Street TENANTS & RESIDENTS MAGAZINE Spring 2019 | Issue 61

This is Margy, one of our first virtual internet panel members, find out why she signed up . . . see page 2

Meet your Neighbourhood Services Team, who will be managing your area? . . . see pages 4 & 5

from us all Happy Easter Cynthia is saving up, at Ocean Housing find out what for and Meet Katie who is very much looking forward to Easter along with her how the credit union rabbit, Coco. Katie and her family are grateful for the help and support can help you. of our together for families worker Jo, find out more on page six. . . . see page 3

Our Easter Opening Hours... Our offices will close at 5pm on Thursday 18th April and re-open on Tuesday 23rd April at 8.30am. Out of hours emergency contact number: 01726 874450 Street TENANTS & RESIDENTS MAGAZINE

We need you to be a VIP! We launched our virtual internet panel (VIP) back in December and we are still waiting to reach our target of 100 members. The first 100 to sign up will automatically be entered into a £50 prize draw. The virtual internet panel is for you to have a greater say in what we do, how we do it and what difference your input can make on the services we provide. We want to be the best at what we do and your feedback is so important to us. We understand that time is precious and that few of us have enough of it to get involved. The virtual internet panel gives you the freedom to have a say from the comfort Margy from of your own home and is done online either For those who sign up to be a VIP, we will by email or through Facebook. communicate with you at least four times Margy has been a tenant for five years and a year on individual topics from repairs to was one of our first members to sign up, “I customer engagement. We’ve already started thought it was an excellent idea as I spend a lot of on our first area, our complaints procedure, and time on the computer.” Margy lives in Newquay and your views will re-shape this service. cannot commit to meetings. “I’m keen to help Ocean as If you’d like to be VIP member, email us at a landlord to improve services so the VIP is perfect for [email protected] with your name and contact my lifestyle and I know I can have my say and make a details, or call the tenant involvement team on difference,” Margy told us. 01726 874450 and we’ll be in touch.

Tenants and leaseholders safety comes first at Park House, Although there is no legal requirement for a sprinkler system at Park House, the Board at Ocean Housing unanimously agreed to support an increased level of fire safety at our block of flats in St Austell. Park House is ’s only high- rise block of flats, and last June work started with the fitting of a sprinkler system to increase safety even further. Built in 1968, the block of concrete construction has 12 floors and 67 flats. We met Betty who is a leaseholder at Park House and has lived in her flat almost 40 years. “I wasn’t sure what affect the works would have on the flat visually, however I was pleasantly surprised how small the sprinklers were; you can hardly notice them,” Betty told us. The investment of £260,000 is almost complete with the last remaining flats being finished in April. Ocean has paid for the installation work at no cost to tenants or leaseholders, who have been consulted with throughout the process. Betty at Park House “I’m thrilled to bits now everything is finished, I’d rather get wet than get burnt,” laughed Betty, “I feel as safe as houses now!” Ralph Garth, Head of Health, Safety & Environment said “The sprinkler system is a sizeable investment that provides the highest standard of fire protection for our tenants and properties and is fully supported by Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service.”

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Service Standards Back in January we hosted two workshops with Our commitment to you Service Standard to maintain high standards

tenants and residents to review our Service of service Workshops Standards. Following feedback from over 50 tenants and residents we have revised our standards taking into consideration

your thoughts and views on what you expect from us as your landlord. If you are a The Resident Involvement & Empowerment Standard tenant, you will find a copy of our standards included with this edition of Street Talk The Tenancy Standard so that you can see what our promise is to you, about the services that we deliver. Further information can also be found on our website at The Home Standard The Neighbourhood & www.oceanhousing.com/service-standards Community Standard

www.oceanhousing.comT: 01726 874450 Ocean Housing Ltd Stennack House Stennack Road St Austell PL25 3SW

Credit Unions, a safe alternative to door step lending A credit union is a community savings and loan provider, owned by their members (savers/borrowers) and are regulated just like a bank. Savings are protected under the Financial Services Compensation scheme so customer’s money is safe. There are two credit unions in Cornwall:

