First 100 homes to complete page 4 Wandsworth Council’s housing newsletter Issue 86 March 2020 life Home n New cleaning service n Resident participation strategy published n Community news
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First 100 homes to complete page 4
Wandsworth Council’s housing newsletter
Issue 86 March 2020
lifeHome
n New cleaning service n Resident participation strategy published n Community news
Housing Customer Centre 90 Putney Bridge Road LondonSW18 1HR
Western Area Housing OfficeRoehampton Parish Hall Alton RoadLondon SW15 4LG
Housing hotline: 020 8871 6161
Housing Area Teams Central: 020 8871 5333Eastern: 020 8871 7439Southern: 020 8871 7288Western: 020 8871 5530
If you do not know your area teamemail: hms@richmondand
wandsworth.gov.uk
Wandsworth Emergency Control (housing emergencies, out ofhours) 020 8871 7490
Home [email protected]
Downsizing [email protected]
Landlords looking for [email protected]
For breakdowns, leaks andservicing of heating/hot watersystems speak to your gascontractor:
Battersea, Clapham and Central Wandsworth (orthroughout the borough if yourheating is supplied by a centralcommunal boiler.)P.H. Jones0800 023 4069/0333 004 233
Putney, Roehampton and TootingT.Brown Group Ltd0800 977 8472
To find out your gas contractor020 8871 7040
Adult social services 020 8871 7707
Births, Deaths, Marriages andVoting020 8871 6120
Child social services 020 8871 6622
Environmental services(including pest control,private housing) 020 8871 6127
Finance (including counciltax, benefits, rent, servicecharges)020 8871 8081 To make a telephone payment 0800 021 7763
Parking and Streets 020 8871 8871
Rubbish, recycling and litter020 8871 8558
Useful contacts
Housing contacts Other council contacts
There is a range of housing services and informationavailable on our website wandsworth.gov.uk/housing
Report It AppYou can now report issues directly to thehousing department through the council’s app!This is a quick and easy way to tell us about any issues withcleaning, gardening and maintenance on your estate.
Report it in just three easy steps:
1 Choose your location
2 Take a photo
3 Choose the council housing estates category
Once you’ve submitted your report, it will go straight to ourdedicated estate services team to be dealt with.
Search for Wandsworth Report It on the Apple, Android orWindows app store
Find out more at wandsworth.gov.uk/reportitapp
Welcometo thespringissue ofHomelife Residentengagementhas alwaysbeen an important part of our workand I am proud to present the newresident participation andconsultation strategy. This sets outthe range of participationopportunities available to ensure thatall residents can get involved andhave their say. See pages 10-11 formore information.
We’ve also been working withresidents to design the new estatecleaning contracts which will start inApril. We listened to residentfeedback which said the serviceneeded to be improved and, with thehelp of a focus group, have developednew contracts which we’re confidentwill lead to higher standards ofcleanliness across our estates. Tolearn more about the new contracts,see page 5.
On page 9 there are details of someexciting opportunities for residents.Wandsworth Workmatch is holding itsfifth annual jobs fair in May, givingresidents the opportunity to meetwith local employers and trainingproviders as well as take part ininteractive workshops. If you have agreat idea about how to improve yourlocal community, the council wouldlove to hear it. The Wandsworth GrantFund is now open for applications for2020/21, offering grants to localvoluntary and community groups andsocial enterprises.
I hope you enjoy this issue ofHomelife.
If you have any suggestions pleasecontact me by email [email protected].
Cllr Kim CaddyCabinet Member for Housing
Action for climatechange in WandsworthThe council has published an ambitious action plan totackle climate change.
The plan sets out how the council canhelp play its part, along with the widercommunity, in the fight to tackle climatechange. It sets out key themes, includingenergy efficiency, air quality, watermanagement, urban greening and openspaces, planning and sustainabledevelopment, waste management, and sustainable transport.
Councillor Rory O’Broin, Cabinet Member for Finance and CorporateResources, is leading the climate change work for Wandsworth. He said:“Action on climate change is a priority for this council and this action plansets out what we plan to do to reduce our carbon emissions and supportthe reduction of emissions in the borough.
“I am particularly enthusiastic about our proposal to allocate £5million toprojects which support the achievement of the council’s 2030 target.
“However, we can’t do this alone and collaboration with the people who liveand work in the borough is absolutely essential for our climate changeaspirations to be a success.
“We all have a responsibility when it comes to climate change, and thecouncil is fully committed to working with residents, communities andbusinesses in partnership to ensure we co-produce and continuouslyimprove our actions to address this emergency.
“We particularly want to work with young people – giving them a real voicein the work that we are doing – as ultimately they will be inheriting thelegacy of what we are trying to achieve.”
