Welcome to Your Spring Newsletter
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the SPRING 2018 news Welcome to your Spring Newsletter IN THIS EDITION: Message from the Chair – Page 2 Saltire Apprenticeship opportunity - Page 3 Planned maintenance update – Page 7 Common Housing Register – Page 8 General Data Protection Regulations – Page 14 Code of Ethics for Housing Professionals – Page 15 Keep up to date with what’s happening in your community. 1 GREETINGS FROM MAUREEN MORRIS - CHAIR Welcome to your Spring headquarters to Newhills Road. newsletter, hopefully we are over I am also really pleased to report that since the last this winter at last! newsletter, all of the planned maintenance programme I am delighted to report that we for 2017/18 has now been completed and achieved have reduced our engagement within our budget constraints. We have had great level with the Scottish Housing feedback on from tenants. If you want to know when Regulator and to confirm that we your home is scheduled for replacement contact the Maureen Morris – carry on working with them on Hub. Chair continuous improvement. Part of this improvement is bringing the staff closer to you, our customers, so when Connect Community Trust decided to move their headquarters to Newhills Road it presented us with an opportunity. I had reported to you in the winter newsletter that we wanted to be closer to the tenants, so the housing, customer service and income advice service are now located on the ground floor – we have reworked our reception, to remove barriers and make it more welcoming. We have listened carefully I also mentioned in the winter newsletter that we were to your feedback and previous concerns about the planning our new website and this was launched in reception and have taken them on board – you will February. have easier and quicker access to private rooms now too. Please give us your feedback on the new office Please let us know what you think of it. layout. I am glad to confirm that Connect will still As usual, email, phone, drop in or use social media if you run all of their community services and the café from want to ask us anything. the hub and the IT suite remains in place and the Trust All the best remains an important partner to us and of course we fully appreciate their business decisions to move their Maureen Morris, Chair 2 TRUST • HONESTY • INTEGRITY • EXCELLENCE • ACCOUNTABILITY • SUSTAINABILITY CALLING ALL APPRENTICES! SALTIRE APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES! Saltire like to promote local employment and we are therefore encouraging anyone who lives locally that is interested in a gas, electrical, plumbing or office apprenticeship to please contact us on 0330 202 0444 for further information or email [email protected] Our intake is in August every year so interviews will be held throughout July. Saltire Facilities Management Telephone: 0330 202 0444 / Ltd is a national provider of 01698 743 609 central heating and electrical With over 200 engineers services; specialising in Central our reliable, high quality and Heating Service, Repair, personalised service continues Maintenance, Central Heating to provide all our clients with an Installations and Electrical efficient 24/7 service. Services, including rewires, PAT testing, heating and lighting for • Fully trained directly employed Homeowners, Local Authorities engineers and Housing Associations. • State of the art technology (all engineers work on handheld We are very pleased to be terminals and update in real- • Peace of mind 24 hours a working with Wellhouse Housing time) day, 365 days a year for Association. We met some tenants homeowners, tenants and at the recent coffee morning • CORGI Installer of the Year landlords we attended at The Hub. We award winner are always on hand to offer any • Customer contact centre open Contact: assistance. Please don’t hesitate to 24/7/365 with experienced, Website: WWW.SALTIRE.CO.UK contact us, anytime, day or night. directly employed call handlers Email: [email protected] TRUST • HONESTY • INTEGRITY • EXCELLENCE • ACCOUNTABILITY • SUSTAINABILITY 3 DID YOU KNOW? We have recently adopted and committee and our equality & • Sustainability commitment updated statements as to who we diversity statements. These are: • Value for Money are and what we stand for, along • Ethical Standards – you will find them on our with our code of conduct for staff • Privacy Commitment website: more to follow! Focus on - Finance and Corporate Services Team Who are they? others. The Finance & Corporate Services Manager is a member of the management team and works with the Gordon Kerr, Manager; Sandra Davidson, Officer and Director to ensure that we operate in the best interests Joan McDermott, Assistant. of Wellhouse community. What do they do? They ensure the smooth running