Westcountry Savings and Loans is the largest credit union in the KERNOW CREDIT UNION South West with 2,500 members. provide credit at competitive rates of interest and Ocean tenant, Cynthia from encourage saving. St Stephen tells us why she joined: Members take control of their money to save from as “There are always items you need to save for and I didn’t little as £1 a week or more by cash, want to go into debt and the credit union offered me cheque or standing order. They borrow only what the best options so I signed up last year. I’m saving £20 they can afford to repay for Christmas, birthdays, a month towards a light weight mobility scooter and household bills etc. once I’ve saved so much I can borrow the remainder.” • Friendly face to face contact at our service points throughout the county and our main office at . • A contactless pre-paid debit card to use online, in-store & a budgeting tool to pay those all-important bills with no credit checks • Loans available to members at fair rates of interest. There is a small membership joining fee and a payable annual fee each October. Cynthia from St Stephen For more information and membership, call • We charge daily interest rather than front-load it 01209 314449 or contact your • There are no early repayment charges and Local Service Point at Barclays Bank • Members with savings benefit from a discounted St Austell Saturdays 9.15am – 12 noon loan interest rate. Visit www.kernowcreditunion.co.uk or We’re currently offering free membership, email: [email protected] visit www.westcountry.org.uk/Join

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Meet your Neighbourhood Services Team

We are pleased to introduce you to your new Neighbourhood Services Officer and this will take effect from the 1st May 2019. Becky Martin Ann-Marie, our Neighbourhood Services Manager Patch One told us, “ The feedback we have received is that you Blackwater Penryn would like to see more of your officer out and Carharrack Perranwell about, meeting tenants and residents and Carnon Downs Pool checking on the estates. We have listened to Connor Downs Porthtowan this and in order to free up our officer’s time in Crantock Praze-an-Beeble the office, our Customer Service Advisors are Cubert Scorrier trained to deal with a lot more enquiries. Falmouth Shortlanesend ” Four Lanes St Day If you have a question Grampound St Agnes about your tenancy Grampound St Columb Road Road or where you live, you can contact us St Erth Indian Queens by email, live chat St East Mount Ambrose or call our Customer Summercourt Mount Hawke Service Team who will Threemilestone Mount Joy be able to deal with Trispen your enquiry at the first point of contact. Ann-Marie Rogers In addition, one of Neighbourhood Services our Neighbourhood Manager Services Officer will be available as a duty officer if the Customer Service Advisors are not able to deal fully with your enquiry. The new system means you don’t need to speak to your Neighbourhood Services Officer on every occasion and will hopefully speed up the process for you. Susie Wootten It’s an exciting time for us a team as we are now Patch Two using tablets for mobile working and this helps us to be more visible to you in the community. Newquay Our team look forward to meeting you. St Columb Minor St Mawgan

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Boscastle

Camelford Egloskerry

Delabole

A30 Rock

Wadebridge Paul Wakefield-Smith Patch Four St Austell Central St Mawgan (Polkyth, Mount Charles St Columb & Tregonissey) Newquay Major Roche Mevagissey St Dennis Bugle Cubert Indian Queens St Newlyn East Foxhole Fraddon St Austell St Agnes Grampound Shortlanesend Mevagissey St Day Carharrack Gorran Haven A30 Carnon Hayle Pool Downs Praze-an-Beeble St Erth Penryn Falmouth

Laura Hobday Patch Six Bodmin Looe Boscastle Mount Rock James Carter Delabole St Austell West Patch Three Dobwalls (Gover & Park House) Burngullow Roche East Taphouse Pensilva Bugle Ruddlemoor Robert Carnon Egloskerry Trelights Coombe St Dennis Patch Five Lanlivery Trevone Foxhole St Stephen Lockengate Biscovey St Austell East Fraddon Stenalees Fowey (Carclaze, Bethel, Lanreath Boscoppa, Sandy Week St Mary Gorran Haven Sticker Lostwithiel Liskeard Luxulyan Trelowth & Scredda) Par Nanpean Trethowel St Blazey Penpillick Pentewan Trewoon St Blazey Gate Whitemoor Tywardreath

