Housing Matters Summer 2021 - Wiltshire Council
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WiltshireCouncilHousing
Housing
Summer 2021
Keeping Wiltshire residents informed Matters
Rural community rallies
round in support
Clean up at The Brambles
STAR Survey results are in
Retrofit – What it means for
your home
Housing Matters Summer 2021
Welcome Contents
Welcome to the latest edition of Rural community and Wiltshire Council
Housing Matters. rally to help 80-year-old homeless man living
in his car ............................................................ 3
In this edition we look at how the provision of
affordable housing, Council services and the What is Retrofitting and how does it
community pulling together can turn peoples’ help my home? ................................................. 6
lives around.
The STAR survey 2020 results ............................. 8
Our HEEP programme is gearing up to invest over
£50 million over the next ten years to reduce the Digital Matters ................................................. 10
carbon footprint of your homes and save you
money in heating costs every year. Community Matters ........................................ 14
The results of our bi-annual STAR survey are in. Quality Services Matters ................................... 19
Your responses quoted energy efficiency, car
parking and anti-social behaviour as priority areas. Quality Homes Matters .................................... 24
We know anti-social behaviour can ruin people’s
Money Matters ................................................ 28
lives and take it very seriously. In this edition, we
set out some of the ways in which we tackle anti-
social behaviour and recent successes.
If you need help to set up access to digital means
to communicate with us or to receive information,
please read the article in this edition and seek our Useful contact information
help. You will find digital access quick, convenient
The iHousing Portal:
and timely and it will soon become second nature
https://ihousing.wiltshire.gov.uk
if you don’t use it already.
The Wiltshire Council Website:
Lastly, the pandemic has had a big impact on www.wiltshire.gov.uk
people’s financial situation. We are there to help General Housing enquiries:
you if your household is struggling financially. The hsgmail@wiltshire.gov.uk
sooner you contact us the more options and help
Housing repairs emergencies and out of hours:
we can provide.
0300 456 0117 – option 2
I hope you enjoy this edition and please don’t Non urgent housing repairs should be reported
hesitate to get in contact and help us improve the via the iHousing Portal at
services we offer. https://ihousing.wiltshire.gov.uk
Newsflash!
Councillor Phil Alford has been
appointed the new cabinet member for
Housing. We look forward to bringing
you more information in the next issue
Simon Hendey, Cllr Phil Alford,
Director of Housing and Cabinet Member
of Housing Matters.
Commercial Development for Housing
Printed on paper containing 75% post-consumer waste. We try to ensure that the information contained in the publication is
accurate at the time of going to press and while every effort has been made to ensure accuracy Wiltshire Council cannot guarantee
it and does not accept any liability for any error or omission.
2 Summer 2021 Housing Matters
ture
Fea ry
sto
Rural Community and
Wiltshire Council
rally to help 80-year-old
homeless man living in
his car
Forever Home - Mr Edmonds - 13 April 2021
Housing Support Worker Sarah Brown tells the At the end of January this year I received a phone
story: I have been a Support Worker in housing call from Gillingham foodbank; they were very
for 17 years. I could not have predicted this case worried about reports from concerned members of
would have stretched me to think ‘outside of the public about an elderly gentleman purported
the box’, be so time critical, rely heavily on the to be living in his car. I immediately contacted the
goodwill and generosity of my rural community local PCSO and we went on a search and found
and as a result of the outpouring of help, inspired
him in a layby in Stourton.
hope, love and immeasurable kindness.
That very cold day I met a very stoic, humble,
So, this is the story of brilliant resourceful and genial gentleman, Michael
collaboration across the Edmonds, whom I was instantly determined and
driven to help whatever it took. After three hours
council, its residents and our spent roadside in my vehicle, I learnt that he had
partner agencies. been living in his car since March 2020 having
Housing Matters Summer 2021 3
been forced to stop working as a self-employed worked tirelessly to nurture his trust to allow them
fruit and veg supplier due to the Covid lockdown. to try to resolve his housing.
Not claiming State Pension, old school, frugal,
living off the land foraging for fruit, mushrooms That January day I was on the phone to my
and garlic, frying eggs and heating up fish on colleague Jennie Dixon (Housing Options Advisor)
his car bonnet in the height of summer, he had who informed me that she had offered him
resigned himself to his situation without complaint temporary accommodation in one of our hostels,
or asking for help. but due to its far away location he was worried to
accept it. This triggered Jennie to get the council’s
Throughout those months, concerned Wiltshire
residents helped and a very special couple Paul and Rough Sleeper Team, headed up by Louis Shortall,
Carol Walton and their daughter Hannah delivered involved, who sympathetic to Michael’s reasons for
daily hot food, hot water bottles, blankets, new not going to the hostel, offered to pay for a room
clothes and took away his washing. They made in a hotel in Warminster until a more permanent
him feel loved and cared for during this time and home was found.
Michael was found a place in a local hotel by our Rough Sleeper Team
4 Summer 2021 Housing Matters
This would have been taken up had it not been Michael to move into as quickly as possible as the
for a most generous offer to allow Michael to stay owners of the shepherd’s hut needed it vacant
in my friend’s heated shepherds hut on their farm on 6 April 2021. As the flats’ essential works
where he stayed for nine weeks. Not only did they were not going to be completed by this date the
provide him with shelter but gave him a hot meal Rough Sleeper Team stepped up again to help
every day. and facilitated and funded Michael’s stay in The
Travelodge, Warminster for a week.
During this time, my colleague Gabriella Menghini
(Homeless Prevention Officer), got his application On the 13 April 2021 Michael signed his tenancy
activated on the Homes4Wiltshire housing list in for his new council flat and there are not enough
a record time and so the bidding to find a forever words to describe just how thrilled, grateful and
home commenced with excitement and passion. It relieved he was to finally have a permanent home.
was one thing to find a suitable home but now we To all those involved, this was a very happy ending
needed to furnish it! and everyone’s actions, from start to finish, was
inspirational, committed, passionate, challenging
So, in step, Paul, Carol and Hannah Walton
at times but unwavering. A perfect streamlined,
to the rescue and they enthusiastically posted
collaborative positive outcome.
