Y A E ERB D ST D Y WE Meet the Independent Tenant Advisor (ITA) Team The PS Consultants ITA staff team will help all Cobalt tenants and residents understand the decision that the Cobalt Board will have to make and help you have your say. Steve Sharples Christine Bailey Paul Podesta Patrick Haigh

WE WILL ALSO ADVISE AND During August and September you will meet the ITA at: SUPPORT THE COBALT TENANT • local community events, Tenant and Resident Association meetings, WORKING GROUP DURING THIS at Neighbourhood Committee and other community meetings, and CONSULTATION PROCESS. • in the foyer of Cobalt’s office every Monday and Thursday The August ITA Programme DATE TIME ADDRESS Monday 15 August 10am - 1.30pm Foyer of Cobalt’s office Monday 15 August 12noon - 3pm ‘Peppa Pig’ event, Croxteth Sports Centre, Altcross Rd, L11 0BS Thursday 19 August 10am - 1.30pm Foyer of Cobalt’s office Saturday 20 August 12 noon - 4pm Fazakerley Library Community Fun Day, L10 7LQ Sunday 21 August 11.30am - 3pm Christ Sedgemoor, Norris Green, L11 3BR Monday 22 August 10am - 1.30pm Foyer of Cobalt’s office Thursday 25 August 10am - 1.30pm Foyer of Cobalt’s office

You can also talk to the ITA or ask questions about these proposals: FREEPHONE 0808 164 2703 (free from a landline or mobile phone) TEXT the ITA on 07506 573373 EMAIL psconsultants.org.uk WEBSITE www.cobalt.psconsultants.org.uk The ITA website has more information. Click the Forum button on the site to exchange your views about these proposals with other Cobalt tenants or your ITA.