spotlight on bridgend autumn 2012

BRIDGENDISSUE 4 | AUTUMN 2012

SPOTLIGHT ON

Enabling work, training and experience

Expanding CambriaMaintenance Services

Our latest newdevelopments in your area

Preparing for Welfare Reform

This edition the first using our new brandidentity which we introduced in April this year features a mix of news about some of our current countyspecific initiatives, plus relevantorganisationwide updates.

This Spring we welcomed a new Chair to ourBoard. After three successful years Ivor Gittensretired from this role, although he remains aWWH Board member. His successor is KathySmart, a wellknown member of the Cardiffbusiness community and longtime championof social housing.

Other recent changes have included the promotion of Shayne Hembrow from Operations Director to the new role of DeputyChief Executive/Commercial Director. Following this I am pleased to say that StevePorter has just been appointed as Operations Director.

With the changes to Welfare Reform gatheringpace, against a backdrop of continuing economic uncertainty and ever increasing pressures on public finances, I’m sure you willagree that there is much for us to do.

However while the challenges are great, we remain committed to our vision to make a difference to people’s lives, homes and communities across Wales. We hope that thisbriefing will help to keep you up to date withmuch of our grassroots work in your area, aswell as the bigger picture about WWH.

Finally please don’t hesitate to get in touch atany time with your comments, ideas and feedback about any aspect of our work.

Yours Anne Hinchey, Chief Executive.

Follow us on Twitter @wwha

Watch us on our YouTube channel wwhahomesforwales

INTRODUCTIONWelcome to the Autumn 2012 edition of Spotlight on Bridgend,bringing you progress updates about Wales & West Housing initiatives in your area.

2 | Spotlight on BRIDGEND | Autumn 2012 | www.wwha.co.uk

3 | Spotlight on BRIDGEND | LOCAL NEWS | Autumn 2012 | www.wwha.co.uk

Our Coed Castell Phase 2 development inBrackla is progressing well despite the wetsummer. Works are due to finish early 2013which will see the completion of 23 high quality, affordable homes for local people.

Our properties are designed to meet Code forSustainable Homes Level 3 and will use solarhot water systems to supplement gas firedheating and hot water systems. Phase 2 wasmade possible thanks to additional WelshGovernment funding awarded after the completion in March 2011 of 16 affordablehomes as part of Phase 1 of the project.

Elsewhere in the county borough 16 affordable homes built on the brand new

Barratt Homes South Wales site of FforddMaendy are now completed and fully occupied.

We are also continuing to work in partnershipwith BCBC and members of the local community to determine the future of CoedParc and its Grade 2 listed house which wewere pleased to acquire from the council inOctober last year. We are now working witharchitects to explore the various opportunities which this large site offers, andwe hope to be able to put out the results ofthis to public consultation in the near future.

OUR LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

IN BRIDGENDNow managing more than 1,300 affordable homes in Bridgend County we are continuing to expand in the area.

“We will do what we can to support our lawabiding residents to live in safe, peacefuland productive communities,” said AnneHinchey. “I would like to thank those livingin Dan y Coed Rise and the surrounding areafor their support and understanding whilethis action was being taken.”

Bridgend Local Policing Inspector Paul Tinkler said: “This positive action demonstrates to our communities that theyshould not and will not be expected to tolerate such behaviour, whether the homeis rented or privately owned.”

NUISANCE TENANTS EVICTED AFTER DRUGS-RELATED

ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOURTackling antisocial and nuisance behaviour remains a highpriority for us in the county borough. In June this year, Bridgend County Court granted us the power to evict tenantswho were living at 19 Dan y Coed Rise in Brackla, followingrepeat complaints to the local police and our Anti Social Behaviour team about drugsrelated incidents.


Liz Pearce, Deputy Head of Betws Primary,said: “This drum kit from Wales & WestHousing will take pride of place in our newmusic corner.”

“Many of the children at Betws Primary areour young residents and this school is at theheart of the community. Who knows, thismight be the start of the next Stereophonics!” said Anne Hinchey.

We are now working with the school to helpthem with other initiatives, including securing a flagpole on which Betws Primarycan display its newly acquired Green Dragonecoexcellence logo.

