Housing News Winter 2021

www.bristol.gov.uk/housingnews

Housing News News for Bristol City Council tenants and leaseholders

Investment in our homes

See pages 4 and 5

Meet our new Cabinet Member for Housing Lovely Jubbly garage renovations

Have your say on how we invest in the future of Bristol’s Council Housing page 1

News for all Bristol City Council tenants and leaseholders Winter 2021

Housing News

Welcome to the Winter issue of Housing News

If English is not your first language and you need a translation, we can get one for you.

Hello and welcome to the latest edition of Housing News. I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself to you as your new Cabinet Member for Housing Delivery and Homes. I am incredibly honoured to have been elected to represent the Horfield Ward back in May, and even more delighted to be offered the cabinet position for housing – a subject very close to my heart.

the role and I have a number improvements I want to make for you as tenants. These include:

My background is as a housing campaigner and I have been a member of ACORN since 2014, campaigning for better housing conditions for tenants. This has included being involved in a high profile campaign to bring in the eviction ban at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

● Exploring how we can support

If you would like this information in another language, Braille, audio tape, large print, easy English, BSL video or CD rom or plain text please contact: 0117 352 1444

I am also a mental health campaigner, having setup the charity Independent Mental Health Network, which empowers people with lived experience of mental health problems to influence mental health support across the Bristol and Greater Manchester areas.

Over the last six months I have been getting stuck into

● Increasing your voice and

influence in the work we do.

● Improving our approach to

getting maintenance and repairs done in a timely way.

● Ensuring you are at the centre

of prioritising how we invest your rent.

● Ensuring you are at the

heart of the lettings review, so that we can improve the current offering. more council tenant led initiatives – so please bring us your ideas and what you need to implement them.

I am passionate about getting more council and affordable housing built in Bristol. This is so we can begin to address the waiting list we have for housing and further address homelessness in the city. We know that by building more homes we will be able to make a huge difference to people’s lives, and I will be doing what I can to accelerate the building of good-quality homes that are affordable.

Councillor Tom Renhard Cabinet Member for Housing Delivery and Homes

Annual Canvas Have you moved in the last 12 months?

If yes, then you’ll need to update your household’s details on the electoral register as part of Bristol’s annual canvass process.

Updating your details is simple. Check your form and update the details online using your security codes at www.householdresponse.com/bristol or send the form back in the post.

If you need a new form call 0117 92 23400 or email electoral.services@ bristol.gov.uk including your new address so that we can post you out a form.

You can register to vote online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote page 2

www.bristol.gov.uk/housingnews

Mayor Visits Brooks Dye Works Bristol’s Mayor, Marvin Rees, and Councillor Tom Renhard, recently visited the new Brooks Dye Works development in St. Werburghs where we are purchasing affordable homes. The development is delivering 113 homes on the site of the historic dye works, breathing new life into the disused site to complement the surrounding area.

We are purchasing 24 affordable homes that will become part of the council’s housing stock and will all be available at a social rent. This is the first time we have purchased properties from private developers in the city. Purchasing homes being delivered by private developers is a costeffective way of contributing to our aspirations to significantly increase the delivery of new council owned homes in the city.

“We are committed to delivering affordable homes through whatever route is available to us. We know that we cannot solve the housing crisis alone. We need to work with a range of partners and the Brooks Dye Works site is a fantastic example of this partnership work in action.”

Brooks Dye Works is the redevelopment of a historic dye and laundry works, a Victorian familyowned factory that operated for 135 years. The four-acre industrial site had lain vacant for over a decade after the factory closed in 1997. The development is centred around the factory’s iconic nineteenth-century chimney, with new open public space being created alongside pedestrian routes to link with Mina Road Park and surrounding area.

Construction began in 2019 and the first residents are now moved in.

The affordable homes are a mix of 17 one and two bedroom apartments and seven twobedroom houses. The homes will have access to the communal open space on the development in addition to new pedestrian routes linking to surrounding areas and Mina Road Park.

Mayor Rees said: “Building homes and developing communities remains one of our top priorities, and I am pleased to see that this site has paid tribute to the historic factory that has stood here for many years.

