unity magazine issue 1
DESCRIPTION
Customer MagazineTRANSCRIPT
Plus Dane Group residents’ magazine Issue one Spring 09
www.neighbourhoodinvestor.comCDS Housing, Dane Housing, Hornby Homes & New Generation are members of Plus Dane Group
Blooming Lovelyp13
Meet the Neighboursp5
Young People’s Pagesp24
Lights,Camera,Action...
p6
Plus Dane UNiTY Plus Dane UNiTY2 3
Location, location, location...
Inside this issue...
p7
Welcome to the first edition of UNiTY magazine. Throughout Plus Dane, we have a passionfor involving residents in everything we do – and that includes planning this, our first everjoint magazine, for residents living in both Merseyside and Cheshire.
a helpful guide to areas referred to in this edition’s of UNiTY
We hope thatas you read thepages of this
magazine, we willshow you the manyways in which we aredelivering thosepromises.
promises...Working with our customers, we have established a set ofseven neighbourhood investor promises. These are:
� Increased investment in existing property� Creating great places to live� Increased community safety measures� Further supporting vulnerable customers� Further supporting resident involvement� Increased creation of local jobs� Increased supply and choice of homes
When it came to choosing a name for the magazine, weopened that up to residents as well, and UNiTY waseventually chosen (‘United’ was also discussed, but manyfelt it could offend some of the more football-minded ofour readers!)
For me to hear that residents wanted to call this magazineUNiTY was a real boost. It told me that you see Plus Daneas a whole, and that our UNiTY gives us greater strengthto move forward.
And we are moving forward, and despite the challengingfinancial climate we are continuing to develop and deliverhomes, neighbourhoods and jobs across ourcommunities in Merseyside and Cheshire, as aneighbourhood investor.
When Plus Dane was established, we made sevenpromises to you. In this edition, we revisit those promises,and look at how we are delivering results – that we are‘doing’, not just ‘saying’. Those promises, and our plans to
fulfil them, are another way in which we show our UNiTY– no matter where you live you should be receiving thesame great service.
We can’t do it without you. Residents are at the heart of allour actions and all our plans. There are numerous waysfor you to get involved in Plus Dane, many of which arefeatured in this magazine – from forums to feedback,training courses to tenants’ groups. You could even comeforward to be one of our new UNiTY columnists. I hopeyou enjoy reading UNiTY and that you find it gives you aninsight not only into what we are doing andwhy but also a taste of the organisation weare aspiring to be; NeighbourhoodInvestors, led by the neighbourhoodswe were set up to serve.
Best wishes
Ken PerryChief Executive, Plus Dane [email protected]
4 Good ideas 4 Love thy neighbour 5 Meet the neighbours 6 Lights, camera, action...7We need you! 7 How we made UNiTY 8 Plus Dane really does care 8 Gas check appointments9 Health checks 9 Green-fingered residents 10 Help to rent or buy your dream home12 Have Your Say 13 Dane Tenants’ Federation 13 And the winner is... 14 Green pages16 In your neighbour 18 Meet the team 20 Have your say with the TSA! 21 Try some training22 Going Digital 23 Recipes for success 24 Young people’s pages 27 City centre living27 Young readers competition
Queens Bedford
Pinehurst
Everton
Kensington
Kirkby
Knowsley Peel
West 8
Castlefields
Middlewich
Alsager
Ribble Rd
Sandbach
Congleton
Plus Dane UNiTY Plus Dane UNiTY2 3
Location, location, location...
Inside this issue...
p7
Welcome to the first edition of UNiTY magazine. Throughout Plus Dane, we have a passionfor involving residents in everything we do – and that includes planning this, our first everjoint magazine, for residents living in both Merseyside and Cheshire.
a helpful guide to areas referred to in this edition’s of UNiTY
We hope thatas you read thepages of this
magazine, we willshow you the manyways in which we aredelivering thosepromises.
promises...Working with our customers, we have established a set ofseven neighbourhood investor promises. These are:
� Increased investment in existing property� Creating great places to live� Increased community safety measures� Further supporting vulnerable customers� Further supporting resident involvement� Increased creation of local jobs� Increased supply and choice of homes
When it came to choosing a name for the magazine, weopened that up to residents as well, and UNiTY waseventually chosen (‘United’ was also discussed, but manyfelt it could offend some of the more football-minded ofour readers!)
For me to hear that residents wanted to call this magazineUNiTY was a real boost. It told me that you see Plus Daneas a whole, and that our UNiTY gives us greater strengthto move forward.
And we are moving forward, and despite the challengingfinancial climate we are continuing to develop and deliverhomes, neighbourhoods and jobs across ourcommunities in Merseyside and Cheshire, as aneighbourhood investor.
When Plus Dane was established, we made sevenpromises to you. In this edition, we revisit those promises,and look at how we are delivering results – that we are‘doing’, not just ‘saying’. Those promises, and our plans to
fulfil them, are another way in which we show our UNiTY– no matter where you live you should be receiving thesame great service.
We can’t do it without you. Residents are at the heart of allour actions and all our plans. There are numerous waysfor you to get involved in Plus Dane, many of which arefeatured in this magazine – from forums to feedback,training courses to tenants’ groups. You could even comeforward to be one of our new UNiTY columnists. I hopeyou enjoy reading UNiTY and that you find it gives you aninsight not only into what we are doing andwhy but also a taste of the organisation weare aspiring to be; NeighbourhoodInvestors, led by the neighbourhoodswe were set up to serve.
Best wishes
Ken PerryChief Executive, Plus Dane [email protected]
4 Good ideas 4 Love thy neighbour 5 Meet the neighbours 6 Lights, camera, action...7We need you! 7 How we made UNiTY 8 Plus Dane really does care 8 Gas check appointments9 Health checks 9 Green-fingered residents 10 Help to rent or buy your dream home12 Have Your Say 13 Dane Tenants’ Federation 13 And the winner is... 14 Green pages16 In your neighbour 18 Meet the team 20 Have your say with the TSA! 21 Try some training22 Going Digital 23 Recipes for success 24 Young people’s pages 27 City centre living27 Young readers competition
Queens Bedford
Pinehurst
Everton
Kensington
Kirkby
Knowsley Peel
West 8
Castlefields
Middlewich
Alsager
Ribble Rd
Sandbach
Congleton
Plus Dane UNiTY 5Plus Dane UNiTY4
Meet theNeighbours
The site – Wavertree Avenue – is now the home of 12new two-bedroomed semi-detached houses, all for rent,aimed at couples and small families.
The houses come with renewable energy featuressuch as ground source heat pumps, water butts andenergy-saving fittings and lightbulbs.
The event was organised by Plus Dane to allow all thenew residents to meet each other.
Project manager Gaynor Mellor says: “The idea was foreverybody to be able to come out to an event and meeteach other – a way to break the ice, say hello, and get toknow the people who are their new neighbours.”
The tea party included face painting, refreshments andcraft activities. And while the children were busy, themums and dads got to chat to each other, and meet thePlus Dane Neighbourhood Team as well.
We’re always lookingfor Good IdeasResidents on the Pinehurst estate in Anfield wereasked to come up with good ideas to improve theirneighbourhoods.
The aim of the project was to inspire people to reallythink about what is needed in their community, andwhat could help to improve quality of life for allresidents.
Some excellent ideas were received, many of whichcould help to foster community spirit, break downbarriers between the generations and offer fun andworthwhile activities for residents.
The ideas included coffee mornings, jumble sales,trips out, healthy walks and many other suggestions– some of which will be followed up in the area.
All of the ideas were placed into a draw, and fivepicked at random. The winners all received specialprizes as a ‘thank you’ for taking part.
Here we picture three of the winners, Winifred Hartles,Violet Brown and Janet Gandy.
Love ThyNeighbourA special fun day was held at Castlefields CommunityCentre on Valentine’s Day – with the theme ofLove Thy Neighbour!
The event was great fun for all the family, and includedfairground rides, games, face painting, and children’s crafts.
There were also information stalls with details oncommunity safety, healthy living and healthy eating.
The event was funded byPlus Dane, LHT and HaltonBorough Council.
A special event was held to celebrate thecompletion of new properties in Scholar Green,on the Cheshire/Staffordshire border.
Plus Dane UNiTY 5Plus Dane UNiTY4
Meet theNeighbours
The site – Wavertree Avenue – is now the home of 12new two-bedroomed semi-detached houses, all for rent,aimed at couples and small families.
The houses come with renewable energy featuressuch as ground source heat pumps, water butts andenergy-saving fittings and lightbulbs.
The event was organised by Plus Dane to allow all thenew residents to meet each other.
Project manager Gaynor Mellor says: “The idea was foreverybody to be able to come out to an event and meeteach other – a way to break the ice, say hello, and get toknow the people who are their new neighbours.”
The tea party included face painting, refreshments andcraft activities. And while the children were busy, themums and dads got to chat to each other, and meet thePlus Dane Neighbourhood Team as well.
We’re always lookingfor Good IdeasResidents on the Pinehurst estate in Anfield wereasked to come up with good ideas to improve theirneighbourhoods.
The aim of the project was to inspire people to reallythink about what is needed in their community, andwhat could help to improve quality of life for allresidents.
Some excellent ideas were received, many of whichcould help to foster community spirit, break downbarriers between the generations and offer fun andworthwhile activities for residents.
The ideas included coffee mornings, jumble sales,trips out, healthy walks and many other suggestions– some of which will be followed up in the area.
All of the ideas were placed into a draw, and fivepicked at random. The winners all received specialprizes as a ‘thank you’ for taking part.
Here we picture three of the winners, Winifred Hartles,Violet Brown and Janet Gandy.
Love ThyNeighbourA special fun day was held at Castlefields CommunityCentre on Valentine’s Day – with the theme ofLove Thy Neighbour!
The event was great fun for all the family, and includedfairground rides, games, face painting, and children’s crafts.
There were also information stalls with details oncommunity safety, healthy living and healthy eating.
The event was funded byPlus Dane, LHT and HaltonBorough Council.
A special event was held to celebrate thecompletion of new properties in Scholar Green,on the Cheshire/Staffordshire border.
We hope you have enjoyed UNiTY magazine– it was created for customers, with the full supportof customers.
When we decided to look at new ideas forcommunicating with you, we didn’t just want to comeup with our own ideas – we wanted yours.
So the team at Plus Dane – including our writers anddesigners – asked for help from the Customer
CommunicationsFocus Group.
We held meetingswith the group inJackson House inRuncorn, and initiallywe pulled togetherviews on content anddesign – the way theywanted it to look, andwhat they would liketo read inside it.
Then we went away to come up with some ideas of ourown, and met with the Focus Group again. We were able
to show themsome of ourplans for thefront cover, andour suggestionsfor articles. Thedebate was sometimes lively, but always goodhumoured, and between us, we hope we have got thebalance right.
This is our first edition, and while we hope you enjoyit, we are sure it’s not perfect – so please let us knowyour views. There is always room for improvement,so if you have any comments or suggestions,you can call us on 0151 708 4653, or [email protected]. Equally so, ifyou liked it, tell us that as well – so we know we aredoing it right!
We are also always looking for ways to get more of youinvolved – so if you have an idea for a column; or havesome customer news that you would like to share (forexample a special birthday, anniversary, birth orachievement), then please let us know, and we will tellthe rest of our residents about it as well!
7
Lights,Camera,Action…
Plus Dane UNiTY
Evolve is set within the Housing MarketRenewal zone in Sefton, and the DVD willfocus on the Queens Bedford andHawthorne/Worcester neighbourhoods.
Barbara Rouse, from the Evolve Residents’Advisory Panel, says: “This area is changinga great deal, especially in the Queens Roadarea, where the houses have beendemolished – taking with them a wholegeneration of memories and history. So wewanted to do a DVD to capture some of that,but also look to the future, and what there isto look forward to.
“Loosely we are looking at basing it onBootle’s motto – respice, aspice, prospice –which means reflect on the past, considerthe present and provide for the future.
“We will be looking at old photos, gatheringmemories, but also working with people ofall ages on this and looking atthings like youthprovision – what wasthere for youngpeople then, andwhat is therenow, and whatshould there befor the future?”
Residents from the Evolveneighbourhood in Bootle are makingtheir own DVD about the area.
We need you!Customer Feedback
In every edition of UNiTY, we plan to feature customerfeedback – which means we will report back on thethings you have contacted us about, what you liked andwhat you didn’t, and how we can improve our services.You might wish to make a comment, make a complaint,or even pay a compliment – whatever it is, we wouldlike to hear from you.
In this section we will publish details of feedback we havereceived from you and how we have used it to improveour performance. If you tell us about complaints, we willkeep you up to date on how we have dealt with them and
how we are performing against standards we set with you.We are keen to hear your feedback on all the services wedeliver to you and ways you think we might improve on it.
