Neighbourhood Matters Summer 2021

Hello...

Welcometothissummeredition of ournewsletter.

Thepast18monthshavebeen incredibly toughfor everyone in allsorts of ways so Iwould like to sayabig thankyou to you allfor helpingthe Homes in Sedgemoorteamduring thesetimes –whether it is respondingtosurveys,joiningin virtualevents, looking afteryour neighbours andneighbourhood or just beinga little patient if your call has takenlonger to answer

Thankyou to this year’s Garden Competitionentrants,the judges had ahard choice deciding the winners. Well done to everyone whotookpart. Ialsowantto saya thankyou to everyone at HomesinSedgemoorfor working so hard to maintain services during thesedifficult times. On services generally, youmay have seenour mini roadmap. Although restrictions regardingthe wearingofface maskshas eased,inviewof thehighinfection ratesand ourprioritytokeepyou and ourteams as safe as possible, ourteams andcontractorswill continue to wear face masksin your home forthe foreseeable future. We will keep this decision under regularreview andlet you know of anychanges.

To make surethe services we provideare what youwant, we need to listen andlearn.Iam therefore pleasedtosee some of ourlearningfeaturedinthis newsletter.Toensureyour voiceisheard even louder,you will also read aboutthe new SedgemoorTenantsAssurance Committeeand howitwillhelp improve services

Communities areat theheart of everything we dosoIam delightedthatcommunity Walkaboutshave recommenced. Gettingout andabout meeting youisanimportant part of our role so Ihopeyou areabletosay hello to ourteams when yousee them in thecomingmonths.

At theend of this newsletter youwillsee asummary of our annual reportonthe last year. This showsyou some of the highlights of last year,how we spentour moneyand howwe performed againstour targets. Ihopeyou findthisuseful.

Finally, youmay have heard the outcomeofthe recent review of localgovernment in Somerset. TheGovernment hasdecided on asingleunitary authority forSomerset, whichwillmean anew councilisformed.At this very earlystage we do not know theultimateimpacton HomesinSedgemoorbut we arecommitted to continued closeworking with Sedgemoor District Counciland allSomerset councils to support anychanges ahead. We will always champion your voiceand theserviceswe providetoyou

Iwould like to wish youagreat summerand Ilookforward to seeingasmanyofyou as possible outand aboutoverthe coming months.

Best wishes,

Peter PeterHatch, ChiefExecutive

Woolavington, Puriton and Polden and Parrett Villages

Sydenham and the Levels

Hamp, North Petherton, South Bridgwater Villages and La Ciotat

Cheddar,Axbridge and North Sedgemoor Villages

Burnham-on-Sea, Highbridge, Brean and Berrow

Bridgwater Central and West Bridgwater Villages

Corporate News

Garden Competition 2021winners

We’reexcitedto announce this year’s Garden Competition

2021 winners!

Preparations startedfor this year’s competitionway back in September2020whenwe were luckyenoughtohave support from threeofour board members, allofwhomare keen gardeners: CouncillorJanet Keen, Councillor KathyPearceand ourcustomer representative, MarieHide.

We worked witha number of contractorsand suppliers to sponsorthe competition, whichmeant lots of lovely prizes to be abletodistribute.

Ourwinnersare:

Each entrantalsoreceived ahand-carved garden dibber made by PorterhouseWood Artand wildflower seeds donatedbySeed of Hope CIC. Thejudges were very lucky with theweather in late June when visiting all27entries

Each year,the competition is developingand,aswell as recognising thosewho take prideintheir space, we arealsotakingintoaccount themanydifferentaspects of what gardeninginvolves. There is so much publicityatthe moment abouthow important wildlife is to ourgardens as well as sustainabilityand we

have incorporated this into the competition,withtipsincluding:

•Use waterbutts where possible to replace usinghosepipes

•Reducethe useofchemicals as much as possible

•Use companiongardening–make useofplantsthat reducepests on otherplants

•Createa havenfor beesand butterflies within planting helpingtonaturally propagate

•Takecuttingsfromcurrent planting andcollect seeds.

Thejudges were privilegedto visitsomewonderfulgardens againthisyearand wouldlike to thankeveryonewho entered.