A Day in the Life

which, as a last result, can mean evicting tenants from their properties.

Name: Tim Nicholls. Job Title: Housing Officer.

A Housing Officer is the face of Bristol City Council for our tenants, so having a wide knowledge of all council services really helps.

How long have you worked for the council?

What is your favourite part of your role?

10 years.

Describe your job I am responsible for managing an area of properties which is called my “patch”. The most important part of my role is supporting my tenants to sustain their tenancies. This includes identifying vulnerable tenants, assessing their support needs, and arranging help from partner agencies who can meet their particular needs. Many of our tenants need ongoing support to manage their homes, so a great deal of my time is spent providing this support.

Much of my time is also spent dealing with neighbour issues, including Anti-Social Behaviour on our estates and in our blocks. I support tenants who have been victims of crime, and also carry out enforcement action

I get a great deal of satisfaction from being in a position to help people and to see them actually benefit and move on in their lives as a result of the help I have been able to give them.

What is the most challenging element?

The most challenging element of my job is managing the expectations of our tenants. I spend a great deal of time explaining various solutions and options to tenants and the realistic timescales for action.

What advice would you give to someone wanting to become a Housing Officer?

Do it. If you like a challenge, don’t like any two days to be the same, and enjoy helping others, you will find it a very rewarding role. The Estate Management Team are an amazing bunch of people to work with.

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News for all Bristol City Council tenants and leaseholders Winter 2021

Investment in our homes We understand that the quality of your homes is incredibly important to you, and in the last edition of Housing News we set out our plans to spend just over £80million over the next year on repairing, maintaining and improving homes.

We carry out more than 70,000 repairs a year, and a number of our blocks across the city will be given a new lease of life over the coming months. Our external maintenance programme will cover 2,300 houses and flats, many of which will be getting replacement double glazed windows or a new roof.

Over the last five years we have spent around £42m on modernising and updating our homes, improving heating and insulation and reducing your energy bills.

Our homes have an average EPC C energy rating, which makes us one of the top local authorities in the country. Work continues to improve the least energy efficient homes and ensure that we make heating homes easier and cheaper for everyone.

COVID-19 has caused delays to some of our major projects, but we have found ways to continue working wherever we can, and we have managed to finish work on a number of our high-rise blocks including Polden House (see opposite page).

As well as focussing on the inside and outside of our homes, we also have a budget to help improve the local neighbours around our homes. This allows us to fund priority projects for residents that address specific issues within estates and communities and aim to improve everyone’s experiences of living in their neighbourhoods.

Our fire safety works programme remains a priority for us. This year we will carry out works to around 900 homes and replace 900 fire doors to flats and communal areas.

We own and manage 62 high rise blocks, and 477 other types of blocks of flats, and one of our main focusses over the next five years is carrying out repairs and improvement works to our high rise blocks, so that the flats continue to provide safe, warm and modern homes.

Our Housing Investment Plan for the year includes the following key areas of work: ● Replacing kitchens, roofs and windows ● External maintenance of our houses and

bungalows

Our Investment Plan is reviewed and refreshed annually to make sure we have money available to maintain and improve our stock, and to meet all legal requirements.

Next year we are also going to pilot a whole house retrofit project on a few homes to learn more about how we can make our homes more energy efficient and meet our zero carbon targets. We will be involving tenants in this process.

● External and internal maintenance of our blocks ● Major block refurbishments ● Work to relet empty homes ● Servicing and replacement of lifts, laundries and

door entry systems

● Work to improve heating and insulation ● Fire safety work – including a sprinkler pilot at

Butler House

● Disabled adaptations

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www.bristol.gov.uk/housingnews

Case Study

Case study

Polden House

We don’t like to up-root our tenants!

Polden House, a high-rise tower block in Windmill Hill, suffered from extensive building issues for many years.

When a tree root caused severe structural damage to Annette Blackburn’s property, the family were forced to move out while the repair work took place.

