Your home magazine (May 2012) by Hammersmith & Fulham Council

May 2012

The magazine for tenants and leaseholders brought to you by Hammersmith & Fulham Council

Right to Buy saved us £75,000 on our Hammersmith flat A Hammersmith couple have become the first people in the country to sign up to a £75,000 Right to Buy extended discount. Tarek Tuzani and his girlfriend Laura Stevens plan to use the cash they have saved to renovate their Standish House flat and create a new bedroom for their baby daughter, Sophia. The couple are among hundreds of people in Hammersmith & Fulham who could be in line to receive the new bumper reduction after the Government revived Right to Buy by increasing the discount from £16,000 to £75,000. Pictures from the And to ensure that roadshow! SEE PAGE 19 as many tenants as “I have a onepossible are taking bedroom flat, and advantage of the massive when Laura gave birth discount, the council in June 2011 we were organised special H&F keen to create a second Right to Buy roadshows bedroom by moving the last month, with more kitchen. The problem was arranged during May. that in order to do that we Tarek, 31, explained: had to buy the flat.”

INSIDE>> n BUSTED! Hidden

camera catches burglars in the act as council and police team up SEE PAGES 6-7

n Hope for 1,000

new homeowners as council’s Home Buy team look to help locals get on the property ladder SEE PAGE 12

n Residents step

up to help tenants and leaseholders have a greater say on their homes SEE PAGE 13

Tarek Tuzani and Laura Stevens bought their flat through government scheme

The couple have been in close contact with Hammersmith & Fulham Council’s Home Buy team since purchasing the flat so that they could submit their application as soon as the new £75,000 discount went live. Continued on page 2

n Pioneering

new schemes sees two flats up for sale in Becklow Gardens, W12 SEE PAGE 9

n With the Olympics and

Paralympics rolling into town, see our helpful advice and event map to help you avoid getting stuck in a jam! SEE PAGES 10-11

WELCOME to your home magazine by Cllr Andrew Johnson, H&F cabinet member for housing

Home ownership is now a reality Dear residents, Welcome to the latest edition of Your Home Magazine. It has been a busy time here at the town hall, dominated – as far as housing is concerned – by the new self-financing system for funding housing works, and the long-awaited revival of the Right to Buy. I am sure you are all aware that the Government has recently raised the Right to Buy discount from £16,000 to £75,000. For some people, this could quite literally be lifechanging news. If you have ever dreamed of purchasing your own home, but never thought that it

Continued from front page Tarek added: “I am delighted that we are now eligible for a full £75,000 discount. It is absolutely brilliant that we are able to save this amount of money and it means that we have extra cash to spend on renovations. “I am sure that we will feel especially proud when we open the front door for the first time as owners of the property. We will finally be getting on to the housing ladder and it does feel quite empowering. Once we have bought the property we’ll be looking to create the second room for Sophia very quickly.” Right to Buy has helped thousands of council tenants in H&F to buy their own home since it launched more

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would be financially possible, I urge you to how keen many of you are to buy your contact the council and find out what this own home. could mean for you. Now that the discount has been I know that plenty of tenants have increased so significantly this could be the visited our H&F Right to Buy roadshow time to act. during the last few weeks. There is absolutely no doubt that Here, our experts have been on hand owning your own home gives you a sense to calculate the exact discount and tell of pride and a sense of empowerment. tenants everything they need to know However, for too long home ownership about buying their own home has been nothing but a and all of the responsibilities pipedream for most of our that entails. tenants. The good news is Please do contact the that we are planning council’s Home Buy team I speak to many several more events so that they can discuss over the coming your own personal tenants and I months. situation. know how keen We will bring They can be contacted are you some of you details of what on 020 8753 6464 or via n ow r you to buy is planned as soon as email at: h&fhome-buy@ home we can. lbhf.gov.uk Hammersmith & Fulham I also wanted to let you is a borough of housing know that we have refreshed our opportunity, with home ownership approach to resident involvement, at its core. and set up two panels to give tenants and Now that the discount has been leaseholders a greater say. increased I hope that many of you You can read some of the thoughts of will be encouraged to panel members in this magazine, and exercise your right to we hope to hear more from them in buy, and purchase future issues. your own home. I speak to many tenants across the Cllr Andrew Johnson borough and I know Cabinet Member for Housing

than 30 years ago, but completions under the scheme all but collapsed when the maximum discount in the capital was reduced in 2004 from £38,000 to £16,000. The move led to a slump from 245 Right to Buy sales in 2004-5 to only seven in Hammersmith & Fulham last year. Cllr Andrew Johnson, cabinet member for housing, said: “The extended Right to Buy discount is excellent news for thousands of tenants just like Tarek and Laura. “This borough has the fourth most expensive housing in the country so by extending the discount, homeownership has now become a reality for many of our tenants.

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Cllr Andy Johnson with Tarek and Laura in their Standish House flat

“Owning your own home gives you a greater stake in your community and a greater stake in your own future prosperity and I am sure that the £75,000 reduction will have a hugely positive impact on the lives of so many people in this borough.” The H&F Right to Buy roadshow will visit White City Community Centre, Saturday, May 19, 10am2pm, India Way, W12. It offer tenants the chance to meet council experts and discuss their individual situations. If you are unable to make one of the roadshows, but are interested in finding out more, simply email: h&fhome-buy@lbhf.gov.uk or call 020 8753 6464.

