Ayrshire Housing Summer 2014 Newsletter

TENANT’S NEWSLETTER SUMMER 2014 SCOTTISH SOCIAL HOUSING CHARTER TENANT FOCUS GROUP We previously highlighted the need for our tenants to be involved in agreeing the format and content of our annual report to tenants on our Charter performance.

Tenants must also be involved in the ongoing scrutiny of our performance against the Charter outcomes.

We are absolutely delighted to announce that on the 24th June we held the inaugural meeting of our Charter Focus Group. The Group had been provided with some background information as to what was required of them and a very productive and enjoyable couple of hours was then spent addressing some of the issues regarding the report we will produce in October.

This was then followed up by a brief survey being sent to all tenants who had previously expressed an interest in being part of a wider Consultation Panel. This survey was to try and establish what tenants believed to be the most important areas they wished to see in our annual report on the Charter. The results will directly influence the content of our first report.

We are extremely grateful to those who have taken part in the Focus Group and Consultation Panel and look forward to further involvement with these groups in the future. If you are interested in participating in either of these groups and would like more information please do not hesitate to contact Amy at our office on 01292 880120.

COMPETITION REMINDER! There is still time to submit your entry to this year’s Garden and Pet Competitions. If you’ve got the perfect pet or if your neighbours are always complimenting your gardening skills be sure to get in touch! You can enter by emailing: info@ayrshirehousing.org.uk or by letting your Housing Officer know you are interested in entering. Entries can also be posted to Ayrshire Housing, 119 Main Street, Ayr, KA8 8BX. Please remember to include your name and address.

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www.ayrshirehousing.org.uk Telephone 01292 880120 or Lo-Call 08452712327 Text Message 07527 360360

STAFF NEWS

Healthy Working Lives Update

Ayrshire Housing has achieved both the Bronze and Silver Award and is now Going for Gold! The Award helps us to promote a healthier and safer workplace and focuses on issues such as healthy eating, physical activity and mental health and wellbeing.

We run several events and campaigns throughout the year, the last being our Cycle Challenge. Staff cycled a total of 122 miles, around all our developments using an exercise bike during their lunch breaks and after work. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the challenge and our goal was reached.

We will keep you updated on our progress towards Gold in our newsletters, but if you would like any information about the campaigns and activities we will be running over the coming year, please contact Amy on a.fowler@ayrshirehousing.org.uk.

Here at Ayrshire Housing we believe it is important to incorporate exercise into our everyday lives and we would encourage everyone to adopt a healthy lifestyle!

A TENANT’S STORY

Ayrshire Housing tenant, John Grigor, is setting out on a number of marathon walks to help kids across Scotland this year.

On the 27th April along with 39 friends and members of his family, John walked the Glasgow Kiltwalk, 26 miles from Glasgow to Balloch. Not put off by the sore legs and blisters John then completed both the Edinburgh and Aberdeen Kiltwalks in May and June, both another 26 miles. Not only is he planning to walk the Speyside Kiltwalk in September and Dundee in October but John and his daughter Sarah are walking the Machu Picchu trail in Peru in September. In fact Sarah will spend her 18th birthday in Peru raising money for kids at home. All fundraising monies will go to The Kiltwalk, a Scottish Charity (SCIO) founded in 2011 which raises money for children’s charities including Yorkhill Children’s Charity, CLIC Sargent (caring for children with cancer), Children’s Hospice Association of Scotland (CHAS), and Children 1st. 50% of the money raised is split between these charities and walkers are allowed to nominate a charity or school in which they have a personal interest. John and his team are aiming to raise over £20,000 to help these charities and have nominated Southcraig Special Needs school in Ayr to receive 50% of their monies raised. This will assist in installing sensory lights and music into the swimming pool. The cost for which is over £14,000. The next fundraising event will be held at Ayr Railway Club on the 30th August, if you would like to donate you can text AMTA78 followed by an amount to 70070 or log on to http://www.virginmoneygiving.com//allyMacleodTartanArmy14. We wish John, Sarah and all members of the team well in their walks and overseas trip.

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www.ayrshirehousing.org.uk Telephone 01292 880120 or Lo-Call 08452712327 Text Message 07527 360360

BURNS WYND SCOOPS AWARDS! Ayrshire Housing’s latest development at Burns Wynd, Maybole has received a prestigious Saltire Society Housing Design Award. The award was presented to the architect Roan Rutherford by the Local Government and Planning Minister Derek Mackay at a ceremony in Edinburgh. The award’s guest chair Eleanor McAllister said “the panel thought that the houses had been both designed and built with a real sense of delight. This is reflected in the positive reaction of the residents we met to their new homes”. The scheme consists of 13 wheelchair accessible houses arranged in a dramatic terrace on the edge of Maybole. At the same ceremony, the contractor Ashleigh (Scotland) Ltd received a Good Building commendation for the quality of their work from the Chartered Institute of Building. Last month, the scheme was judged the best affordable housing development at the Scottish Design Awards.