The council will work with its communities to build on its plan, with furtheractions to be developed and delivered over the next ten years.
The full action plan has been published and can be viewed atwww.wandsworth.gov.uk.
Carbon
by 2050
ZeroCarbonneutral
by 2030
Our Pledge to be:
Our ‘housing for all’ buildprogramme is planned up to 2025 and over half ofthese 1,000 new homes haveprogressed significantly in the last two years. Up to 100 affordable homes are due tocomplete by March 2020. All of thesehomes will be for low cost rent andprioritised for Wandsworth residents and workers.
500 homes are either on site or at various planning and designfeasibility stages.
At least 600 of the 1,000 new homes will
be available for low cost rent or sharedownership. The market homesdeveloped will be prioritised for sale toWandsworth residents or workers withreceipts from market sales being putback into the programme to support theaffordable housing development.
Rowditch Lane
Edward Foster Court
Building 1,000 morehomes and offeringgreater housing choice
Importantchange tocounciltenantswater ratechargesAs from 1 April 2020charges for water andwastewater servicesprovided to councilhomes will be collecteddirectly by Thames Water. This is a London-wide changemade by Thames Water becausethey want to have a more directrelationship with customers so thatthey can advise about their fullrange of services including thosefor people who need extra helpand support.
This change will not affect theamount you pay as the water rateshave always been set by ThamesWater.
After 1 April 2020 council tenantsshould no longer pay the councilfor water services.
We have been advised thatThames Water are contacting all council residents affected by this change.
Please note this only applies toresidential properties. Watercharges for non-residential unitssuch as garages and store shedswill still be collected by the councilon behalf of Thames Water.
Estate cleaning is a vital serviceensuring the communal areas onblocks and estates are clean,safe and pleasant to use.
Recent resident satisfactionsurveys have found low levels ofsatisfaction with the cleaningservice and the council havetherefore reviewed how this isdelivered. With the existingcleaning contracts coming to anend in 2020, this provided anopportunity for the council torevamp the borough-widecleaning service with the help ofa resident focus group. Theresident focus group workedwith the council to establishwhat the new contracts shouldinclude to achieve improvedcleaning standards. We’d like totake this opportunity to thank allresidents who have helped withthis process.
The old contracts provided abasic level of cleaning and it isrecognised by both councilofficers and residents that ahigher standard of service needsto be delivered. This includesroutine cleaning of commonparts that were previously onlygiven an occasional deep clean,such as walls, even if this comesat slightly higher costs.
Under the old contracts,cleaning tasks were carried out
at set timescales, howeverfeedback from residentsindicated that this had led toinconsistent standards ofcleaning across the borough.Under the new contract thecontractor will be required tomeet specific industry-widestandards of cleanliness,cleaning as often as needed toachieve this. Cleaning is rated ona scale A – D and unlesscontractors achieve standards ofA or B on at least 90 per cent oftheir work they may facefinancial penalties. The servicewill be monitored closely bydedicated council officers.
The estate cleaning contractsunderwent a competitive tenderprocess at the end of 2019 withcontractors bidding for thecontracts. Residents from eachof the two contract areas helpedthe council to assess prospectivecontractors.
The successful estate cleaningcontractors are:
n Pinnacle Group (Putney andRoehampton)
n Lewis and Graves Partnership(Battersea and Tooting)
The new contracts are due tobegin in April, and will run until 2028.
New estatecleaning contractsto begin in AprilResidents have helped design new contracts torevamp the cleaning service in 2020.
First Tier Property Tribunal decisionFollowing the fire at Grenfell Tower in June 2017,the council proposed that sprinklers should befitted to all properties in blocks of 10 storeys ormore, bringing fire safety up to the samestandard that would be found in a similar newlybuilt block.
The council made an application to the First TierProperty Tribunal to seek an in-principledecision that it had the authority to undertakeand charge for the works in the leaseholdproperties within these blocks.
The Tribunal made a decision that the councilcould not seek a decision covering all of its high-rise properties but instead should consider eachblock in turn. The council is now awaitingrecommendations arising from Phase Two of theGrenfell Tower Inquiry and in the meantime theretrofitting of sprinklers to sheltered housingschemes continues. Further information on thedecision can be found on the council’s website.
Last piece of claddingremoved from Castlemaine Following the Grenfell Tower fire the councilidentified two blocks with similar ACM cladding –Sudbury House and Castlemaine. The council ispleased to report that the final piece of oldcladding on Castlemaine was removed inNovember last year.
Removing the cladding has been a complexprocess. The work to replace this with newcladding is due to complete next month. OnSudbury House, cladding has been removed downto the final few lower floors and the full recladdingworks are expected to be completed in May.
