JOB OF THE WEEK: HAVE YOUR TOP JOB HERE!
24 August 2009

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ARCHITECTS COMPLETE FIRST QUANTUM PROJECT
24 August 2009

Leicester-based KPW Architects has completed the first project under the four-year Quantum Consortium framework agreement. Peartree Mews at Bulwell Lane in Basford, Nottingham is a £1.5m affordable housing scheme that consists of 13 houses and seven flats for shared ownership and social rent along with communal car parking in a secure courtyard and private gardens. KPW has worked alongside Derwent Living and Lovell on the project, which features traditional Bulwell stone detailing to conform to the natural street scene and has achieved an Eco-Homes rating of ‘Very Good’. Tim Clark, director KPW, said: “We have many years experience in affordable housing and our selection onto the Quantum Consortium is an achievement to our commitment to this sector. “Our intention when working with Framework members is to develop positive working relationships based on quality of outputs, generation of opportunities and value for money. Peartree Mews at Bulwell Lane serves as an excellent example of this objective.” Hayley Sowter, land manager for Derwent Living, added: “Derwent is very pleased with the development. We have worked alongside KPW to create a scheme which we hope will be a catalyst for regeneration in the prominent area of Basford.” The four-year Quantum Consortium has an estimated total value of £10m and projects completed in the timeframe will have build values ranging from less than £500,000 to those in excess of £5m. As part of the agreement, KPW will undertake projects in partnership with Derwent Living, East Midlands Housing Association (EMH), Futures Group and LHA-ASRA Group.

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NEW HOME STARTS FALL BY ALMOST A THIRD
24 August 2009

The number of new homes being built in the East Midlands has declined by almost a third in the past 12 months, according to new government figures. New home starts in the East Midlands between April and June this year were 1,830 compared to 2,550 for the same period last year – a drop of almost 30 per cent. The figures are included as part of a report, which claimed the number of new properties being built jumped by 63 per cent nationally during the second quarter, prompting suggestions the housebuilding industry was starting to show signs of revival. But while there has been a rise in the past three months, compared to the same period last year, the figures are significantly down. Shelter chief executive, Sam Younger said: "These figures clearly show the devastating impact the recession is having on housebuilding in the East Midlands at a time when more and more people are in desperate need of a decent home. “With an estimated 136,550 households on the East Midlands' council housing waiting lists, we need to build thousands more homes to ensure future generations have a decent affordable place to live." "Huge job losses in construction mean the challenge of building enough homes for the future is now greater than ever, and with vital skills and expertise lost, it could be a decade before the industry and housebuilding properly recovers."

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RESEARCH TO INFORM NEW HOUSING IN NOTTINGHAM
24 August 2009

Nathaniel Lichfield and Partners has been commissioned to carry out research into housing in the Nottingham city-region. Councils in the area have selected the consultancy to concentrate on the changing size of households and the type and size of properties they occupy. The work will inform planning policies and support local authorities' judgements on the housing mix in new developments. NLP director, Matthew Spry said: "Our approach, which is rooted in our practical experience of applied research in the planning system, will help shape the mixture of housing to meet future needs."

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LOCAL YOUTHS TRANSFORM FREEBRIDGE COMMUNITY GARDEN
24 August 2009

Thanks to the valiant efforts of a group of local youths, the garden at the Freebridge Community House in South Lynn has been transformed from an overgrown wilderness into a beautiful community garden within a week. The project was part of The Prince’s Trust Team Programme, run by the Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service in King’s Lynn, which enables 16-25 year olds to develop their confidence, motivation and skills over a 12-week course. Young people from the King’s Lynn and Wisbech area, took part in the programme which leads to a City & Guilds certificate in Personal, Teamwork and Community Skills, enabling successful students to move on to further education, training or employment. Freebridge Community Housing works closely with The Prince’s Trust and offered the Community House garden as a potential project. Students spent a week clearing the area, creating a lawn, flower beds, planting, and erecting new fencing and gates. The garden will now be taken over by the local Youth Club who will be carrying out further planting and are looking into the possibility of growing vegetables. Robert Clarke, assistant director of Housing at Freebridge, said: “It was great to see how a group of young people from the Prince’s Trust tackled such a daunting project. “As the garden improved, their enthusiasm heightened and at the end of the process they were really proud of what they had achieved from what was a very tired looking garden. “When I visited on the last day of the project the garden certainly had the ‘wow’ factor and I would like to thank all those concerned in organising and delivering such a worthwhile project. “The garden can now be enjoyed and taken forward by the local community alongside making the best possible use of the Community House.”

