The magazine for District Council tenants

SUMMER 2021

Community in the 21st Century Pandemic

p15 How one community came together in support and friendship

Search Facebook for “NKDC Housing” 05 10 reasons to choose Crystal Insurance Scheme

1) Apply over the telephone or complete an application form. 2) You don’t need to have special door or window locks (just a lockable front door). 3) Flexible regular Pay-As-You-Go payment options (fortnightly and monthly premiums include a transaction charge). 4) Covers theft, water damage, fire and many more household risks. 5) Covers tenants improvements (up to £2000 or 20% of the sum insured, whichever is the greater). 6) Covers theft or attempted theft of contents in sheds, outbuildings and garages (up to £3,000). 7) Covers damage to external glazing for which you are responsible for. 8) Covers replacement and installation of locks for outside doors or windows and alarms, if keys are lost or stolen. 9) Loss or damage to food in a fridge/freezer (excludes damage caused if the electricity supplier deliberately cuts of the supply to your homes. 10) Tenant’s liability - Up to 35% of the contents sum insured for damage to your landlord’s fixtures and fittings which you are legally liable for as a tenant (excludes loss or damage whilst your home is unoccupied).

Ask your landlord for an application pack or to apply for cover today, call Crystal Insurance on: Exclusions & limits apply. A copy of the policy wording 0345 450 7286 is available on request. or visit: www.crystal-insurance.co.uk

The Crystal Insurance Scheme is a product name arranged and administered by Thistle Tenant Risks a trading style of Thistle Insurance Services Limited. Thistle Insurance Services Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority FRN 310419. Registered in under No. 00338645. Registered office: Rossington’s Business Park, West Carr Road, Retford, Nottinghamshire, DN22 7SW. Thistle Insurance Services Limited is part of the PIB Group. For information about what we do with personal data please see our Privacy Policy at www.crystal-insurance.co.uk/Privacy-Policy TENANT RISKS is your magazine WELCOME CONTENTS 4 Gas servicing 4 Home contents insurance 5 Reporting your house repairs 5 Repairs / disrepair 6 Communication standard 6 Complaint handling code 7 Use your voice 8 Covid-19 service update 9 Neighbourhood Services 10 Connect with Lincs Police 7 Use your voice to feedback 11 Mud kitchen donation 11 Stop hate 12 Out and about in NK 14 Right to buy 15 Community in the pandemic

Find out who your Housing Produced in consultation 9 with tenant representatives. At Home is produced by North Officer is Kesteven District Council.

OUT AND ABOUT IN NK

Where will you go once the Covid-19 rules relax? 12 Places to visit in NK

This document is available in large print, braille, audio tape, electronic formats such as CD, or in a different language. Our website is ReadSpeaker enabled. For a copy contact Community Engagement on 01529 414155 or email [email protected]

3 GAS SERVICING

Checking of gas, solid fuel and will visit, in a Covid-19 safe way, oil appliances is important to to complete the annual service. ensure the safety of you and your IMPORTANT family in your home. The Council 4. If the engineer cannot gain has to do this once a year - it is a access, they will return the same If you smell gas, suspect legal requirement. You must allow day. If access is not gained they an emission of carbon our contractor access to your will complete a ‘Not At Home monoxide, or wish to property to complete this service. Card’ and leave a ‘First warning report a fire or explosion, - no access’ letter. Further please contact National 1. Six weeks before the annual due attempts will be made to contact Grid on the National Gas date, Aaron Services will contact you to rearrange the service. Emergency Helpline on: you to make an appointment. 5. If you fail to allow access we 0800 111999 2. Shortly before the appointment, can take enforcement action. Aaron Services will contact you The contractor will cap off your again to confirm the appointment. gas supply until a service is If a different date is required it must carried out. The Council will not fall after the service due date. not leave any property with a gas supply and an out of date 3. The Gas Safe registered engineer service certificate.

If you need further information about your service please call us on 01529 414155 and ask for housing repairs.

WHAT IS HOME CONTENTS INSURANCE?