Living with two grown up sons with disabilities, Mrs Blackburn was concerned about leaving home and disrupting their routine. Working with the family, our special projects team came up with a novel solution – constructing a temporary home in the back garden while the work took place.

Our Major Projects Team worked together with SERS Energy Solutions Ltd to complete a major £2.6 million refurbishment project to put right all building issues and modernise the look of the block and surrounding areas.

The works, which took two years, involved – removing asbestos, structural repairs, repairing damp issues, removal and replacement of the insulated roof, installing safety handrails, new balcony railings, external wall insulation repairs, new windows and doors and a new automatic smoke ventilation system. The inside and outside of the building was also decorated, with new internal flooring, a new accessible ramp, a new recycling centre and landscaping works.

The structural damage, which led to large cracks throughout the property, was caused by tree roots in the neighbouring school. The large trees were also removed from the school as part of the work, in order to prevent future damage.

Throughout the project the contractors worked with residents to find convenient dates to carry out work within flats, including window and door replacements. The contractors also tried to accommodate people that either worked nights or had young children by working on different sections of the block at certain times of the day to reduce noise levels.

Thanks to this refurbishment, the building now has improved insulation – which should lead to lower energy bills for tenants, and additional fire safety benefits for all residents.

Structural repairs, including the construction of the temporary house took around six weeks, with the team working quickly to make sure the family were back in in time for Christmas.

Andy Gilborson, Major Projects Manager, said: “Residents of Polden House and the surrounding properties have commented on the building transformation, saying that it looks outstanding and is a substantial improvement. This has had a positive impact for the people living in and around Polden House.”

Mrs Blackburn, who has been a council tenant for 44 years, said: “The damage was a big worry and got us down, especially as we were worried about leaving our home. But the team were great and we were kept in the picture of what was going on. We are really happy with the work, as everything has been put back to normal and we feel safe again.”

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News for all Bristol City Council tenants and leaseholders Winter 2021

Take care of yourself this winter As we head into the colder months, seasonal illnesses like flus and colds are beginning to circulate, alongside COVID-19. you may also be contacted by the NHS to book in for a COVID-19 booster jab.

One of the best things we can do to protect ourselves this winter is taking up the offer of vaccination.

We are Kind, We are Safe, #WeAreBristol It’s important we continue to do everything we can to look out for one another. We must remember that one person’s freedoms represent another’s risks.

It’s important not to go out to work, meet with friends or see vulnerable family members if you’re feeling unwell.

Remember: ● If you have symptoms of COVID-19, please self-

isolate and book a PCR test on GOV.UK or by calling 119.

● If you’re feeling generally unwell, please be kind

to yourself and stay at home until you feel better.

If you develop symptoms of COVID-19, however mild, please get a PCR test.

Mild illness for you could be serious for someone else.

For tips on how to look after yourself at home, visit www.nhs.uk.

Vaccination Two doses of a COVID-19 vaccination gives you strong protection against the virus. If you haven’t had your jabs yet, it’s not too late.

You do not have to be registered with a GP, have an NHS number, or be documented in order to have your vaccination.

There are key actions we can all continue to take that help to protect ourselves, and show our respect for others: ● Come forward for vaccination – there is still time to get your COVID and flu vaccines if you haven’t yet. ● Participate in testing – lateral flow (rapid) testing is widely available across Bristol and helps to identify cases where people have no symptoms. ● Look after yourself at home – if you’re feeling unwell, be kind to yourself and others by recovering at home. ● Wear a face covering – unless you are exempt.

Although legal restrictions have lifted, you can continue to protect yourself and your loved ones by encouraging mask wearing indoors, inside businesses and in crowded areas. ● Respect peoples’ space – giving one another space, particularly in crowded areas, can help to protect our communities. ● Ventilate indoor areas – letting fresh air into indoor areas helps to fight infection, protect frontline workers and work colleagues. Consider opening windows or doors where possible.

We are kind. We are safe. #WeAreBristol.

