Users of Worcester Community Trust’s community hubs are being asked for their views on plans to enhance and improve the sites.

Worcester Community Trust is a registered charity that runs six community hubs and architects have now been appointed to design several new skills and training spaces within some of those hubs with the aim of encouraging residents to access training opportunities within their local areas.

The project is being funded by Worcester City Council as part of its Towns Fund allocation. Worcester was awarded £19.6million from the Government’s Towns Fund which is helping to pay for several projects around the city that aim to deliver long-term economic and productivity growth, and support recovery from Covid.

Of that £19.6 million, £1.79million has been allotted towards improving Community Skills and Enterprise in the city, with £1.6million of that money being invested in Worcester Community Trust buildings.

This £1.6m funding will be used for the development of a new construction skills training centre, “Building Block II ” at The Green Hub in Dines Green as well as planned improvements at other hubs.

The charity’s aim is to provide training opportunities to residents within their local communities, focusing on areas where people may not have mainstream qualifications. Courses planned range from IT skills and customer services to training in construction skills including bricklaying, carpentry, plumbing and green tech trades such as solar and heat pump installation engineers.

As part of the same project, a £150,000 grant has been awarded to St Peter’s Village Hall Association to support construction of a new village hall that will include space for training courses for the local community, and a £50,000 grant has been awarded to the Fairfield Centre in Warndon, which is expanding its capacity to deliver hair and beauty skills training.

Helen Davis, Director of Skills & Training at Worcester Community Trust said “It is fantastic to be entering into the design phase for this project as we start to get a real feel for the impact this is going to have within the local community.

“We will shortly be holding online and face-to-face consultations with members of the public and Worcester Community Trust clients, to get their feedback on what barriers they are currently experiencing when trying to access skills & training opportunities. This will all be fed back into the designs, to ensure that the new spaces really work for members of our local community and support them in gaining new skills that will have a positive impact on their lives and families.” 

Affordable homes for refugees Oxford City Council is set to deliver a £2.3m programme providing affordable homes as part of a government scheme supporting Afghan and Ukrainian refugees. Next week, cabinet is expected to pave the way for the purchase of six properties by agreeing to join the Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF), a move that will unlock up to £1,108,620 in grant funding from the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC). Together with £1,221,700 in match funding from the housing revenue account (HRA), this will allow the council to buy five two-bed or three-bed homes for Ukrainian families and one home with four or more bedrooms for an Afghan family from a bridging hotel. All six will be council homes let at social rent.

The LAHF aims to support areas with housing pressures that have welcomed substantial numbers of refugees from Afghanistan and Ukraine. There are around 400 people living in Oxford as part of the Homes For Ukraine scheme alone and the council has also supported 47 families under national resettlement schemes, including Syria and Afghanistan. LAHF funding will help reduce pressure on a local housing market which is among the least affordable in the UK. It will also mitigate any impact on council services as existing sponsorship, family placement and bridging arrangements come to an end. As they will be council homes, purchase of the six properties will represent a long term investment for the council as well as helping it meet its goal of providing more affordable housing. The DLUHC has already agreed in principle to support purchase of the six homes. It will provide LAHF funding provided they have been bought or are sold subject to contract by November 2023.

Councillor Linda Smith, cabinet member for housing, said: “Oxford is a proud city of sanctuary and we’re committed to doing what we can to support refugees from Afghanistan and Ukraine. This scheme represents a good deal for the council, as government support plus our match funding will allow us to provide settled, affordable council homes for six families. The first tenancies will be awarded to refugee families. In the long term, once the initial tenancies end, the homes will become regular council homes available for us to let to people on our general needs housing register.”

Warwick District Council (WDC) along with architects Atkins Global will be holding further community engagement events on Saturday 11 and Thursday 16 March 2023, for local residents to find out more about the planned redevelopment of the school sites at Leyes Lane and Rouncil Lane, Kenilworth.

These events will be held at the current school sites, with the opportunity to discuss both schemes at either events.

• Leyes Lane School: Saturday 11 March, 9.30am – 12.30pm
• Rouncil Lane School: Thursday 16 March, 5pm – 8pm

Both sites, which are allocated for residential development within the Warwick District Council Local Plan (2011 – 2029), aim to provide high quality, sustainable, energy efficient homes, with a blended mix of 1, 2, 3 & 4 bed properties, including affordable and open market homes, that meet future housing need.

The event gives residents the chance to look at the proposals and gain an understanding of WDC’s aspirations for the sites. It also allows attendees to discuss the process involved for the redevelopment and provide thoughts and comments on both sites before any planning application is submitted.