Crystal Insurance Scheme, in Typically furniture, gadgets, clothes, partnership with North Kesteven appliances and jewellery are District Council, offers home covered in a basic home contents MORE contents insurance for tenants. insurance policy. A good way to look INFORMATION It is an insurance to cover at it is: if you could take the item the contents and personal with you if you were to move home, If you would like to discuss possessions in your home. It can then it should be covered by your tenants home contents provide protection against theft home contents insurance. insurance, please contact of your belongings, as well as Crystal Insurance on: damage to them caused by fire, The Crystal Home Contents Phone: 0345 450 7286 water damage, floods and more. Insurance policy also includes Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm cover if you accidentally damage Email: crystal@ Why do I need tenants home the landlord’s fixtures and fittings, thistleinsurance.co.uk contents insurance? replacement keys if you lose yours, When renting a property you should and there is no excess to pay if you consider what a home contents need to make a claim. insurance policy covers you for. Your landlord (the Council) does not cover A standard or extended accidental your home contents and belongings damage cover is available. Prices for damage, loss or theft. start from £2.11 per month.

4 REPAIRS

The Council is keen to keep your home in good condition and is responsible for maintaining the structure of the property in good repair. In order to do this you must report any faults or damage affecting the property as soon as you can. Please report your repairs to the You should expect repairs to be completed within the timescales detailed below. Our appropriate contractor below target is to always carry out repairs quicker than this. Any repairs needed will be carried out following Covid-19 guidelines. Kier Services 01529 416399 To report general building repairs (including The best way to report your repair is by brickwork, joinery and plumbing) or electrical telephone, direct to the repairs contractors. problems, including electrical heating. You can also request a repair on www.n- 01529 416399 (If you need to leave a message be kesteven.gov.uk: search “report a repair”. sure to leave your telephone number). Alternatively let us know by letter or email.

Emergency repairs within 24 hours (repairs Aaron Services 01205 591979 that present a risk to health and safety or severe damage to the property only) • For gas, oil and solid fuel heating repairs and appliance servicing, including smoke and carbon • Urgent repairs within 5 days monoxide alarms. • Routine repairs within 20 days • 01205 591979

DISREPAIR Open Hours • Monday to Thursday - 8am - 5pm • Friday 8am - 4.30pm (Out of hours service is for emergency repairs only, It is important that you report your repair so telephone Kier or Aaron Services as above). that any work can be completed in good time and before your home gets into a state By telephoning the contractors you will be given an of disrepair. This includes reporting issues of appointment date and time slot. You will need: damp and condensation. Your name, address and daytime telephone number If you think your property has a damp • Details of when someone will be at home for the problem, and you’ve taken steps to try and repair to be carried out eliminate damp by ventilating and heating your • To give as much detail as possible, exactly home sufficiently, call Keir who will arrange to where and what the fault is. For example, a make an inspection of your property. A leaflet radiator in the living room isn’t working, or is available on www.n-kesteven.gov.uk and whether the property is secure. What has search damp and condensation or call 01529 happened as a result of the fault? 414155 and ask for the Repairs team.

5 COMMUNICATION STANDARD

Housing and Property Services internal customers within the deliver a whole range of services service or across the Council. across both the public and private sector and deal with Effective communication is a a wide variety of customers. key aspect of serving customers The one thing all our housing whether the customer is external and property teams share is – a tenant or leaseholder – or a a common goal of delivering colleague trying to do their job excellence to customers, for our customers. There is more whether they are tenants, detail of what you can expect Over the course of the last few potential tenants, contractors, from this new initiative coming in surveys tenants have said that residents of the District, or the Winter edition of At Home. the Council’s communication and customer service needs to improve. This has resulted in the development of a Housing and Property Service Customer Care and Communication Standard to provide an outline of the effective and professional communication and outstanding customer service officers are expected to provide. COMPLAINT HANDLING CODE

The new Housing Ombudsman’s Ombudsman guidelines we have On the back of Housing Complaint Handling Code sets made some minor changes. Ombudsman recommendation out some specific requirements The full assessment is available Housing and Property Service for landlords that includes: at www.n-kesteven.gov.uk is exploring the potential for search Housing complaints having a dedicated person/team ● Publishing a self-assessment self-assessment or call the available to handle any tenant of complaints and how they Council and ask for the Housing dissatisfaction with the service. are handled Community Engagement team This would give tenants a named who will provide a copy. point of contact throughout the ● Publishing an Annual Report complaint procedure. to include the volume, There are no changes in categories and outcomes our complaints process. and any learning or changes However, A complaint is now required to policy or defined as ‘an expression of procedures dissatisfaction, however made, about the standard of service, How does it affect NKDC tenants? actions or lack of action by the organisation, its own staff, NKDC published our self- or those acting on its behalf, assessment in December 2020, affecting an individual resident or and in line with the Housing group of residents.’

