Hull in print : Tenant News

The Northern and Wyke areas had no candidates stand for election.
If you are an interested tenant or leaseholder living in one of these areas, this is your opportunity to stand and help shape the future of your local housing service.
For more information, ring 300 300 and ask for the area housing board governance manager.
Our thanks go to Helen Fitzpatrick and Ricky Parker, who were not re-elected to the North Carr Area Housing Board, for their contribution, dedication and commitment over the last three years.

tenant news in brief

Tenants' Forum

The next Tenants' Forum meeting is at the Guildhall, Wednesday 17 February, 7pm - 9pm.
For more details about this meeting ring 300 300 and ask to speak to the tenant participation team.
New members are always welcome.

Debt advice

Many people experience difficulties managing their finances at some point in their life.
This is particularly relevant now when Britain and the rest of the world are experiencing an economic recession.
If you are having difficulty in keeping up with your rent, council tax or other essential bills, we may be able to help.
You may be eligible to claim housing, council tax and welfare benefits, including tax credits, depending on your income and savings.
We can help you to complete forms or refer you to an agency who can give you expert advice on what you can claim and help you to get free debt advice.
For more information ring 300 300, visit www.hullcc.gov.uk or call into your nearest customer service centre or information point.

Training dates

The tenant participation team has organised two half-day training sessions which are open to all tenants.
The housing service recharge policy session is on Monday 8 February and the half-day regeneration activity in Hull session is on Friday 19 February.
For further details contact the tenant participation team on 300 300 or email tenant.resident@hullcc.gov.uk

Arcon Drive & Lindsey Place Residents' Association

The Association's next bi-monthly meeting is at White Lees Court, Arcon Drive, 2pm, Friday 26 March.
Everyone welcome.

New Bilton Grange Residents' Association (NBGRA)

NBGRA's next meeting is on Tuesday 2 February, 2pm, at St.Philip's Church, Amethyst Road.
Everyone welcome.
From Tuesday 2 March, all monthly meetings will start at 7pm.

Sculcoates Neighbourhood Association

There will be an official opening for the redeveloped Sculcoates Park on Friday 19 February 2010.
For more information about the event or the association ring 07833 571758.

Did you know

The Tenant Services Authority (TSA) website features Hull City Council in a film on the home page talking about their national standards consultation exercise and what they have heard so far.
www.nationalconversation.co.uk

Plain speaking

It is so irritating when you get some important looking document or booklet and find it is written in gobbledegook.

A document must be presented in a clear and understandable way; otherwise the time and effort of the author and reader are wasted.
It could be misleading, which is why Hull City Council housing has included publicity monitoring as one of its service improvement groups (SIGs).
We have 12 SIGs spanning a range of housing functions including repairs and maintenance, antisocial behaviour, customer access and estate management.
SIG members are residents, tenants and leaseholders.
Their role is to monitor and improve the services they receive.
The Publicity Monitoring SIG helps ensure that all housing communications, especially information on which people rely to make decisions, are written in plain, easy to understand language.
"We are the people the information is for," says chair, Paul Wilson.
"So the best way of making sure that we understand it, is to involve us in preparing it for publication." There are places for 10 people on the publicity monitoring group, and they have quite a hefty workload.
There are three meetings a month.
Members influence the content of the tenants' pages in Hull in print, recommend whether or not a new publication is required or simply amended and liaise with local tenants' and residents' associations (TARAs).
Their monitoring role involves checking

documents for ease of readability
the wording and grammar of articles
colour and print combinations, to make sure people with visual impairments can read them
that the information can be offered in different languages and formats.

"Our tenants are at the heart of housing in Hull and their participation is vital to helping us improve services and ensure that they meet people's requirements," says housing services and performance manager, Angela Dearing.
"Whether it's how we let or repair homes, rents or publishing a leaflet or brochure, it is important people have their say.
Their input is always valuable."
If you are interested in

learning more about the group's work
becoming a service improvement group member
getting involved with housing to help improve services

Email tenant.resident@hullcc.gov.uk or ring 300 300 and ask for the tenant participation team.

What a year!
STAR
STAR celebrated its first full year of operation in November 2009 and what a year it's been! We have produced three newsletters and carried out an extensive survey with a wide range of tenants' and residents' associations (TARAs) asking what services they need from us.
"We've responded by organising regular TARA roundtable meetings, and we're putting an extensive programme of training in place for 2010," says STAR service coordinator, James Russell.
We have also helped existing TARAs and supported the development of new associations.
If you would like help setting up an association where you live, STAR can help you too.
In our biggest project of the year, we trained and supported a team of tenant volunteers to carry out an inspection of, then report their findings about, the council's aids and adaptations service.
For more information about STAR call 485 918 or email star@goodwin-centre.org.


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