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HOUSING NEWS: JOBS AND TENDERS ROUND-UP
24 August 2009

Housing News is advertising the following jobs and tenders on its regional newsletters: JOBS Springs Tenant Management Co-operative is seeking a Housing Services Officer. For more information, go to: www.housingnews.co.uk/northwest. Closing date: September 18. Irwell Valley is seeking a Chair and Board Members. For more information, go to: www.housingnews.co.uk/northwest. Closing date: unspecified. Almond Housing Association is seeking an Capital Projects Manager. For more information, go to: www.scottishhousingnews.com. Closing Date: August 24. TENDERS Wokingham Borough Council is inviting tenders for a specialist housing provider to develop dementia housing in the borough. For more information, go to: www.housingnews.co.uk/southeast. Closing date: September 16. Stockton Borough Council is inviting tenders to develop extra care housing provision in the Thornaby area of the borough. For more information, go to: www.housingnews.co.uk/northeast. Closing date: September 24. East Kilbride & District Housing Association is inviting tenders for an external audit service. For more information, go to: www.scottishhousingnews.com. Closing date: August 28. North Ayrshire Council is inviting tenders for the Building of 23 Council Houses. For more information, go to: www.scottishhousingnews.com. Closing date: August 28. Hillcrest Housing Association is inviting tenders for Stock Upgrades. For more information, go to: www.scottishhousingnews.com. Closing date: September 4. To reach the best candidates in the social housing sector, advertise your top jobs in one of our eight regional newsletters or go national to over 40,000 readers. For more information, call Amy or Angela at Hucksters on 01892 784804.

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JOB OF THE WEEK: HAVE YOUR TOP JOB HERE!
25 August 2009

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MAYOR LAUNCHES NEW SPRINGBOARD SUPPORTED HOMES
25 August 2009

Residents at St Giles, a Springboard supported housing project for adults with learning disabilities and mental health problems, are celebrating the completion of 22 new homes in East Hanningfield near Chelmsford. Set in 22 acres of ground in the heart of the Essex countryside 40 new flats in total are being built in two phases. Twenty-two flats have now been completed with the next 18, the second phase, to be finished within the next year. The homes are being built by contractor Hill Partnerships. They will provide fully self-contained accommodation that meets Decent Homes Standards, are energy efficient, have level access and include improved health and safety features. The style of the new development will complement the existing architecture, even down to the detail on the chimneys on the roof. The site was previously The Hospital and Homes of St Giles dating back to 1914 when it was the only hospital in the country for the treatment of leprosy. Since Springboard Housing Association took over in 1985, residents at St Giles have been able to live independently in an environment where they can manage their own home, access the wider community and participate and work as citizens in their own right. All flats have one bedroom with their own separate bathroom and kitchen. There is also a modern community block with an IT suite, training kitchen, pottery and function room. Harton Bailey, interim managing director of Springboard, which is part of the Genesis Housing Group, said: “We are extremely pleased to complete phase one of the re-development of St Giles. The customers enjoy living here, that is very apparent and it is gratifying to see.”

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NCHA TO HOST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
25 August 2009

Nottingham Community Housing Association is to host an international conference on ‘Breaking the barriers between Stakeholders: Bringing together service providers, policy makers and suppliers of Information & Communication Technology for People with Disabilities’. The prestigious two-day conference is to be held at the Britannia Hotel, Nottingham, on Monday 21 and Tuesday 22 September. NCHA is a long-standing member of the European Association of Service Providers for Persons with Disabilities. The event provides Nottingham with a good networking and marketing opportunity to bring credit to the city as an excellent venue for a conference of this stature. The conference programme has been designed to deliver a demanding agenda bringing together key people from across Europe to demonstrate how assistive technology can significantly support independence for people with disabilities in a person centred way. NCHA is hoping for approximately 150 delegates to be in attendance from across the UK and the rest of Europe over the two-day event to discuss the issues. A snapshot of what the conference will cover: Technology has radically improved the quality of life for some people with Disabilites and is poised to change lives for many From blue-sky thinking to new products to meet needs The challenges that technology presents in financial terms, and the challenges that creates in terms of values and ethics Technology does not recognise national boundaries - we can all learn a lot from other countries and cultures Exhibitions

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ENERGY CHARITY TO TRIAL NEW TECHNOLOGY
25 August 2009

Fuel poverty charity National Energy Action is at the forefront of the new technology revolution as it embarks on the monitoring of over 200 air source heat pumps as they are trailed for Government’s Warm Front Scheme. The trials which are taking place in rural, off gas areas in the North, East and South West regions of England are being delivered in an focused attempt to prove that the new technology is a reliable, cost effective and efficient source of providing heating and hot water for hard-to-treat homes, with the hope of relieving many households from the misery of living in fuel poverty. NEA first trialed the technology in 2006 when a park home in Peterborough became the first in England to have space heating provided by an air to water heat pump. At the time of installation park homeowner Mr Meja was paying over £40.00 a week for solid fuel and was classified as being in fuel poverty, defined as when a household is required to spend more than ten per cent of its income on total fuel use. After replacing his coal fired heating system with the heat pump his bills were reduced to less than half that amount, just £14 a week, as well as benefiting from much improved comfort levels and reduced condensation and mould growth. Designed and manufactured in West Yorkshire by HeatKing, the renewables division of TEV Limited, the product was the first air source air to water heat pump designed specifically for British weather. Recent checks on Mr Meja’s heat pump found it to be working as effectively as when it left the factory three years ago and has taken minimal care to maintain its efficiency. This matches claims by the manufacturers of long life – estimated up to 20 years – and low maintenance costs and reinforces NEA’s commitment to air source heat pumps as their trial period begins. Arthur Scott, NEA’s head of technical services said: “Air Source Heat Pumps are becoming familiar to both clients and installers as a product that can be used to provide cost effective space heating in homes that are not connected to mains gas or for homes that need to reduce their carbon footprint. “The aim of the ASHP trials is to provide the Department for Energy and Climate Change with a detailed report on the benefits of their use within the home and provide clear a case for them to be included in future Warm Front funding, helping to overcome the problems associated with hard-to-treat homes.” The trials are to take place over the current financial year and a final report will be delivered to government in 2010 making a case for the technology to be delivered as part of the scheme.