Fraudster jailed for £15k council benefits scam A

housing benefit fraudster who faked his own death and fled to Thailand to avoid detection has been sentenced to nearly three years in prison. Conman Stephen Kellaway and his wife Nelli scammed Hammersmith & Fulham Council out of nearly £15,000. Realising that the authorities were closing in, the couple fled to Russia in 2008 where, according to her diary, Nelli underwent a breast enlargement operation. During that trip, Stephen, 54, faked his own death by allegedly bribing a mortuary worker to place his passport on the body of a tramp. But in March, Kellaway was sentenced to 20 months’ jail for the benefits swindle, and a further 12 months for the identity fraud. Half of the 32-month sentence will be served behind bars. Nelli was arrested on the day she flew back to the UK from Russia carrying Stephen’s supposed cremated remains in an urn. She has since been convicted of three counts of fraud and two counts of money laundering, but escaped with a suspended sentence. Stephen Kellaway was not dead, but had made his way to Thailand using a passport allegedly obtained using the birth certificate of a dead child. After spending two years on the run, a bedraggled Kellaway was eventually tracked down to Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok in 2011, where he had been sleeping rough. Fed up of constantly looking over his shoulder, the fugitive handed himself in to the Thai authorities and, after spending time in immigration detention, was flown back to

Conman Stephen Kellaway and his wife scammed the council out of £15,000

London in December. He was met at Heathrow by police who charged him with benefit and identity fraud offences. Kellaway, formerly of Uxbridge Road, Shepherds Bush, appeared at Harrow Crown Court on February 16 where he pleaded guilty to four charges of benefit fraud and identity fraud. On March 8 he was sentenced at Croydon Crown Court. Cllr Greg Smith, cabinet member for residents’ services, said: “You can run but you cannot hide. No matter what you do, if you decide to commit benefit fraud you will eventually get busted. This rogue went to extraordinary lengths to avoid detection and now he is exactly where he deserves to be, in prison. “This case shows that wherever you run to you will eventually be tracked down and made to pay for your crimes. We will be doing everything we can to seize this man’s assets.”

The duo’s scam came to light after Stephen Kellaway submitted a claim for housing and council tax benefit in March 2008. Among other offences, he failed to declare rental income from property in Camden, and nearly £200,000 he and his wife had in savings. He also said he was a single parent when he was really living with his wife, and failed to state that Nelli had more than £80,000 cash in a series of undeclared bank accounts. Hammersmith & Fulham Council also prosecuted on behalf of Richmond Council, from which Kellaway swindled £28,000. Since her conviction, Nelli Kellaway has been made to pay back £55,000 of defrauded money via the Proceeds of Crime Act.

H&F mayor Frances Stainton signs the Armed Forces Community Covenant in March after the Freedom of the Borough parade in Hammersmith, inset below

Tax relief to double for military families THE council has welcomed the decision by the Chancellor to double the rate of council tax relief for families of serving military personnel to 100 per cent in March’s budget. Cllr Andrew Johnson said: “Years of loyal service to Queen and country should not become an obstacle to success and prosperity, and this announcement reaffirms the country’s commitment to supporting our armed forces and their families when they need it most. “Locally, this council has shown its gratitude to the armed forces by announcing plans to look at moving regular armed forces and members of the Territorial Army towards the front of the housing list. “In addition, we have also become one of the first local authorities in London to sign the Armed Forces Community Covenant.”

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Hosepipe ban is a Thames Water washout

The current hosepipe ban was avoidable and the Thames Tunnel ‘super sewer’ is an example of water companies making the same mistakes again, according to a national expert in water management. Thames Water brought in the ban on April 5 to deal with reduced rainfall over recent months. However Prof Richard Ashley, professor of urban water at Sheffield University, says decades of failed water management are responsible for the unnecessary and ‘regrettable’ measures. Fourteen million Thames Water customers, including

all Londoners, face the double whammy of a hosepipe ban in addition to coughing up £80 a year for life on top of current bills to pay for the controversial super sewer. Prof Ashley says it could all have been avoided had Thames Water seen rainwater as a valuable resource. Thames Water bosses have told customers to take shorter showers, and there is talk of standpipes in streets to limit water usage. The company claims emergency measures are needed as the capital is facing its worst drought since 1976, but Prof Ashley says droughts

are just part of the natural variation in rainfall, and that the test of a country’s water management policy lies in the ability to cope with this. Prof Ashley warns that Thames Water is repeating the mistakes of the past in favouring multi-billion pound concrete infrastructure projects, rather than investing in greener sustainable urban drainage solutions like water butts, using rainwater for toilet flushing, green roofs and permeable pavements that conserve rainwater. l For more details, visit: www.lbhf.gov.uk/supersewer

SO WHERE HAVE NEW TREES BEEN PLANTED?

Cllr Harry Phibbs with daughter Georgina and a new tree at Standish House; right, planting on the Queen Caroline estate

Leafy H&F maintains treemendous record A total of 76 new trees have been planted on council housing land across the borough. Hammersmith & Fulham Council has spent £8,750 on the trees, which include birches, limes and London planes. Councillor Harry Phibbs, cabinet member for

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community engagement, said: “Trees bring life to our streets and make neighbourhoods even better places to live. A greener borough improves lives for residents and visitors, so I am delighted we have been able to plant so many new trees recently.” A further 250 street trees have also been planted

on the pavements of the borough. Approximately 100 of these are new trees in new locations and the other 150 are replacements for street trees that have died. Hammersmith & Fulham is ranked fourth in London among boroughs with the highest number of trees per square mile, with more than 8,700 street trees.

n Alice Gillatt Court, Fulham (1) n Arlington House, Tunis Road, Shepherds Bush (2) n Batman Close, White City (3) n Bayonne estate, Fulham (13) n Cheeseman’s estate, Star Road, West Kensington (1) n Chelmsford Close/ St Alban’s Terrace, Hammersmith (2) n Clem Attlee estate, Fulham (6) n Ethel Rankin Court, Fulham (3) n Kelmscott Gardens, Hammersmith (1) n Lancaster Court, Fulham Road, Fulham (7) n Lintaine Close, Moylan Road, Fulham (2) n Margravine estate, Hammersmith (3) n Mortimer House, North End Road, Fulham (3) n Queen Caroline estate, Hammersmith (6) n Springvale estate, West Kensington (6) n Standish House, Hammersmith (2) n Vereker Road, West Kensington (2) n Waterhouse Close, Hammersmith (2) n Wormholt estate, White City (10)

