SHA Newsletter October 20
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shettleston THE NEWSLETTERmatters OF SHETTLESTON HOUSING ASSOCIATION OCTOBER 2020 Serving the communities of Shettleston, Springboig, Greenfield and Sandyhills Keeping our standards up in testing times! With the recent increase in Covid You can read more about all of cases, and new government this and more inside – I hope you restrictions, our office will remain find it useful. closed for now. Staff are mainly Please see our website for working from home but are in the more information about our office and out and about in the customer service standards and area when required. This is how to let us know if you feel that frustrating for everyone but we our service has not been up to are determined to, safely, provide make an appointment to scratch. We’re always keen to get you with the best service we can. receive expert money and your feedback and suggestions This is a reminder of what you can benefits advice. for improvement. We will soon be expect from us: • We will respond to any carrying out a telephone survey • You can talk to our staff about neighbour nuisance or anti- with a sample of our tenants. any of our services, without social behaviour issues within Stay safe! unreasonable delay, through our usual target timescales. Tony Teasdale (CEO) the usual office phone or e- • We are continuing to let mail contacts. houses and you can speak to • Our usual repairs service is our allocations team if you operating, and target repair have a rehousing need. response times continue to • Our staff and contractors will apply. always follow agreed health • The close cleaning, bulk and safety procedures when refuse removal and meeting with you. landscaping services are also We’re also continuing with our unchanged. programme of new homes. On top The Food Pantry is • If you are having difficulties of our usual services we are also now open and proving paying your rent or have other developing new initiatives to very popular with SHA tenants money worries you can speak meet tenant and community and other local residents. See to your housing officer or needs during these testing times. page 3 for more information. In this issue... Our virtual AGM! Food Pantry opens Get connected Over 75s TV News from page 2 page 3 with new digital licence Tollcross Park skills page 6 page 12 page 4 2 Shettleston Matters... Committee news... The Association’s volunteer • The Association’s Business the Fenella St development. Management Committee is Plan for 2020/21. • The annual review of the elected by the share-holding • The restructure of our £45m composition and capacity of members of the Association. It loan facility with Royal Bank of the Management Committee, oversees the work of the Scotland. and the Committee Association and takes all • The Annual Accounts for Development Plan for strategically important decisions. 2019/20. 2020/21. Committee has continued to meet • The establishment of a during the lockdown via video- • Our Procurement Strategy for 2020/21. Community Food Pantry in conferencing and has continued SHA shop premises. to monitor the Association’s • An internal audit of our new performance. Since the last housing development • The results of the factored newsletter, Committee has activities. owners survey and action plan arising from this. considered and taken decisions • Policies and procedures for on the following items: housing development. Margaret Russell retired from Committee in August, having • Staffing and service delivery • Appointment of contractor arrangements during lock- Stewart and Shields Ltd to served two separate stints on down. complete outstanding work at Committee and is thanked for her contribution over several years. Our virtual AGM! The Annual privilege” and thanked Committee that had been received to the General and staff for their support during Management Committee. Grace meeting her tenure. She was then warmly Barbour and Gillian Johnston (AGM) of the thanked for her successful were re-elected and new recruits Association’s leadership of the Association Isabella Barnes, Elizabeth members was during a period of significant Battersby, and Jenny Kiernan will held on 22nd change and development. also now join the Committee. September. Aileen Ogston of auditors This brings the total number of Gillian Johnston This year it Scott Moncrieff spoke about the elected Committee members up was held Annual Accounts. The meeting to ten. Full details of the AGM are “virtually” by video-conference then considered the nominations available on request. because of the ongoing restrictions on public gatherings. We provided advice and assistance to help several people participate who would otherwise have been unable to. Thanks to all those who made the effort to take part. At the meeting, Association Chair Gillian Johnston presented her annual report, during what was her fifth and final AGM as Chairperson. Gillian, who is a NHS nurse by day, described being New recruits – Belle Barnes, Jenny Kiernan and Elizabeth Battersby – and Chair as “hard work but a Margaret Russell who stepped down. Shettleston Matters... 3 Food Pantry opens The Pantry is now open at 981 Shettleston Road. It has a range of quality food to choose from and membership is open to all. For a modest fee of £2.50, members can take away £15 worth of goods from a range of food groups at each visit to the shop. To sign up, all you have to do is visit the shop and the rest will be done for you. The Pantry is Through an arrangement with Fareshare currently open between 10.30am and Glasgow, the Pantry is able to source good 2.30pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. quality surplus food from supermarkets. Unity, The trial period for the Pantry will shortly a Scottish charity and social enterprise, provides end but we are delighted that a recent Big Lottery the shop staff and oversees the recruitment and award means it can continue for another three years. training of volunteers who help with the running of However, from the end of October, it will only be the shop. If you would like to know more about open on Tuesdays, but for the full day. getting involved please contact Anila Ali, our The Pantry has been established in collaboration Communications and Engagement Officer on 345 with Parkhead and Tollcross Housing Associations. 2259 or email [email protected]. Development news... also well underway. Additional St Mark’s: Design development at works will be required across the St Mark’s progressed well during site to rectify defects uncovered lockdown and we have submitted in the ventilation and drainage applications for Stage 1 Warrant systems installed by the original and Roads Construction Consent. contractor. We expect the 22 flats Unfortunately, we have recently within this block to be handed been advised by our design & over to the Association and ready build contractor that they are to let at the start of the year. reviewing their position within Cunningham House: We have Works to complete Block 3 facing Scotland and will no longer be reached the end of the defects onto Old Shettleston Road are able to take forward the project liability period for Cunningham currently being priced and we as planned. We will now have to House and the Association is now hope to get these underway re-tender for a new contractor and taking over full maintenance before Christmas. it is anticipated that our site start responsibility for the building. We for these 44 new homes will be are delighted to report that this delayed until spring 2021. project received another accolade and was shortlisted in the Scottish Design Awards 2020. Fenella Street: Following easing of lockdown measures our contractor returned to the Fenella Street site in mid-June to complete works on Block 2 facing onto Shettleston Road. Finishing works within these flats are now almost complete and works to complete the common areas are 4 Shettleston Matters... Safety update from the repairs team As we continue to deliver services as best we can after the lockdown in March, we are still reminded that Covid-19 hasn’t gone away and still poses a health and safety risk. The guidelines below will continue to be followed to keep residents, contractors, and Association Staff safe. If you contact us about a repair, we will ask you some screening questions about your current situation and whether you are self-isolating or shielding so that we can understand how best to protect you and your family, as well as our contractor and staff. When our contractor or staff member attends, they Get connected with new will: digital skills • Ask again whether your circumstances have changed and if you are self-isolating or shielding. Do you find it difficult to use the internet and online • Distance themselves by at least 2m from anyone services such as shopping, banking and socialising? answering the door. Digital skills are increasingly essential for all sorts of • Ask you to remove yourself to another room in things, including comparing prices and products, job the house to allow the repair or inspection to be seeking, claiming benefits or just staying in touch carried out. with family and friends. And during lockdown, it became apparent just how useful it is to be able to • Avoid touching surfaces where possible and wipe do things online. down any areas they have to touch. We are pleased to say that we will soon be able • Wear protective gloves and other additional to help our residents with learning these skills. The protective clothing where necessary. Association has just been awarded funding from the • Ask if they can wash their hands before and after Glasgow Communities Fund to provide a Digital their visit (if you are happy for them to do so).