Michael’s predicament on the Mere Community
Facebook page asking for donations of unwanted I would personally like to thank you all; colleagues,
household items. The immediate response was Wiltshire residents and friends in helping me to
overwhelming, so much so that it took over their do my job, which I love so much. I couldn’t have
lives as they ploughed through and made contact done this without you all.
with each and every donor, culminating in being
Sarah Brown
able to provide Michael with everything from
Housing Support Worker
white goods, furniture, rugs, bedding, curtains,
supermarket vouchers and all manner of other
items – the list was extensive! The generosity of Villagers rally to help newcomers to
everyone was amazing so a massive thank you. Tisbury
Special thanks to Alison our local Postie and
When the chips are down, it is often said, you will
Annalese, Lidl employee at the Gillingham Store.
find who your true friends are, but in times when
The next piece of work was to get Michael some it has been hard for so many no one could have
income as his modest savings were depleting. I imaged the enormous generosity from so many
was somewhat shocked to learn that he had never complete strangers.
claimed his State Pension, citing there was no need
‘Nextdoor’, a neighbourhood forum, and a
as he had always worked all his life. He was even
Facebook “shout-out” for help to lend a hand to
steadfast to return to work after this last lockdown!
one Wiltshire Council tenant was responded to
However, his relief in the knowledge that I would
in such an amazing way, swarms of offers came
make a claim for his Pension and Housing Benefit
through that we were able to equip two council
was met with tears of joy and relief.
homes for two new residents in Tisbury!
Finally, back to finding Michael’s forever home.
The villages of Tisbury, Hindon, Chilmark, Dinton,
Michele Chilcott, Senior Neighbourhood Officer,
Teffont, Fovant, Swallowcliffe, Mere, Donhead
was on the look out for suitable properties that
and Berwick St John all donated beautiful soft
became available in a couple of our sheltered
furnishings, furniture, TV’s, lighting and mirrors
schemes. When two did, my colleagues Elena
along with bedding and kitchen equipment.
Cozma and Marieta Kristiansen (Allocation Officers),
worked quickly and diligently to offer Michael a A heartfelt thanks to all of those that donated
lovely ground floor flat in his area of choice. comes from us and the two gentlemen who were
welcomed so warmly.
Michele Chilcott then pulled out all the stops and
brilliantly coordinated getting the flat ready for A Wiltshire Resident/Organiser
Housing Matters Summer 2021 5
ture
Fea ry
sto
HEEP - Saving money
and carbon through
Retrofit
The UK is committed to achieving net zero Achieving EPC B on our existing homes will
carbon by 2050 – something which is require various innovations and renovations
clearly impossible without addressing the including, but not limited to:
existing housing stock. With an estimated 27
• insulation
million homes to decarbonise in less than 30 • airtightness
years, which works out to be around 1.7 • ventilation
homes every minute across the country for • heating systems
the next 30 years, there is no time • renewable technologies e.g. solar panels
to waste. • water heating systems
• efficient lighting
Through the Housing Energy Efficiency
• energy monitoring systems
Programme (HEEP) the council will invest up
• using locally generated power that uses
to £50m to raise the energy efficiency of its
zero-carbon technologies.
housing stock over the next 10 years. The
target is to achieve an Energy Performance What will you do to retrofit
Certificate (EPC) rating of B or higher by the my home?
end of the decade. The works will follow
British Standard PAS 2035 and will be carried 1 Assess and Repair
out by trained staff and contractors, working A Retrofit Assessor will carry out a detailed
to this specification. Our contractors will all assessment of your property, looking at the
be Retrofit and Trustmark accredited and the fabric of the building, what heating system is
works will be inspected at every step to ensure installed and how the building is used including
they are properly delivered. your utility bills. They will also ensure that the
building is at a suitable standard of repair for
The work to achieve EPC B on the existing further works to be carried out.
houses supports another Wiltshire Council aim
which is to achieve a carbon neutral target for 2 What steps can we take?
all new houses in the Council House Following the assessment, a Retrofit Co-
Build Programme. ordinator will create a plan for the property,
to look at the changes needed to raise
Wiltshire Council Housing has already
the property to EPC B. Initial changes will
secured a Green Homes Grant from the
be identified that can be implemented
Government for £546,500 under the Local
immediately. This includes things such as fitting
Authority Delivery scheme for energy LED light bulbs or improved heating controls to
efficiency improvements to low income save energy during daily use.
households and those in the lowest EPC rated
homes. This includes those off-gas-grid homes 3 Fabric improvements
and will be a step towards tackling fuel poverty. Improvements identified in the assessment,
Tackling those homes with the lowest EPC will now be implemented. This could include
rating through this grant will form the first new loft and wall insulation to make the
phase of the 10-year HEEP programme, and property easier to heat and keep at a desired
work on this is already underway. temperature, while eliminating cold spots and
6 Summer 2021 Housing Matters
thermal bridging. Ventilation will be installed are looking to utilise new technology, including
to balance the needs of use and temperature to robotics where appropriate, to ensure the work
prevent damp and condensation forming. is carried out with an absolute minimum of
disruption and our Resident Engagement Team
4 Heating will be on hand every step of the way to keep
A new heating system will be installed. This you updated as to what is going to happen.
will be energy efficient, such as an air source
heat pump or Quantum electric heating, How much money will it
and low carbon to reduce emissions from save me?
the property and achieve our goal of carbon
neutral housing. When combined with the This will depend on the current condition of
fabric improvements this will reduce cold and your property, its current EPC rating and your
damp within the home and lower energy use use of it. If your home is a high ‘C’ rating then
and the associated costs. Moving away from there will be minor works required to bring it
high carbon producing systems such as oil, gas up to an EPC ‘B’, however if your property is an
and solid fuel will help our homes meet their ‘F’ grade then there will be significant works to
new carbon zero targets and provide a better bring it up to a ‘B’, so the potential savings will
environment for you to live in. vary greatly between properties, however as
an estimate we are hoping to realise potential
5 Carbon Neutral Energy options saving for you anywhere between £100 and
over £500 every year.