We would like to thank all residents of Castlemaineand Sudbury House for their continued supportand cooperation throughout these works.
Fire Safety update
regenerationupdates
The plans include replacement council homes for all existingsecure tenants and resident leaseholders plus a leisure andcommunity centre, library, children’s centre and nursery.
The Winstanley York Road plans were developed followingextensive consultation with local people. More than 7,000households were invited to a series of events including schoolsessions, design workshops and resident group meetings.
Key benefits within the application include:
n A mixture of housing including Social Rent, SharedOwnership, Shared Equity, Affordable Rent, Private Rent and Private Sale.
n The re-provision of all council rent and resident leaseholderhomes to be demolished, ensuring that no existing securetenant or resident leaseholder will be required topermanently relocate from their community.
n The creation of a new public park at the heart of thedevelopment.
A new employment and skills centre run by the council’sWorkMatch scheme has already been delivered as part of theregeneration, whilst construction work for 46 of the firstaffordable homes is well advanced.
For more information visit www.winstanleyyorkroad.co.uk
New homes forWinstanley and York Road approvedWandsworth Council’s planning committee has approved plans for 2,550 homes, 35 percent of them affordable, plus a range of community facilities on the Winstanley YorkRoad Estates.
Proposed changes tothe mix of housingfor the Alton estate A revised proposal for the phasing and delivery ofcouncil homes as part of the regeneration of theAlton estate will accelerate delivery of new councilhomes. After a statutory planning consultation, both the council and RedrowHomes carefully reflected on comments made by the public andGreater London Authority in respect of the location of council housing.
As a result, a comprehensive proposal has been prepared by thecouncil’s housing regeneration team which it believes addresses theseconcerns and will also accelerate the delivery of council housing.
Additional key amendments include:
n Increased provision of shared ownership housing
n Provision of more council homes for rent
n Greater tenure mix of new homes for council tenants and residentleaseholders rather than a private block
Updates on these proposals have been shared with residents withinthe intervention area of the Alton estate through a series ofengagement sessions carried out by the regeneration team in January.
Every secure council tenant and resident leaseholder in theintervention area has had a brochure hand delivered to their homewith a detailed covering letter outlining the new proposals and howthey will be affected.
The proposed changes to the tenure mix will be formally submitted byRedrow Homes to the local planning authority in due course and willthen form part of a wider public re-consultation.
For more information about the regeneration visit the council websiteor email [email protected]
Ensuring aperson-centredapproach forrehousingdisabled residentsJacquel Runnalls, aSpecialist HousingOccupationalTherapist, wasemployed by thecouncil in April 2019to identify thehousing needs of disabled and olderresidents as part of the Alton andWinstanley and York Roadregeneration programmes.The ambition was to ensure that new housingprovided by the regeneration would meet theneeds of the community, now and in the future.Jacquel joins Specialist Housing OccupationalTherapist, Rachel Wooden, who has worked for thecouncil for five years.
Jacquel’s work is already making a difference. Thecouncil has designed a new-build six-bedroomwheelchair accessible home to meet a specificfamily’s requirements and has enabled a family whorequire extensive specialist equipment andadaptations to be moved from a ground floor flatto the fifth floor. This addressed their request to feelmore secure and have a balcony with views.
Another innovative decision has been made toensure that all bathrooms in the new build generalneeds housing are constructed to be easilyadaptable into fully accessible wet rooms, featuringrecessed shower trays underneath the bath, tilingdown to the floor and slip resistant flooringthroughout. This will greatly reduce futureadaptation costs.
Jacquel says: “As the project moves forward we willbe sharing our experiences and lessons learnt sothat this feedback can be included in futureschemes of a similar scale. We are also workingwith existing tenants and resident leaseholders toidentify their current and future housing needs sothat we can recommend adaptations and accessrequirements.”
There are many types of video doorbell systems on the market; these allowyou to view who is calling at your door remotely, for example from an appon your phone. Whilst these devices are widely advertised, they maybreach data protection laws and your tenancy conditions. They fall underthe same rules as any domestic CCTV camera.
If your camera captures images outside the boundary of your home andgarden, you must comply with legislation. This includes cameras thatcapture neighbours’ homes or gardens, communal areas of your block or apublic footpath or street. There are specific obligations you must meet toensure you comply with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) andthe Data Protection Act 2018. If you do not meet data protection laws, youcould face action by the ICO.
