Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies.

There were no declarations.

To approve the public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting on 26 September 2017.

RESOLVED – That the public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 26^th September 2017 be approved as a correct record.

Town Clerk to be heard.

Members considered the Sub Committees Terms of Reference and recommended the following changes to the Community and Children’s Services Committee:

-        The Membership of the Sub Committee be increased, from 8 – 10 Members, to give all allocated Members the opportunity to be Members of the Housing Management and Almshouses Sub Committee.

-        The restriction of ex-officio membership be lifted from the Chairman and Deputy Chairman.

-        The restriction on residents and tenants serving as Chairman or Deputy Chairman be lifted, noting that the City of London Corporation was excluded from this part of the Housing Legislation.  Members reminded that the restriction had been lifted for a former Deputy Chairman of the Community and Children’s Services Committee.

-        The Sub Committee’s Terms of Reference state that the Housing Management and Almshouses Sub Committee should meet at least 4 times a year. The Town Clerk agreed to insert an additional date for 2018, taking the current number of meetings from 5 to 6.

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

Members received the Allocated Members report.  In response to a question, Members noted that the Spitalfields flats did not fall within the Housing Revenue Account but were managed from Middlesex Street and therefore the Allocated Member could represent these tenants.

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 Property and Housing Services Risk Register.  Members were asked to note a couple of errors in the report:

-        Fire Risk Assessments -  the risk should be down

-        Lone Working – no change to the risk

In respect of lone workers, Members noted that there had been some issues with mobile apps, due to a lack of signal and they might be too visible in the event of threat.  The ‘Skyguard’ personal alarms would, therefore, be rolled out to a further 100 lone workers.  Members noted that these devices could be activated from a staff ID badge and would connect to contact centre, which would be able to listen into an incident and provide the Police with a GPS location.  Given the large number of these units, the contract might need to be tendered but the risk was being actively managed and had enabled managers to be aware of more lone workers, who might not previously have considered themselves as such.  Members asked for the devices to be sourced as soon as possible.

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, which provided an update on progress made in relation to Fire Safety matters since the last update reports in July and September 2017.  During the discussion, the following points were noted:

• The Fire Brigade had been consulted on the Type 3 Risk Assessment findings from Great Arthur House and interim measures were in place.  A temporary alarm, a ‘waking watch’ and an evacuation plan had been introduced, pending the installation of a hard-wired alarm by the end of January 2018.  Waking Watch guards, provided and managed by one of the City of London Corporation’s approved security companies, are required to scan in on each floor as they complete their patrol of the building. 

• Remedial works required at Great Arthur House will include fire-stopping measures to the spy holes and parcel cupboards to front entrance screens.

• Surveys for the new round of Fire Risk Assessments on all Social Housing blocks would be completed next week.

• Officers tabled the latest newsletter on fire safety. A Member was concerned about the use of candles and asked that, particularly over the forthcoming festive season, advice be offered about using containers above the candle or suggesting rechargeable tea lights. 

• A Member asked for officers to check that no fire doors had been painted shut during redecorations. 

• The Assistant Director was very pleased to advise that the Chamberlain had agreed funding for intensive visits to all tenanted properties and a pilot for Leasehold properties on Golden Lane Estate.  This would provide an opportunity to gain a vast range of intelligence on our residents and to provide additional support to households needing it.  Officers advised that the resourcing for this project would include referrals and follow-up work. 

• Fire Risk Assessments for all HRA properties had

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

Members received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services which sought approval of a revised Fire Protocol for communal areas in residential blocks.  During the discussion the following points were noted.

Members noted that protocol in respect of private balconies aimed to mirror the communal areas; i.e. chairs were allowed if not flammable and officers sought to optimise residents’ safety without being too punitive.  Members accepted that too much storage on balconies was unsightly, as well as a fire risk, given the behaviour of some smokers who might flick cigarette ends off balconies.

RESOLVED, that – the protocol be endorsed for immediate adoption and implementation, subject to officers giving more clarity to protocol in respect of private balconies.

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

Members received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services which summarised the results of the 2017 Satisfaction Survey of Residents of the City’s Social Housing Estates.  During the discussion on this item, the following points were noted:

-        The survey was sent to all residents by post and email, if known, and last year’s email response had been higher. The survey did not need to be done annually; officers preferred to do so, but the additional marketing required to ensure a good response could be expensive.  The introduction of a controversial question had triggered a higher response in previous years.

-       Officers had been disappointed at some of the results and some were difficult to explain.

-        There had been more general dissatisfaction nationally this year following the General Election and the Grenfell Tower tragedy. 

-        The large number of major works might have swayed opinion.

-        The Assistant Director had recently attended a meeting of housing professionals from other London boroughs who had experienced similar survey results.

-        The low scores in areas which fell within the control of the Department would be raised with the residents’ Housing User Board, to gain a better understanding.  Service plans would be updated where necessary.

-        The responsive repairs contract would soon be re-tendered but, given its high value, the procurement process could take 9 months. 

-        A Member suggested that a key performance indicator should be repairs completed on first visits. 

-        The additional information gathered during tenant visits, under item 7 on the agenda, might help to understand some of the results.

-        Members asked if the 2016 results for the estates could be circulated and asked if the next report could show 3 years’ worth of results.

RESOLVED, that – the report and survey results be

Joint report of the Chamberlain and the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

Members received a report of the Chamberlain and the Director of Community and Children’s Services in respect of the Almshouses’ Revenue and Capital Budgets.  Members noted having a reserves policy for Almshouses was good practice in the Charities Sector.

RESOLVED, that – the 2018/19 Revenue Report be approved as reflecting the Committee’s objectives.

There were no questions.

There was no other business.

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 on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

To approve the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 26 September 2017.

RESOLVED – That the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 26 September be approved as a correct record.

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

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

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

There were no non-public questions.

There was no other business.