Ways to offset the properties energy use,
such as Solar PhotoVoltaic (PV) and other
technologies will be considered to help make Exemplar Homes Project
the house Carbon Neutral and lower utility As an example of the Retrofit plan, we are
charges for tenants by providing power directly currently refurbishing two Wiltshire Council
to the property. Housing properties to be exemplar homes,
showing off the sort of improvements this
Following the retrofit, we will keep monitoring
program will deliver. These three bedroom
the property with the tenants to ensure
houses had been used for temporary
everything is working as it should and to offer
accommodation for a number of years but
advice and guidance on the new technology
will soon be available for tenants to bid on via
and make sure everything is to their satisfaction.
Homes4Wiltshire. We will work with the new
tenants to monitor the energy improvements
When will you start? and upgrades to show the savings that come
We intend to begin immediately and have from this new technology.
already begun training and recruiting staff for
One property will be outfitted with high
the new retrofit work.
efficiency Quantum heating, PV and intelligent
We will begin by upgrading our properties hot water cylinder that can both monitor usage
as they become empty, allowing all the work and also divert any spare FREE electricity from
to be done in a short space of time during the PV to heat the water.
the turnaround while the properties are
The other will be the same, but we would
unoccupied, which will mean no disruption for
install an air source heat pump in lieu of the
tenants. As we have approximately 300 empty
Quantum heating.
properties turned around in an average year,
we will still need to upgrade some tenanted Both properties will be EPC ‘B’. We will be
properties to meet the 500 homes a year target. reporting further on these two projects in
To this end, we will contact residents to offer the coming months, so keep checking your
the upgrade as the work reaches their area. We Housing Matters.
Housing Matters Summer 2021 7
ture
Fea ry The STAR survey
sto
2020 results
The STAR Survey was carried out between May and couple of weeks later. Two fifths of the responses
July 2020, with a census of all Wiltshire Council were received online (40%), compared to only
Housing tenants. The survey was emailed out to 31% in 2018.
all residents who have told us they have an email
In total 1,687 tenants took part in the survey.
address; paper copies were to sent residents that
We’re really grateful to those of you that did take
we do not have email addresses for and also to
part as it’s really important we know what your
residents who had not responded to the email a
priorities and thoughts are when we’re looking at
Bench 2018 change 2020 improving the service we provide you.
mark result over time result
satisfaction overall
...........
quality of home
...........
safety & security
of home
...........
value for money
of rent
...........
easy to deal with
...........
listens & acts
on views
...........
kept informed
...........
dealing with
enquiries generally
...........
repairs & maintenance
overall
...........
last complet repair
...........
neighbourhood as a
place to live significantly no significant significantly
better difference worse
8 Summer 2021 Housing Matters
Satisfaction is broadly the same - 81% in 2018 The main reasons given were issues with a lack of
compared to 82% in 2020. We are pleased to see car parking, a rise in anti-social behaviour and
that the general impressions of Wiltshire Council that repair work was not being carried out
Housing remain steady, although we will continue “right first time”.
to work on improving this in everything we do.
These are all concerning, which is why we are
already looking at ways to improve this, including
the new Home Energy and Efficiency Programme
(HEEP) over the next 10 years. Wiltshire Council
has been exploring ways to improve in these
matters, and while it is possible that the COVID
19 pandemic has had an effect on these, we will
With everything that has happened in the past attempt to improve these where we can.
year, we’re pleased to see that in general, Value for
The Small Improvement Bids are another way we
Money remains a big factor in how happy overall
are helping residents make their communities a
our tenants are, and in particular this year, that
better place and we have already had a number
87% of respondents were satisfied with the value
of bids for 2021. Our neighbourhood survey has
for money we provide (53% of those were
gone out to help us focus our next year of estate
very satisfied).
visits and inspections to look at the areas and
47% of Wiltshire Council tenants also valued Energy problems you have identified. We will use the STAR
Efficiency improvements as a top 3 priority for 2020 information along with all the other ways our
investment. Car parking improvements ranked third tenants get in touch with us to inform our decision
for the top 3 priorities for investments with footpath making going forward.
and road improvements coming in as the highest
Over the last 4 years we have seen a sharp increase
with 56% of responses. Wiltshire Council is aiming
in our tenants’ digital engagement - tenants with
to be carbon neutral by 2030 and we have a ten-
emails and those who were willing to engage with
year Home Energy and Efficiency Programme (HEEP)
Wiltshire Council are now a significant majority.
of Housing improvements under way to deliver
We have therefore implemented an entirely new
more efficient environmentally friendly homes.
online housing portal to enable those who wish to
There were declines in satisfaction on the quality manage their rent accounts and tenancies online
of the home (was 81% now 77%), repairs and to do so. Find out more at
maintenance (was 77% now 73%) and the https://ihousing.wiltshire.gov.uk
neighbourhood as a place to live (was 87%
Once again, a big thank you to all those who took
now 84%)
part in the 2020 STAR survey. Your feed back is
appreciated as it helps us identify areas where
we need to improve and equally highlights areas
where we are already doing a really good job for
you. If you would like to see the full STAR survey
report, please go to our website:
www.wiltshire.gov.uk/housing-council-housing
Housing Matters Summer 2021 9
Keep in touch with us
easily and quickly:
Set up an Email address
When we sign up a new tenancy, we always ask • Repairs notifications
for the prospective tenant to provide their email
• Surveys of our services you have used
address. We do this for reasons including:
• No delays in sending you important Safety and security
information
• We will never give out your email address
• Important information about your tenancy to a third party. Only providers of services
on official council business will be allowed
• Your messages to and from us are
your email and only if we approve it. All of our
received immediately
partners are subject to strict data
• A reduced impact on the environment sharing agreements
• No paper • We will never send you an email where others
can see your email address
• No travelling (no fuel costs)
• Cost efficiency savings for the council How to create an email account
• Reduced postage and handling costs You don’t need any dedicated software or
applications to have an email account. It’s
• Savings made by us mean that you benefit
as we are able to redirect any savings easy and free to set up a new email address.
