Tenant Newsletter - May 2023

No single political group has control of Rugby Borough Council following the elections on 4 May.

Of the 42 seats on the council, the Conservative group now has 21, Labour has 12 and the Liberal Democrats nine.

At the annual meeting of Rugby Borough Council on Thursday 18 May, Cllr Derek Poole, leader of the Conservative group, was elected the new leader of the council, with responsibility for both the regulation and safety portfolio and the change and transformation portfolio:

Cllr Poole appointed the following councillors to the council's cabinet:

• Cllr Ian Picker, deputy leader of the council and portfolio holder for growth and investment
• Cllr Adam Daly, portfolio holder for leisure and wellbeing
• Cllr Carolyn Robbins, portfolio holder for finance, performance, legal and governance
• Cllr Carolyn Watson-Merret, portfolio holder for operations and traded services
• Cllr Tim Willis, portfolio holder for communities, homes, digital and communications

The next meeting of the Tenant Panel takes place next month at Hillmorton's Rogers Hall.

Panel meetings give you a great opportunity to talk to us about your homes, your communities and how we're delivering our services.

We want to know what you think and find out how we can work together to make a real difference.

The panel meets at Rogers Hall, in Deerings Road, from 12.30pm noon to 2pm.

If you want to join us, email your details to rbc.tenants@rugby.gov.uk, together with any questions you would like to ask us.

We look forward to seeing you.

Council tenants at independent living schemes across the borough celebrated the coronation of King Charles III earlier this month.

Tenants organised community coronation celebrations at Tanser Court, Mercer Court, Eliot Court, Robotham Court, Avon Court, Stacy Court, Hirst Close and Pettifer Crescent, coming together over the Coronation Weekend to enjoy scones, sandwiches, coffee and cake.

The celebrations also included music and bingo, while offering the opportunity to catch-up with neighbours and the schemes' independent living co-ordinators.

Over the Coronation Weekend, the Clock Tower in the town centre was a focal point of Rugby's coronation celebrations, with a coronation-themed display projected on to the iconic landmark.

On the day of the coronation, crowds gathered in Caldecott Park to watch the service at Westminster Abbey broadcast live on a giant screen and enjoy free entertainment for all the family.

The council's coronation celebrations were funded by the Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

We asked Marie Barlow some questions about her role at Rugby Borough Council.

So, Marie, what does your job involve?

I oversee the management of the Housing Services Team, which includes income management, tenancy support and our housing management function. In Rugby, we have both general needs and independent living tenancies. 

I also oversee the management of the council's Lifeline service, which covers Rugby’s independent living tenancies and some private residents. The council's control centre, which runs the Lifeline service, also takes out of hours calls for departments throughout the council and are part of our emergency response plans. 

My team also works closely with our Housing Advice and Benefits Team, the Property Repairs Service and the Assets Team.

What's the best part of your job?

I like seeing the difference we make to people's lives. My team provide a variety of support and services to our tenants. Helping people obtain accommodation and seeing this have a knock-on effect in their personal life in areas such as job prospects and healthy family lives is always rewarding.

And what about the worst part?

Sometimes it's not possible to give people what they want.

Can you let us know three achievements you'd like to accomplish in 2023?

• efficiencies in areas such as letting empty properties
• further success with our tenant involvement programme, building better relationships with our tenants
• increased transparency by publishing more information which is relevant to our tenants

What inspired you to take on the role of Housing Services Manager?

Twenty years ago, my first job in housing was working for Bristol City Council after I graduated from university.

When I joined, I worked in a housing office in a deprived area. I was on the front desk and dealt with all housing queries which came in - repairs, homelessness, housing allocations and benefits queries.

This gave me an overview of the sector and opened my eyes to a career in social housing.

What's your proudest achievement so far during your time working for the council?

I am extremely proud of the Housing Services Team who worked closely with the police in order to secure a closure order for one of our properties due to serious criminal activities.

This resulted in us being able to end the tenancy of the perpetrator.

I am also proud of the tenants who worked with us and the police to bring harmony to the local area.

 

Rugby has a number of community job clubs where you can receive support and guidance on finding work and claiming benefits.

The Benn Partnership Centre, in Railway Terrace, runs a job three days a week - from 10am to 1pm on Mondays and Fridays, and from 12 noon to 3pm on Thursdays.

You can take advantage of free computers and internet access, get help with writing your CV and job application forms, receive advice on preparing for job interviews, and get support with applications for Universal Credit.

Email info@bennpartnership.org.uk or call (01788) 553033 for more information.

The Hillmorton Hub runs at Rogers Hall, in Deerings Road, every Thursday from 9am to 12 noon.

The hub can help you complete job applications and writing a CV, offering one-to-one support and free access to a computer and the internet.

Email hillmortonjobclub@gmail.com or call 07711 240227 for more information.

Brownsover Buddy Club offers support to search for work, writing a CV and sharpening interview skills.

The club also has free use of computers and the internet, with help on offer to complete a range of online applications, including visas and passports.

The Buddy Club meets every Wednesday at Boughton Leigh Children and Family Centre, Wetherell Way, from 9.30am to 12 noon.

For more information, email brownsoverbc@gmail.com or call 07787 650086.

New Bilton Community Association hosts a weekly job club every Wednesday from 1pm to 5pm.

The club can help you search for a job, with free use of computers and internet access.

The club meets at the Quaker Meeting House, 28 Regent Place, in the town centre. 

For more information, join the New Bilton Community Association Facebook group.

Join our Facebook group and find out about what's happening in Rugby, together with the latest news from the council.

You can also let us know your thoughts about housing issues and chat with other council tenants from across the borough.

Visit www.facebook.com/groups/RBCtenants and send us a request to join the group.

We look forward to hearing from you on Facebook.

Passionate about museums and art? 

Rugby Art Gallery and Museum has a growing team of volunteers who bring experience, ideas and passion to the day-to-day running of the venue.

Volunteering can help you gain experience, make new friends and share your interests with like-minded people. Whether you can spare a little time, or a lot, you'll find a warm welcome at Rugby Art Gallery and Museum.

For more information, visit the Rugby Art Gallery and Museum website.

If you want to speak to us about your housing, please get in touch with us.

Your feedback allows us to address your concerns directly and gives us valuable information about how we deliver our services.

Whether it's a comment, compliment or complaint, we want to hear from you. You can call us on (01788) 533533 or simply complete an online form on our website.

Report a repair or issues with anti-social behaviour

If you want to contact us to report a repair required at your property or issues with anti-social behaviour from council tenants, please use the online forms on our website to ensure we can deal with your request efficiently and effectively.

Report a repair

Report anti-social behaviour

If you have an issue with your rent, please call us immediately (01788) 533533 so we can try to help. You can find more information about your rent on our website.

View more information about your rent

Housing Ombudsman

The council has signed up to the Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code, which aims to enable landlords to resolve complaints raised by tenants quickly.

Under the code, we have published a self-assessment which details how we deal with complaints.

If you make a complaint to us and do not agree with our response, you have the right to appeal. If you remain unhappy with how we have handled your complaint, you can contact the Housing Ombudsman.

The Housing Ombudsman website contains a range of information which you might find useful.

Visit the Housing Ombudsman website