Agenda item

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 progress made with the Housing Major Works Programme. 

During the discussion and questions, the following points were noted:

• Middlesex Street and York Way had been combined to achieve economies of scale and they would be subject to a short, 1 month delay.

• Under legislation (Section 20 Notice), the City Corporation  is not obliged to provide estimates of the cost of the works at Stage 1 of the process, which is intended to be solely a ‘Notice of Intention’.   In accordance with statute, details of the tenders submitted are provided at Stage 2, with the proportions which each resident should expect to pay.  The suggestion of an ‘estimate stage’ was noted although, the Assistant Director explained that this could be an issue if final calculations differed and may not be supported by the Comptroller.

• It was accepted that some residents might not fully understand Section 20 Legislation.  The Assistant Director had been working with the City Solicitor to make communications jargon free/ plain English and the position was improving.  A Member commented that plain English communications, which accompanied consultation letters to Barbican residents, had been welcomed. 

• In accordance with Members’ wishes, every other meeting (of the Sub Committee) would receive a fuller report, showing cumulative slippage, and this would enable year-on-year comparisons.

• The Assistant Director shared Members concerns about works delayed due to Committee cycles and expected his team to factor this into their forward planning.  The Town Clerk reminded Members that, in extreme circumstances, an urgent decision could be taken and there was an option to consult with Members, ahead of a decision being signed off by the Town Clerk (in consultation with the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Sub Committee/Grand Committee).

RESOLVED, that -the report be noted.