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ORBIT RESIDENT SHORTLISTED FOR ASB AWARD
25 August 2009

An Orbit Heart of England resident has been shortlisted for an award at the Social Landlords Crime and Nuisance Group’s (SLCNG) 2009 Awards. Lisa Phillips has been put forward for the Residents Award, which recognises people on the front-line who have made a difference to their community in tackling anti-social behaviour. Nominations for the 2009 awards closed on August 1 and the awards panel has now met and selected the following finalists in each of the three award categories. Tim Winter Award: Aileen Barrass, Leeds City Council Anti Social Behaviour Unit Craig Fletcher, Helena Partnership, nominated by Riverside Group Shaun Qureshi, Pinnacle Housing, nominated by City West Homes. The Residents Award, sponsored by HouseMark: Florence Bedwell, Ascham Homes Lisa Phillips, Orbit Heart of England Sharon Hodgkinson, Bolton at Home The Group Award, sponsored by ReACT: Elmore Team ASB project, Oxford City Council Mill project team, New Charter Housing Trust Safer Estates Team, North Tyneside Homes Speaking for the group, Sharon Mackley said: “The high level and quality of entries received was truly impressive. “The standard and innovation they showed in tackling anti-social behaviour clearly demonstrates the widening role and effectiveness of social landlords and residents.” The announcement of winners and the presentation of awards will be made at the SLCNG’s Annual ASB Conference and Exhibition in Telford on October 7.

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HOUSING NEWS: JOBS AND TENDERS ROUND-UP
25 August 2009

Housing News is advertising the following jobs and tenders on its regional newsletters: JOBS Springs Tenant Management Co-operative is seeking a Housing Services Officer. For more information, go to: www.housingnews.co.uk/northwest. Closing date: September 18. Irwell Valley is seeking a Chair and Board Members. For more information, go to: www.housingnews.co.uk/northwest. Closing date: unspecified. The Apollo Group is seeking an Estimator. For more information, go to: www.scottishhousingnews.com. TENDERS Wokingham Borough Council is inviting tenders for a specialist housing provider to develop dementia housing in the borough. For more information, go to: www.housingnews.co.uk/southeast. Closing date: September 16. Stockton Borough Council is inviting tenders to develop extra care housing provision in the Thornaby area of the borough. For more information, go to: www.housingnews.co.uk/northeast. Closing date: September 24. East Kilbride & District Housing Association is inviting tenders for an external audit service. For more information, go to: www.scottishhousingnews.com. Closing date: August 28. North Ayrshire Council is inviting tenders for the Building of 23 Council Houses. For more information, go to: www.scottishhousingnews.com. Closing date: August 28. Hillcrest Housing Association is inviting tenders for Stock Upgrades. For more information, go to: www.scottishhousingnews.com. Closing date: September 4. To reach the best candidates in the social housing sector, advertise your top jobs in one of our eight regional newsletters or go national to over 40,000 readers. For more information, call Amy or Angela at Hucksters on 01892 784804.

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JOB OF THE WEEK: HAVE YOUR TOP JOB HERE!
26 August 2009

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KING STREET CELEBRATES HOMELESSNESS MILESTONE
26 August 2009

King Street Housing Society has hit a new landmark with its pioneering rent guarantee scheme. Over 600 households have now been housed through the scheme, helping to avoid a major homelessness crisis in at least one local authority area. Working with three local authorities – South Cambridgeshire, East Cambridgeshire and Uttlesford – King Street provides cast-iron guarantees to landlords, allowing people in housing need to afford the deposit and rent in advance for a private sector tenancy – something that was denied previously to people on low incomes. The scheme allows local authorities to provide an alternative housing option for households who would not normally qualify for a conventional council or housing association tenancy. Jane Hollingworth, from East Cambridgeshire District Council, said: “It is not easy for people on low incomes to get into the private rented sector and this scheme has been a godsend for us. “King Street's relationships with landlords are excellent. By providing the means for people to get private sector rentals the scheme has helped to avert a major homelessness crisis in this district.”

