Tenants praise open door approach
Tenants have praised the approach being taken by South Derbyshire District Council in getting their views on new fire doors for sheltered accommodation schemes.
Full involvement of the residents concerned is being ensured by Sharon Cole and Laurie Coombs, Community Engagement Officers from the Council’s Housing team and staff from the contractor Ventro who have been organising get-togethers in the schemes for residents to enjoy.
Discussions have already been held. A coffee morning was organised at Pear Tree Court in Etwall to which residents were invited along and given a chance to choose which doors they liked best and to ask questions.
At Coniston Court in Swadlincote a “pop-up” information session was set up in the car park; residents here have had their own doors replaced in recent years, the ones to be changed under the current programme are communal area and cupboard doors. SDDC and Ventro still thought it important to visit the scheme to let tenants know what will be happening.
No-one is being left out – in the case of residents who are bedbound, such as Ade Cox in Etwall, the team is arranging an appointment to visit them and discuss the works being done.
Mr Cox, 56, said: “I was really happy to have a choice of doors, I think it’s great. It’s everything opposite to the stereotypical idea of a council and tenant relationship. The popular idea is that nothing is ever done – but this is not the case with South Derbyshire District Council.”
Joan and Colin Burton, also resident at Pear Tree Court, said: “We thought it was really good that we got to meet the contractor and had a (front door) choice. The men doing the work are very polite, have answered all our questions and have treated us with respect. You don’t always get that when you are old folk.” The couple are pictured above discussing choices with Project Officer Phillip Omodeni.
The new front and communal area door installations are part of SDDC’s rolling fire safety works programme. As well as the doors the work also includes fire alarm replacement, fire safety surveys of flats and fire stopping works in roof spaces. The programme will take two years to compete.
Overseeing the project are Quantity Surveyor Jordan Knowles and Project Officer Phillip Omodeni, from SDDC’s Housing Improvements Team. While visiting tenants to explain why the Council is carrying out these fire safety improvements, Jordan and Phillip have also been explaining the steps tenants can take themselves to stay safe within their homes.
Commenting, Chair of SDDC’s Housing and Community Services committee, Cllr Andy Roberts, said: “It is good to hear that our approach is being well-received by our tenants.
“We recognise that we are going into people’s homes and we want to reassure them. Being able to choose their own doors lets our tenants know we do listen to them.”
The consultation events will remain a feature of the programme throughout its duration; in schemes where there is no communal lounge, as at Coniston Court, information points will be set up in their car parks.
17 September 2019