Number 132, June 2012 -...
4
PETRA News We have long complained that Homes in Havering do not consult with us properly. Now – with the up- coming new windows and doors pro- gramme – it’s happened again. At a recent meeting, PETRA Chair- man Mike Davis was told that the contract for the job had been award- ed, and that the work would start this financial year. That may sound like good news, but Mike had previously told HiH that PETRA wanted to have some input into this decision, and that we might even be in a position to subsidise a contract in order to get better quality windows for our residents. This has been ignored by HiH, and Anglia Windows has now been awarded the contract. So much for consultation. HiH has also failed to take on board important information regarding the installation of these windows along- side the new combination boilers that many residents now have. This has It’s good to talk The weather did us no favours, but PETRA’s Jubilee Party still proved a big hit – especially with the kids. Thanks very much to everyone who helped on the day. PETRA women were once again the backbone of the operation – special thanks go to Jan, Zena, Sue, Mandy and Natasha for all their hard work. Of course it’s not just girls who wanna have fun, but guys – where were you when the work needed doing? Girls just wanna have Fun? Number 132, June 2012 Parkhill Estate Tenants and Residents Association But is Homes in Havering listening? Quality window, please! Better quality windows, such as triple- glazed ones, could have helped us save energy, including all this heat escaping from Uphavering House. (Thermography image courtesy of the Richard Hodkinson Consultancy) a direct impact on the specification and costs of the job. “It’s very frustrating,” said Mike. “Why has the Council not taken this information on board - which they should have known about years ago? Answer: Because they didn’t talk to us about it. “All too often HiH’s attitude is still: ‘We will tell you what we’re doing, and you will be grateful.’ Frankly, it ain’t good enough.”
Transcript of Number 132, June 2012 -...
PETRA News
We have long complained thatHomes in Havering do not consultwith us properly. Now – with the up-coming new windows and doors pro-gramme – it’s happened again.
At a recent meeting, PETRA Chair-man Mike Davis was told that thecontract for the job had been award-ed, and that the work would start thisfinancial year.
That may sound like good news, butMike had previously told HiH thatPETRA wanted to have some inputinto this decision, and that we mighteven be in a position to subsidise acontract in order to get better qualitywindows for our residents.
This has been ignored by HiH, andAnglia Windows has now beenawarded the contract. So much forconsultation.
HiH has also failed to take on boardimportant information regarding theinstallation of these windows along-side the new combination boilers thatmany residents now have. This has
It’s good to talk
The weather did us nofavours, but PETRA’sJubilee Party still proved abig hit – especially withthe kids. Thanks verymuch to everyone whohelped on the day.
PETRA women were onceagain the backbone of theoperation – special thanksgo to Jan, Zena, Sue,Mandy and Natasha for alltheir hard work.
Of course it’s not just girlswho wanna have fun, butguys – where were youwhen the work neededdoing?
Girls justwannahaveFun?
Number 132, June 2012
Parkhill Estate Tenants and Residents Association
But isHomes inHaveringlistening?
Quality window, please!Better quality windows, such as triple-glazed ones, could have helped ussave energy, including all this heatescaping from Uphavering House.(Thermography image courtesy of theRichard Hodkinson Consultancy)
a direct impact on the specificationand costs of the job.
“It’s very frustrating,” said Mike.“Why has the Council not taken thisinformation on board - which theyshould have known about yearsago? Answer: Because they didn’ttalk to us about it.
“All too often HiH’s attitude is still:‘We will tell you what we’re doing,and you will be grateful.’ Frankly, itain’t good enough.”
Chairman Mike’sSOAPBOX
Wake-up call
Following a recent fire on the es-tate, a Councillor commentedthat he was surprised there wereno smoke alarms in any of thecommunal areas or playrooms.
The fire, which happened in oneof the playrooms in OverstrandHouse, shattered reinforcedglass and melted residents’ pos-sessions before the Fire Servicewas able to bring it under control.
On inspection, Fire SafetyOfficer Dave Hallam noted thatthe fire had been successfullycontained within the one roomthanks to PETRA’s recent firesafety improvements to all inte-rior doors.
Nevertheless, the fire shockedeveryone nearby and highlight-ed the need for all residents tobe vigilant and responsible.
PETRA – namely Jim, ourEstate Manager – has beentelling residents who use theplayrooms as extra storagespace that no inflammable ma-terials of any kind are to be leftin these rooms.
Yet, on his weekly inspectionsof these rooms, Jim still seewood, paints, aerosols andplastics left in them. If you arestoring these types of materi-als, please keep them in yourown flat, or get rid of them.
Coffee break forthe over 65sBarbara Davies is organising aregular coffee afternoon forolder residents, to be held inthe concierge, on the groundfloor of Parkview House oppo-site the office. A fortnightlyevent, and our first meetingtakes place on Wednesday 11July at 2.30. You are warmlywelcome to join us. (And ifWednesdays are no good foryou, let us know – we may re-view this in future.)
On balanceHomes in Havering is to bewound down, and it’s temptingto say Hurrah! But let’s try tobe fair. Like all organisations,HiH has had its strengths andits weaknesses.
For example, it is my sincerehope that the Council has thegood sense to TUPE (transfer)Julie Pocock and her ResidentInvolvement Team over to theCouncil in due course.
Julie and her team have, in myopinion, built exceptionally goodrelationships with the TMOs inHavering, and I suspect in almostall other customer-related areasthey deal with. Whilst workingwith, and advising us on anumber of issues like our recentresidents survey, Julie managedto combine both professionalismand a good deal of commonsense.
On the other hand, you may re-call that in the last newsletter Ipromised you an update on theissue of different rent levels foridentical two-bedroomed flats.
