Agenda item

Q1. Page 19 of papers - Question relating to RCC Annual Review – item 4 - costs

Please may we have a fuller report about the costs and nature of Repairs and to what extent the estimated and actual costs cover what is required to maintain a high standard of repair on the Barbican Estate.

(Some residents ask for a more detailed report of what is covered under General Repairs particularly, but also what is covered under Technical Services.

Residents are anxious to maintain a high level of quality repairs to their block. Some residents have expressed a firm view that they are not seeking for reduced expenditure in this sphere. There is therefore concern if there is an apparent underspend on General Repairs when the Actual cost is compared with the Estimate. There is also concern if there is an overspend in Actual Cost in one year which is not reflected in the Estimate for the next year.)

Q2. Page 23 of papers - London Film School (LFS) development under Breton House

- do we have a schedule for when they will begin works?

A. Planning for LFS to take the space and begin their fit out in first half of 2014.

Q3. Page 23 of papers - State of the podium tiles and benches

- keep up the good work on the tiles, but please do not

slacken off – Comment only

Q4.Page 23 of papers - when will the gashes carved in the tiles between Ben Jonson House and Breton House be repaired?

A. These works will be carried out during the last 2 weeks of June

Q5.Page 23 of papers  - when will the decision finally be made to get rid of the universally unpopular benches?

A. The Transportation and Public Realm Director is finalising the consultation questionnaire on the seating/planting project for a circulation for a 4 week consultation commencing in June, with the results (if applicable) reported to the Streets & Walkway Committee.

Q6.Page 32 of papers -  Beech Gardens

- some concerns were raised as to the management of the

project which must have foreseen some of the delays - Comment only

- it is hoped that similar delays will not be countenanced if

similar works are carried out elsewhere on the podium - Comment only

Q7. Page 34 of papers - Does the Corporation accept the principle that when it has contracted to supply services recovered by service charges but fails to do so (eg. non-availability of lifts or 24 hour CP attendants) for whatever period and for whatever excuse it should refund pro rata to leaseholders affected the appropriate part of the charges levied, since normal principles of equity as well as the law of set off require this?

Q8. Page 35 of papers - Can I please request a report on the water/heating system for Frobisher Crescent? Specifically, we would like to know the progress the City is making to ensure that the water/heating system will be fit for purpose after the 2013 winter?   

A. “Heating and Domestic Hot Water for the Frobisher Crescent apartments is supplied by gas fired central heating boilers (3 No.) and the primary heating to each apartment is supplied via distribution pipework. Each apartment has a local hot water calorifier equipped with an electric immersion heater, as back up to the boiler primary feed, to supplement the resident’s need for domestic hot water.

As a result of a number of outages of the system following completion, the City Surveyor commissioned a specialist consultant (Sir Frederick Snow and Partners) in 2012 to undertake an independent review of the design and installation. Sir Frederick Snow considered the system design a reasonable concept for this type of building use adding that the system appeared to be completed to an acceptable standard of installation and workmanship and that the specification for materials and finishes were also reasonable. With three boilers working in series and duplicate main circulation pumps, a total failure of these systems was unlikely and they suggested that failure of the heating and domestic hot water for extended periods could be as a result of component failure/malfunction. Sir Frederick Snow recommended more intensive maintenance and repair response procedures which UHL have subsequently put in place, via DSL, a sub-contractor to them. DSL intend to carry out a health check on all the apartments, planned to take place outside the heating season, provisionally during July 2013.

UHL as developers have yet to formally offer the system as complete and the City has confirmed to them that we will not accept handover of the heating system until it has benefitted from a ‘failure free’ winter period. As there were incidences during the 2012/13 winter period it has been agreed that this will be reviewed 2013/14

The system installed is fully backed by both UHL warrantees as Main Contractor and in turn the warrantees provided by their M&E Consultants who designed the system in line with the performance requirements.

Senior UHL Board members continue to monitor the system’s performance”.