Active citizenship. Spring 2017 Tenants News. Voice of the Wolverhampton Federation of Tenants Associations. What s Inside

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1 Spring 2017 Tenants News Voice of the Wolverhampton Federation of Tenants Associations Active citizenship What s Inside Page 2 West Midlands Combined Authority Page 3 Having a voice Page 4 Bringing communities together Page 5 Active Citizenship Page 6 Benefit cuts Page 7 Welfare reform Page 8 What s on / help desk Kim Payne from Community Action and Training Services (CAATS) is seen here above talking to some Fed members and to some new migrants about being an active citizen in one of our workshops under our BIG Lottery project Bringing communities together that was held at the TLC College on Dunstall Road. (Continued on pages 4 and 5.)

2 West Midlands Combined Authority The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) is about Councils working together to have greater local control. It is not about creating a super Council. It is a legal vehicle created by Government to work across the region. There are 9 Local Authorities and 3 Local Enterprise Partnerships in the WMCA. It is about working more efficiently and effectively and is a collaboration on strategic policy not the running of day to day Council services. Individual Councils will still deliver services and retain their identity. The challenge for the WMCA is to create jobs, enhance skills, develop prosperity and drive economic growth. The agreement with Government will see the devolvement of certain powers to the WMCA together with an annual contribution from Whitehall worth 40 million for 30 years to support an overall investment package to unlock 8 billion, alongside the creation of up to half a million jobs. Nic Bliss, who works for the Confederation of Co-operative Housing (CCH) (see left), came to talk to Fed members at our meeting on 20th February 2017 about the need for community involvement in the WMCA. He said they are looking to establish community input into housing through a user group. He said the housing agenda is key and is about increasing homes to meet demand whether through ownership or to let. He said Engage WM has been set up to enable the community and voluntary sector to engage with the WMCA and Engage WM housing is a sub group set up to enable community and voluntary sector engagement on housing issues. He said there are also sub groups for economy, health and transport. He said there needs to be many more homes of all tenures built for the future. He said there are issues concerning affordability and security and said there is a growth in homelessness. He feels housing needs to be community led in order to be successful and said they are looking to develop projects on homelessness and community led housing if they can acquire some funding to do this. He said there is a wide range of possibilities to community led housing over different tenures and income levels. He said in England there is a 60m per annum Community Housing Fund leading to interest from many local authorities. He said he would like to see communities take greater control of the future of housing and said that it is up to tenants to push this agenda. Wolverhampton Homes Dates for the Get Togethers 6pm-8pm Thurs 6th July 2017 at Tarmac Road WV4 6JW 6pm-8pm Wed 12th July 2017 at Coven Lodge WV10 9AX 6pm-8pm Thurs 5th Oct 2017 at Tarmac Road WV4 6JW 6pm-8pm Wed 11th Oct 2017 at Coven Lodge WV10 9AX A chance to find out more about services and speak to the directors Page 2

3 Having a voice As. we told you in our last newsletter we have again obtained funding from Near Neighbours to carry out a project entitled Having a voice. The project took place between January and March 2017 and was based in the Dunstall / Whitmore Reans area of the City. Near Neighbours is a charity set up to bring people together who are neighbours in communities that are religiously and ethnically diverse, so that they can get to know each other better, build relationships of trust and collaborate together on initiatives that improve the local community that they live in. We have held 2 sessions that looked at capacity building and upskilling for tenants to have a voice and to influence the services that they receive and to improve the environment within which they live. We have looked at how to build and improve our confidence and to be more assertive through better communication. We are also looking to develop a small working party. The sessions took place on the 8th and 15th March 2017 at the TLC College, Dunstall Road. They gave an opportunity for tenants to come together to build positive relationships and to help become more active in the local community and to have a say over services. We were pleased to welcome Ruth Burgess from Near Neighbours to the session on the 8th March. Ruth is seen here below centre talking to attendees at the event. Page 3

4 Bringing communities together Under our lottery project Bringing communities together we have held a further 2 sessions that have been an opportunity to bring together new migrants and tenants within the City so that they may better understand the problems that each other face. These were held in January and February, and again they were held at the TLC College and were facilitated by Community Action and Training Services. At the sessions we looked at local services and the new migrants compared these to services in their homelands. Discussions focused on various services such as shopping facilities, health facilities, schools, transport, policing, and leisure facilities. People were from different backgrounds and countries so experiences of services did vary greatly. Everyone said that they had found the sessions interesting and said it was good to learn about services in other countries. Many felt that there is a good infrastructure over here that is not always the case in other countries. Participants were then asked to highlight the positives about Wolverhampton. These included parks, shopping centres and places of worship. However problems experienced were litter, drunken behaviour, anti-social behaviour, drug use, prostitution, fly tipping and speeding cars, although some people said that they were not aware of or had not experienced any problems in their areas. We then discussed some of the possible solutions and the importance of tackling issues together. The sessions also looked at requirements to becoming a British Citizen and to being an active citizen and to getting more involved. Attendees were asked if they would like to be involved as active citizens so that they could work collectively together to address problems. Most said that they would and said they would be keen to attend further sessions if they were available. New migrants said that they felt comfortable in the workshops and said they had enjoyed them. They also said that the sessions had helped them to improve their knowledge, their English and their confidence. They felt it was good to mix with different people and said that they wished to take a more positive role within their communities. Page 4

