Tenant Newsletter 2024 - Issue 2

Please find below a plain text version of the 2024 West Lancashire Borough Council Tenant Newsletter (issue 2)

To download a PDF version of this newsletter, click here

 

Tenant Voice 

Do you want to make a difference? Get involved to help improve your homes, neighbourhoods and communities 

If you are a tenant or leaseholder living in one of West Lancashire Borough Council’s homes, we want to give you the best services possible.  

We want to work with you, listen to your views, act on them and involve you in how we deliver and continually improve our services for the future.  

You know your community and what it needs best. This is why your feedback is so important to us.  

We want that knowledge and passion at the heart of everything we do and we know that with your help we can better shape our services, strengthen our communities and create places everyone can be proud of.  

Tenant Voice can support you to:  

  • Review Council services  
  • Carry out estate walkabouts  
  • Shape policies and strategies  
  • Be a mystery shopper  

Get in touch to learn more:  

Email: TenantVoice@westlancs.gov.uk Call: 01695 654010 or 01695 585143 

Fairhaven Park Project 

Improvements to the open space in the heart of Fairlie include the cleaning and re-painting of underpasses, including fresh artwork; new bird boxes and hedgehog houses; cleaning, restoration and new graffiti on the skate park and finally, the blue shelter was given a fresh lick of paint. This project is the result of a multi-agency partnership between WLBC, Tawd Valley Developments, Volunteer it Yourself, West Lancashire College, Uthink Creative and contractors including John McCall Architects, Ridge and Whitfield & Brown Developments. 

Around 20 local young people were mentored by VIY’s Trade Mentors while gaining an Entry Level 3 City & Guilds accreditation in a construction skill. Other Skelmersdale-based adult volunteers also took part.  

Phase two of the project is due to start in early 2025. Those updates will include tree and wildflower planting, creating soil mounds and park boundary and finally, painting the skate park ramp and MUGA (Multi Games Area) 

Nicola Pryce-Roberts Lead member for Housing, West Lancashire Borough Council, said: 

 “Building new houses for our residents is just part of the story - we also want to enhance the wider environment in positive ways where we can, encompassing spaces within our developments that bring tangible benefits to both new residents and those from the existing community.”  

Your repair service 

From Oct 1 2023 to Oct 31 2024, we have completed... 

  • 87 new kitchen installations 
  • 16,638 repairs to property 
  • 173 new bathroom installations 
  • 973 electrical checks 

Our surveyors 

Our surveyors deliver their work on an area-based approach, so that you can report issues to the same surveyor who will then have a better understanding of you and your home. 

Compliance 

  • 9.84% of homes have a valid gas certificate  
  • 100% of homes have completed communal area safety checks  
  • 94.5% of customers satisfied with repairs 

Damp & Mould 

We employ a specialist Damp and Disrepair Team consisting of surveyors and a mould wash team to tackle damp and mould in homes. 

 

Household Support Fund 

Cost of living assistance for residents who need help with essential items extended until March 2025 Household Support Fund The Government has given approval for the household fund to continue from 1st October 2024 to 31st March 2025. 

The fund is to assist residents with the significant rise in living costs. It is intended to help those who do not have enough resources to meet immediate short-term needs and require assistance with essential items over the coming months.  

The fund is intended to support all residents and in particular we would encourage residents who are disabled, carers and care leavers to complete the application. Please be aware that the Household Support Fund is a cash limited fund. 

 All applications will be processed strictly in order of date received and if all requested supporting documentation is complete.  

This can be used to help towards the cost of:  

  • Energy/water needs 
  • Essentials linked to energy / water needs 
  • Food 
  • Wider essentials but only in exceptional circumstances. 

It is not intended to cover debt or general financial hardship which is not linked to energy/food, warmth and/ or hygiene. The fund is not intended to cover housing costs as there are other benefits and support available to help with these for example Discretionary Housing Payment Awards will be made where there is no alternative means of meeting the need. 

Discretionary Housing Payments 

If you are struggling to pay your rent, don’t suffer in silence.  

Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) help people who need extra help with their rent when their housing benefit or universal credit costs don’t meet the full rent value.  

This may lead to severe financial hardship or put your tenancy at risk. You may be able to apply for a DHP If you require an application form, please contact us: 

  • Phone: 01695 577177  
  • Write: PO Box 16, Revenues and Benefit Service, 52 Derby Street, Ormskirk, L39 2DF 

Your rent 

Our teams are responsible for ensuring we collect your rent so we can deliver your housing services.  

But we do more than that. Our income and financial inclusion teams support our tenants by giving money advice to make sure they are receiving all benefits they are entitled to. We also provide food vouchers and fuel support. 

Income Team 

  • We focus on early intervention to support tenants falling into arrears and avoid debt escalating 
  • The work by our Money Advice officers helped tenants receive additional £195,000 in benefits during the last financial year 
  • We consulted with tenants and used their feedback to improve the look and feel of their rent statement making it easier to understand 

Money Advice & Financial Inclusion 

Over the past year, we have worked in partnership to deliver: 

  • Health promotion sessions 
  • Events at West Lancs Family Hubs 
  • A Boat Dwellers consultation & health and wellbeing event 
  • Provided Money Advice to 1568 tenants and residents. n Issued 694 food vouchers. n 297 tenants received fuel support. 
  • Used £10,000 hardship fund to help with funeral costs and to prevent evictions Supported tenants with their Household Support Fund & DHP applications. 
  •  Extended use of Refernet to improve referrals to our partners 

 

Keep Warm This Winter With Lancashire Warm Spaces 

Lancashire County Council are developing a network of warm, safe and welcoming spaces to support residents during the winter months.  

These warm spaces will provide you with somewhere to keep warm, access information and advice or spend time with others.  

To find out more visit lancashire.gov.uk and search their directory by entering your postcode or address to find nearby warm spaces and what they offer. 

Investing in homes 

Our Property Services Investment Team have continued to invest in your homes. 

From Oct 1 2023 to Oct 31 2024, we have:  

  • Completed 162 adaptations funded through Disabled Facilities Grants  
  • The cost of the work was more than £520,000 

Tawd Valley Developments  

  • Working with Tawd Valley Developments, our property development company we: Delivered our first rent to buy homes: 13 homes at Fairlie were let on the new Rent to Buy Tenure. Tenants of these two and three bed family homes can rent for five years whilst they save up a deposit to purchase their home 
  •  We built 50 new affordable homes that included enhanced insulation, triple glazing, air source pumps and underfloor heating 
  •  Provided eight energy-efficient bungalows, which are the first of their kind in West Lancashire 

Digmoor Revival  

We are relocating residents of six blocks of flats in Blythewood and Banksbarn. The blocks will then be demolished to make way for 45 new council homes and construction work will be commencing shortly