Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Graeme Harrower, Deputy Henry Jones, Deputy Joyce Nash, Susan Pearson, Mark Wheatley, Deputy Philip Woodhouse and Matt Piper (co-optee).

Alderman David Graves, Barbara Newman, Deputy Catherine McGuinness, Mary Durcan and Randall Anderson declared pecuniary interests in respect of agenda item 4 (Housing Governance) as they are residents of the Barbican Estate.   

Mr Pimlott, also a Barbican Resident, did not feel that he had a disclosable pecuniary interest as the legislation was silent in respect of his circumstances but he would not be speaking or voting on the Housing Governance Review report.

To agree the public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 14^th September 2018.

 RESOLVED, That - the public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 14 September 2018 be approved, subject to noting that Barbara Newman, Deputy Catherine McGuinness, Mary Durcan and Randall Anderson had declared pecuniary interests in respect of agenda item 12 (Housing Governance) as they are residents of the Barbican Estate.  Mr Pimlott, also a Barbican Resident, did not feel that he had a disclosable pecuniary interest as the legislation was silent in respect of his circumstances but he did not speak or vote on the Housing Governance Review report.

In respect of a query about agenda items 14 and 26, in which a Member had asked for additional detail, the Chairman explained that the suggestions were beyond the remit of this Committee and would not add to the summary of the debate.  The Chairman agreed, however, to include a reference to the floor height difference and asked for officers to consider this as part of the consultation. 

The Deputy Chairman took the Chair for this item, as the Chairman has not been granted a dispensation to speak on this matter.

Members considered a report of the Town Clerk in respect of Housing Governance, which sought the Committee’s views and any potential amendments which might be made, particularly in relation to the future of the Barbican Residential Committee, and the impact that any changes might have on the remit and activities of the Community and Children’s Services Committee. 

The Deputy Chairman read a statement setting out the Chairman’s views on any potential changes, strongly opposing any proposal to create a Grand Housing Committee and expressing frustration at not being able to present his views directly to the Committee.  This view was shared by Members.  The Chairman of the Housing Management and Almshouses Sub-Committee stated that any changes would have to show they had a neutral or positive impact on the work of his sub-committee. A further view was expressed in that that there was nothing wrong with the present governance arrangements and all that was needed was a way of encouraging non-residents to join the Barbican Residential Committee.

RESOLVED: That the report and views, as outlined above, be noted.

Director of Community & Children's Services

Members considered a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services in respect of decent homes upgrade works.

RESOLVED: That the lessons learnt be noted and the project be closed.

Director of Community & Children's Services

Members considered a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services in respect of the successful proposal, in March 2018, for a mental health centre to provide additional clinical interventions to those working and living in the square mile.  It was noted that the costs for rates, insurance and services fell to the provider. The shop unit was provided rent free and funding had been sought to protect this from falling onto the HRA.

RESOLVED: That the progress of the centre be noted and the drawdown of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) allocated funding, to an amount up to £451,000, be approved. 

Members received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services in respect of extending the rent free period granted to the tenant of the Portsoken Pavilion Café, by 24 days, in recognition of additional constraints placed on the business by the lack of an operational kitchen. 

RESOLVED, That :

1)    the existing rent-free period granted to the tenant of the Portsoken Pavilion Café be extended by 24 days;

2)    the City Surveyor investigate if the Corporation has a case for claiming some or all of the costs arising from the extended rent free period.

RESOLVED: That –

1)    the existing rent-free period granted to the tenant of the Portsoken Pavilion Café be extended by 24 days;

2)    the City Surveyor investigate if the Corporation has a case for claiming some or all of the costs arising from the extended rent free period, as agreed above.

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

Members received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services which provided an update in relation to fire safety matters since the last update report submitted to the Committee in June 2018. 

Members noted the extensive work being undertaken on fire safety in the Corporation’s social housing portfolio. The Assistant Director, Barbican and Property Services referred to the current provision of the Waking Watch service in Great Arthur House and the proposal that, once the fire alarm system was installed, the service would be phased out. Following a successful fire drill, in which residents had demonstrated a knowledge of what to do in the event of a fire, the Waking Watch would be removed on 19 October 2018 and residents had been informed of this. 

