ACTION:

Apologies

Ms Sue Goldman, Mrs Kim Barnes, Mr Jason Roach.

A. Complaints Session

A1

Notices put up on the estate - Paul Sprenger

Paul Sprenger stated it was necessary for him to put up notices regarding a planning application for the Crispin’s site where people can see them, and not use the notice boards. Notices had been taken down from stairway entrances before they were out of date.

Robin Hawkes confirmed that it was estate staff who took the notices down and responded that:

a) Notice boards were located around the estates and keys given to the caretakers. They could be moved if they were not in suitable places.

b) It would help if Canalside were approached - they will remove notices normally if put up without reference to the Canalside office.

c) There has been a spate of fires round block entrances caused by children.

Robin Hawkes agreed that planning applications were an "issue of common concern" to residents.

Paul Sprenger stated that people don’t see the notice boards. Nick Strauss felt it was ironic that the landlord who fly-posted the estate is now banning posters and the issue needs to be discussed in detail at a future meeting. Paul Sprenger noted that A3 size notices for April’s HAWK TRA General Meeting have removed from the stairway entrances and A4 size notices have been put on the notice boards. The Tenant Support Worker confirmed that he had put up the A3 notices.

A2

Lifts - Paul Sprenger

The lift needed to be repaired at Bracer House, a piece fell off. The lift engineer’s van was wheel clamped last time he was there. The lift is still not working.

Sara Cunningham stated that "Crest Lifts" have been issued with parking permits and that the van had been parked outside of the parking bays unnecessarily. Robin Hawkes stated that the delay in repairing the lift is not related to the wheel clamping incident.

Canalside

A3

Building Site Safety and Sub-Contractors - Nick Strauss

Nick Strauss has been waiting for a response to his letter regarding site safety for 8 months. He would do what he had said he would have to do 2 months ago and make the issue public. The children were on the Orme House building site on Sunday night, Nick Strauss had tried to telephone Canalside but got no response, the flood lights at Orme House were still not working. Nick Strauss felt that the EDMC was having the "piss taken" and that Tim Goodwin was "blanking" the committee.

Robin Hawkes responded that management are not blanking the committee, they attended EDMC meetings and followed up complaints. Robin Hawkes agreed that the correct action had not been taken and that Tim Goodwin should have responded to Nick Strauss’ letter.

Canalside

Robin Hawkes asked if Nick Strauss had contacted the office about the children on the site. Nick Strauss responded that he had tried both emergency numbers shown in the newsletter and got no response. Robin Hawkes stated that Canalside have had no other complaints from residents unable to contact the resident caretakers, there was always one on duty. Nick Strauss confirmed that he just got an automatic message each time stating the number was unavailable. Robin Hawkes to look into the matter.

Canalside

Nick Strauss had further complaints from residents regarding building sub-contractors illegally disposing of residents’ property and believed that the Canalside office had taken no action to stop this. Sara Cunningham disagreed and stated that she knew of the particular case that Nick Strauss was referring to.

Canalside

A4

Severe Damp to Occupied Flat

Paul Sprenger circulated pictures of the interior condition of a flat at --- Scorton House. There was very bad mould growth in some rooms and water was actually dripping down the wall in the bedroom. The flat had previously been redecorated and the mould growth treated by Canalside, the resident had been told that the problem would not come back. Robin Hawkes to look into matter and report back.

Canalside

Agreed to take invited guests before discussing any further complaints.

B. Arts Projects

B1

Michael (photographer).

Michael - wants to photograph flats of blocks due to be demolished and had approached Canalside. Michael stated that people often saw partially demolished flats with insides of rooms exposed and items like the wallpaper visible, then wondered who the occupier had been, what the flat looked like in occupation etc. Michael would take pictures of the flats while occupied and also when partially demolished.

Sara Cunningham stated that Canalside had suggested Longbow House. Michael added that usually people can’t wait to see the blocks demolished - Longbow was a "beautiful" block. People would be able to see the block as it had been lived in.

B2

Arts for Space Danielle Lees-Smith and Elinor Seath.

Arts for Space had approached Canalside with a view to working on their estates. The aim of the company is to work with children on a broad variety of arts projects. Elinor Seath circulated photographs showing children at work on previous projects such as Music, mosaics, pictures, crafts, garden design. Arts for Space have worked previously in Kingston (upon Thames) and some schools.