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SIR ROBIN YOUNG ANNOUNCED AS CHAIRMAN OF CIRCLE ANGLIA
26 August 2009

Sir Robin Young, the former Permanent Secretary at both DTI and DCMS, has today been announced as the incoming chairman of Circle Anglia. Sir Robin Young Taking up his position in January 2010, Sir Robin will initially spend three months working alongside outgoing chair, Roger Humber, as a member of the management board. Retiring from the Civil Service in 2005 after 31 years working across numerous departments on a wide-range of policy issues, Sir Robin enjoyed a successful career in which he quickly rose to the highest echelons in Government. Sir Robin will be helping the housing association, which has grown substantially over the past year, to become the most respected housing group in the UK by re-enforcing its core mission to ‘enhance people’s life chances’. He said: “I am delighted to be taking up this challenging role at such a crucial time for social housing. Since Circle Anglia’s inception in 2005 they have grown to become a well-respected housing association. “As incoming chairman, the challenge will be to continue to grow the organisation at the same time as maintaining and improving the quality of services delivered to tenants.” Mark Rogers, chief executive of Circle Anglia, added: “I would like to pay tribute to Roger Humber for his exceptional contribution to Circle Anglia, during what has been an exciting time of expansion for the group. He will be missed, both personally and professionally. “We are ambitious in delivering exceptional housing and support services that will enhance the life chances of our residents. Sir Robin’s appointment marks another watershed for Circle Anglia in assembling a high-calibre team to consolidate and build on the successes of the last four years.”

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RECOGNITION FOR LONGHURST HOMES RETIREMENT HOMES
26 August 2009

Longhurst Homes’ retirement homes have been recognised for providing value for money and excellent services. The announcement follows the latest Association of Retirement Housing Manager’s (ARHM’s) annual benchmarking survey results, which showed Longhurst Homes successfully retained 1st place for ‘Resident Participation in Management Decision Making’ for the second year running; jumped from 4th to 2nd place for ‘Overall Satisfaction with our Service’; and climbed from 6th to 3rd place for ‘Service Charges representing Value for Money’. Rob Digby, Longhurst Homes leasehold services manager, said: “These results are particularly pleasing and encouraging, showing our commitment to involving our residents in the management of our services and providing excellent services that are value for money. “Despite our results, we are not complacent and are continually striving to improve our services.” He added: “Longhurst Homes has a dedicated team of professionals with 25 years experience in developing and managing properties specifically designed for people aged 55 and over. “Our dedicated team successfully manages over 1000 retirement properties across the East and West Midlands.” Benchmarking their costs against other service providers, using local suppliers, and involving residents in tendering are just some ways Longhurst Homes ensure they deliver value for money. As a member of the Association of Retirement Housing Managers (ARHM), a government approved body that is committed to enforcing high standards and ethics in the management of retirement housing and the provision of services to residents, Longhurst work to a recognised Code of Practice. Having adopted the ARHM Code of Practice, leaseholders and residents can be assured that Longhurst is dedicated to best practice and high standards of professional competence in the management of their property.

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MVMP AND FHM LAY FOUNDATIONS FOR TRAINEE
26 August 2009

A housing regeneration scheme at New Houghton in Bolsover has laid the foundations for a rewarding future for a budding bricklayer. David Marshall, from Killamarsh, has been given a permanent job after excelling in his work experience placement at the former mining village, which is undergoing a multi-million-pound refurbishment by the regeneration organisation Meden Valley Making Places (MVMP) and its partners. David Marshall The 25-year-old former trainee is now a full-time bricklayer and labourer with Sheffield-based RB Allan & Sons, a sub-contractor to refurbishment specialist Frank Haslam Milan (FHM), which is improving 110 privately-owned terraced properties at New Houghton in a project jointly funded by MVMP and Bolsover District Council. Gary Kirk, MVMP chief executive, said: “Finding full-time jobs for local people is as important to us as refurbishing run-down homes, so we are naturally delighted to have helped give David this major leg-up in such a tight jobs market.” David was able to build up his skills after FHM offered him a three-week placement with the environmental charity Groundwork Creswell, Ashfield and Mansfield. It included instruction in site health and safety that led to his gaining a CSCS (Construction Skills Certification Scheme) card, now regarded as a passport to working in the building industry. David has also just completed a two-year part-time course at Chesterfield College to gain his NVQ Level 2 certificate in bricklaying. He is now helping to modernise run-down houses, which are benefiting from new roofs, windows, doors, paths and fencing, replacement kitchens and bathrooms, and electrical rewiring. Andy McNaught, project manager for FHM, said: “David put his heart into the work placement and our sub-contractor RB Allan was so impressed that it supported him through his NVQ Level 2 course in bricklaying and crowned his performance by taking him on permanently.” David added: “I had been out of work for ten months, so being offered a full-time job was just champion. It made going to college and giving my all to my work experience thoroughly worthwhile.”