There are a number of ways you can give us yourfeedback. You can call in to one of our offices, or youcan call us – on 0800 1692988. You can write to ourExcellence Team at Plus Dane, 172 Park Road, LiverpoolL8 6SJ. If you have access to the internet, e-mail us [email protected]
How we made UNiTY– with a little help from our friends…
The project isfunded by Evolve,Evolve RAP and
the Housing MarketRenewal Community
ChampionsProgramme.
We hope you have enjoyed UNiTY magazine– it was created for customers, with the full supportof customers.
When we decided to look at new ideas forcommunicating with you, we didn’t just want to comeup with our own ideas – we wanted yours.
So the team at Plus Dane – including our writers anddesigners – asked for help from the Customer
CommunicationsFocus Group.
We held meetingswith the group inJackson House inRuncorn, and initiallywe pulled togetherviews on content anddesign – the way theywanted it to look, andwhat they would liketo read inside it.
Then we went away to come up with some ideas of ourown, and met with the Focus Group again. We were able
to show themsome of ourplans for thefront cover, andour suggestionsfor articles. Thedebate was sometimes lively, but always goodhumoured, and between us, we hope we have got thebalance right.
This is our first edition, and while we hope you enjoyit, we are sure it’s not perfect – so please let us knowyour views. There is always room for improvement,so if you have any comments or suggestions,you can call us on 0151 708 4653, or [email protected]. Equally so, ifyou liked it, tell us that as well – so we know we aredoing it right!
We are also always looking for ways to get more of youinvolved – so if you have an idea for a column; or havesome customer news that you would like to share (forexample a special birthday, anniversary, birth orachievement), then please let us know, and we will tellthe rest of our residents about it as well!
7
Lights,Camera,Action…
Plus Dane UNiTY
Evolve is set within the Housing MarketRenewal zone in Sefton, and the DVD willfocus on the Queens Bedford andHawthorne/Worcester neighbourhoods.
Barbara Rouse, from the Evolve Residents’Advisory Panel, says: “This area is changinga great deal, especially in the Queens Roadarea, where the houses have beendemolished – taking with them a wholegeneration of memories and history. So wewanted to do a DVD to capture some of that,but also look to the future, and what there isto look forward to.
“Loosely we are looking at basing it onBootle’s motto – respice, aspice, prospice –which means reflect on the past, considerthe present and provide for the future.
“We will be looking at old photos, gatheringmemories, but also working with people ofall ages on this and looking atthings like youthprovision – what wasthere for youngpeople then, andwhat is therenow, and whatshould there befor the future?”
Residents from the Evolveneighbourhood in Bootle are makingtheir own DVD about the area.
We need you!Customer Feedback
In every edition of UNiTY, we plan to feature customerfeedback – which means we will report back on thethings you have contacted us about, what you liked andwhat you didn’t, and how we can improve our services.You might wish to make a comment, make a complaint,or even pay a compliment – whatever it is, we wouldlike to hear from you.
In this section we will publish details of feedback we havereceived from you and how we have used it to improveour performance. If you tell us about complaints, we willkeep you up to date on how we have dealt with them and
how we are performing against standards we set with you.We are keen to hear your feedback on all the services wedeliver to you and ways you think we might improve on it.
There are a number of ways you can give us yourfeedback. You can call in to one of our offices, or youcan call us – on 0800 1692988. You can write to ourExcellence Team at Plus Dane, 172 Park Road, LiverpoolL8 6SJ. If you have access to the internet, e-mail us [email protected]
How we made UNiTY– with a little help from our friends…
The project isfunded by Evolve,Evolve RAP and
the Housing MarketRenewal Community
ChampionsProgramme.
8 9Plus Dane UNiTY
She says: “It does help to have thatperspective, of knowing both areas verywell – it means when I go to meetings Iusually know where they are talkingabout, and it means I have a lot incommon with many of the peopleI’ve met.”
Lillian, now 66, spent most of her adultlife in nursing. She trained in midwiferyand paediatrics, but went on to workclosely with the elderly, the disabled andthe vulnerable, including 17 years at theLeonard Cheshire Home in Sandbach.During her career, she was involved in anumber of projects to improve quality oflife for her patients – starting a social clubfor older people; working with youngpeople through the Duke of EdinburghScheme, and fostering good relationsbetween the generations with family-friendly policies in the workplace.
“Kiddies are wonderful,” she says,“always very honest and trusting andwilling to accept in a way that adultsaren’t. It can be therapeutic for a personin a wheelchair, for example, to get avisit from a child.”
After she retired, Lillian moved in to abungalow in Sandbach, round about thetime when a stock transfer to Dane wasbeing considered. Realising herneighbours felt reluctant to go tomeetings, she organised one herself –between residents, Dane and the Council– in her own home! The relaxedatmosphere led to a successful meeting,and marked the start of her involvementwith Plus Dane.
She says: “Not long after, I got a formasking people to join focus groups –and I ticked all ten boxes! I think it’s
important to ask questions and getinvolved. As an older person you wantsimple things – a decent home, wellheated and maintained, in a safeneighbourhood. I feel like I get thatfrom Plus Dane.”
Lillian recently joined the Plus DaneBoard, and is loving her new role. Shesays: “Sometimes I feel like I don’t knowthe language yet and don’t know quitehow to get my point across, but Ken Perrythe chief executive always says don’tworry about that, just enjoy it – and I do. Ilove being involved and I think Plus Danegenuinely listens to residents. I knowpeople sometimes don’t get involvedbecause they are embarrassed, or don’tthink they could express themselvesproperly, or feel like there’s no pointbecause people wouldn’t listen anyway.
“But I genuinely don’t think that’s thecase – Plus Dane listens, and they reallydo care about us.”
Lillian, who has two sons and fourgrandchildren, adds: “I think all thiskeeping active has kept me young! I’vebeen very fortunate in my life – being agrandparent isunbelievable,and I alsoworked in ajob for 37years whereI wanted to goto work everyday. And now Iam busy withPlus Dane. Youare never too oldto make adifference!”
Plus Dane UNiTY
Health Checks
If at any
time you suspecta
gas leak, please call
the National Gas
Emergency line on
0800 111999.
If you have anycomments to make pleaseYou can write to ourExcellence Team atPlus Dane, 172 Park Road,Liverpool L8 6SJ. If you
have access to the internet,e-mail us [email protected]
Here at Plus Dane Group weput the safety of our residentsfirst. That means we arecommitted to carrying outour duty to perform gasservicing checks in yourproperty once a year.
These checks involve uschecking out gas appliances(both those fitted in theproperty, such as boilers, andyour own appliances such ascookers), pipe works and fluesto make sure they are workingproperly. Doing this can avoiddanger from gas leaks andfrom carbon monoxidepoisoning.
It is our duty to carry out thesechecks, but it is also yourresponsibility as a resident tomake sure we have access tothe property. We do operatean appointment system andwill send you plenty of advancenotice – and if theappointment does not suit you,you can rearrange. We alsooffer evening and weekendappointments.
Please help us to help you, byletting us in to carry out thesevital checks.
Help us to keep Plus Dane healthy
� to agree lettings service standards� to see if the award of decorationallowances for new tenants is providingthe benefit it is intended to
� to look at the void standards (EmptyProperty Contract / Customer Contract)and agree a Group standard
� to review and standardise the purchase& contents of the ‘welcome pack’ fornew tenants
Some of the areas where we would liketo work with customers to makeimprovements across the group are:
Gas checkappointments
“Plus Dane reallydoes care...”
Lillian Hazell is a member of the Plus Dane Board who truly sees all sides of theorganisation – having been born and raised in Liverpool, but having lived the last41 years of her life in Sandbach.
The Riverview Residents’ Association are buildingon their green-fingered success at last year’sLiverpool Garden Competition and North WestCites In Bloom.
Their latest project is a neighbourhoodallotment in the grounds of Kinsman Court.They have been successful in securing threedifferent funding streams for the project (PCT,5-A-Day Scheme and the Councillors LocalCommunity Initiative Fund), totalling £10k.
Work on the ground will start following finalconsultations with residents.
Green-fingered residents
No matter where you live in thePlus Dane Group, we aim to deliverthe same excellent services.
However, we know that there isstill work to be done ensuringconsistency in those servicesacross the group.
To help us do that we are havinga series of ‘Health Checks’ carriedout in some key areas.
The purpose of the health checks isto identify strengths and good practice,and also areas where we need to make improvements.Our aim is to provide accessible and high-quality servicesconsistent across Plus Dane in Merseyside and Cheshire.
Our first health check was Lettings and Allocation. We arecurrently drawing up an improvement plan which we willshare with our Voids and Allocations Resident Grouponce approved.
• Lillian Hazell
8 9Plus Dane UNiTY
She says: “It does help to have thatperspective, of knowing both areas verywell – it means when I go to meetings Iusually know where they are talkingabout, and it means I have a lot incommon with many of the peopleI’ve met.”
Lillian, now 66, spent most of her adultlife in nursing. She trained in midwiferyand paediatrics, but went on to workclosely with the elderly, the disabled andthe vulnerable, including 17 years at theLeonard Cheshire Home in Sandbach.During her career, she was involved in anumber of projects to improve quality oflife for her patients – starting a social clubfor older people; working with youngpeople through the Duke of EdinburghScheme, and fostering good relationsbetween the generations with family-friendly policies in the workplace.
“Kiddies are wonderful,” she says,“always very honest and trusting andwilling to accept in a way that adultsaren’t. It can be therapeutic for a personin a wheelchair, for example, to get avisit from a child.”
After she retired, Lillian moved in to abungalow in Sandbach, round about thetime when a stock transfer to Dane wasbeing considered. Realising herneighbours felt reluctant to go tomeetings, she organised one herself –between residents, Dane and the Council– in her own home! The relaxedatmosphere led to a successful meeting,and marked the start of her involvementwith Plus Dane.
She says: “Not long after, I got a formasking people to join focus groups –and I ticked all ten boxes! I think it’s
important to ask questions and getinvolved. As an older person you wantsimple things – a decent home, wellheated and maintained, in a safeneighbourhood. I feel like I get thatfrom Plus Dane.”
Lillian recently joined the Plus DaneBoard, and is loving her new role. Shesays: “Sometimes I feel like I don’t knowthe language yet and don’t know quitehow to get my point across, but Ken Perrythe chief executive always says don’tworry about that, just enjoy it – and I do. Ilove being involved and I think Plus Danegenuinely listens to residents. I knowpeople sometimes don’t get involvedbecause they are embarrassed, or don’tthink they could express themselvesproperly, or feel like there’s no pointbecause people wouldn’t listen anyway.
“But I genuinely don’t think that’s thecase – Plus Dane listens, and they reallydo care about us.”
Lillian, who has two sons and fourgrandchildren, adds: “I think all thiskeeping active has kept me young! I’vebeen very fortunate in my life – being agrandparent isunbelievable,and I alsoworked in ajob for 37years whereI wanted to goto work everyday. And now Iam busy withPlus Dane. Youare never too oldto make adifference!”
Plus Dane UNiTY
Health Checks
If at any
time you suspecta
gas leak, please call
the National Gas
Emergency line on
0800 111999.
If you have anycomments to make pleaseYou can write to ourExcellence Team atPlus Dane, 172 Park Road,Liverpool L8 6SJ. If you
have access to the internet,e-mail us [email protected]
Here at Plus Dane Group weput the safety of our residentsfirst. That means we arecommitted to carrying outour duty to perform gasservicing checks in yourproperty once a year.
These checks involve uschecking out gas appliances(both those fitted in theproperty, such as boilers, andyour own appliances such ascookers), pipe works and fluesto make sure they are workingproperly. Doing this can avoiddanger from gas leaks andfrom carbon monoxidepoisoning.
It is our duty to carry out thesechecks, but it is also yourresponsibility as a resident tomake sure we have access tothe property. We do operatean appointment system andwill send you plenty of advancenotice – and if theappointment does not suit you,you can rearrange. We alsooffer evening and weekendappointments.
Please help us to help you, byletting us in to carry out thesevital checks.
Help us to keep Plus Dane healthy
� to agree lettings service standards� to see if the award of decorationallowances for new tenants is providingthe benefit it is intended to
� to look at the void standards (EmptyProperty Contract / Customer Contract)and agree a Group standard
� to review and standardise the purchase& contents of the ‘welcome pack’ fornew tenants
Some of the areas where we would liketo work with customers to makeimprovements across the group are:
Gas checkappointments
“Plus Dane reallydoes care...”
Lillian Hazell is a member of the Plus Dane Board who truly sees all sides of theorganisation – having been born and raised in Liverpool, but having lived the last41 years of her life in Sandbach.
The Riverview Residents’ Association are buildingon their green-fingered success at last year’sLiverpool Garden Competition and North WestCites In Bloom.
Their latest project is a neighbourhoodallotment in the grounds of Kinsman Court.They have been successful in securing threedifferent funding streams for the project (PCT,5-A-Day Scheme and the Councillors LocalCommunity Initiative Fund), totalling £10k.
Work on the ground will start following finalconsultations with residents.
Green-fingered residents
No matter where you live in thePlus Dane Group, we aim to deliverthe same excellent services.