MOVING TO A NEW BEAT AT BETWS PRIMARYAfter a devastating fire destroyed the junior block of BetwsPrimary School in June this year, we have helped the schoolreplenish some of their lost stock by donating two boxes ofchildren’s books and a brand new drumkit.

Alex Ashton, one of our Board members, looks at the books WWH staff donated with pupils from Betws Primary School.

Bethan Hopkins, 11, of Betws Primary School tries outthe new drum kit donated by WWH.


The Partnership, working with Keep WalesTidy secured outcomes funding to help openup the Lime Kiln Woods for local residents.The intention is for residents to make use ofthis green space on their doorsteps for informal leisure, as a green gym and to enjoylocal wildlife.

The woods are situated behind our propertiesat DanyCoed Rise and HeolyRhos inBrackla Meadows and can be accessed offPrincess Way.

The pathway has given children a safe placeto ride their bikes and also has provided anaccessible pathway for residents and theirdogs to enter the woodland.

An official opening of the pathway took placeon Sunday 30th September which included avisit from Tropical Inc as well as face paintingwith a BBQ provided by Brackla Events Committee, with hot dogs and burgersfunded by WWH!

Children are now pleased to be able to ridetheir bikes up and down the pathway and dogwalkers are happy to use it now.

Brackla Community Council have agreed tomaintain the footpath. John Udraufski of CFBrackla said “We hope this will be the firstphase of something bigger.”

SUPPORTING THE LOCAL COMMUNITYLIME KILN WOODS COMPLETEDWWH sits on Brackla Communities First Partnership, whichwill now form part of the larger South Cluster under changesto the Communities First Programme.

Pictures from the official opening


Wates stepped in after local residents’ group,Community Focused Brackla, purchased alarge storage container which is sited on ourland at ClosyWern/ClosyWaun. The groupapproached us asking for help to paint it.

WWH staff, lead by local housing officer ClairePepper, ran a competition with local childrenat two events for them to come up with designs for the container.

As part of their staff volunteering day on 21stSeptember, Debs Bolton and Chris Bowenfrom Wates visited Brackla Primary School,where children from each class took part in ahandy artwork session.

The children left their handprints in a multitude of colours on three boards whichwill be waterproofed and erected on theCommunity Focused Brackla storage container sited on land at Clos y Waun.

Alison Chaplin, WWH Community Development Project Officer, who helped outon the day said, “The children had a greattime dipping their hands in paint and leavingtheir impressions on the boards.”

Debs Bolton said, “We were really pleased towork with the school and the children werevery well behaved. I was expecting a mess,but it didn’t take us long to clean up afterwards. We left tins of chocolates for thechildren as a thank you.”

Once the weather improves, Wates will alsobe painting antivandal paint on the roof forCF Brackla to discourage children from climbing onto it.

CF Brackla will also benefit from £250 in funding from Wates to help run Brackla Live,a weekly play group for local children. WWHhas also granted £200 from our Make it Happen Grant to Brackla Live to run activities.

WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WATES HANDY ART WORKWates Living Space who are building new homes for us atErw Hir/Coed Castell in Brackla Bridgend, have been working with the local community.

Local children helping to come up with designs for thestorage container

TŶ HAFANIan Davies from Solar Windows, with Kathy Smart, Chair of WWH, and Alison Stallard, Business and CommunityFundraiser for Ty Hafan

The money was part of a pot of more than£2,500, raised by the successful GE AviationWales Welsh Three Peaks team from WWH’scontractor partner Solar Windows Limited.

Ian Davies, Mark Anderson, Jeff Collins, GarySeldon, Paul Miller and John Lewis, all employees of Solar Windows Ltd, completedthe gruelling three peaks in 15 hours or lessmarathon climb in June.

After presenting the cheque, Kathy Smart,Chair of WWH and Anne Hinchey, Chief Executive, joined the Solar Windows team totake a tour of the hospice which providesrespite care for lifelimited children, their families and carers.

John Lewis, contracts manager at Solar Windows who has worked in partnership withWales & West since 2001 said: “The weatherwas so bad that we didn’t see the top of any ofthe mountains we stood on! On Cader Idris

there were some really scary moments as itwas so wet and windy, I fell myself twice, notmuch can prepare you for that.”