SOUTH AYRSHIRE FOODBANK VOLUNTEERS REQUIRED! Ayrshire Housing aims to support the community at every opportunity available and has been supporting The Trussell Trust Foodbank Projects since January 2013.

South Ayrshire Foodbank is keen for people to come forward and volunteer to help distribute donated food, meet clients and to help out at supermarket collections. If you have a few spare hours a week and are interested in helping please contact the New Life Centre, Monkton Road, Prestwick on 01292 671308.

STRAITON STORE VOLUNTEERS WANTED

The idyllic village of Straiton is looking for enthusiastic and hard working volunteers to help out in the day to day running of the Straiton community shop. If you have a few spare hours a week or know of someone who may be interested in helping, please contact Alan on 07766424305.

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Energy Efficiency Project Completed In Dailly We have just finished installing air source heat pumps into 33, 1950s homes in the village of Dailly. The tenants are delighted with the improved comfort and lower costs compared with their old electric storage heaters. They are also delighted with the performance of the contractor, Coolheat.

We were pleased that Councillor Helen Moonie, South Ayrshire’s Provost, joined our tenants Mr and Mrs Hodges in celebrating the completion of the last installation.

The project was made possible by a £132,000 grant from the Department of Energy and Climate Change. This was the result of our success in the UK wide Renewable Heat Premium Social Landlords Competition last year.

The grant has covered roughly half the total cost of the installations.

We have also received a separate grant from the SFHA’s Energy Ideas Fund. This has helped to commission Edinburgh Napier University to carry out a year long evaluation of the installations. The study is intended to inform the development of other retrofit projects in older stock. It is being led by Professor John Currie of the University’s Scottish Energy Centre.

We are also planning to host a public event aimed at providing energy advice to all the residents of the village later in the year.

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www.ayrshirehousing.org.uk Telephone 01292 880120 or Lo-Call 08452712327 Text Message 07527 360360

Working with Ayrshire’s Schools We have a longstanding relationship with Ayr’s Braehead Primary School. So we were delighted to support pupil Jamie Ramage’s attendance at this year’s National Schools Top Trumps Tournament final. Jamie was one of only 12 from across the UK who won through to the London final. Top Trumps is a competitive game which aims to build pupils’ literacy, numeracy and general knowledge.

Our Board member, Councillor Ian Cavana, presented a donation towards travelling costs to Jamie and his supportive classmates.

Each year we sponsor the inter-school garden design competition at the Ayr Flower Show.

This year the winner is the Bute Class at Irvine’s Haysholm School. Connor McTaggart received the prize on behalf of his class at a ceremony at the school. In August, they will travel to the Show to see their design realised. The Ayr Flower Show is at Rozelle Estate from 22 to 24 August.

Haysholm caters for pupils aged 5 – 18 with severe and complex additional support needs.

Tourism Champion Volunteer

Do you have a passion for Ayrshire & Arran?

Do you want to make a positive difference to your local area?

Do you have time to spare?

Ayrshire and Arran Tourism Team are seeking passionate local people to create memorable visitor experiences in the region! Could you direct visitors; provide information; offer to take photographs; welcome groups or even pipe in the Waverley?

If so, you could be a Tourism Champion Volunteer!

We provide training, support and tourism team kit!

For more information and an application form please contact: Colin Reid, Volunteer Coordinator Ayrshire & Arran Tourism Team 4th Floor Burns House Burns Statue Square Ayr KA7 1UT T 01292 617636 E Colin.Reid@ayrshire-arran.org

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Reactive Repairs—Extension Of Contract Ayrshire Housing appointed JD Thomson & Son of Maybole in 2011 to provide reactive maintenance services on behalf of our tenants. This appointment was on an initial 3 year term contract, with the option to extend for up to a further 2 years subject to satisfactory performance.

It has been agreed that this contract be extended for 12 months – to 31st May 2015. A further extension may be offered again, subject to ongoing performance levels being maintained.

In addition to JD Thomson & Son, the association will continue to utilise the services of a small number of other local contractors including Acatch and Millar Electrical.

The gas servicing and repairs contract will continue to be operated by James Frew Ltd (GasSure). The expiry date for this contract is 30th April 2015 but again there is provision for a potential extension on an annual basis up to 2017 subject to satisfactory performance being achieved.