towards our properties and assets The best way to do this is to set up something
called a webmail account. This is a type of email
• To register for our secure iHousing portal account that you can access from any computer,
• A valid email address is required to sign up laptop, tablet or phone by logging into your
to our secure portal The iHousing portal account securely.
allows you to manage your property and We recommend going for webmail rather than a
tenancy with us and its available 24/7 dedicated email program installed on your device.
To ensure that you receive important Avoid setting yourself up with an email address
information from us we require an up-to-date, provided by your broadband company, as this
valid email address from you. effectively ties you in to using their service when
you may one day wish to switch.
Going paperless costs the council less, which
means we make savings that will be passed on Two examples of webmail are Gmail (a Google
to all our tenants and leaseholders. product) and Outlook.com (a Microsoft product)
– both are free to use. You can use both with a
We will send email messages to inform you of:
dedicated program (free) or via your
• Important announcements internet browser.
• Reminder emails for important upcoming Choosing an email address and
appointments (for example, repairs to password
your home)
Typically, you use your own name, and the
• Important correspondence regarding your remainder of the address is provided by the
tenancy or licence email provider.
10 Summer 2021 Housing MattersFor example, your new email address Be sure to choose a username that’s easy
could be yourname@gmail.com if you chose to to remember. If you will use this email for
create a Google Gmail account. It’s good practice business purposes, choose a professional
to use a full stop to separate your first name and sounding username. You may find your desired
surname if using that. For example: username has already been claimed. If this is the
john.smith@gmail.com. case, try a variation.
However, a common name may already be taken, By default, your free Outlook.com
so you may need to add a number or a middle account username will have the
name to distinguish the new address as a unique extension “outlook.com”. For example:
one. You can’t create the same email address as john.smith@outlook.com.
anyone else in the world, even if they have the
same name as you! After you’ve entered your details and then
confirmed your account you can then begin
The system will warn you if an email address is using it to send and receive emails to others.
already taken, and it will even suggest variants you
can use instead. For either of these solutions, you can create
an online address book and add contacts with
It’s very important to set up a secure password for email addresses so that you don’t have to keep
your email address, and it’s a bad idea to make it anything on paper. Both these solutions allow
something that is too easy to guess. you to log into your account from any device
and you can go further and install dedicated
How to set up a Gmail account
“apps” onto a mobile phone or tablet device.
(Google product) This can make things even easier to use and
To create a free Gmail account, go to the allows you to be notified when a new message
official Google website – www.google.co.uk is sent to you.
You will need to click on the ‘Gmail’ link at the top Some points to think about when
of the page… creating a new email account
and then go to ‘create account’ and fill in the When creating a new email account, think
form that will appear, entering a password and a carefully about using a suitable address as it
few details. could be the address you use for professional
Review Google’s Terms of Service and then or business tasks.
click Next. You can then set some recovery If you do add any numbers to make the email
questions which will be used in the event that you address unique, try not to use numbers or
forget your password or lock your account. number sequences that may have unprofessional
Once that is done, you will have created your correlations. Also remember if you have to use
free Google email account. You can sign in, start numbers, that some email addresses with numbers
adding contacts and begin emailing for free. can trigger “junk email” filters and get your emails
sent straight to junk mail folders.
How to set up an Outlook account
Remember that your email address will potentially
(a Microsoft product)
stay with you for many years in the future so make
To create a free Outlook account, go to the official sure you’re happy with it.
Microsoft account page – https://outlook.live.com
A poor email address can ruin your credibility
You will need to click on the “Create free account” in some situations such as applying for a job or
making a good impression to someone.
Next, follow the prompts which will ask for your
personal details and to choose an email address Your email address is personal and ideally not one
and password. shared with a spouse or family.
Housing Matters Summer 2021 11The iHousing Portal –
Your gateway to your
housing service
Don’t have time to call in or need to check your phone or email if you need any of these details
account or report non urgent repairs out of office confirmed prior to registering. If you haven’t done
hours? We are always open online through the so already, please register at –
iHousing Portal. https://ihousing.wiltshire.gov.uk
The iHousing web portal is a secure, online service I’m not online, how can I use these
where you can view your rent account balances services?
and statements, make online payments, report
If you need help accessing digital services or would
repairs and track the progress of them. If you have
like to find out more about getting online, the
a repair to report, we encourage you to report it
Resident Engagement Team can offer support and
via our iHousing portal. The portal is secure and
guidance. There are a number of national and
available 24/7. When you log your repair via the
local schemes that can help you with training,
portal it saves you and us time by making sure
information and finding suitable equipment that
it goes to the right person in the right team -
we can sign post you to as well as help with
quickly. You can also attach photos to assist in the
the iHousing portal and other council services.
diagnosis of your request.
For more information and help and advice for
Residents can self-register themselves onto the accessing services online, please call the Resident
portal quickly and easily. All you need is your date Engagement Team by phone on 0300 456 0117
of birth, the email address and phone number – option 5. And you can write to us at Resident
we have on file for you and your rent account Engagement Team, Housing Management, Bourne
reference number. There is no waiting period as Hill, Salisbury, SP1 3UZ. You can also email us at
it can all be done online. You can contact us by tenantparticipation@wiltshire.gov.uk
12 Summer 2021 Housing MattersHelping older people make
better use of technology
and stay connected in a
digital world.