Councillor Jan Matecki, Portfolio Holder for Housing, said: “This is another early opportunity for local residents to discuss the development of this part of Kenilworth with us, and help us be confident that the development is both sympathetic to the area and sustainable for future generations.”

Atkins Global added: “As Warwick District Council look to develop the former school sites, following completion of the new Kenilworth Secondary School at Southcrest Farm, we will ensure that the District has the right amount, quality and mix of housing to meet future needs by ensuring new housing development is in locations which enable sustainable lifestyles.”

Wakefield Council is hosting its first Net Zero summit as it continues its aim of reducing carbon emissions across the district, to help address the climate emergency.

‘Wakefield District Partnership For Net Zero’ will take place on 7 March at Tileyard North, Wakefield.

Around 100 people, representing a range of organisations and businesses are expected to attend. LNER, OE Electrics, Enfinium, Ardagh Glass and housebuilders, among them Barratt Homes, Redrow and pure Haus, will be there, along with community groups including Just Transition Wakefield and Wakefield Cycle Forum.

The Council has also announced it has signed the Yorkshire and Humber Climate Action Pledge, one of only a handful of councils to have done so.

Councillor Jack Hemingway, Cabinet Member for the Environment and Climate Change, said: “We are already seeing the effects of climate change and we have no time to waste.

“We have set ambitious carbon reduction targets, both for the Council and the district, and we know that to make progress we need to work together.

“I am delighted that this event will bring together businesses, charities and voluntary groups to share ideas, learn from each other and set out how we can work collaboratively on our shared path to net zero.”

Wakefield Council declared a climate emergency in 2019 and published its Climate Change Action Plan in 2020, which set a target of becoming a carbon neutral organisation by 2030 and helping the district reach the same goal by 2038.

The Council commissioned an expert report, Pathway To Net Zero, published in 2022, which sets out how the district can reach net zero. The report’s recommendations will be discussed at the summit, followed by targeted workshops focusing on specific sectors.

Organisations attending the event will be encouraged to sign the Yorkshire and Humber Climate Action Pledge, as the Council has done.

The pledge, developed by the Yorkshire and Humber Climate Commission, is the first regional pledge of its kind in the UK. The aim is to create a movement of organisations who recognise action needs to be taken, to protect the region from climate impacts and unlock the benefits of a green economy.

Those signing the pledge commit to action in four areas:

• Becoming climate resilient
• Reducing carbon emissions
• Enhancing nature and biodiversity
• Ensuring jobs are protected   

For more information visit www.wakefield.gov.uk/climate-change.

10 new energy-efficient Council houses, constructed by Morris Homes in partnership with the Council on Downing Gardens off Cinques Road, have just been completed. A total of 34 Council homes are being built as part of the development.

All have high levels of insulation to help residents keep energy bills as low as possible and reduce carbon emissions. Bicycle sheds are being provided for every home. The wider Morris Homes development includes a village green area and children’s play equipment – both located close to the new Council homes.

Of the first 10 new Council homes, six will be made available at affordable rent. This is where rent is capped at no more than 80% of the local market rate, including service charges where applicable. All six affordable rent homes are 2-bedroom houses.

The remaining four of the first tranche of Council homes on the site will be available on a shared ownership basis. There are two 2-bedroom homes and two 3-bedroom homes available.

Priority for the new affordable rented homes will be given to those people with a local connection to Gamlingay initially, followed in turn by those with a link to the villages of Hatley, Little Gransden and then Tadlow.

South Cambridgeshire District Council’s Lead Cabinet Member for Housing, Cllr John Batchelor, said: “It’s excellent to see the first of these new homes come forward in the lovely village of Gamlingay. This is just one of many areas in the district where we are working to provide more homes that are genuinely affordable to live-in. We successfully met our target of doubling the number of new Council homes built in South Cambridgeshire from 35 in 2019/20 to 70 in 2021/22. Our latest plan, part of our proposed budget and business plan for the year ahead, is to work towards 75 new energy-efficient Council homes coming forwards annually. Each one will provide a home for people with a local connection to South Cambridgeshire – helping them to stay close to where they have family and work.”

District Councillor for Gamlingay and Council Leader, Cllr Bridget Smith, added: “Having been to see the high quality of these new homes, I’m thrilled that they are now ready for people with a local connection to the area to move into. This is proof of how we are working to bring forward more homes that are energy efficient and genuinely affordable to live in. This is crucial at a time when we are all under pressure from the huge cost of energy. I’m looking forward to meeting the new residents and know that they will be very happy in our welcoming community.”

