Housing Newsletter - May 2024
Welcome to the May Better Homes, Better Lives newsletter.
We are looking for a new tenant member to join the Housing Board. This is a chance for you to get involved in helping shape your housing service. Find out all the details and how to apply in this issue.
Also in this edition, there is an update about how to help avoid rats and pests in your gardens this summer and how to deal with blocked drains, toilets and sinks. We have details of the events and improvement works carried out following feedback from our residents and how you can enter our summer garden and hamper draw competitions!
There will be no newsletter in June as we will be sending out your summer edition of Housing Matters magazine. Look for it arriving at your door in early June.
Remember, information about Wiltshire Council's cost-of-living support, including energy cost advice, housing advice and financial support, can be found at www.wiltshire.gov.uk/cost-of-living these pages are updated regularly.
Win a hamper donated by Tesco in our monthly prize draw!.
Stephanie, our April hamper winner told us this was the first time they had entered the draw and they were over the moon at having won.
Want to earn £3,175 a year just by sharing your experience on our Housing Board?
We are looking for a new Tenant Member for the Housing Board. The Housing Board makes recommendations to senior officers about how to manage the Housing Revenue Account (this is the part of the council which manages council tenancies and leaseholders).
It is made up of three HRA tenants, three councillors and three independent members. You can earn £3,175 per year (less tax, National Insurance, impact on benefit entitlements) for helping to make the service better.
On Wednesday 15 May 2024 at 4pm, we will be holding a virtual taster session. You can find out more about the role during this session. Contact us at Tenantparticipation@wiltshire.gov.uk (opens new window) and we will send you a Microsoft Teams link for the session and can help you if you have not used this platform before.
Applications for the role can be made after the virtual taster session has been held. You will need to contact us for the application form and other documents, after the session, and we will send them to you. The closing date will be 31 May 2024.
For more information about the role and how to apply, or for a link to the virtual taster session, contact us at Tenantparticipation@wiltshire.gov.uk (opens new window) or call us on 0300 456 0117 (option 5).
Better Homes
You said, we did - Edgars Close communal areas
You said: Residents at Edgars Close in Steeple Langford wanted to do more with their communal lounge and facilities which had not been updated in some time.
We did: Alex from the assets team arranged for the communal corridors and lounge to be re-painted. Caz from the Resident Engagement team worked with residents to de-clutter the communal rooms and storage and organise new social activities.
Residents told us We just wanted to say thank you to the council for brightening up our communal areas here at Edgars close. The team they hired were so careful and just a delight to have in the building. Nothing was too much trouble for them plus they left all the areas clean and tidy a thoroughly pleasant gang. It's so important to have these areas cared for as it gives us a lift as well as the walls! Thanks to Alex, Caz and the team from contractors Steele Davis for getting this job completed.
Better Neighbourhoods
Calling all green fingered residents!
The Wiltshire Council Housing Garden Competition is open to all Wiltshire Council housing tenants and leaseholders. Whether you have been working on your garden for years, or have just moved in and are beginning, we are looking for residents who enjoy and take pride in their gardens.
Categories:
- best traditional gardens including pots and balcony gardens
- best communal gardens including flats and Sheltered Schemes
- Special Judges awards! Best vegetable garden and Best creative use of space
£50 voucher prize for each category and £20 voucher Judges awards.
Our guest judge this year is Harry from the Allotment Society. You will need to send in up to 4 photos of your garden by email to Tenantparticipation@wiltshire.gov.uk (opens new window).
The closing date for entries is Friday 5 July 2024.
For more information, contact the Resident Engagement team by email to Tenantparticipation@wiltshire.gov.uk (opens new window) or call on 0300 456 0117 - option 5
Feed the birds, not the rats
Many people enjoy feeding birds and get a lot of pleasure from seeing a wide variety visit their gardens. Unfortunately, the food put out can also attract pests like rats. Birds are often messy eaters and food can easily spill from a bird table or feeder onto the ground. Once rats find a food source they will establish themselves.
To help prevent rats and pests there should be no feeding of birds in communal gardens or outside areas such as at blocks of flats, garage forecourts, washing line areas or at sheltered housing schemes. No bird feeders or bird tables should be put out in these locations. If you have any queries regarding this, please contact your Neighbourhood Officer.
If you want to feed the birds in a private garden or balcony, we have some recommendations that will help you enjoy feeding and seeing wild birds in your own garden but reduce the risk of rats moving in.
- Do not put food directly on the floor. This includes throwing seeds and bread directly onto a lawn or patio. This makes it much easier for rats to take it as it is safer for them.
- Bird feeders should always be hung on a metal pole feeding station, at least 1 metre away from any overhanging branches, out in the open. Never hang feeders in trees or bushes as this makes it easier and safer for any rats to access them.