Click & Connect, helping
you use technology in a way
that’s important to you.
Whether you’ve always wanted to make a video call or shop online but have never had the courage. Or,
you’ve got some knowledge but want to improve your skills. Our FREE service, Click & Connect, may
be able to help.
Peter’s story
Peter is 67 years old and lives on his own in Trowbridge. He is a military
veteran and has experienced PTSD since the 1970s when he was involved
in a bomb explosion in Northern Ireland when serving in the Army. Peter is
dyslexic which hasn’t prevented him from using technology, though there
were some things he was finding he was unable to do.
Peter was motivated to purchase a Samsung tablet because he wanted to do
more things online, particularly shopping and looking things up. However he
struggled to do anything once he turned it on. He didn’t understand how the
apps worked on the tablet and was then stuck on what to do next.
Through our Click & Connect project we put Peter in touch with Mick, an AbilityNet volunteer. Mick
took his tablet away for 3 weeks to set it up and returned it with a book of instructions written in a way
that Peter could understand. Peter is learning gradually but can now order things online and shop on
eBay. His tablet now has a speaking app installed which helps him to achieve what he is trying to do.
The help provided to Peter from Click & Connect has had a positive impact on his life, enabling him to
do things he previously found impossible. He is now linked to the outside world in a way most people
would take for granted.
Peter says: “The help has been incredible. I am learning gradually and know that I can always ask for
help when I need it. I am very happy!”
If you feel there is something you want to do but don’t know how, then Click & Connect could help!
How to access our FREE service
If you would like to find out more, please call our team on 01380 710 296 and we will be delighted to
speak with you. Or email click@ageukwiltshire.org.uk.
is delivered in partnership with:
Housing Matters Summer 2021 13The Resident
Engagement Team
Over the past few months, the Resident pleased to have nearly or over 1600 of you
Engagement Team has continued to stay in-touch now registered.
with its communities while working to help support
We hope that we will have the opportunity to get
the council’s response to the pandemic, working
out and about in the coming months to resume
with the Wiltshire Wellbeing Hub, Homes4Wiltshire
our estate inspections and rural engagement as we
and with helping to manage the delivery of food
continue to follow the roadmap to recovery.
and personal protective equipment.
If you would like more information about the
Despite not being able to visit work we do then please do get in touch with us
our communities, it’s been an at tenantparticipation@wiltshire.gov.uk, via the
exciting time for the team as they community tab on the iHousing Portal, or by
continue to enable customers to calling 0300 456 0117 – option 5.
engage digitally with a menu of Congratulations to STAR Survey Winners
weekly events.
Congratulations to our three lucky tenants who
Understanding that not everyone has the won over £200 in shopping vouchers in the prize
ability to join in with our digital programme has draw for everyone who returned a STAR Survey
led us to provide the basic IT support needed to either digitally or by post.
join our online meetings. We are also working
closely with partners to help those without the
hardware to obtain or borrow a suitable device.
Our weekly online quiz is becoming increasingly
popular and is a great way to help alleviate
isolation for those living alone especially during
these difficult times.
The launch of our 2021 Small
Improvement Bids got off to a
flying start with a great deal of
interest and applications being
submitted as a result.
This is a great opportunity for customers to
ask for outdoor communal area improvements.
We have already seen the creation of patios,
new fencing, play equipment and parking
from previous bids on our estates and the
positive impact the improvements have made
for you.
The team are continuing to provide one-on-one
support for iHousing registration. The roll-out of
the new portal has been well received and we are
“Congratulations to Mr Hoare who won the first prize in
our STAR Survey prize draw!”
14 Summer 2021 Housing MattersTenant Talk
Mr Palmer contacted the Housing team to pass Mr and Mrs Parrish wrote to us to say a big
on his thanks for the quick service he received in thank you to our contractor British Gas for the
getting his shower fixed. work their operative Vinnie carried out at their
property which included fitting a new hot water
Miss Batsford told us that Wiltshire Council
cylinder and repairs to the boiler and pipework.
Housing Plumber Ian was...
They said...
“so very kind and respectful” “Well done Vinnie for your
during his visit to her property and she would effectiveness and attention to
really like for it to be acknowledged, as people are detail” and that the hot water
too quick to complain while staff are not praised
and heating system now “works
enough when its warranted.
like a dream”.
Ms Middleton told us that...
Ms Bridger contacted us regarding work carried
“I like to give credit where it’s out by our DLO to her roof and told us...
due so a big thank you to Michele
“I would just like you to know
Chilcott, senior housing officer, for
that when Paul came back to
sorting out a problem so quickly.”
do the roof, I am really pleased
Following his properties electrical safety with the work that he has done.
inspection, Mr Johnson told us the attending He was really professional and
operative was a...
approachable and noticed other
“Very nice young man who was repairs that needed doing. I hope
very considerate of the fact that that it is him that comes back to
we are shielding.” do the future repairs as the
Miss Alton contacted us about the work our
quality of his work is great. He
Repairs Surveyor Alex had been doing at her clearly takes a lot of pride in the
home and told us... work he does.”
“I just wanted to thank you for Customer Satisfaction – How did we do?
everything you are doing to rectify When we carry out responsive repairs or planned
the mould and condensation maintenance at your property, you will receive a
problems in my home. Hopefully satisfaction survey by email once the works have
been completed. We value your feedback so please
by exploring different options we
be sure to complete the survey and satisfied or
can see a difference. It’s always a dissatisfied, let us know how we did so we can
pleasure to see you and thank you continue to deliver great service.
for visiting and liaising with me
You can also contact the Repairs team for
with updates. I truly appreciate it Responsive Repairs queries at HousingRepairs@
as you know it was really wiltshire.gov.uk or the Contracts team for planned
upsetting me. “ maintenance at ContractsAdmin@wiltshire.gov.uk.
