Building molehills on the housing sector's golf course
Joy machine
When Social Animal was a pup, a smiley face on an exercise book made my day.

Now staff at Twin Valley Homes in Lancashire can experience the same joy. Managers have installed a "talkback sign" so customers can make their feelings known on the way out.

They touch a smiley face if they're happy and a frowning face if they're sad. I wonder if the staff get house points according to their performance?

Consul games
In a tower block far, far away, a nuisance neighbours battle is raging. Nothing unusual, you might think.

But these sparring partners are Britain's former consul in Chicago, USA, and his socialite neighbours and the row is not over a broken window or unruly child, but a swimming pool.

The consul is demanding more than £60,000 in damages after the swimming pool owned by his upstairs neighbours allegedly flooded his flat. Slap an ASBO on them, I say.

Songs for all seasons
Following reports of the singing AGM (HT 15 August, page 17) – which, sadly, turned out to be musically themed rather than involving real song – we have been inundated with housing-related tunes from readers.

The suggestions ranged in taste from the good to the dubious.

Favourites included Led Zeppelin's Stairway to Heaven for residential care, The Prodigy's Firestarter for antisocial behaviour, Oasis' Wonderwall for off-site manufacture and Stevie V's Dirty Cash for transitional housing benefit, the predecessor to Supporting People

that allegedly received some rather "inflated" bids.

All other housing-related tune ideas should be directed to Shepherd's Bush Housing Association, who are famed for their Friday night karaoke sessions.

Next silly question
"Bureaucratic and sometimes just silly." What aspect of housing could that description apply to?

This time it's Supporting People. The self-inspection questions to be precise.

"Do you think your organisation understands Supporting People?" it asks.

"Do you understand the needs of your service users?" it continues. What happens if you say no?

Thorn in my side
John Prescott is making body piercing safer. Proposals from the ODPM give councils extra powers to crack down on dodgy needle merchants.

Would there be an event to launch the idea? Social Animal wondered. Perhaps Nick Raynsford could get his nose pierced or the deputy prime minister acquire a belly ring?

Altruism in action

What option is left when warnings of fatal diseases aren’t enough to dissuade smokers from continuing their habit? Simple: filthy lucre. St Pancras & Humanist Housing Association has convinced its staff to quit by offering £100 inducements. “We had no idea whether this would work,” said Steve Harriot, the association’s chief executive. “We’re delighted with the results, which should reduce time-wasting fag breaks and cut down on days lost through sickness … and, of course, encourage better health among our staff.”

Source

Housing Today