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Supporting families and making a difference Over the last 12 months, Jo, our together for families appointments and with mum unable to drive; I was worker, has been working with Katie and her family. able to organise transport.” She has supported them through bereavements, “It was a tough time when we lost our Nan, and it health issues and bullying at school which impacted feels like Jo has come into our lives and she is now on all three children who were not attending part of our family. I’ve built up my confidence and school and caused a huge amount of stress and Jo helped me to get a voluntary job with the air anxiety for mum. ambulance.” Katie told us. Jo’s role is to work with families referred by their After losing both her parents and the problems neighbourhood services officer. This could be for with schooling, Katie’s mum, just needed that extra reasons such as debt, physical or mental health and support. “I know Jo is at the end of the phone if I need domestic abuse. advice or any help”. Jo told us, “I acted It’s good to talk as a key worker and get help and when none of the support if you children were in need it. If you education, liaising think you would with the school, benefit from Jo’s education welfare help, then please and children’s contact your social care to try neighbourhood and find a pathway services officer in back into an confidence, who alternative school. One of the will talk to you children needed and advise you of to attend regular Katie and Jo, our together for families worker the next step.

Cost of missed appointments

Like any other business, there is a cost involved when repair appointments are not kept. If you are unable to keep an appointment you must contact us on 01726 874450 or email [email protected] and we will happily rearrange a more convenient time for you. From April 2018 to March 2019

Jobs where Cost of these is £72 This is equivalent to: tradesperson were per job on average kitchens unable to access 22 Total cost from or the property due April 2018 to end of bathrooms to tenant not in 25 March 2019 is or = 1200 £86,400 per year 36 new boilers

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Spring has sprung! Spring has sprung and the bulbs planted by Ocean in October are giving us a nice array of colours. We will do our best to help keep our estates clean and tidy and ask for your help with litter and for owners to pick up after their dogs. Between April and March, our teams have filled nearly 1000 bags of rubbish which impacts the time they have on the estate. is responsible for some of the areas on our estates such as the highways, communal pathways and grass. We are frequently asked ‘why do you leave an area of grass and cut it at a different time?’ We have no control of the land belonging to the Council and the frequency of when they are cut. Weather permitting, we aim to give a three-weekly visit all year round and we don’t stop because it’s raining! However, the weather can slow us down along with the bank holidays during the year. We will Keith & Paul with Judy, tenant at St Mawgan do our best to catch up and keep your estate clean and tidy. If you would like to give feedback on the grounds maintenance service then please speak to our tenant involvement team or visit www.oceanhousing.com/tenant-monitors for more information.

Together with Tenants, National Housing Federation visits Ocean Jan and Paul, the Chair and Vice Chair of the tenant and residents panel welcomed the new Chief Executive of the National Housing Federation, Kate Henderson to Ocean’s offices in March. The National Housing Federation is the voice of housing associations in . Their vision is a country where everyone can live in a good quality home they can afford. Kate welcomed the opportunity to speak to Jan and Paul and hear about the high levels of tenant involvement at Ocean. They also discussed the Federation’s new ‘Together with Tenants’ campaign Left to right: Mark Gardner, Frances Turner, Kate Henderson, Jonathan for housing associations aimed at creating an even Adlington, Debbie Wilshire, Jan Faulkner, Paul Symon, Karen Littler stronger, more balanced relationship with tenants and Jan and Paul said “we were really pleased that residents across England. Kate wanted to meet with us to discuss tenant “I was very impressed with the way in which Ocean involvement, and to hear about the work of our panel embraces and supports tenant involvement, and to and the scrutiny panel to improve the way services hear from Jan and Paul about their work with Ocean’s are delivered for the benefit of all our tenants Board and staff team,” said Kate. “This is exactly what and residents. our new campaign wants to promote and to continue To find out more about the to build a positive relationship with landlords and ‘Together with Tenants’ campaign visit tenants across the country.” www.oceanhousing.com/together-with-tenants

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Christmas Street No cash or cheque payment at Talk Winner Stennack House Office For those of you who entered our Christmas As a business we have had Street Talk competition, there were 10 to make changes to the diamond baubles hiding in the edition. ways you can pay. From Congratulations to Sarah, a shared owner the 31st March 2019, we from Newquay who found all 10 Christmas are no longer accepting baubles and won a £60 shopping voucher.