Housing Matters Summer 2021 15Your Housing Scrutiny
Panel needs you!
Scrutiny means taking an in-depth look at a TPAS – the Tenant Participation Advisory
narrow part of Housing Services to find out Service) to find out about best practice
exactly what is happening and then making
• carry outcome research – this could include
recommendations about what should be
looking at other groups’ reports, industry
happening. Your scrutiny group is called the
reports, etc.
Challenge and Change Group and currently
has four volunteers, Jenny, Jo and Teresa who • look into Key Performance Indicators to
are tenants and Philippa who is a leaseholder. understand what this means in practice
Together they carry out different reviews to
make services even better than they already are • carry out a value for money assessment
for the benefit of residents and their families. • examine records held by the service (we only
If you are interested in joining the scrutiny panel, see ‘redacted’ versions, so we do not see any
the Resident Engagement Team would love residents’ personal information).
to hear from you. You can take part on a full The list isn’t the same each time, it really
or part time basis and support and training is depends on what the topic requires and how
available from Ian, our Governance and Scrutiny members want to move things forward.
Officer. Scrutiny currently has 2 sessions – one
is Thursday evenings normally at 7pm and the Once the group has all the information,
other during Friday afternoons normally at 2pm. they write it up into a report and add their
Both are available online via Microsoft Teams. If a recommendations. These can vary, for example,
different time or day would suit you, please feel in an early report they changed some of the
free to suggest it to us as we are always flexible. documents in the welcome pack, later they
asked for the option of leaseholders using their
Recent topics included looking at Sheltered service charges account a bit like a savings
Housing Service Charges and separately the account, so they could pay a bit more and have
Group looked at Complaints. Once the group it ready when they needed it to pay for larger
have decided which area they would like to look bills. Other times, the group have suggested new
into and what they want to examine, members or tougher key performance indicators. Have a
draw up their scope. From this a number of read of the reports on the council’s webpage
actions can follow. For example, to gather (https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/housing-hap) if
the evidence and understand exactly what is you would like to see some examples.
happening, the Group might:
Once written, the report is presented to Wiltshire
• plan a survey Council’s Housing Board or one of its Sub-
• arrange to meet (when allowed and Committees and can be seen by any resident
interview members of staff who wants to read it. You should be able to
find a number of their reports on the webpage
• get together with residents (when allowed) (wiltshire.gov.uk/housing-hap).
and run a focus group
To find out more or for a chat about getting
• engage with other housing providers or involved with scrutiny, feel free to drop us an
tenant representative bodies (for example, email (tenantparticipation@wiltshire.gov.uk) or
16 Summer 2021 Housing MattersYour housing scrutiny
panel needs you!
Silver Salisbury brings
for other opportunities please visit our webpage
(wiltshire.gov.uk/housing-resident-involvement).
tea and joy to residents
Or you can call us on 0300 456 0117 (select
option 5) or contact us via iHousing. This spring saw the much awaited Silver Salisbury
weekend tea delivery event taking place following
last year’s successes. The Silver Salisbury Group
organised the delivery of free afternoon tea’s for
older people who are isolated or have been staying
safe at home for many months.
This year deliveries were extended to include
Amesbury which meant that the Resident
Engagement Team could offer out afternoon teas
to even more of their tenants.
The team collected the teas from the Pantry
Partnership headquarters where volunteers and
organiser Irene Kohler (Salisbury’s Older People’s
Champion), were busy ensuring each bag was
carefully packed with delicious baked goods.
Volunteers and other organisations including
Wiltshire Council, Safer & Supportive Salisbury Group
and Salisburys City Council not only carried out the
“Hello everyone my name is Jenny and I am deliveries but contributed to the food provision.
on Wiltshire Council’s scrutiny panel. What is
scrutiny? This is where you compare services The day was most welcomed by our tenants across
and monetary value. Think of you as a customer Salisbury, Bishopdown, Laverstock and Amesbury.
and Wiltshire Council being the supplier. That’s Residents said it was such a treat having not been
scrutiny. There are so many skillsets within able to get out and about over these past months.
scrutiny so there may be a place for you. One tenant said, “This is definitely the highlight of
our week, even year!”
You could be good at finding information or
talking to residents or going through surveys or Tenants wish to thank the organisers for making
even have a good use of the English language. this event possible and hope that more events like
We have meetings with the council officers for this can take place in the future.
information too and our own scrutiny officer
who can acquire different information for us.
Come meet the team – Philippa, Teresa, Jo and
myself. We are always welcoming. You might
be surprised, you might like it. The Resident
Engagement Team would love to hear from you.
We look forward to meeting you all.”
Jenny Bolwell, Tenant member
Housing Matters Summer 2021 17Changing places
common ground
In conjunction with Salisbury and Wessex between the generations. It’s also great to meet
Museums Service we are helping some of our new people and, by getting to know them a
older and younger residents come together to bit, finding new ways to view the world and feel
share their views on Salisbury as they know it. This connected to others, this is why this project has
project brings groups of people together across been created.
the city to decide what interests them and is
important to them, and to interview each other on Taking in all possible Covid precautions, we hope
the themes they choose. to manage 5 workshops. Emma, our experienced
Oral History Producer will help everyone create
Museum collections often miss out groups their own recordings. Participants will be matched
of people and the stories of older and by themes and interests to enable the interviews
young people aren’t very well represented in and to keep everyone safe.
their collections.
It’s all about having a chat and listening to
We will start to tell the stories of these groups each other!
and by bringing them together, gather a set of
oral histories that tell a really broad story of what If you are interested in taking part in events
it is like to live in Salisbury, how it has changed like this in the future, please let us know at
over the years and the similarities and differences tenantparticipation@wiltshire.gov.uk.
