Risca Facility Re-Opens For Local Residents

A facility at Holly Road, Risca has recently been re-opened to offer housing-related support services to local residents. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The office at 51 Holly Road flats has been re-opened to provide support to the local community in a number of areas including assistance with benefits, help for those suffering with mental health issues and housing advice. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Burhan Uddin and Michael Spencer-Jenkins are the officers providing these services; they are based at the Holly Road office three days a week. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Burhan is a Tenancy Support Case Worker for Gofal whose role is funded by the Supporting People team in the Caerphilly county borough to help clients in Holly Road and surrounding areas. The support provided by Burhan is wide ranging and could involve anything from supporting clients to access additional services to helping them with their benefit claims. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Michael is Estate Management Officer with Caerphilly County Borough Council and is responsible for managing the council owned homes in the area. Michael’s role is to resolve tenancy related issues and to improve the local area, through talking to residents and regularly looking around the estate. Tenants can visit Michael in the Holly Road office for help and advice on housing issues, including reporting low level anti-social behaviour. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Michael can also signpost tenants if they are experiencing other difficulties, such as problems paying their rent. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In the four months that Burhan and Michael have been based at the Holly Road office they have given support, assistance or advice to 76 people. Since the office re-opened there has been a decrease in the number of anti-social behaviour cases reported, a reduction in the number of empty homes and an increase in tenancies sustained, as more people are being supported to remain in their homes. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr David Poole, the council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing, said “The council recognises that some people will need additional support to help them sustain their tenancies and the approach being taken in Holly Road aims to tailor that support to meet the needs of the individual. By basing officers in the community, it is much easier for local people to access the services and support they need. It has also helped build relationships between officers and the local community as they are now much more visible on the estate.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The office at 51 Holly Road flats, Ty-Sign, Risca is open to the public from 10am – 4pm every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and residents are encouraged to call in to visit Burhan and Michael. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​