Canalside have taken Arts for Space round to see some possible sites on or adjacent to the estates - they showed photographs of these to the meeting and discussed the sites with the committee:

Points made by residents:

1. The estates will be a "permanent building site" for the next 5 years.
2. These kind of projects often fall into dilapidation after they have been completed. Can Arts for Space ensure that what they produce will be easily maintainable?
3. There will need to be a commitment from Canalside to provide upkeep for finished projects.
4. Arts for Space will need to ensure that all the different cultures are involved.
5. People will enjoy doing a project and it will "look nice" when it is finished but they need to be practical -some areas are "dogs toilets" at the moment and it will be hard to stop this.
6. The estates have suffered from years of neglect and the local kids have received this message strongly. They consider burning cars and smashing windows as fun.
7. Some of the projects shown as an example used wood and appeared to be not very strongly built and there was concern over this being set alight and at the general suitability of this type of project for the area.

Arts for Space replied that:

1. They were aware of the area’s problems and one of them lived close by.
2. They would take into account the need for maintainability and also the risk of deliberate damage, although the latter would "limit creativity" when they work on the design of the projects.

Committee members were concerned that Arts for Space get funding for their projects outside Canalside. One suggested that City of London institutions could be forthcoming with grants as the estates were "on the edge of the city".

Arts for Space stated that they were not a charitable organisation so there were problems with some funders but Arts for Space could work in partnership with any local charities which served the area and asked if the committee knew of any. Arts for Space were given contact details for Haggerston Area Trust (which covered Haggerston Estate) and Shoreditch New Deal Trust (which covered Whitmore estate).

Robin Hawkes stated that the proposal from Arts for Space will go to the next Canalside Community Board Meeting where finances and next year’s budget will be discussed and the Board would expect the project to "lever in" finance from other funders.

Rose Hayes thanked the guests for attending the meeting. Michael, Danielle Lees-Smith and Elinor Seath left the meeting

C. Canalside Policy: Estate Service Standards

C1

Sara Cunningham explained that she had put together various policies such as parking, cleaning etc. to come up with the present document.

C2

Rose Hayes stated that the caretakers do not pick up the litter, it is left to the gardeners. Also when they do collect litter from the grass areas they do not bother to collect the dead leaves. The sweeping up is not done properly.

Canalside

C3

Nick Strauss and Jerry Piper raised the overall concern that Canalside had not been monitoring and enforcing standards effectively and that the policy would only be useful if it was enforced by staff. In particular:

Specification Page 3

Procedures - Paragraph 2.2-2.3

Nick Strauss stated that these items have not been done to date.

Procedures - Paragraph 4.5 (Nick Strauss)

Nick Strauss stated that there have been many complaints about Linbrooks but the procedures for dealing with the complaints have not been followed and the Canalside Community Board have not been informed of the complaints.

Procedures - General

Jerry Piper wanted to know how standards will be monitored as it appears that this is not done properly at the moment. Jerry Piper stated that he goes out to work every day so is not aware of who does or doesn’t come out and do the monitoring - he is going by lack of results. Sara Cunningham stated that it has been difficult to change working practices of staff to ensure that follow-up actions to the monitoring are carried out.

Procedures - General

Jerry Piper asked about monitoring of residents and asked what Canalside could do to get residents to show a community spirit.

C4

Throughout

Ivy Matkin stated that references to "tenants" should read "residents".

Sara C’ham

C5

Specification Page 3 - Internal Landings & Stairs of Flats

Paul Sprenger asked if cleaners get sufficient training and the right equipment? The cobwebs on the sides of the stairs at Scorton House should have been swept at the same time as the stairs. Also, shouldn’t the caretakers sweep daily instead of weekly?

Sara Cunningham replied that they cannot do a daily sweep as this would be "prohibitively expensive". Sara Cunningham stated that Canalside can do a daily litter pick to deal with dropped items. Canalside can get the cobwebs swept and will instruct caretakers.

Canalside

C6

Specification Page 3 - Lighting

Paul Sprenger stated that the period allowed for change to and from BST for lighting time switches should not be left as 1 working day. The clocks change on Sunday and the lighting would need to be adjusted before Monday Morning when residents go to work.

Sara Cunningham stated that it would be very hard to do all the estates in one day. Residents felt that Canalside should make the Sunday change-over a priority, especially when clocks go back.