The council does not approve the use of any video doorbells that capturepublic or communal areas and takes privacy laws seriously. If we receive acomplaint that you are breaching legislation with a video doorbell, we willconsider all appropriate action including, but not limited to, enforcing theterms of the Tenancy Conditions and/or making a referral to the ICO forinvestigation. You will need to provide evidence that you are meetingrelevant laws or you could be subject to legal action, such as a fine.
For more information visit https://ico.org.uk/your-data-matters/domestic-cctv-systems-guidance-for-people-using-cctv
If you have concerns about somebody breaching legislation using a videodoorbell, please contact your area team.
£800 penaltyfor Battersea fly-tipperWandsworth Council willtake action against peoplewho dump rubbish in thestreet. Our enforcement officers now have thepower to issue £400 fixed penaltynotices on-the-spot for fly-tipping.
In September, following joint workingbetween the council’s eastern areateam, inspection and enforcementteam and the local police, aWandsworth resdient was issued twoFixed Penalty Notices, totalling £800,for fly-tipping outside properties onSheepcote Lane, Battersea.
Residents are encouraged to help thecouncil continue to tackle fly-tippingand keep Wandsworth tidy by:
n Using the council’s bulky waste andDIY waste removal service. Detailsare on the council’s website.
n Always checking that those offeringto carry out removal work areregistered waste carriers listed withthe Environment Agency.
n Obtaining a Waste Transfer Note forwaste being removed.
If you encounter an on-street fly-tip,report it for clearance by [email protected]
To report cases of fly-tipping onhousing estates contact estate [email protected] or via the Report It App.
Know the law on video doorbellsVideo doorbell owners are subject to data protectionlaws and may face action from the InformationCommissioners Office (ICO).
Workmatchhosting their fifthannual jobs fair Friday 15 May, 10am-3pm.Wandsworth Civic Suite,SW18 2PUThe event is free and open toWandsworth residents only.
You will have the opportunity to meetwith businesses such as leading national retailers, constructioncontractors, hospitality companies andmany more who are all recruiting withinthe borough.
We will have a range of interactiveworkshops covering:n Employability
n Social Media
n Business start-up and enterprise
There will also be local employmentsupport organisations able to giveadvice on apprenticeships, specialisttraining, career development andbusiness start-up.
Visit if you are: n Living in the borough of Wandsworth
n Looking to find work closer to home
n Currently in education or training
n Seeking employment from entry toprofessional level
Pre-book to save time queuing on theday. For more information and toreserve your place for free visit:www.employwandsworth.org
Backing cleverideas for yourcommunity Through the Wandsworth Grant Fund we celebrate andsupport voluntary and community organisations doinggreat work all around the borough.
Since being launched in 2015, over £1.3 million has been distributed to localorganisations, providing resources to build skills and experiences throughactivities which benefit residents of all ages, often supporting thosecommunities most in need of support.
Projects receiving awards in 2019 included: Battersea Befriending Network,Doddington and Rollo Roof Garden, Friends of Coronation Gardens andWandsworth Sea Cadets.
Applications are now open for 2020/21, seeking more clever ideas for projectsand activities that meet the needs of local communities.
Grants of between £500-10,000 can be awarded to voluntary and communitygroups and social enterprises for projects for up to 12 months long which helpthe council to achieve its priorities across six areas. Whether it is encouragingmore volunteering, making your neighbourhood cleaner or more attractive,helping people into work, supporting older and disabled people who areisolated, encouraging families to be healthier and more active or starting a newcommunity cultural experience, we are waiting to hear from you.
With three application deadlines throughout the year, opportunities await forgreat ideas. Full details and closing dates visit www.wandsworth.gov.uk/wgf
Since 2016 the TootingCommon heritage project hasworked in partnership withlocal community groups toimprove and monitorbiodiversity and habitats onthe Common, to conserveand restore heritagelandscape and architectural features and to teach peopleabout the Common’s rich history and biodiversity. The successes of the project included the restoration of the 1930s drinkingfountain and fossil tree enclosure, developing a heritage trail, and improvingconditions for various veteran trees and historic tree avenues, including replantingthe horse chestnut avenue.
The project reached its conclusion in December 2019 and we would like to thankeveryone involved.
GRANTWandsworth
FUND
Investing in theBrighter Borough EMPLOY
WANDSWORTH
2020
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WorkMatch
Tooting Common heritageproject comes to a close
The Fossil Tree
GET INVOLVED IN HONew resident participation and consultation strategyThe council’s new strategy provides a range of ways that you can get involved with mattersaffecting your housing. Whether you want to attend formal meetings, set up a localresidents’ association or come along to a gardening event, there’s something for everyone.The strategy covers four areas.