In answer to a question about the number of residential blocks of flats the Corporation owned, and the position on cladding, Members noted that there were 60 blocks but only 20 had been identified by the fire risk assessment as having more serious issues. No blocks had cladding similar to that on Grenfell Tower. Members noted that pan-London discussions continued to be held regarding fire safety for housing blocks and many private owners had been contacted to ask what action they were taking to address safety issues.

A report would be presented to the Committee on the fire door replacement programme once the programme had been finalised. Members stressed the importance of keeping residents informed and for them to understand the level of due care, and the time needed, to ensure this work was completed to the highest possible standard.

RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

Repor of the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

 Members received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services in respect of the flood damage and building works to Artizan Street Library. Officers advised that the Police and Loss Adjusters been unable to prove the cause of the damage to be vandalism.

RESOLVED, that – the report be noted.

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

Members received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services in respect of the new flats at Great Arthur House, Golden Lane Estate, and the relocation of Estate staff. 

The Assistant Director, Housing and Neighbourhoods, advised that further consultation would be carried out in early November on the provision of the three flats and the location of the Estate Office, and the results would be reported back to either the next Committee or the one after. Staff would be moved into the office as soon as possible after that.  Members noted that consultation was in respect of the final design and not on the proposal to provide the flats. If the tender stage could be reached by the end of the year, this would allow construction to start in February/March 2019 and completion by the end of 2019. The Gateway report would provide a clear timeline.

The Chairman referred to comments received from a Member who was not in attendance and had not been granted a dispensation to speak on this matter. Members noted that the floor issue within one of the proposed flats, within Great Arthur House, did not change the need to carry out further investigations as to how the property could best be converted. The proposal to hold a separate meeting for social tenants was endorsed, noting that lease holders would also have their own meeting.

RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

Report of the Town Clerk.

Members received a report of the Town Clerk, which set out the following decision, taken under urgency, since the last meeting of the Committee:

Reason for urgency:

This proposal was for a short-term rental running from Monday 8 October to Friday 30 November.  Officers only became aware of the opportunity on 26 September 2018 and the next meeting of the Committee was not until 12 October 2018.

Action Taken:

The Town Clerk, in consultation with the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Community and Children’s Services Committee, approved the 8-week rental of either 75 or 77 Middlesex Street, at £1,400, for the period of Monday, 8 October to Friday 30 November 2018, on the agreement that the contractor pay all outgoings resulting from that use, including rates.

RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

Report of the Town Clerk.

Members considered a report of the Town Clerk in respect of changes to the land transaction arrangements previously authorised by the Committee, as set out in the report.   Members noted that the changes sought to ensure the land was held appropriately and to remove the risk of the scheme being impeded by injunction due to right of light infringements.

RESOLVED: That:

1.    the  Director of  Community and Children’s Services be authorised to:

a.    conclude negotiations and final terms of the acquisitions and disposal in accordance with the principles set out in this report;

b.    take any other steps as required in connection with any related documentation and associated transactions as may be necessary to complete the steps at recommendations 1 to 3 in the report; and

c.     implement the development in accordance with the principles in this report, and instruct the City Solicitor to enter into all necessary legal documents. 

2.    the Rights of Light Advisors, acting for the City as developer of the site, be instructed to proactively approach affected rights holders to offer appropriate compensation for release of their rights of light, on the basis set out in paragraph 14 of Appendix 1 of this report.

In response to a question as to why community centres and, specifically, Golden Lane Community Centre, did not allow hire of the premises by political parties, the Chairman of the Policy and Resources Committee, also a Member of this Committee, agreed to take this forward for further consideration.

In response to a question as to the  implications for the Corporation of the reported lifting of the borrowing cap for the HRA, likely to be in 2022, it was agreed Members would be informed once more detail was available.   Members noted that borrowing might still be constrained due to the debt from rental stock

The Chairman asked Members to join him in wishing farewell to Jacquie Campbell, Assistant Director, Housing and Neighbourhoods who was attending her last City Corporation Meeting.  The Chairman commended Jacquie’s sterling work over a number of years and Members wished her the very best in the future

MOTION - That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

RESOLVED: That under Section 100(a) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1, Schedule 12 A of the Local Government Act:

Item nos                                              Para no

16-13                                                   3

19

20

To agree the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 14^th September 2018.

RESOLVED, that - the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 14 September 2018 be approved.

Members considered and approved a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

Report of the City Surveyor.

Members considered and approved a report of the City Surveyor.

There were none.

Members noted an item of business while the public were excluded.