Spotlight on Powys Autumn 2012

POWYSISSUE 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 Powys,bringing you progress updates about Wales & West Housing initiatives in your area.

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

This development is the result of a strongpartnership between PCC and WWH whichis enabling the innovative provision of affordable housing with no social housinggrant. PCC has gifted WWH the land, WWHhas contributed a significant amount fromprivate finance, and the sale of two properties on the open market makes upthe funding mix for this project.

Whilst planning approval has moved forward the legal process alongside this isunder discussion. We are however delightedwith the continued support and

commitment from the Community Counciland other stakeholders for this project.Subject to all approvals being in place weplan to start works early 2013.

WWH is looking forward to developing thesite to provide more much needed affordable housing in a rural area and furthermore we are also working with PCCto establish whether this model of deliverycan be replicated across other sites in theirownership.

DEVELOPMENT UPDATEMORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR LLANBEDR

We are one step closer to being able to start the build ofeight high quality homes for rent and sale in Llanbedr and allwithout the need of a Social Housing Grant.

Artist’s impression of the proposed development at Llanbedr, Powys

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

WWH’s site at Severnside Yard in Newtownwill provide a range of accommodation. Weare currently working with PCC to finalisethe brief for this exciting developmentwhich benefits from being close to the town

centre and the hospital. We are currentlyplanning for works to commence towardsthe end of 2013. As the plans are formaliseda consultation will be held with the widercommunity.

SEVERNSIDE YARDCONSULTATION PLANNED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR NEWTOWN

We also have 16 units for intermediate rentat Maes Halley, Parc Dewi Sant, Brecon.This is another example of innovative work

with new homes being built without grantand is another partnership project betweenWWH, PCC and contractor Lovell.

CWMFALLDAU, BRECON

New properties at Cwmfalldau, Brecon, built by Lovell for WWH


We were delighted to welcome Welsh Government Housing, Regeneration and Heritage Minister, Huw Lewis, as our guest ofhonour to officially open the scheme thisMay.

All 26 high quality, affordable homes on thesite of the former police station in Lion Streethave been built in line with the area’s richecology, architecture and history thanks tothe productive partnership between WWH,Powys County Council and the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority.

Sustainable building materials were sourcedfor the homes that matched the area’s historical character and during its construction, markings of the town’s historic

wall were discovered, which have been highlighted with different coloured pavingstones. During the Minister’s visit, he evenstopped off to have a cup of tea with PloughCourt resident, Mrs Tina Ames.

The Minister said, “We have provided justover £1.8 million for this scheme which, in myeyes, is money well spent; not only in termsof quality, but more importantly in providinga much needed new home for the residents. “Schemes such as this take a lot of hard workfrom start to finish and can only be achievedin partnership. I would like to thank all thoseinvolved for their commitment and I am surethis scheme will be a great success – it certainly deserves to be.”

MINISTER VISITSPLOUGH COURT Residents have settled in well to our latest completed development in Powys, Plough Court in the heart of BreconTown.

Tina Ames of Plough Court, Brecon, enjoys a chat with Huw Lewis, Minister for Housing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOsmcpvH35I&feature=plcp


Stoneleigh Manor New Futures aims to helpresidents to help themselves, primarilythrough a gardening club to grow their ownvegetables. It is also hoped that the groupwill help promote the use of the communallounge as a resource for the local community.

Under the banner of a logo they have designed themselves, Stoneleigh ManorNew Futures is also working towards settingup its own inhouse resources area to include a DVD/ book / magazine library andcomputer area.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENTOPPORTUNITIES AT STONELEIGH MANORSarah O’Keeffe, Supporting People Officer, and Claire Hammond, Resident Participation Strategy Officer, have beenworking with residents at Stoneleigh Manor, members ofPowys CC, Cefni Lettings and Brecon Town Council to set up a service user group.

Built just before the turn of the century andcurrently using night storage heaters as themain method to heat the homes, theseproperties aren’t connected to the gas network because of their rural location, sothe tenants experience higher than averageenergy bills.

Works will incorporate an energy efficiencyretrofit on the homes with the installationof new double glazed windows and doors,

air source heat pumps and either photovoltaic panels (providing a degree offree electricity) or solar thermal (providingsome free hot water). Works should be finished in time for Christmas.

Residents will also benefit from energy saving advice and the provision of energymonitors in an effort to help minimise fuelpoverty.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY UPGRADESAT LLWYNBRAIN CLOSEOne of our key corporate priorities is to reduce our consumption of natural resources. We’re putting this intopractise in Powys with all 14 of our properties on LlwynbrainClose in Howey set to receive an energy efficiency upgrade.


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 a 15 hour 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.

Several Powys residents featured as winnersand finalists, as follows:

• Paralympian Robert Davies, 28, of Brecon, won a Special Inspiration Award

• Maes y Ffynnon Retirement Scheme Gardening Club, Crickhowell, were finalists in the Eco Champion category

• Jimmy Layton, 77, of Llandrindod Wells, was a finalist in the Community Project Award

We had almost 60 high quality entries fromacross Wales this year, a very pleasing figure,and a real demonstration of just how well somany 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 mission

is 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 inspirational storiesof all 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 itproved to be a fantastic night.

Robert Davies Special Inspiration Award Winnerwith PeterJackson, Cambria Maintenance Services, Kathy Smart WWHChair and Anne Hinchey WWH Chief Executive


9 | Spotlight on POWYS | 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 (see page14) as well as Credit Unions across Wales, tohelp residents to budget effectively and to access 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 Môr, 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 service, 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 WiFipilot 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 Powys, andyou 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, we 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 nextfive 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 and Brecon and District Credit Union to look athow new services can be developed to help residents to deal with the changes that willcome with the introduction of UniversalCredit.

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 Powys Autumn 2012

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