1. Formal participation This section of the strategy sets out how thedepartment formally consults with residents. If youwant to review the performance of the Housingand Regeneration Department or decisions abouthousing, you may want to get involved in theformal routes of participation. The first step is bysetting up or joining a local residents’ association. 3. Engaging the
wider communityThe council wants to hear from all residents, includingthose who do not want to be involved more formally.We undertake satisfaction surveys throughout the yearwith a sample of residents and the results help informhow we deliver services to you. We also support arange of activities on estates, including communitygardens, activities for older residents and sportssessions for younger residents.
2. Informal participation The council runs informal activities to seek the viewsof residents and allow residents who don’t sit on theformal structures to get involved with the work of theDepartment. These include focus groups on specifictopics, readers’ panels to review webpages andpublications and the housing community champions scheme.
l To find out moreabout any of theactivities mentioned visitwandsworth.gov.uk/getinvolvedhousing toread the new strategy or contact your residentparticipation officer(see page 15 for contactdetails).
OUSING
The council will be launching the newstrategy at a residents’ conference inspring.This will be an exciting opportunity for professionally ledtraining, group workshops and networking. The conferenceis aimed at residents’ associations, but if you are thinking
about setting up a residents’ association or would like toget more formally involved in the work of the housingdepartment contact your resident participation officer toregister your interest.
Please note that spaces are limited and will be offered on afirst come basis.
egyatStrConsultation
articipationPesidentR
ionon and
4. Consultationarrangements The council often needs to undertakespecialist consultations with residents, forexample in relation to regeneration projectsor major works. This section of the strategysets out these arrangements and how wework to put affected residents at the heart of projects.
Residents’ Conference 2020
House Purchase Grant Scheme The council’s House Purchase Grant Scheme for 2019-20 hascontinued to thrive, with 60 tenants expected to purchasetheir dream home this year.
This scheme gives eligible council tenants a grant to usetowards buying a home of their own on the open marketwithin the UK or anywhere else in the world or to use towardspurchasing a share of a shared ownership property (part rent /part buy) in the UK. It can also be used to adapt a familymember’s home within the UK to create an extension toenable tenants to move in.
The amount of grant a tenant could qualify for depends on:
• the number of bedrooms within their current home;
• the total length of their tenancy;
• the outcome of a means tested financial appraisal.
To be considered for this scheme, applicants need to havebeen a secure tenant for a minimum of two years, have a clearrent account and be willing to vacate their council property.
Grant levels (for tenants who have at least three yearstenancy):
Bed Size (2019-20) Grant amount up to:
Studio / one £50,000two - three £70,000four - six £100,000
In April 2020, the new scheme will open, so if you areinterested in the house purchase grant scheme and wish to beplaced on the waiting list for notification of when new funding
is available, please contact the Home Ownership Team. Pleasenote that funds are limited so not everyone on the list will beoffered the grant.
Right to BuyRight to Buy is still a popular option for tenants wishing topurchase the home in which they currently live in. Tenantsmust have been a tenant for at least three years and canreceive a discount of up to a maximum of £110,500 off themarket value of the property (£112,300 from April 2020).
Right to Part BuyRight to Part Buy is a voluntary sales scheme launched byWandsworth’s Home Ownership Team in January 2017.
This unique scheme enables eligible council tenants whoqualify for the Right to Buy, but are unable to afford topurchase their council home outright, to buy a share of theirproperty. Tenants can purchase an initial share of 25 per centor 50 per cent of their home, receiving a discount on the sharepurchased and paying a low rent on the remaining share. Overtime, tenants can buy additional shares.
To be eligible for the scheme you must:
• be a secure tenant; • have been a tenant for at least three years;• not have received Housing Benefit or the housing element
of Universal Credit for at least 12 months prior to theapplication;
• pass an affordability test. To find out more about home ownership options visit:www.wandsworth.gov.uk/homeownership.
Home Ownership TeamImproving purchase options for council tenants
Helping you to buy a home
Wandsworth Council opening the door to
For further information please contact:020 8871 [email protected]/homeownership
Optivo - Riverside Quarter, SW1893 new apartments are available comprising 22 one bedroom and 71 twobedroom homes. Ideally located on the banks of the River Thames with greattransport links to central London, this development is perfect for youngprofessionals.
Please contact Optivo on ww.optivo.org.uk/contactus.aspx or call 0800 121 60 60
L&Q – PontonRoad, SW859 modern apartments,a combination of one,two and three beds, areavailable in a highly-sought after locationwithin walking distanceof Battersea Park andwith excellent transport links to Clapham Junction and Vauxhall. These will belet as London Living Rent properties at significantly lower rates than standardmarket rental. Those working and/or living locally already will be prioritised.
