Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Chris Mouncey (Deputy Chairman); John Taysum and Gordon Griffiths.

John Tomlinson declared a general interest in respect of items 13,14 and 15 as his wife is a member of a working party on the Barbican Estate.

To agree the minutes of the Barbican Residents’ Consultation Committee (RCC) held on 1^st September 2014

The minutes of the meeting held on 1^st September 2014 were approved.

Report of the Director of the Built Environment

The Committee received a report of the Director of the Built Environment in respect of the Barbican Listed Building Management Guidelines.  During the discussion on this item, the following matters were raised/noted:

• Members asked if the maps of significant fixtures could be part of the Supplementary Planning Document (SPD).

• Any minor changes (outside of the Listed Building Guidelines) would be circulated annually for comment.

RESOLVED, that:

1. The Barbican Listed Building Management Guidelines Volume 4, Landscaping SPD Guidelines Volume 4 (Landscaping SPD) be endorsed and recommended for approval by the Barbican Residential Committee (BRC).

2. The Barbican Listed Building Management Guidelines Volume 4, Landscape Part 2 (Good Practice) and Part 3 (Green Infrastructure) 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 updated Members on the review of the estate-wide implementation of Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and Key Performance Measures (KPI’s) for the quarter July to September 2014.

Members were very pleased to note that this report represented the highest standards achieved so far.  The Chairman reminded Members that he always welcomed suggestions on the SLA/KPI performance outside of the regular RCC meetings.

RESOLVED, that:

The report be noted.

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services

The Committee received a redacted report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services in respect of the Physiotherapist practice at 1, The Postern, Barbican Estate (lease surrender and new letting).  Members welcomed this report as the service was highly valued by residents on the Barbican Estate.

RESOLVED, that: 

The granting of the new lease be endorsed and recommended for approval by the BRC.

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 advised members of the sales and lettings which had been approved by officers since the last meeting, acting under delegated authority and in accordance with Standing Orders. 

RESOLVED, that:

The Sales and Lettings report be noted.

Joint Report of the Chamberlain and the Director of Community and Children’s Services

The Committee received a joint report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services and the Chamberlain, which set out the latest approved budget for 2014/15 and original 2015/16 for revenue expenditure; proposed for inclusion within the service charge in respect of dwellings.  Members noted that the report did not include any expenditure or income pertaining the car parking or stores. 

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

• Members felt that it would be helpful to see an apportionment of centralised services across the estate.

• The Chairman was pleased to advise that the work of the underfloor heating party had been very effective; i.e. if the same amount of energy were to be used this year, as compared to 2 years ago, it would have cost 6% more.  If the new contract had not been put in place, there would have been an increase of 27%.  Members noted that there was a spike in January 2014, when the previous contract had ended. 

• Members asked for an explanation about the charges for cleaners and house officers and why the numbers were changing.

RESOLVED, that:

The Service Charges Expenditure and Income Account (lasts approved budget 2014/15 and original budget 2015/16) be recommended to the BRC for approval. 

Joint Report of the Chamberlain and the Director of Community and Children’s Services

The Committee received the annual submission of the Revenue and Capital Budgets, overseen by the Barbican Residential Committee.  In particular, it sought approval, by the BRC, of the provisional revenue budget for 2015/16, for subsequent submission to the Finance Committee.  Members noted that details of the Committee’s draft capital budget were also provided and the budgets had been prepared within the resources allocated to the Director.

RESOLVED, that:

The provisional 2015/16 revenue budget and the draft capital budget be recommended to the Barbican Residential Committee for approval.

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 the repairs and redecorations programme for the Barbican Estate.

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

• Members asked to see the outline programme of works.
• Officers advised that, when works were planned, they were co-ordinated with the Arts Centre.
• Members noted that the report before them had been written following consultation with contractors. 
• Officers explained that one-off contracts were more expensive than longer-term agreements but if value for money could not be achieved, then a longer-term contract would not be entered into.
• Members asked for a comparator against the previous method and suggested that an officer from the Chamberlain’s Procurement Team be in attendance at the BRC when this report was discussed.

RESOLVED, that:

A revised report, addressing the concerns set out above, be presented to the Barbican Residential Committee on 8 December 2014.

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 the water system testing and associated safety works and the Barbican and the HRA estates.  In accordance with the queries raised on the  previous report, Members suggested that an outline of the intended works would be helpful, along with a rationale behind the proposed approach. 