You can: ● Visit a walk-in clinic – details are available on

grabajab.net

● Book an appointment online on the National

Booking System

● Book an appointment through your GP surgery ● Phone 119 (between 7am and 11pm)

If you are over the age of 50, are clinically extremely vulnerable or work in a frontline health and care role, page 6

www.bristol.gov.uk/housingnews

Garage refurbishments are Lovely Jubbly!

Other Bristol locations used during the filming of Only Fools and Horses between 1981 and 2003 include Welsh Back, Brunel Lock Road, Penn Street in Broadmead, Park Avenue in Bedminster and Backfields Lane in St Paul’s. Find out more about the scenes they were used for by visiting Bristol Film Office’s ‘TV Favourites’ Movie Map at filmbristol. co.uk/bristol-movie-maps/ The refurbishment of the 49 garages at Duckmoor Road is part of a city-wide improvement programme.

Works included new doors, asbestos roof removal and replacement with a lightweight steel roof, new guttering and new fascia boarding. The completed works have improved the look of the site and made a positive impact on the local community, freeing up valuable parking spaces.

A piece of original memorabilia from the filming of long-running BBC comedy series Only Fools and Horses, widely considered to be Britain’s best sitcom of all time, will be preserved for posterity thanks to the city of Bristol.

Del Boy’s red number 22 lock-up door could be found at the garage site at Duckmoor Road in Bedminster until May this year, when it was replaced as a result of refurbishment works to the site.

Faced with the need to find a new home for the door, Bristol City Council turned to the team at The Bottle Yard Studios for help.

For information on how to rent a garage from BCC go to: https://www.bristol.gov.uk/housing/rent-a-garageor-parking-bay

The council-owned garages were built in 1962 at a similar time to the three high rise blocks nearby; Southbow House, Winterstoke House and Whitemead House.

Whitemead House featured as a filming location in Only Fools and Horses, as the exterior of Del Boy’s fictional Peckham highrise flats famously named ‘Nelson Mandela House’.

Photos source: “Only Fools Horses locations Then and Now” Flickr.

Online training opportunities We have created a series of free courses where you can meet other tenants online and learn how you can work with us to deliver more for tenants like you.

● Zoom online training for beginners - For anyone

These include:

● Digital voices (online meeting skills) - Come

who would like to gain some basic skills and build their confidence using zoom video conferencing. along and find out how to get the most out of online meetings, learn practical tips on how to communicate and interact online.

● An introduction to engagement - A tour of all

the different ways you can get involved and help shape your housing service.

● An introduction to resident scrutiny - Tenant

scrutineers help us look at where we need to improve and work with us on new ideas and services.

To find out more about these courses and to book your place visit https://www.bristol.gov.uk/housing/ tenant-participation-resources-for-tenants

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News for all Bristol City Council tenants and leaseholders Winter 2021

Fire Safety Improvements We take fire safety very seriously, and have invested over £2m per year since 2012 in fire safety improvement measures, including new fire doors, dry risers and fire stopping. We have a good working relationship with Avon Fire and Rescue Service (AF&RS) who you may see carrying out training or information gathering visits at one of our high-rise residential buildings.

More recently, we have been working closely with AF&RS to focus on improvements to, and availability of, electronic drawings of all our blocks so that they can be made available to fire crews for training and incident management. This is an efficient and effective use of mobile digital technology. This exciting project ensures that key information needed in the event of a fire or other emergency incident, is quickly and easily accessible to fire crews, and is an approach that will be promoted to other landlords within Bristol and the wider areas.

How do drawings improve safety?

If there is an emergency incident in one of our blocks it is not guaranteed that someone will accurately report the location. It may also not be obvious what the best access is. With AF&RS having access to accurate building drawings, they can identify the location of a flat quickly and identify other important building characteristics.

We work closely with AF&RS to improve evacuation procedures and rescue plans for our blocks - you may even see us with fire crews practicing in one of your buildings in future.

Reviewing how we allocate social housing Home Choice Bristol is our current approach to letting council and social housing in the city - we’ve been using it since April 2014. It sets out how people apply for a home, what type of home is offered and who is eligible.

Our approach was last reviewed in 2013 and changes made led to a reduction of people on the register.

