Agenda item

Questions on Matters Relating to the Work of the Sub Committee

Minutes:

There were three questions, as follows:

 

1. Progress on the provision of vehicle charging points on Middlesex St and Golden Lane. The Chairman asked this question on behalf of Jason Pritchard, a former Member of the Sub Committee.

 

The Assistant Director advised that the Department had, for some time, been participating in the Corporate Electric Vehicle Charging Project, in order to access funding for electric vehicle charging points across all of its housing estates.  Recently, however, it had been prudent for the Department to make its own bid for funding, without reliance on the Corporate project. This approach had enabled the Department to make a  successful bid for funding for the Barbican Estate.  Officers were now working with the same, highly experienced Consultant to put together similar funding bids for all of the City Corporation’s residential estates, including those out of the City with parking facilities.  Members noted that it would still be possible to apply for funding this year, and the next meeting of the Sub Committee would receive a progress report.  

 

Whilst accepting that there had been some initial problems on the Barbican Estate, the Assistant Director stressed that technology moved very quickly in this area.   Members noted that the lessons learnt on the Barbican Estate would be taken forward on the HRA Estates, and the Consultant would be able to advise on the best use of available technologies.  The Chairman asked if these points could be captured in the report presented to the Sub Committee. 

 

2. The small strip of  HRA land on the COLPAI development.

 

The Chairman (of the Grand Committee) advised that a Planning Condition, in respect of deliveries and refuse removal, would need to be discharged by the London Borough of Islington and the City of London Corporation, before the building could be occupied.   Members noted that the decision could only be implemented if a Licence were in place, and this had been the subject of a report to the Grand Committee on 5th March 2021.  The Grand Committee Chairman further advised that, in order to avoid undue delay, authority to grant the Licence has been delegated to the Town Clerk, in consultation with the Chairman and Deputy Chairman (of the Grand Committee).  

 

The Assistant Director advised that full consultation with residents, on those planning conditions that the City Corporation had agreed to consult on, had taken place over a couple of months last year, and the responses issued to all residents. The City Corporation and London Borough of Islington Planning Departments had agreed to allow residents until the 29th March 2021 to make any further comments. Members noted that, at this stage, it was not known whether the planning decisions would be taken under Officer Delegation or by full Committees.

 

3.  Updates on major new build schemes.

 

The Chairman advised that this fell within the remit of the Grand Committee, with the Sub-committee being consulted on individual projects.  The Assistant Director offered to advise Members on queries relating to the wider capital programme outside of the meeting.