Councillors discuss the progress of estate plan A

progress report around the decision on whether to include West Kensington and Gibbs Green estates in the planned comprehensive redevelopment of Earls Court was discussed by H&F Council’s Cabinet. A decision on whether to include the estates in wider plans for the area is likely to be made in the coming months, but H&F Council leader Cllr Stephen Greenhalgh said he wanted to put as much in the public domain now as possible so people can be clear on where the council is in its thinking. Preliminary results from a consultation show that opinion is divided. Out of those who took part in the consultation, more people in the wider area support the plans and more people on the estates object. In terms of the statutory consultation on the estate itself, 331 secure council tenants out of 584 eligible submitted responses of which 215 objected (37% of all secure tenants) and 102 supported (17% of all secure tenants), 25 did not give fixed views (4% of all secure tenants). Out of the total number of statutory tenants who could have taken part 42% (242) did not return feedback forms. Of 73 leaseholders who responded, 30 supported and 37 objected. There is a much higher degree of opposition from freeholders and tenants living in housing association properties. In the wider area 448

supported and 108 were opposed. The full draft terms of a conditional land sale agreement (CLSA) to include the estates in wider plans were also discussed at the meeting. If it is agreed, this is what it would mean for people living on the estates: l All homes on the estate will be replaced within the redevelopment area. l People will only have to move when their new home is ready to be occupied. l People who are currently overcrowded on the estate will be offered a home with more bedrooms. their mortgage costs to do l People who are underthis. occupying will be offered If redevelopment happens, a new home with one it would be based around additional bedroom above the vision of Sir Terry Farrell’s their need. masterplan which would l Secure council tenants will create 9,500 new permanent remain secure tenants and receive a £4,700 compensation jobs and 36,000 temporary construction jobs. per household, plus new The masterplan is built on a white goods, carpets and vision of creating four separate curtains. ‘villages’ linked by a new high All reasonable fees will be street. Overall this would paid and a dedicated include 7,583 new rehousing officer homes, of which will help every 1,500 would be step of the way. affordable. It l Resident People wh would also leaseholders o are curren include new will receive overcrowd tly shops, offices, the market e d o n the estate wil parkland, value of l be a home w offered leisure facilities, their home, ith mo a new school, which is bedrooms re new transport independently links and a assessed, and an healthcare centre. extra 10% of that A detailed planning amount in compensation. application to build 808 They will be offered a 10% discount on the value of a new homes at Seagrave Road home should they wish to buy has been approved by H&F Council. If the CLSA is agreed, back into the redevelopment. approximately 200 of these They will not have to increase

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The 92-acre Earls Court site could be new homes, offices and community centres if plan is approved

homes would be used in a first phasing plan. People would be moved in defined blocks designed to minimise disruption, keep neighbours together and ensure that people only have to move once. Cllr Greenhalgh added: “We are making good progress in considering future options. “We want to be as open and transparent as possible on where we are in our thinking, which is why we are taking the step of making all consultation responses available for inspection. “We recognise that while some people on the estates are clearly in favour, many more have concerns. “Yet it is clear that the majority of people living on the estates have yet to tell us either way, or simply do not know. “We will continue to talk to all residents in explaining how the conditional land sale agreement will affect them should it be agreed.”

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A cap on crime. This burglar was filmed and convicted in the sting operation

Smile! Our secret cameras are helping catch housebreakers

omes and vehicles in Hammersmith & Fulham have been fitted with cameras in a sting operation to capture thieves and burglars in the act. Already Operation Glatton, part-funded by the council, has netted 49 convictions since its launch in June last year. The zero-tolerance approach is a first for London, with wouldbe thieves’ actions captured in detail, leading to a 100 per cent conviction rate at court. Since it began, more than £5,000 of stolen property has been returned to its rightful owners, and those convicted have been given a combined total of eight years in prison. Hammersmith & Fulham is the first borough to run a successful sting house operation in a council property, building on its success with decoy vehicles. Chief Supt Lucy D’Orsi, Hammersmith & Fulham borough commander, said: “We are committed to catching burglars and car thieves in this borough and will use all methods and technology available to us to bring them to justice. “Anyone who thinks they can get

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away with burglary and theft should study the quality of the video clips and reflect on the potential custodial sentences and criminal records that will result. “The next car or home you break into may be one of ours, and we will do everything we can to get you before the courts. “A large proportion of burglaries happen in properties which are insecure. The police and local authority are working hard to reduce burglary, but it is also important for residents to lock their doors and windows, and never leave anything valuable in view.” Cllr Greg Smith, cabinet member for residents’ services, added: “Every crook who eyes up someone else’s property in our borough now needs to ask whether it is a sting house rigged with police cameras. “Criminals who chose to steal other people’s property will find a huge array of evidence against them when we take them to court. So far we have a 100 per cent conviction rate, so the odds are heavily stacked in our favour.” l Take a look at the sting video footage for yourself by clicking on http://youtu.be/568jNIrdEkU or read more about anti-crime measures at: www.lbhf.gov.uk/crime

