Why are we considering this work?

We recieved a report from the concierge of Rivermead House in December 2011 to advise that a fire engine was unable to gain access to the rear of the block due to parked cars. Residents are not complying with the concierge’s requests to not park on pavements.

The mill next door is empty and derelict and call outs for the fire service or police can be quite frequent. These cars could potentially cause serious problems. The cast iron bollards will ensure that there is access available for emergency vehicles.

The funding will pay for the installation of the cast iron bollards.

The cost of the work will be £720 (four Bollards)

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Why are we considering this work?

A tenant on Inveraray Close has complained about young people hanging around at the alleyway at the back of the houses, and other anti social behaviour issues.

We would like to install a single metal, bow-top gate at the top of the alleyway tostop people getting to the rear of the properties. The gate will be locked and a key will given to the three houses affected, so that they can still get to their back gardens.

The funding is for the purchase and installation of this gate.

The cost of the work will be £300

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Why are we considering this work?

A local resident raised the issue of cars driving up a pedestrian footpath to access the rear of their properties.

We need to stop residents driving over the footpath. This is not only damaging to the ground, but is dangerous for children and other users of the footpath.

We propose to install a concrete bollard at the point where cars are accessing the footpath, one on each side. The bollards will be centred so that there will be enough room on either side for motorised scooters, wheelchairs and prams.

This work will prevent any un-authorised access and make the area safer for pedestrians.

The cost of the work will be £190 (two bollards)

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Why are we proposing this work?

This issue was identified by a resident on Fisher Street to the local Councillor. They complained that the area was untidy with unwanted rubbish and litter.

The Highways department are already going to carry out work in the following streets;

• Bingham Street
• Turner Street
• Fisher Street
• Rowland Street
• Mellor Street
• Cockayne Street

After these works are completed, Streetpride will be;

• Cleaning the footpaths
• Bottoming of the hedges to remove litter
• Deep cleaning the street gullies
• Clearing the trees of debris
• Pruning the base of the trees
• Placing dog fouling posters on lamposts

Our Housing Officer has also identified homes that have unwanted household items. The funding will pay for a vehicle and two operatives from Streetpride to remove unwanted items from the above streets. In total, StreetPride are already contributing £1762 to the work.

The cost of the work will be £240+VAT (two days for four hours)

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The Problem

We have received complaints from some residents that when reversing their cars in the dark, it was hard to see the bollards. This has caused damage to cars and bollards being knocked over. One of our residents living on Osmaston Park Road informed us that she tripped over a bollard that had been knocked over.

The work will be carried out by volunteers from Osmaston Community Association of Residents (OSCAR). They have previously fitted the strips to the bollards running from Moorways to Sainsbury’s after receiving funding from the Neighbourhood Board.

The cost of the work will be £600 (160 bollards)

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Do you want to help make the decisions that affect your home and the area you live in?

This year we are looking for a number of tenants and leaseholders to become members of the Main Board and the City Board. We have board vacancies in the North East and South West of the city along with a Leaseholder representitive. We also have vacancies on our City Board in the North East, South East, South West and a Leaseholder representative.

Derby Homes is run by a Board of Directors, made up of 15 members, including four tenants and a leaseholder. There are also five councillors and five independent members.The Board is responsible for the overall strategy and direction, key policies, major decisions and the financial management of Derby Homes.

The City Board is a sub-committee of the main Board and is responsible for making decisions about many of the services provided to Council tenants and leaseholders. It is made up of twelve tenants and two leaseholders and twelve members of the main Board.

We are particularly interested to hear from women, younger people and people from ethnic communities, who are currently under-represented.

What we expect from our Board Members:

• regularly attend Board meetings
• read the board papers before every meeting
• be confident and willing to take part in discussions
• attend training and other events where possible

All Tenant and Leaseholder Board Members are elected through a ballot of tenants and leaseholders and are appointed for a 3 year period. Further details are provided in our information and application pack.

If you’re interested, you must complete and return the application form to us by Monday 13 August.

Read more about the Board and City Board or get an insight into being a board member from existing members.

Representitive areas

North East: Derwent (Sussex Circus, Cowsley, Roe Farm), Chaddesden, Oakwood and Spondon

North West: Mackworth (inlcuding Morley/NewZealand), Darley, Brook Street (West End) and Allestree

South East: Allenton, Boulton, Alvaston, Old Sinfin, New Sinfin, Chellaston, Shelton Lock and Osmaston

South West: Stockbrook Street, Littleover, Austin, Mickleover, Abbey, Normanton, Browning Circle, Blagreaves, California, Arboretum, Peartree, Cavendish

For more information or for a an application pack, contact:

Jackie Michell – Governance Services Manager
01332 888527
jackie.mitchell@derbyhomes.org

At our March Housing Focus Group events we’ll be:

• hearing from Sodexo, our new contractor for grounds maintenance and cleaning
• talking about the Community Room review
• hearing what our Tenant Panel are doing
• finding out about Derby City Council’s Tree management Policy and
• learning how you can get involved by joining our Board or City Board

Estates Pride funding bids this round

• Rivermead House –North West (Mackworth Office)
• Bingham St, Turner St, Fisher St, Rowland St, Mellor St and Cockayne Street South – South East1 (Bingham Street Office)
• Inverary Close –South East2 (Sinfin Office)
• Osmaston Park Road – South East2 (Sinfin Office)
• Stonebroom Walk – South East2 (Sinfin Office)

Derby Homes and Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service (DFRS) are proud to announce that they have developed a Home Fire Safety Check (HFSC) strategy to promote fire safety in the home. This partnership approach not only identifies potential risks but also educates residents in order to reduce the numbers and severity of fires within the home.