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ORBIT EAST HELPS SPRAY AWAY ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR
26 August 2009

A group of young people from Suffolk have spray painted a mural to brighten a subway and tackle antisocial behaviour, with help from housing association Orbit East. Orbit East manages homes on Barker Road, which back onto the pedestrian subway leading from Tesco to Richard Burn Way under the A134 in Sudbury. As a hot spot for antisocial behaviour, the subway was intimidating for local residents walking through, so Babergh Community Safety Partnership came up with the idea of creating a mural. Orbit East bid for and won £1,000 from the Orbit Group’s Community Investment fund to put towards the project. The fund gives cash to groups, schools and associations, which want to improve the communities where Orbit manages homes. The project was co-ordinated by Babergh District Council and included representatives from Suffolk County Council, Sudbury Town Council, the police, Suffolk Youth Offending Team, Connexions, Narcotics Anonymous and Tesco. A community workshop was held earlier in the year where Scott Irving, youth worker and spray can artist from Brave Arts, worked with hundreds of local school students and local residents to come up with the designs along the theme of ‘scenes from Sudbury – old and new’. Scott worked with the 70 children and teenagers to create the colourful and striking images over five days, and now the mural has been coated with anti-graffiti paint so the images cannot be damaged. Orbit East neighbourhood manager, Adele Kerr said: “This is a great example of how Orbit East is building brighter communities – literally. “These designs certainly have the wow factor and we were pleased to be able to contribute to this project which will make a big difference to not only our tenants but to everyone in the area.”

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HOUSING NEWS: JOBS AND TENDERS ROUND-UP
26 August 2009

Housing News is advertising the following jobs and tenders on its regional newsletters: JOBS Springs Tenant Management Co-operative is seeking a Housing Services Officer. For more information, go to: www.housingnews.co.uk/northwest. Closing date: September 18. Irwell Valley is seeking a Chair and Board Members. For more information, go to: www.housingnews.co.uk/northwest. Closing date: unspecified. The Apollo Group is seeking an Estimator. For more information, go to: www.scottishhousingnews.com. TENDERS Wokingham Borough Council is inviting tenders for a specialist housing provider to develop dementia housing in the borough. For more information, go to: www.housingnews.co.uk/southeast. Closing date: September 16. Stockton Borough Council is inviting tenders to develop extra care housing provision in the Thornaby area of the borough. For more information, go to: www.housingnews.co.uk/northeast. Closing date: September 24. East Kilbride & District Housing Association is inviting tenders for an external audit service. For more information, go to: www.scottishhousingnews.com. Closing date: August 28. North Ayrshire Council is inviting tenders for the Building of 23 Council Houses. For more information, go to: www.scottishhousingnews.com. Closing date: August 28. Hillcrest Housing Association is inviting tenders for Stock Upgrades. For more information, go to: www.scottishhousingnews.com. Closing date: September 4. To reach the best candidates in the social housing sector, advertise your top jobs in one of our eight regional newsletters or go national to over 40,000 readers. For more information, call Amy or Angela at Hucksters on 01892 784804.

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JOB OF THE WEEK: HAVE YOUR TOP JOB HERE!
27 August 2009

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HIGHTOWN NAMED PREFERRED PARTNER IN BROXBOURNE
27 August 2009

Broxbourne Council has extended its development partnership to add Hightown Praetorian & Churches Housing Association to its list of ‘preferred partners’ to develop affordable housing in the borough. Hightown Praetorian & Churches Housing Association has a housing stock of over 3,000 with an extensive development programme to increase this with an additional 700 homes over the next three years. It already operates some supported housing in Broxbourne. George Edkins, development director at Hightown, said: “As a leading Hertfordshire-based charitable housing association, we are delighted to have the opportunity to use our skills and financial resources to help build new affordable homes in Broxbourne.” Hightown Housing Association was formed in 1968 to provide housing principally in the Hemel Hempstead area. It merged with Praetorian Housing Association in 1995 and with St Albans District and Churches Housing Association in 2003.

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MERCIAN SET TO JOIN CIRCLE ANGLIA
27 August 2009

Circle Anglia has announced that the shareholders of Mercian Housing Association have voted to join the group. The West Midlands based housing association will become a partner in the Circle Anglia group in October, subject to approval from the Tenant Services Authority (TSA). Mercian will bring 3,400 rented and shared ownership properties to Circle Anglia, meaning the group would collectively own and manage over 51,500 properties. Resulting cost savings in procurement, partnering and business support services will enable Circle Anglia partners to invest more in their mission to enhance the life chances of their residents. Mark Rogers, group chief executive of Circle Anglia, said: “We’re delighted Mercian has decided to join Circle Anglia. “Mercian understands Circle Anglia’s vision and shares our values of providing better homes, delivering great customer service, and investing in the wider community. "This joint vision will help us in building a partnership that we will both benefit from, enabling us to enhance many more life chances throughout the UK.” Laurice Ponting, chief executive of Mercian, added: “I’m very pleased that shareholders agreed that joining Circle Anglia would enable us to continue delivering great services to our residents. "I look forward to exploring the opportunities for sharing best practice and expertise with our new partners in Circle Anglia.”

