A few updates this month
- Warm Hub
- CCTV Trial
- Outcome of consultation
Warm Community Hub
In the last newsletter I mentioned a new initiative to open a warm space in the community hub for anyone to call in on, have a brew and a chat with fellow residents. From week commencing 20th of January 2024 the Community hub will be open from 10.00AM -12.00 Noon and on Thursday 2.00PM-4.00PM.
A member of the team will be onsite for the first 15 minutes of each session to let people wanting to attend, into the hub. If you want to come into the Community Hub after the first 15 minutes of each session, please contact the estate office so we can come and let you in.
We will keep this running for one month up until and including the 20th of February 2025. At that time if the initiative has proved popular, we will look to extend it.
CCTV Trial
You may have noticed that cameras have been installed looking down the road leading to Rectory Lane and covering the large car park at the rear of the site. These cameras have taken much longer to organise that I had originally hoped for but finally they have been installed. We intend to run them as a trial to check on the quality of picture and how effective they are.
The images will be monitored 24/7 at a remote monitoring office and if any incidents are captured on the cameras the staff at the monitoring station will notify the relevant authorities and make footage available if required.
We will review the success of the cameras over the next three months and if successful look to extend coverage to the other car parks on the site. Before doing this, we will conduct a full-scale consultation about this new service as a small service charge will have to be introduced to cover the operating costs. As I say, before anything else happens, a full consultation will take place which will include the amount of service charge that would have to be levied.
Outcome of Consultation
In the December newsletter we ran a consultation in relation to the carol singing. We have received 61 responses with all those responding indicting that they wanted the event to continue. Given this overwhelming support it is our intention to work with the school to repeat the event next Christmas. Of course, we do not have a date as of yet, but it is likely to be in the second week in December.
Thank you to all those who responded to the survey.
If you have any ideas for any other events that you would like to see the association support, please contact the local office.
Tenants’ Association
Last week we circulated a note about the Tenants Association needing to recruit a Treasurer and a Secretary. I am pleased to say that since this went out it looks like someone has agreed to be the Secretary. This is great news and now means we just need to find someone who will be the Association’s Treasurer. Full training will be given and it’s a great chance to meet new people on the site. If you are interested, please contact the estate office as soon as possible.
Rent Increases!
Unfortunately, it is that time of year again when we are calculating the rent and service charges for the coming year starting 1st of April 2025. We will be writing to each of you 1 month before the new rent and service charges commence and it is important that you read the letter carefully and:
- If you are in receipt of Housing Benefit inform Housing benefits of the new charges.
- If you are in receipt of Universal Credit inform Universal Credit of the new charges.
- If you pay by standing order that you inform you bank of the new amount to be paid.
Yours sincerely
Mike Corfield
CEO Prestwich and North Western Housing Association