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Phyldon Close

Housing for older people with some special design features and good facilities

Who is it for?

People over the age of 60 wanting to rent. .

Property details

Phyldon Close consists of 54 one bedroom and 5 two bedroom flats in two-storey blocks. All the flats have external access. All 54 one-bedroom flats are large enough for couples. Phyldon Close has a Concessionary TV licence and many residents have NTL/now Virgin Media Box (which they put in at their own expense).

Flats are a reasonable size and each flat has 2 very large cupboards and a cupboard with the hot pipes going down the inside, ideal for an airing cupboard. Each flat is fitted with a speech module + pull cord in the bathroom and residents have the opportunity of having a pendant, which can be worn around the neck or wrist in case of an emergency. The speech equipment has just been updated and emergency calls are now answered much quicker than the old system.

Phyldon Close is owned by the Borough of Poole and managed by Poole Housing Partnership, (PHP) the Council's Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO). PHP manages all the Council's homes and is based in Poole.

Where is it?

Phyldon Close is located in a cul-de-sac off Phyldon Road at the bottom of Uppleby Road, in the centre of Parkstone. There are two GP surgeries relatively close by, half a mile and one and half miles approximately. There is a very good array of shops ranging from supermarkets, clothes shops, bakers, estate agents, chemists, pet shop, etc. about half a mile away. There is a short cut from Phyldon Close to Uppleby Road via an alley way. The alley way is fairly steep. No buses run up or down Phyldon Close, the nearest bus stop is on the Ashley Road some 800 meters away.

What is it for?

It aims to give people good housing and that little bit of support so they can carry on living independently. The Sheltered Housing Officer is available on site during normal working hours Monday to Friday. A large part of the Sheltered Housing Officer's job is to support residents.

Right to occupy

People living in Phyldon Close have a legal agreement to live there and details are set out in Secure Tenancy Agreement between them and PHP.

How to get it?

Anyone wishing to apply to rent a flat at Phyldon Close sheltered scheme must be over 60 years and on the Borough of Poole Housing Register, even if they already live in Council accommodation. The Borough of Poole operates a Choice-based lettings Scheme called Homechoice. When a flat becomes vacant it is advertised and applicants can 'bid' for the property. For more information on how to apply or what properties are on offer on Homechoice log onto www.boroughofpoole.com or telephone 01202 633805 or call into the Civic Centre in Poole.

What is provided?

Facilities

There is a communal lounge and kitchen that all tenants can use if they want to have more space for parties. At present the residents have coffee mornings, fund raising events, parties, get-togethers, bingo, darts, and a Friday lunch. There is also a PC with internet access for residents to use free of charge. There is also a communal kitchen, toilet, car parking and a Sheltered Housing Officer on scheme. PHP have provided water butts and composters for residents use. There are communal gardens on scheme, and some residents take an active role in gardening. Some flats have their own piece of garden, which they maintain, or if they need assistance there are residents who help on the scheme. There is also a mobile library that visits the scheme every 4 weeks.

Services

Phyldon Close has three main services. They are:

  1. A support service provided by sheltered housing staff (the Sheltered Housing Officer) – this is to help people get information, give help with welfare benefits and point people in the right direction for other services. Sheltered housing staff does not provide personal care.
  2. A community alarm service. When sheltered housing staff are not available residents are able to get help by using the community alarm service. Every flat has an intercom and pull cords and there are also pull cords around the building. If someone uses this equipment the staff at the community alarm service know help is needed and they will send it quickly. On site sheltered housing staff also use the intercom to call everyone each day to see how they are.
  3. A management and repairs service. Sheltered housing staff will contact PHP if any repairs need to be done. PHP will arrange for contractors to come out to do the repairs.

Standards

There are standards covering all of the services that are provided at Phyldon Close and people who live there have copies of the standards they can expect.

PHP is always keen to make sure that work is done to good standards.

Relationship with the local community

Phyldon Close is part of the local community and people living there take part in activities in the local area. The building is not open for regular use by the local community although social events are regularly held at Phyldon Close and local people might be invited to attend. Phyldon Close holds bingo sessions twice a week and people in the local community as well as residents/s attend these.

Staffing and expertise

The Sheltered Housing Officer is trained to help people access other services such as benefits and first aid training.

Complaints and other matters

Anyone living at Phyldon Close can expect to be treated with courtesy at all times. Everyone moving into Poole Town is given a handbook that explains what they should do if they are not happy with a service. Complaints are taken seriously and staff aim to put matters right if possible.

Costs to you

Service charge per week (for the extra services provided on sheltered schemes)

Support charge per week (for the housing relates support from the sheltered staff and Control Centre)

Communal heating charge will vary from scheme to scheme.

Many people who are on low incomes qualify for Housing Benefit to cover all or some of the rent. Some people also get almost all of their service and support costs met. Our staff can help work out what people would pay before they move.

Value for money

Comments from Residents living at Phyldon Close

Our charges compare well with rents and charges for similar housing for older people in Poole.

'I love having my own front door'. 'I like the way that each flat has a grass area to look out onto'. 'The grounds are kept nice and tidy'. 'It's nice to have a communal lounge to come to coffee mornings, bingo and various social functions'.

Want to know more?

Please contact Mara Goodenough, Sheltered Housing Officer at Phyldon Close on 01202 721336 or email m.goodenough@poole.gov.uk