This yob is taking the p***! Do you know who he is? Y

the rules of a civilised society. our Home Magazine is “This council spends more asking for your help to than £200,000 a year on track down this filthy clearing up after wanton acts yob who has a nasty habit of mindless vandalism and of urinating in lifts at Bush unfortunately, at the end of the Court. day, we have no choice but to The time is shortly after pass some of that cost on to 1.15am on Wednesday tenants and leaseholders in the February 22, and this hooligan form of rent or service charges. can clearly be seen relieving “The message to hooligans himself in the lift of the like this is even when you think Shepherds Bush block. that there is no one around, we Do you know who this person is, or were you the man are watching you. “Nothing would make me who unfortunately had to share happier than if a reader of this a lift with him? If so, contact the council now magazine is able to shop this so that we can track him down. nasty piece of work.” The council takes a zeroThis disgusting act was tolerance stance towards crime captured by Hammersmith & and antisocial behaviour on Fulham Council’s state-of-theestates. art CCTV surveillance system, New tenants now which is linked to numerous undergo a 12-month estates across the probationary borough. period, meaning All images are that they have relayed back to w o to be on their the council’s Do you kn who this best behaviour main CCTV if they want a control room at person is? ct secure tenancy. Hammersmith If so, conta ow il n The council Town Hall where the counc also uses trained operators wardens to scour the footage patrol estates, and looking for incidents works with the police of crime and antisocial to tackle crime at the earliest behaviour. Councillor Andrew Johnson, opportunity. The council also has a cabinet member for housing, dedicated team of concierge said: “I find this act truly staff who work with estate appalling. residents to combat crime and “The sooner this despicable assist residents with their daily individual is caught, the better. lives. “This lift is used every day by l If you know this person, decent, law-abiding people, including women and children, or their friend, please call the council’s Bush Court housing and we will not tolerate louts officer on 020 8753 6886. like this who refuse to live by

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Sting nets its first illegal sublet culprit A scheme to snare tenancy fraudsters has uncovered the first person illegally subletting in the borough. Hammersmith & Fulham Council works with the credit reference agency Experian to use data-matching to tackle social housing fraud. Anyone caught subletting can be evicted. Nationally, it is estimated 160,000 tenants sublet their homes. H&F Council has a dedicated anti-fraud service protecting the council and taxpayers against corruption. The team investigates subletting cases and evicts and prosecutes people when necessary. Until now there has been no effective data sharing between social housing providers, so fraudsters have been able to obtain multiple tenancies in different locations. Working with Experian, the council can cross-match accommodation lists to look for evidence the same person living in two places. The scheme also tracks the economic footprint of suspects. The council has tracked down a woman who has been living in East Anglia since 2000 while subletting her council house in Hammersmith. Investigation officers paid the unsuspecting fraudster an early morning visit and obtained a signed statement and an immediate agreement to vacate the property. Last year, the fraud team successfully prosecuted a tenancy fraudster under the Fraud Act. Catherine Hennessy claimed housing and council tax benefit for a flat in Osram Court, Hammersmith, despite subletting it and buying a home in Bognor Regis with her partner. When interviewed under caution Hennessy admitted subletting the flat and was sentenced to three months in prison, suspended for two years. She was also ordered to do 150 hours of unpaid work in the community, to be completed within two years. If you suspect someone is subletting their council property in Hammersmith & Fulham, call 020 8753 1273.

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Tenants could be paid to do routine DIY work to save council cash

DIY could hold the key to cutting maintenance costs for every tenant tackle other small DIY jobs. Hammersmith & Fulham Council currently spends £7million a year maintaining its houses and flats, and is investigating if the scheme would work locally. The initiative could help reduce that bill, and give tenants the opportunity to become ‘apprentices in the home’. The scheme also aims to help tenants get on the career ladder with the chance of basic training programmes to develop their skills. Cllr Andrew Johnson said: enants might be able to do some “We want our tenants to feel proud of their homes, of the repairs within their home under and there is no doubt that a new scheme designed carrying out DIY is a sureto save money and help fire way of achieving that. “If tenants are doing teach new skills. their own minor repairs New government they are more likely to proposals encourage treat their property well, tenants to fix minor faults, reducing the amount of such as leaky taps, and

maintenance work required, and therefore the demand on council services. “Not only might the scheme save the council money, which is a key objective as we look to make significant savings in the housing budget, but, for some, it could even serve as an apprenticeship in the home, and the start on a path to a whole new career. “We will be exploring the proposals in detail to see if the scheme could be introduced here.” At present, tenants call the council about repairs that are the landlord’s responsibility, and the council arranges for a contractor to fix the problem. There would also be a reduction in bureaucracy if tenants are able to do the work themselves (as millions of people do each year) rather than calling in the council repairs team. Skilled work, such as central heating repairs and electrical or gas work, will still be done by specialist qualified contractors. However, until further details are announed, residents should continue to report their repair needs to the council.

SW6’s Stamford Bridge has been the home of Chelsea FC since 1905

Derelict shell set to turn into new flats

Council wants Chelsea to stay at the Bridge Chelsea’S future should be at Stamford Bridge, in an expanded stadium, according to the council. The 2010 Premier League champions say a new 60,000 stadium on the current site would cost more than £600million and that planning risks would be ‘insurmountable’. Chelsea FC claimed: “It is clear that a complete new build of a 60,000-seat stadium has little chance of acceptability, and that after discussions with the local council, they have come to the same conclusion.” However, Hammersmith & Fulham Council says while it recognises expanding the Blues’ historic home would not be easy or cheap, it could be done to benefit the club and local businesses, without unreasonably affecting residents. The alternative of moving away from Stamford Bridge could cost much more, according to the council. At 41,837-capacity, Stamford Bridge is the eighth largest Premier League ground. CFC wants extra matchday income to compete with rivals such as Manchester Utd and Arsenal. Council deputy leader Cllr Nick Botterill said: “We are proud to be the only borough in the country with three Premier League clubs, and we do not want our local businesses and residents to lose out on the economic and social benefits that this brings.”