Best LargeGarden MrsHooper, of Cannington

Best SmallGarden Mr Cook,ofHighbridge

Best ImprovedGarden Ms Turner,ofBawdrip

Best BuddingGardener (Under 16s) Mary Louand Analise, of Bridgwater

Best CommunalGarden Mr &Mrs Stephenson,ofCannington

Best Veggies Mr &Mrs Cadwallender,ofAxbridge

Best Containers/Pots/Balconies MrsTanner, of Bridgwater

Bridgwater Central and West Somerset Villages

Newwindows at Taylor Court

CustomersatTaylor Court, Bridgwater,havebeen enjoying theirnew windows. Thepreviouswindows at Taylor Courtwere brownaluminium, both internallyand externally, andhad come to theend of their naturallifecycle.Thisgaveusan exciting opportunity to replace theold windowswithmodern Unplasticized PolyvinylChloride (uPVC) windows.

uPVC windowshavea rangeof benefits, includingreducingnoise andcreatinga constant internal temperaturethroughretaining indoor heat

We askedcustomers living in Taylor Courtfor their feedback. Onecustomersaid:

Bridgwater Foodbank donation

Equans, formerly named Engie, contractorsfor ourprogrammed works in theSouth,made the following donation to the Bridgwater Foodbank:

•£50 worthoffood

•£150Morrisonsvoucher

•£100payment

This generous amount has been raised by Equans’ site team and itscontractors to help provide nine families withfood

Equans’ Resident Liaison Officer, Kim, said:“Equansisreally

pleased to support this project with theworktheyare doing with families in thelocal area.

“Working alongsideHomes in Sedgemoortosupport local communityprojects is important to me personally andtoEquans.”

TheBridgwater Foodbank is findingdonations arereducing. There area number of different ways to help your localfoodbank, includingutilising supermarket drop offpoints andbydonating asupplyoffood directlyatyour closestbranch.

are.”

Anothercustomersaidthe windowswere “a marked improvement”and that they received“greatservice”.

Bridgwater Rangers MaDfunding

1stBridgwater Rangers, who received£1,500throughour Making aDifference fund,has said amassive thankyou.

Thegroup said:“This is goingto make ahugedifference forus andweare extremelygrateful.”

“I’m extremelyhappy with theway thenew windowslook, andhow much warmer they

Damp andmould

If youhaveany issues or concernsaboutdampand mouldwithin your home,thenpleasedocontact us and we willarrange forour surveyor to attend andinspect.

Themostcommoncause of mouldgrowthwithin our propertiesiscondensation, due to moisture in theair.

Condensationtends to be a seasonal problem that is worse in thecolder months –OctoberApril, andduringthe warmer summermonthsthe problem canbeseentogoaway.

During thewinter,the house tends to be notsowellventilated due to windowsand doorsbeing closed andthisallows abuild-up of moisture within thehouse that cancause condensation.

Condensationisnot aproblem that canbecompletelycured, as there is always goingtobe moisture in theair,but we can help to managethis.

Theaverage householdcan produceapproximately 24 pints of moisture everyday,and if

Condensation can be reducedby:

1 Producing less moisture in your home

2 Stoppingmoisture spreadingaround your home

you’re in your home for most of theday (particularly common with recent Government restrictions), then condensation will form.

Everyhomegetscondensation at some time -usuallywhenlots of moisture andsteam arebeing produced -for example, at bath times, when amainmealis beingcookedorwhenclothes arebeing washed.

It is quitenormaltofind your bedroom windowsmistedup in themorning aftera cold night. There is nothingmuch youcan do to stop this.

Please visitour websiteor contactusfor more information andtipsfor reducingmoisture andcondensationinyour home – customer.services@ homesinsedgemoor.org or 0800585 360.

3 Keepingyour home ventilated

4 Keepingyour home warm

Othercausesof moistureand damp

Whilst themostcommon causeofmould is condensation, therecan also be otherunderlying causes,such as:

! Leaks–via roof,guttering, windows, doorsetc

! Penetratingmoisture throughthe walls

! Rising damp

If youthink that your home has anyofthese issues,then please do contactussothat we canarrange forasurveyor toattendand inspect.

Nowafinaldecision has been announced, allparties are committedtoworking closely together to make thechanges happen as smoothly as possible. Within thecomingweeks, stafffromMendip,Sedgemoor, Somerset,South Somerset and Somerset West andTaunton councils will be meeting with officials from theGovernment to startthe processoftransitionto thenew authority.

Peter Hatch, ChiefExecutive at HomesinSedgemoor, said: “Atthis very earlystage we do notknowthe ultimate impact on HomesinSedgemoor,but we arecommittedtocontinued closeworking with Sedgemoor District Council andall Somerset councilstosupportany changes ahead. We will always champion your voiceand the services we providetoyou.”

Thedecisionwas announced on Wednesday, July 22,byLocal Government SecretaryRobert Jenrick, MP,ina ministerial statementtoParliament. Thedecisionnow requires Parliamentaryapproval. Thenewsmeans that asingle unitarycouncil forSomersetwill be formed on April1,2023to replace thecounty’sfive existing county anddistrictcouncils.

Sydenham and the Levels

Biodiversity in Middlezoy

We donated£1,500 throughthe Making a Difference Fund to the MiddlezoyBiodiversity Grouptohelpitcontinue improvingthe community.

