News

Sign Language Interpreter Service

From 1st April there will be a new company providing the sign language interpreter service for Falkirk, Stirling and Clackmannanshire Council and Forth Valley Sensory Centre.

A number of different companies were asked for information about providing the service.

We then got together with service users to evaluate the responses and this was followed by presentations by each of the companies. At the end of this process Deaf Connections have been awarded the contract.

Deaf Connections are based in Glasgow and were founded in 1819 so they have a lot of experience in working with the deaf community.

This will be a new partnership going forward and while it will be a change I am sure that we will do our best to be welcoming to our new interpreters.

The interpreters that will be working with us are Morag Donnelly, Lucy Cole, Mark Sherwin, Robert McCourt, Gordon Wylie Black, Bruce Cameron.

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Council Budget

Falkirk Council approved its budget at a recent meeting (10 February) and will see Council tax in the area frozen for the third successive year.

The Council also approved:

The main areas of forthcoming capital programme expenditure include:

The meeting also agreed that following a review of the current service structure, Falkirk Council integrates a number of services and posts that could allow savings of up to £0.6m. It was also put forward that a trust could be set up to oversee leisure and cultural facilities and that a review should be undertaken looking into the feasibility of the project.

The Council also set its Housing budget with an average weekly rent rise of £1.80 agreed for its 16,000 tenants. Around six in every ten tenants will be protected from the increase as they are in receipt of housing benefit.

The budget of £49.5m is spent on areas such as repairs, maintenance and financing major works such as roughcasting and re-roofing. Capital investment of £57.4m is proposed over the next three years including investment in energy efficiency work; door entry systems and upgrades to the hi-rise flats.

The Council is also committed to delivering 100 new Council homes and an allocation of £5.3m has been made towards this for the coming year.

Currently Falkirk has the 6th highest repairs and improvement expenditure in Scotland and the 8th lowest rent from 26 other Councils.

 

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Customer Survey

Falkirk Council regularly asks our customers what they think about our services and our future plans through surveys, meetings and other forms of consultation.

Every two years the Council carries out a customer satisfaction survey. The 2010 survey will be issued at the start of March and the Council wants as many people as possible to fill it in and let us know what they think of our Services.

The easiest way to complete it is to visit Falkirk Council’s website and fill in the online form. If you’d prefer to fill in a paper copy, you’ll find a survey in your new Council Tax bill - simply fill it in and return it in the reply paid envelope.

The 2008 survey attracted more than 4200 responses from local residents who rated their experiences of dealing with the Council and their satisfaction with a number of key services including refuse collection, community safety and roads.

The 2008 survey showed people were interested in finding out more about:

The 2008 survey also showed continuing high levels of satisfaction with:

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Cold Weather Payment

You may be eligible for a Cold Weather Payment for each week of very cold weather in your area if you get Pension Credit or income-related Employment and Support Allowance with a support or work related activity component in the main phase.

You may also be eligible for a Cold Weather Payment for each qualifying week if you are getting Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or income-related Employment and Support Allowance in the assessment phase and have one of the following.

How much do you get?

This year you will get £25 when the average temperature where you live is recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees Celsius or below over seven consecutive days during the period from 1 November to 31 March.

How to apply

You don't need to apply; you'll get a Cold Weather Payment automatically as long as you qualify.

Tell your pension centre or Jobcentre Plus if you think you should have received a Cold Weather Payment but you have not had one.

More information is available at Directgov.

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Customer Alert: Phone calls from Falkirk Council

We have been advised by a customer that someone alleging to be calling from Falkirk Council, called him, and advised him that he had overpaid his Council Tax and that we would refund the overpayment to him if he provided the caller with details of his bank account.

The call was not made by Falkirk Council and we would advise anyone who receives such a call not disclose any information about their bank account.

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Mortgage to Rent Scheme

Falkirk Council is to join the national Mortgage to Rent Scheme which aims to help people in financial difficulty that may face losing their homes.

The scheme helps by allowing people to remain in their home by selling it to a social landlord and becoming a tenant of that landlord.

There are a number of criteria under which people are eligible to apply for Mortgage to Rent which is targeted at lower value properties, the Committee heard.

Applicants must already have taken independent financial advice about their situation and not be eligible for any UK Government Support Scheme such as  Income Support for Mortgage Interest.

The Council would receive grant for the purchase price up to the maximum allowed under the scheme, up to £6000 for repairs necessary to bring any property up to Scottish Housing Quality Standard as well as a £900 administration fee for the cost of surveying and conveyancing, from the Scottish Government.

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Swine flu advice line

A dedicated swine flu advice line has been established through NHS 24 to give information about swine flu and what to do if people have concerns. Callers to the NHS 24 number - 08454 24 24 24 - will be given the option of being put straight through to a dedicated team dealing with swine flu.

More information on Swine Flu can be found at the following website: http://www.nhs24.com/content/default.asp?page=s56

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Report a Repair Online

You can now report a repair online. Using a simple series of diagrams which to assist you, you can accurately identify and report a repair without having to call into an office.

Alternatively, repairs may be reported to your local neighbourhood office/local one stop shop or to the contact centre (01324 590590) who will prioritise the work, issue a repair instruction, and pass it to Building Maintenance.

Any emergency repairs outwith office hours can be reported through the emergency service number (01324 503050).