Streettalk Issue No. Summer 2016 Residents & Tenants Magazine 53 Ocean1000th has recently celebrated Home Edition 1000 homes built in the county for local people. Our new developments are springing up all over the county from Bodmin Moor to Hayle, and spanning from coast-to-coast with new houses in the seaside resorts of Newquay and Trevone, on the North coast, and the pretty fishing villages of Fowey and Mevagissey, on the South coast. Residents at Connor Downs were invited to join in with the celebrations to mark the 1000th home built which just so happened to be in their very own village! “We feel honoured to be involved in Ocean’s 1000th home celebratory event and are even prouder that it’s right here in Connor Downs!” says Kay. “The new development has allowed local families to remain living in the village which is great and being able to move into a brand new house is amazing! I’m sure all residents who’ve benefited from a new Ocean house will be very appreciative, I know we are!” continues Kay. Pupils from Connor Downs Academy were involved in a Cornish themed art competition. The winning pictures were displayed for everyones enjoyment in the show home at the development during the event. Just a reminder... On Bank Holiday Monday 29th August, the offices will be closed and will re-open at 8.30am on Tuesday 30th August. Contents: • Busy Summer Schedule • Serving the Community • Goodbye and Welcome! • Kitchen Refurbs Underway • Crafty Fingers • Own More • Who’s Your Neighbourhood Services Officer? • Surviving UC and the Benefit Cap • Thinking Ahead • Residents at our Heart • Our Construction and Development Company Wins Top Award! • 2020 Project Update • Free Prize Draw • Estate Walkabout Calendar email: [email protected] www.oceanhousing.com 01726 874450 Out of Hours Numbers: Emergency repairs: 01872 324 800 Anti-Social Behaviour: 0800 0886699 Busy Summer Schedule After a slow start to the growing season, due to a cold Spring, Mother Nature is making up for lost time by giving the Grounds Maintenance Team plenty to do. We’ve taken on three new team members, two of whom worked for Ocean last year in the Newquay area via an agency so it’s great for them to be part of the team as Ocean employees. Before the team cut the grass they have to prepare the area first, this may be picking up litter or clearing up dog mess, which uses up valuable time. “We’ve collected 414 bags of rubbish since January meaning we have less time for mowing,” says Arthur, Environmental Co-ordinator. “Please help us to keep the sites tidy as this gives us more time to carry out the grounds maintenance, that you pay your service charge for,” continues Arthur. Serving the Goodbye and Welcome! Community Our Tenant and Resident Panel have experienced a few changes over the years. New faces have come, old faces have We are always busy aiming gone and with two of the longest standing members stepping to provide quality services for down, the panel are always looking for and welcoming other our customers. Did you know, residents to join and get involved. during 2015/2016, we… “We’ve really enjoyed our time on the panel and the contributions Re-housed 359 we’ve made Households to the work of Ocean,” say Roy and Beryl, St Blazey. Completed “Having been involved in the 3,214 Tenant and Repairs Resident Panel for 16 years, they’ll really be missed,” Answered 63,271 responds Jan, Telephone calls Chair of the Tenant and Resident Panel. “The panel provides a positive link between Carried out Ocean and its residents and we would love to see more residents getting involved and representing their very own areas and the residents that live there,” continues Jan. 1,824 Gas safety If you are interested in getting involved and would like to have checks your say then get in touch with the friendly Tenant Involvement Team via email: [email protected] or tel: 01726 874450. Kitchen Refurbs Underway Ocean’s £23 million investment plan is some of the first to benefit already in full swing with new kitchens from the new improvement being installed in residents homes across programme which will improve Cornwall. Residents in Penwithick were and change the lives of many people. Mr Rudd and his family are delighted with their newly fitted kitchen and couldn’t wait to tell us how pleased they are with it. “We are delighted with our new kitchen, the fitters did such a good job,” beams Mr Rudd. “We love the colour coordination and the new units,” he continues. The programme plans to continue investing in new homes and improve and repair existing homes for our residents, as you, the resident, are at the heart of everything we do at Ocean. Crafty Fingers Residents at Prince Charles House along with others, who make up the group Active+, have been given the opportunity to get involved with something new. Mosaic making sessions, hosted by Ocean and