Middlezoy Biodiversity Group, whichencourages the development of wildflower areas to help wildlife,applied forthe granttoimprove public spaces such as theplaying fields, the allotments,and thechurchyard

Thegrant allowedthe group to buynew signpoststodefine areasthatneed improvingor developing. Thesesignposts will be used to identify and support thelocal wildlife and

newtrees whichare scheduled to be planted.

TheMiddlezoy Biodiversity Group also planstoinstall some new fencingtoprotect theareainthe churchyard andplant newtrees next Autumn.Our donation of £1,500 will also fund theprinting of thegarden leafletand further publicityfor thegroup.

Angi,Community Enabler,said: “I have beenreallyproud to have revamped andfacilitated the Making aDifference Fund overthe last four years.

“Wehave beenabletosupport thegrant assessment panel throughout that time to donate over£40,000 to localgroups andorganisations.

“Weare very grateful forthe time that thepanel givesin working with theapplicantsfor thefundwhich supportsgrass rootsorganisations that provides avariety of services to ourlocal communities in Sedgemoor.”

More informationabout the Making aDifference Fund canbefound on ourwebsiteat www.homesinsedgemoor.org

TheGovernment hasannounced itsdecisionregarding localgovernment reorganisation in Somerset,and theoutcome is in favourofasingleunitary authorityfor theareacurrently served by fivecouncils.

Walkabouts

We areexcited to be relaunchingour communityWalkabouts!

We holdWalkaboutsthroughout Sedgemoor to identify areasin your community in need of improvement

We workclosely with other organisations, includingClean Surroundings andSedgemoor District Council, to tackle any issues raised during the Walkabouts.

We arenow able to invite customerstojoinusonour Walkabouts!Tofind out when your localWalkabout will be held, visitthe events section on ourwebsite, at www.homesinsedgemoor.org.

If youare unable to make your localWalkabout andyou’ve spottedsomething in your communityyou’d like us to look at whileweare out, contact Customer Services at customer. services@homesinsedgemoor. org or call 0800 585360 and letusknow.

OurupcomingWalkabouts are:

• Highbridge –meeting at 10am,September 7, at Morland Shops, MorlandRoad

• West Huntspill –meeting at 10am,September 15,at theCrossways Inn, WithyRoad

• Sydenham (Fairfax) –meeting at 10am,September 22, at Co-op, Parkway

• Cheddar –meeting at 10am, October 6, at Penn Close

• Hamp –meeting at 10am, October12, at Recreation, RhodeLane

• Burnham-on-Sea –meeting at 10am,Rosewood Hall, Rosewood Close

• Sydenham (Dunwear) –meeting at 10am,October 20, at Co-op, Parkway

• BridgwaterCentral (WestStreet) –meeting

at 2pmWestoverGreen, andat2.30pmWestfield House, onNovember 2

• Woolavington –meeting at 10am,November 10, at the Fish andChipShop, Bitham Walk

• Bridgwater Central(Newtown) –November 16,at2pm, meeting at St George’s Hall, KendaleRoad

Welfarecalls feedback

Following thefirstconversation, we offeredrepeatcalls where necessary.

OnecustomerlivinginCheddar, whowas contactedbyCyan, Neighbourhood Officer,was very grateful fortheir welfarecall.

Thecustomer said:“Thetruth is,[you] arethe only ones who calledtocheck IamOK, apart from my family.

“Theyhavecalledacoupleof timestosee if they canhelp andwhether Ineedanything.”

Ourwelfare callsallow us to checkonour customers’ health, happiness, andwellbeing,aswell

Untidygardens

As Covid-19restrictionslift, we have enjoyedbeing back outinour communities.

We have seen some fantastic gardens enteredintoour recent Garden Competition butthere arealsomanygardens that look untidy.

Please remember to keep your grasstrimmed neatly andcut back hedges andtrees,put your rubbishout only on thecorrect dayand keep anyother items neat andtidy.

If youare struggling to manage your garden,wemay be ableto findyou some help.Contact our Customer Services Team formore informationat customer.

services@homesinsedgemoor.org or call 0800585 360.

Didyou know…

We recently held an Aids and AdaptationsScrutinyEvent. To findout what customers thoughtofthe service, visit ourwebsite.

as ensuretheyreceive thecorrect support regardingshopping essentials,careassistanceand otherimportant services.

ThecustomerinCheddar also said to Cyan that “a phonecall goes alongway”.

We have nowagreedwiththe customer todo weekly welfare callsand referhim to AgeUK to getadditionalsupport

Thenumberofwelfare calls requestedhas nowreduced, however,weare stillhereif youneed extrasupport.

Contactour Customer Services Team on 0800585 360 for more information.

Dream Scheme

TheDream Scheme has been busy organising theAugust summerholiday events,and there arelotsofgreat days planned.