6 USE YOUR VOICE

YOUR IF YOU FEEDBACK REMAIN WELCOME UNHAPPY

The Council welcomes your feedback, even a If you remain unhappy with the findings you can complaint is useful for letting us know when things ask for the case to be escalated. At Stage 2 have gone wrong. The Council views all feedback your complaint will be reviewed by the Head of as important - including comments, complaints or Corporate & Customer Services and you will receive compliments - because it helps us to improve and a full and final response within 15 working days. make sure the service provided is right for NKDC tenants in the future. The Housing Ombudsman can assist residents throughout their complaint to support local Take the opportunity to air your views! resolution, mediation, or arbitration arrangements You can give us your feedback by whatever for resolving disputes whilst it is within the landlord method is easiest for you: complaints procedure.

By email – You can contact the Housing [email protected] Ombudsman Service at:

Via the website – www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk www.n-kesteven.gov.uk/feedback

By letter, address to – 0300 111 3000 FREEPOST NKDC (9.15am-5.15pm: Monday to Friday)

By telephoning – PO Box 152, Liverpool. L33 7WQ 01529 414155

If sharing a complaint, your feedback will be If you remain unhappy with the Council’s final acknowledged within four working days and a full Stage response the next step is to contact an MP, a District 1 response will be provided within 15 working days. Councillor or the Complaint Review Panel, which is made up of Tenant Representatives and Councillors - If you just need to speak to somebody about these are designated persons there to help to resolve something that is wrong you can call 01529 414155 disputes locally and/or refer you to the Ombudsman. and speak to customer services. The contacts list on Alternatively, you can wait eight weeks to refer the the back page will help to know who to speak to. complaint to the Ombudsman yourself.

7 COVID-19 SERVICE UPDATE

The Council has continued to PROPERTY SERVICES provide services to the District’s residents throughout the Covid-19 Our contractors are still working hard to deliver services to pandemic, and as restrictions are tenants, including repairs, improvement works and gas servicing. being lifted we hope to return to a near-normal service delivery. Report any repairs as normal to either Kier or Aaron Services. They will be following the guidelines set by Government at the time. However, the Council will continue to ensure that all To make sure everybody precautions are made to protect is safe, tenants must keep residents, officers and contractors their distance and stay out of from the virus. This means the room the operatives are we will regularly review how working in where possible. services are delivered and will use face-to-face communication All work is risk-assessed only where necessary. for both you and your household’s safety and for the Did you know that you can do safety of operatives. We thank lots of things easily and quickly you for your co-operation so via our website? You can pay that we can carry on delivering your rent securely online, report a services throughout this time. repair and even request a home swap, along with finding a wealth of other handy information. You YOUR TENANCY can also manage your Council If you are struggling financially and find Tax, request waste services, you are unable to pay your rent or buy or fly-tipping and more. Just food please contact the Duty Housing visit n-kesteven.gov.uk Officer as soon as possible. There are a number of things the Council can do to help you through this difficult period NOT ONLINE? including use of the Hardship Fund You can call us on 01529 414155. and referral to the Community Larder. Monday to Thursday, 9am to 5pm, and Friday until 4.30pm, Remember, the quicker you talk to us except Bank Holidays, for help about any financial difficulties, the easier with a wide range of things. it is for us to help you find a solution.

FACE-TO-FACE

Once the country moves to the final stage of the lockdown roadmap, we will be welcoming back customers for face-to-face meetings by appointment to our offices. from 9am to 5pm on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and from 9am to 4.30pm on Fridays at our North Hykeham Info-Links office. Our officers can help you book an appointment if you need one.