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NEW MEMBER FOR ORBIT HOMEBUY TEAM
27 August 2009

Having been building her career in housing for the past four years, Jennie Spencer has certainly seen some ups and downs in the industry. Jennie Spencer Now settled into a new role, with Orbit HomeBuy Agency, Ms Spencer is delighted that she is helping lots of people across Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire into affordable home ownership. She took on the role of stakeholder relations and events officer when Orbit was appointed the HomeBuy Agent for the region in April this year. Previously, she worked for KeyHomes East. She said: “It’s a challenging yet very rewarding position and that’s why I wanted to work within the housing industry. “It has become increasingly difficult over the past few years for first time buyers to purchase a home so it is great to play a part in helping them overcome the obstacles they are facing.” She added: “The entire Orbit HomeBuy Agency team has been working incredibly hard over the last few months, setting up five new areas from scratch. “Fortunately, they have been successfully operating the HomeBuy Agency in Norfolk and Suffolk for four years so we were able to use this expertise, along with experience gained in my previous role, to help us get the new regions up and running quickly and ensure all our clients get a quick response from us.” Orbit HomeBuy Agency promotes and facilitates a number of government HomeBuy schemes to help those in housing need, whether they are first time buyers, key workers, someone looking for a new home following a relationship breakdown, a social housing tenant or on a local authority waiting list. Part of Ms Spencer’s job is to work with these RSLs and developers as well as independent financial advisors and solicitors involved in the purchasing process. She explained: “It is important that everyone involved thoroughly understands the schemes that we are promoting so that our clients can enjoy a swift, smooth and stress-free transaction. “It is also important that we spread the word about HomeBuy to as many people as possible to ensure that those in need of assistance have the opportunity to take advantage of the schemes that are open to them. “To do this we are carrying out an extensive marketing campaign to raise general awareness as well as organising events across the region to promote HomeBuy both to our stakeholders and potential clients.” She added: “This really is an ideal role for me. I love the variety of the job and I can finish work at the end of each day knowing that I’ve done something that will make a real difference to people’s lives.”

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MIDLAND HEART CUSTOMERS LEAD THE WAY
27 August 2009

Care and support customers from one Midlands organisation are being given the opportunity to shape their service of the future, following the launch of a new initiative aimed at giving a voice to those who matter. Midland Heart is transforming the way its services are run by giving individuals a unique chance to have a direct influence over the service they receive and ensuring that they are a key part of the decision making process. Working with creative arts based organisation, Box of Frogs, over 100 customers from across Midland Heart’s care and support groups took part in a series of workshops, designed to explore their perceptions of the current provision and ideas on what they would change. A combination of discussion exercises and art-based work was employed as part of the programme, as well as a ‘postcard campaign’, which involved customers scoring Midland Heart on a scale from ‘excellent’ to ‘poor’ in terms of service and accommodation. Customers also undertook ‘peer visits’ to other housing organisations in the region to see how experiences differed from their own, helping them to benchmark the service they received. Chris Munday, managing director of care and support at Midland Heart, commented: “Identifying exactly what our customers think about the service they receive has been a hugely valuable exercise which will not only help us to offer the best possible provision, but will also empower individuals in the knowledge that their voices are being heard. “The outcomes of the project will help us to adapt our service and accommodation provision to ensure that it is what our customers want, and will shape how we work with our customers in the future, making them an active part in the decision making process.” The consultations and workshops culminated in a ‘Promise Event’ held at the Custard Factory in Birmingham, where customers and staff joined together to explore the issues raised and to identify the next steps. Shila Brown, director of Box of Frogs, added: “Our vision is to use creative methods such as art and drama to give people a voice and to help them influence the services they receive. “We have been impressed with Midland Heart’s willingness to explore new ways of working with their customers to ensure that their services are as good as they can possibly be, and are confident that both the organisation and its customers will benefit hugely from the results.”

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CASTLE POINT CALLS FOR MORE AFFORDABLE HOMES
27 August 2009

More than a third of new homes built in Castle Point must be affordable housing, because of a severe shortage in the borough. Castle Point Council is holding a public consultation on its Affordable Homes Strategy 2008-10, which reveals 35 per cent of all new housing developments must be made up of affordable homes. This figure has almost doubled from the previous figure of 20 per cent because of the high number of residents who need affordable homes. But with more than 1,400 people in the borough waiting for an affordable home, according to the council’s waiting list, the number has been bumped up. Wendy Goodwin, the councillor responsible for housing, said something needed to be done to get people off the housing waiting list. She said: “We have a lot of people so we need to find homes, because of the recession. “Although we don’t have planning for any new developments yet, we are hoping a number of new sites will be built in the next year.”