Street cash or cheque payments RESIDENTS & TENANTS MAGAZINE Christmas Bag To celebrate our 60th Giveaway edition, we are giving Stay safe at Christmas and all year away one large and one small free reusable hessian bag which come in round with our top tips handy for a packed lunch or the weekly shop to Avoid using the incorrect lighting product in an the supermarket. at our reception desk on Stennack Road, | Issue 60 unsuitable environment. For any decoration you’re Winter 2018 Simply cut out the voucher below and take it to planning to put up outside, it is essential that you our offices in St Austell to collect your free bags. only use lights that are designed for this purpose. Street Free hessian bag voucher Avoid overloading. Never plug in more than 13A RESIDENTS & TENANTS MAGAZINE Terms and conditions or 3000W and avoid using unfused block adaptors. St Austell. We apologise for any inconvenience this may Limited to one Always check that plugs, cables and lights are small and one $ undamaged before use. large bag per household. Make sure you use the correctly rated fuse for Vouchers are the item you are using. non-refundable Find out why Zara and and cannot be Avoid trip hazards. Position your extension leads cause but would advise tenants and residents that you will Yasmin from St Blazey exchanged for in an appropriate place. have a reason to smile cash. Do not position real Christmas trees close to . . . see page 3 Valid for the month of January 2019 only. any heat sources, eg: a fireplace or heat vent. Photocopies will not be accepted. Water your tree regularly, as dry trees are more still be able to pay by card at reception. susceptible to catching fire. 60th Edition Competition - Spot the diamond Christmas bauble As we celebrate this 60th birthday edition, can you help us find the diamond Christmas baubles hidden

in this newsletter? Meet Rose and fi nd The first three correct entries drawn will win: out why her feedback 1st Prize - £60 Shopping Voucher How many Christmas diamond really counts 2nd Prize - £40 Shopping voucher baubles have you spotted?

For more information about direct debits, standing orders, . . . see page 5 3rd Prize - £20 Shopping Voucher $ The competition is open to anyone living in our Note: The bauble on this page does not count towards the total. properties. Only one entry per household. Closing date is Friday 25th January 2019 Name: Address: allpay and other payment methods please contact our Happy Hunting! You don’t need a stamp, just cut out this slip and pop it into an envelope addressed to: Meet Carole and the FREEPOST RSES-LCCA-EJUJ Postcode:

residents from Prince Diamond Bauble Competition Telephone No: Charles House who areOcean Housing, Customer Accounts Team on 01726 874450 or visit making a diff erence Mobile No: Stennack Road, . . . see page 4 Happy Christmas St Austell, PL25 3SW. Email address: from all at Ocean Housing Ashley, Dylan, Yanna and Ruby from Tywardreath can’t wait to celebrate email: [email protected] Christmas as we celebrate our 60th edition of Street Talk. Please recycle your StreetTalk. Printed on Re-cycled paper. Designed & produced by Karen Jackson Design 01326 373108 Photography by Frame by Frame 01503 262684. www.oceanhousing.com as e aa a aes esaa a www.oceanhousing.com Out of Hours Numbers 01726 874450 Emergency Repairs: 01726 874450

Anti-Social Behaviour: 01726 874450 Our Christmas Opening Hours... Contact us for a Large Print or Audio CD of this newsletter Our offi ces will close for Christmas at 5pm on Friday 21st December 2018 and will re-open at 8.30am on Wednesday 2nd January 2019. Out of hours emergency contact number: 01726 874450

Easter Egg Hunt Competition Can you help us find the Easter eggs hidden in this newsletter

The first correct entry drawn will win an How many different coloured Ocean Easter Goodie Bag and Easter Eggs have you spotted? £60 shopping voucher. Note: The Easter Egg above does not count towards the total.

Three runners up will win an $ Ocean Easter Goodie Bag and Name: £20 shopping voucher. Address: The competition is open to anyone living in our properties. Only one entry per household. Closing date is Friday 17th May. Good Luck and Happy Hunting! Postcode: You don’t need a stamp, just cut out this slip and pop it into an envelope addressed to: Telephone No: FREEPOST RSES-LCCA-EJUJ Mobile No: Easter Egg Competition Ocean Housing, Email address: Stennack Road,

St Austell, PL25 3SW. 01503 262684. Frame by Frame by Jackson Design 01326 373108 Photography Karen by Designed on Re-cycled & produced Printed paper. Talk. Street your Please recycle

email: [email protected] Out of Hours Numbers www.oceanhousing.com Emergency Repairs: 01726 874450 01726 874450 Anti-Social Behaviour: 01726 874450 Contact us for a Large Print or Audio CD of this newsletter