18 Summer 2021 Housing MattersFly-tipping continues to
blight our communities
Fly-tipping is the illegal dumping of waste on Large items such as furniture should not be left in
land and such tipping occurs on a frequent and bin stores or other communal areas inside your
geographically wide-spread basis across Wiltshire. buildings as it is a fire risk to you, your family and
Its blight is not just visual it can have serious health other residents. You can arrange for large items to
and safety effects; and the costs of dealing with it be collected by the Wiltshire Council waste team
are substantial. with a special collection. Find out more at www.
wiltshire.gov.uk/large-item-collection
You can report any instance of fly-tipping you
encounter on the reporting section of the Wiltshire
Council website or by using the MyWiltshire app.
Just go to http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/mywiltshire-
online-reporting.
Fly-tipping is an offence under Section 33 of the
Environmental Protection Act (1990). If you are a
householder, you are required to take reasonable
steps to check that people removing waste from
your premises are authorised to do so. Under the
domestic waste ‘Duty of Care’, householders are Stairwells and communal areas should be kept
responsible for ensuring that their rubbish is only clear of rubbish, furniture and other items. When
passed on to authorised waste carriers. Some these items are left in communal areas, they can
people pose as legitimate waste carriers and then become a fire hazard or increase the risk of a trip
fly tip rubbish that they have been paid to dispose or fall. Keep your communal areas safe for your
of properly. If any fly tipped waste is traced back family and neighbours.
to the household it came from, the householder
could be prosecuted or fined for breaking the law. We carry out regular fire inspections in our
blocks, these are supplemented by formal estate
inspections and by staff visits. If we identify
any obstructions or any personal possessions in
communal areas, we will ask you to remove them.
If you don’t then we will remove the items, dispose
of them and you will be charged to cover the
costs involved. Where we cannot determine who
is responsible for the items the costs of removing
them will be recharged
proportionately to all
occupants of the block.
If rubbish has been left
Rubbish should not be left loose in any of our bin in a communal area,
stores and sheds. Leaving loose rubbish in these please contact housing
areas will attract pests and result in unhygienic management immediately on
conditions and bad smells. Always make sure 0300 456 0117 – option 4 or
rubbish and recycling items are put in the by email at
correct bin. hsgmail@wiltshire.gov.uk.
Housing Matters Summer 2021 19Tackling Anti-Social
Behaviour (ASB)
I am Rowena Lansdown and I commenced behaviour that are occurring within their areas.
work as the Anti-Social Behaviour Reduction Previously I was working within Public Health
and Complaints Officer within Housing in as an Anti-Social Behaviour Reduction Officer
January 2021. My role is to work alongside the and have over eleven years experience
Neighbourhood Housing Officers supporting co-ordinating responses to a variety of
them as they address incidents of anti-social anti-social situations.
OUR PARTNERS
We support and resolve ASB by working
with a range of partner agencies:
• Wiltshire Police
• Housing Associations such as Aster,
Selwood, Sanctuary, Abri, Sovereign
• Adult and Children’s Services
• Alabare
• Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health
Partnership NHS Trust
• Splitz
• Richmond Fellowship
• Turning Point
20 Summer 2021 Housing MattersAnti-Social Behaviour is conduct that: It is important to emphasise that formal tenancy
action is taken as a last resort and the council will
1. has caused or is likely to cause harassment, always seek to resolve situations by encouraging
alarm or distress to any person residents to engage with support services to help
2. is capable of causing nuisance or annoyance to them maintain their tenancy.
a person in relation to that person’s occupation What can you do?
of a premises
If you are encountering Anti-Social Behaviour
3. is capable of causing housing-related nuisance please report issues to us via the iHousing portal,
or annoyance to any person. email: hsgmail@wiltshire.gov.uk or by telephone:
Examples of ASB are: 0300 456 0117 Option 4.
Alcohol and drug related disruption, littering, What do we do?
dumping rubbish and dog fouling, noise As you can see, we take instances of Anti-Social
nuisance, threatening or intimidating behaviour, Behaviour very seriously and work proactively with
verbal abuse. our partners to address issues and to relieve their
When responding to ASB it is vital that we work effects on local residents. We endeavour to take a
with partner agencies. There are a multitude of balanced and proportionate approach to dealing
tools and powers that are utilised. with instances of ASB and it is essential that you
advise us of any issues promptly and effectively.
So far in 2021 it has been necessary for
us to:
• apply to the Court to close six separate
premises where a resident has engaged in
disorderly, offensive or criminal behaviour
which has resulted in serious nuisance to
members of the public
• issue six Community Protection Warnings
where the conduct of a resident was having a
detrimental effect, of a persistent or continuing
nature, on the quality of life of those in
the locality (often used for properties with
exceptionally untidy gardens)
• serve two Injunctions to members of the public
whose behaviour was causing harassment,
alarm and distress to others
• serve two Notice of Seeking Possession in
relation to Anti-Social Behaviour that has
emanated from homes where the ASB has not
ceased despite several warnings.
There are also two Court hearings scheduled
for breaches of injunctions that have occurred
in 2021.
There is a range of voluntary interventions which
can help when tackling ASB such as Acceptable
Behaviour Contracts, Good Neighbour Agreements
and referrals to Restorative Justice.
Housing Matters Summer 2021 21You said! We did!
