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Bassetlaw District Council e-Newsletter |
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 Bassetlaw District Council will be investing more than £117 million in tenants’ homes over the next five years to ensure they are safe, comfortable, and energy efficient places to live.
This will help to deliver on the Council’s commitment to make sure its homes meet the Government’s Decent Homes Standard, maximise energy efficiency, ensuring compliance with safety standards, regenerate its estates and develop new homes.
This five-year plan is part of the Housing Capital Programme for 2024/25 to 2028/29, which was approved by Bassetlaw Councillors at a meeting of Council on 25th January.
Council Housing rents in Bassetlaw set to rise
Rents for homes owned and operated by Bassetlaw District Council will rise in line with the Government’s National Social Rent Policy from 1st April this year.
At a meeting of Cabinet on Tuesday 9th January 2024, Councillors approved a recommendation for a rent increase of 7.7% for 6,551 Council homes from April 2023. The rent increase comes against a backdrop of increased costs of maintenance, labour and materials experienced by the Council over the last 12 months. In addition, the Council is incurring further costs as we work towards meeting the Government’s energy efficiency targets for Social Housing, with all properties requiring an EPC C rating by 2035.
The majority of tenants (70%) will be unaffected by rents going up as this will be covered by benefit increases, including Housing Benefit.
Tenants will be formally notified of this increase by letter later this month.
Read more on our website.
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Council’s Allocation Policy Consultation reaches Conclusion
A consultation on Bassetlaw District Council’s revised Allocations Policy has reached its conclusion, which will help to inform the next steps of progressing proposals.
The Council consulted with tenants and residents about proposed changes to its Choice Based Lettings and Allocations Policy between October and December 2023. The responses and outcome of the consultation will now form part of a report that is due to be put forward to the Council’s Cabinet as part of its March meeting.
People who completed the survey also had the chance to win a £50 Love2Shop Voucher and the winner, Zoe Bird, was recently presented with her prize by the Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing, Cllr Jonathan Slater.
Read more on our website.
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Over the last few weeks, the Tenant Engagement Team has been holding engagement sessions in and around Independent Living Centres, including Larwood House, Priory Court, Conway Gardens and Swallow Court.
The sessions have been really positive and attendees have discussed issues that directly affect tenants of Independent Living Centres, and wider issues across the housing service.
The next session will take place at Priory Court on Friday 23rd February, but information on future sessions can be found on posters within each of the centres.
You can also contact your Tenant and Resident Engagement Officers to confirm the date and location of the next session.
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 Several Tenants from across Bassetlaw attended a workshop on 25th January that aimed to develop a new Occupational Visit form. The workshop proved to be very effective in gaining ideas and giving tenants an opportunity to influence how the new form will be progressed.
The feedback taken from the workshop will now be used to assist Bassetlaw District Council in the creation of the new and improved form.
Looking to the future, there will be a number of opportunities for tenants to become involved in these workshops and play a part in influencing how the Council continues to improve its services. If you are tenant who would like to get involved, please contact your Tenant and Resident Engagement Officers.
Our next working group session will look at how our Tenant Engagement Team can further develop relationship with tenants from all communities and backgrounds so that our customers have the opportunity to influence and shape our services.
If this is of interest, our next session will take place on Friday 15th March, at Worksop Town Hall, between 10.30am and 1.30pm. Refreshments will be available and you can claim any expenses you incur for travelling to the meeting. Everyone who takes part will also receive a Love2Shop voucher as a thank you.
Please note that places are limited. If you would like to attend, or have any enquiries, please contact: anita.fairweather@bassetlaw.gov.uk or joshua.booth@bassetlaw.gov.uk.
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The next meeting of Voices of Bassetlaw will be held on Tuesday 20th February in the Ceres Suite, Worksop Town Hall, between 10.30am and 12noon.
All tenants and leaseholds are welcome to come along and find out how we can work together with Bassetlaw District Council’s Housing Service and put forward the voices of tenants in the district.
For more information contact voicesofbassetlaw@gmail.com or follow us on Facebook.
Join BCVS this half-term for some pancake making, pea potting and pumpkin planting!
Bring the children to make a pancake, talk about what you would like to make "batter" in your community, and make a Valentine's card and other crafts with From the Heart Charity.
- Tuesday 13th February,
- 10am to 12noon,
- Manton Club, S80 2PU.
BCVS will also be "growing" volunteers at the Willow Community Gardens. Come along to pot some pumpkins and peas, and enjoy the children's scavenger hunt.
- Wednesday 14th February,
- 10am to 12pm,
- Willow Community Gardens, S80 2UA.
Both of these events are free to attend.
Find out more on the Bassetlaw Community and Voluntary Service website.
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Bassetlaw District Council is responsible for insuring your buildings, but it’s your responsibility to insure your home contents and personal belongings. That’s why it’s a good idea to consider what a home contents insurance policy covers you for and to build the cost of the insurance premium into your monthly budget outgoings.
To find out more, visit: www.crystal-insurance.co.uk
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 The work and health programme is a Government funded programme from the Department of Work and Pensions that can support people into sustainable employment. They work with vulnerable adults who are not working and may have different barriers, for example; health conditions, mental health conditions, physical disabilities, care leavers, ex-armed forces and many more. The programme can people through a journey of health and wellbeing support, employment support and provide confidential support and advice.
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Dog Control Orders
Bassetlaw District Council is asking residents if they would like to keep the existing Bassetlaw wide Public Spaces Protection Order that relates to dog fouling and specifies areas where dogs should be kept on leads.
The Council introduced a Public Spaces (Dog Control) Order in 2015 and this was renewed in 2018 and 2021 following public consultation. The Council is now asking if these orders should continue for a further three years.
Read more.
DLUHC Consultations
The Department for Levelling Up, Communities and Housing has recently launched two consultations and is seeking the views of interested parties.
The first consultation seeks views on proposed new legal requirements for social landlords to address hazards, including damp and mould quickly. The Awaab’s Law consultation is open for eight weeks from the launch of the consultation on 9th January, 2024.
Read more.
Consultation on reforms to social housing allocations
Social housing is a scarce resource and therefore it must be allocated fairly. The Government are proposing changes to the allocations system so that it prioritises those who have a strong connection to the UK, their local area and those that do not disrupt communities through anti-social behaviour or terrorism offences.
Read more.
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There are lots of ways you can contact our Tenant Engagement Team, so get in touch, get involved, have your say, or ask a question.
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