However, since then the numbers on the housing register have continued to increase, with many people on the list unlikely to ever be offered any suitable accommodation.

In 2019 we began a review and held a series of community engagement events where we met with residents to understand their views on the current approach. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 we had to put the process on hold in March 2020.

We know that the way we allocate council and social housing is important for residents. We have captured

the thoughts and insights of those who took part in our events last year, and we now want to use that information to help develop an approach that will work better going forwards.

The aim is to ensure that people are housed in homes that meet their needs, and to make the application process easier for everyone to follow and understand.

The review will give the council the opportunity to look at who is housed and why, and develop options for how to let social housing in the future.

We will be looking at different ways we can do things over the next two to three months, and there will be an opportunity in the New Year for you to view and respond to any new approaches we propose.

Keep up to date with and look out for information about when the public consultation will take place: facebook.com/bristolcouncilhousing

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www.bristol.gov.uk/housingnews

Are you ready for Bristol’s Clean Air Zone?

Bristol is introducing a Clean Air Zone in summer 2022. The zone will help improve air quality by reducing harmful air pollution caused by traffic.

It will also help make sure everyone in Bristol benefits from a healthy environment.

A daily charge will apply to older and more polluting vehicles driving through the city centre.

We estimate that only 30 per cent of vehicles will be charged.

We can all help clean up Bristol’s air Think about how you travel, especially for shorter journeys. Perhaps you can swap the car and walk the kids to school, cycle to the local shops, or use public transport to reach the city centre.

We are offering loans and grants to help people on low incomes and those that live or work in the zone upgrade their vehicle or change the way they travel.

Whatever you do it all adds up to make a big difference to the air we breathe.

Visit bristol.gov.uk/caz to check whether your vehicle will be charged and to find out how we can help you prepare for the zone.

Visit cleanairforbristol.org to find out how you can help.

Bristol Beacon bringing Live Music to our Sheltered Schemes Bristol Beacon have been working with the Support to Older People Team to bring live outdoor music to some of our Sheltered Accommodation sites, to help people start socialising again in a safe way.

Tenants were delighted to get together after months of lockdown and to take part in something so positive and different.

Tom Doyle, team leader on the Support to Older People team, said: “All the events were different, but it was wonderful to see residents engage with the music and sing along and in one case get up and

dance. It was also a chance for residents’ families to come along and see the good work our wardens do to make our sites welcoming and inclusive.”

At Farringford House several generations of families attended to enjoy the music and made the afternoon a truly multi-generational event. Our teams will be working with Bristol Beacon to see what other events we can put on in the future.

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News for all Bristol City Council tenants and leaseholders Winter 2021

Grayson’s Art Club exhibition

Do you know about the Housing Ombudsman Service?

As a resident of social housing you have a right to use the Housing Ombudsman Service when unhappy with how we have handled a complaint. They offer a free complaint resolution service and have recently been reformed to be given a more important role in housing.

Art works chosen by Grayson Perry and guest celebrities during season two of the hit Channel 4 series Grayson’s Art Club will feature in an exhibition at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery from 4 December.

During lockdown, Grayson Perry, one of Britain’s most well-known artists, helped us find comfort and company through art. The artworks created by the public, established artists, and celebrities are powerful and very personal responses to the pandemic.

Season two of Grayson’s Art Club began airing in February and each week Grayson hosted the show from his studio with his wife, Philippa (and often their cat, Kevin). Using video chat, Grayson spoke to famous artists about how they were spending their time and invited them to respond creatively to lockdown. Each week a different theme – family, nature, food, dreams, work, and travel - was explored.

Members of the public were also invited to share their own artworks and over 17,000 entries were submitted throughout the series in a vast range of mediums - from paintings and photography, to ceramics and textiles.

These works will feature in an exhibition exclusively at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery alongside pieces by Grayson and Philippa Perry and the guest celebrities and artists. Contributing celebrities include Alex Horne, Anneka Rice, Boy George, Derren Brown, Holly Walsh, Jane Seymour, Johnny Vegas, Lianne La Havas, Mawaan Rizwan and Russell Tovey.