He added: “But when it got really difficult, wejust remembered why we’re doing it, for children worse off than ourselves, then youfound the will to keep going”.

Anne Hinchey, Chief Executive of WWH, said,“It was a privilege to go on the tour of Tŷ Hafanand very humbling to witness the incrediblework that they do. We are very pleased tohave been able to support this muchneededfacility, through Solar Window Ltd’s sterling efforts in the Welsh Three Peaks challenge.”

Solar Windows are working towards carbonneutral status at their factory in Bedwas andcontinue to work in partnership with Wales &West Housing to help keep their commitmentto building sustainable houses.

Representatives from Wales & West Housing were recentlydelighted to hand over a cheque for £600 to Tŷ Hafan, thechildren’s hospice for Wales.


MAKING A DIFFERENCE AWARDS 2012

A total of 159 residents, staff and contractorpartners attended the ceremony at the VillageHotel, Coryton, Cardiff, on Friday, October19th.

Bridgend residents featured strongly in thoseshortlisted, as follows:

• Nigel Farmer, of Pontycymmer, who supports Danymynydd Retirement Scheme, Garw Valley – Good Neighbour category finalist

• Glan yr Afon Court Gardeners, Maesteg – Eco Champion finalists

• Derek Rose and Jeff Bunce, Western Court, Bridgend Green Fingers (Retirement) finalists

• Mandy Hopkins, Betws – David Taylor Local Hero finalist

We had almost 60 high quality entries from across Wales this year, a very pleasing figure, and a real demonstration of just how well so many of our staff really know their residents.This year we also benefitted from superb support from our contractors with 11

providing a very significant contribution to thisyear’s MAD budget.

Media Wales are now in the process of making a short film about the event, whichwill be uploaded onto our website andYouTube very shortly.

Anne Hinchey, Chief Executive, said: “Now intheir fifth year, the MAD Awards are our wayof recognising the strength, selflessness andcommunity spirit of our residents. Our missionis strong, sustainable growth to make a difference to people’s lives, homes and communities, and these awards provide a realinsight into some of the ways this is beingachieved. It has been a wonderful night and areal privilege to hear the stories of those involved.”

Finally, there is one more award to mention – this time the one won by our own PR & Marketing team when our MAD Awardswere recognised by Community HousingCymru’s PR Network as the Best Event inWales 2012.

We held our fifth annual Making A Difference Awards in October and once again it proved to be a fantastic night.

Chris Eccles, of category sponsor City Satellite, with Mandy Hopkins, of Betws, Bridgend, finalist in the Local Hero category,and Kathy Smart, Chair of WWH


9 | Spotlight on BRIDGEND | THE BIGGER PICTURE | Autumn 2012 | www.wwha.co.uk

We’ve looked again at the services we provideand are making sure that we are doing all wecan to help people to stay out of debt and topay their bills.

In particular we are working with residents tohelp them to:

• prepare for the introduction of Universal Credit and direct payments

• provide tailored help and advice around budgeting

• understand the implications of the introduction of the socalled ‘bedroom tax’ next year, and,

• where appropriate, helping people to move to homes they can afford and of the right size.

Our two dedicated Money Advice Officers alsowork closely with Moneyline Cymru (seebelow) as well as Credit Unions across Wales,to help residents to budget effectively and toaccess low cost, safe and affordable credit.

PREPARING FOR WELFARE REFORMPerhaps no single issue currently dominates the housing sector more than Welfare Reform. Our staff right across ourorganisation are working closely with all our local authoritypartners, housing benefit officers, Community HousingCymru and other partners to promote and publicise thechanges to come, the consequences to our residents, andways in which they can help themselves.

Currently £7.20 per hour (for workers outside of London) the ‘Living Wage’ is considerably higher than the legal minimumwage which is currently £6.08 per hour.

With more than 340 employees acrossWales, our decision means that nooneworking for us will earn less than £7.20 anhour, and since this August 40 of our employees have seen their wages go up as aresult of this policy.

