How we're helping
How we're helping
local people through the economic downturn...
Staying in your own
home
We're helping you....Enjoy more
of Staffordshire for Less...
When times are tough it’s those extras and
our leisure time activities that we look to cut back on!
Well that may not be the case any more thanks
to the ‘ENJOY STAFFORDSHIRE’ card, launched earlier this year by
Destination Staffordshire. FREE to sign up
to, the card is the great new way to take advantage of some
fantastic discounts, offers and promotions from some of
Staffordshire’s top attractions.
Helen and her family used their ENJOY card and
saved almost £20.00 on their entrance fee into Drayton Manor Theme
Park.
Helen, who has been using her Enjoy card
says…
|
‘The ENJOY card is a fantastic
idea and I would definitely recommend to everyone that they have
one in their purse or wallet.
The kids had a great day out and
because we saved money, it means we can do more in Staffordshire
with the money we saved.
I will definitely be using my
Enjoy Card again and enjoying the great things Staffordshire has to
offer.’
|
Apply for your Enjoy Card today!
We're helping you....to get off housing waiting lists and
into private rented homes...
The Council’s Rent Deposit Guarantee Scheme,
which was launched in April, is part of a series of new
credit-crunch busting measures designed to help those who are
struggling to get on the housing ladder by offering a guarantee to
local landlords to cover the usual cash deposit that private
landlords would expect when taking on new tenants. The scheme helps
give those people who would usually depend on social housing, quick
access to the private rented sector.
Since its launch the scheme has helped 9
residents access the private rented sector, the first of which was
Laura Sanderson, aged 24, from Cheslyn Hay.
Laura said:
| ‘'I think the scheme is a
really great idea. I had been looking to rent a flat for sometime,
and without it there is no way I would have been able
to find the deposit.” |
| Laura Sanderson, 24, from Cheslyn Hay |
When the scheme was launched it looked to help
single people and childless couples who are traditionally on the
housing register for lengthy periods. However, following numerous
enquires the decision was taken in June to expand the scheme to
incorporate local
families.
Find out more about...
Looking to rent a property and
are struggling to find the deposit.
A landlord who
would like to benefit from the
scheme.
We're helping you....reduce energy costs..
By offering advice and guidance on low cost measures and
general housekeeping makes saving energy and money easier. Power
meters and remote energy meters have been lent to community
buildings to help identify areas of high energy use.
A Smart meter installed at Coven Memorial Hall showed that an
air conditioning unit in the bar was using a massive amount of
electricity, but also that there was no thermostat fitted to it so
it was running 24/7.
The door to the cellar was draughty and didn’t fit properly
therefore the air they were cooling was escaping into areas they
were trying to heat. As a result both heating and cooling systems
were fighting against each other.
Three boilers currently serve the hall with
inadequate thermostats, for example one was located on an outside
wall in storage cupboard therefore the heating system was working
overtime as the other rooms were too warm, causing people to open
windows instead of turning the heating down. As a result they are
now looking at one system to serve all with help from the council
capital loan.
By understanding the energy use of your
building substantial savings can be made. However, the
biggest saving was made by switching their
energy supplier. By ringing around they are currently
saving over 30% of what they were paying before, saving in excess
of £2,000 per year!
We're helping you....to stay in your home..
A young
family in the village of Coven who were close to losing their home
have been given a last minute reprieve thanks to the housing team
at South Staffordshire Council.
The family, who have asked not to be named,
fell into financial difficulties after the parents separated and
the mother could no longer afford to keep up with the mortgage
repayments on her part time wage.
They contacted the Council’s housing team for
advice who helped the family apply for the government-backed
Mortgage Rescue Scheme. Mortgage rescue is a way of preventing home
owners losing their homes when they face mortgage
difficulties.
The family were referred to Orbit Housing
Association who have now bought the house from the family, making
the family assured tenants, meaning they can stay in their own
home.
Had the family not contacted the council for
help, they risked losing their home, being placed into temporary
accommodation and the children could have been moved from their
schools.
Now council bosses are calling on more
residents who are facing the threat of losing their home because of
mortgage repayment problems to contact them straight away to see
what help and support they could get.
Details of all the help and support can be
found on the council's website or by
contacting the Housing Operations Team on 01902
696000.