8 NEIGHBOURHOOD SERVICES 2021

North 1 North 2 – North 3 – Housing Officer Housing Officer Housing Officer Kate McCormack Les Ellington Cherrie Heaton

● ● ● ● CARLTON LE ● BRANSTON ● ● DODDINGTON ● STAPLEFORD ● BECKINGHAM MOORLAND ● BRANSTON FEN ● EAGLE ● ● BOOTHBY ● COLEBY BOOTHS ● ● HADDINGTON ● SWINETHORPE GRAFFOE ● ● DUNSTON ● ● NORTH HYKEHAM ● THORPE ON ● BRACEBRIDGE ● ● HEIGHINGTON ● ● THE HILL HEATH ● ● MARTIN ● TIMBERLAND ● ● THURLBY ● BRANT ● WADDINGTON ● MARTIN DALES ● ● ● BROUGHTON ● ● METHERINGHAM ● ●

South 1 – Housing Officer Dominique Chisnall

● ● ELMORE CLOSE ● GREYLEES ● EMPIRE COURT ● ● ESLAFORDE ● GARDENS South 2 – ● ● FRANKLIN Housing Officer ● CRESCENT Hannah Robson ● ● GEORGE STREET ● ● ROAD ● ● HUSSEY CLOSE ● BURTON ● CHERRY CLOSE ● ● NEWTON WAY PEDWARDINE ● CHURCH LANE South 3 – ● ● PLAYGROUND ● EAST ● DAISYFIELD LANE Housing Officer ● WALCOT COURT ● GREENFIELD ROAD ● WILSFORD ● RHODES AVENUE ● ● HAZEL GROVE Lisa Jackson ● SLEAFORD ● RIVERSIDE CLOSE ● HECKINGTON ● JUBILEE GROVE ● BUTTLER WAY ● ROBERTSON ● ● LINCOLN ROAD ● ● ● BONNER CLOSE DRIVE ● ● MANOR PLACE ● ASHBY DE LA ● ● CHARLES STREET ● SIBTHORP COURT ● ● NEWFIELD ROAD LAUNDE ● ● CHARLOTTE ● ST GILES AVENUE ● SLEAFORD ● NORTHGATE FLATS ● ● STREET ● TENNYSON ● ALMOND WALK ● ROMNEY COURT ● CHAPEL HILL ● ● CROMWELL AVENUE ● BEECH RISE ● POPPYFIELD LANE ● DIGBY BRIDGE CRESCENT ● THE HOPLANDS ● BIRCHWOOD ● SYCAMORE DRIVE ● DORRINGTON ● WALCOTT ● DUKE STREET ● THOMAS COURT ROAD ● VICARAGE COURT ● ● EASTGATE ● WESTGATE ● CEDAR AVENUE ● WOODSIDE AVENUE

9 Still unfamiliar with Nextdoor? Connect with

Head to their website to access a variety of advice and help articles. Police About Nextdoor - about.nextdoor.com Nextdoor Help - help.nextdoor.com on

Join at nextdoor.co.uk Join at nextdoor.co.uk or download the Nextdoor app or download the Nextdoor app