Rhys Moore, Director of the Living Wage Foundation, said:

“We are delighted to award Wales & West Housing the Living Wage employer mark. This is a significant moment as they become the first housing association in Wales to achievethe mark.”

LEADING THE SECTOR WITHTHE LIVING WAGEOur efforts to tackle poverty do not stop with our residents.As the first housing association in Wales to introduce the ‘Living Wage’, we are leading the sector with this initiative.


Some examples of where we have recentlyhad an impact include:

• South Wales – 18yearold Jordan Evans has just completed a two year plumbing apprenticeship with our subsidiary company Cambria Maintenance Services Ltd. Jordan, from Bridgend, combined onthejob training with Cambria with a day a week study at Ogmore College. “I would recommend this as a good way to earn and study,” said Jordan. “Several of my mates have asked me if this is a good thing to do, and I have told them that it definitely is.” Cambria is now looking to take on an additional 3 apprentices across its operations in North and South Wales over the coming months.

• South Wales – As part of our Back to Work scheme (a Bridgend Employment Routes Team initiative) we hosted two trainee energy advisors. Based in Bridgend, Lynn and Howard were placed with us for six

months, gaining experience that helped them to find permanent employment. They promoted the Warm Home Discount scheme in retirement schemes and offered residents advice on being more energy efficient and how to save money on their bills.

• North Wales – At the recent Hightown Jobs Fair in Wrexham more than 50 people registered an interest in finding out more about potential employment and training opportunities to be facilitated through our contractor Anwyl. These opportunities will arise as part of our £17m developments on Kingsmills Road and Rivulet Road and more details will follow in subsequent editions of In Touch and Spotlight on Bridgend.

• We are working with Jobs Growth Wales as well as several other agencies to link people with opportunities, where possible and appropriate.

• We are also able to host a number of inhouse placements, either as shortterm unpaid work experience, work placements (some funded) and apprenticeships. These opportunities are open to all, regardless of age, qualifications or previous experience. Those interested simply need to fill in and return to us the Workplace Skills Initiative Expression of Interest Form on our website www.wwha.co.uk

Apprentice plumber Jordan Evans, 18, from Bridgend withNeal O’Leary, Cambria Board member and Peter Jackson,Head of Cambria, at a presentation ceremony outsideCardiff City Stadium to mark his qualification.

WORK PLACEMENTSAVAILABLEHelping our residents to benefit from employment andtraining opportunities is also akey priority for us. Throughour contractor partners wehave already supported 33people back into employment,and, we have a number of apprentices working on ourprojects across Wales.


DIGITAL INCLUSION

The key drivers for us behind our investment in digital inclusion are:

• helping people to be better placed to deal with Welfare Reform, and especially the introduction of Universal Credit

• enabling people to be better connected within their communities, and

• helping our residents to get better value by accessing information and purchases online

Our pilot scheme to bring affordable broadband WiFi access at Ty Pontrhun inMerthyr Tydfil is now live.

Since 5 July, Ty Pontrhun residents and theirfamilies have been able to access the internetfrom any room within the building with a WiFiready device, using an individual password.

North Walesbased Boyns is our chosen supplier for this pilot scheme and has installed a phone line to the building enabling residents up to 2Mb of WiFi broadband.

Currently our residents are receiving 6 monthsfree connection and then they will pay a veryaffordable 63p per week.

Our aim is to learn from this pilot scheme inorder to extend efficient and affordable WiFiand broadband connections to as many of ourresidents as we can in our retirement schemesacross Wales, and we are now starting workon a second pilot project in Nant y Mor, ourExtra Care Scheme in Prestatyn, Denbighshire.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtmoCdwpVz4

Another key area of focus for us is ‘digital Inclusion’ – enabling our residents to get online: to have access to appropriate equipment, software and support services, to get connectedwith each other and their communities through this medium,and, to make informed choices with the ability to access discounted purchases.

Finance Minister Jane Hutt visits residents at Ty Pontrhun who were taking part in IT classes in support of our broadband WiFi pilot scheme


We are delighted to say that reaction to ournew look has been very positive, and is helping to spread the message about ournew group structure, with Cambria Maintenance Services Ltd as our first subsidiary company.