Cornwall College, took place over the course of three weeks and gave the group insight into designing and creating their very own bright and colourful mosaics. “Although at first it seemed fiddly it didn’t take long to get the hang of it!” explains Christine. “The group really engaged with the activity and are looking forward to trying a different activity offered by the college and Ocean”. If you are interested in trying something different, for free, contact the Tenant Involvement Team via email: [email protected] or tel: 01726 874450. Have you ever considered owning more of your Shared Ownership Own More home? Why not make it a reality! Shared ownership is completely flexible, you decide when and how much you would like to increase your share; this is also known as ‘staircasing’. When you staircase, you reduce the amount of rent you pay to Ocean as well as owning more of your property. Depending on where you live, you might even be able to own your entire home outright! The benefits don’t stop there! If and when you decide to sell your home, the greater percentage you own, the more profit you will make if the value increases. For more information visit our website: www.oceanhousing.com/ staircasing or contact Ocean’s Leasehold Officer via email: .... at the heart of [email protected] or tel: 01726 874450. the community Who’s Your Neighbourhood Services Officer? Our Neighbourhood Services Team are a busy bunch, travelling around the county keeping an eye on the condition of your area and estate. Here you can find out who your Neighbourhood Services Officer (NSO) is and discover the areas they are responsible for looking after. Becky Martin Paul Wakefield-Smith AREA: ST AUSTELL AREA: NEWQUAY St Austell Newquay Trethowel St Columb Minor Trewoon St Mawgan A30 Hayle Connor Downs St Erth Susie Wootton AREA: DELABOLE Bodmin Boscastle Camelford Delabole East Taphouse Egloskerry Liskeard Becky Heale Luxulyan AREA: ST BLAZEY Port Isaac Biscovey St Blazey Gate Rock Fowey Sticker St Austell Gorran Haven Trelowth Wadebridge Looe Tywardreath St Wenn Lostwithiel Mevagissey Par Penpillick Polgooth St Blazey Boscastle Egloskerry Delabole Port Isaac A30 Wadebridge Bodmin Liskeard St Mawgan St Columb Newquay Major St Columb Roche Minor Bugle Lostwithiel Cubert Trethowel St Newlyn Looe East Indian Foxhole St Blazey Queens Trewoon St Austell Fowey St Agnes Grampound Mevagissey Probus St Day TRURO A30 Carharrack Carnon Downs Connor Downs Portscatho Praze-an-Beeble Penryn Laura Tresidder James Carter AREA: CLAYS AREA: WEST Burngullow St Austell Carharrack Porthtowan Bugle St Dennis Camborne Portscatho Coombe St Stephen Carnon Downs Praze-an-Beeble Fraddon Stenalees Connor Downs Probus Foxhole Whitemoor Crantock St Agnes Indian Queens Cubert St Columb Major Lanlivery Four Lanes St Columb Road Lockengate Grampound St Day Mount Grampound Rd St Erth Nanpean Hayle St Newlyn East Penwithick Mount Hawke Summercourt Mount Joy Threemilestone Roche Penryn Trispen Scredda Perranwell .... at the heart of the community Surviving Universal Credit and the Benefit Cap Universal Credit (UC), the new single benefit payment which is replacing the 6 work related benefits, means that YOU have to manage your money from the moment it arrives in YOUR bank account. This means you need to pay your own rent which should be your number one priority, don’t risk losing your home. Our friendly and helpful Welfare Advice Team have been helping tenants get to grips with the upcoming benefit change and what they need to be prepared for. Our ‘Universal Credit Workshops’ provide crucial advice on how the new benefit will affect tenants and includes exercises on how to manage your money and prioritise your outgoings. Thinking about the future and planning ahead is key to preparing for Universal Credit, our workshops and budgeting exercises do exactly that. Our ‘Hi-£5’ tenant initiative has also been put in place to help tenants build up a credit ‘buffer’, to help protect them from falling into arrears while they wait for their money to be paid to them, there could be a wait of up to 8 weeks. Contact the Income Management Team via email: [email protected] or tel: 01726 874450 to start building your ‘buffer’. Starting from Autumn 2016 there will be further changes related to the maximum amount of benefits that can be claimed in a year. If you are affected by this you’ll receive a letter from the Department for Work & Pensions (DWP). If you receive this letter please contact the Welfare Advice Team via email: [email protected] or tel: 01726 874450. Thinking Ahead Although Summer is in full swing and the cold As you aren’t having to use your heating so Winter weather seems like it’s a long way off, much or use your lights until later on in the it’s never too early to start planning for the evening, which saves you money on your cooler months ahead.