Council’s sheltered housing up for national gong

The authority’s sheltered housing team of 14 staff, which provides support to more than 400 tenants, has been shortlisted after submitting an award entry earlier this year.

In entering the award, the team outlined how they deliver services to tenants across eight sheltered housing schemes to help them stay happy, healthy and safe.

Each scheme has its own dedicated member of staff who spends quality time on site to deliver wellbeing services to boost independence and tackle issues of isolation and loneliness.

Staff organise regular activities and events to help create a community within each scheme, with many tenants taking part in regular reading, gardening and exercise groups, craft sessions and lunch clubs.

As well as providing services to tenants, the council has also been working to upgrade living standards.

It has recently completed a multi-million pound renovation of Woodhouse Court and Jack Newell Court where each apartment has been made bigger and has had a new bathroom and kitchen installed.

Through better use of space an extra 15 apartments have been added across the two schemes. Communal kitchens were also enlarged, the communal lounges redesigned, and a wellbeing room included.

Due to the scale of the projects, the team successfully supported tenants to move into temporary accommodation while work was carried out and they made it a priority to keep tenants informed along the way. They also supported the move back to their renovated home.

Councillor Ian Bevan, cabinet member for housing and communities, said:

Being shortlisted as the best landlord for older people is an achievement and one, we are incredibly proud of.

Our sheltered housing schemes support tenants from the age of 55 to live independently and to be socially active. We have such positive feedback from our tenants about their experience, which is a reflection on the work of all the staff and the quality of our homes.

This isn’t the first time our schemes have been up for an award. The renovation of Margaret Vine and Holloway Courts also won a national award a few years ago. Let’s hope we maintain our winning streak when the winners of the UK housing awards are announced later this year.

In addition to grant funding from Homes England, the council also invested in the project, funded through the Housing Revenue Account capital programme.