H&F Council leader Stephen Greenhalgh and Cllr Andy Johnson at one of the new Becklow Gardens homes

ork to transform a derelict former health clinic in Shepherds Bush into two contemporary onebedroom flats is almost complete. Three months ago, the Becklow Gardens clinic in Becklow Road was nothing but a derelict shell of a building. Since then, builders have been working tirelessly to convert the space into two flats with spacious kitchens and modern bathrooms. Becklow Gardens is the first of seven sites across the borough where Hammersmith & Fulham Council intends to construct a total of 25 new affordable properties. The council announced last year that it would be establishing its own housing development company in order to directly provide new affordable homes for the first time in 30 years, to help local people living or working in the borough to get on to the property ladder and help create a borough of opportunity. H&F has the fourth highest house prices in the UK, and

envisage it being converted the scheme aims to give local into such stylish and modern people on low to middle homes, yet we’ve done it. incomes a once-in-a-lifetime “Schemes like this show that opportunity to own their own there is light at the end of the home at a discounted market tunnel as we strive to create rate. a low-cost home ownership The council has been borough of opportunity.” inundated with interest Through the housing since marketing the two development company properties, which will be sold structure, the council will be at a discounted market rate able to maximise its financial to people with a household return, retain the benefit of income of up to £60,000. any affordable housing that Each property comprises is developed and maintain a contemporary fullygreater control over the design fitted kitchen, including a of the new housing schemes. dishwasher and washing The housing development machine, central heating and company will initially be double-glazed windows, funded by money the as well as off-street council has saved parking and e from selling communal l H&F Hom ake ert d n u off empty gardens. ill w y u B of properties Cllr Andrew the process able it su g in that are too Johnson, fy ti n e id om the expensive cabinet applicants frgister. To re y u B to repair, member for e m Ho Home Buy but in the housing, said: register with 3 6464 or longer term it “I’m delighted call 020 875 me-buy@ is intended to to see the email h&fho v.uk lbhf.go become selfcompletion of financing. the first of our local Any profit made in the housing company’s early years could pay for estate new homes at Becklow improvements, such as better Gardens. open spaces, and improved “When I came to see this security for residents, as well as derelict building at the start more new homes. of the year, it was hard to

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WANDSWORTH Transport for London

Olympics roll into town

Riders in the 2011 Olympic test cycle event rip through Fulham’s streets on their way to The Mall. Left, TfL map shows impact of the Games on local roads

his year brings the largest sporting events in the world to the UK – the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Because London is hosting these large events, you’d expect roads and public transport to be much busier than usual. Olympic bosses Locog and Transport for London (TfL) will be working hard to host a great Games and keep London moving. The information on the map on the previous page will help you understand where the transport network will be busiest, and how your journey could be affected.

such as the introduction of Games Lanes, will be in place for both the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Changes around the Earls Court venue, including changes to stopping and parking, and some bus stop relocations, will only be in place for the Olympic Games. Vehicles that park or stop illegally on the ORN/PRN will be issued with a fine and could be taken to a vehicle pound.

Games Lanes These clearly marked lanes will be on about a third of the ORN/PRN and, when operational, they will not be open to general traffic. They will only be available for accredited vehicles and the The Olympic and adjacent lane will remain open Paralympic Route to general traffic. Networks (ORN/PRN) In Hammersmith & Fulham, This network of roads there will be Games Lanes on connecting venues, parts of the ORN/PRN on accommodation the A4. To avoid a fine, and transport Stay ahead of do not drive on Games hubs across the traffic jams Lanes when they are London will and road closures operational. They will be open to all by following be easily identifiable by general traffic. @GAOTG on clear markings on the Some changes Twitter lanes and signs along the to these roads roadside. will be in place to ensure reliable Earls Court venue journeys for athletes, officials, Changes to parking and local workers and the media. access around Earls Court will The changes along the A4,

discourage spectators from parking in the area, ensure local businesses and residents can park during Games time and help minimise disruption. There will be additional restrictions around the venue for security and operational requirements. London 2012 is sending information to affected residents and businesses. Spectator walking routes will be very busy before and after events. Road events The Cycling Road Races will take place on roads in Hammersmith & Fulham on Saturday July 28 and Sunday July 29. The route and surrounding roads will be closed to traffic but emergency and local access will be maintained as far as possible. On Saturday July 28, road closures in the borough will begin at 3am with roads reopening after the race as soon as it is safe to do so. On Sunday July 29, roads will be closed from 5am and will reopen as soon as possible. When road events use the ORN, athletes, officials, workers and the media will use alternative routes. These routes are highlighted on the map.

Olympic Torch Relay The Olympic Torch Relay will pass through Hammersmith & Fulham on Thursday July 26. There will be a rolling road closure as it travels through the borough. Public transport Some stations and lines will be particularly busy, including Earls Court, Fulham Broadway and West Brompton on the District line. You can minimise disruption to your journey by avoiding these stations at the busiest times. Many bus services will operate more frequently, and there will also be some diversions. Detailed information will be available closer to the Games. Plan your journeys Journeys will be affected across London. To find out more about how roads and public transport will be affected and how to get around more easily visit GetAheadoftheGames. com follow us on Twitter @ GAOTG or call 0843 222 1234 (You pay no more than 5p per minute if calling from a BT landline. There may be a connection charge. Charges from mobiles or other networks may apply.)