However, we know that there isstill work to be done ensuringconsistency in those servicesacross the group.
To help us do that we are havinga series of ‘Health Checks’ carriedout in some key areas.
The purpose of the health checks isto identify strengths and good practice,and also areas where we need to make improvements.Our aim is to provide accessible and high-quality servicesconsistent across Plus Dane in Merseyside and Cheshire.
Our first health check was Lettings and Allocation. We arecurrently drawing up an improvement plan which we willshare with our Voids and Allocations Resident Grouponce approved.
• Lillian Hazell
Help to rentor buy yourdream homeOne of Plus Dane Group’s neighbourhood investorpromises is to increase the supply and choice ofhomes to suit a broad spectrum of lifestyles.
This means that as well as delivering quality homesat affordable rents, we also offer a range of otherways to help you find a home.
Our HomesHub team provides a one-stop shopservice to customers interested in affordablehome ownership and intermediate rent optionswithin Merseyside and has a dedicatedHome Ownership Officer working withinour Cheshire neighbourhoods.
Rent-to-BuyOur innovative Rent-to
-Buy product allows you to move
into the home of yourchoice now, paying an
affordable
rent as you save towards home ownership. Y
ou can rent
your home for up to five years and choose to
buy through
shared ownership at any time. If you do decid
e to buy the
property, we will pay back your full first year’s
rent,
providing a significantcontribution towards a
deposit and
other costs.
If you do choose to buy, you will benefit from
shared
ownership, meaning that you only need to sec
ure a
mortgage for 50% - 75% of the property’s ma
rket value.
Please see the information on shared owners
hip below.
Homes are available through Rent-to-Buy in T
oxteth,
Bootle, Everton, St Helens and Helsby.
“We saw an advert forRent-to-Buy in the loc
al press and
thought it sounded like a great idea. We fell
in love with
the apartment and thewhole process happen
ed very
quickly. HomesHub were very supportive an
d were on
hand for advice alongthe way. We’re spread
ing the word
about Rent-to-Buy nowamongst our friends a
nd
colleagues. It’s a greatway to move towards
home
ownership.” - Phillip Davies, Wellington Place,
Liverpool
Shared OwnershipOur shared ownership offer allows you to buy a share in anew home, typically ranging from 25% to 75%. Plus DaneGroup owns the remaining share and you will pay areduced rent on this share.
This means that you need to obtain a smaller mortgage tobuy the property. You can buy more shares as and whenyou can afford them – this is called ‘stair-casing’. You caneventually own 100% of the property if you want to.Shared ownership does not mean that you buy withsomeone you don’t know. It also does not mean that youhave to share the property with other people. You can buyon your own and live in the property on your own.Plus Dane Group has shared ownership homes available inNantwich, Widnes, Bootle, Toxteth and Helsby.
“I think shared ownership is a really good scheme. Icould not have afforded to buy or rent in Congletonbecause of house prices, it has helped me to get a footon the ladder which will help me in the future if I wantto purchase a bigger property.” - Emma Coulson,River’s Edge, Congleton
“This is our first property. The shared ownership schemeis a good thing. Years ago £50,000 or £60,000 wouldhave bought you a house, now it’s much more than that– that’s where shared ownership comes in. I have lookedat other properties around Merseyside and this offersmore value for money. Everything is new, there is noneed for any renovation work – you can just move in andchill out!” - Andrew Chan, Regency Park, Bootle
HomeBuy DirectHomeBuy Direct is a new scheme designed to helpeligible home seekers buy a new property they mayotherwise struggle to afford. You can receive a loan of upto 30%, which is funded partly by the government andpartly by the developer.
This means that if you are looking to buy a new £100,000home, you will potentially only need to obtain a £70,000mortgage. There are HomeBuy Direct developmentsacross Merseyside, including Liverpool, Sefton, Wirral,Knowsley and St Helens with properties ranging fromfamily houses to penthouse apartments. This option isavailable at Plus Dane Group’s award-winning WellingtonPlace development, with eight penthouse apartments forsale through HomeBuy Direct.
Intermediate RentIntermediate rent costs m
ore than a customer would pay
as a Plus Dane Group tenant, but less than a custom
er
would pay from a privatelandlord. You need to be i
n
employment to apply forthis option.
The apartments we offer through intermediate rent
are managed by Plus Dane Group. This means that
customers benefit from outstanding customer care
and excellent services.
We offer intermediate rent at our apartments within
Liverpool One. Please seethe story about Liverpool
One in
this issue of UNiTY for more information. A wider ra
nge of
locations will soon become available through this op
tion.
Contact UsHomesHub can guide you through all the available optionsand help you to choose the most suitable product. Our teamcan guide you to independent financial advice and first-timebuyer friendly solicitors. HomesHub also works with theAccess to Home Ownership project, which providescustomers with independent financial advice, mortgageadvice and help with legal and valuation fees.
Terms and conditions apply for all products, and buyersmust meet the eligibility criteria, which we can discusswith you in detail.
You do not have to be a key worker or first-time buyerto apply. People currently living in housing associationhomes, previous home-owners who have experienced arelationship breakdown and other groups can also beeligible. You can also earn up to £60,000 and still be eligible.
To find out more, please contactHomesHub on 0845 603 4559, [email protected] visit www.homeshub.co.uk
Some of the ways in which HomesHubcould help you to find a home are:
• Regency Park • Helsby • Wellington Place
Help to rentor buy yourdream homeOne of Plus Dane Group’s neighbourhood investorpromises is to increase the supply and choice ofhomes to suit a broad spectrum of lifestyles.
This means that as well as delivering quality homesat affordable rents, we also offer a range of otherways to help you find a home.
Our HomesHub team provides a one-stop shopservice to customers interested in affordablehome ownership and intermediate rent optionswithin Merseyside and has a dedicatedHome Ownership Officer working withinour Cheshire neighbourhoods.
Rent-to-BuyOur innovative Rent-to
-Buy product allows you to move
into the home of yourchoice now, paying an
affordable
rent as you save towards home ownership. Y
ou can rent
your home for up to five years and choose to
buy through
shared ownership at any time. If you do decid
e to buy the
property, we will pay back your full first year’s
rent,
providing a significantcontribution towards a
deposit and
other costs.
If you do choose to buy, you will benefit from
shared
ownership, meaning that you only need to sec
ure a
mortgage for 50% - 75% of the property’s ma
rket value.
Please see the information on shared owners
hip below.
Homes are available through Rent-to-Buy in T
oxteth,
Bootle, Everton, St Helens and Helsby.
“We saw an advert forRent-to-Buy in the loc
al press and
thought it sounded like a great idea. We fell
in love with
the apartment and thewhole process happen
ed very
quickly. HomesHub were very supportive an
d were on
hand for advice alongthe way. We’re spread
ing the word
about Rent-to-Buy nowamongst our friends a
nd
colleagues. It’s a greatway to move towards
home
ownership.” - Phillip Davies, Wellington Place,
Liverpool
Shared OwnershipOur shared ownership offer allows you to buy a share in anew home, typically ranging from 25% to 75%. Plus DaneGroup owns the remaining share and you will pay areduced rent on this share.
This means that you need to obtain a smaller mortgage tobuy the property. You can buy more shares as and whenyou can afford them – this is called ‘stair-casing’. You caneventually own 100% of the property if you want to.Shared ownership does not mean that you buy withsomeone you don’t know. It also does not mean that youhave to share the property with other people. You can buyon your own and live in the property on your own.Plus Dane Group has shared ownership homes available inNantwich, Widnes, Bootle, Toxteth and Helsby.
“I think shared ownership is a really good scheme. Icould not have afforded to buy or rent in Congletonbecause of house prices, it has helped me to get a footon the ladder which will help me in the future if I wantto purchase a bigger property.” - Emma Coulson,River’s Edge, Congleton
“This is our first property. The shared ownership schemeis a good thing. Years ago £50,000 or £60,000 wouldhave bought you a house, now it’s much more than that– that’s where shared ownership comes in. I have lookedat other properties around Merseyside and this offersmore value for money. Everything is new, there is noneed for any renovation work – you can just move in andchill out!” - Andrew Chan, Regency Park, Bootle
HomeBuy DirectHomeBuy Direct is a new scheme designed to helpeligible home seekers buy a new property they mayotherwise struggle to afford. You can receive a loan of upto 30%, which is funded partly by the government andpartly by the developer.
This means that if you are looking to buy a new £100,000home, you will potentially only need to obtain a £70,000mortgage. There are HomeBuy Direct developmentsacross Merseyside, including Liverpool, Sefton, Wirral,Knowsley and St Helens with properties ranging fromfamily houses to penthouse apartments. This option isavailable at Plus Dane Group’s award-winning WellingtonPlace development, with eight penthouse apartments forsale through HomeBuy Direct.
Intermediate RentIntermediate rent costs m
ore than a customer would pay
as a Plus Dane Group tenant, but less than a custom
er
would pay from a privatelandlord. You need to be i
n
employment to apply forthis option.
The apartments we offer through intermediate rent
are managed by Plus Dane Group. This means that
customers benefit from outstanding customer care
and excellent services.
We offer intermediate rent at our apartments within
Liverpool One. Please seethe story about Liverpool
One in
this issue of UNiTY for more information. A wider ra
nge of
locations will soon become available through this op
tion.
Contact UsHomesHub can guide you through all the available optionsand help you to choose the most suitable product. Our teamcan guide you to independent financial advice and first-timebuyer friendly solicitors. HomesHub also works with theAccess to Home Ownership project, which providescustomers with independent financial advice, mortgageadvice and help with legal and valuation fees.
Terms and conditions apply for all products, and buyersmust meet the eligibility criteria, which we can discusswith you in detail.
You do not have to be a key worker or first-time buyerto apply. People currently living in housing associationhomes, previous home-owners who have experienced arelationship breakdown and other groups can also beeligible. You can also earn up to £60,000 and still be eligible.
To find out more, please contactHomesHub on 0845 603 4559, [email protected] visit www.homeshub.co.uk
Some of the ways in which HomesHubcould help you to find a home are:
• Regency Park • Helsby • Wellington Place
Plus Dane UNiTY12
This is our brand new column –
by residents, for residents. This
is your chance to ‘have your say’
– on any subject at all! It might
be related to housing, to
Plus Dane, or nothing at all to
do with us! It might be a moan –
it might be a compliment – or it
might be about your favourite
holiday destination. It could be
about something that makes
you happy, or sad, or just
plain angry!
Whatever it is, we’d like to
hear from you – so if you
would like your shot at being
a UNiTY columnist, either
call Debbie Johnson on
0151 708 4653, or e-mail
And don’t worry about the
‘writing’ side of it – if you don’t
feel up to putting pen to paper,
you can just have a chat to us,
and we’ll write it for you.
Social Tariffs are applicableto residents over 60, with achild of 16 or under, or with achronic illness, whose annual
income is less than £13,500. Youcan contact Carl Thomson on01260 281037 for more help,or call your energy supplierdirect and ask about theirSocial Tariffs.
Our first columnist is 29-year-oldTina Davies, who lives in a PlusDane flat in Congleton. This iswhat she has to say:
“My name is Tina Davies, and I amasthmatic. That means I need topay particular attention to heating,and keep my home at the righttemperature for my health. As weall know, this can be on theexpensive side, and it’s alwaysgood to get a bit of help.
“I contacted Carl Thomson, who isthe financial inclusion officer atPlus Dane, and he explained somethings to me that I had neverheard of.
“They are called Social Tariffs, andbasically if you fall into certaincategories, you can claim somehelp with your bills. That caninclude chronic illnesses likeasthma and heart complaints.
I use N Power and they have aSocial Tariff called SpreadingWarmth. What that meant for meis that I get money each month toput on my meter. All together itwill save me £125 a year. I get aletter every three months and Itake it to the Post Office to getthe £20.
“I think this is a brilliant scheme,but I think it should be morewidely publicised – nobodyseemed to know about it, which issuch a shame when it can savepeople who really need it to savesome money, which can then helpthem cope better with whatthey’ve got.
“I hadn’t heard about it but I waseligible for it. I would like to seemore people made aware of it sothey can apply and see if they areeligible for it too.”
Plus Dane UNiTY 13
And thewinner is...MR and Mrs Alec andMarjorie Caldwell ofMiddlewich were thelucky winners of a £100Tesco voucher in a recentprize draw.
Plus Dane carried out aprogramme of externalpainting on properties,and to encourageresidents to send in theircompleted customersatisfaction surveys, theyoffered the prize.
The couple are pictured herewith George Shaw and JohnHallam, both from Plus Dane
Find out moreabout theDane Tenants’FederationThe Dane Tenants’ Federation wasestablished in 2001, and meetsonce a month at Plus Dane’sShepherd’s Mill office in Congleton.
The group currently has amembership of 19, althoughthey recruit new members on aregular basis.
Dorothy Barnett, Chair, said: “TheFederation is a vehicle for sharinginformation with other tenants.We invite guest speakers to themeetings, often from within PlusDane Group to keep us up to datewith new developments and news.”
