New playground for Mountain House

Following consultation with the TRAs and representatives from the Vauxhall Gardens and Black Prince Estates in October and November 2013, the final proposals for the play area between Mountain and Sullivan Houses are shown on the drawing above.

The proposals reflect all the amendments requested by residents during this consultation and focus the works on the refurbishment of the play area site. The new play equipment and layout of the play area is fully inclusive and sustainable.

The new play equipment has been delivered to the contractor and works will be programmed to start on site in February and complete before the end of March 2014.

The contractor will create a compound area on the site but will need vehicular access to the compound from Vauxhall Street via the Sullivan House entrance.

If you require further information, please contact the North Area Housing Office  northarea@lambethliving.org.uk or telephone 020 7926 6000.

Lambeth Living offer help for tenants to mutually exchange their homes

Mutual exchanges are an excellent way for council tenants to secure new, more appropriately sized homes. People underoccupying their home can move to a cheaper, smaller home by swapping with people living in overcrowded accommodation.

Following the success of the last round of Mutual Exchange/Advice Surgeries held earlier this year, Lambeth Living are holding more events during the course of the next couple of months.

Nearly 500 tenants attended the 16 sessions organised early in 2013 and on the back of these Lambeth Living have already been able to set up 10 moves - with a further 11 in the pipeline – as well as obtain interest from another 220 tenants affected by the size criteria who have now registered for a move under the Mutual Exchange Scheme.

In order try and find as many suitable matches as possible between these 220 families, as well as encourage further interest, Lambeth Living are planning on holding 3 Swap Shops on the following dates and venues:

Swap Shops

Central Lambeth
Tuesday 25 June, 11am to 3pm
Assembly Hall, Lambeth Town Hall, Brixton Hill, SW2 1RW

South Lambeth
Friday 28 June, 11am to 3pm
Church of Immanuel and St Andrew Hall, 452 Streatham High Road, SW16 3PY

North Lambeth
Thursday 4 July, 11am to 3pm
Coronation Hall, The Springfield Centre, 110 Union Road, SW8 2SH

As well as the Swap Shops, they will be holding a further 9 Mutual Exchange/Advice Surgeries with the aim of not only using these sessions to find suitable matches but also enable residents to seek advice on other options such as taking in lodgers, receive debt counseling and consider employment/apprenticeship opportunities. These sessions will take place as follows:

Estate Based Mutual Exchange/Advice Surgeries

Central Area
Tuesday 30th July, 2.00 - 5.00pm
Notre Dame Community Hall 1 Worsop Drive SW4 9QU.

Thursday 1st August , 2.00 - 5pm
Heath Road TRA, Heathbrook Community Hall, 117-119 Heath Road, SW8 3BB

Friday 2nd August , 2 -5pm
Cressingham Gardens Rotonda Tenants' Hall, Cressingham Gardens Estate, SW2 2QE

South Area
Tuesday 6 August, 2.00 - 5.00pm
The Village Hall, Fern Lodge Estate, Winton Way SW16 3RA

Wednesday 7 August, 2.00 - 5.00pm
Elmworth Hall, Elmworth Grove, Rosendale Gardens Estate SE21 8RA

Thursday 8 August, 10.00am - 1.00pm
Community Hall, Drew House, Sackville Estate, Leigham Avenue SW16 2TH

North Area  
Tuesday 23rd July, 10.00am - 1.00pm
Carmelita Centre, Vauxhall Walk SE11 5NT

Wednesday 24th July, 10.00am – 1.00pm
Wheatsheaf Hall Community Centre, Wheatsheaf Lane, SW8 2UP

China Walk TRA, Chandler Community Hall, 15 Lambeth Walk, SE11 6DU (To be confirmed)

Lambeth Living offering 'Get Involved' grants to residents' groups

Lambeth Living is excited to announce the launch of the Getting Involved Grant 2013/14, which will provide funding and support for resident activities.

The Grant, available as part of their Resident Engagement Strategy, aims to get more residents involved in their communities. The grant is available to Tenant and Resident Associations (TRA) and organisations that would like to run activities that are both for and supported by Lambeth Living residents.

Lambeth Living award funds of up to £1,000 (smaller projects) and £5000 (larger projects).

Pictured: Vauxhall Gardens Estate Residents and Tenants Association turned this disused housing office into the Carmelita Community Centre

Investment into Knights Walk is the start of Lambeth Housing Standard work in our area

Residents of Knights Walk are being contacted about major investment work which is planned for their homes.

