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At our recent AGM at the end of 2018, Helen Kessell decided to step down as Chair after a spell of 5 years.  Helen and the Board have witnessed many changes during her time in charge of Care and Repair and have faced many challenges including ever tightening funding and budgets, personnel and management changes, introduction of the new HSCP and integrated service requirements, technology integration and introduction of new services and much more.  The Board thanked Helen for her time, direction and guidance provided during her time as Chair.  Helen will remain as a Board member ensuring that her experience and knowledge continues to benefit the Board and Care And Repair.   

At our January 2019 meeting Tony Davey BEM, new Chair of Care And Repair, presented Helen with a lovely bouquet of flowers on behalf of the Board.

Linda Meiklejohn, our Care and Repair Officer for Helensburgh and Lomond retired at the end of December 2018.  Linda had been with Care and Repair for 17 years so her knowledge, skills and experience will be sorely missed, but we wish her a long and well deserved retirement.

George Gall, who has been taking care of major adaptions projects for the Bute and Cowal area will now be taking over Linda’s area.  George is very experienced, resides in Helensburgh and is familiar with local services, OT’s and Council Housing Information Officers.  

There will be some time for George to become familiar with all of Linda’s casework but we hope this will not interrupt or delay the service to our clients in Helensburgh and Lomond area. 

George can be contacted through the Oban office on 01631 567780. 

Les Kinvig has started with Care and Repair as our new Project Officer dealing with the Scottish Governments Equity Release pilot scheme for Argyll and Bute.  Les takes over from George Gall who has done a great job getting this program off the ground and now returns to his Care and Repair Officer duties dealing with major disability adaptations for our clients. 

Argyll & Bute Care and Repair entered into a partnership with the Energy Savings Trust to pilot ‘Help for Homes’ – an equity release funded home improvement and energy efficiency service.

The Home Energy Efficiency Programmes for Scotland: Equity Loans scheme (HEEPS: Equity Loans) provides equity loans of up to £40,000 towards the capital cost of installing eligible energy efficiency measures and essential repairs for owner occupiers and smaller private sector landlords. The pilot project, was launched in three Care and Repair areas including Argyll and Bute and offers assistance through the process by Care and Repair from application to completion of works for applicants who would benefit from support through the process.

For more information

Les can be contacted at lkinvig@abcarerepair,co,uk or on 07880 234580 if you would like any further details or to arrange a visit.

Alternatively please contact our Oban office on 01631 567780 and we will have Les contact you.

Our Board Minutes are now available – if you would like a copy, please e-mail: enquiries@abcarerepair.co.uk 

Supporting our Housing Support Officer throughout the Helensburgh and Lomond area, although you may also be required to assist in Dunoon, Cowal and Bute if required. Main responsibilities will be to:

• Carry out routine minor repairs of a safety and security nature in clients’ houses
• Carry out private small repairs in clients’ houses where a charge will be made
• Provide advice and assistance to clients to enable them to remain in their own homes
• Assist HSO with other referrals such as Telecare and Occupational Therapy minor adaptations work when required.

The successfull person will need to have good general handyman skills and/or a trade background (joinery preferred) to carry out fitting and installation of a variety of safety and security devices from light bulb changes, battery replacements in alarms and detectors, changing fuses, fitting door and window locks & thresholds – These are carried out free of charge on referral to us from our Council, NHS and Social Care partners or can be self-referred.

Also carrying out our private small repairs work – basic small plumbing, joinery and electrical repairs including fitting of shelving, assembly of flat pack furniture, tap washer changes, small paint and tiling jobs, etc. There is a small hourly charge for this service.

35 hrs per week Mon to Friday.

A company work vehicle and tools will be supplied, therefore a current clean driving licence is essential.

A PVG check and references will be requested for the successful applicant.

This is a temporary position, funded for 6 months but may be extended or made permanent depending on outcomes and further funding.

Salary between £17,500 and £19, 500 depending on skills, qualifications and experience.

CV’s can be submitted to enquiries@abcarerepair.co.uk but a company application form will have to be completed prior to interview.

Closing date for applications is Friday 4th August at 5.00pm.

For a Job Description and Person Specification please contact our Oban office on 01631 567780 or to discuss the role in more detail call Steve Clarkson, Care and Repair Manager on 07786 175017.

We are an Equal Opportunities Employer.

Argyll and Bute Care and Repair will be piloting the Scottish Governments new HEEPS: Equity Loan programme.  This commences on 4th January 2017.

Homeowners and private sector landlords in the Argyll and Bute council area can now take advantage of this Scottish Government equity loan, which is supported by the Energy Saving Trust, to help fund energy efficiency improvements and/or associated repairs to their property.

