Southwark Life Housing News Summer 2016

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Newsletter for Southwark Council tenants and leaseholders

Old Kent road regeneration
Old Kent Road regeneration area

Get involved in the future of the Old Kent Road

We want to regenerate the Old Kent Road and are looking at proposals that could potentially create 20,000 new homes, 5,000 additional jobs, new schools, new parks, and two new underground stations for the extended Bakerloo line. We really want to hear from residents on what they think and what ideas they have to improve the area, especially those who live close by.

The consultation is broken down into five main areas: quality new homes, revitalised neighbourhoods, cleaner greener and safer, local economy and getting around.

Find out more and get times and dates of upcoming consultation events here.

You can join in the online conversations about each of the five areas here.


New homes Willow Walk
New homes at Willow Walk

Over 100 new council homes set for completion this summer

Over 100 new homes will be completed over the next couple of months as we continue our ambitious programme of building 11,000 new council homes by 2043, with the first 1,500 to be delivered by 2018.

Seven sites across the borough will offer 113 council homes, most of which are two, three or four bedroom family sized homes, as well as 18 private and shared ownership homes. Forty two of the council homes on Cator Street in Peckham will be Extra Care homes, specifically designed to help older and more vulnerable people live independently for longer.

Cllr Mark Williams, cabinet member for regeneration and new homes, said: “We continue to identify new sites and consult with local residents on these proposed sites and what kind of new homes are needed locally. The new homes we are building are of the highest quality and the first of the new homes at Willow Walk have been recognised by the national Local Authority Building Control Awards. We are ensuring that quality in delivery continues by using our Southwark Council Housing Design Guide which sets out the standard that our architects and delivery partners must meet or exceed.”

Click here for more information.


Wonder Day
Families enjoying Waste Wonder Open Day 2015

Recycling and Waste Wonder open day

Discover what happens to your recycling and waste at this year’s Wonder Day taking place on Saturday 17 September from 10am to 4pm during National Recycle Week. The event, organised by Southwark’s recycling and waste partner Veolia, will have a host of fun activities for the whole family to enjoy including a bouncy castle, face painting, vehicle display and interactive recycling discovery centre and much more. Tours of the facility take place every 15 minutes on a first come first served basis. The event is held at the Integrated Waste Management Facility, 43 Devon Street, London SE15 1AL. Click here for more information regarding tour rules and things to do on the day.


Are you looking after someone else’s child?

Some parents arrange for their children to live with another family, this may be just for a few days; or a longer period of time. If your child is living with someone other than a parent or close relative for a period of 28 days or more, the law requires you to notify us of such an arrangement. Our role is not to disrupt the arrangement, but we have a responsibility to ensure that children are being properly cared for. We can also make sure that you get the help you need. For more information click here.


Family Link

Do you have some spare time to help a local family?

Southwark Family Link is a service matching disabled children with carers who can provide short breaks on a regular basis at weekends, during the day or overnight, usually in the carer’s home. Short breaks enable disabled children to benefit from new experiences in the community. Carers need to be available for at least two days a month. We provide carers with training, support, and an allowance to help with costs. There are many children who would benefit from the type of support provided by Family Link. Click here for more information or contact the team on 020 7525 5316 or email familylink@southwark.gov.uk


Smart Savers

Help your child be a Smart Saver

Don’t miss out on being a Smart Saver! We want to raise a generation of financially savvy smart savers, starting with every year 6* child from Southwark. If you have a child from Southwark in year 6, they will receive a FREE £10 voucher to deposit into a new or existing London Mutual Credit Union Young Saver Account. Hurry offer ends 2 September 2016. Find out more here.

*To be eligible for this year’s scheme your child would need to have been born between 1 September 2004 and 31 August 2005.


Does your private rented property need a licence?

This year we launched two new licensing schemes for privately rented properties in Southwark. This means that landlords who own rented properties will need to apply for a licence if the property is either let to three or more people, who are part of two or more households sharing kitchens and/or bathrooms (this is called a house in multiple occupation or HMO) or, if your property is in one of the licensing zones in the borough and let to an individual or single family household (i.e. cohabiting couple and/or direct blood relatives).

Failure to apply for a licence is a criminal offence and could result in prosecution. If you’re a tenant who wants to make sure your landlord is providing a safe and healthy place to live or you’re a landlord who rents their property to multiple tenants, click here for more information and to see maps of the licensing zones, or contact us at resi@southwark.gov.uk


MySouthwark competition winner
Amina Ajembu being presented with her Ipad by Cllr Colley, cabinet member for modernisation

Congratulations to the latest MySouthwark iPad winner

Congratulations to Amina Ajembu, the most recent winner of the MySouthwark prize draw. She won an iPad mini simply by accessing her housing services online through MySouthwark. She says, “I use it for raising repairs, as well as checking up on repairs I’ve raised. It’s really useful as you can use it anytime; it doesn’t need to be 9am to 5pm. I would encourage anyone to report repairs online, it makes it so easy.”

If you are a council homeowner or tenant and want to be in with a chance to win, register or access your account here. It takes the time and effort out of reporting repairs, tracking appointments or managing your rent or service charge account.