To find out more about this exhibition, visit the Bristol Museum & Art Gallery website – bristolmuseums.org.uk

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You can also contact them for general advice about housing complaints and your rights when complaining.

Their website has data and reports on complaints in social housing, including on Bristol City Council at www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk/ You can call them on 0300 111 3000 Monday to Friday, 9.15am to 5.15pm or email info@housing-ombudsman.org.uk Recently they asked all social landlords to look at how they currently handle complaints. We were pleased to find that we resolve most of your complaints at the first stage of our investigation, however we are aiming to improve how quickly we respond when things go wrong. We have published our selfassessment at www.bristol.gov.uk/complaints-andfeedback/complaints-procedures We always want to improve and learn from our mistakes. If you have any feedback about how we have handled a complaint or service we would love to hear from you at www.bristol.gov.uk/complaints-andfeedback/housing

www.bristol.gov.uk/housingnews

Stay warm and well this winter With most of us now spending more time in our homes, it’s never been more important to stay warm at home this winter.

There are lots of no-cost and low-cost things you can do to stay warm while keeping your bills down. These include; putting on an extra layer before turning on the heating, using a hot water bottle or investing in some thermals. Thick curtains will help to keep the heat in and should be closed as soon as it starts to get dark outside.

Adding draught proofing strips to windows and doors can help stop the chills and improve comfort.

These can be bought cheaply from hardware and DIY stores and are self-adhesive so easy to install.

You can also buy reflective panels which slot behind radiators and help reflect heat back into the room.

If you are an older person, have a health condition, or there are young children in your household, it is particularly important to maintain a healthy temperature of between 18 and 21 degrees Celsius.

Understanding your heating system can give you more control of your home environment as well as help you to save money. If you have gas central heating, using the programmer or timer and room thermostat will help you get heat when you need it and not waste money. Night storage heaters can be expensive if you are not sure how they work. By learning how to set the input and output dials to

store heat overnight and release it the following day you can avoid using the boost function which can make a big saving.

If you have been with the same energy supplier for a while you are probably paying too much for your electricity and gas. A typical household can save around £200 a year by switching supplier. If you have a prepayment meter that you top up with a key or card you could make savings by switching to a monthly direct debit. If you receive certain benefits or have a low household income you may also be able to claim the £140 Warm Home Discount each year.

The Tenants Energy Advice service provides free advice on all of these topics and can advise you if there is any practical or financial support available to you. Call Freephone 0800 082 2234 or email home. energy@cse.org.uk

Have you noticed changes in someone you care about?

Domestic abuse or violence can happen to anyone.

As a friend, neighbour or relative, you might see changes in someone you care about. Sometimes it can be hard to ask if they are OK. You might be worried about what they say and what happens next.

Learn how to ask and how to spot signs for concern on the Keeping Bristol Safe Partnership website: bristolsafeguarding.org/communities/i-am-a-bristolresident/are-you-ok/ If you are worried that someone you know is being badly treated, there’s help at hand. Contact Next Link Domestic Abuse services on 0117 925 0680 or chat online at www.nextlinkhousing.co.uk Support for men experiencing domestic abuse is also available. Contact Victim Support on 07432 504 692 or email bristolmens.dasupport@victimsupport.org.uk. If someone is in immediate danger, call 999.

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News for all Bristol City Council tenants and leaseholders Winter 2021

Give us your views on tenant involvement As part of our Moving Forward Together programme, we aim to improve the way we provide services to our residents. To do this we need to improve how we listen to you and take on board your views. To get this right, we are reviewing the ways we currently involve you to ensure we offer a wide range of opportunities to suit the needs of all our residents.

Since September we have been working with Acuity on our Resident Satisfaction Surveys and asking tenants and leaseholders to tell us their views on resident involvement.

You can find out about opportunities to get involved and join in the conversation by visiting our web page www.bristol.gov.uk/housing/tenant-participation-ways-to-get-involved or by contacting the Tenant Participation team by email tpu@bristol.gov.uk or phone 0117 3521444

Seeking your feedback!