She added; “It is a great way ofgetting tenants involved, creatingawareness of what is going on inPlus Dane Group, within theneighbourhoods, and any othertopical information that is relevant.”
There is an annual programmeof events which the Federationorganise.
Previous events included a popularOpen Day at the New Life Church inCongleton, where visitors took partin a selection of three differentworkshops. One was arts and craftsbased; one was about the CheshireHomechoice scheme for tenants,and the third was by the localPrimary Care Trust about their plansfor healthcare and services forlocal people.
The day also included a buffet lunch.
For further information onbecoming involved with the Tenants’Federation, contact Dorothy Barnetton 01260 273 447.
Blooming lovely!MORE than 100 primary school children in Liverpool had a greattime planting thousands of spring bulbs in their local communities.
The youngsters - aged between six andten from schools in the Toxteth andDingle areas - helped to plant 12,000daffodil and crocus bulbs.
One of the schools involved was StFinbar’s, where children planted bulbs onland in nearby Mill Street.
The bulbs were planted in or nearschools, and at other community venues.The flowers, when they blossom, will notonly attract butterflies and other wildlife,
but will provide a boost to pride inlocal communities.
The schools taking part were St Finbar’s,St Patrick’s, Windsor Street CP andSt Margaret of Antioch.
The project was jointly funded by PlusDane Group, Liverpool City Council,Arena Housing and Liverpool MutualHomes, which are all active in theprovision of housing and neighbourhoodservices in the Liverpool 8 area.
Plus Dane UNiTY12
This is our brand new column –
by residents, for residents. This
is your chance to ‘have your say’
– on any subject at all! It might
be related to housing, to
Plus Dane, or nothing at all to
do with us! It might be a moan –
it might be a compliment – or it
might be about your favourite
holiday destination. It could be
about something that makes
you happy, or sad, or just
plain angry!
Whatever it is, we’d like to
hear from you – so if you
would like your shot at being
a UNiTY columnist, either
call Debbie Johnson on
0151 708 4653, or e-mail
And don’t worry about the
‘writing’ side of it – if you don’t
feel up to putting pen to paper,
you can just have a chat to us,
and we’ll write it for you.
Social Tariffs are applicableto residents over 60, with achild of 16 or under, or with achronic illness, whose annual
income is less than £13,500. Youcan contact Carl Thomson on01260 281037 for more help,or call your energy supplierdirect and ask about theirSocial Tariffs.
Our first columnist is 29-year-oldTina Davies, who lives in a PlusDane flat in Congleton. This iswhat she has to say:
“My name is Tina Davies, and I amasthmatic. That means I need topay particular attention to heating,and keep my home at the righttemperature for my health. As weall know, this can be on theexpensive side, and it’s alwaysgood to get a bit of help.
“I contacted Carl Thomson, who isthe financial inclusion officer atPlus Dane, and he explained somethings to me that I had neverheard of.
“They are called Social Tariffs, andbasically if you fall into certaincategories, you can claim somehelp with your bills. That caninclude chronic illnesses likeasthma and heart complaints.
I use N Power and they have aSocial Tariff called SpreadingWarmth. What that meant for meis that I get money each month toput on my meter. All together itwill save me £125 a year. I get aletter every three months and Itake it to the Post Office to getthe £20.
“I think this is a brilliant scheme,but I think it should be morewidely publicised – nobodyseemed to know about it, which issuch a shame when it can savepeople who really need it to savesome money, which can then helpthem cope better with whatthey’ve got.
“I hadn’t heard about it but I waseligible for it. I would like to seemore people made aware of it sothey can apply and see if they areeligible for it too.”
Plus Dane UNiTY 13
And thewinner is...MR and Mrs Alec andMarjorie Caldwell ofMiddlewich were thelucky winners of a £100Tesco voucher in a recentprize draw.
Plus Dane carried out aprogramme of externalpainting on properties,and to encourageresidents to send in theircompleted customersatisfaction surveys, theyoffered the prize.
The couple are pictured herewith George Shaw and JohnHallam, both from Plus Dane
Find out moreabout theDane Tenants’FederationThe Dane Tenants’ Federation wasestablished in 2001, and meetsonce a month at Plus Dane’sShepherd’s Mill office in Congleton.
The group currently has amembership of 19, althoughthey recruit new members on aregular basis.
Dorothy Barnett, Chair, said: “TheFederation is a vehicle for sharinginformation with other tenants.We invite guest speakers to themeetings, often from within PlusDane Group to keep us up to datewith new developments and news.”
She added; “It is a great way ofgetting tenants involved, creatingawareness of what is going on inPlus Dane Group, within theneighbourhoods, and any othertopical information that is relevant.”
There is an annual programmeof events which the Federationorganise.
Previous events included a popularOpen Day at the New Life Church inCongleton, where visitors took partin a selection of three differentworkshops. One was arts and craftsbased; one was about the CheshireHomechoice scheme for tenants,and the third was by the localPrimary Care Trust about their plansfor healthcare and services forlocal people.
The day also included a buffet lunch.
For further information onbecoming involved with the Tenants’Federation, contact Dorothy Barnetton 01260 273 447.
Blooming lovely!MORE than 100 primary school children in Liverpool had a greattime planting thousands of spring bulbs in their local communities.
The youngsters - aged between six andten from schools in the Toxteth andDingle areas - helped to plant 12,000daffodil and crocus bulbs.
One of the schools involved was StFinbar’s, where children planted bulbs onland in nearby Mill Street.
The bulbs were planted in or nearschools, and at other community venues.The flowers, when they blossom, will notonly attract butterflies and other wildlife,
but will provide a boost to pride inlocal communities.
The schools taking part were St Finbar’s,St Patrick’s, Windsor Street CP andSt Margaret of Antioch.
The project was jointly funded by PlusDane Group, Liverpool City Council,Arena Housing and Liverpool MutualHomes, which are all active in theprovision of housing and neighbourhoodservices in the Liverpool 8 area.
WELCOME to UNiTY magazine’sGreen Pages. Here, in every issue, youcan find stories about how we aretackling environmental issues in the waywe work with residents. That can meananything from fitting water butts to aproperty to offering advice on fuel use.
‘Energy Performance Certificates’ – or EPCs as they are oftenknown – sound a bit mysterious if you don’t know what theyare. But for a resident looking to select a new property, theycan be an invaluable tool for deciding where to live.
Energy Performance Certificates– what’s the deal?
How to Beat the Chill – and the bills!
Let there be (free) light...
Some people may already befamiliar with the concept of thegraphs if they have bought any‘white goods’ – washers,dryers, fridges etc – recently.The colourful graphs on stickerson the items show their ratingfor energy efficiency.
In housing, whenever a landlordis letting out a property, theyare obliged to provide theprospective tenant with anEPC. The EPC shows howenergy efficient the home is,after a qualified inspector hascarried out a survey of theproperty.
One part of the graph showsenergy efficiency – rating thereality of how efficient theproperty is, compared to howefficient it could be in an idealworld – and the other partshows the impact the propertyhas on the wider environment.It does this by showing the levelof carbon emissions.
The EPCs are useful to aresident because:
� They give you an idea ofhow energy efficient yournew home would be, whichcan help you estimate fuelcosts for heating etc
� They can give you an idea ofwhat impact heating andrunning your home will haveon the planet
� They can help you choose ahome that suits your energyand budgetary requirements
They are also useful tolandlords like Plus Danebecause:� They help us keep track ofhow energy efficient ourproperties are
� They allow us to plan forfuture improvements, suchas to heating systems
� They help us see whichproperties might needfurther work, such as betterinsulation or other energyefficient features
Here we show you an exampleof an EPC carried out on one ofour properties.
Here we look at a few questions and tips:
Q: How can I be sure I am getting the best deal on myfuel bills, especially if I don’t have access to theinternet to use price comparison websites?
A: To access the internet use your local library for freeaccess. If you cannot do that, contact your localFinancial Inclusion Officer at Plus Dane by callingCarl Thomson 01260 281037. You can also contactthe Home Heat Help Line on 0800 33 66 99.
Q: What help is there if I do struggle with my bills - whatgrants etc should I make sure I am claiming?
A: Again, call us to discuss your options. We might be ableto apply to a trust fund for help in settling the arrears.We can also help you make sure you are claimingeverything you can, and decide if you might be eligiblefor a special Social Tariff to get help with fuel bills.
Q: I know that my spring and summer bills will be small,but the winter ones bigger. Can you give me any tipsfor budgeting to cope all year round? Is thereanything else I should be doing in the summer tomake winter easier?
A:Work out what you paid in total last year for your gasand electric and break it down to a monthly payment.Build up a credit over the summer months to use in thecolder winter months. For example your bills last yearwere £980 for gas and electric divide this by 12 £81.66per month or £20.50 per week. Also look at any energysaving options – for example lightbulbs, draughtexcluders etc – that you could get fitted during thewarmer months.
Spring is in the air, and the temperature is definitely on the rise – whichmakes heating your home a lot easier. But as we all know, the warmermonths seem to fly by, and before we know it, the cooler weather andbigger fuel bills will be here.
Through our Beat the Chill campaign in the winter, we sent out top tips toresidents for keeping warm and cutting down on their bills. Now, as we lookforward to the rest of the year, we could all be looking ahead, and using thistime to budget, plan and perhaps make a few changes to our lifestyles to helpreduce our winter bills.
All of our residents will shortly be receiving apack of four energy-efficient lightbulbs.
The bulbs will help to cut down on fuel use,and therefore potentially on bills. The pack iscompletely free for all tenants, leaseholdersand shared-ownership home owners.
The bulbs have been provided as part of anationwide campaign by the Homes and
Communities Agency (previouslythe Housing Corporation).
All bulbs are made by Osram and areEnergy Saving Trust approved. Each bulbwill last for approximately 10,000 hours.The packs will contain one 11w bulb,one 8w bulb and two14w bulbs.
WELCOME to UNiTY magazine’sGreen Pages. Here, in every issue, youcan find stories about how we aretackling environmental issues in the waywe work with residents. That can meananything from fitting water butts to aproperty to offering advice on fuel use.
‘Energy Performance Certificates’ – or EPCs as they are oftenknown – sound a bit mysterious if you don’t know what theyare. But for a resident looking to select a new property, theycan be an invaluable tool for deciding where to live.
Energy Performance Certificates– what’s the deal?
How to Beat the Chill – and the bills!
Let there be (free) light...
Some people may already befamiliar with the concept of thegraphs if they have bought any‘white goods’ – washers,dryers, fridges etc – recently.The colourful graphs on stickerson the items show their ratingfor energy efficiency.
In housing, whenever a landlordis letting out a property, theyare obliged to provide theprospective tenant with anEPC. The EPC shows howenergy efficient the home is,after a qualified inspector hascarried out a survey of theproperty.
One part of the graph showsenergy efficiency – rating thereality of how efficient theproperty is, compared to howefficient it could be in an idealworld – and the other partshows the impact the propertyhas on the wider environment.It does this by showing the levelof carbon emissions.
The EPCs are useful to aresident because:
� They give you an idea ofhow energy efficient yournew home would be, whichcan help you estimate fuelcosts for heating etc
� They can give you an idea ofwhat impact heating andrunning your home will haveon the planet
� They can help you choose ahome that suits your energyand budgetary requirements
They are also useful tolandlords like Plus Danebecause:� They help us keep track ofhow energy efficient ourproperties are
� They allow us to plan forfuture improvements, suchas to heating systems
� They help us see whichproperties might needfurther work, such as betterinsulation or other energyefficient features
Here we show you an exampleof an EPC carried out on one ofour properties.
Here we look at a few questions and tips:
Q: How can I be sure I am getting the best deal on myfuel bills, especially if I don’t have access to theinternet to use price comparison websites?
A: To access the internet use your local library for freeaccess. If you cannot do that, contact your localFinancial Inclusion Officer at Plus Dane by callingCarl Thomson 01260 281037. You can also contactthe Home Heat Help Line on 0800 33 66 99.
Q: What help is there if I do struggle with my bills - whatgrants etc should I make sure I am claiming?
A: Again, call us to discuss your options. We might be ableto apply to a trust fund for help in settling the arrears.We can also help you make sure you are claimingeverything you can, and decide if you might be eligiblefor a special Social Tariff to get help with fuel bills.
Q: I know that my spring and summer bills will be small,but the winter ones bigger. Can you give me any tipsfor budgeting to cope all year round? Is thereanything else I should be doing in the summer tomake winter easier?
A:Work out what you paid in total last year for your gasand electric and break it down to a monthly payment.Build up a credit over the summer months to use in thecolder winter months. For example your bills last yearwere £980 for gas and electric divide this by 12 £81.66per month or £20.50 per week. Also look at any energysaving options – for example lightbulbs, draughtexcluders etc – that you could get fitted during thewarmer months.