Well, the HiH’s rent section is stillmaintaining that this is consistentwith how the rents were calculat-ed pre-2002, when rent levelswere calculated on the positionof the flat, any improvementsmade in them, and what ameni-ties if any the Council provided. Ihave taken advice on this fromour contact at the National Fed-eration of TMOs and their expertsays HiH’s line is utter nonsense,so I’m afraid the fight has to con-tinue. Watch this space.Regards, Mike
Where are yourhazardousmaterials stored?
Four-legged friendsPETRA takes a tolerant viewtowards the keeping of dogs onthis estate, providing theirowners act responsibly.Unfortunately there are someowners who don’t act this way.They fail to control their dogsand they allow them to pee in-side the blocks. They also fail todispose properly of their mess.If you own a dog, please makesure you are a responsibleowner at all times, disposing ofwaste in the dog waste bins.
Courtesy of yourCommitteeFREE reflective panels andenergy efficient lightbulbs: Whilewe wait for our new windows, whynot make a start on cutting your en-ergy bills by getting energy-savinglightbulbs and reflective panels forthe back of your radiators. PETRAdoes have a few of these which wewill give away to tenants or lease-holders. Hurry while stocks last.
FREE adventure! Kids – Fancygoing to Stubbers six times over theSummer Holiday?! Parents – fancyvolunteering to help?! PETRA isplanning free weekly visits over thesummer break. Contact the office ifyou or your kids would like to booka place.
FREE Showers: In our survey earli-er this year, one of the questionswas.” If you don’t have a showerfitted over your bath – would you likeone?" Fifteen people said yes, andwe are now considering offering thisupgrade to those residents. We willmake the same offer again to otherresidents when we have completedthe first 15. Is anyone interested inhelping us with researching differentshowers units and getting quotes forthis work? If you have some knowl-edge in this area, or would be happyto look into it for us, please get intouch with the office.
Bin it!Any budding young artists orgraphic designers out there? Fancyhaving your work on display all overthe estate? We need a bright, clear,simple PETRA logo or sign to put onall the waste bins on the estate, toencourage people to use them.There’s a £20 voucher for the bestdesign handed in to the office by31 July. Come on Kids!
If you are aged 8 to 14 and like havingyour say, then join ‘the Young Ones’ –PETRA’s new children’s committee. Thecommittee will meet four times a year,during school holidays, to decide whatPETRA should do for children on our es-tate. Pop into the office for a chat if youwould like to join in.
Rubbish peopleFly-tipping – particularly on the farside of Uphavering House – isgetting worse. If you see a van ortip-up lorry shedding its load whereit shouldn’t, take a note of thenumber plate and report the incidentto the office as soon as possible.Please do not approach thesepeople yourself – we know theycan’t be trusted to behave properly,so you should not challenge them.We’ll let Mike and Jim do that!
Caring for our childrenIt’s great that our kids have thegreen to play on, but recently we’venoticed some younger children play-ing out there alone. This worries us– there are cars on the road and,occasionally, strangers around.
We recommend that no child underten is left alone outside to play.They should always be supervisedby either an older sibling or anadult carer.
ContactsPETRAMike Davis (Chair), NatashaCruickshank (Trainee Manager),Jim Brett (Estate Manager), andBradley Pavey (Repairs andGround Maintenance Officer) arebased at the PETRA office.Tel: 01708 475358Fax: 01708 469530Email: [email protected]
Homes in HaveringTel: 01708 434000Email:[email protected]:www.homesinhavering.org
Overstrand residents Roxanne Isbelland daughter Kayleigh
What brought you to the estate?I’m local, brought up in Cranham,and I got the offer of a flat heresome six years ago. I’ve beenhere ever since.
How has the estate changed inyour time?Quite a lot, and for the better.People used to do horrible thingsin the lift, and leave rubbish aboutthe place. Now, more people aretaking a responsible attitude.
What do you like best aboutliving here?The fact that we’ve got Jimmy andMike. They are just so helpful.Even silly things, like when mycurtains fell down once, Jimmy itwas who helped me put themback up! To have people aroundwho are nice like that is great.
What do you like best,Kayleigh?Erm… The ice cream van! Youcan hear it coming sometimes,and Mum let’s me have one whenit’s Friday.
What’s the biggest drag?Kids playing football near the cars.I’m sure they keep hitting mine! Idon’t see why they need to playthere when we’ve got fantastic play-ing fields nearby.
Most memorable occasion?The barbeques are always good.There was one a couple of yearsago where we had DJs playing mu-sic and circus stuff going on for thekids, it was great. It’s a good way tomeet people, to get to know yourneighbours.
How do you rate PETRA?I think they’re brilliant. I’ve got nocomplaints. The only thing is thoseball games. The area immediatelyaround the three blocks should have‘No Ball Games Allowed’ signs.That’s my only gripe. (Sorry kids – Idon’t mean to get at you, honestly!)
How can PETRA get moreresidents involved in the runningof the estate?I’ve thought about becoming moreinvolved. It would be nice to givesomething back, but it’s difficultwhen you have children. PerhapsPETRA could offer childcare for par-ents who wanted to attend commit-tee and other meetings?
PETRA’s Natasha replies: YesRoxanne, we are happy to covercarers’ costs for those who want toattend our meetings.
Like to be featured here? Pop intothe office to arrange an interviewwith our roving reporter.
Next committee meetings – Tuesday26 June, and Tuesday 31 July.
Model estateCouncillor Andrew Curtain visitedthe estate recently. “I do like thisplace,” he said. “The blocksremind me of those nice, modernflats that ‘Mary, Mungo andMidge’ used to live in.” A nicecompliment that, which middle-aged residents will particularlyappreciate!