Your views and feedback are important to us and help us to improve housing services. Over the summer we re-started our resident satisfaction survey programme. We have partnered with Acuity Research Limited to contact tenants and leaseholders for their feedback about different aspects of our service, including repairs, our response to anti-social behaviour and gas safety. Your feedback helps us to understand how we’re doing and the areas where you would like us to improve. Acuity Research Limited are experienced in working with residents and are leaders in resident surveys for social housing. Surveys are carried out over by phone by experienced call agents.

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www.bristol.gov.uk/housingnews

When Good Neighbours become Good Friends their community through giving or getting help, and offering support and friendship.

A regular Tea and Talk Zoom catch up provided an opportunity to get together in a friendly, welcoming space, while a new Facebook page encouraged people to communicate and try new things.

Building relationships based on trust, women were empowered to take up English lessons, children to try circus skills and others to improve play spaces around the flats.

What makes life better when times are tough? The answer in Kingsdown and Dove Street was good friends and neighbours. ‘Friendly Neighbours’ grew out of the local COVID-19 response, and a core group of people of different ages, cultures and backgrounds came together to make a difference to

An area previously known by children as ‘that creepy place’ and by others as ‘fly-tipping corner’ became ‘Dove Garden’. Residents cleared the area, painted benches and had a picnic! The ‘Grow Green Carolina’ group was formed and will help create more usable green spaces around the flats.

Through ‘Friendly Neighbours’, strangers and neighbours became friends and with each link the community becomes stronger.

Litter pick gives a new lease of life to gardens in Withywood Housing Advisor Lucille Critchley recently organised a litter pick outside four blocks of flats in Withywood. She had noticed on visits to the communal gardens that there was a lot of rubbish and the area looked and felt very run down. She put in a bid to remove some old flooring and play equipment to make the area safe and decided to do a litter pick to further improve the gardens and talk to residents about what they would like to see happen next. She was joined by other members of her team and lots of the local kids came and helped out.

Lucille said: “The gardens are a great asset to the flats and now look much improved. I’ve received positive comments from tenants, with some asking if they can plant some flowers in the gardens. I hope to build on the involvement of tenants in the future. I’ve also been going to the Growing the Power of Communities workshops and have made some good contact with local community groups who are keen to get involved with improving the areas.”

If you would like to organise a litter pick in your local neighbourhood, you can hire a litter picking kit from Bristol Waste. Find out more at: bristolwastecompany.co.uk/household/get-involved/litter-picking-kits/

Tenancy fraud Those who commit tenancy fraud reduce the amount of money being spent on key services. Help us put a stop to tenancy fraud by reporting your concerns online at www.bristol.gov.uk/contact/reporting-fraud or by telephone 0117 9222470. page 13

News for all Bristol City Council tenants and leaseholders Winter 2021

Home contents insurance Earlier this year, we wrote to inform you that your home contents insurance policy, which was administered by Bristol City Council, was ending. We also strongly encouraged you to take out your own home contents insurance, which protects and covers you against loss, theft, or damage to your personal and home possessions.

Since June, we have been working to identify another preferred home contents insurance provider which we have now done. Thistle Insurance Services (TIS) has over 20 years of experience providing home contents insurance to tenants through local authority and housing association partnerships.

Some of the benefits of applying for home contents insurance through TIS include easier payment options where you can choose to pay fortnightly, monthly or annually. Everyone

is eligible to apply for cover and there is no excess in the event of a claim.

You can find out about Crystal Insurance from TIS and apply for cover by visiting www.crystalinsurance.co.uk This is just one option available for you to obtain home insurance quotes, and we continue to recommend you get quotes from other providers who are regulated by the Financial Services Authority. You can these on comparison websites including Money Supermarket or Compare the Market.

If you are vulnerable and require support in accessing the internet to find an alternative provider please contact us on 0117 922 2200.

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www.bristol.gov.uk/housingnews

Looking for a rewarding job?

If you like working with people and want to help others in your community, care and support work can offer you a rewarding, long-term career.

Care and support workers help people to live as independently as possible. This can include helping people to join social activities, access local services and with personal and practical tasks.