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HOUSING NEWS: JOBS AND TENDERS ROUND-UP
27 August 2009

Housing News is advertising the following jobs and tenders on its regional newsletters: JOBS Springs Tenant Management Co-operative is seeking a Housing Services Officer. For more information, go to: www.housingnews.co.uk/northwest. Closing date: September 18. Irwell Valley is seeking a Chair and Board Members. For more information, go to: www.housingnews.co.uk/northwest. Closing date: unspecified. The Apollo Group is seeking an Estimator. For more information, go to: www.scottishhousingnews.com. TENDERS Wokingham Borough Council is inviting tenders for a specialist housing provider to develop dementia housing in the borough. For more information, go to: www.housingnews.co.uk/southeast. Closing date: September 16. Stockton Borough Council is inviting tenders to develop extra care housing provision in the Thornaby area of the borough. For more information, go to: www.housingnews.co.uk/northeast. Closing date: September 24. East Kilbride & District Housing Association is inviting tenders for an external audit service. For more information, go to: www.scottishhousingnews.com. Closing date: August 28. North Ayrshire Council is inviting tenders for the Building of 23 Council Houses. For more information, go to: www.scottishhousingnews.com. Closing date: August 28. Hillcrest Housing Association is inviting tenders for Stock Upgrades. For more information, go to: www.scottishhousingnews.com. Closing date: September 4. To reach the best candidates in the social housing sector, advertise your top jobs in one of our eight regional newsletters or go national to over 40,000 readers. For more information, call Amy or Angela at Hucksters on 01892 784804.

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JOB OF THE WEEK: HAVE YOUR TOP JOB HERE!
28 August 2009

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NEW HOUSING STANDARDS FOR WELWYN HATFIELD
28 August 2009

Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council is to review its housing service standards this autumn. The review forms part of the work towards creating a Community Housing Trust, which will give tenants and leaseholders much greater say in how their housing services are run. The council intends to consult its tenants on what aspects of the housing service are most important to them, and their priorities for improvement. Councillor Roger Trigg, executive member for housing, said: “Our customers are the best people to tell us what services are important to them and how we are performing. “So we want to work with them to develop challenging standards that we can be measured against and that we can use to deliver consistently excellent services to all customers.” “We hope to create an informal setting where we can gain valuable feedback from customers. We will be providing a buffet and are happy to meet any reasonable out of pocket expenses to enable as many people as possible to come along.” Invitations have been sent to all tenants who have previously expressed an interest in being consulted about the housing service. There will be two events this autumn. The first will be held on Wednesday 16 September in the Council Chamber at Campus West. Two sessions have been organised; 2-4pm and 7-9pm. A second event will be held in October. The council intends to launch the Community Housing Trust in April 2010.

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PANORAMA CHAMPIONS NCHA TECHNOLOGY
28 August 2009

The BBC’s Panorama programme "Gimme Shelter" has investigated the growing unrest amongst Britain's ageing population, concerned that the loss of residential wardens from their sheltered housing accommodation would affect their safety and quality of life. Nottingham Community Housing Association (NCHA) featured in the programme as an example of a organisation committed to combining the role of its sheltered housing scheme staff with the developments in modern assistive technology. The end result enables NCHA to provide an invaluable service to its elderly service users and has been praised as an "excellent 24-hour support service". The SMaRT (Supported Management and Response Team) centre provides a high quality telecare monitoring service so that its users never need to feel alone. SMaRT has harnessed different types of technology for use by a wide range of vulnerable adults in supported housing. Working closely with Tunstall, the telehealthcare technology provider, the service has moved beyond the traditional cord-pull and personal alarm systems. SMaRT's new approach includes a wide range of telecare equipment such as medication reminders, pressure sensors, heat and cold sensors, movement alarms combined with remote monitoring and rapid response services to encourage service users to live independently. John Bartle, NCHA's head of housing with care and support, was quoted on the programme as saying: "We and our service users don't accept the argument that you can have one [wardens or technology] without the other." The SMaRT centre is recognised as having developed a unique method of meeting service user needs, as well as providing additional services for NCHA's general needs tenants. The service has now exceeded expectations by gaining accreditation from the Telecare Services Association for all its call centre services, installation and maintenance of equipment and the quality of care provided by its response team staff. To achieve accreditation status at the same time on all three areas of the business is a huge achievement and reflects the quality assured aims of the SMaRT centre. This approach has transformed how NCHA delivers its care and support services, as it can now offer a flexible and immediately responsive team who can provide personalised services to the person in need. Watch the programme on the iPlayer.

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CROSS KEYS HELPS SINGLE MUM FIND NEW HOME
28 August 2009

A single mum has thanked Peterborough’s largest landlord for providing her and her five-year-old daughter with a second chance in a new home. Due to the dedication of Cross Keys Homes’ staff, Michelle and her daughter from Welland have been able to move to an area where they feel comfortable, secure and ready to start a new life. Michelle said: “I wanted to tell everyone about my good news story. “Cross Keys Homes and Peterborough City Council’s housing options team have worked so hard to provide my daughter and I with a brand new home to live in. “My daughter loves the garden and local parks and can't wait to go to bed at night so she can play in her room. “My work colleagues have all told me how much more focus I have on my job. “This is all thanks to the team of people who have supported and helped me get out of the situation I was in and into a lovely home.” Cross Keys Homes’ neighbourhood manager, Martin Desborough, added: “We at Cross Keys Homes are pleased we’ve been able to help Michelle and her daughter find a suitable home. “Michelle is proving to be a star tenant and we hope she will be very happy with her new home.”