Your Home Magazine | 11

New buyers will snap up affordable homes in the borough

Residents need to have a say by Anthony Wood (pictured below) Local residents’ panel

1,000 new homeowners thanks to council help

ne thousand low to middle- disposable income is shrinking, it is becoming harder and harder for income earners will be first-time buyers to take that first helped to buy a home in step onto the housing ladder. Hammersmith & Fulham by 2014. “Owning your own home gives The borough has the fourth you a greater stake in your community highest house prices in Britain and many residents who dream of owning and a greater stake in your own future prosperity, so I am delighted that the a home in the borough are currently council has been able to have such priced out of the market. a positive impact on the lives of so Hammersmith & Fulham Council’s Home Buy team, dedicated to helping many.” Over the next year, the council is residents on to the housing ladder, has selling a further 39 discounted homes enabled 686 people to buy homes at Chelsea Creek and Imperial Wharf. in the past five years via low-cost The council has also sold 17 schemes such as shared ownership, properties through its right to discounted market sale and rent to freehold scheme, with a further three buy. in the pipeline, giving leaseholders the The council has also allocated chance to buy their freeholds. more than 117 rental properties to Alexandra Johnson bought the Hammersmith & Fulham residents and workers through the intermediate rent freehold to her home in Nella Road, scheme, which is also managed by the Hammersmith, in December. She said: “We always wanted to Home Buy team. own the freehold, but we had The council has also to wait for the flat upstairs to helped 64 people into be in a position to buy the homeownership through freehold too. the Right to Buy scheme ext n e “It only felt that which allows council th r e v O ouncil we owned half of the tenants who wish to buy year, the cfurther property, because their council property to will sell a unted someone could have receive a discount. That 69 disco s come in at any time and number is set to rocket home changed the windows. after the government has Now it is an amazing feeling extended the maximum to know that it is all under our discount to £75,000. control. The council was very helpful Sixteen families have already throughout the process and, once the moved in, with 53 properties likely property was valued, the whole thing to be sold in the Imperial Wharf only took a couple of weeks.” development by the same method l For more on first-time buyer homes before June. in Hammersmith & Fulham call H&F Cllr Andrew Johnson said: “With Home Buy, 020 8753 6464, or register property prices so high, and hardonline at: www.lbhf.gov.uk/homebuy working residents finding that their

‘‘

12 | Your Home Magazine

I joined the local residents’ panel partly because as a tenant in sheltered housing it is important that the 1,100 residents in the borough’s 22 sheltered housing schemes are represented. It is also vital that all residents have a say in how their homes and estates are managed and maintained. I hope that the panel will play a key role in monitoring the performance of housing services and working with them to improve areas such as repairs, caretaking and security – all major areas of concern for residents. Of equal importance is for the panel to work closely with all resident-led groups and forums to strengthen our voice and ensure our views and concerns are listened to. This year will be a challenging one and I am certainly up for it.

Let’s talk complaints

by John Ryan – Repairs working group I look forward to working with my colleagues on the repairs working group to make some changes that will be beneficial to tenants and leaseholders, by scrutinising services, especially around complaints and how they are dealt with. We also want to receive feedback from tenants and residents about the repairs service and how they would like to see improvements. We have a long way to go, so all the support we can get from all stakeholders will be greatly appreciated.

YOUR SHOUT Views from residents

Two panels are ready to help residents get points across

esident involvement in housing matters has been given a boost after the council set up two panels to give tenants and leaseholders a greater say. More than 17,000 homes returned to council control last year after H&F Homes (the arm’s-length management organisation) was replaced with a single housing and regeneration department. Following the move, the council identified improving resident involvement as a key priority. This decision was reached after leading independent resident involvement expert Phil Morgan scrutinised levels of tenant and leaseholder engagement in the borough. Mr Morgan argued that a borough-wide body – such as Hafftra (the Hammersmith and Fulham Federation of Tenants’ and Residents’ Associations), which has co-ordinated and managed

the way that the council engages and consults with its tenants, was no longer an effective way to engage and did not represent good value for money. Instead, he suggested that the council should expand the way that it engages by setting up a number of new residents forums. Residents had, collectively through a levy, been paying an annual sum of £160,000 to fund Hafftra. When the council wrote to its 12,500 tenants earlier this year, only 11 people directly supported retaining the levy. That levy has now been abolished and the council has set up a residents’ involvement panel and a repairs working group to improve levels of engagement. Here, Your Home Magazine hears from a number of residents who have already joined the panels.

Join us and help out by Tom Flynn – Repairs working group I am looking forward to working with other panel members of the repairs working group and to have an input into the group. This will include reviewing the working arrangements and interviewing the current contractors. There are still spaces on the residents’ panel and the repairs working group.

In addition, the council is looking for people to join an e-panel and a readers’ group to review its communication materials. To find out more – or to put yourself forward for one of the groups – please contact Daniel Miller or Shaun Dunleavy at GetInvolved@lbhf.gov.uk or call 020 8753 4244.

Private sector expertise

by Ibrar Dar (pictured left) Local residents’ panel When the council developed its new strategy for resident involvement, I immediately thought this was a good idea. I wanted to get involved so that I could help influence and shape thinking on how we can all collaborate to bring greater efficiency and improve the quality of services provided to all residents. Having spent nearly 20 years working in the private sector as a management

consultant I believe I may be able to bring some of this experience to the proposed new resident panels. It’s early days at the moment but we have already begun looking at reviewing our service standards across a number of areas and also how we can make it easier to understand some of the complicated documents sent to residents.

Work by contractors (like the one pictured) will be scrutinised by the repairs group

Your Home Magazine | 13

METAL THEFTS HIT ESTATES IN WHITE CITY AS COUNCIL VOWS TO TRACK DOWN THIEVES THIEVES have been stealing metal from railway signal cables and sheet lead from church roofs across the UK. But very few people realise that housing properties in H&F are not safe from metal thieves. Dramatic increases in raw material prices have also brought increases in the scrap value of not only lead and copper, but also in iron and aluminium. As a result, thieves have turned their attention to smaller items and the council has suffered from a number of incidents recently. Lead flashings and gutter linings have been stolen from the roofs of blocks in the White City area resulting in costly repairs to fix consequent leaks. Copper pipes from boilers have also been stolen in a number of areas. Cllr Andrew Johnson said: “Metal thieves need to be aware that the council and police will do everything possible to track you down and bring you to justice.” To address the problem, the council is: l Making sure that the roof access routes are secure l Investigating the possibility of marking existing roof covering materials and coding them so that each item is traceable to an individual block l Replacing stolen items with more modern materials with limited value. Rolls of lead need to be transported; it is unlikely that sufficient scrap value would be obtained from the amount of lead that could be carried on foot; so vehicles will be required. Only authorised staff from the council or one of their recognised contractors is allowed to gain access to the roof of any block of flats. All contractors will carry identification and will be wearing clothes with a company logo. Report any theft promptly – alert caretaking staff or neighbourhood wardens.