Planned Works Programme 2014-15 Kitchen Replacement Project The association appointed James Frew Ltd (Housing & Modernisation Division), Stevenston to undertake kitchen replacement works for the period April 2013 to March 2015.

Last year saw the successful completion of installations in Troon, Ayr and Girvan. The programme for this year covers 45 properties in Dailly (Victory Crescent, Phase 1), Kirkmichael (Bolestyle Crescent/Woodside Avenue), Crosshill (Kirkbride Crescent/ Kirkmichael Road), Kirkoswald (Oswald Court) and Prestwick (Fernbank Court).

Tenants will again be offered a choice of kitchen cabinets and worktops from a selected range of units. Affected tenants will be contacted in due course to enable surveys to be completed.

Change of Contractor - Landscape Maintenance Works

Garden Tidy Scheme Contractor

Following a competitive tendering exercise, the association appointed ISS Facility (Landscaping Services) of Kilmarnock to provide grounds maintenance services for the period 1st April 2014 to 31st March 2017.

The contract covering the Garden Tidy service administered on behalf of qualifying elderly or disabled tenants will continue to be provided by Prestige Tree Services of Kilmarnock. This follows the decision taken last year to separate the general landscaping contract (now operated by ISS – see associated article) and the Garden Tidy element of works.

The works include grass cutting, shrub bed maintenance and litter picking. The contract covers open space maintenance on mixed tenure estates and the communal areas of Ayrshire Housing developments. The contract excludes the ‘Garden Tidy’ service (see separate article).

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www.ayrshirehousing.org.uk Telephone 01292 880120 or Lo-Call 08452712327 Text Message 07527 360360

Cyclical Decoration Works Programme As reported in the Spring newsletter, the ongoing 5 year cyclical external painting programme is planned to be completed in the estates mentioned below. This follows competitive tendering procedures which identified a number of contractors to complete the works programme. As a result of this exercise, projects have been awarded to Wilson Decorators, Novus and the Bell Group.

The estates included in the programme are: Springfield Road / Croft Street - Tarbolton Highpark Road / St Brides Way / Glenhead Place / Glenhead Court - Coylton Baird Road - Monkton Fulshaw Place / George Place / Lochside - Ayr Also included in the programme are a number of individual properties owned by the association, located throughout Ayrshire.

Works have now commenced and will be completed over the Summer months, with affected tenants being notified in advance of the dates for their property.

Home Security Reminder The majority of thefts from people's homes are committed by opportunist thieves, so it is important to keep your property as secure as possible to prevent these crimes. Here are some simple tips for householders: 

Make sure you close and lock all your doors and windows, particularly downstairs.

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Remember to lock your front door if you are in the back garden, as sneak-in thefts are more common in summer months.

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Don’t leave your house in darkness in the early evening, this tells others there’s no-one home.

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Always check a person’s identification before allowing them access to your home.

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Beware of bogus callers who may use distraction techniques to try and gain entry to your property.

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Report any suspicious activity in your area to Police Scotland by phoning 101.

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If you’d like to install additional security, such as an alarm or external lighting, speak to the repairs section, as you will need permission to do this.

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Additional advice is available at www.scotland.police.uk/keep-safe or contact Police Scotland on 101 and request a free security survey from the Community Safety Officer.

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ELECTIONS TO THE BOARD Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting of Ayrshire Housing will take place on Wednesday 10th September 2014. In due course, you will receive a formal agenda and a review of our activities and performance in the last year.

As you may know, the Board consists of five tenant directors, five from the community category and three appointed by South Ayrshire Council. All tenants are members of the company and can thus seek election to the Board. If you have a joint tenancy, both tenants are considered to be members.

There are 3 vacancies within the tenant category. If you are interested in a tenant position, please complete and return the form below by Friday 1st August 2014. If there are more applications than vacancies, a postal ballot will be organised with the result being announced at the Annual General Meeting. Please provide a short statement of around 50 words in support of your application.

This is a real opportunity to influence the quality of service that you and your fellow tenant members receive.

AS A TENANT I WISH TO STAND FOR ELECTION TO THE BOARD

Name:

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Address:

............................................................................ ............................................................................

Tel:

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Email:

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STATEMENT:-

____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ Alternatively you can email us at info@ayrshirehousing.org.uk

We can supply this document in a print size to suit. It is also available in Braille, audio and other formats, and in other languages. Our website also has several accessibility features which you may find useful.

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www.ayrshirehousing.org.uk Telephone 01292 880120 or Lo-Call 08452712327 Text Message 07527 360360