In addition to this Spotlight On Bridgend,you should also have received our 2013Business Plan, which outlines Wales & WestHousing Group’s strategic direction for thecoming five years.

Another part of our rebranding process has involved the creation of our first new subbrand, Connect24. This brings togetherthe comprehensive range of services thatwe provide including our Emergency Alarm,Out of Hours and lone worker support services.

Having added a number of corporate customers to our portfolio in recentmonths, we now look after more than20,000 homes across Wales via our TelecareServices Association accredited customerservice centre, enabling repairs to get doneand helping people to get the help theyneed in an emergency.

If you would like to talk to us about how ourCustomer Service Centre might be able tohelp organisations in your area who requirecall centre support, please contact CateDooher, Head of Support Services on 029 20415386.

REBRANDINGIf you receive In Touch, our quarterly residents’ magazine, you will already know that in April ofthis year we rebranded.

Mrs Nancy Pilott of Cwrt Anghorfa, Bridgend, modelling ourConnect24 personal alarm wrist button.


With a turnover of £2.8m in its first year, weanticipate that in the next couple of yearsthat this will triple.

Building on the considerable success of itsoperations in South and Mid Wales, preparations are now underway for Cambriato expand into North Wales, with this division becoming operational from the beginning of 2013.

This move will secure the future of 40skilled jobs in North Wales, as well as providing another secure platform for further work placement and apprenticeshipopportunities.

We anticipate that Cambria within the next five years will install 4,000 kitchens andbathrooms across Wales.

CAMBRIA EXPANSIONINTO NORTH WALESWe set up our own maintenance company in 2011, taking us toa Group structure. Cambria Maintenance Services has just seena very successful first 20 months of trading, undertaking repairsas well as kitchen and bathroom renewals for WWH in Southand Mid Wales.

Cambria Maintenance Service’s 40 strong South and Mid Walesbased team. A further 40 skilled jobs are being secured through Cambria’s expansion into North Wales.


However with the transfer of the social housing grant programme to local authoritypartners and the reduction in available publicsubsidy for new homes, Syniad members reviewed its role. The result was that fromJune 1st of this year, the consortium ceased toexist.

Notwithstanding the end of the consortium,we will continue to work together where appropriate to provide much needed newhomes across Wales.

SYNIAD CONSORTIUMIn 2005 we joined forces with Linc Cymru and Clwyd Alyn Housing to form the Syniad Consortium. Since then the consortium members delivered more than 1,500 new socialhousing units, 11 extra care schemes and enabled training andapprenticeships for more than 150 people, maximising outcomes from more than £100m social housing grant.

In these very difficult economic times moreand more social housing residents will need tobe able to access the services provided by organisations including Moneyline Cymru andlocal credit unions.

We are pleased to support both and WWH isnow actively working with Moneyline andlocal credit unions to look at how new servicescan be developed to help residents to dealwith the changes that will come with the introduction of Universal Credit.

We have also committed to help fund the expansion of Moneyline over the next 3 years,

and the latest branch has recently opened inMerthyr Tydfil. Further branches are plannedin Swansea and Wrexham.

Loans given by Moneyline in the past 3 yearshave resulted in £2.5m savings in interestcompared to interest charged by the Provident, the most common provider ofdoorstep loans.

MONEYLINE CYMRUEXPANSION Wales & West Housing, one of the founder members of Moneyline Cymru, is continuing to provide financial supportfor this important initiative.


We expect to achieve year on year increasesin operating surpluses through the effectiveoperation of our business even after absorbing the bad debts we expect to incurfrom changes to welfare benefits, and in particular the introduction of Universal Creditand the ‘bedroom tax’.

Over the next five years we expect to invest£36m in maintaining and improving our existing stock.

Furthermore we have the financial capabilityto invest more than £100m in building and acquiring new homes. Only one fifth of this investment is expected to be funded by socialhousing grant from the Welsh Government,with £70m coming from additional borrowings and the remainder from internally generated surplus cash. For moredetailed information about our financial position please see pages 28 and 29 of our Business Plan 2013 to 2017 which you should have recently received, alternativelyyou can access it through our websitewww.wwha.co.uk.