Please contact L & Q on www.lqgroup.org.uk/contact/contact-landq-direct/or call 0300 456 9997
New shared ownershipdevelopments There are some exciting new shared ownership developments in the borough:
Ponton Road
Riverside Quarter
HomeOwnershipTeaminformationsessionsThe Home Ownership Teamholds information sessionson a quarterly basis aroundthe borough to meet withresidents and answer yourquestions on options forowning your own home. Our next session is being held atRoehampton Area Office (HousingReception, The Parish Hall, Alton Road,SW15 4LG) on Wednesday 25 March,10am to 12pm.
These sessions are strictly byappointment only, so if you would liketo make an appointment to discusshome ownership options please contactthe team using the details below.
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.wandsworth.gov.uk/homeownership
Telephone: 020 8871 6161
In December, the council collaborated with the Nine ElmsArts Ministry to coordinate a festive event for the localcommunity and residents of the Doddington and Rolloestates.
The council enjoyed the opportunity to learn about whatmatters to young people in the area, inviting them to createan art project to decorate festive windows in preparation forthe event. Year 9 students from Harris Academy worked onthe project as part of their GCSE portfolio.
The event was a great success with local residents,community groups, faith groups, local businesses andorganisations coming together to celebrate the festiveseason. Over 120 people attended the event, enjoying carolsinging, mulled wine, toasted marshmallows and muchmore. The event was a great example of communitycohesion and the council would like to take this opportunityto thank everyone involved – we look forward to next year!
If you have any ideas for community events on theDoddington and Rollo please contact Sandra Evangelista,Senior Community Engagement Officer [email protected]
communitynews
Christmas at the Doddington
Panto at Andrew Reed HouseAndrew Reed House residents’ association hired the Rah RahTheatre Group to put on a pantomime of Little Red RidingHood in their meeting room. Residents of all ages wereinvited and really enjoyed themselves – with some takingpart in the performance!
After the panto the cast joined residents for tea and cake. Itwas a lovely way to get the festive season off to a flying start!
In December, the Regeneration Team hosted a Christmascarols event at York Road Library. Older residents were serveda hot meal with around 60 guests attending. Later in theafternoon, doors were open to everyone with festive treatsfrom Midgard, a construction company working on theWinstanley and York Road regeneration scheme. There werealso performances from local singers, dancers and musicians,coordinated by the World Heart Beat Academy, a localorganisation that brings world music to young people inLondon.
Christmas carols withthe regeneration team
Across the borough, the Regeneration Team has been involved in running a seriesof craft workshops with local children and older residents based on the theme ofthank you.
During November and December, staff from the Regeneration Team worked withWomen of Wandsworth Mums (WOW Mums) to lead craft workshops atFalconbrook Primary School and Haven Lodge Sheltered Housing scheme inBattersea. The aim was to get the children and older people to think aboutsomeone they wanted to say thank you to. They were encouraged to think of aperson outside of their family, someone who had impacted their day-to-day life insome way, such as librarians, teachers, shop keepers, bus drivers and streetcleaners. Participants made decorative ornaments using air-drying clay, some ofwhich were made into hanging Christmas tree decorations.
On the Alton Estate in Roehampton, 14 craft workshops took place at HeathmerePrimary School with a group of younger children, facilitated by staff from theRegeneration Team. The ‘thank you’ theme continued at the RoehamptonMethodist Church Hall with an event hosted by the council in partnership withRedrow, its regeneration development partner on the Alton regeneration scheme.The event was called S.M.I.L.E, which stands for Special Messages in LittleEnvelopes and entertainment was provided by the World Heart Beat Academy, whoincorporated a special song of gratitude.
Suzie MacAllan from the Regeneration Team said: “The children very much enjoyedthe workshops and we certainly enjoyed delivering them! Plenty of creativity and funhad by all.”
Saying thank youwith arts and crafts
Foday Kamara Southern Team (020) 8871 [email protected]
Jo Baxter Central Team (020) 8871 [email protected]
Sarah Stevens Western Team (020) 8871 [email protected]
Your residentparticipation teamThere are a variety of ways to getinvolved in your community anddecisions about your housing.
Speak to your resident participation officer.
Lee Bushell Eastern Team (020) 8871 [email protected]
Housing estates in Nine Elms were litup in December as part of aprogramme of cultural events acrossthe area. Beautiful drawings of the elmtrees growing along Nine Elms Lanewere projected onto a block on thePatmore Estate and the side of theROSE community clubroom on theSavona Estate.
Light Up Nine Elms marked the longhistory of the area’s trees, with the NineElms place name having been tracedback to the 17th century. Nine elm treeswere known to be standing on NineElms Lane back in the 1840s.