Spring is in the air, and the temperature is definitely on the rise – whichmakes heating your home a lot easier. But as we all know, the warmermonths seem to fly by, and before we know it, the cooler weather andbigger fuel bills will be here.
Through our Beat the Chill campaign in the winter, we sent out top tips toresidents for keeping warm and cutting down on their bills. Now, as we lookforward to the rest of the year, we could all be looking ahead, and using thistime to budget, plan and perhaps make a few changes to our lifestyles to helpreduce our winter bills.
All of our residents will shortly be receiving apack of four energy-efficient lightbulbs.
The bulbs will help to cut down on fuel use,and therefore potentially on bills. The pack iscompletely free for all tenants, leaseholdersand shared-ownership home owners.
The bulbs have been provided as part of anationwide campaign by the Homes and
Communities Agency (previouslythe Housing Corporation).
All bulbs are made by Osram and areEnergy Saving Trust approved. Each bulbwill last for approximately 10,000 hours.The packs will contain one 11w bulb,one 8w bulb and two14w bulbs.
Alsager
Alsager is a market town situated inthe Congleton district of CheshireEast. It is made up of seven distinctareas – Radway, Cedar Avenue,Town Centre, Linley, Lyname, HallDrive and Cranberry Lane. It alsoincludes rural villages of Mow Cop,Scholar Green, Church Lawton,Rode Heath and Mount Pleasant.The overall aims of its NIIP are:
� Increased community safety,with a focus on partnershipworking with police to reducecrime and fear
� Creating great places – focus onenvironmental work, communitygardens, grounds maintenance,environmental action days
� Supporting vulnerablecustomers, with focus on aidsand adaptations, handy personservice and financial inclusion
Castlefields
Castlefields is in Runcorn, an areabased historically on its industrialheritage and now with anincreasing base in science andcreative businesses. Castlefields isthe subject of a major physicalregeneration programme with PlusDane as one of the partners. Theoverall aims of its NIIP are:
� Reduce worklessness� Improve intergenerational
cohesion� Provide a safe, clean and well-
managed neighbourhood� Improve health and well-being
Ribble Road
The Ribble Road estate is situatedin the Woolton area of Liverpool,and was built in around 1960.There are approximately 200properties on the estate, rangingfrom owner-occupied homes, flatsand leaseholder properties. Theoverall aims of its NIIP are:
� Utilise existing partnerresources to assist indelivering the seven promises
� Improve community safety� Increase investment to achieve
decent homes standards
Middlewich
Middlewich is a market townbased in the Congleton district ofCheshire East. The neighbourhoodis made up of four areas –Cledford, King Street, TheAvenues and Town Centre. It alsoincludes the rural villages ofGoostrey, Holmes Chapel,Somerford, Swettenham, Cranage,Twemlow and Smallwood. Theoverall aims of its NIIP are:
� Increased community safety,with focus on fear of crime
� Supporting vulnerablecustomers, focus on aids andadaptations, handy personservice and financial inclusion
� Creating great places, focus onenvironmental work,community gardens, groundsmaintenance and trees,environmental action days andgarage sites
Sandbach
Sandbach is a market town situated inthe Congleton district of CheshireEast. The neighbourhood is made upof seven areas – Sandbach TownCentre, Platt Avenue, Palmer Road,Third Avenue, Elworth, Wheelockand Sandbach Heath. It alsoincorporates the rural villages ofHassall Green, Arclid, Bradwall,Hulme Walfield and Moston. Theoverall aims of its NIIP are:
� Supporting vulnerable customers,with a focus on aids andadaptations, parenting classes,handy person service and financialinclusion
� Increased community safety withfocus on fear of crime
� Creating great places, focus onenvironmental work, communitygardens, grounds maintenance andtrees, environmental action daysand garage sites
Kirkby
Kirkby is the northern mosttownship in the Borough ofKnowsley. It was built largely asa post-war new town. KnowsleyCouncil has ambitious plans toregenerate the Kirkby area, centredaround the potential move ofEverton FC to Kirkby and toincorporate a Tesco Superstoreand various other leisure andretail outlets. The results of anindependent government planninginquiry into the issue are due inapproximately May this year.The overall aims of its NIIP are:
� Deliver the seven promisesand regularly revisit andre-evaluate them
� Increased resident involvement� Develop partnerships with
external agencies who willsupport us to create jobopportunities
� Bring all homes up to decencystandards by 2012
Congleton
Congleton is a market town based in Cheshire East. The neighbourhood ismade up of five areas – Bromley Farm, Buglawton, Lower Heath, West Heathand Town Centre. The overall aims of its NIIP are:
� Increased community safety, with focus on crime reduction, improvedlighting and support for victims and witnesses of anti social behaviour
� Improved resident involvement, with a focus on positive activities foryoung people, health and wellbeing and training
� Creating great places with a focus on environmental work, allotmentprojects and grounds maintenance
Pinehurst
The Pinehurst Estate is in the Anfield area of Liverpool. Plus Dane has around650 dwellings on the estate, the majority of which are three bedroomed familyhomes. Since it transferred into the hands of what was CDS, it has undergone amajor refurbishment programme. The overall aims of its NIIP are:
� Utilise existing partner resources to assist in deliveringPlus Dane’s seven promises
� Improve community safety� Reduce worklessness� Improve awareness of health and well being
Queens Bedford - Evolve
Queens Bedford is situated in the Bootle area of Merseyside, and is home tothe Evolve Neighbourhood Partnership. Queens Bedford is part of thenational Housing Market Renewal scheme, which has led to clearance ofolder properties and new build of desirable new homes. The overall aims ofits NIIP are:
� Utilise existing partner resources to deliver the seven promises� Improve community safety� Continue with investment in existing stock to maintain decent homes
Kensington
Kensington is an area of Liverpool that has seen a great deal of change, andwhich is undergoing regeneration. It was given status as a Renewal Area in2004 and has also been undergoing regeneration as part of the Government’sNew Deal for Communities Programme. The overall aims of its NIIP are:
� Utilise existing partner resources to assist in delivering the seven promises� Improve community safety� Increase investment to achieve decent homes standards
Plus Dane UNiTY16 17Plus Dane UNiTY
In yourneighbourhood
Plus Dane has worked with local residents to decidewhat the priorities are for their own neighbourhoods.
Some needs – for example, community safety– will apply to many of them. Other areas will
have more specific requirements.
Certain areas now have, as a result, Neighbourhood Investmentand Influence Plans (NIIP) in place, pulling together those
priorities, and the work we are doing to achieve them.
Here we take a broad overview of those neighbourhoodsand their Plans. Then, in future editions of UNiTY, we will
take a more ‘up close and personal’ look at specificareas and exactly what is going on there.
Alsager
Alsager is a market town situated inthe Congleton district of CheshireEast. It is made up of seven distinctareas – Radway, Cedar Avenue,Town Centre, Linley, Lyname, HallDrive and Cranberry Lane. It alsoincludes rural villages of Mow Cop,Scholar Green, Church Lawton,Rode Heath and Mount Pleasant.The overall aims of its NIIP are:
� Increased community safety,with a focus on partnershipworking with police to reducecrime and fear
� Creating great places – focus onenvironmental work, communitygardens, grounds maintenance,environmental action days
� Supporting vulnerablecustomers, with focus on aidsand adaptations, handy personservice and financial inclusion
Castlefields
Castlefields is in Runcorn, an areabased historically on its industrialheritage and now with anincreasing base in science andcreative businesses. Castlefields isthe subject of a major physicalregeneration programme with PlusDane as one of the partners. Theoverall aims of its NIIP are:
� Reduce worklessness� Improve intergenerational
cohesion� Provide a safe, clean and well-
managed neighbourhood� Improve health and well-being
Ribble Road
The Ribble Road estate is situatedin the Woolton area of Liverpool,and was built in around 1960.There are approximately 200properties on the estate, rangingfrom owner-occupied homes, flatsand leaseholder properties. Theoverall aims of its NIIP are:
� Utilise existing partnerresources to assist indelivering the seven promises
� Improve community safety� Increase investment to achieve
decent homes standards
Middlewich
Middlewich is a market townbased in the Congleton district ofCheshire East. The neighbourhoodis made up of four areas –Cledford, King Street, TheAvenues and Town Centre. It alsoincludes the rural villages ofGoostrey, Holmes Chapel,Somerford, Swettenham, Cranage,Twemlow and Smallwood. Theoverall aims of its NIIP are:
� Increased community safety,with focus on fear of crime
� Supporting vulnerablecustomers, focus on aids andadaptations, handy personservice and financial inclusion
� Creating great places, focus onenvironmental work,community gardens, groundsmaintenance and trees,environmental action days andgarage sites
Sandbach
Sandbach is a market town situated inthe Congleton district of CheshireEast. The neighbourhood is made upof seven areas – Sandbach TownCentre, Platt Avenue, Palmer Road,Third Avenue, Elworth, Wheelockand Sandbach Heath. It alsoincorporates the rural villages ofHassall Green, Arclid, Bradwall,Hulme Walfield and Moston. Theoverall aims of its NIIP are:
� Supporting vulnerable customers,with a focus on aids andadaptations, parenting classes,handy person service and financialinclusion
� Increased community safety withfocus on fear of crime
� Creating great places, focus onenvironmental work, communitygardens, grounds maintenance andtrees, environmental action daysand garage sites
Kirkby
Kirkby is the northern mosttownship in the Borough ofKnowsley. It was built largely asa post-war new town. KnowsleyCouncil has ambitious plans toregenerate the Kirkby area, centredaround the potential move ofEverton FC to Kirkby and toincorporate a Tesco Superstoreand various other leisure andretail outlets. The results of anindependent government planninginquiry into the issue are due inapproximately May this year.The overall aims of its NIIP are:
� Deliver the seven promisesand regularly revisit andre-evaluate them
� Increased resident involvement� Develop partnerships with
external agencies who willsupport us to create jobopportunities
� Bring all homes up to decencystandards by 2012
Congleton
Congleton is a market town based in Cheshire East. The neighbourhood ismade up of five areas – Bromley Farm, Buglawton, Lower Heath, West Heathand Town Centre. The overall aims of its NIIP are:
� Increased community safety, with focus on crime reduction, improvedlighting and support for victims and witnesses of anti social behaviour
� Improved resident involvement, with a focus on positive activities foryoung people, health and wellbeing and training
� Creating great places with a focus on environmental work, allotmentprojects and grounds maintenance
Pinehurst
The Pinehurst Estate is in the Anfield area of Liverpool. Plus Dane has around650 dwellings on the estate, the majority of which are three bedroomed familyhomes. Since it transferred into the hands of what was CDS, it has undergone amajor refurbishment programme. The overall aims of its NIIP are:
� Utilise existing partner resources to assist in deliveringPlus Dane’s seven promises
� Improve community safety� Reduce worklessness� Improve awareness of health and well being
Queens Bedford - Evolve
Queens Bedford is situated in the Bootle area of Merseyside, and is home tothe Evolve Neighbourhood Partnership. Queens Bedford is part of thenational Housing Market Renewal scheme, which has led to clearance ofolder properties and new build of desirable new homes. The overall aims ofits NIIP are:
� Utilise existing partner resources to deliver the seven promises� Improve community safety� Continue with investment in existing stock to maintain decent homes
Kensington
Kensington is an area of Liverpool that has seen a great deal of change, andwhich is undergoing regeneration. It was given status as a Renewal Area in2004 and has also been undergoing regeneration as part of the Government’sNew Deal for Communities Programme. The overall aims of its NIIP are:
� Utilise existing partner resources to assist in delivering the seven promises� Improve community safety� Increase investment to achieve decent homes standards
Plus Dane UNiTY16 17Plus Dane UNiTY
In yourneighbourhood
Plus Dane has worked with local residents to decidewhat the priorities are for their own neighbourhoods.
Some needs – for example, community safety– will apply to many of them. Other areas will
have more specific requirements.
Certain areas now have, as a result, Neighbourhood Investmentand Influence Plans (NIIP) in place, pulling together those
priorities, and the work we are doing to achieve them.
Here we take a broad overview of those neighbourhoodsand their Plans. Then, in future editions of UNiTY, we will
take a more ‘up close and personal’ look at specificareas and exactly what is going on there.
Our Customer Service teams arebased at Park Road, Liverpool 8and Shepherd’s Mill, Congletonand handle on average 3,300calls each week. We aim toprovide an excellent customerservice and answer as manyenquiries as possible first time –but we are also committed toensuring that you are directed tothe right person on the rareoccasion that we can’t help you.
Paula Ellis, the newly appointedCustomer Service Manager inMerseyside, explains: “I am reallypleased to be working with PlusDane and look forward toworking with our customers todeliver a first class service.”
Your feedback is vital to us toensure that the service weprovide improves and meetsyour requirements andexpectations. Each element ofyour experience is important tous, from the environment inreception, internet websites tothe music and messages youhear when calling us.
Lynn Heyes, Customer ContactManager at Congleton, says “Theteam has a wealth of experiencein providing excellent customerservice both in public and privatesectors and continually look forways to improve. As always weare keen to hear your commentsand suggestions about ourservice and how we can strive toensure it suits your needs.”
