You have your say on the merger proposal! - Luminus Group
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1
FEBRUARY 2018
v e yo u r s ay
You ha
t h e m er g er
on
proposal!
Luminus has consulted with Board felt it was in the best On 3 October you received a
residents and is planning to interests of tenants, leaseholders letter announcing that Luminus’
merge with Places for People at and staff, for Luminus to seek preferred merger partner was
the end of February 2018. a merger with a large housing Places for People, out of a shortlist
association that shared our values. of three large housing associations.
In July 2017 you received a letter At the end of October 2017, we
from Luminus, informing you We held a meeting on 8 August launched a six-week consultation
that, after the publication of the 2017, where 80 or so tenants and that ended on 11 December 2017.
Regulatory Judgement in March leaseholders asked questions about
2017, Luminus had made big our proposals for a merger. We wanted to hear your views on
changes to the way it was run. the merger and your thoughts on
what improvements can be made,
This included bringing in new We wanted to hear what services you would like to
Board members and the Board
having more control over how
your thoughts on maintain or new services you
would like to see introduced.
Luminus is managed. We also the merger
fixed problems with the servicing During the consultation, residents
of heating appliances and other could let us know their views
maintenance work. In September 2017 you received by email, telephone, via our
a Luminus News Special Edition website, on social media and at 18
The letter went on to say that, which reported on what was meetings in towns and sheltered
after careful consideration, the discussed at the 8 August meeting. across the region.
SPECIAL CONSULTATION ISSUE - MORE INSIDE
WWW.LUMINUS.ORG.UK
2 THE CONSULTATION IN NUMBERS
THE CONSULTATION IN NUMBERS
18
Consultation
meetings Where the questions
came thefrom
8 MEETINGS
IN TOWNS Where questions
AND 10 IN
SHELTERED came from
SCHEMES
YAXLEY
MARCH
HUNTINGDON 46 QUERIES 77 FEEDBACK
ST IVES
FROM FORMS
MEETINGS (AND 1 ONLINE
ST NEOTS SURVEY)
52 QUERIES
FROM
SHELTERED
SCHEMES
MILTON KEYNES 30 EMAIL
& PHONE
QUERIES
CAMBRIDGE
OVER 200 QUERIES
Responses to
HARLOW
The merger
87% POSITIVE ABOUT THE MERGER
13% NEGATIVE ABOUT THE MERGER
What were the questions about?
LUMINUS NEWS February 2018
WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT THE MERGER 3
Consultation meeting
on 5 December 2017
at Brook House
The Luminus Tenant Services The benefits of joining Luminus will have its own Board,
Consultative Forum (TSCF) was Places for People and a senior management team
present at the final consultation and staff all based locally.
meeting in Huntingdon on 5 All housing associations are facing
December 2017, where they also significant challenges. A four year How Luminus employees
met with residents from Derwent period of 1% rent reductions and are affected
Living housing association (which changes to the benefit system
has recently merged with Places have combined to make it very There will be some reorganisation
for People). difficult for Luminus to achieve its but this will be gradual over
objectives. the next 6 to 18 months. There
During the consultation we logged will be no immediate change to
206 comments and questions By joining the Places for People staffing levels. However, due to
including: Group we will benefit from being our ambitious plan of building
part of a much larger organisation. 200 homes a year for the next five
• 77 feedback forms and 1 We will share services, skills, years, it is likely that we will need
online survey knowledge and expertise across to recruit more staff over time to
• 52 questions from sheltered the group. The size of the manage the new homes.
schemes tenants group will bring other benefits
• 46 questions from residents including the ability to buy goods
who attended meetings How the merger will
and services at a lower cost. In
• 30 emails and phone calls. affect tenants and
addition, we will be able to build
1,000 new homes over the next leaseholders
87% of tenants who expressed an five years in the area.
opinion about the merger were Your Tenancy Agreement or lease
positive. In summary, becoming part of the will remain in place ensuring
group will safeguard the financial you enjoy the same terms and
The Board and the TSCF are future of Luminus, help us keep conditions as you do at present.
satisfied that the consultation was
concluded successfully and they
noted the results.
At its meeting on 20 December
2017 the Board considered the
feedback and decided to continue
with the merger. The Board
agreed that any questions from
residents that were not about the
merger would be answered directly
our local base, build new homes
and maintain good quality services.
Luminus will become a subsidiary
of Places for People.
The Luminus name
near future.
‘‘
We will change our name in the
by staff, and that questions about
the merger would be answered in
this edition of Luminus News.
WWW.LUMINUS.ORG.UK
4 WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT THE MERGER
Consultation Meeting
at a Sheltered
Scheme in Huntingdon
We are looking for
residents to become
Charitable status Aids and adaptations
‘Scheme Champions’
Luminus Homes will continue to be We will continue to work with the
a not-for-profit organisation and Home Improvement Agency to
is likely to become a Community install aids and adaptations that Resident involvement
Benefit Society shortly after the help residents move around and
merger. This will have no impact use their homes. Over the last few years we
on your tenancy or lease. have not offered tenants and
leaseholders enough opportunity
Sheltered scheme to get involved with Luminus. We
Rents and service charges Wardens are very sorry about this and we
want to put it right.
Rents and service charges will All sheltered schemes currently
continue to be set by Luminus have a visiting sheltered housing With the help of the Tenants
taking account of Government warden. This will continue. Services Consultative Forum and
regulations and other legal residents more widely we will be
requirements. Sheltered scheme offering tenants and leaseholders a
Champions wide range of opportunities to be
Rent free weeks at involved so that you can easily give
Christmas and Easter We are looking for residents to us your views and help shape and
volunteer to become ‘Scheme improve services.