Kitchens, bathrooms, rewiring and asbestos work are all included in the programme - the works for each flat will depend on the condition of each flat.

These are some of the first works in our area of a £450 million, five year programme of works which Lambeth Living are carrying out on our Council homes.

Lambeth Living information cafe

North Lambeth Information Cafe for residents of Lambeth Living estates

Saturday 2 March, 11am to 3pm

Pedlars Acre Hall, 91 Kennington Lane, SE11 4HQ

Join Lambeth Living for a cuppa and tell them how you feel about services they provide.

You can also:

Have your dog micro chipped for free between 12 and 3pm

Get job applications, CV writing and interview technique advice from the Human resources team

Find out about benefit changes and mutual exchange, rent, repairs and the Lambeth Housing Standard

Talk with Community Safety and Tenancy enforcement teams about anti-social behaviour

Get fire safety advice

Pedlars Acre Hall is behind the North Area office; dog chipping will be taking place in the North Area office reception area.

Mutual Exchange surgery for council and social housing tenants

Lambeth Living – with financial support from Lambeth Council – have  commissioned a Welfare Reform Project Team that is working to lessen the impact of welfare reform changes on our community.

One such initiative is the Mutual Exchange Scheme.

A large number of tenants will need to find smaller accommodation in order to avoid the benefit deductions as part of the Welfare Reform measures, but there is a shortage of properties available to enable a majority of these to obtain a transfer through the Council’s transfer register. However, there are a large number of families currently overcrowded within the stock managed by the Council. Therefore, there is significant potential for Mutual Exchange within the Borough if these households can be matched up through the Mutual Exchange Scheme.

In light of this Lambeth Council and Lambeth Living are keen promote this initiative and are organising up to 13 local borough wide estate surgeries.

The surgery in our area is:
Date: 1 February 2013
Time:  2pm to 5pm
Venue:  Vauxhall Garden Community Centre, 5 Glasshouse Walk, London SE11 5ES

Housing associations and the following other agencies will also be present:
·         Job Centre Plus
·         London Mutual Credit Union
·         Every Pound Counts
·         Centre 70
·         Broadway Lodging Scheme
·         Employment and Skills Manager from Lambeth Council
·         Relevant Officers from Lambeth Council and Lambeth Living  

£1000 for Broadgates Court after contractor disturbs residents' Sunday

Following complaint from residents, Councillor Steve Morgan has secured £1000 from Lambeth Living contractor Mears, for carrying out work to an empty flat on a Sunday.

Faced with legal action and a possible fine Mears decided to donate £1000 to the local residents' association for disturbing so many people.

If you notice anyone carrying out noisy work in the evening or on a Sunday than call the noise team on 020 7926 6111 - you never know what the result might be!

Help Lambeth set its Housing Standard

Lambeth Council and its management agent Lambeth Living are working with residents to set a new standard to which all council homes can be developed and maintained.

The Government is providing Lambeth with some money to invest in our homes over the coming years, though it is not nearly enough for all that we would like to do. Because of this, choices need to be made about what work residents want to prioritise.

If you are a Lambeth tenant or leaseholder please fill in the online survey.

You can also attend a meeting this Thursday at 7pm at Pedlars Acre Hall, Opal Street/ Kennington Lane.

Already, Lambeth Housing have received around 5000 responses from residents - some of the bags of mail received are pictured. We want to ensure everybody has their say.

Prince's councillors have already made the case for the following works:

- new windows for the blocks on the Cottington Close Estate which are still outstanding

- new windows for the blocks on the Vauxhall Gardens Estate which are still outstanding (Aveline Street, Brangton Road)

- new windows for Denby Court

- investment in street properties which is required

- security doors for Cottington Close and Broadgates Court

- new intercom and lifts for Cotton Gardens

- new lifts for various blocks on the Vauxhall Gardens Estate

- new kitchens and bathrooms, with those in the worst condition being prioritised

> Please let us know if there are other priorities you would like us to campaign for!

Major crackdown underway to drive out housing cheats

Lambeth Council is launching a major crackdown against illegal sub-letting across the borough.

Fraud investigators will knock on the doors of hundreds of properties over the coming months to uncover tenants who illegally sub-let, and will take legal proceedings to boot them out.

The action, in partnership with Lambeth Living, will free up desperately needed homes for people who genuinely need them.

Illegal subletting is where the registered tenant does not live at the property but rents it out for profit on the private market, and deprives people on the council’s housing waiting list, and in genuine need, of a permanent home.

