A Year On – Delivering on our promises
The council has developed a plan to deliver the Welsh Housing Quality Standards (WHQS) and is going to be doing different things and going to be doing things differently. We are about transforming homes, lives and communities.
We want to involve tenants in what we are doing and we want tenants to have a voice. We have changed the name from council housing and the service is now known as Caerphilly Homes.
In 2012/13, Caerphilly Homes has spent nearly £18m on the WHQS programme with £5m on energy efficiency, £3m on central heating, £2m on rewiring and £3m on kitchens and bathrooms, £2m on roofing, £1m on adaptations, £1m on external improvements to Cornish homes and £1/2m on windows.
Caerphilly Homes Task Group has been set up consisting of 7 tenants and 7 councillors to perform the scrutiny role together and oversee the implementation of the programme.
Several groups have been set up to fully involve tenants in the decision-making process and ensure we keep our promises.
Both the council and tenants have signed up to the Tenant Empowerment Grant application that will "focus on delivery" of WHQS and the services provided by the council to its tenants
The Sheltered/Older Persons Group and Repairs and Improvements Group have been attending regular meetings throughout the year with the Older persons group reviewing the services for sheltered housing tenants and the Repairs and Improvements group focussing on design and specifications of kitchens and bathrooms.
Throughout the year Caerphilly Homes has listened to the tenant representatives and have agreed to give tenants more choice.
Home improvements - Cornicing has been added to kitchens and extra choices of colour schemes, tiling and flooring options, painting and plastering.
Sheltered Housing Review – The review of the Sheltered Housing Service has been concluded. Caerphilly Homes sent out 5000 surveys to all sheltered housing tenants, general needs tenants and tenants in older persons housing, people on waiting lists and all wardens.
Caerphilly Homes received a fantastic response and the next process is to consult further with our tenants and staff on the findings and proposals which will help to inform the final report.
The Caerphilly Homes Task Group has received a presentation on proposals for the future of the Sheltered Housing service, including the support provided to our tenants on the schemes, but no decisions will be made until there has been full consultation on the proposals with all those affected.
The aim of this review is to provide improved quality services for our older tenants and ensure that these are provided fairly and consistently to all. Click here to see a copy of the consultants report. Feedback sessions will take place at all sheltered complexes and when this is collated a report will be presented to the Caerphilly Homes Task Group with recommendations on the changes to be made.
Where and what next?
The programme of works for the current year 2013/14 is detailed below.
Over the next few months homes in the areas listed below will be evaluated to ensure they meet the Welsh Housing Quality Standard (WHQS) even if improvement work has previously been undertaken.
Building Surveyors will make the recommendations and tenants of Caerphilly Homes could have one or all of the following: replacement kitchen, bathroom, upgrade of the electrical and heating installations.
Tenant Liaison Officers will discuss with tenants the options and choices of refurbishment available to them and the Surveyor will design a kitchen to suit the space available, adding in the base and wall units, worktop, flooring and tiling choices and take account of your appliances. A photographic image will then be generated to show what the kitchen will look like.
Eastern Valleys
Claremont Road\Hazelwood Road
Coronation Crescent\Hilary Road
Ellesmere Court\Old Pant Road
Greenlands
Hilltop Crescent - Sunnycrest
Newlyn Road - Stonerwood View
Pant View - Queens Road
St Peters Close -Tir y Pwll Terrace
Lower Rhymney Valley
Alexander Terrace - Cenydd Terrace - Commercial
Street - High Street
Castle View - Central Street - Mountain View - New Street
Parc Cottages - Station Terrace
Plas Cwm Parc
Tan y Bryn terrace
Thomasville
Ty Nant
Upper Rhymney Valley
Aneurin Terrace - Isfryn
Glanynant
Heolytwyn
Heol uchaf - Lower Row - Phillips Walk
Penydre
Rowan Place