From zootrips,picnics,arts andcrafts, flower pot decorating andflower potting,wehave a busy andfun packed summer holidayahead

We arecurrently looking forvolunteersfor theDream Scheme in Woolavington and Puriton,ifthisissomethingyou wouldbeinterested in,please call theCommunity Enabler Team at HomesinSedgemoor formoreinformation.

Corporate News

Cheddar,Axbridge and North Somerset Villages

During thefirstlockdown, colleagues across the organisation called customersto checkontheir welfareand ensure they hadenoughsupport

Woolavington, Puriton and Polden and Parrett Villages

Homes in Sedgemoor customer savingsincentive

We have joined forces with WestcountrySavings andLoans,the largestcreditunion in theSouth West, to offeryou an exclusivesavingsbonus scheme

Availabletoall Homes in Sedgemoorcustomers, theincentive is simple:

1 Open an accountwith WestcountrySavings andLoans

2 Save aminimum of £5 in three separate months betweennow andthe endofOctober 2021

3 We will adda £10bonustoyour accountonNovember 1, 2021

School uniform loans

If you’re shortofcashtopay fornew schooluniform,avoid high-cost lendersand loan sharks by borrowingfromyour localcreditunion, Westcountry Savingsand Loans. Thecreditunionofferssmall loansand is free to join.

HowdoesWestcountry Savings andLoans compare to otherlandlords fora £500 loanover12months?

If you’dliketostart saving today, findout more aboutthe scheme by visiting www.westcountry.org. uk/homesinsedgemoor

If youhaveany questions,or wouldliketodiscuss thescheme in person,pleasecontact our Income Team,via Customer Services,at customer.services@ homesinsedgemoor.org or by calling 0800585 360.

Encouraging asavings habit

Saving alittlemoney regularly is thekey to better financial resilience in thefuture. Your nest eggwillquickly grow andprovide youwith abufferagainst emergency costslikea broken washing machine or an urgent car repairbill. Themoreyou add, thequicker your cash pot growsand couldevenprovide youwiththe meanstotreat thefamilyevery nowand then.

Our savings scheme partner

Credit unions arenon-profit financialco-operatives serving localcommunities.Theyprovide asafehomefor your savings andresponsible,affordable loanstoensureyou stay in controlofyourmoney.Unlike banksand buildingsocieties, credit unions have no external shareholders– theirmembers (customersjustlikeyou)control what happens by voting on plansattheir Annual General Meeting

*Source:www.satsumaloans co.uk/ payday-loans01.07.2020

Community skip day

We will be holdinga skip day at Ringstone, West Huntspill, in thenearfutureand areinthe process of planning it

Keep your eyes peeled!

If youhave itemsyou have been meaningtoget ridof, or think they couldbeused by someone else,and wouldliketobe involved, please contactElla, ourCommunity Enabler, on 0800585 360.

PhotoCompetition

We areexcited to be launching this year’s PhotographyCompetition.

Each year we hold acustomer competitiontogiveall you buddingphotographers the chance to have your photo featured in ourcalendar. This year,wewould like to see your photos showingwhatyou love aboutwhere youlive.

If you’dliketoenter,sendyour entriesto customer.services@ homesinsedgemoor.org or messageusonFacebook. Photos need to be aminimum of 1MBin sizeand must include ashort captionabout thephoto.

Thedeadlinefor submissions is Monday,September 13

Forfullterms andconditions, visit www.homesinsedgemoor.org.

Striving to StartSomething?

Anew initiative couldhelpcustomersstriving to startany type of business.

We’reteaming up withawardwinningentrepreneurs forthe newproject, Strive.

When it kicksoff in September, Strivewilloffer customers advice,training, support,tipsand tricks.It’sanactionpacked 12-weekproject, that is perfect foranyonewho wantstostart or has just startedtheir own business

This is an amazingchanceto join agroup of people whoare allstriving to startabusiness andget:

•One-to-one advice from an experiencedentrepreneur

•Weeklylivetrainingsessions on everything from brandingto book-keeping

•On-demand access to extra coursesyou canuse to learn anywhere, anytime

•Group discussionswithothers

•A chance to enter competitions with cash prizes andfeedback from guest experts

Theproject will allbedelivered online so youcan connectfrom thecomfort of your ownhome. All youneed is adevicetolog onto theinternetand thedrive to work on making your business idea happen

Emma,who sellsWax Melts online,said: “I really enjoyed theentireprocess;I wouldn’t have hadthe confidence or theknowledge of howto structurea business without theStriveguys.”

Tom, abusyfootball coach, said: “It’ssofriendly, but educational. Ipersonallydon’t thinkthere is abetterplace to learnwhatyou need to starta business.”