Around 60 properties were recovered last year from illegal sub-letters in Lambeth, but the practice is believed to be more widespread, so the council and Lambeth Living aim to double that amount this year by carrying out more visits and investigations, and better intelligence sharing.
The initiative follows a successful pilot undertaken during September and October on the Springfield and Briant estates, in the north of the borough where around four per cent of the properties were found to be illegally sub-let.

Checks at the two estates have to date uncovered fifteen suspected fraudulent tenancies. In three of these cases the properties have been handed back to the council - voluntarily. Five of the outstanding cases have already been put in the hands of the council’s lawyers to take legal action, and investigations continue on the remaining seven cases.

The penalty for anyone subletting their home is severe and final. Tenants who sublet their property will lose their tenancy and the illegal tenants will be evicted.

Councillor Lib Peck, Lambeth Council cabinet member for housing and member of the Lambeth Living board said: 'This is not a victimless crime - housing tenancy fraud costs Lambeth dearly. It deprives people on the housing waiting list and who are in genuine need of housing, of a permanent and safe roof over their head. It means that people are leap-frogging the waiting list and tying up badly needed homes, and we will put a stop to that'.

Deputy cabinet member for housing, Cllr. Christopher Wellbelove commented: 'I know from my casework on local estates that illegal subletting is a problem that genuine tenants want tackled, as well as families who are weary of being on the waiting list for a permanent home. Council housing is a precious resource – and these homes should be available for people who really need them'.

If anyone knows of a property they suspect is being illegally sub-let, they should call the Fraud Hotline on 0207 926 1111. All calls will be handled in the strictest confidence

New playground and ballcourt for Cotton Gardens?

Lambeth Living have submitted their planning application for a new playground and refurbished ballcourt at Hurley House behind the Cotton Gardens Estate. (Located on the corner of Wincott Street & Kempsford Road)

The planning application is for, "Improvement works of existing ball games by installation of new rigid weldmesh ballcourt fencing, new surfacing and goals. Installation of a small play area on existing open space with timber/net/play equipment landscaping, to include timber fence, low vertical bar fence, seating and grassmatt safety surface."

To view the plans and to comment on them you will need to go to the Council's planning database. The reference is 11/02866/RG3.

The project has been driven forward thanks to the hard work of the Cotton Gardens Residents' Association.

Spruced up garages at Arden House

Residents of Arden House have worked alongside Lambeth Living's garages team to transform their garages by installing green roofs and new doors. The plants have only just started growing, but when complete, the roof will be carpeted with wild flowers and greenery. The roof has also saved Lambeth Living £6000! The garages team will be interested to hear from other TRAs who might be interested in this idea.

Lambeth Living have also replaced the deteriorating metal doors with smart new painted wooden doors (above).

Since the Central Garage Team was set up four years ago they have also reduced voids from around 60% to 5%, increasing the income from the garages from around £250,000 per year to well over a million. As the repairs are almost all done in-house they have been able to have extremely quick turn around times and saved money on day to day repairs and planned maintenance. Rent arrears have also been reduced from over £130,000 to £30,000.

Whilst the general picture for Lambeth Living's garages is looking really positive, local councillors have pointed out that serious problems remain at the garages underneath the Ethelred Towers. Cllr Mark Harrison has asked the team to give its full focus to getting the issues there resolved as soon as possible, and offered any assistance that councillors can provide.

Vauxhall Five windows - project about to start!

After many years of pressure from residents, Kate Hoey MP, and councillors; work to replace the Vauxhall Five's windows is due to start at the end of this month.

Windows in Braham, Darley, Grover, Leary, and Simpson Houses are 1930s crittal windows which are in an appalling state, leaving residents with sky-high fuel bills in the winter. In addition, concrete from the balconies is failing, causing a serious safety hazard.

A 52 week major refurbishment programme will begin on 27 June. Roofs, windows, balconies, brickwork and concrete will all be brought up to a decent standard. Each individual block will take around five months to complete, depending on what concrete repairs are required.

Whilst major work like this will inevitably be disruptive, there will be Resident Liaison Officers from the contractor and Lambeth Council available for residents to speak to throughout the process. Work in flats will be done by appointment.

Many leaseholders will be concerned at the large bill they will have to pay. Lambeth Living should provide advice, support, and payment options to help leaseholders who will struggle with the bills.

Local councillors will be monitoring the project closely, and on hand to help if problems can't be resolved with Lambeth Living or the contractors.