South Cambridgeshire District Council has a stock of around 5,600 Council homes. Anyone interested in the new Council homes in Gamlingay should visit www.home-link.org.uk for affordable rent properties. Those interested in the shared ownership properties should visit www.williamhbrown.co.uk and search for shared ownership properties in Gamlingay.

The Tandridge Together Community Fund, as part of Tandridge District Council, has awarded £27,795, in grants of up to £2,000 to local organisations to help fund initiatives, which will directly benefit the health and wellbeing of residents.

These grants will help a number of projects, such as:

• Supporting specialist training.
• Offering people with financial concerns access to confidential advice.
• Providing a specialist counsellor for people who breastfeed, a referral co-ordinator at a baby bank and a music therapy tutor.
• Supporting an internet cafe to help reduce digital exclusion in older people.
• A variety of workshops for students, adults and young adults with learning disabilities, disabilities and/or mental health challenges.
• Providing a variety of equipment and supplying hygiene essentials.
• Numerous projects encouraging residents to get more active and prevent social isolation.

These valuable grants are available each year thanks to the continued success of the Tandridge Together Lottery, asten pence from every £1 ticket is allocated to this fund. 50p of the ticket price also goes to the player’s chosen local good cause which is close to their heart with some organisations raising £1,500 in ticket sales alone.

Councillor Jackie Wren, Chair of the Community Services Committee, said: “We are absolutely delighted to fund nearly £28,000 in grants, which will help support the amazing and vital work carried out by our local voluntary and community organisations across the district.

We are grateful for the wonderful support the lottery receives from its players. It is such a great way to help good causes and be in with a chance to scoop a cash prize too.”

For more information about the Tandridge Together Community Fund visit www.tandridge.gov.uk/communityfund.

The local organisations awarded a grant are:

• 1^st Warlingham Scout Group
• Active Prospects Charity
• Bletchingley Skills Centre
• Bloomin’ Arts Limited
• Cafe Milk
• Citizens Advice
• College of St Barnabas
• Delight
• East Surrey Dial-a-Ride

• Head2Head Sensory Theatre
• Limpsfield Grange School
• Make a Scene
• Prospero Theatre
• Sight for Surrey
• Stripey Stork
• Tatsfield Not So Young Club
• The Hygiene Bank Godstone
• The Orpheus Centre
• The Woodhouse Centre
• YMCA East Surrey

Installation of defibrillators

The idea to install defibrillators at the ten schemes was suggested by residents, with Susanne Lynch and David Marsh, who live at Danemore in Tenterden and Askes Court in Singleton respectively, championing getting the lifesaving equipment installed. They raised the issue during one of the regular Dahlia Forums, held to give residents the opportunity to have their say on the running of the sites.

The lifesaving equipment has been installed by ABC Electrical Services, the direct labour arm of the authority, and training in how to use the kit has been offered to as many Dahlia residents who wish to get involved. The defibrillators have been fitted to an exterior wall close to the entrance of each scheme, to enable access by the local community.  

Instructions about accessing the equipment are printed on the unit, including a telephone number to call to obtain the access code for each defibrillator installed.

Responses of residents in Dahlia homes

“The training included a demonstration which gave me more confidence in using the equipment and I think it would be a good idea to have a refresher every year. If you have to use the defibrillator it comes with an audio guide on what to do and that’s also very useful,” said Susanne who has lived at Danemore for 22 years.

“There is a defibrillator at Singleton village hall but that’s a distance away. Having one available at Askes Court could make all the difference in a life or death situation,” said David, who has lived at Askes Court for nearly five years.

Tracey Kerly, Chief Executive of Ashford Borough Council said “This is a very important initiative which will save lives around the borough. I am delighted to see it being rolled out. In this case, our residents spoke, and we listened and acted.”

“Over the years, having a defibrillator in the community and work place has proved to be a life saver. It is said there is a 90% confidence of a successful recovery if a defibrillation is used within six minutes. The defibrillator at Danemore is a very welcome addition to the existing 10 defibrillator units located around the parish. These are managed by Tenterden Council and other local community organisations.”

Cllr John Crawford, Mayor of Tenterden

The move away from traditional housing

Ashford Borough Council is moving away from traditional sheltered housing provision, giving older residents more choice, flexibility and variety of independent living options. The Council is shaking up old-fashioned perceptions of sheltered housing and has adopted a new model of housing provision for older folk. As a result, a new brand has been created that sums up this fresh approach to independent living in the 21st century – Dahlia, which stands for Desirable Affordable Housing Linking Independence (and) Age.  