Meet the team... Customer ServicesMeet the team... Customer Services
Shepherds Mill Team L-R:Jordan Pugh, Debbie Booth, Judith Minshall, Sarah Higgins, Olivia Tweats,Lynn Heyes (Customer Services Manager), Suzanne Price, Amy Harding, Sam Mills.
Park Road Team Front Row:Paula Ellis (Customer Services Manager), Gillian Crawley, Cheryl McCabe, Amy Done, Jacqui Scraggs,Sarah Mythen, Jane Beattie, Rachel Prendergast. Back Row: Ian Ritson, Greg Hackett, Michael Neilson.
If you have anysuggestions about howwe can improve theservice we provide,please contact us on0800 1692988 forMerseyside and 0500026079 for Cheshire.
Many residents haveexpressed their desire to get to knowPlus Dane staff – to be able to put faces
to names and know who is on theend of the ‘phone.
Some of you have asked “who answers thephone these days?” And the answer is thatusually, it is one of our Customer Contact
teams, based at Shepherd’s Mill inCongleton and Park Road in Liverpool.Here we show you photos of exactly whothey are, along with some backgroundabout the work that they do. If you haveany suggestions for Meet the Team, pleasecontact us either on 0151 708 4653 or via
19Plus Dane UNiTYPlus Dane UNiTY18
West 8 - INclude
INclude Neighbourhood Regeneration in L8and parts of L1 was set up in 2001 as a jointventure between Plus Dane & Liverpool CityCouncil. It is an area of great diversity and onethat has experienced a great deal of change inrecent years. The overall aims of its NIIP are:
� Increase community safety� Investment in homes� Creating great places to live
Everton
Everton covers a wide geographical area inthe north part of Liverpool. Plus Danemanages around 527 properties in the area,ranging from four bedroomed family homesto flats and sheltered schemes. The overallaims of its NIIP are:
� Improve community safety� Increase resident involvement� Increase the supply and choice of homes
Knowsley Peel
Knowsley Peel is situated in the Bootle area ofMerseyside. It is part of the housing marketrenewal zone for Merseyside, and ischaracterised by predominantly terracedproperties. The overall aims of its NIIP are:
� Utilise existing partner resources to assistin delivering the seven promises
� Provide cleaner/greener space� Increase resident involvement� Increase investment to achieve decent
homes standard
In your neighbourhood cont...
Our Customer Service teams arebased at Park Road, Liverpool 8and Shepherd’s Mill, Congletonand handle on average 3,300calls each week. We aim toprovide an excellent customerservice and answer as manyenquiries as possible first time –but we are also committed toensuring that you are directed tothe right person on the rareoccasion that we can’t help you.
Paula Ellis, the newly appointedCustomer Service Manager inMerseyside, explains: “I am reallypleased to be working with PlusDane and look forward toworking with our customers todeliver a first class service.”
Your feedback is vital to us toensure that the service weprovide improves and meetsyour requirements andexpectations. Each element ofyour experience is important tous, from the environment inreception, internet websites tothe music and messages youhear when calling us.
Lynn Heyes, Customer ContactManager at Congleton, says “Theteam has a wealth of experiencein providing excellent customerservice both in public and privatesectors and continually look forways to improve. As always weare keen to hear your commentsand suggestions about ourservice and how we can strive toensure it suits your needs.”
Meet the team... Customer ServicesMeet the team... Customer Services
Shepherds Mill Team L-R:Jordan Pugh, Debbie Booth, Judith Minshall, Sarah Higgins, Olivia Tweats,Lynn Heyes (Customer Services Manager), Suzanne Price, Amy Harding, Sam Mills.
Park Road Team Front Row:Paula Ellis (Customer Services Manager), Gillian Crawley, Cheryl McCabe, Amy Done, Jacqui Scraggs,Sarah Mythen, Jane Beattie, Rachel Prendergast. Back Row: Ian Ritson, Greg Hackett, Michael Neilson.
If you have anysuggestions about howwe can improve theservice we provide,please contact us on0800 1692988 forMerseyside and 0500026079 for Cheshire.
Many residents haveexpressed their desire to get to knowPlus Dane staff – to be able to put faces
to names and know who is on theend of the ‘phone.
Some of you have asked “who answers thephone these days?” And the answer is thatusually, it is one of our Customer Contact
teams, based at Shepherd’s Mill inCongleton and Park Road in Liverpool.Here we show you photos of exactly whothey are, along with some backgroundabout the work that they do. If you haveany suggestions for Meet the Team, pleasecontact us either on 0151 708 4653 or via
19Plus Dane UNiTYPlus Dane UNiTY18
West 8 - INclude
INclude Neighbourhood Regeneration in L8and parts of L1 was set up in 2001 as a jointventure between Plus Dane & Liverpool CityCouncil. It is an area of great diversity and onethat has experienced a great deal of change inrecent years. The overall aims of its NIIP are:
� Increase community safety� Investment in homes� Creating great places to live
Everton
Everton covers a wide geographical area inthe north part of Liverpool. Plus Danemanages around 527 properties in the area,ranging from four bedroomed family homesto flats and sheltered schemes. The overallaims of its NIIP are:
� Improve community safety� Increase resident involvement� Increase the supply and choice of homes
Knowsley Peel
Knowsley Peel is situated in the Bootle area ofMerseyside. It is part of the housing marketrenewal zone for Merseyside, and ischaracterised by predominantly terracedproperties. The overall aims of its NIIP are:
� Utilise existing partner resources to assistin delivering the seven promises
� Provide cleaner/greener space� Increase resident involvement� Increase investment to achieve decent
homes standard
In your neighbourhood cont...
What does it do?
� It is a champion for tenants – standing up for theirinterests and aspirations, and putting their needs first.
� It wants landlords to extend how they work with tenants– allowing the very people whose lives are affected bythe quality of their landlord’s services to have a say inthe way their homes are managed.
� It is challenging landlords, starting with challengingthem to be financially viable and well governed.
� It is helping to create more choice – in the choicesoffered to tenants, in the kinds of tenancies available, inthe landlords who provide it and in the way providersraise funds.
� It is going to make better use of the data collected fromlandlords and make data readily available to providers,their boards and their tenants. It believes better accessto information will help providers to improve constantly.
How to contact the Tenant Services Authority?
The TSA Enquiries Team is available to help you as muchas they can. You can phone on 0845 230 7000(choose option 1) or email [email protected] website is www.tenantservicesauthority.org
The National Conversation
To understand what issues matter most to tenants, the TSAhas introduced the National Conversation, so that it canlisten to your views, to find out what services you need andthe standards you expect. Only then can it begin todevelop standards for landlords that put your priorities first.
The first part of the National Conversation took placebetween January and March 2009, and Plus Dane Groupheld events in Cheshire and Merseyside. The events werean opportunity for tenants to discuss the TSA and thestandards they expect from Plus Dane Group.
The TSA has promised that by:
� Spring 2009 – it will feed back what it thinks needs tohappen to make sure standards fit with what you want.
� Summer 2009 – it will talk to you about how it isdeveloping the standards.
� Late Summer 2009 – it will publish a formalconsultation on the detail of its plans
� Christmas 2009 – the TSA will begin to make it happen!
Have your saywith the TSA!The Tenant Services Authority (TSA), is the new regulator for socialhousing. It launched on 1 December 2008, taking over theregulatory powers of the Housing Corporation. It believes thathousing matters and that access to good quality housing improveslives. Its goal is to raise the standard of services for tenants.
Instead, he joined the Royal Navy,and saw the world which, as Chrissays, was probably the best way to doit in the 60s. After he left, he got ajob, and was busy with life.
Recently, though, through Plus Dane,the opportunity arose to go back in tothe world of education – studying fora level 2 certificate from theChartered Institute of Housing atBlackburne House in Liverpool. Theopportunity was presented toresidents by Jeff O’Carroll,neighbourhood involvement officer inthe Runcorn and Widnes areas.
Chris says: “At first I had my doubts –I wasn’t sure if it was for me or not tobe honest, and you always thinkeverybody else is younger or clevereror more confident! But it got me backinto the swing of things and I foundthat I really enjoyed the challenge.”
Chris was one of a group of residentsand Board members who completedthe course, and he even got a
distinction. Now he is studying forhis level 3, alongside housingprofessionals. This time he is beingsupported financially by Plus Dane,as it feeds back into his role asChairman of the HaltonNeighbourhood Panel.
He says: “This is a lot tougher, but Iexpected that and I am doing well sofar. For anybody considering training,whether this kind of thing, orsomething practical, I’d say go for it –it will give your confidence a hugeboost and may open up newopportunities in your life.”
Across Plus Dane we have all kinds oftraining courses on offer forresidents. The courses will bedelivered via our Residents’Academy, which aims to supportpeople to develop their skills – be it insomething practical, or as a return tolearning. They include relaxation tips,DIY skills, cookery, budgeting, IT andgrowing your own veg, among manyothers, and are all free.
All courses are delivered inwelcoming and supportive ways, soeven if you haven’t been inside a‘classroom’ (or in some cases, anallotment or a depot, where a fewcourses are taught!) for years, don’tworry – we’llmake sureyou feelright athome!
Try some training– it could change your life (or at least your DIY skills!)
When Chris Harrison was a boy, he was good at English, and expected todo well by his teachers. Unfortunately, personal circumstances when hismum fell ill meant that he didn’t pass his 11+ as predicted, and left schoolwithout the qualifications he had hoped for.
For moreinformationon trainingopportunities,
contact Emma Sneydon 01260 288275.
21Plus Dane UNiTYPlus Dane UNiTY20
In addition to the NationalConversation, 14 Plus Daneresidents, from Cheshire andMerseyside, attended theRegional Event in Manchesterin February 2009.
John Kane, one of ourCheshire residents, wasamong them.
When he was asked forthoughts on Plus Dane he saidthat our organisation waseasily contactable, good tospeak to, with one on onecontact when required. Headded that although we dohave faults we are working toprovide a better service foreveryone.
John and the other residentsfeel that by participating withTSA in the future, they may beable to take on some goodideas from them which can beused to the benefit of PlusDane and its residents.
What does it do?
� It is a champion for tenants – standing up for theirinterests and aspirations, and putting their needs first.
� It wants landlords to extend how they work with tenants– allowing the very people whose lives are affected bythe quality of their landlord’s services to have a say inthe way their homes are managed.
� It is challenging landlords, starting with challengingthem to be financially viable and well governed.
� It is helping to create more choice – in the choicesoffered to tenants, in the kinds of tenancies available, inthe landlords who provide it and in the way providersraise funds.
� It is going to make better use of the data collected fromlandlords and make data readily available to providers,their boards and their tenants. It believes better accessto information will help providers to improve constantly.
How to contact the Tenant Services Authority?
The TSA Enquiries Team is available to help you as muchas they can. You can phone on 0845 230 7000(choose option 1) or email [email protected] website is www.tenantservicesauthority.org
The National Conversation
To understand what issues matter most to tenants, the TSAhas introduced the National Conversation, so that it canlisten to your views, to find out what services you need andthe standards you expect. Only then can it begin todevelop standards for landlords that put your priorities first.
The first part of the National Conversation took placebetween January and March 2009, and Plus Dane Groupheld events in Cheshire and Merseyside. The events werean opportunity for tenants to discuss the TSA and thestandards they expect from Plus Dane Group.
The TSA has promised that by:
� Spring 2009 – it will feed back what it thinks needs tohappen to make sure standards fit with what you want.
� Summer 2009 – it will talk to you about how it isdeveloping the standards.
� Late Summer 2009 – it will publish a formalconsultation on the detail of its plans
� Christmas 2009 – the TSA will begin to make it happen!
Have your saywith the TSA!The Tenant Services Authority (TSA), is the new regulator for socialhousing. It launched on 1 December 2008, taking over theregulatory powers of the Housing Corporation. It believes thathousing matters and that access to good quality housing improveslives. Its goal is to raise the standard of services for tenants.
Instead, he joined the Royal Navy,and saw the world which, as Chrissays, was probably the best way to doit in the 60s. After he left, he got ajob, and was busy with life.
Recently, though, through Plus Dane,the opportunity arose to go back in tothe world of education – studying fora level 2 certificate from theChartered Institute of Housing atBlackburne House in Liverpool. Theopportunity was presented toresidents by Jeff O’Carroll,neighbourhood involvement officer inthe Runcorn and Widnes areas.
Chris says: “At first I had my doubts –I wasn’t sure if it was for me or not tobe honest, and you always thinkeverybody else is younger or clevereror more confident! But it got me backinto the swing of things and I foundthat I really enjoyed the challenge.”
Chris was one of a group of residentsand Board members who completedthe course, and he even got a
distinction. Now he is studying forhis level 3, alongside housingprofessionals. This time he is beingsupported financially by Plus Dane,as it feeds back into his role asChairman of the HaltonNeighbourhood Panel.