5 Active citizenship On 3rd March consultant, Janet Cash, (see right) talked to some people who had attended the Bringing communities together sessions to seek their views on them and to see how useful they had found them. (See focus group below). The feedback was very positive and attendees said that they had enjoyed the events and would like to attend more in the future. They said that the sessions had encouraged them to become more active in their communities. Council rents The Council has considered charging rent over 52 weeks instead of over 50 weeks from April. The yearly rent would not alter it would just be spread over the 52 weeks. However after consultation it has been decided to postpone this for the present. Wolverhampton Citizens Advice Wolverhampton CAB provides practical advice and assistance to people living in Wolverhampton on issues surrounding debt, employment, housing and benefits. It is based at :26, Snow Hill, Wolverhampton, WV2 4DA. It operates a helpline service that is open Monday to Friday 10am until 4pm. The helpline number is: Page 5

6 Benefit cuts for under 22s From the 1st April new applicants who are under 22 years of age will not be entitled to housing benefit. However this change will not apply to those with dependent children, care leavers, those in temporary accommodation or young people who have been working for the previous 6 months. An exemption will also apply if the Secretary of State judges it is inappropriate for individuals to live with their parents due to the threat of violence and for other reasons. Young people may therefore be faced with a difficult burden of having to prove they can t go home. If they can t satisfy this burden of proof they may be forced to sleep rough. Organisations presently offering housing to the most vulnerable under 22s may not be able to do so in the future. This cut in benefits seems odd at a time when the Government is supporting new laws and funds to prevent homelessness. Have you any outstanding issues that you haven t been able to get resolved at a local level? We meet with Wolverhampton Homes on a regular basis and we will be happy to flag up any issues that you, our members, have not been able to get resolved with officers at a local level. We have to stress that you must first try and resolve matters with your local housing officers, but if this has not been possible, please get in touch and we will see what we can do to help. We are also happy to act on behalf of Housing Association tenants in the same way. Contact Lal on or WFTA@live.co.uk Funding Groups looking for funding are advised to register with the Wolverhampton Voluntary Sector Council (WVSC). It has a funding data base and regularly issues notifications on current funding regimes. Their telephone no is We at the Federation are also happy to help and advise where we can. Contact Lal on or at WFTA@live.co.uk Facebook Page We now have a Facebook page where you can view our latest updates, and links to our website. If you use Facebook, why not like our page on pages/wolverhampton-federation-of- Tenants-Associations and tell us what you think. Page 6

7 Welfare reform The Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016 made provision for Child Tax Credit (CTC) and Universal Credit (UC) to be limited for families who have more than 2 children. However any family already getting CTC or UC with 3 children or more will have their award transitionally protected. However should the family have a further child born on or after 6th April 2017 then they will not receive any extra CTC (child element) or extra UC (child element), unless the child is exempt. Any transitional protection will be lost if the family were to cease claiming CTC or UC and there is a gap of more than 6 months before any new claim. Any family already getting CTC or UC that now has 2 children will not be affected unless they have a third child born on or after 6th April In this case they will not receive any extra CTC (child element) or extra UC (child element) for that child unless the child is exempt. Any new claimants for CTC that are families with 3 or more children will not receive any extra CTC payment for any child born on or after 6th April 2017 unless the child is exempt or they have transitional protection from an earlier claim. The exemptions are to be confirmed. Families in Wolverhampton are not likely to be able to claim UC until at least November Benefits advice Benefits advice is available from the Specialist Support: benefits Advice and Information Team. This team is part of the City of Wolverhampton Council s Welfare Rights Service. It provides benefits information and advice to organisations and groups providing services to people living in Wolverhampton. As part of its role the team provides specialist advice on benefit and welfare reform matters. If you wish to know more about the free training courses that the team are holding or need some advice: A&C.WRS@wolverhampton.gov.uk or telephone on Pensioners Convention Federation member, Graham Childs, has been elected chair of the pensioners convention in Wolverhampton and he is keen to encourage greater attendance. The group meet the last Friday of each month at the Civic Centre, St. Peter s Square. The group campaigns for a better quality of life. If you want to know more contact Eileen Ward-Birch, the secretary on: Telephone number or greywolves@hotmail.com or go to the website Page 7

8 WHAT S ON - dates for your diary These dates were correct at time of print but maybe subject to change 7th April 2017 at 9.30 am 10th April 2017 at 7.00 pm 15th May 2017 at 7 pm 9th June 2017 at 9.30 am 19th June 2017 at 7 pm Wolverhampton Homes Board Meeting The Board room, Hickman Avenue Federation Meeting Coven Lodge, Spring Valley Federation Annual General Meeting Coven Lodge, Spring Valley Wolverhampton Homes Board Meeting The Board room, Hickman Avenue Federation Meeting Coven Lodge, Spring Valley HELP DESK Do you have any particular problems on your estate or do you need any advice, support or practical help with running your tenants group or would you like help to set up a new group in your area or would you like to become a member of the Fed (we have group membership, individual membership and we have associate membership)...then contact the Federation at Ellerton House, Ellerton Walk Wolverhampton, WV10 0UG or telephone or WFTA@live.co.uk or for advice & information contact our web site at or go to our face book page The Federation receives funding from Wolverhampton City Council