RESOLVED, that:

A revised report, addressing the concerns set out above, be presented to the Barbican Residential Committee on 8 December 2014.

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 sought to extend the current charging policy for both car parking and baggage stores on the Barbican Estate, for a further 3 years and from March 2015,  in respect of the car park and baggage stores.  Members noted that the policy for charging for the bicycle stores was still under discussion and there would be an update at the next meeting.

RESOLVED, that:

The report on the charging policy for the Car Park and Baggage Stores be recommended to the Barbican Residential Committee for approval.

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 process for the Estate’s Working Parties.

RESOLVED, that:

The draft protocol for setting up and running the Working Parties be agreed, so that it can be implemented at the AGM in February 2015.

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services

The Committee received the minutes of the Asset Management Working Party.  Officers asked Members to be mindful that the Asset Management Plan would need to be well established before committing to long-term contracts and, if there was limited experience on a particular set of works, then there would be more pre-contract engagement with contractors.  Condition surveys would also inform the approach.  Members suggested that the future replacement of the door entry system should be considered by the Working Party. 

RESOLVED, that:

The minutes of the Asset Management Working Party be received.

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

The Committee received the minutes of the Parcel Tracking Working Party.  Members noted that  given some 66,000 parcels were received on the Barbican Estate every year, on average just 1 a year was lost!  A recent survey on parcel receipt and tracking had 300 responses in one day and clearly residents were very happy with the service and any suggestions for improvements would be an enhancement.  It was suggested that some Working Parties might have a shorter timeframe and be expired once the outcomes had been achieved.

RESOLVED, that:

The minutes of the Parcel Tracking Working Party be noted. 

Report of the Town Clerk

The Committee received a report of the Town Clerk in respect of the Annual Recognised Tenant’s Associations (RTA) Audit.  The Town Clerk was pleased to advise that all those house groups, which had applied, had achieved RTA status and the position had changed very little since last year’s audit.  The Chairman advised that it was very helpful to the RCC for the house groups to achieve their RTA status, as it formed part of an accountable process for negotiating with the City of London Corporation.

RESOLVED, that:

The result of the 2014 RTA Audit be noted. 

·       Agenda Plan 2014

·       ‘You Said, We Did’

·       Property Services Update

·       City Surveyors’ Update

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services

The Committee received  the update report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services.  During the discussion of this report, the following items were raised/noted:

• Could the actions list include target dates and, if not achievable, an explanation or the escalation procedures to be followed? 

• In respect of the former Barbican/City of London insignia affixed to the Estate next to Heron Residential Tower, residents noted that a meeting with Heron had been arranged with the Comptroller and City Solicitor’s Department for later this week.
• In response to a question about the BRC’s Terms of Reference, the Chairman of the BRC was in attendance and advised that they were rather narrow, when compared to those of the Community and Children’s Services and Planning and Transportation Committees; for example.  However, Committees could communicate with each other  via resolutions. 

RESOLVED, that:

The update report be noted.

Members noted that any questions, which had not been answered in advance of the meeting and circulated to Members, would follow shortly and be appended to the draft minutes.  Members were reminded that there had been a very high volume of questions this time and some of these had been of a highly technical nature and received very close to the deadline.  As usual, they would all be included in the ‘You Said, We Did’ update.

Further questions were put as follows:

• Following a recent lift failure at Shakespeare Tower, which could have had a serious impact on elderly and vulnerable residents, officers advised that procedures would be put in place.  However, it was understood that such incidents in the tower blocks were extremely rare

• Members asked if there were there any possible sanctions against flats left empty for a number of years?

• Residents were very disappointed at the design of the new bicycle stores.  The Listed Building Consent officer had advised that, as they were not a permanent structure, they were outside of the Guidelines.  Furthermore, secure bicycle storage was essential to the Barbican Estate  and the ‘pods’ were fit for purpose; did not take up any more room than the existing bicycle stores and the design had been chosen following consultation with Planning and Transport for London officers.    Officers assured Members that there were no access issues but would visit the site again, with an Access Officer and a Defoe House resident.  Members were advised that, if they were dissatisfied with the design and location, given this was a Landlord issue, they should make representations to their elected Ward Members. 

The Town Clerk would contact Members in order to arrange a date for the 2015 AGM.