Martha,who is starting achildcare business, said: “I wasvery scared at the beginning because of my ageand thetechnology, butitwas really fun. Theproject is so encouraging, kind,funny, interestingand everything is very clear. It makesyou realise everything is possible.”

Corporate News

ExtraCareHousing

If youare finding it more difficult to live in andmaintain your home, youmay be consideringdifferent housingoptions.

If youhave higherlevel of care andsupport needs,Extra Care Housingcould be agood option. We manage three schemesin Sedgemoor:

•Hilda Coles House, Albert Street,Bridgwater

•GibbHouse,RhodeLane, Bridgwater

•Elizabeth Court, Mendip Way, Burnham-on-Sea

ExtraCareHousing allows youto liveasindependentlyaspossible, in thesecurityand privacyof your ownhome, butgives you thepeace of mind that someone is on call if youneed anyhelp.

ExtraCareisaformofhousing with self-contained,accessible andaffordableone-bedroomed flats that youcan rent. They are purpose-builtfor people who have care andsupport needs.

If youhave regularcareand support needs, they canbemet by theon-site team of care and support workers. Your support is tailored to your ownsituation andcan easily be adjusted if your needschange.

Communal facilitiesare also provided.These vary between schemes, butwillinclude alounge, diningroomand organised activities during theday andevening. Laundry facilities, gardens andguest accommodation, hairdressing, andlunch time mealsare also availableatmostschemes.

ExtraCareHousing schemesare locatedveryclose to localshops andamenities

Formoreinformation, visitthe

ExtraCareHousing section on ourwebsiteand watchour video on ExtraCareHousing.

What is Extra Care Housing?

•Yourown home within a scheme of ExtraCareflats

•On-site staffoncall 24 hoursa daytoprovide care andsupport

•Access to on-site communal facilities

Youcan have help with things like:

•Washing,dressingand personalcare

•Preparingsnacksand heatingupmeals

•Shoppingand laundry (privatelypurchased)

•Somedomestictasks (privatelypurchased)

•Reminderstotakemedicines (aspartofacarepackage)

AllExtra Care schemes have on-site staffwho are responsible fordelivering housingrelated support, whichincludes:

•Checking youare OK each day

•Helpwithcorrespondence

•Assistanceinmaking health appointments

•Helping youdealwith moneymatters

•Helping with housingand tenancyrelated issues

•Helping youtoaccess otherservices, such as ahandyman service

•Helping youtoand from thediningroomto have ahot meal (meals charged separately)

•Managingthe buildingand gardens

Elaine Oliverisour new Customer Liaison Officer,basedatLa Ciotat House.Elainewillbebasedin Flat 30, coordinatingaccess forthe heating installation andwillbethe first pointof contactfor customers.

Sedgemoor TenantsAssurance Committee

In November 2020,the Government published itsHousingWhitePaper calledThe Charterfor Social HousingResidents. This documentspecifically states theexpectationsnow being placed on socialhousing landlords andmeans that residents can expect ‘tobeabletoholdtheir landlord toaccount,knowhow it is performing andwhatdecisions it is making’and ‘tohaveyour voiceheard by your landlord’. Theseexternaldrivers gave us theopportunity to reflectuponour approach to customer involvement, scrutiny,and governance.

In January, we launched a campaign to recruitmembers to an Operations Committee.

Agroup of involved customers workedwithusand ouradvisor from Tpas,asaSteeringGroup, to co-designand co-createthis newformalstructure.

Following aselection andinterview process,wehave successfully recruitedseven members.

Membersfeltthe name Operations Committeedidn’treflectthe role of theCommittee,sotheyhave chosen to be called Sedgemoor TenantsAssurance Committee.

Thecreationofthe Sedgemoor TenantsAssurance Committee will be akeyway; ameans by whichthe ‘tenant voice’ can ensureHomes in Sedgemoor meets itslegal,regulatory, and business objectives,and ensure we meet ourservice standards andcommitments to customersin allthe areasinwhich we operate. We look forwardtoupdatingyou on what theCommittee has been up to in thenextnewsletter,and youcan also keep up-to-dateon ourwebsite.

If youare forward thinking andwanttodriveforward better services to customers, call Sharon,Community Enabler, on 0800585 360 to getinvolved.

Pauline

Ann

Karen

A Aimee

MrC Scott

Martin

BoardAGM

We arepleased to invite HomesinSedgemoor customersand leaseholders to this year’s Annual GeneralMeeting (AGM)which is taking placeon Tuesday, September28, 2021 at 1.15pm.

