Agenda item

To receive an update from council officers and relevant cabinet member on progress, since the matter was considered by the overview and scrutiny committee on 4 October 2023.

The committee will also hear from residents and local ward councillors.

The committee heard from Mr Barry Duckett, Chair of the Canada Estate Tenants and Residents Association, residents Elaine Willock and Michael Robertson.

Issues highlighted by Mr Duckett were:

·  Council’s failure to listen to residents

·  Historic problems with major works

·  Lack of trust in the council

·  Cost to leaseholders and housing revenue account

Mr Robertson informed the committee that no one from the council had contacted him since the previous meeting or responded to mail which had already been historically registered with the council.

Mr Robertson also brought to the committees attention, work which had been undertaken in the last two weeks relating to the laying of fibre optic cables, and the damage, dust and mess created and left in the estate lobbies during the works.  He reported that there were also problems in getting the mess cleaned up afterwards with no one (council, contractors, cleaners) wishing to take responsibility.  This left it down to the residents to remedy the situation themselves as well as having to pay for the services again.

Mr Robertson informed the committee that there had been no communication to residents informing them of when the contractors were coming to do the work.  This potentially impacted on people working from home, children doing homework and people with disabilities.

Mr Robertson felt that the system was not working and that a solution was needed so that no more residents in Southwark had to go through the issues that had been discussed at the meeting.

The committee heard from Ms Willock who raised concerns around issues with communication from the council around works that were happening or being planned for the estate blocks.

The committee also heard from Councillor Kath Whittam, local ward councillor.  Councillor Whittam likened the issues raised around Devon Mansions, as the same as Canada Estate and another estate within the ward.

Councillor Whittam highlighted the following:

·  Poor communication with residents

·  Problems with windows

·  Lack of clarity around who in the council residents should go to in order to get things done – nobody in the council taking responsibility.

The committee then heard from Councillor Darren Merrill, Cabinet Member for Council Homes, David Quirke-Thornton, Strategic Director, Dave Hodgson, Director of Asset Management, and Desmond Vincent, Assistant Director of Building Safety and Major Works.

Councillor Merrill gave an apology to residents.  He reported that he had been looking into the issues raised, and answers had now just started coming through.  Councillor Merrill reported that he had given the Strategic Director his full backing to investigate the matter fully to make sure this situation did not happen again, and to make sure that whatever was required in terms of remedial works, was undertaken with no on costs to leaseholders, and also no on cost to the housing revenue account.

The committee then heard from David Quirke-Thornton, Strategic Director, who provided an update on actions taken since the previous overview and scrutiny committee meeting.

David informed the committee that he had visited the Canada Estate with the director and met with the chair of the tenants and residents association.  They did a walk around of the estate so that he could see first hand what the issues were.  He found the meeting with the chair very productive. 

David highlighted the follow actions taken to mitigate impact:

·  All costs had been suspended for leaseholders – there would be no billing on those works.

·  Payments on the close down of the accounts had been stopped – this would give the opportunity to formally recover funds and to make challenge as appropriate.

·  The accounts would not be finalised until the strategic director was satisfied that the process was concluded.

·  Windows issue – There would be a structural safety check of the balconies to ensure they were safe to use.  To ensure safe access to the balconies, the proposal was to replace one of the window frames with a door to facilitate safe and proper access.  This would first be trialled in a void property so that residents could see what it looked like in practice.  If residents agreed with the door access then the council would proceed with implementing that change.

·  All other aspects of dissatisfaction would be captured in a log, which would be worked through with the contractor.

David acknowledged the points made earlier in the meeting around wider communication with residents (beyond the T&RA), and gave the assurance that the council would see through the remedial works until completion.

The chair opened up the meeting to questions.  Questions and discussion took place around the following:

·  Residents views on the process going forward

·  Suspension of leaseholder payments for major works

·  Communication to residents around the major works

·  Freedom of information request around communications around the windows

·  Housing department major works restructure

·  Intention for audit of major works schemes across the borough

·  Whether there will be cost to residents for remedial works

·  Proposed next steps, including communication to residents

·  Possibility of single point of contact within the council to communicate with the TRA

·  Discussion around whether cabinet should take a report to their next meeting.

RESOLVED:

1.  That the concerns highlighted following project review and concerns raised at the overview and scrutiny committee meeting held on 4 October 2023 be noted.

2.  That the proposals by way of next steps to address concerns highlighted within the report, including timeframes be noted.