Our Services

• Rent
• Tenancy Services
• Getting Involved
  • Our decision making structure
  • Tenants Council
  • Area Contract Panels
  • Tenant & Resident Associations
  • The Estate Stakeholder Scheme
  • Community Facilitator
  • Resident Involvement Register
  • The Tenants Resource Centre
  • Connect Newsletter
  • Tenants Compact 2010 - 2013
  • Funding Opportunities
  • Useful Links
  • Major Repairs Allowance
• Leaseholder Services
• Antisocial Behaviour
• Decent Homes
• Repairs

Useful Links

This web page has been designed to help residents finding a selection of useful websites.  Links are provided for information and convenience only.  We cannot accept responsibility for the sites linked to, or the information found there.  A link does not imply an endorsement of a site; likewise, not linking to a particular site does not imply lack of endorsement.

 

Without any particular order these main titles and sub titles are:

Voluntary Organisations

• London Voluntary Service Council (LVSC)
• Voluntary Action
• London Development Agency (LDA)
• London Councils
• The Big Lottery Fund
• The City Bridge Trust
• National Federation of ALMO’s
• Tenant Participation Advisory Services (TPAS)
• HouseMark

 

Local Authority

• London Borough of Waltham Forest (LBWF)

 

Local Government

• Community Council
• Safer Neighbourhood Teams
• Tenants Council
• Local Government Improvement and Development
• Audit Commission

 

 

VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS

 

LondonVoluntary Service Council (LVSC)

LVSC brings London voluntary and community sector organisations together to learn and share best practice and to create a co-ordinated voice to influence policy makers.  They provide policy briefings, up-to-date information on management and funding, advice and support for voluntary and community groups, topical e-bulletins and short courses for those working in the sector.

To find out more about LVSC click www.lvsc.org.uk

 

Voluntary Action

Below is the link for Voluntary Action Waltham Forest, which offers information and advice to voluntary and community sector organisations. Click on the link to visit their website www.voluntaryaction-wf.org.uk

 

London Development Agency (LDA)

As a functional body of the Greater London Authority (GLA), they support and implement the Mayor's priorities for the capital’s economic development at a regional level, working across local boundaries to get the best results for London as a whole.

They work with the Mayor to develop his strategy for London's sustainable economic development and deliver the Mayor's priorities for London and the Government's priorities for the Regional Development Agencies.

The LDA works to deliver the Mayor''s vision for London to be a sustainable world city with strong, long-term economic growth, social inclusion and active environmental improvement. This vision focuses on six key areas:

• Getting London working
• Supporting London's businesses
• Building better places in London
• Investing in London's low carbon future
• Getting the most from the 2012 Games
• Promoting London to the world

Log on to LDA for further information www.lda.gov.uk

 

LondonCouncils

London Councils is committed to fighting for more resources for the capital and getting the best possible deal for London’s 33 local authorities.

Much of their work consists of lobbying the government and others on behalf of their member councils, not just for a fair share of resources, but also to protect and enhance council powers to enable them to do the best possible job for their residents and local businesses.

They develop policy and do all they can to help our boroughs improve the services they deliver.

They run a range of housing, consumer protection and other services and distribute nearly £28 million in grants each year to voluntary groups in London.

See their website on how you can apply for funding www.londoncouncils.gov.uk

 

The Big Lottery Fund

The Big Lottery Fund (BIG) is responsible for delivering around half of all funds raised for good causes (14 pence of every pound spent on a Lottery Ticket) by The National Lottery.

Since June 2004, BIG has awarded over £3.6bn to projects supporting health, education, environment and charitable purposes. Most of their funding is awarded to voluntary and community sector organisations.

They deliver funding throughout the UK, mostly through programmes tailored specifically to the needs of communities in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland as well as some programmes that cover the whole UK.

To apply for The Big Lottery Funding log on to www.biglotteryfund.org.uk

 

The City Bridge Trust

The City Bridge Trust makes grants of £15 million a year to charitable projects benefiting the inhabitants of Greater London. Since they began grant-making in 1995, they have awarded over 6,000 grants totalling £240 million.

They fund third sector organisations, usually registered charities, and we can only fund charitable activity.

The grants must benefit people who live in greater London and we only fund organisations; we do not fund individuals.

For further details of eligibility can be found on their website www.bridgehousegrants.org.uk

 

National Federation of ALMO’s

The National Federation of ALMOs Ltd (NFA) is the trade body representing 69 members. The NFA represents the interests of its members at national level. In addition to lobbying and negotiating with central government on behalf of its members the NFA runs a website, organises events and regional meetings for its members and provides advice and briefings.

Some of the NFA’s core values are:

• Members of the NFA aspire to provide excellent, value for money and customer-led housing services for residents in partnership with their local councils.
• Members will seek to develop innovation and continuous improvement in providing, managing and maintaining affordable homes in sustainable neighbourhoods.
• Members will be open and accountable organisations that actively promote equality and social cohesion.
• Members will remain rooted in their local community and will work in  partnership with others to help deliver locally determined priorities.
• Members will share good practice and help support other members of the NFA.

