Agenda item

Report of the Director of Community & Children’s Services (copy attached).

The Sub Committee received a report from the Director of Community and Children’s Services regarding the housing estate updates from Allocated Members. The Chairman praised the report and undertook to visit Lammas Green in addition to Mais House. Members discussed the issues of Japanese knotweed and damp at the almshouses, and it was noted that some of the properties affected housed particularly vulnerable people and significant work would be needed to support them and fix the problems.

Members discussed the success of the apprenticeship scheme, and the Chairman requested that a report summarising apprenticeships schemes throughout the Corporation be brought to Establishment Committee for their information. In response to a Member’s question, officers advised that Spitalfields Market was not suitable for social housing and units were sold whenever they became available. It was agreed that an update on numbers would be reported to the next meeting. With regards to the concern over condition of windows at Holloway and York Way estates, the Director for Community and Children’s Services advised that approval had been given to accelerate the window replacement programme, and that Holloway would be a priority for improvement work.