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FRAMEWORK ALCOHOL SERVICE CALLS LAST ORDERS
28 August 2009

A new service which offers practical and confidential advice to people in Nottingham who want to cut down the amount of alcohol they drink has been launched by Framework Housing Association and NHS Nottingham City. The ‘Last Orders’ service works with GP practices and health professionals across the city to give specialist support and advice to people aged 18 and over who could be risking their mental and physical health by drinking too much alcohol. The aim of the service is to act early to prevent people from developing a more serious alcohol problem that would not only have a negative impact upon their health, but other aspects of their life, such as employment, relationships and having a safe place to live. Based within GP practices, Last Orders' team of Clinical Nurse Specialists provides people who are at an increasing risk of damaging their health through alcohol consumption with up to six sessions of one-to-one advice to support them to reduce how much they drink. Last Orders is in the process of training frontline staff in GP practices and other locations across the city - including receptionists, midwives, practice nurses, mental health practitioners and GPs - to recognise when somebody is drinking too much and offer appropriate advice. To date, 850 workers have received training and a further 2000 will be trained over the course of the next year. Michael Leng, operations director at Framework, said: "Framework is an established organisation that is experienced in supporting people in Nottingham who have problems with alcohol. “We work with people whose alcohol problems have caused them to not only experience difficulties with their physical and mental health, but struggle to keep a safe roof over their head, keep a job or maintain relationships with families and friends. "The early identification and prevention of alcohol related problems is a key element of Nottingham's Alcohol Strategy. “Last Orders enables Framework to use its expertise to work in partnership with other health professionals in the city to reach people who are beginning to drink too much at an early stage to prevent them from developing a more serious alcohol problem. "We look forward to working with NHS Nottingham City and health professionals across Nottingham to deliver this important service."

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ARAGON TENANT LIAISON OFFICER WINS TPAS AWARD
28 August 2009

Nicola King of Aragon Housing Association has been named ‘Tenant Liaison Officer of the Year’ at the TPAS Connecting People Awards 2008/09. The overall national winners were chosen from regional finalists from the Northern, Southern and Midlands heats and announced at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole, during the TPAS annual conference. There were five categories - Tenant of the Year, Tenant Liaison Officer of the Year - Landlord, Tenant Liaison Officer of the Year – Contractor, Green Project or Initiative in the Community Award and a new category for 2008/09 - Best Practice in the Community. Well known by staff, agency partners and young people as ‘Onion’, Nicola has worked for Aragon for over two years as youth and community participation officer. Nicola believes in listening to what young people want and working with them to realise their aspirations. Much of her recent work has intergenerational themes, bringing young and older people together. The event, sponsored by Wates Living Space, was hosted by radio personality Mike Shaft, a familiar face from the regional heats and the guest speaker was the TPAS chief executive Michelle Reid.

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HOUSING NEWS: JOBS AND TENDERS ROUND-UP
28 August 2009

Housing News is advertising the following jobs and tenders on its regional newsletters: JOBS Springs Tenant Management Co-operative is seeking a Housing Services Officer. For more information, go to: www.housingnews.co.uk/northwest. Closing date: September 18. Irwell Valley is seeking a Chair and Board Members. For more information, go to: www.housingnews.co.uk/northwest. Closing date: unspecified. Parkhead Housing Association Ltd is seeking a Finance Assistant. For more inbformation, go to: www.scottishhousingnews.com. Closing date: 12 noon, September 11. Parkhead Housing Association Ltd is seeking a Part Time Finance Admin Assistant. For more inbformation, go to: www.scottishhousingnews.com. Closing date: 12 noon, September 11. The Apollo Group is seeking an Estimator. For more information, go to: www.scottishhousingnews.com. TENDERS Wokingham Borough Council is inviting tenders for a specialist housing provider to develop dementia housing in the borough. For more information, go to: www.housingnews.co.uk/southeast. Closing date: September 16. Stockton Borough Council is inviting tenders to develop extra care housing provision in the Thornaby area of the borough. For more information, go to: www.housingnews.co.uk/northeast. Closing date: September 24. East Kilbride & District Housing Association is inviting tenders for an external audit service. For more information, go to: www.scottishhousingnews.com. Closing date: August 28. North Ayrshire Council is inviting tenders for the Building of 23 Council Houses. For more information, go to: www.scottishhousingnews.com. Closing date: August 28. Hillcrest Housing Association is inviting tenders for Stock Upgrades. For more information, go to: www.scottishhousingnews.com. Closing date: September 4. To reach the best candidates in the social housing sector, advertise your top jobs in one of our eight regional newsletters or go national to over 40,000 readers. For more information, call Amy or Angela at Hucksters on 01892 784804.

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