Agenda item

The Chair advised the committee that she had accepted several items of urgent business.

Barbican Estate Transformation Programme and Action Plan

Officers advised the committee that the action plan was being delivered in accordance with its timeline and that the recruitment of a permanent Head of Barbican Estate Office was likely to take place in November 2023. It was noted that the recruitment to this role had been agreed and that agreement on an increased salary was expected in the coming days.

Breach of Lease Protocol (Verbal)

The committee noted that proposals to amend the lease protocol with respect of the carpeting of floors and keeping of animals would be brought to a future meeting of the committee.

Repairs and Maintenance Procurement Update (Verbal)

The committee expressed its dissatisfaction that the complex briefing had not been provided in a written report for the meeting, to which officers responded by confirming that a written summary of the matter would be provided following the meeting and that it was proposed to extend a contract with a supplier which residents were dissatisfied with because officers had not initiated the procurement early enough. It was further agreed that a timeline for the procurement would be provided to the next meeting of the committee.

The committee discussed the financial impact of outsourcing repairs and maintenance as compared to this service being provided in-house and noted that it was likely that any affected staff would be subject to the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006.

Underfloor Heating Working Party

A motion was moved by Ted Reilly and seconded by Adam Hogg requesting that further information be provided regarding the governance, finance, and scope of the programme of works. This was put to the committee and agreed.

RESOLVED:

1.     The Barbican Estate Residential Consultation Committee strongly supports the Underfloor Heating Working Party in its efforts to establish a trial of individual Controls for our heating system. Plans are well developed for a trial for 14 homes on Wallside (the smallest individually metered group of homes on the estate) including the design of the control and metering system, and a suitable legal framework within which this trial will operate. If the current study indicates that individual system is feasible, the City’s Climate Action team will be approached for financial support. There will be no cost to leaseholders or Wallside freeholders.

2.     The Barbican Estate Residential Consultation Committee asks the Barbican Residential Committee to support this initiative.