With thehoped foreasingof Covid-19restrictions,weare lookingtomeetinpersoninthe SedgemoorRoom, Bridgwater House, King Square, Bridgwater, TA63AR.Weare also exploring optionsfor tenantsand leaseholderstojoin themeeting virtuallyiftheywish, usingthe meeting applicationZoom. To attendthe meeting virtuallyyou wouldneed to be abletoaccess theinternetand themeeting applicationZoomfrom atablet, phone, or laptop

There will be areview of the year provided by theChair and ChiefExecutive of Homesin Sedgemoorand theLeader and ChiefExecutive of Sedgemoor District Council.

TheAGM will also receive theFinancial Statements for theyearended March31, 2021 andwilllooktoappoint externalauditorsfor the upcoming year.Board member retirements,appointmentsand

Tender evaluations

Five involved customersattended aProcurement Evaluation

Training sessionand formed a paneltoreviewtendersfor an electrical testingand repair contractand astructural engineercontract.

We involvecustomersinany selectionprocess whereservices impact on them.Thisapplies mainly to servicecontracts over a£250,000 valuebut some lower valuecontracts mayalsoinvite customerstotakepart.

re-appointments will also be discussed.Our Chairofthe Audit andRiskCommittee will also be presenttotakeany questions. TheAGM also provides an opportunityfor customersand leaseholderstoraisequestions to theBoard.

Finalarrangementsfor the AGMwillbeconfirmed closerto thedatewithupdates provided on ourwebsite.

If youwould like to attend theAGM (eitherinperson or virtually),oryou have a questionyou wouldliketo puttoour Board,pleasecontact us by email at customer. services@homesinsedgemoor. org or call us on 0800585 360, by Friday,September 17,2021.

If youwould like to attend virtually, butare unsureof howtouse Zoom,pleaselet us know,and we will do our best to support youwiththis.

Didyou know…

There maybespace on ourBoard forthe right customer!Ifyou’reinterested in gettinginvolved, please contact customer.services@ homesinsedgemoor.org for more information.

Do youwantto getinvolved?

We have lots of opportunities forcustomerstoget involved! Thegroupsyou could join include:

•Customer Services and Communications Group

•PropertyServicesGroup

•Neighbourhood Services Group

•Makinga Difference

(MaD)FundPanel

•ScrutinyGroup

We will coverthe costsofyour involvement andout of pocket expenses will be reimbursed, includingchildcare. Meetingsare amixture of face to face andonlineand there will be opportunities to attend site visits,conferences, events, training coursesand more should youwish.

We will support youevery step of theway andtogether we canmakea difference! I’minterested, what next?

Contactthe Community Enabler Team at community. engagement@ homesinsedgemoor.org or by calling 0800 585360

DiversityVoice is alocal charity whichoffersadviceand services to speakers of otherlanguages in Somerset

Everyyear, thecharityoffers support free of chargetohundreds of people from alloverthe world

Almost allofthe charity’sstaff aremigrantstoo,and help is availableinany language. Youmay have metone of the charity’ssupport staffifyour childhas language help at school or in their earlyyears setting. There is much more help availablethough.

Welfareadviceand support

Thecharitycan putyou in touch with organisationsthatcan help

We teamed up with Devonand Somerset Fire andRescueService to carryout home firesafety visits to ourcustomers at Westfield House to support anationalprogrammecalledthe ‘BuildingRiskReviewProgram’.

Theaim of theprogramme is to make high-riseand high-risk residential buildings saferand give thegovernment,and local fire andrescueservices, abetter understandingofhigh-rise buildings in theUK.

TheDevon andSomersetFire andRescueService accessed atotal of 12 properties and

WestfieldHouse Home Fire Safety Visits Diversity Voice

with issues such as housingand benefits, andwithwelfare issues such as domestic violence and hate crimes.Ask theteamabout pandemic-related issues too, like testing, travel advice and government restrictions

Englishlessons

Thecharity’spopular English Clubs,which offerfreelessons with aqualified teacher, will be openingagain soon and registrations arenow being accepted.Classes area great waytomakenew friendsand getother support too.

Immigration Advice

DiversityVoice is registeredto offerprofessionalsupport for

identified andassessed anyrisks in thehome, provided advice around saferbehaviours and provided equipment to help reduce anyrisks.

Customerswere grateful forthe visits andenjoyed afreefish and chip lunchfor allowing theteam into their homes.

applicants to theEUSettlement Scheme.Althoughthe deadline has passed,anyonewho has agood reason fornot having applied in time mightstill be abletoapply.The team recommends if youhaven’t appliedyou do this as soon as possible,and cangive youmoreinformation about whetherornot you’re eligible. There’s lots more information at www.diversityvoice.org.uk, or on Twitter @diversity_voice or Facebook @diversityvoice Youcan getintouch with the team in anylanguageat hello@diversityvoice.org.uk or on 0300 0750105

If,likethousandsofother Somerset residents, you have come from anothercountry to make Somerset home,you’llbepleased to know thereisplentyof support available to help youinyournew life.