If you pay your rent on time and Champions’ who will be a point
are not in arrears you will get rent of contact for residents who are We will tell you more about this in
free weeks as normal. considering moving into sheltered the next edition of Luminus News.
accommodation. In the meantime take a look at the
Repairs advert on page 5.
Right to buy
With the merger will come We are keen for you to volunteer
improved systems and processes The ‘Right to Buy’ and ‘Right now to be part of a group of
so that, in time, waiting times for to Acquire’ schemes remain residents to help us take the next
repairs will be reduced. unchanged. step.
LUMINUS NEWS February 2018
THIS IS YOUR
5
CHANCE TO
WWW.LUMINUS.ORG.UK
Embrace helps
people aged 65
and over to remain
independent
The Embrace service provides support and advice to assist with:
Maximising your income • Mobility and assistive technology aids for living safely at home
Grants for repairs and improvements to your home • Ensuring your health needs are met
Safety and security • Housing advice • Becoming active in your community
For more information contact us on 01480 428562 or embrace@luminus.org.uk
Eden Place, St Ives
High quality extra care living
Peace of
mind is just
a call away
EDEN PLACE - INDEPENDENT LIVING
Eden Place offers an independent, active and sociable
lifestyle with landscaped gardens, patio area, restaurant,
hairdressers, laundry room, assistive bathroom,
LifeLine is a community alarm system which enables communal lounge and guest suite available for visitors.
you to call for help or reassurance if you feel unwell or
have an accident whilst alone in your home. All you To find out more contact us on 01480 411250 or email
need to do is press a button on a unit or pendant and info@luminus.org.uk
you will be connected to a control centre.
Eden Place is available to residents who have an
Please call our team on 01480 428562 to find out more. appropriate level of housing and assessed care needs.
Luminus Group, Brook House, Ouse Walk, Huntingdon PE29 3QW • 0345 2669760 • info@luminus.org.uk • www.luminus.org.uk
KEEPING RESIDENTS SAFE 7
KEEPING
RESIDENTS
SAFE SHELTERED
HOUSING
Working with Group Commander Kevin AVAILABLE!
Cambridgeshire Fire Napier, head of community fire
and Rescue Service safety for CFRS, said: Sheltered housing could suit
(CFRS), Luminus installed you if you would like to live
two automatic fire “We work hard to ensure the independently but need a bit
suppression systems most vulnerable people in our more support, or if you want
in the homes of communities are supported to to live in a smaller, easier-to-
vulnerable residents in live well and stay safe from a fire manage home.
Cambridgeshire. in their home. We are delighted
to build on our partnership work Sheltered housing for older
The systems provide rapid and with Luminus. people includes:
effective fire suppression across
the room to help protect the By installing these automatic • 24-hour emergency help
• Social activities
occupant in the event of a fire. fire suppression systems in the
• Attractive gardens and
homes of those who are most at
lounges
The system is aimed at those risk, we can help keep our most • Affordable rent.
who may be living at home vulnerable residents safe.”
alone or are less likely to be Each home is a self-contained
able to escape in the event of If you have any worries about apartment, with its own front
a fire, giving residents peace of fire safety, please call Gary Pyle door.
mind and helping them to live or Lewis Orrow, our Fire Risk
independently for longer. Assessors on 0345 266 9760. For more information please call
us on 01480 428780
TOP 5 FIRE SAFETY TIPS (Sheltered housing is available
to those aged 55 and over.)
1. Check your smoke alarm regularly.
2. Make a fire action plan so that
everyone in your house knows how Did you know?
to escape in the event of fire.
3. Take care when cooking with hot oil Luminus has 10 sheltered
4. Never leave lit candles unattended. schemes across
5. Ensure cigarettes are stubbed out Cambridgeshire, including
and disposed of carefully. two Extra-Care schemes.
WWW.LUMINUS.ORG.UK
CONTACT US
There are a number of ways you can contact Luminus including by email, by
telephone, on our website, by visiting our Brook House Office or on Twitter
and Facebook (Just search for ‘Luminus Group’).
General Enquiries Service Centre
For reporting all repairs
Monday to Thursday, 9am - 5pm
Monday to Thursday, 9am - 5pm
and Fridays, 9am - 4.30pm
and Fridays, 9am - 4.30pm
0345 266 9760 0345 850 9994
Out of Hours Anti-Social
Emergencies Behaviour
Monday to Thursday, 5pm - 9am
Friday, 4.30pm - Monday, 9am You can use this number to
report anti-social behaviour
0345 850 9994
FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN 01480 428563
Rent Enquiries
Customer Relations
Officer
01480 428521
Out of Hours rent
01480 428721 payment line
0844 557 8321
Leaseholder Income & Benefits
Enquiries Advisor
0345 266 9760 01480 428521
For help to understand this newsletter
Luminus News
please ring 01480 428708 has been
If you have any comments about Luminus News or would like a large printed on
print or audio version, please contact the Communications Team on 100% recycled
01480 428708 or send an email to news@luminus.org.uk paper.
01480 428708
01480 428708
Published by Luminus Group • Registered Office Brook House, Ouse Walk, Huntingdon PE29 3QW
Tel: 0345 266 9760 • Email: info@luminus.org.uk • Website: www.luminus.org.uk
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