Our strong position has been endorsed by theWelsh Government who awarded the Association a ‘pass’ in its annual financial assessment.

OUR FINANCIAL PERFORMANCEToday’s challenging economic environment means we needto be efficient and invest wisely if we are to achieve our ambition of growth and to make a difference. While big isnot always beautiful it does bring with it the financialstrength and capacity to ride out the current economic stormas well as the wherewithal for innovation, creativity andfresh ideas.

Total

393

Wrexham

127

Flintshire

121

Denbighshire

9Conwy

12

Powys

24

Merthyr Tydfil

15

Vale of Glamorgan

20

Bridgend

39Cardiff

26

These figures represent developments which are onsite now and programmed to commence in the next 12months. However, in total, we anticipate building andaquiring an additional 450 units in the next five years,which will take our total new build over that period oftime to 850 units.

Number of homes currently in development by LA area


We have formed an innovative partnershipwith South Wales Fire and Rescue Service,agreeing to act as an ‘exemplar’ partner tohelp them to promote good practice withinfire safety in the social housing sectoracross the country.

Group Manager Andy Petersen from SWFRSsaid “WWH has demonstrated the

importance that they place on fire safety.Our partnership with them will provide apositive attitude to enabling compliancewith all fire safety legislation.”

We are now in talks with Mid Wales FireService and North Wales Fire Service to explore the possibility of expanding thispartnership further.

SOUTH WALES FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE

PARTNERSHIPDealing with the risk from fire is high on the agenda at themoment and we want to ensure that all our homes are assafe as they can be.

Andy Petersen, Group Manager South Wales Fire and Rescue Service and colleague, Robin Alldred, CommercialManager WWH, Jo Burns, Health and Safety Officer WWH, Anthony Williams, Health and Safety Officer WWH.


• We have been awarded the highest accolade possible under the prestigious Investors in Peopleawards system achieving the Gold standard in our recent assessment. “Wales & West Housing continues to demonstrate that it is a forwardthinking organisation achieving business success by the application of visionary leadership behaviour, underpinned by strong and meaningful values,” said IiP specialist Mavis ElliottSmith.

• The Sunday Times Best Companies 2012 has recognised us as the topnotforprofit organisation in Wales, and, we were ranked 8th out of the top 100 best notforprofit organisations to work for in the whole of the UK.We are also the only Welsh housing association to be awarded the top 3 stars award by Best Companies.

• Worklife balance charity Working Families have ranked us in the Top 30 family friendly firms to work for in the UK for the second year running. Attheir recent national awards ceremony we also

won the Working Families Award for Career Progression for Flexible Workers and were finalists in the following categories: Best for Carersand Eldercare, Best for Engagement, and, The National Grid Best for Innovation Award. Sarah Jackson OBE, Chief Executive of Working Families said:

“To reach the shortlist in four out of seven of the Special Award categoriesis a tremendous achievement. Thejudges were impressed by Wales &West Housing’s innovative policies toengage and support their employees,particularly carers and flexible workers.”• In partnership with GKR Maintenance & Building

we have been Highly Commended in the Integration and Collaborative Working award category at the 2012 Constructing Excellence Awards. Judges said the team has worked hard to cut costs and reduce waste ‘with passion and commitment.’

DOING THE RIGHT THING…Our aim is to do right by our residents and right by our staff, and below are the awards and accreditations which we have recently received which recognise and celebrate our approach.

Steve Porter (right) now Operations Director WWH, receiving a trophy at the 2012 Constructing ExcellenceAwards. He is pictured with Jayne RowlandEvans, Director of GKR Maintenance Services and Phil Lumley, Headof Property Services for Carmarthenshire County Council

Wales & West Housing3 Alexandra Gate, Ffordd Pengam, Tremorfa, Cardiff CF24 2UD.

andUnit 2, Acorn Business Park, Aber Road, Flint CH6 5YN.

Telephone on 0800 052 2526 Minicom: 0800 052 5205Email: [email protected] Website: www.wwha.co.uk

@wwhawwhahomesforwales

Published October 2012

spotlight on bridgend autumn 2012

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