PREVENT FIRE BREAKING OUT BY FOLLOWING SAFETY RULES The council has issued advice to residents on how to prevent fire from breaking out. Residents should always ensure their flat entrance door is in a good state of repair and preferably closes on its own. Residents are also urged never to wedge open communal fire doors. If you spot broken or damaged fire doors, faulty lighting, missing signage and items stored in the common parts of your block please call 0800 131 3423 or 0800 093 3132.

14 | Your Home Magazine

Apprentice Jack Kenny paints a wall

Apprentices have brush with fame A group of apprentices have been putting their skills to good use by taking part in a number of community projects across the borough. The apprentices, from council contractor Willmott Dixon have refurbished Clem Attlee Residents’ Association’s office in Fulham. They have also improved the kitchen facilities at the Vereker

Road Sheltered Housing scheme in West Kensington. Patricia Roberts of Willmott Dixon said: “The changes to the communal kitchen are incredible. “The room was in dire need of a spruce up and the apprentices have done a fantastic job. The residents are so grateful for the time and effort that has gone into this.”

Clem Attlee residents call in at local pub after gas leak evacuation

gas leak on the Clem Attlee estate saw more than 100 residents evacuated to Hammersmith Town Hall. Gas started leaking from a pipe at Herbert Morrison House in Fulham at about 8pm on Saturday, February 25, and when engineers were unable to fix it quickly, police called for the block to be evacuated. The council laid on special buses to transport residents to Hammersmith Town Hall while nearby pub the Rylston London stayed open throughout the night, offering tea and entertainment. Rylston landlord Adam Newberry said: “The community centre across the road was locked so the police asked if we could stay open. We moved a load of furniture around to get people in and we must have had about 150 people, including families, children and dogs. “It was an amazing atmosphere

and by the end people were laughing and joking. People who wouldn’t normally speak to each other were getting on. “Some elderly women told me the spirit and camaraderie of people in the pub reminded them of the Blitz.” James Smith, who lives on the ninth floor of Herbert Morrison House, said: “There was a nice atmosphere and some beds were arranged for maybe half the people. “Some nice council staff gave out hot drinks and, when I left at about 6.15am to get some breakfast with my brothers, some of the staff had gone out to buy food for people.” Councillor Greg Smith said: “Disruption was kept to a minimum because the council, together with the police and local businesses, were able react quickly to support residents when they needed it most.”

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Did you know?

We are doing our bit by reducing management and overhead costs by 50 per cent by combining some services with neighbouring councils, saving H&F taxpayers around £11million by 2014/15.

incidents of graffiti and 1,210 fly posters, which led to 382 fines being issued and 23 prosecutions. The council will continue to clamp down on litter louts who cost the taxpayer money with highly visible proactive ‘beats’, inspecting streets and checking key routes daily. Last year, 1,054 people were fined for littering the streets of H&F.

The council’s council’s Parks Parks The Constabulary have have also Constabulary fined 21 21 dog dog owners owners for fined dog fouling fouling incidents incidents since dog the beginning beginning of of the year. the We are are making making it even easier We to report report enviro-crimes enviro-crimes like to litter and and graffiti graffiti with the litter new Report Report ItIt mobile mobile phone new application. The The app allows application. you to to report report an an incident you immediately to to the council immediately at the the touch touch of of a button, at using your your smart smart phone. using iPhone icon sizes

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you can do your bit by reporting it on your mobile Go to www/lbhf.gov.uk/reportit H&F residents can now download a fully integrated mobile app for reporting street problems: • graffiti • noise • dumped rubbish • pavement obstructions • litter • potholes • dog mess

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recycling your rubbish Putting out your paper, glass and other recycling, helped us save £800,000 a year.

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collected in Hammersmith & Fulham is eventually recycled, reused or composted.

You can help by putting the following items in your On average average every every Smart Sack or Smart Bank: Hammersmith Hammersmith && Fulham Fulham • Mixed glass resident resident throws throws away awayseven seven • Paper and card times times their their body body weight weight • Plastic bottles (about (about half half aa ton) ton) in inrubbish rubbish • Cartons every every year. year. • Tins, cans and aerosols Disposing Disposing of of one one ton tonof of • Plastic pots, tubs and non-recyclable non-recyclable rubbish rubbishcosts costs trays £136, £136, whereas whereas itit isismuch much Please remember to: cheaper cheaper for for the the council council • remove lids from jars and to recycle recycle -- itit only only costs costs bottles £77.50 £77.50 aa ton. ton. That Thatmeans means the council council saves saves £58.50 £58.50 • give bottles, jars, cans every every time time aa ton ton of ofwaste waste and cartons a quick is recycled recycled rather rather than thansent sent rinse in your washing up to an an energy-from-waste energy-from-waste water plant, where where rubbish rubbishisis plant, • flatten cardboard boxes incinerated. incinerated. • squash plastic bottles and cartons year, you you helped helpedrecycle recycle Last year, almost 15,000 15,000 tons tonsusing using almost You can do even more to orange Smart Smart Sacks Sacksand and help this year by throwing the orange Smart Banks Banks and and almost almost Smart away as little waste as of all all household householdwaste waste possible. You can compost half of

food and garden waste by ordering a composter at a discounted price through the council, and if you have children, you are entitled to a free real nappy voucher worth £45. A child uses around 5,000 nappies in their lifetime - that’s about a ton of household waste, which is sent for incineration - but real nappies could save you around £700 and save the council tens of thousands of pounds a year. You can send your old electrical items, furniture and other bulky items to be recycled or reused by our partners at the London Reuse Network, who will then pass them onto a new home. Go to www. lbhf.gov.uk/ recycling

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using our website 50,000 residents have online council accounts, helping us cut back-office costs by £1.6million.