What is Nextdoor? Help and Advice

Nextdoor is a free, social networking platform where residents can get Invitation Letters in touch with their neighbours and local police officers to help keep • You can choose to send Nextdoor invitation letters to your neighbours. their neighbourhoods safe. These invitations will include your name, street name and information Communities across the country have been using Nextdoor for several about your neighbourhood (this is optional). years and over 66,000 people in Lincolnshire are already registered. Now, Nextdoor Leads alongside updates from your local area, you can receive safety advice, urgent alerts, appeals and messages from . • Nextdoor leads are neighbours like other members but have been granted additional capabilities to help the neighbourhood run more smoothly. Privacy Preferences How to join: • By default, Nextdoor only displays your street name and not your 1. Go to www.nextdoor.co.uk or open the Nextdoor app full address. You can change your privacy and feed preferences in settings to control what information you share and to see the posts 2. Enter your residential street address and email address most relevant to you. 3. Select ‘Join your neighbourhood’ Profile Information and Nearby Neighbourhoods 4. Complete all of the required fields • If your post a message to nearby neighbourhoods, your name, 5. (Optional) If you receive an invitation to join Nextdoor, select ‘Invite neighbourhood name and photo will be shared. Nearby code (optional)’ and enter the code on your invitation letter neighbourhoods will not see any detailed profile information unless you explicitly allow it. 6. Click sign up Muting a Neighbour 7. To finish creating your account, you need to verify your address. This can be done via your phone number, geo-location or a postcard by • You can mute any neighbour you are not interested in hearing from to following the instructions hide all their posts from your view of Nextdoor. 8. Finally, confirm your email address by clicking the confirmation link that Public Services you receive in an email • Neighbourhood feeds are not visible to public service accounts such as Lincolnshire Police. Contacting Nextdoor • It is possible to report content or members who violate the Nextdoor Join at nextdoor.co.uk Community Guidelines online. You can also contact Nextdoor by or download the Nextdoor app completing their online contact form. • To complete the Nextdoor contact form or for more information visit https://help.nextdoor.com

10 MUD KITCHEN DONATED

The SCAPE Regional Construction framework aims to create increased social value from construction contracts by supporting the local economy and helping to create work opportunities across the region.

Through this framework representatives from Lindum Group Ltd had a lovely morning delivering a new mud kitchen to children at Rainbow Day Nursery in Brant Road, Waddington. Lindum commissioned Humber Wood Recycling Project, a social enterprise scheme, to make the mud kitchen.

Lindum were contracted by North Kesteven for work in George Street, Sleaford.

11 OUT AND ABOUT IN NK

As the Government relaxes lockdown restrictions and people take the opportunity to go out and about, there is much to visit right here in North Kesteven. Whether it is one of our many tourist attractions or making the most of the natural areas and walks in the District there is something for all the family. Why not try some of the places listed below?

HEART OF LINCS WHISBY NATURAL WORLD CENTRE Nestling in the Heart of AND WHISBY NATURE PARK Lincolnshire, North Kesteven Acres of reclaimed gravel pits, Whisby offers tranquil has much to offer, characterised lakeside walks teeming with wildlife. The park is by endless countryside and managed by Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust and at interspersed with bustling and its heart is the Natural World Centre where the charming towns and villages. Boardwalk Café, shop and award-winning Little Wherever you are, you’re at Darters and Otter’s Reach play areas allow for the heart of it all; only an hour’s adventurous activity indoors and out. drive or less from coast, castles, www.naturalworldcentre.org or Tel: 01522 688868 stately homes, sensational the Heart of Lincs website for ideas: www.heartoflincs.com scenery, towns, cities and country walks. Visit the Heart of Lincs website for ideas: www.heartoflincs.com THE HUB While you’re in Navigation Yard, step across the newly renovated Hub, a national centre for craft and design. There are creative and inspiring exhibitions, a shop selling art and craft supplies, gifts and cards, and a café serving an equally creative menu. As part of the renovation, a new jetty and outdoor seating area have been NAVIGATION created, allowing you to enjoy the riverside HOUSE in a new way. www.hub-sleaford.org.uk or Tel: 01529 308710 A fascinating glimpse into a time when the Sleaford Navigation Company made the town HECKINGTON WINDMILL one of the wealthiest and most vibrant in Originally built in 1830 this fully the country. Explore restored Grade I listed windmill Sleaford’s fascinating hosts an award-winning history and browse visitors centre, tea room and handmade goods from brewery, plus gardens, onsite local crafters in the bakehouse and museum. A charming retail space. perfect day out for everyone. www.navigationhouse.co.uk www.heckingtonwindmill.org.uk or Tel: 01529 308102 or Tel: 01529 461919