Clean up The Brambles
You Said! washed down the hill and caused flooding of the
road which would sometimes spill over onto the
The Brambles, in Salisbury is a small housing estate grass in front of the flats.
set off London Road. The estate consists of seven
blocks of flats with over sixty properties in total, There was an increase in fly tipping around the
and two garage sites. site, mainly in the bin and shed areas behind the
blocks. Residents reported anti-social behaviour,
The Brambles has had historic problems with
including school children walking through the
carparking as there is minimal parking provided
gardens and residents’ areas using the estate as
on the estate due to its age. As well as demand
a shortcut via holes in the hedge and reports of
from residents, because the area is not included
drug dealers using the easy access from Cow Lane
in the city parking zones, it is used by commuters
to find cover amidst the sheds and outbuildings.
and local workers for free parking, with cars often
In addition, despite yearly grounds maintenance,
parked dangerously or obstructing the pavement
a lot of the rear gardens and drying areas were
or garage forecourts.
overgrown with brambles, concrete hard
The road surface at the Brambles was damaged standings covered in mulch, moss, trees and
along its length and the gully drains were mostly hedges overgrowing the footpaths. This meant
blocked. The turning area at the bottom of the site residents were unhappy with the way the estate
would often fill with mud and other detritus which was managed.
Brambles before
22 Summer 2021 Housing MattersWe Did! If you feel your block of flats, carparks or communal
areas are in need of attention like this, please
Following increased concerns raised by residents contact the Resident Engagement Team at
during the last Estate Inspection, visits from Housing tenantparticipation@wiltshire.gov.uk or by phone
Management identified that the estate needed on 0300 456 0117 – option 5.
some major works including ground maintenance,
cleaning and improved security for the site.
To this end, Wiltshire Council Housing Management
organised a multi-agency meeting between
Wiltshire Council Housing Management, Salisbury
City Council, Wiltshire Council Highways and
the Wiltshire Council Waste team to address the
problems faced at the Brambles in one go.
To date, Salisbury City Council and contractor
idverde have cleared back the overgrown bushes
and hedges at the site which had swallowed a lot
of the communal garden areas and paths behind
the blocks. This work was due to have been carried
out yearly under a grounds’ maintenance program,
but a number of areas had significant overgrowth
despite residents attempts to clear them in
between visits.
The Wiltshire Highways team have carried out
repairs to the road surface and road cleaning
including a full clearance of the road drains which
had been blocked due to the large amounts of mud
that had collected at the bottom of the road, so
much so that the road sweeper had to be emptied
halfway through works.
The bin store areas have been cleared and cleaned.
Fly tipping has been removed and the Wiltshire
Council Waste team will be replacing the old
large wheelie bins at the site with new ones and
removing a number of older bins that are no
longer in use.
The Housing Contracts Team will soon be carrying
out works to the trees around the site and installing
perimeter fencing along the bottom where it
borders private land and the side bordering Cow
Lane. This will also remove the last few sections of
original wall which is in poor condition and will
prevent the use of the estate as a footpath, reduce
the fly tipping being dumped in the estate covertly
and ensure residents gardens are safe and secure.
There are also plans to install some additional
carparking at the top of the estate to help alleviate
some of the parking problems residents have.
Brambles after
Housing Matters Summer 2021 23You said! We did!
The Friary bike stores
You said! the room. They installed bike racks so that bicycles
and pushchairs could now be secured safely,
There was not enough space in the sheds inside
improving safety and access in the communal
the blocks of flats on Carmelite Way to store
areas. We will be updating all of the internal shed
things like bikes and pushchairs. Residents were
doors and frames and carrying out decorating
leaving them in the hallways which was causing
work to communal areas in the other blocks on
an obstruction and was not a secure place to store
the Friary estate. Further work will be done to the
them. This then created a fire hazard in these
old drying rooms to bring them back into use and
communal areas.
create a better environment for all.
We did!
Does your block have an old drying room or
The old drying rooms at the block were no longer internal space that goes unused and is neglected?
used for drying laundry and had been left empty Do you feel it could be put into better use for the
for some time. During the communal planned residents? Contact the Resident Engagement Team
maintenance work, Wiltshire Council Housing by email at tenantparticipation@wiltshire.gov.uk,
replaced the unsecure wooden shutters with a new through the iHousing Portal or by phone at 0300
wall and fitted a new secure fire door and frame to 456 0117 – option 5.
The external wooden shutters of the original drying The bike racks were installed to provide a place to secure
room have been replaced with a solid wall to keep the bikes and buggies.
room secure.
24 Summer 2021 Housing MattersNew build programme
New housing stock being secured and Right to Buy scheme. Three further homes are
built across the county also now in conveyance, with further purchasing
considerations underway.
Following the success of the first New Build
Programme, the council have embarked on a In addition to the ten homes purchased, the
further new build housing programme to Residential Development Team have recently taken
deliver 1,000 new affordable homes over the handover of six new build houses at Styles Close,
next 10 years. Porton. These houses consisted of four affordable
rent properties and two shared ownership
Work has commenced on a series of projects properties. All new homes will be occupied by the
looking to meet the target. The homes will not end of the Spring.
only provide much needed affordable housing for
those households on the housing register, but, The Residential Development Team are working
will also look to pioneer energy efficient homes with Redcliffe Homes to develop eighteen new
offering reduced fuel bills for residents. build homes in Upavon and a further twenty-eight
homes in Chippenham. Each development will be
With work progressing on five units at New a mix of affordable rented and shared ownership
Zealand Avenue and planning applications coming tenure. Contract discussions are underway, whilst
together for nineteen units through the Modern the homes are already under construction, the
Methods of Construction (MMC) Pilot (detailed initial handover of these homes is to take place
in another article), site investigations are also during the winter of 2021.
underway for sites in Devizes, Ludgershall, Mere
and Corsham. If you would like any further information on
the purchase of homes, or the developments at
For all new build opportunities, applicants will Upavon and Chippenham, please contact Andrew
need to be registered on the Homes4Wiltshire M Mead – Residential Development Project
housing register – for more information or to apply Manager (andrewm.mead@wiltshire.gov.uk).
online follow this link: www.homes4wiltshire.co.uk
During 2020-21 the Residential Development
Team have purchased ten homes into the councils
Housing Stock, this was largely made up of ex-
local authority homes previously sold under the
New builds
Housing Matters Summer 2021 25You can also read