A series of measures have been introduced with staff and tenants. DFRS ensure that Derby Homes’ staff are highly trained and are provided with appropriate literature and support. Since February 2011, 957 HFSC’s have been carried out by Derby Homes’ staff.

Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Andy Waldie said “DFRS are really pleased to be working with Derby Homes on a Home Fire Safety Check Strategy; this is a fantastic opportunity for us to promote fire safety and reduce the number of fires in the home. By working together we can educate more residents about the potential risks of fire and offer advice on keeping safe.”

One of Derby Homes tenants, Donna Gadsby, from Chellaston said ‘ Our local housing officer came and did a Home Fire Safety Check last week. They showed us how to check the smoke alarms, helped us plan a fire evacuation plan and gave us lots of information. I found it really useful and it reassured us that in the event of a fire, we would know what to do”

Derby Homes installs hard wired smoke alarms in all properties and has included a requirement for access for a HFSC in Tenancy Agreements. All new tenants receive a visit within the first three months of the start of their tenancy, usually combined with an introductory tenancy visit.

Housing Officers ensure that all existing tenants are also checked. The checks involve giving general advice to tenants on: appliances, cooking, heaters, storage of fuels and smoking. It also involves ensuring they know how to test smoke alarms, and plan escape routes if a fire starts. Housing Officers complete a check list with tenants and offer advice on reducing risk. Tenants are asked to take action where necessary. All forms comply with DFRS data protection protocols.

Hazards such as hoarding and overloaded sockets are referred to DFRS who will offer support and fire safety advice to the tenant. Vulnerable tenants are also identified. Actions follow where homes are identified as ‘high risk’. Examples are:

• A history of fires in the home - installation of a sprinkler system or a Firesafe referral
• ·Evidence of careless smoking or inappropriate cooking methods – Fire proof blankets/bedding
• ·Inappropriate use of electrics – Multi-socket adaptor
• Use of chip pan – provide deep fat fryer.

DFRS conduct periodic audits to ensure that HFSC’s are completed to a high standard which is current and relevant to tenants. Derby Homes meet quarterly with the DFRS to discuss fires in Derby Homes’ tenancies and develop action plans or publicity drives, where necessary.

Statistics provided by the Fire Service indicate that there has been a reduction in fires in Derby Homes’ properties since the HFSC’s began in 2008 with 957 HFSC’s being carried out by Derby Homes’ staff since February 2011 to date.

Mr White is approaching 80 years old this year and has been wheelchair bound since suffering a stroke several years ago. With no other home to go and live in, Mr White’s daughters arranged for Mr White to go into respite care at Willowcroft Care Home, Spondon.

Derby Homes undertook a full damp course and dry lined the property. Derby Homes staff and members of OSCAR volunteered to help Mr Whites daughters move heavy furniture and take carpets up.  After all work was complete, Gary Buxton’s decorating company (Buxton Decorators) and members of OSCAR (Osmaston Community Association of Residents) redecorated Mr Whites home free of charge. The decoration work was done to a high quality. Mr White was able to choose wallpaper of his liking for his downstairs rooms and colour of emulsion for all other rooms.

Mr Eddie Weston, who works in the Derby Homes Planned Maintenance Department, co-ordinated the work and liaised with Mr. White and his daughter regularly. Eddie said  “It was a pleasure to help Mr White and his daughters, we appreciated that due to his disability Mr White was not in a position to cope with the works and was very grateful to the number of staff and volunteers who helped to ensure that work was done quickly and anything that needed changing was finished to Mr Whites satisfaction and he did not have to worry about the re-decoration etc himself.”

Mr. White said, “I enjoyed my stay at Willowcroft but I was happy to return home. My two daughters worked very hard to empty my home and then get it ready for me to come back to. I am very happy with my house now; it’s warmer and beautifully decorated. I believe the team who carried out the work for all the modernisation did a very good job. My thanks goes out to my daughters (Tina and Anita), Mr Eddie Weston at Derby Homes, Gary Buxton, Buxton Decorators and all the contractors connected to Bramall Constructions and all the others that had partaken

Mark Johnson, Director of Property Services at Nottingham City Homes, has been Chair since the consortium was launched in June 2010. He has seen the organisation grow from just five founder members, to 17, now representing more than 156,000 homes across the East Midlands.

With strength in numbers, EEM has a huge buying power when procuring contracts. This has helped it save millions on the cost of products and services that all housing providers will need at some point.

Just last year, members spent nearly £24million through the consortium, on a range of frameworks, from solar panels to kitchens and bathrooms.

Mark will still remain an active member of the EEM Board, but will this April hand over the position of Chair to Shaun Bennett, Director of Investment and Regeneration at Derby Homes.

Mark said: “I’ve really enjoyed my time as Chair with EEM. It’s a demanding role and after almost two years its time for someone else to step up to the plate.

“We’ve faced some real challenges, but we always knew that this concept had legs, and could benefit so many housing providers and councils across the East Midlands.

“Highlights for me have included the innovative PV framework, which enabled EEM members to fit thousands of solar panels before the Government’s FiT cut, and the development of the East Midlands Green initiative.

Shaun Bennett said: “I’m delighted to take over the position of Chair. I know the team work incredibly hard to make sure organisations like my own are able to not only save huge amounts of money, but get the best quality product. EEM doesn’t stop there, we offer added benefits, such as securing employment and funding local community initiatives, and that’s where great procurement can make a real difference.”

For further information on Efficiency East Midlands (EEM), please contact Pete Smith on 01623 726 250 or email: pete.smith@efficiency-em.co.uk