You can help by opening an online account today to… renew your parking permit Go to www.lbhf.gov.uk/ myaccount If you have a parking permit and have received a renewal letter, you can renew it quickly and easily online by opening a council account. All you need is an email address and your name and address as displayed on your parking permit letter. You can also check your permit details and apply for Smart visitor permits. Manage your council tax statement Go to www.lbhf.gov.uk/ myaccount Keep up to date with your council tax payments and check your outstanding balance and billing periods. You can also check your council tax details, apply for a sole occupier discount or empty property exemption, and set up or amend a direct debit.

report litter, graffiti and noise Go to www.lbhf.gov.uk/ reportit Help us keep your streets clean by reporting street problems online or on your mobile. You don’t need an online account to do this but, if you do have one, you can keep track of progress. Now available as mobile download! register for e-updates Go to www.lbhf.gov.uk/newsupdates If you would like to be kept up to date with local events, news, consultations and special offers for residents, you can now register for email updates when you open an online account. check your housing benefit claim Go to www.lbhf.gov.uk/housingbenefit You can now check details of your council tax benefit or housing benefit claims by opening an online account. You can also use our online benefits calculator to work out what benefits you could claim, and apply online.

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Tenants get ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ chance to snap up £75,000 discount to buy their homes

e Left, H&F’s Maylene Cave talks to Aquil Jawad at the Right to Buy roadshow at the H&F Advice Centre

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opeful homeownersto-be were queuing around the block at the first H&F Right to Buy roadshow last month. Hammersmith & Fulham Council estimates that almost 400 people visited the event at 145 King Street, W6, to find out if they were eligible for a discount of up to £75,000 on the price of their council home. Queues began to form even before the event opened and 130 people made it through the door in the first hour. Two hundred people said that they wanted to sign up to the extended Right to Buy scheme, meaning that since the discount was increased earlier this month, 250 H&F council tenants have began the process of buying their homes. Following calls from Hammersmith & Fulham Council, the Government has increased the maximum Right to Buy discount from £16,000 to £75,000. This means that thousands of tenants now have a once-in-a lifetime chance to get onto the housing ladder. One person who attended was mother of three, Maria Afonso. Maria, 38, of Cathnor Road, Shepherds Bush, said: “It was a very good event. “There was lots of information available and I was able to find out everything that I needed to know about buying my own council home.

‘‘

We kne the Rightw Buy schemto would be e popular “My husband and I will be applying because it really is a huge discount and a fantastic opportunity to do something positive for our family.” Cllr Andrew Johnson, cabinet member for housing attended the event and said: “The queues stretching around the building were more reminiscent of the first day of the post Christmas sales than a council event. “Now that the discount has been extended, hundreds of residents have voted with their feet and said that they want to buy their own council home. “We knew that the extended Right to Buy scheme would be popular but we never quite imagined that 400 people would attend out first Roadshow. “Hammersmith & Fulham is a borough of housing opportunity with home ownership at its core and I

hope that those tenants who were not able to make the launch will visit one of the other roadshow events that we shall be holding soon.” At the event, officers from the council’s dedicated Home Buy team calculated the exact discount that tenants are eligible for and discussed the responsibilities that buying your own home entails. Representatives from Nationwide were available to discuss how to apply for mortgages and two independent financial advisors were also on hand. Right to Buy has helped thousands of council tenants in H&F to buy their own home since it launched over 30 years ago, but completions under the scheme all but collapsed when the maximum discount in the capital was reduced in 2004 from £38,000 to £16,000.

The move led to a slump from 245 Right to Buy sales in 2004/2005 to a only seven in H&F last year. Tenants should not worry if they missed the launch event because the Roadshow will be coming to a location near you in the coming weeks! Future dates for the H&F Right to Buy Roadshow: l White City Community Centre, Saturday, May 19 10am-2pm India Way, W12 For more information about Right to Buy in Hammersmith & Fulham email: h&fhome-buy@ lbhf.gov.uk or telephone 020 8753 6464. To qualify, residents must meet certain criteria. For example the tenant must have been living in the property for at least five years. The property must also be the tenant’s only or principal home. Other conditions apply.

H&F Homes Magazine | 19

Five easy steps to owning your own home* 1 Call the council’s HomeBuy team on 020 8753 6464 2 Learn about the responsibilities that buying your own home entails with one of our HomeBuy experts

Do you want to

buy your own home?

3 Apply for Right to Buy by returning your signed application form 4 If you are eligible, you will receive an offer letter from the council 5 Sign on the dotted line

See overleaf for how to get your hands on the keys to a bright future

with a discount of up to

£75,000! As a council tenant, you could be eligible to buy the home you live in Subject to eligibility: The tenant must have been living in the property for at least five years. The property must be the tenant’s only or principal home. Other conditions apply.

Hammersmith & Fulham Council

Visit the h&F right to buy roadshow at white City Community Centre

Saturday, 19 may 10.00am-2.00pm India Way, W12 7QT If you are unable to make one of the roadshows but are interested in finding out about Right to Buy in Hammersmith & Fulham email: h&fhome-buy@lbhf.gov.uk or phone: 020 8753 6464 *This is a summary of the process