Wandsworth Council leader Cllr RaviGovindia said: “This celebration of ournine elm trees is a wonderful way ofdrawing together communities througha shared local history."
The Light Up Nine Elms eventcoincided with the annual ROSEChristmas party, which drew around200 local residents to visit Santa'sGrotto, sing carols and share festivetreats. A ROSE Advent window wasalso unveiled which lit up windows withfestive artwork, organised by theAnglican Diocese of Southwark's NineElms Arts Ministry.
Elm trees lightup estates
Brighter boroughprepares for springThe council has carried out a gardening project toplant more flowers and trees, including planting55,000 bulbs on estates across the borough
communitynews
Tree pits around the HenryPrince estate, that werepreviously empty, have beenrenovated and replanted thisautumn. The new trees should prove a welcomeaddition to the communal areas. The oldsoil was removed and replaced, and theground was de-compacted to provide asuitable environment for the trees to putdown new roots.
The selection of trees was agreed withthe local Tree Officer, and includesnative species such as Alder, Hawthornand Maple, along with spring floweringCherries. The trees will help cool downthe estate during hot summer days, filterpollution from the air, and provide ahabitat and food source for a variety oflocal wildlife.
Residents on estates around the borough will soon beenjoying some extra spring colour following the planting ofan additional 55,000 daffodil bulbs into communal lawns onsix different estates. The bulbs were planted over two days using specialist machinery and should flowerfor decades to come, each year signalling the end of winter and the beginning of anew season.
Two varieties were selected, ‘Golden Anniversary’ and ‘Fortune’. As you wouldexpect, ‘Golden Anniversary’ has bright, golden yellow flowers, whilst ‘Fortune’ haspetals that are a paler yellow with orange trumpets. Both are strong growingvarieties and they are sure to stand out at a time of year when there are typicallyfewer flowers blooming in the gardens.
The plan is to plant more bulbs in years to come, so if there is a large lawn on yourestate that has not already been planted please feel free to contact the HorticulturalServices Team on 020 8871 7900 or email [email protected] to nominate an area.
A host of golden daffodils
Trees on theHenry Princeestate
Helping residentsimprove their healthand wellbeing Social prescribing is a new initiative introduced by the NHSEngland as part of their Long-Term Plan. Social prescribingsupports people to take control of their own health byconnecting them to support within the community.
The popular bus routenow runs more frequently,following lobbying fromlocal residents andcouncillors Passengers on the 170 bus service,which operates between VictoriaStation and Roehampton’sDanebury Avenue, can now benefitfrom an improved timetable. Thebus now runs every seven to eightminutes Monday to Saturdaydaytimes, and every 12 minutes onSundays and all evenings.
The changes have been welcomedby residents and councillors inWandsworth who have beenlobbying for extra capacity on thispopular route betweenRoehampton and central London.
Social prescribing starts with a GPreferring people to their Link Workerswho meet people for a one to oneconsultation. Link Workers are basedwithin GP practices but supportpeople in non-medical ways. Duringconsultations Link Workers givepeople time to focus on what mattersto them and take a holistic approachto their health and wellbeing. They aretrained to identify local activities orservices that can provide people withpractical support and make a realimpact to their health and wellbeing.This could include supporting peoplewith things like managing stress,loneliness, finding social groups,learning new skills, physical activity orgetting information on employment,benefits, housing and legal advice
Emerging evidence shows that social
prescribing can lead to a range ofpositive health and wellbeingoutcomes, such as improved quality oflife and emotional wellbeing. Inaddition, research shows that socialprescribing can reduce the number ofGP appointments and hospitaladmissions.
The Wandsworth & Merton ClinicalLead for Social Prescribing Dr MohanSekeram said: “We are delighted wecan now offer thousands more patientsthis new service which can help with alltheir needs. While empoweringpatients this will build resilience in ourcommunity to allow patients to takecontrol of their health.”
If you would like more informationabout social prescribing pleasecontact your local GP practice and askabout a referral to a Link Worker.
Improvementsfor the 170 bus
Karate Kids! Local pupils took part in the first ofthree karate championshipsorganised by the WoW Mums group.The championship was held in JohnBosco school and all those who tookpart had a great time, enjoying theopportunity to spar with other localkarate schools. The karate schoolaims to support children to beconfident, bond as a team and worktowards goals.
The next WoW karate championshipis on 28 March in John Bosco schoolat 10am.
Ashburton South
Yew Tree Lodge
The Lennox
Manresa
sheltered housingnews
Council sheltered schemes offer support and independence • 020 8871 [email protected] • www.wandsworth.gov.uk/shelteredhousing
Party seasonSheltered housing residents around the borough threwparties to celebrate the festive period. Residents andsheltered housing officers alike enjoyed decorations, foodand entertainment. Highlights included:
Manresa sheltered scheme enjoyed listening to the hitsfrom their resident Elvis, Tony.