of our ‘back office’ functions – paying invoices, preparing and monitoring budgets, working with our auditors and banks, posting rents and so on. In addition, this team deals with data protection, HR administration, managing office contracts and other activities associated with the smooth running of the organisation. They ensure that the highest standards of professional and ethical management of finance and business functions are upheld at all times. How are they managed? The team report through our Audit and Risk Committee, which in turn reports to the full management committee. They follow a range of guidelines and regulation and must meet with regulatory frameworks required by the Scottish Housing Regulator and the Financial Conduct Authority amongst 4 TRUST • HONESTY • INTEGRITY • EXCELLENCE • ACCOUNTABILITY • SUSTAINABILITY YOUR COMMITTEE NEEDS YOU!!! Wellhouse Housing Association is governed by a volunteer board of Trustees, if you would be interested in joining our team – please call us on 0141 781 1884 There are 3 vacancies to co-opt to the committee. If you are interested in joining the Management Committee of Wellhouse Housing Association, we are very keen to hear from you if you are enthusiastic supporters of Social Housing aims and principles and have an understanding of Wellhouse HA’s activities. What’s in it for you? / What’s in it for us? / What can you expect? What can we expect? • Making a difference to the people of • Your skills & enthusiasm Wellhouse • New ideas for Wellhouse • Personal development opportunities and • Your attendance at approx. 10 meetings training per year (6-8:30pm) • Use your skills where they are really • Increase in support for the Management needed Team & Staff • Meet new people • Help support the work of Wellhouse • Contribute to decision making processes involved in the development of Wellhouse Housing Association If you would like an informal chat and an application pack please contact Linda Logan (Corporate & Governance Assistant) 0141 781 1884 or email:[email protected] TRUST • HONESTY • INTEGRITY • EXCELLENCE • ACCOUNTABILITY • SUSTAINABILITY 5 Wellhouse’s Garden Guru Hello Gardeners; It’s that time of year again, time to get your beds turned over, get your spades out and remember to look under the piles of leaves in your garden in case there are any hedgehogs there. Check over your winter bulbs that may have rotted over the winter months and maybe give your grass its first cut of the year – whatever you’re doing enjoy yourself. If you see any wee black creatures running around, in fact you might have seen them on BBC news on 13 April, they are not rats, they are Water Voles, no danger to anyone. So enjoy them! Look out for their appearance on the “Spring Watch 2018” from Cranhill Park. All the best from the Allotments. 6 TRUST • HONESTY • INTEGRITY • EXCELLENCE • ACCOUNTABILITY • SUSTAINABILITY Planned Maintenance Update We are pleased to inform you • 65 properties received new that we delivered all our planned kitchens within Phase 3 maintenance programs for 2017-18. • 40 Bathrooms were upgraded in We replaced the following Phase 1 components to our stock. • 145 properties received an new • 47 properties had replacement “A” rated Worcester boiler windows in Phase 4G General feedback was mainly • 250 properties received an positive although we did however upgrade to their fire protection have a few minor issues which have equipment (smoke alarms) now been resolved. Compliments Suggestions “from the start of the “When the men say the work is to be done in one day – process to the end Alex they need to stick to that, not run over a couple of days” kept me updated at all Mrs R, Wellhouse Cres. Our response – we agree with you stages, now I have my new entirely and will ensure this happens. heating in, I don’t know how I “It’s a bit unfair of workmen to walk on my carpet in dirty survived without it” boots!” Mr & Mrs R Wellhouse Cres. Mrs M, Balado Road after installation Our response – we will ensure that dustsheets are used In of new gas central heating. future. Our investment in our properties • 38 external door “thank you for installing my will continue in 2018-19 with a replacements new bathroom under the further £900k being approved • 5 Close door entry systems for planned maintenance pilot program, very pleased By May 2018 we will publish all improvements. We thank our with the finish. The workmen addresses involved in the 2018- Management Committee done an excellent job” 19 programs on our website. Mrs S Balado Road. for their input and support in delivering our planned maintenance programs. “my boiler broke down and By the 31st March 2019 we will needed a number of parts, deliver the following: Alex Hogg arranged for my • 87 Bathroom Replacements new boiler to be fitted the Phase 2A & 2B very next day! Delighted