An equity loan allows you to borrow against the value of your home (if there is enough equity available in the property). These loans do not require monthly repayments and repayment of the loan will only take place when the property is sold A cap is in place (currently 2.5% per annum) to ensure applicants who see a sharp rise in their property value will not be unfairly penalised. The maximum loan value is £40,000 but cannot be more than 50% of the property’s estimated market value.  The homeowner must also retain a minimum of 30% equity in the property. 

The scheme is only available to homeowners or private sector landlords with properties in council tax band A – C.  However, if an owner or tenant are in receipt of certain qualifying benefits they may also be eligible, regardless of what council tax band the property is in.  These include: 

• Guarantee element of the Pension Credit;
• Attendance Allowance;
• Universal Credit or any of the benefits due to be replaced by Universal Credit (Income Based JSA, Child Tax Credit, Working Tax Credit, Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support, Housing Benefit);
• Council Tax Reduction (excluding 25% discount for single occupancy);
• Carer’s Allowance;
• Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Armed Forces Independence Payment;
• War Disablement Pension;
• Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit.

To Find out more, or to request an information pack and application form please contact:

Our Oban office on 01631 567780 and we will ask our Project Officer to call you back.

Or, call Home Energy Scotland direct on 0808 808 2282.

Job Title: Help for Homes Project Officer

Reporting to: Care and Repair Manager
Hours: 35 hours per week (Monday – Friday) – Initially to March 31st 2018, but possible extension depending on success of the Pilot and continued Scottish Government funding.

Salary: c£25,000 per annum (pro rata)

OBJECTIVES OF THE POST

• To develop and promote the Help for Homes Service in partnership with other Care and Repair offices and the Energy Savings Trust.
• To support vulnerable applicants utilising the scheme through the process from funding to completion of works.
• To collect and compile data to provide evidence of the outcomes of the service.

Brief Details

Argyll & Bute Care and Repair has entered into a partnership with the Energy Savings Trust to pilot ‘Help for Homes’ – an equity release funded home improvement and energy efficiency service.

The Home Energy Efficiency Programmes for Scotland: Equity Loans scheme (HEEPS: Equity Loans) provides equity loans of up to £40,000 towards the capital cost of installing eligible energy efficiency measures and essential repairs for owner occupiers and smaller private sector landlords. The pilot project, which is currently being run in three Care and Repair areas, will offer assistance through the process from application to completion of works for applicants who would benefit from support through the process.

‘Help for Homes’ Launched in mid-December 2016 in Glasgow, Argyll and Bute and Perth and Kinross and will run till 31st March 2018. Dependant on demand being evidenced and further funding being made available by Scottish Ministers the Equity Release service may be extended.

Experience Required

• A minimum of two years recent, direct experience of working in a related environment.
• ONC/HNC in Building, Quantity Surveying or equivalent Or time served trades-person with general building contractor experience.
• Excellent customer facing skills and ability to communicate at all levels.
• A well organised person, able to work on their own initiative as well as part of a team.
• Good IT skills and experience including Outlook, Word and Excel and using databases is essential.
• A full, clean driving licence is essential.

Applying

If you are interested in applying or want to find out more first, please call Steven Clarkson at our Oban office on 01631 567780 or email sclarkson@abcarerepair.co.uk  You will be sent an application pack including Job description, person specification, information for applicants and application form.

All applicants will be required to complete and submit our company application form and if you are successful following interview, references and a PVG check (protecting vulnerable groups scheme) will be requested for you prior to taking up the post.

We are committed to being an Equal Opportunities Employer and do not discriminate in any way.

Closing Date is Friday 4th August 2017 at 5.00pm.  Any applications received after this time will not be considered.

Steve Clarkson attended the Argyll Enterprise week in Oban which took place during the first week in November.  Steve represented Care and Repair in the ‘Dragons Den’ event on Thursday 3rd  and made presentation for funding for our Handyman Service we hope to introduce shortly.  8 presentations were made by various Argyll based social enterprises & Third Sector organisations.   We were successful in obtaining £1000 of funding and 2 days business support which was gratefully received.  

It was great to hear about all the great projects taking place throughout Argyll and the great work being done by everyone in the social enterprise sector.  It is a very challenging environment but the whole week was extremely interesting, well attended and inspiring.  

Alex Tickell and Steve Clarkson will be attending this event in Dunoon on 24th October from 12 noon. These events bring together community groups, organisations and statutory services to provide a one-stop shop for older and more vulnerable people in our community as winter is approaching.

If you are interested in discussing our services please come and meet us at our stall.  We look forward to seeing you there.

If you are a local community group, club, association, organisation or charity within Argyll and Bute and its Islands and would like to find out more about Care and Repair and the services we provide please get in touch and we would be happy to come meet with you and talk to your members. 

You can contact us on 01631 567780 or by email on enquiries@abcarerepair.co.uk or use the contact form on our website. 

We look forward to hearing from you.