12 CRANWELL AVIATION WITHAM VALLEY HERITAGE MUSEUM COUNTRY With a rotating programme of fascinating PARK exhibitions at its core, exploring the wealth of Witham Valley Country remarkable aviation heritage in the Park is made up of a area, Cranwell offers the ideal number of high quality launch pad to discover the green spaces in the heart rest of Lincolnshire’s airfields of Lincolnshire. The Country and aviation attractions. Park is a great place to unwind in beautiful, www.cranwellaviation.co.uk unspoilt countryside, rich in diverse wildlife, or Tel: 01529 488490 habitats and history. There are play areas, award winning cafés, new and improved cycle tracks, and footpaths throughout INTERNATIONAL connecting the different Park areas. www. withamvalleypark.co.uk or Tel: 01529 414155 BOMBER COMMAND CENTRE STEPPING OUT WALKS This world-class facility There are 130 miles of ‘Stepping Out’ network serves as a point of footpaths across the District as well as the recognition, remembrance and Spires and Steeples and Ridges and Furrows reconciliation for Bomber Command. walks. Discover 28 separate walks of varying The site offers free guided tours of the Gardens lengths along waymarked paths. All of the and Memorial Spire and their Hub Café offers a walks can be found on the AllTrails app, range of delicious locally sourced the Go Explore Lincolnshire app or see food and drink. www.hillholtwood.co.uk/stepping- www.internationalbcc. out-walks for a downloadable co.uk or Tel: document or Tel: 01636 892836 01522 514755

MRS SMITH’S COTTAGE Step into a different era and make yourself at home! Mrs Smith’s Cottage provides a rare insight into the life of a rural Lincolnshire community throughout the 20th century. With events, workshops, craft days and exhibitions every day is different at the Cottage. www.mrssmithscottage.com or Tel: 01529 308207

FIND OUT MORE Visit the website for the latest information and more inspiration. www.heartoflincs.com

13 RIGHT TO BUY

As a sole tenant or joint tenants living in a Council house you may have the right to buy your home if you have been a tenant for three years or more. All tenants at the address must agree to the purchase and the property must be your only or principal home. There are qualifying criteria and purchase is subject to conditions. The Council is not able to sell some of its properties, for example if they are let for the purpose of housing disabled or elderly persons.

COSTS OF BUYING ● How long you have been a AND OWNING tenant in your current home YOUR HOME and any previous public sector tenancies you’ve claimed Buying your own home is a big that can be confirmed. step, and the costs involved may be more than you expect, so ● The cost to the council of consider making a budget. There buying or building your will be initial costs for taking up property - if any work was your right to buy including legal Remember - if you do not done in the last 15 years, fees, Stamp Duty and mortgage keep up with your mortgage the cost of this work may lender and survey fees. payments, your lender may take reduce your discount. possession of your home. For more information How to apply for Right to Buy about the Right to Buy

Apply to the Council and ● See: www.gov.uk/ complete the application form right-to-buy-buying- (RTB1). The date on which we your-council-home receive your application is called ‘the relevant date’. This is the ● Contact the Council’s Right date the Council will use to work to Buy team See back page out the value of your home and your discount entitlement. ● Speak to a Right to Buy Agent: 0300 123 0913; You can cancel your application www.righttobuy.gov. The council will no longer have at any time. The Council will not uk/agent-service/ a duty to help maintain and charge you for this, but your insure the property, and as solicitor and your mortgage a homeowner you will have provider may charge you for regular costs including: any services provided.

● Mortgage or loan repayments How the sale price is calculated

● Repairing and maintaining The price you will pay for your property your home is based on:

● Building and contents ● The market valuation insurance of your property.