For more information about the Dahlia independent living schemes visit www.ashford.gov.uk

In October 2019, Ryedale District Council joined other bodies in declaring a climate change emergency. The District Council made a commitment to actions to help achieve net zero emissions across Ryedale by 2050.

Launched in 2021, round one of the Community and Environmental Grant Scheme saw six projects receiving funding, with £5,250 awarded in total. Projects in this round included improved roof insulation and LED lighting in village halls, the installation of an electric vehicle charging point for a community transport vehicle, rainwater collection and the retrofitting of parish streetlights to LED.

Now, as part it’s climate change commitment pledge, Ryedale District Council has opened the grant scheme for a second round, with hopes to encourage more community groups to reduce their own carbon consumption.

The maximum amount of grant assistance available is up to £2,000 per project and the organisations that can apply are community groups, or groups or organisations that work for the public benefit.

A total of £30,000 has been allocated to the scheme. Applications open from 23^rd  January 2023 and the deadline for submitting your application is 24^th February 2023. Decisions are expected by 10^th March 2023.

Applications can be made for assistance towards the following costs: –

• Energy efficiency assessments to baseline the current energy efficiency of a building and identify measures to reduce energy consumption and improve efficiency.

• Electricity generation and installation of solar panels (and/or battery storage) or heat pumps.
• Adaptation of premises to reduce consumption of gas, electricity or water such as, but not limited to, insulation, temperature control timers, double glazing / secondary glazing, LED lighting or rain water reuse.
• Equipment that will help to improve efficiency/reduce carbon consumption.

Phillip Spurr, Programme Director of Place and Resources for Ryedale District Council said:

“Ryedale District Council is thrilled to be able to open the Community Environmental Grant Scheme for a second round and feel it’s another great step in the right direction for talking climate change action in Ryedale.

We strongly encourage applications from community groups or groups working for the public benefit and we hope that together we can help to reduce Ryedale’s carbon consumption”.

“The impact of climate change is very real, with record temperatures recorded in many countries at the start of this year and Worcester’s highest ever temperature recorded last summer,” said Cllr Karen Lewing, vice chair of Worcester City Council’s Environment Committee.

“Our combined efforts are making a difference, with CO2 emissions per person in Worcester reduced by over 50% since 2005.  I encourage everyone in the city to pledge positive action in 2023.  Applying for an environmental community grant from the City Council will help your community group or school to do just this.”

Applications are invited to support initiatives which will reduce carbon emissions, improve resilience to climate change, reduce waste, benefit the natural environment or raise awareness about environmental issues.

Christopher Whitehead Language College, eight Worcester primary schools, the RSPB, St. Wulfstan’s Church, St. Paul’s Hostel and the Oasis Warndon Community Hub were among organisations to successfully apply for the grant in 2022.

The funding helped to plant more fruit trees and vegetables, improve recycling facilities, protect bees and build bird, bat, insect and hedgehog houses, amongst other actions.

For full details and apply, go to www.worcester.gov.uk/community-centres-development/environmental-community-grant

Housing professionals at the five local authorities in east Kent recently convened and agreed to find new ways of working together across district boundaries to help boost the numbers of new homes for the thousands of people who are on council waiting lists across the region.

The group formed in the summer of 2022, following a tour by senior officers and councillors of some recently delivered new-build affordable housing projects in Ashford.

The group’s collective goals are to:

• accelerate delivery of affordable housing, particularly affordable and social rent homes, across east Kent
• consider the challenges facing housing viability, such as decarbonisation, new legislative requirements etc
• innovate to provide solutions to streamline development delivery, such as increased buying power and collaborating across borough boundaries
• undertake a skills audit to be able to pool resources and identify specialisms
• seek to expand the number of affordable rent homes delivered and consider First Homes
• to maximise opportunities to attract funding into housing in east Kent
• building energy efficient homes for life for the wellbeing of the occupants.

To kick-start its work, the group applied for funds from the Local Government Association Housing Advisers 2022/23 Programme and, despite it attracting a large number of bids that could have used the money three times over, were successful in being awarded £20,000.

Ashford Borough Council applied for the funding on behalf of the group, which is made up of senior housing officers working for Ashford plus Canterbury City Council, Dover District Council, Folkestone & Hythe District Council and Thanet District Council.