To find out more about what the NFA does, log on to www.almos.org.uk

 

Tenant Participation Advisory Services (TPAS)

TPAS acts as the vital hub between tenants, landlords and Government helping create successful relationships.

 

By informing tenants how to challenge, influence and control how their housing services are delivered, they can improve tenants’ quality of life and help landlords operate more effectively and efficiently.  This is done by successfully joining up government policy with front-line service delivery and tenants’ groups.

Through our training, consultancy and events services, our members are given access to invaluable information and research, on-site involvement support and training, opportunities to share knowledge with key sector professionals, and the chance to shape future government housing policy.

You can join TPAS today and see for yourself what a difference they can make to your community www.tpas.org.uk

 

HouseMark

HouseMark is a membership-based organisation helping the social housing sector to improve performance and achieve value for money. They also offer housing consultancy.

Their member services include:

• Good practice
• Benchmarking
• Performance Indicator tracking
• Local offers tracking
• Performance improvement clubs
• Housing news
• Forums

For further information see www.housemark.co.uk

 

LOCAL AUTHORITY

 

LondonBorough of Waltham Forest (LBWF)

Your landlord LBWF provides a website available to all its residents.  Here you can find a list of Council services provided and up to date news.

Various points can be made such as:

• Online payments can be made to pay your bills such as Council tax and rent
• Applying for housing benefit, Council tax benefit
• Have your say on consultations, compliments and complaints
• Report fly tipping, noise pollution and street problems

To get up to date information log on to www.lbwf.gov.uk

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

 

Community Councils

The Community Council gives you the opportunity to:

• Raise local issues and concerns with your ward councillors and Council representatives to find solutions
• Meet representatives of Ascham Homes and Safer Neighbourhood Teams, in an informal setting to talk about matters affecting the local area
• Make suggestions to improve your neighbourhood and hear about the latest developments happening in your area

Each Community Council meets four times per year in a public venue and the meetings are open to everyone who lives or works in the borough.  All venues have disabled access and hearing loop.  If you would like to attend they can help you with childcare or British Sign Language.

Meeting minutes of these meetings and the forthcoming meetings can be found on www.walthamforest.gov.uk/index/council/community-councils.htm

 

Safer Neighbourhood Teams

The officers on the Safer Neighbourhoods team spend most of their time out on patrol in your neighbourhood, meeting the community and identifying and dealing with those crimes and issues you have told us that causes you most concern. Experience suggests these are most likely to be quality-of-life issues, such as anti-social behaviour, criminal damage, abandoned cars and graffiti.  Therefore, the teams adjust its shift pattern to address these priority issues.

If your call is not answered, please do leave a message on the answer phone or send them an email. A member of the team will get back to you.

In an emergency you should dial 999, for all other non-urgent calls to the Metropolitan Police Service, please dial 0300 123 1212.

To report a non-urgent crime online and to see related links please log on to www.met.police.uk/teams/walthamforest

 

Tenants Council

The Tenants Council’s responsibility is to represent the views of Waltham Forest Council’s residents.  At this forum they liaise and consult its tenants and leaseholders.

It acts as a link between local area housing forums and the council executive and advises them both on borough-wide matters that affect tenants.

The Tenants Council meets six weekly and performs a scrutiny role of the services provided by the Waltham Forest Council and Ascham Homes.

To find out more about Tenants Council click on the link www.aschamhomes.org.uk/our_services/getting_involved/tenants_council.aspx

You can download and print the meeting minutes at the following website

www1.walthamforest.gov.uk/moderngov/ieListMeetings.aspx?CId=302&Year=2010

 

Local Government Improvement and Development

LG Improvement and Development (formerly the IDeA) supports improvement and innovation in local government, focusing on the issues that are important to councils and using tried and tested ways of working.

They work with councils in developing good practice, supporting them in their partnerships.  This is done through networks, online communities of practice and web resources, and through the support and challenge provided by councillor and officer peers.

They also help develop councillors in key positions through our leadership programmes.

Useful documents and guides can be downloaded from www.idea.gov.uk

 

Audit Commission

Audit Commission is an independent watchdog, driving economy, efficiency and effectiveness in local public services to deliver better outcomes for everyone.

They work across local government, health, housing, community safety and fire and rescue services means that they have a unique perspective.  They promote value for money for taxpayers, auditing the £200 billion spent by 11,000 local public bodies.

The main work areas are; Auditing, Assessing, Re-searching and Data-matching.

To find out more about Audit Commission and what they do log on to www.audit-commission.gov.uk

A link has also been provided telling you how Ascham Homes has performed in their last inspection

http://www.audit-commission.gov.uk/housing/inspection/ALMO/reports/%20Pages/walhamforestaschamhomesalmo20may2010.aspx

 

 

 

 

Back to top