STAR Survey results

Thankyou to everyone who took part in this quarter’s STAR Survey.Yourvaluable feedback helpsustocontinue to improveour services.

LessonsLearned

From complaints received aboutinadequateheating, in collaborationwithour Zero-Carbonproject, we are reviewingEPC ratingsand heating provision within ourproperties, allowing us to adopt afabricfirst approach,checking such things as loft andcavitywallinsulation, windowsand doors, to ensure they areefficientand costeffectivefor ourcustomers to runand keep their homeswarm.

If youhaveany concerns about your heating, or anyother aspect of your property condition then please do letusknow.

We have also responded to customer feedback received about

newheating beinginstalledtoa blockofflatsand have re-visited plansinconjunction with advice to ensurefire safety regulations aremet.

We will continue to liaise with residentsduringthe remaining works,and ensuretheyreceive regularupdates andare ableto voiceany furtherconcerns.

We really valueyour feedback anduse both negativeand positive commentstohelp shapeour services. We carryout quarterlySTAR (SurveyofTenantsand Residents) surveys viaour partner, MEL Research,and we mayalsocontact youvia text,phone,oremail, aboutour various services as andwhenyou access them

Goingforward,weare also very excitedtobetrialling theuse of Voicescape,which will generate an automatedcalltocustomers following contactwithour Customer Services Team, completion of arepairorany plannedworks.

If youare askedtoparticipate in asurvey, please do take part, so that we canlearn from your feedback,and youwillalsobe enteredintoa draw with the chance to wina£50 Love to Shop voucher.

Homes in Sedgemoor Annual Report 2020-2021 Summary

Every year we produceanAnnual Reporttoshowcase what we havebeenupto, howwehavebeen doing and howyou, as customers, havehelped to shape our services.We haveincluded asummary of our latest Annual Reportinyour newsletter.When reading it, we hope youfeelweare doing the very best job we canfor you.We would also liketotakethis opportunitytothank all our customers forworking with us and trusting us over the past year.Toviewthe full Annual Report, please visit our websiteatwww.homesinsedgemoor.org or call us on 0800 585 360 to request your ownpaper copy.

Repairs and Maintenance

We work hard to maintain your propertiestoagreat standard to ensure youhavegood quality, safehomes. The Covid-19 pandemiccreatednew challenges forboth us and ourcustomers,but,thankstoyou, we havebeen abletokeepyourhomes in goodrepair.Weknowthe last year has been scary, but by continuingtoreportrepairs and letting us in your homes, we were able to work with our contractors to find new, safe ways of working.The lastyear sawa big increase in routine jobs, but we areproud of how, through partnershipworking,wewere able to continue to deliver agreat service.

5,790

98.8%

We carriedout same day repairs of same day repairs were completed on time

4,479

92%

We carried out routine repairs of routine repairs were completed on time

Upgrading Your Home

665

92.6% overall customer satisfaction with the responsive repairs service

Each year,wecarry out alarge number of home upgrades to ensure youcontinue to love where youlive. Despitethe challenges we haveall facedoverthe last 12 months, we areproud to haveworked with you to find the best ways to continue work on our Great Estates Programme. By trusting us to work safely in your homes, we were able to spend £9.2 million upgrading your properties and communal areas, including 1,006 installations, such as newroofs, windows and heating systems.

455

(including fascia and soffit) 30

We carried out emergencyrepairs of emergencyrepairs were completed on time Windows 92 Kitchens Canopies

77 108 Gas boilers 92

New doors 59 Roofs Air source heat pumps

We created

£9,412,601 of socialvalue

*Subject to validation by HACT

The Covid-19 outbreak meant our involved customers and Community Enabler Team had to find newwaysofworking and engaging with others virtually.Weare pleased to share that through everyone’s hard work, we created an impressivesocialvalue of almost £9.5 million!

Doing Christmasabit differently

Every year,wework hard to putonfestiveevents forcustomers and their families, however, due to Covid-19 restrictions, this was not possible forChristmas 2020. But,determined to stillspread some Christmas joy, the Community Enabler Team found newwaystomarkthe festiveseason, by donating:

£1,465 to Hamp and Sydenham food pantries

£855

to Highbridge and Sedgemoor vulnerable families

Making aDifference Fund

£463

towards warm clothing forahomeless charity

Our Making aDifferenceFund offers the opportunity forlocal community groups to apply foragrant.The final decision overwho is awarded agrant is made by adedicated customer panel. This year,the panel approved 14 applications totalling nearly £15,000 of funding being awarded to groups that benefit the community.

“On behalf of 1st Bridgwater Rangers, amassive thank you for the funding for our unit. This is going to make ahuge difference for us and we areextremely grateful.”