He says: “This is a lot tougher, but Iexpected that and I am doing well sofar. For anybody considering training,whether this kind of thing, orsomething practical, I’d say go for it –it will give your confidence a hugeboost and may open up newopportunities in your life.”
Across Plus Dane we have all kinds oftraining courses on offer forresidents. The courses will bedelivered via our Residents’Academy, which aims to supportpeople to develop their skills – be it insomething practical, or as a return tolearning. They include relaxation tips,DIY skills, cookery, budgeting, IT andgrowing your own veg, among manyothers, and are all free.
All courses are delivered inwelcoming and supportive ways, soeven if you haven’t been inside a‘classroom’ (or in some cases, anallotment or a depot, where a fewcourses are taught!) for years, don’tworry – we’llmake sureyou feelright athome!
Try some training– it could change your life (or at least your DIY skills!)
When Chris Harrison was a boy, he was good at English, and expected todo well by his teachers. Unfortunately, personal circumstances when hismum fell ill meant that he didn’t pass his 11+ as predicted, and left schoolwithout the qualifications he had hoped for.
For moreinformationon trainingopportunities,
contact Emma Sneydon 01260 288275.
21Plus Dane UNiTYPlus Dane UNiTY20
In addition to the NationalConversation, 14 Plus Daneresidents, from Cheshire andMerseyside, attended theRegional Event in Manchesterin February 2009.
John Kane, one of ourCheshire residents, wasamong them.
When he was asked forthoughts on Plus Dane he saidthat our organisation waseasily contactable, good tospeak to, with one on onecontact when required. Headded that although we dohave faults we are working toprovide a better service foreveryone.
John and the other residentsfeel that by participating withTSA in the future, they may beable to take on some goodideas from them which can beused to the benefit of PlusDane and its residents.
At the moment the way we receiveour TV signals is called analogue.These signals, received through ourtelevision aerials, supply us with thefive traditional TV channels. Digital isa different way of sending thosesignals – in a way that allows us toreceive many more channels.
The digital switchover is happening indifferent times in different places.Where we live, in the Granada TVregion, it is set to happen inNovember this year.
If you already subscribe to a cable orsatellite service, that will continue –you are already digital. If you havebought a new TV recently, that is alsoalready probably a digital set. Mosttelevisions will be fine to be usedwhen the switchover takes place,using extra equipment or services.There are several options available ifyou need to upgrade – you cansubscribe to a monthly digital TVservice, such as Sky. You could alsobuy a special box that goes on top ofyour TV that supplies you with digitalchannels, such as Freeview. Anotheroption is to buy a new TV that has anin-built digital system. When lookingat any equipment, look for the DigitalTick logo.
Not necessarily. Again, if you use asatellite or cable service, you will notneed your aerial. Some aerials will befine after the switchover, some willneed to be upgraded. In the Granadaregion it is thought that a highnumber of aerials will be okay to useafter switchover. Digital UK, theorganisation that provides informationon the subject, recommends nothaving any work done on your aerial
until after the switchover, when youcan see for certain if it is working ornot. Alternatively, you can go toteletext page 284, or the Digital UKwebsite, to test your signal strength.
Subscriptions to monthly providersvary – you need to check into what isavailable in your area and whatchannels you would like to find outmore exact costs. A set top box suchas Freeview costs as little as £20 as aone-off payment and enables you toreceive in the region of 40 channels.If your aerial needs upgrading, thatcan cost between £80 and £220.
We are already upgrading all the TVaerials on properties which havecommunal aerials – such as blocksof flats and some bungalows.Properties which do not havecommunal aerials will be theresponsibility of the resident.However, we can help you findreputable suppliers and aerial fittersif necessary, and in some cases, toget a good quote. We can alsoanswer any queries you might haveabout our work, and about digitalswitchover in general.
Digital UK provides a support packagefor people in the following groups:75 and over; having lived in a carehome for six months or more;registered blind or partially sighted;eligible for Disability Living Allowance,Attendance Allowance, ConstantAttendance Allowance or MobilitySupplement. You will pay £40 for allequipment to suit your needs, and asimple demonstration and set up ofthe equipment. If you are also onPension Credit, Income Support orincome-based Jobseekers Allowance,it will be free.
23Plus Dane UNiTYPlus Dane UNiTY22
Mary is well qualified to advise on allmatters related to scones – as she wasborn and raised in the land of thecream tea, Devon.
She moved up to Liverpool with herfamily when she was 18, and now livesin the Everton area. As you can seeform the pictures, though, she is still adab hand at baking.
Mary says: “I do enjoy cooking, and Ithink it is important to cook and eatwell – you owe it to yourself, and evenif you are living alone, you should tryand make yourself good, healthy food.”
Would you like to submit a recipe toUNiTY magazine? Maybe you’ve alwayscooked, and have some traditionalrecipes to share; or maybe you havesome interesting food from around theworld to highlight – or maybe you’re ayoung person just starting out withyour own dishes! We’d love to hearfrom you, so please either call DebbieJohnson on 0151 708 4653, or [email protected]
like, cream
The phrase ‘going digital’ has been used a lot recently, in relation to the‘digital switchover’ programme that is taking place across the country.
But for many people, even the words can seem confusing and unclear, nevermind understanding what is happening and how it affects us as individuals.
Here we take a look at exactly what ‘going digital’ is, what you need to do,and how we at Plus Dane can help you.
Is ‘going digital’ driving you dotty? Recipes for Success
Where can I findfurther information?
Call Plus Dane’s Property Repairs
Supervisor Marc Bright on
0151 330 3473. You can also visit
www.digitaluk.co.uk, or call their
helpline on 08456 50 50 50,
textphone 0845 2340380.
What is ‘going digital’?
When does it happen?
Will I need to buy anew TV or equipment?
Will I need a new aerial?
Can I get any help?
What is Plus Dane doing?
How much will all of this cost?
Here Mary Walkley, 71, shares her recipe for deliciously moist sconeswith us – and with fellow members of her Hornby Residents’ Forum.
Mary’s Scrumptious Scones:
You will need…
1/2lb plain flourI heaped teaspoon baking powderPinch salt1 egg (optional)1oz sugar1oz margarine or butterMilk to mix
Instructions…
1 Sieve the flour, sugar, bakingpowder and salt
2 Add the sugar, and rub in themarg or butter
3 Add the beaten egg and enoughmilk to make a soft dough
4 Roll out to 1/2 inch thickness on alightly floured board
5 Cut into rounds with a pastry cutterand brush over with beaten egg
6 Place on baking tray and cook in awarmed oven at 475 (electric)or 9 (gas)
7 Cook until golden brown– about 15 minutes
8 Leave to cool, then cut and addstrawberry jam, butter and if youlike cream
At the moment the way we receiveour TV signals is called analogue.These signals, received through ourtelevision aerials, supply us with thefive traditional TV channels. Digital isa different way of sending thosesignals – in a way that allows us toreceive many more channels.
The digital switchover is happening indifferent times in different places.Where we live, in the Granada TVregion, it is set to happen inNovember this year.
If you already subscribe to a cable orsatellite service, that will continue –you are already digital. If you havebought a new TV recently, that is alsoalready probably a digital set. Mosttelevisions will be fine to be usedwhen the switchover takes place,using extra equipment or services.There are several options available ifyou need to upgrade – you cansubscribe to a monthly digital TVservice, such as Sky. You could alsobuy a special box that goes on top ofyour TV that supplies you with digitalchannels, such as Freeview. Anotheroption is to buy a new TV that has anin-built digital system. When lookingat any equipment, look for the DigitalTick logo.
Not necessarily. Again, if you use asatellite or cable service, you will notneed your aerial. Some aerials will befine after the switchover, some willneed to be upgraded. In the Granadaregion it is thought that a highnumber of aerials will be okay to useafter switchover. Digital UK, theorganisation that provides informationon the subject, recommends nothaving any work done on your aerial
until after the switchover, when youcan see for certain if it is working ornot. Alternatively, you can go toteletext page 284, or the Digital UKwebsite, to test your signal strength.
Subscriptions to monthly providersvary – you need to check into what isavailable in your area and whatchannels you would like to find outmore exact costs. A set top box suchas Freeview costs as little as £20 as aone-off payment and enables you toreceive in the region of 40 channels.If your aerial needs upgrading, thatcan cost between £80 and £220.
We are already upgrading all the TVaerials on properties which havecommunal aerials – such as blocksof flats and some bungalows.Properties which do not havecommunal aerials will be theresponsibility of the resident.However, we can help you findreputable suppliers and aerial fittersif necessary, and in some cases, toget a good quote. We can alsoanswer any queries you might haveabout our work, and about digitalswitchover in general.
Digital UK provides a support packagefor people in the following groups:75 and over; having lived in a carehome for six months or more;registered blind or partially sighted;eligible for Disability Living Allowance,Attendance Allowance, ConstantAttendance Allowance or MobilitySupplement. You will pay £40 for allequipment to suit your needs, and asimple demonstration and set up ofthe equipment. If you are also onPension Credit, Income Support orincome-based Jobseekers Allowance,it will be free.
23Plus Dane UNiTYPlus Dane UNiTY22
Mary is well qualified to advise on allmatters related to scones – as she wasborn and raised in the land of thecream tea, Devon.
She moved up to Liverpool with herfamily when she was 18, and now livesin the Everton area. As you can seeform the pictures, though, she is still adab hand at baking.
Mary says: “I do enjoy cooking, and Ithink it is important to cook and eatwell – you owe it to yourself, and evenif you are living alone, you should tryand make yourself good, healthy food.”
Would you like to submit a recipe toUNiTY magazine? Maybe you’ve alwayscooked, and have some traditionalrecipes to share; or maybe you havesome interesting food from around theworld to highlight – or maybe you’re ayoung person just starting out withyour own dishes! We’d love to hearfrom you, so please either call DebbieJohnson on 0151 708 4653, or [email protected]
like, cream
The phrase ‘going digital’ has been used a lot recently, in relation to the‘digital switchover’ programme that is taking place across the country.
But for many people, even the words can seem confusing and unclear, nevermind understanding what is happening and how it affects us as individuals.
Here we take a look at exactly what ‘going digital’ is, what you need to do,and how we at Plus Dane can help you.
Is ‘going digital’ driving you dotty? Recipes for Success
Where can I findfurther information?
Call Plus Dane’s Property Repairs
Supervisor Marc Bright on
0151 330 3473. You can also visit
www.digitaluk.co.uk, or call their
helpline on 08456 50 50 50,
textphone 0845 2340380.
What is ‘going digital’?
When does it happen?
Will I need to buy anew TV or equipment?
Will I need a new aerial?
Can I get any help?
What is Plus Dane doing?
How much will all of this cost?
Here Mary Walkley, 71, shares her recipe for deliciously moist sconeswith us – and with fellow members of her Hornby Residents’ Forum.
Mary’s Scrumptious Scones:
You will need…
1/2lb plain flourI heaped teaspoon baking powderPinch salt1 egg (optional)1oz sugar1oz margarine or butterMilk to mix
Instructions…
1 Sieve the flour, sugar, bakingpowder and salt
2 Add the sugar, and rub in themarg or butter
3 Add the beaten egg and enoughmilk to make a soft dough
4 Roll out to 1/2 inch thickness on alightly floured board
5 Cut into rounds with a pastry cutterand brush over with beaten egg
6 Place on baking tray and cook in awarmed oven at 475 (electric)or 9 (gas)
7 Cook until golden brown– about 15 minutes
8 Leave to cool, then cut and addstrawberry jam, butter and if youlike cream
The first thing we are asking you to do is come upwith a name for these, our Young People’s pages. Inevery edition, we will be featuring activities, stories andphotos of, and hopefully for, young people. But we needa name! Send in your suggestions, and the winner willbe featured in the next edition of UNiTY, as well aswinning a £20 voucher.
We also want you to get involved in other ways – do youlike writing, or taking photographs? Do you have asuggestion for a story? It could be about anything youare interested in. These are YOUR pages – make sureyou use them!
To contact us, make suggestions or enter competitions,contact UNiTY, Debbie Johnson on 0151 708 4653,Plus Dane Group, Baltimore Buildings,11-15 Rodney Street, Liverpool L1 9EF,or via [email protected]
It's not every day you get to meet a Member ofParliament – but that’s exactly what 17-year-old Ryan Hulme
got to do recently at the Plus Dane office in Liverpool.
Ryan has lived for the last year at Hungerford Road in Crewe. He became homelessjust before his 16th birthday, and was sleeping on friends’ floors until he came to the scheme.
He was part of a group of young people who visited the Rodney Street office to meet Tim Loughton MP, theShadow Minister for Children and Young People.
Ryan says: “It was really interesting. He wasn’t really what I expected an MP to be like – he was really down toearth, and had a decent sense of humour. He was very interested in hearing about Hungerford Road and thework it does, as well as the rest of the projects that were there.
“We told him about our lives and the things we had been doing, and the situations we faced, and he seemed totake it all in. We asked him questions as well and that was good. I think we all got a lot out of it in different ways.”
