To receive any questions from members of the public which have been submitted in advance of the meeting in accordance with the cabinet procedure rules. The deadline for public questions is midnight 11 November, 2015.
Minutes:
Public Question from Jeff Kelland
To Councillor Richard Livingstone, Cabinet Member for Housing
Flats 78, 79, 80, 81 and 82, Caroline Gardens, Asylum Road SE15, were completely rebuilt in 2013 at considerable cost to the taxpayer. Have any works been done or proposed to be done in these properties under the current contract with Keepmoat Regeneration Ltd?
Response
I would like to thank Mr Kelland for his question regarding the current major works being carried out at Caroline Gardens and whether this work will also take place at the recently refurbished homes at 78, 79, 80, 81 and 82 Caroline Gardens.
Work to refurbish the above five properties and make them safe and fit for occupation completed in June 2012, with the defects period concluding and final settlement taking place in May 2013. That work was carried out by Jerram Falkus, with Purcell acting as the English Heritage approved architects for the scheme.
As a consequence, these five properties are being omitted from the current programme of Warm, Dry and Safe works and of providing quality kitchens and bathrooms for homes on the estate, as the refurbishment work already brought numbers 78-82 to that standard.
However, the council will use the opportunity provided by the major works on the estate to survey the external condition of these five properties whilst contractors are on site and will address any issues identified as required. We would anticipate that any such work would be minimal, given the recent refurbishment.
Public Question from Sue Plain
To Councillor Richard Livingstone, Cabinet Member for Housing
Would the councillor confirm that none of the contractors (or their subsidiaries) put forward for the Housing Framework Contract have admitted involvement in scandalous and unlawful practice of ‘blacklisting’ Trades Union Members. Would he agree that Companies involved in this practice should not be invited to work within the Borough in any capacity?
Response
As part of the overall submission process applicants were asked to confirm whether their organisation currently is or has ever been in breach of Regulation 3(1) of the Blacklist Regulations. If a positive response to this question was received, applicants were asked to confirm the facts surrounding the breach, the steps taken to repair the harm and staffing measures put in places to avoid reoccurrence. For this framework all successful applicants confirmed that they had not been or were currently in breach, so all of the contractors recommended to be on the framework passed this section.
The council is able to exclude from a tender process applicants who have breached the blacklisting regulations, on the basis that this amounts to an act of grave misconduct and therefore could justify exclusion of that operator in accordance with the Public Contract Regulations. However any exclusion must be considered on a case by case basis, be proportionate and be justified on the evidence given. The council is required to allow an operator to ‘self-clean’, which enables an operator to show that it has or will take measures to put right its earlier wrongdoing and to prevent reoccurrence. Where an operator has self-cleaned, exclusion would generally be disproportionate.
Supplemental question
Ms Plain asked a supplemental question about whether Councillor Williams would meet to discuss the matter further with her.
Councillor Williams agreed to the meeting.
Public question from Beverley Robinson
To Councillor Richard Livingstone, Cabinet Member for Housing
Re the policy on financial assessment of leaseholders facing loss of home through compulsory purchase, please could we be advised of the outcome of the briefing which, at a meeting with Councillor Williams on 20 October, we were told would take place on 9 November between Councillor Livingstone and officers?
Response
The cabinet member for housing was briefed on 16 November 2015 about a number of issues raised by home owners affected by regeneration on the Aylesbury Estate’s first development site. Among the main issues discussed was one concerning the level of their own savings home owners are required to apply to their re-housing, and on-going concerns around valuations were also noted. Officers have been directed to liaise with other local authorities undertaking large-scale regeneration schemes and put together further proposals for Cabinet consideration early in the New Year.
Supplemental question
Ms Robinson asked a supplemental question relating to whether the council would consider changing the policy to help leaseholders.
Cabinet requested a report on the financial assessment of leaseholders to come to the cabinet meeting of 8 December 2015.