Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Deputy Billy Dove, Chief Commoner; Vivienne Littlechild, Deputy Stanley Ginsburg, Chris Punter, Philip Woodhouse and Dhruv Patel.

2.         Members' Declarations under the Code of Conduct in respect of Items on the Agenda

Deputy Joyce Nash  and Mr Randall Anderson both declared pecuniary interests  in respect of agenda item 20, Residential Rent Review, as they are tenants of the City of London Corporation.  However, Deputy Nash left the meeting before this item was discussed and Mr Anderson did not participate in the discussion.

To approve the minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 1^st  June 2015.

The minutes of the meeting held on 1^st June 2015 were approved.

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

4.          You Said, We Did" : Actions August 2015

The Committee received the ‘You Said; We Did’ actions list from August 2015 and noted the following updates:

• The CCTV installation was ongoing, however, Members were reminded that the project was being driven by the Safer City Partnership and would be reported to the next Police Committee.  Members also noted that the matter had been taken up by the Barbican Association Security Committee.

• The bicycle storage pods had been a gift from Transport for London and, following a recent bulletin from the Barbican Estate Office, there had been some interest. 

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services

The Committee received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services which updated them on issues raised by the Residents Consultation Committee (RCC) and Barbican Residential Committee (BRC) at their meetings in May and June 2015.  The report also provided updates on other issues on the estate. 

RESOLVED, that – the Update Report be noted.

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

The Committee received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services which provided the Service Level Agreements.

RESOLVED, that – the Service Level Agreements Agreements quarterly review from April – June 2015 be noted.

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

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7.         Residents Survey Results – undertaken in July 2015

The Committee received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services, which informed Members of the results of the Residents’ Satisfaction Survey.  Members commended the excellent results in the survey, particularly for concierge staff, which had been passed on to services providers and estate office staff.   

Members noted that one of the questions had been provided by the Chairman of the RCC; i.e. keeping consultation exercises relevant to resident’s requirements.  Furthermore, BEO officers would be working with the RCC Chairman on the results and various comments.  In response to a request, officers advised that comparative data from the bar charts, against previous years, was now available for Members. 

RESOLVED, that – the results of the Residents Survey (2015) be noted.

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

The Committee received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services in respect of lease enforcement issues and, particularly, short term holiday lets.  Members noted that this report had been presented to the RCC on 7^th September 2015.  At this meeting, Members had expressed their unanimous commitment and support to the Barbican Estate Office and encouraged all residents to be vigilant in providing evidence. Residents also unanimously supported the approach, as set out in the report, in respect of the action plan and lease enforcement process that officers would be taking forward.  Residents had also felt that the proposal and action plan were achievable and fair. 

During the discussion on this item, the following matters were raised/noted:

• Members were very pleased that that the satisfactory outcome had resulted from residents and officers working in partnership. 

• Some long leaseholders were not aware of the actions of their short term tenants in respect of short term holiday lets. 

• Enforcement action had been taken twice in the last 6-12 months, in respect of breaches from fitting wooden floors and keeping pets. 

• The initial letter to residents in June highlighted the relevant clauses in the Lease and the enforcement action which would follow at stages 1, 2 and 3.  Members were assured that action would be taken in the event of evidence of genuine nuisance and that the process would be fair and equitable. 

• Taking out an injunction as a lesser sanction, rather than forfeiture, would be just as onerous and require almost the same level of evidence.

• Officers are working on a document, entitled:  ‘Ten reasons why you should not rent out your property on a short term holiday let’; setting out the various pitfalls, such as invalidating insurance policies.

• Members noted that the Estate Office were

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

 The Committee received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services in respect of insurance arrangements on the Barbican Estate.  In response to questions, Members noted that vulnerable residents could ask for applications to be made on their behalf and estate staff would always offer assistance, more generally.  Officers also advised that ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ was a working document that would be updated as necessary.  In respect of advising residents about taking up contents insurance, which was standard practice in other authorities, officers agreed to check that provision of such advice would not contravene FCA Regulations. 

RESOLVED, that – the insurance arrangements in place for the Barbican Estate be noted.

Director of Community and Children’s Services.

 The Committee received a joint report of the Chamberlain and the Director of Community and Children’s Services, which compared the revenue outturn for the services overseen by the Committee in 2014/15, with the final budget for the year.  Members commended the clear format of the report, particularly the inclusion of a reconciliation of Latest Approved Budget to Original Budget, which had been suggested by BRC Members, and noted that this had subsequently been adopted as good practice by other service committees.

In response to a question about car park occupancy and income, Members noted that this was part of the City of London Corporation’s ‘Service Based Review’ Budget Reduction Plan for 2017/18, currently being worked on by Chief Officers.  It was also understood that car usage in the City was generally discouraged and therefore demand for parking spaces was falling. Members also noted that Heron House now had now taken up its full allocation of car parking spaces and Roman House had started taking up their allocation.

Concern was expressed at the discrepancy between rates charged for parking spaces on the Barbican (to Barbican residents) and those charged to other City residents.  Officers offered to provide an update on the 2017/18 Service Based Review Budget Reduction Plan as part of the Car Park charging report, which would be presented to the next meeting of the Committee in December 2015. 

RESOLVED – that, the revenue outturn report for 2014/15 and the budgets carried forward to 2015/16 be noted.  

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

 The Committee received a joint report of the Chamberlain and the Director of Community and Children’s Services in respect of the 2014/15 Revenue outturn for the Dwellings Service Charge Account, including reconciliation between the closed accounts and the final service charge.  Once again, members commended the helpful layout of this report,

RESOLVED, That – the Revenue Outturn Report for 2014/15 and the Service Charge reconciliation be noted.  

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

 The Committee received a report of the Director of Culture, Heritage and Libraries, setting out regular updates on the sales and lettings approved since the last meeting of the Committee.

RESOLVED, that – the Sales and Lettings report be noted.

To receive the draft minutes of the RCC meeting held on 7 September 2015.

Please note:  This agenda will be published before the above meeting has taken place, therefore the minutes will follow.

Members received the draft Minutes of the Meeting of the Residents’ Consultation Committee (RCC) heMembers received the draft Minutes of the Meeting of the Residents’ Consultation Committee (RCC) held on 7^th September 2015. 

ld on 7^th September 2015. 

In response to a question about drainage works at Frobisher Crescent, Members noted that the contract was expected to be let this week and works could then commence.  Officers had also met with the residents affected and, whilst some aspects of the project fell within the remit of the City Surveyor’s Department and not the terms of reference of the BRC, charging arrangements had been resolved.

In respect of reporting noise nuisance at night, Members were reminded that, in the first instant, residents should contact Environmental Health Services, who operate 24 hours.  Officers advised that the next email bulletin to residents would contain a reminder of the relevant telephone numbers, including the Barbican Centre’s security team. 

MOTION – That under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item(s) on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of the Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

To approve the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 1^st  June 2015.

The non-public minutes of the meeting held on 1^st June 2015 were approved.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

There were no questions.

The Chairman agreed to accept an urgent report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services in respect of a Deed of Variation.

The Chairman agreed to the admission of an item of urgent business in respect of a Deed of Variation, which was approved.