As well as the Hungerford Road group, the MP also heard about the work of various other groups andprogrammes that are run to support young people.
The subjects covered included youth homelessness; working to offer positive activities for young people;volunteering for young people and support for young people on the street.
Mr Loughton enjoyed meeting young people and staff from various schemes, including Hungerford Road,the St John’s Detached Team, the O’Shea Charity and the L1 After School Club.
Children andyoung peopleare at the heartof all of ourcommunities– and we wantyou to getinvolved!
The Evolve Youth Forum is based at the Evolve Neighbourhood Centre in Queens Road,Bootle. Young people there get to make their voice heard, receive training fromMerseyside Youth Development Services and – very importantly! – make friends andhave fun. Here a group of them – Alice, Kala, Beno and Chris – share with us what theForum has meant to them…
“Most adults don’t care about what we as young people believe in and discriminateagainst us because we are young people.
Evolve have given us the chance to volunteer ontheir Youth Forum to be able to have our say andbe listened to.
Our forum has been taking place for 6 months,during this time we have looked at how weactively participate in Evolve, its services andthe community.
This works towards the Government agendacalled ‘Hear By Right’ were we look at howEvolve works in partnership with young people.
Our Youth Forum has looked at what’s importantto us and other young people and how Evolve caninfluence and inform the decision makers/powerholders of our beliefs and wishes.
We hope that being involved in our Youth Forum will change the perspective ofadults in our community showing them we can do positive work to better ourcommunity: “To become a better community together we need to evolve”
For more information on the Youth Forum, contact Julie Tomlinson,Plus Dane’s Youth Engagement Manager, on 0151 286 5555.
The first thing we are asking you to do is come upwith a name for these, our Young People’s pages. Inevery edition, we will be featuring activities, stories andphotos of, and hopefully for, young people. But we needa name! Send in your suggestions, and the winner willbe featured in the next edition of UNiTY, as well aswinning a £20 voucher.
We also want you to get involved in other ways – do youlike writing, or taking photographs? Do you have asuggestion for a story? It could be about anything youare interested in. These are YOUR pages – make sureyou use them!
To contact us, make suggestions or enter competitions,contact UNiTY, Debbie Johnson on 0151 708 4653,Plus Dane Group, Baltimore Buildings,11-15 Rodney Street, Liverpool L1 9EF,or via [email protected]
It's not every day you get to meet a Member ofParliament – but that’s exactly what 17-year-old Ryan Hulme
got to do recently at the Plus Dane office in Liverpool.
Ryan has lived for the last year at Hungerford Road in Crewe. He became homelessjust before his 16th birthday, and was sleeping on friends’ floors until he came to the scheme.
He was part of a group of young people who visited the Rodney Street office to meet Tim Loughton MP, theShadow Minister for Children and Young People.
Ryan says: “It was really interesting. He wasn’t really what I expected an MP to be like – he was really down toearth, and had a decent sense of humour. He was very interested in hearing about Hungerford Road and thework it does, as well as the rest of the projects that were there.
“We told him about our lives and the things we had been doing, and the situations we faced, and he seemed totake it all in. We asked him questions as well and that was good. I think we all got a lot out of it in different ways.”
As well as the Hungerford Road group, the MP also heard about the work of various other groups andprogrammes that are run to support young people.
The subjects covered included youth homelessness; working to offer positive activities for young people;volunteering for young people and support for young people on the street.
Mr Loughton enjoyed meeting young people and staff from various schemes, including Hungerford Road,the St John’s Detached Team, the O’Shea Charity and the L1 After School Club.
Children andyoung peopleare at the heartof all of ourcommunities– and we wantyou to getinvolved!
The Evolve Youth Forum is based at the Evolve Neighbourhood Centre in Queens Road,Bootle. Young people there get to make their voice heard, receive training fromMerseyside Youth Development Services and – very importantly! – make friends andhave fun. Here a group of them – Alice, Kala, Beno and Chris – share with us what theForum has meant to them…
“Most adults don’t care about what we as young people believe in and discriminateagainst us because we are young people.
Evolve have given us the chance to volunteer ontheir Youth Forum to be able to have our say andbe listened to.
Our forum has been taking place for 6 months,during this time we have looked at how weactively participate in Evolve, its services andthe community.
This works towards the Government agendacalled ‘Hear By Right’ were we look at howEvolve works in partnership with young people.
Our Youth Forum has looked at what’s importantto us and other young people and how Evolve caninfluence and inform the decision makers/powerholders of our beliefs and wishes.
We hope that being involved in our Youth Forum will change the perspective ofadults in our community showing them we can do positive work to better ourcommunity: “To become a better community together we need to evolve”
For more information on the Youth Forum, contact Julie Tomlinson,Plus Dane’s Youth Engagement Manager, on 0151 286 5555.
A play for young people has been touring schools and venuesacross Merseyside, before being performed at the historicEveryman Theatre in Liverpool.
Bill Wonderful tells the tale of a young lad called Billy, who isobsessed with football and finding fame and fortune as aprofessional.
The play enjoyed a month of ‘away’ fixtures in schools, where itwas enjoyed by hundreds of children. As well as seeing theperformance, the young people were able to take part inworkshops and masterclasses in drama, physical theatre and,of course, football skills!
At each performance a board was put up for the audience toleave their feedback, and the comments included:
“Was dead good!”“Very dramatic and funny”“Full of emotion”“Makes you think”
The ‘home’ fixture at the Everyman Theatre was alsovery well-received. The play starred Liverpool actorsNeil Caple and David Lyons, and was written by NickLeather. During its development, young people fromyouth clubs in Liverpool took part in specialworkshops.
The Billy Wonderful tour was funded by severaldifferent organisations, including Plus Dane.
PhotographyRon Davies
Plus Dane signed an innovative dealwith Grosvenor to lease and let almost100 apartments in the £1.2bnLiverpool ONE complex.
Some of these affordable apartments-to-rent are now complete, and our firstnew residents have moved in. KateSmith, 26, and her boyfriend ChrisGreen, 24, are making themselves athome in a one-bedroomed apartmentin the Edward Rushton Building onHanover Street.
These apartments come with one ortwo bedrooms, some with en-suitesand balconies, incorporating moderndesign with original architecturalfeatures. All have fitted kitchens withappliances, and they are availableeither unfurnished or complete withsleek, contemporary styled sofas,dining tables and bedroom sets. Somealso offer views over the new LiverpoolONE skyline.
Kate, an events co-ordinator atLiverpool City Council, and Chris, aninformation assistant at the Bluecoat
Arts Centre, are thrilled to have foundan apartment like this at a price theycan afford.
She says: “We both work in the city,and work long and sometimesirregular hours. It doesn’t get muchmore convenient than living inLiverpool ONE, does it? It was thatcombination of location andaffordability that made this placeperfect for us. Eventually we will belooking to buy somewhere, maybe outin the suburbs, but at this time in ourlives, it is just right – and at a rent wecan afford to pay.
“The only problem is, living here withall these bars and shops, I might endup spending more if I can’t resist thetemptation!”
Rents on the Liverpool ONEapartments start at just £430 pcm.
A further three phases of apartmentswill be available shortly – in EagleHouse on Paradise Street, in Manesty’sLane and College Lane. In total, there
will be 95 units for rent, somefeaturing three bedrooms, andbeautiful communal roof terraces.
At the heart of the city, the LiverpoolONE development is the mostimportant regeneration project in thecity centre for more than 40 years.With an unrivalled retail and leisureoffer, it offers shops, restaurants, bars,a 14-screen cinema and even a five-acre park. The deal with Plus Dane willensure that apartments within thispremier location are kept affordablefor Merseyside’s key workers, such asthose who work in retail, teaching,
nursing andoccupations basedin the city centre.
City Centre Living
Anybody interestedin viewing a show apartment,or finding out more shouldcontact the lettings team
on either 07890 073 966 or07971 277 452 or e-mail
– at a price you can afford
Stylish city living just got a whole lot cheaper – with the launch of the stunningnew Liverpool ONE rental apartments by Plus Dane Group.
• Chris Green& Kate Smith
27Plus Dane UNiTY
A play for young people has been touring schools and venuesacross Merseyside, before being performed at the historicEveryman Theatre in Liverpool.
Bill Wonderful tells the tale of a young lad called Billy, who isobsessed with football and finding fame and fortune as aprofessional.
The play enjoyed a month of ‘away’ fixtures in schools, where itwas enjoyed by hundreds of children. As well as seeing theperformance, the young people were able to take part inworkshops and masterclasses in drama, physical theatre and,of course, football skills!
At each performance a board was put up for the audience toleave their feedback, and the comments included:
“Was dead good!”“Very dramatic and funny”“Full of emotion”“Makes you think”
The ‘home’ fixture at the Everyman Theatre was alsovery well-received. The play starred Liverpool actorsNeil Caple and David Lyons, and was written by NickLeather. During its development, young people fromyouth clubs in Liverpool took part in specialworkshops.
The Billy Wonderful tour was funded by severaldifferent organisations, including Plus Dane.
PhotographyRon Davies
Plus Dane signed an innovative dealwith Grosvenor to lease and let almost100 apartments in the £1.2bnLiverpool ONE complex.
Some of these affordable apartments-to-rent are now complete, and our firstnew residents have moved in. KateSmith, 26, and her boyfriend ChrisGreen, 24, are making themselves athome in a one-bedroomed apartmentin the Edward Rushton Building onHanover Street.
These apartments come with one ortwo bedrooms, some with en-suitesand balconies, incorporating moderndesign with original architecturalfeatures. All have fitted kitchens withappliances, and they are availableeither unfurnished or complete withsleek, contemporary styled sofas,dining tables and bedroom sets. Somealso offer views over the new LiverpoolONE skyline.
Kate, an events co-ordinator atLiverpool City Council, and Chris, aninformation assistant at the Bluecoat
Arts Centre, are thrilled to have foundan apartment like this at a price theycan afford.
She says: “We both work in the city,and work long and sometimesirregular hours. It doesn’t get muchmore convenient than living inLiverpool ONE, does it? It was thatcombination of location andaffordability that made this placeperfect for us. Eventually we will belooking to buy somewhere, maybe outin the suburbs, but at this time in ourlives, it is just right – and at a rent wecan afford to pay.
“The only problem is, living here withall these bars and shops, I might endup spending more if I can’t resist thetemptation!”
Rents on the Liverpool ONEapartments start at just £430 pcm.
A further three phases of apartmentswill be available shortly – in EagleHouse on Paradise Street, in Manesty’sLane and College Lane. In total, there
will be 95 units for rent, somefeaturing three bedrooms, andbeautiful communal roof terraces.
At the heart of the city, the LiverpoolONE development is the mostimportant regeneration project in thecity centre for more than 40 years.With an unrivalled retail and leisureoffer, it offers shops, restaurants, bars,a 14-screen cinema and even a five-acre park. The deal with Plus Dane willensure that apartments within thispremier location are kept affordablefor Merseyside’s key workers, such asthose who work in retail, teaching,
nursing andoccupations basedin the city centre.
City Centre Living
Anybody interestedin viewing a show apartment,or finding out more shouldcontact the lettings team
on either 07890 073 966 or07971 277 452 or e-mail
– at a price you can afford
Stylish city living just got a whole lot cheaper – with the launch of the stunningnew Liverpool ONE rental apartments by Plus Dane Group.
• Chris Green& Kate Smith
27Plus Dane UNiTY
Plus Dane GroupBaltimore Buildings13-15 Rodney StreetLiverpoolL1 9EFt: 0151 708 0674
Plus Dane GroupShepherds MillWorrall StreetCongletonCheshire CW12 1DTT: 01260 281037
©2009 - This publication has been written & designed by Plus Dane Group’s Knowledge,Innovation & Performance Team working alongside the Customer Communications Focus Group
This document is available in other languages, onaudio format, in large print or in Braille by request.
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Bbo teh BiulrdeDoar eth Exlpreor
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We would love to see lotsof bright colours and fungoing in to this! When youhave finished your work,send it to UNiTY at theRodney Street addressshown on this page, alongwith your name, address,phone number and age,and your mum, dad orcarer’s name as well if youare under 16. You couldwin a £10 voucher!
You can also win a £10voucher by entering ourword puzzle – see if youcan figure out what thesejumbled up words arebelow. They all have onething in common – they aredifferent children’s TVcharacters! Same rulesapply as above. Good luck,and we’ll let you know ifyou have won!
SGS-COC-005062
Some of our younger readersmight want to show us theircolouring & word puzzle skillsby entering our competitions.
YoungerReaders
Competition
Time
Your next edition of UNiTY will be with you in thesummer. In it, you can expect to find an action-packed mix of news, views and photos, including:
� Have Your Say residents' column
� Green Pages - water butts and how they can help
� In Your Neighbourhood
� Resident News
� Plus Dane merger - our first year together
and an update on our progress
www.neighbourhoodinvestor.com
In the nextedition of UNiTY....