Ashburton South threw a party with support from theirneighbours, Putney Community Gardeners.
Yew Tree Lodge invited their neighbours from RamblerClose to their Christmas party for good food and music.
Geoffrey Cox, the Lennox’s sheltered housing officer gotinto the Christmas spirit!
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Reassurance andpeace of mind at the
touch of a button
WATCHLifeline Alarm Service
FREE four week trialTo find out more about
our push button response services contact:
call: 020 8871 8198email: [email protected]
www.wandsworth.gov.uk/watch
TeleCARE
Phone: (020) 8871 7707
Email: [email protected]
www.wandsworth.gov.uk/telecare
Independencefor service users
24-hour reassurancefor carers
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BBC Radio Londoncomes to Dimson LodgeIn December, pupils from Westbridge Primary School visited Dimson Lodgesheltered housing scheme to perform carols for the residents. BBC RadioLondon came along to cover the event for their Christmas choir special on theVanessa Feltz Breakfast Show. They recorded the carols and spoke to residentsand pupils about the day.
One resident told the BBC: “Westbridge Primary School have been coming tosing carols for the last seven or eight years. What we love is that they bringtheir carol sheets, so they give them out to everybody for us to join in as well.The children come and they look so starry eyed and lovely, it really warms your heart.”
Another said: “I think it’s terrific, there aren’t many places you can go that youcan communicate with the other generation.”
One pupil explained why he enjoyed the event: “I love singing Christmas songsto people and its fun making people happy.”
The event was a great success that was enjoyed by all and we look forward tonext year!
Upcoming eventsThere’s always a lot going on in oursheltered housing schemesincluding regular coffee mornings,exercise classes and gamesafternoons. A few events coming upat some of our schemes over thenext few months:
• Trip to Kempton Market and publunch on 12 March, organised byGrosse Way and & HepplestoneClose
• Easter lunch and raffle at JamesSearles Lodge on 8 April
• VE Day celebration at AshburtonSouth on 5 May
• A trip on the Bluebell steamrailway on 13 May, organised bythe Lennox
For more information about what’shappening where you live, speak toyour sheltered housing officer.
Large printversionCopies of this issue ofHomelife are available inlarge print format contact (020) 8871 6800 or email:[email protected]
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Super-fast broadbandprovider Community Fibrehas now enabled around30,000 homes inWandsworth to link up to itsfull fibre network
The council has been working inpartnership with Community Fibre toensure council tenants andleaseholders can be among the first inLondon to benefit from super-fastbroadband.
The Gigafast service has clockeddownload speeds of over 1,000megabits per second – nearly 50times faster than the UK average,according to figures released byOfcom. It uses optical fibre cablesinstalled directly into people’s homes,rather than the older and slowercopper technology.
It costs £40 a month to subscribe tothe company’s unlimited ‘gigabit persecond’ speeds and cheaper packagesare also available. Downloads areunlimited and customers don’t have topay a line rental charge.
The council’s cabinet member forhousing Cllr Kim Caddy said: “Fastreliable broadband is hugelyimportant to our tenants andleaseholders, which is why we wantWandsworth to be London’s mostconnected borough.”
Happy Streets in awards spotlight
Gigafastbroadband
The EU Settlement Scheme is free and is now open to EU citizensand their non-EU family members. To make a successfulapplication you just need to:
n prove your identity n prove that you live in the UK n declare any criminal convictions.
You must apply before 31 December 2020. For moreinformation visit gov.uk/eu-settled-status.
In partnership with Wandsworth Council, Citizens AdviceWandsworth can help vulnerable residents to apply. For more information contact the CA Wandsworth EU Project team: n Email: [email protected] n Online: www.cawandsworth.org/eu
How will Brexitaffect you?EU citizens can secure their rights to live in theUK after Brexit by applying for settled status.
A local project whichlaunched the Happy Streetsfestival and led the redesignof Thessaly Road underpassin Nine Elms has beenshortlisted for a nationalcommunity arts award.
The council worked with housingestate residents in the ThessalyRoad area and nearby St George’sprimary school to develop thecolourful rail bridge design andcommunity festival.
The Hearts for the Arts Awards 2020panel also shortlisted WandsworthCouncil’s cabinet member for
Community Services and OpenSpaces, Cllr Steffi Sutters, in thecategory of 'Best Arts Champion –Councillor' for her work promotinglocal arts.
Latest Nine Elms news atwww.nineelmslondon.com
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