Councillor Mark Harrison said: 'after more than a decade of pressure residents are finally close to seeing the work started which is so badly needed. We won't be celebrating until the windows are replaced and the contractors are offsite, but this month's news is really encouraging.'

Pictured: Mark Harrison with a petition for new windows he organised back in January 2009.

Lambeth Living walkabout schedule

Lambeth Living hold walkabouts around all their estates to identify problems which need resolving. Residents are welcome to join officers and councillors on these walkabouts. The schedule for this year is as follows:

Kennings Estate
Outside Fowey House
Wednesday 22 June 09.30
Wednesday 2 November 09.30
Bunmi Idollor

Penwith Manor
Tavy Close, White Hart Street
Wednesday 22 June 14.00
Wednesday 2 November 14.00
Bunmi Idollor

Cotton Gardens Estate
Outside Fairford House
Wednesday 29 June 09.30
Wednesday 9 November 09.30
Derrick Brown

Coverley Point & Haymans Point
Outside Coverley Point entrance
Wednesday 29 June 14.00
Wednesday 9 November 14.00
Raphael Abakani

Black Prince Road Estate
Black Prince Road entrance to Sullivan House
Wednesday 6 July 09.30
Wednesday 16 November 09.30
Bunmi Idollor

Vauxhall Five
Outside Tenants Hall
Wednesday 6 July 14.30
Wednesday 16 November 14.30
Bunmi Idollor

Vauxhall Gardens Estate
Aveline Street
Wednesday 13 July 09.30 (All day)
Wednesday 23 November 09.30 (All day)
Raphael Abakani

Vauxhall Gardens Estate
Waylett & Duffel Houses
O/s Waylett House Entrance
Wednesday 20 July 09.30
Wednesday 30 November 09.30
Bunmi Idollor

Ethelred Towers
Entrance to Ward Point
Wednesday 10 August 14.00
Wednesday 10 January 14.00
Derrick Brown

Labour wins cash boost for Lambeth homes

Labour has secured over £100 million to improve sub-standard homes in Lambeth. Labour councillors have spent months lobbying Government ministers for funding to complete upgrade works on 15,000 homes that need new windows, doors, kitchens, bathrooms and central heating to bring them up to minimum standards.

Labour’s Lib Peck, Cabinet Member for Housing, and Council Leader Steve Reed both wrote to Government ministers repeatedly to press the case for Lambeth’s tenants. The money will come through over the next four years, although there is disappointment the Government is delaying half the funding until 2014, and the total sum available is less than half the amount needed to complete work on all substandard homes.

Cllr Lib Peck said: "I am pleased our hard work has delivered some good news for Lambeth’s tenants. It’s not right people should be left to live in sub-standard homes. This money is a real boost but it is less than half the amount the Labour Government promised so we still have a significant challenge ahead of us."

Cllr Steve Reed commented: "It’s disappointing the Government is delaying this funding while bringing forward their cuts, but we welcome this news. Labour councillors and Lambeth’s tenants made such a strong case together that even this Government found it hard to ignore us completely."

Pictured: the money means Lambeth will be able to carry out more window replacements programmes, like the one at Haymans Point, as well as works to upgrade tenants' kitchens and bathrooms.

Compromise reached on Cotton Gardens playground proposal

A useful meeting was held on Thursday evening between residents of the Cotton Gardens Estate (pictured) and residents of Vanbrugh Court.

Developers have given money to Lambeth Living to build a children's playground in the area surrounding the Cotton Gardens towers. The initial proposal was to renovate the ball court and build a new children's playgound on the grassy mound closest to Vanbrugh Court.

Some residents of Vanbrugh Court complained that this was too close to their homes.

During the onsite meeting we looked at some other possible locations, and everybody agreed that a site for the playground further into the grassy area, away from Vanbrugh Court, would be preferable. Everybody agreed that renovating the ball court and locking both facilities overnight would be a major improvement.

Lambeth Living officers will now consult with their architect about the feasibility of building the playground on this new site.

Add your voice to those calling for Decent Homes promise to be honoured

There is now a petition posted on Lambeth Council's website calling for the coalition government to honour the promise of the last Labour government and invest £233 million in our Lambeth Living managed homes and £25 million in our United Residents managed homes. This money is vital for residents to get new roofs, windows, doors, kitchens and bathrooms – all the basics that ensure our homes are decent, safe and warm.

You can add your name to the petition here: www.lambeth.gov.uk/DecentHomesPetition

Pictured: dilapidated kitchens in Lambeth Living homes would be replaced with new kitchens like these if the government honours its Decent Homes funding promise.