- If you are using a bird table, you need to fit edge strips to stop food falling off the sides. For hanging feeders, you can fit a tray hung beneath them to catch any spills.
- Empty and clean all bird feeders on a regular basis to clear any old food left on them.
Wiltshire Council Housing can only arrange treatment for pests in communal areas, including communal bin stores and gardens. If you see any rats or other pests such as mice or wasps in communal areas, please contact Housing Repairs immediately to arrange an investigation.
If you have rats or other Pests inside your property you will need to arrange your own pest control treatment. Wiltshire Council Pest control department do provide private visits at cost. You can call the team on 0300 456 0100 or email customerservices@wiltshire.gov.uk (opens new window).
Your next Neighbourhood Review - May 2024
Friday 24 May 2024, starting at 10am. Meeting at the entrance to Warwick Close, Salisbury. The inspection will cover Warwick Close, Stratford Road, Hudson Road, Hathaway Close, Capulet Road and Verona Road. The inspection will cover all of the housing areas including the communal gardens, carparks and garages.
Better Lives
Residents attended the Edible Ebble exhibition
Following the wonderful trip with tenants last winter to forage and create with Edible Ebble's artist Cherry in the Chalke Valley we were delighted to receive an invitation to celebrate the launch of the exhibition.
The launch, held in the Young Gallery at Salisbury's library brought all the people connected to the project together. Cherry was joined by Cranborne Chase artists in residence, Jo Beal and Sara Dudman. The celebration included a 'farm and forage' afternoon tea that featured mini apple pies from our tenant Val's family recipe. Participant families were able to see their food memories displayed and were presented with a cookbook which featured their cookery creations and recipes.
Wiltshire's High Sheriff, Dr Olivia Chapple joined attendees who were treated to some delicious food whilst admiring the artwork created by residents who took part. Resident Engagement Officer Kate worked with City Council colleague, Jane, and the wonderful Edible Ebble Project brought to them by the Chase and Chalke landscape partnership project to enable families from Bemerton Heath to be part of the inspiring project.
Cherry thanked the families for taking part saying, They were absolutely inspiring!
Salisbury sheltered scheme events this spring
Sheltered scheme tenants in Salisbury headed out this Spring with their Resident Engagement officer, Kate, to visit the wonderful Weyhill Garden Centre in Andover.
"We booked one of the Community Southwest minibuses and had great door-to-door service from volunteer driver Mick who was at hand to help tenants on and off the bus, not to mention helping to load in the shopping bags! It's not possible to get to many places without your own transport and especially difficult if there are mobility issues, having a collection and drop off service and helpful driver made it possible to enjoy a super day out", said Kate.
Safety in the home - blocked drains, sinks and toilets
If all the drains in your property are blocked or backing up or if you see an outside manhole cover overflowing, then the problem is likely to be with the sewer outside. Public sewers are owned and maintained by your water provider and are often located to the front, side or rear of domestic properties. Almost all sewers that are shared by two or more properties, or serve a single property but are located outside the property boundary, will be public. You must contact your water supplier directly to report a blockage in a public sewer.
If you have a single blocked toilet or drain in your property but no other drains, sinks or toilets are affected, this is likely to be an internal blockage. As a tenant, you must try to clear any blockages in the toilet, basin or bath at your property before contacting housing repairs.
Clearing a blocked toilet
Clearing a blocked toilet You will need:
- bucket or bowl
- scoop, jug or cup
- cloth
- plunger or toilet brush
- rubber gloves
What to do:
- If the pan is already full, scoop out as much of the water as you can.
- Push the brush or plunger to the bottom of the pan.
- Pump it up and down quickly about ten times to clear the blockage.
- Flush the toilet to confirm the blockage has gone. This process may need to be repeated several times.
- Once you have finished wash your hands and everything you have used thoroughly.
If this does not clear the blockage after several attempts, contact the Housing Repairs team.
Clearing a blocked bath or basin
Clearing a blocked bath or basin You will need:
- bucket or bowl
- scoop, jug or cup
- cloth
- plunger or toilet brush
- rubber gloves
What to do:
- Scoop out as much of the water as you can.
- Wet the cloth and hold it tightly over the overflow opening.
- Place the plunger over the plug hole and pump it up and down quickly.
- Once you have finished wash your hands and everything you have used thoroughly.
If this does not clear the blockage after several attempts, use a suitable drain unblocking cleaner. These are available from supermarkets and hardware stores. Always follow the manufactures instructions.
If the sink or basin is still blocked following this, then report it to Housing Repairs to investigate further. Please advise the team of any chemical treatments you have tried to use.
If blockage was caused because the wrong items have been put down the drain (such as wet wipes or similar items) then there could be a recharge for the works carried out to clear it.