1st

Income and Expenditure

£250 to Cheddar Foodbank

14 community groups awarded funding

£14,285 of funding awarded

Supporting You

Neighbourhood Officers work closely with arange of agencies, organisations and charities to provide the relevant supportneeded to keep peoplesafeintheir homes, but thelastyear has been like no other with the team finding newwaysofworking collaboratively.The threelockdowns sawa rise in antisocial behaviour (ASB), but the Neighbourhood Team worked hard to support customers and thewider community.Thank youto everyone forworking with us and helping to keep your communities safe.

Last year…

We responded to

181 ASB cases

The highest number of ASB complaints were about…

Which included

646 ASB incidents

Noise

75 cases

The Noise app was used by

65 complainants

Income

2,134 recordings were made

To help tackle noise complaints, we use the Noise App with customers, which measures the volume of noise in anumber of our cases. This makes it easier forthe team to gather the evidencerequiredtomanage the increasing number of noise nuisancecases.

We collect your rent and pay it to Sedgemoor District Council. The council then gives us some of your rent back as aManagement Feesowecan look afteryour homes, carry out repairs and do work in your neighbourhood.

99.47% of rent charged in 2020/21 successfully collected

0.9% current tenant rent arrears for2020/21 (2.1% belowthe target)

ZERO

tenants were evicted due to rent arrears

£20,812 reduction in former tenant arrears

Lettings TO LET

322 homes let between 2020-2021 days needed, on average, forstandard re-lets

Customer Services and Feedback

Last year…

Our friendly Customer Services Team is always on hand to help customers with anyqueries or concerns.

We received

STAR Satisfaction Survey

Dealt with of calls at first point of contact

92.2% 98% Customer satisfaction with thecondition of their home

process is

On average, we answered your call in calls every day, on average

114 85%

Complaints complaints received dealt withat initial stage

We have reviewedour Complaints and Feedback Policy, and nowhaveatwo-stage process, in line with the Housing Ombudsman guidance to ensure it is easy forour customers to let us know when something hasgone wrong.

Competition Time

This newsletter,weare doingCompetition Time slightly differently. We have puttogetherafew questions,and everyone whocompletes thebelow surveyinfull, andsends us their answers, will be enteredintoa prizedraw.

Main tenant details

Name:

Address:

Phonenumber:

Emailaddress:

Surveyquestions

Wholives in your home?

Name:

Date of birth:

Name:

Date of birth:

Name:

Date of birth:

Name:

Date of birth:

Name:

Date of birth:

Name:

Date of birth:

Does anyone in your household live with anydisabilities, long-termhealth conditions or vulnerabilities we can supportwith:

Yes No

Furtherinformationwhich couldhelpussupport you(optional)

Awinner, selected at random,willwin £150!

We want to hear from yousoweknowwhatis importantand howwecan furtherhelpand support youinyourhome. Please send us your answers or aphoto of thefilled outformbelow viaemail at customer.services@homesinsedgemoor.org, call in andtellusat 0800585 360 or message us on Facebook.

Good schools,transport and amenities

Suitableproperty, correctsizeand price

Wanted agarden/outdoor space

No choice –allocatedbycouncil/HA, eviction

To be closeto work/employment

To avoid antisocialbehaviour, violence or discrimination

Other(please specify)

Do youthinkthatabove ground floor flats areadequate accommodationfor familieswithchildren?

Do youthink your currentpropertywillmeetyour needs in thenextfive years?

Yes No Don’tknow

Whydoyou thinkyourcurrent propertywillnot meet your needs in thenext5years? (tickall that apply)

It will be toobig or too small

Iamfindingitdifficulttomaintain thehomeand/orgarden

Istrugglewiththe stairs and/or gettinginand outmyhome

Iwould like to be closer to family or friends

Iwould like to be closer to facilities such as shops, doctors, schools etc.

Therentand/orbills aretoo expensive

Ineed agarden

Ineed Sheltered Housing/ExtraCareoranadapted property

Other(please specify)

Howdoyou rate thequality of your home?

Excellent Good Satisfactory Poor Very poor

Is thereanythingwecould do to improve thequality of your home?

Do youhaveagarden?

Yes, sole use Yes, shared use No garden

What were your reasons formovingtoyour currenthome? (tickall that apply)

To be near family andfriends

Changeinfamily or householdcircumstances

Health reasons, includingmove to bungalow/Sheltered

Housing/ExtraCare

Like thearea/wanted to move to countryside/sea

Howsatisfied areyou with thefollowing aspects of your home? FurthercommentN/A

Kitchen

Bathroom

Windows/doors

Heatingsystem

Energy efficiency

External appearance

Safety and security

Garden/outdoor area

Wouldyou be interested in shared ownershipofanew home?

Yes No Interested, butnot financially viable