Housing project scoops Worcestershire award

Wednesday 16th November 2011

Worcester-based housing association Nexus Housing and West Mercia Police have scooped an award for their work in stamping out anti-social behaviour and improving the lives of residents in and around a housing scheme in the city.

Nexus Housing was named the winner of the Worcestershire Compact Awards for its work with the police, city council and other key partners, to transform Vicarage Court by improving the security and happiness of people living there.

Nexus Housing took over the block of 50 flats, bedsits and a maisonette, at St Paul's Street, in 2008 when there were problems with drugs, alcohol and anti-social behaviour and some residents were feeling unsafe living there. Many properties were empty and hard to let, and some people living there had support needs which were not being met.

Nexus refurbished the scheme but the success of the project has been down to the partnership between Nexus' housing officer at the scheme and Worcester City Council, West Mercia Police, Maggs Day Centre, St Pauls Hostel, YMCA, Community Drugs Team and Studdert Kennedy Centre.

The partners worked together to advertise the empty properties to specific groups of people to make sure there was a balance of people with different support needs, for example that not everybody living there had drug and alcohol related issues.

Nexus also worked with the police to secure Anti Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) to exclude people causing problems in the area. Securing the (ASBOs) was helped by support from the local community around Vicarage Court.

The transformation of Vicarage Court has meant that empty affordable housing in the city has been brought back into use and residents living there have been given the right support to help them to keep their homes.

Local policing officer for the area, PC Vince Treagus, said: "I am pleased that Nexus Housing has received this award in respect of Vicarage Court. This is a fine example of how housing and police inter-agency work can make a difference and improve the quality of life for residents."

One resident, who didn't want to be named, said: "It has never been so quiet and the change has been immense. It feels safer and people want to live here now."

Catherine Cole, assistant director at Nexus Housing, added: "We are delighted to have received the recognition for the work that we have done at Vicarage Court.

"The real credit goes to Lisa Cross, our housing officer, who has worked with such enthusiasm to get a vast amount of key local partners and agencies to work with us to make a significant improvement at the scheme.

"We have worked closely with the residents in the scheme to understand exactly what the problems were and what they wanted to see happen. Many of the residents had lived there for many years and were having to live in fear of the crime and anti-social behaviour. It is a great success to see the new environment they are now living in."

Photo caption:
From left, Nexus Housing chairman Graham Myatt, housing officer Lisa Cross, and assistant director Catherine Cole.

Posted by 0 for Nexus Housing Association