You could be supporting someone in a care home, in the local community or from someone’s home.

This includes adults of all ages with physical disabilities, learning disabilities, dementia or mental health conditions.

Employers provide essential training and offer support to gain recognised qualifications, with opportunity for promotion as well as job security.

Find your next job today, visit: proudtocarebristol.org.uk or email: proudtocare@bristol.gov.uk

Looking to make a difference?

Start a new and rewarding career as a foster carer.

You don’t need to be married, own a house, or have any specific qualifications.

If you can provide a safe and welcoming home, have a caring heart, sense of humour and plenty of energy, you have what it takes to foster.

You can talk with the team and learn more before deciding to foster, and we will support you every step of the way.

In return for your time and care, you’ll receive:

Call 0117 353 4200 or visit our website: www.bristol.gov.uk/web/foster-with-bristolcity-council

● dedicated support and regular contact with

other foster carers ● a weekly allowance per child and a fee ● training and development opportunities

page 15

News for all Bristol City Council tenants and leaseholders Winter 2021

Get in touch

You can contact us in several ways. Information about our services is available on our website 24 hours a day, seven days a week at: bristol.gov.uk/councilhousing

www.bristol.gov.uk/caretaking

Citizen Service Point 100 Temple Street, Bristol.

Opening hours Monday: 9am to 5pm Tuesday: 9am to 5pm Wednesday: 10am to 5pm Thursday: 9am to 5pm Friday: 9am to 5pm We don’t deal with all housing services face-to-face at our citizen service point, but we will help you contact services online or by telephone.

Complaints or feedback www.bristol.gov.uk/complaints Email: complaints.feedback@ bristol.gov.uk Tel: 0117 922 2723 (Monday to Friday,10am to 4pm).

Emergency repairs Please call the Emergency Control Centre: 8.30am to 6pm (office hours): Tel: 0117 922 2200 (option 1) 6pm to 8.30am (out of hours): Tel: 0117 922 2050 Textphone: 0117 922 3892

Estate management www.bristol.gov.uk/counciltenants Tel: 0117 922 2200 (Option 4)

Find it in Bristol maps.bristol.gov.uk/pinpoint

Get Involved Find out about Local Housing Forums and other resources: www.bristol.gov.uk/ tenantparticipation

Grounds maintenance Email: bristolparks@bristol.gov.uk Tel: 0117 922 2100 (Option 4)

Housing benefit and council tax reduction www.bristol.gov.uk/benefits

My Account Register for ‘My Account’ Using ‘My Account’ is quick and easy. Find out how you can manage your Council Tax, Rent, Housing Benefit and Landlords services all in one place! Visit: www.bristol.gov.uk/sign-in

Rehousing

www.homechoicebristol.co.uk Email:hcb.enquiries@bristol.gov.uk Tel: 0117 922 2400

Rents and housing payments www.bristol.gov.uk/payrent If you are struggling to pay, call: Tel: 0117 922 2200 (Option 3) (Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 6pm) Manage your tenancy online: www.bristol.gov.uk/ tenantaccount

Report repairs www.bristol.gov.uk/housing/ repairs Tel: 0117 922 2200 (Option 1) page 16

Report street problems www.bristol.gov.uk/report-astreet-issue

Social media facebook.com/ bristolcouncilhousing twitter.com/BristolCouncil instagram.com/bristolcouncil youtube.com/ bristolcitycouncil

Smell gas?

Report gas immediately to National Grid Gas Emergency Service. Tel: 0800 111 999

Tenants energy advice www.cse.org.uk/bristoltea

Tenancy fraud Email: tenancy.fraud@bristol.gov.uk Tel: 0117 922 2470

Tenant services online Available 24/7 www.bristol.gov.uk/ councilhousing

Travel planning

journeyplanner.travelwest.info/ directions www.betterbybike.info

What’s on

Bristol museums and galleries: www.bristolmuseums.org.uk/ whats-on

Designed and printed on sustainably sourced material by Bristol Design, Bristol City Council (October 2021) BD13993

Caretaking