In awarding the funds, the LGA was endorsing the group’s objective of seeking expert advice to enable authorities across east Kent to work together more collectively to understand how they can jointly buy, jointly commission, share expertise and skillsets and explore the avenues that may be available to them to deliver more affordable housing as a collective with greater buying power, potentially leading to a strategic partnership status bid.

Hundreds of new-build homes planned

Currently Ashford Borough Council has a delivery target within its Housing Revenue Account Business Plan of achieving 50 new-build homes per annum. Folkestone has ambitious plans for 80 homes per annum, while Dover has ambitions to deliver an initial programme of 500 new council homes as soon as possible, having delivered 115 with 75 in the pipeline. Thanet’s HRA Business Plan sets out a commitment to develop 30 homes per annum for the next 10 years.

The group’s aim through collective working would be to be able to increase these delivery targets by 25% per annum.

“Smarter working”

Ashford Borough Council Chief Executive Tracey Kerly praised the ambition of the east Kent housing officers to boost the building of more social housing across the region.

“We strongly support this approach to collaboration to accelerate housing delivery. Smarter working is paramount in 2023 and with this coalition of the willing we want to deliver more affordable housing across east Kent,” said Tracey, who also holds senior positions with county-wide organisations like Kent County Council and the Kent Housing Group.

North West Leicestershire District Council (NWLDC) installed a collection of trees in Coalville Park to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022. Now, only three months after the monarch’s passing, the tress and memorial plaque have been destroyed.

The carefully chosen trees were planted in May as part of work to commemorate Her Majesty’s 70 year reign and enhance the North-Eastern corner of the park.

Following the vandalism NWLDC has cleared the damage, installed extra security cameras and reported the incident to the police.

More than eight trees, planters and benches in Coalville Park have been damaged or stolen in 2023, costing NWLDC more than £1,200 in repairs, along with the need for a new memorial plaque for the Platinum Jubilee.

Councillor Andrew Woodman, NWLDC Portfolio Holder for Community Services, said: “This abhorrent act of vandalism has devastated our parks team who worked hard to install the trees and create a lasting memorial to commemorate the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

“We know residents really appreciate our efforts to create more green spaces to enjoy, and they too are distressed to see tax payers’ money wasted when planting is ruined.

“If anyone has any information about these mindless acts we would encourage them to speak with Leicestershire Police, quoting the crime numbers 43354-22-3333-00 and 22000739982.”

The City Council will use part of the £190,000 Household Support Fund cash it has received from the Government to pay for the vouchers. Separately, vouchers for school-age children are being provided by Worcestershire County Council.

The City Council will also use money from the Fund to back a range of other initiatives that will help people through the cost-of-living crisis, including a major donation to the city’s Foodbank and assistance to help people on low incomes with their energy bills.

Councillor Stephen Hodgson, Vice Chair of the City Council’s Health and Wellbeing Committee, said:

“The rising costs of living mean that many people will not be able to enjoy the Christmas they wanted, so I am very pleased that the City Council has been able to step in and offer this support.”

The Council will use £25,000 of the £189,089 it has received from the Fund to pay for the children’s meal vouchers.

For qualifying children aged 16-18, the vouchers will be provided through their college or high school. Parents should contact the college or high school with any queries.

Parents of qualifying pre-school children should talk to nursery staff about the scheme and ask them to contact the City Council. Residents whose children don’t use a nursery or who have previously claimed meal vouchers through a health visitor should contact Worcester City Council at community@worcester.gov.uk or 01905 722233.

The City Council will donate £50,000 to Worcester Foodbank to enable them to bulk-buy food and essentials up to March next year, for distribution to city families who may not otherwise be able to put food on the table.

A further £50,000 will be used to boost the City Council’s existing Discretionary Welfare Assistance Scheme, which supports vulnerable low-income Worcester households in crisis who need help with the cost of food, energy or white goods. This will help meet an increased demand on the scheme.

Help will also be provided to households in private rented accommodation who are at risk of becoming homeless because of problems paying their rent or other issues. £30,000 has been set aside to provide grants to landlords and help families stay in their rented homes.

A £25,000 crisis fund is also set to be established, to pay for emergency support for people who need immediate assistance. This will be provided by the City Council’s partner agencies, including Onside Advocacy, Worcester Community Trust, Age UK Worcester and District, Worcester Citizens’ Advice Bureau (CAB) and Maggs Day Centre, with a further £5,000 set aside to help the charities administer this fund.

Finally, just over £4,000 is to be used for a targeted multi-media campaign to raise awareness of the support that is available for city residents who are most in need.