14 COMMUNITY IN THE 21ST CENTURY PANDEMIC

I moved to Navenby with my had a leaflet put through our odd circumstances would allow family in early 2019; challenging doors from a newer neighbour and had a great time with our when you’re in your seventh offering support with shopping neighbours. decade. You have questions like: or collecting medications, etc. Do I have the energy? What will A bright spot in dark times. All the while, the Navenby and the neighbours be like? Will we be Wellingore Facebook group happy there? Then, as the realities of the proved a great online go-to for pandemic hit home and help, support and advice, an we couldn’t see family, our invaluable local community tool. neighbourhood community Regular communications from helped keep us sane and NKDC offered support and advice, connected. Socially distanced, especially for us ‘seniors’. Our but able to see and talk to each doctors and local chemist have other across the gardens, raising been brilliant, even the Country glasses to each other, barbecuing Store delivered our dog’s food. at the same time, really helped – and it was spontaneous, Whilst we’ve seen on the news wonderful, something positive how lockdown has often brought We had been told that Navenby beyond the news bulletins. out the worst in people, less was a diverse and inclusive often reported is how it has community – there’s that word, also brought out the very best ‘community’ – and that matters in people – people going above greatly to me as, being born just and beyond to support their own after WW2, one of the things communities with selfless acts I’ve missed (and moaned about and generosity. From rainbows missing) is the community spirit of in windows, food donations and my younger years. It was a time delivery, to the wonderful Captain when neighbours looked out for Sir Tom Moore. neighbours, that ‘all in it together’ attitude and sharing what we had. I no longer mourn the loss of community spirit, it’s alive and So we moved in, and right from kicking here in our North Kesteven the outset we were blown away by V.E. village; long may it continue. the welcome from our tremendous COMMEMORATION neighbours; in fact the whole DAY micro-community of our row of houses, a mixture of old and new SHARE properties, is everything we could We had become accustomed to have hoped for. being out in front of our houses YOUR applauding our NHS, and had Then, barely a year after moving it not been for Covid our little MEMORIES in and still finding our feet, still community would have had a making our NKDC house our street party. Instead, many in our home, Covid 19 shows up – no- row set up tables individually on If you would be willing one had any idea what was our drives, thus maintaining safe to share your memories in store or how we’d need to distance. And though we weren’t with us, please contact adapt and cope. When the first able to share food communally, Chan Parmar on: lockdown was announced, the as we would have liked, we made 01529 414155 very next day us neighbours all the best party atmosphere the

15 ✁ COUNCIL Are you on ENQUIRIES ASK FOR THE DEPARTMENT YOU REQUIRE Facebook? We are getting social! General Phone: 01529 414155 Emergency out of hours: 01529 308308 Emergency repairs: See box below

Address: North Kesteven District Council NKDC now has a Housing District Council Offices, Facebook page. This page is Kesteven Street, Sleaford, available for NKDC tenants only. Lincolnshire NG34 7EF Minicom: 01529 308088 The NKDC Housing Facebook page serves as an additional Website: www.n-kesteven.gov.uk communication tool where we Email: [email protected] can share information, respond to Facebook: Search Facebook for “NKDC Housing” queries, highlight events and signpost you to relevant agencies. It’s also a place where we share pictures, Repairs Team: Complaints: Ÿ Handyman Contact any officer and let them videos, quick polls, questionnaires Ÿ For repair problems know you wish to make a complaint and other housing information. Housing options: Duty Neighbourhood Officer: Ÿ Housing Advice The group is for Tenants only, it is Ÿ Your rent Ÿ Homelessness Ÿ Tenancy issues Ÿ LincsHomefinder Housing Register hoped that this opportunity will allow Ÿ Gardening Scheme Ÿ Allocations us to further improve communication

Ÿ Improvements to your home Property Services: between NKDC tenants and the Council. Ÿ Improvement works Income Management Team: Ÿ Capital works liaison Ÿ Affordable Warmth Officer Ÿ Decorating Scheme Ÿ High level rent arrears Join our group! Ÿ Rent arrears from former Housing Support Team: Ÿ tenancies Renting a Garage Ÿ Ÿ Collection of other Booking a communal room Ÿ Parking permits Housing related charges Search for “NKDC Housing” Benefits and Money advice: Ÿ Community Safety Team: Council Tax and get chatting with us about all Ÿ Anti-Social Behaviour Ÿ DHPS Ÿ things housing/tenancy related. Community Safety Advice Grass cutting /grounds maintenance You will need to ask to join the group Dustbins: Community Engagement: Ÿ Collections and an administrator will check your Ÿ Getting involved Ÿ Missed bins details and approve your request. Ÿ Become a Tenant Representative Wellbeing Service: Ÿ Ÿ At Home magazine Support for over 18s

REPAIRS Kier Services 01529 416399 For general building repairs, brickwork, joinery, plumbing or electrical including electrical heating. Aaron Services 01205 591979 For all other heating repairs and appliance servicing.