Canalside

C7

Nilam Raichura stated that the Rover House time switch has never been set correctly. Robin Hawkes stated that Canalside will look into the problem

Canalside

C8

Nilam Raichura stated that one resident is throwing items out of their window onto the area where her garden is going to be. Sara Cunningham thought she knew which resident is being referred to, there have been problems before, she will see if they have been contacted.

Sara C’ham

C9

Specification Page 4 - Availability of Caretaker

Jill Excell asked how Canalside define "reasonably available for emergencies"? She was not able to contact the emergency caretaker last week. Sara Cunningham will remove the word "reasonably".

Sara C’ham

C10

Standards - Page 5 Estate Management point 4

Ivy Matkin States that Estate Manager will "Remove" abandoned vehicles - cannot be physically done. Sara Cunningham will change to "arrange removal of".

Sara C’ham

C11

Standards Page 1&2 - Gardeners (Ivy Matkin)

Ivy Matkin felt that the policy implies that all jobs are gardeners responsibility when they will need help for large tasks. Sara Cunningham replied that the gardeners have "other resources" available - they are be expected to ask if they need help.

C12

Reduction in Standards

Jerry Piper pointed out that there is a sometimes large reduction when comparing the old standards which were in force when Canalside took over with the proposed policy. Sara Cunningham maintained that there was no reduction in standards as the original standards had never been enforced so the new standards will show an actual improvement.

Jerry Piper pointed out that hedge trimming will now take place every 6 weeks instead of every 2 weeks, this to him was a reduction in standards. Nick Strauss felt that Canalside should admit they are at fault in this case. Jerry Piper acknowledged that the service is improving but re-iterated that the standards have been reduced in the new policy.

C13

Standards Page 3 - Internal Landings & Stairs of Flats

Jerry Piper stated that graffiti is not being removed properly, caretakers "slosh paint" over graffiti and some paint is dripped on the stairs where it is left. Jerry Piper wanted the method of graffiti removal to be reviewed.

Sara Cunningham replied that there is a problem matching the anything to the old paint work on the blocks but this could be done once the communal areas have been redecorated. Robin Hawkes added that all graffiti removal methods "have their problems".

Jerry Piper stated that he did not want to discuss methodology but the standard of removal needs to be improved. Jerry Piper suggested that Canalside get in touch with London Underground who are "experts at graffiti removal"

Canalside

C14

Standards Page 3 - Windows and Glass

Jerry Piper noted that there has been a reduction from 3 months to "when arranged" for external window cleaning. Some windows are inaccessible to caretakers and residents.

C15

Standards Page 1&2 - Health and Safety

Ivy Matkin noted that Gardeners equipment was left unattended. Ivy Matkin felt there was a need to state Health and Safety policy regarding equipment and for instance picking up of used "needles" and plastic bags, the contents of which are unknown. Sara Cunningham stated that generally this would be put in Health and Safety policy but she can put Health and Safety issues in some sections of this policy as well.

Sara C’ham

C16

Standards Page 3 - Internal Landings & Stairs of Flats

Sara Cunningham confirmed with Rose Hayes that this section applied to the communal "balconies" of flats. Rose Hayes asked why rubbish left on one balcony by Linbrooks was still there. Robin Hawkes stated that this was not an Estates Policy issue as it is up to contractor to clear up after themselves, Linbrooks will be instructed to do so.

Canalside

C17

Rose Hayes asked if the committee agreed the policy with amendments.

C18

Nick Strauss asked that it be minuted that the items covered on the first 2 pages of the policy have simply not been carried out. The management of the policy is not being carried out effectively so he will abstain from voting on the policy at the Canalside Community Board meeting.

C19

Nick Strauss cited Linbrooks who "have certainly had more than 3 complaints" but the Canalside Community Board have not been informed and Nick Strauss suggested the need to revisit the listing of complaints in the quarterly maintenance reports. Nick Strauss questioned whether the majority of complaints had been from Canalside Community Board members who are also residents and Robin Hawkes stated that this was the case and that complaints and actions taken were in the reports. Nick Strauss felt that in that case there was under-reporting of complaints.

C20

Agreed to the estate service Standards policy with amendments as minuted.

1. Minutes of 19^th March 2001 - Accuracy

Throughout - "Sarah Cunningham" should read "Sara Cunningham". "Bruno Brookes" should read "Bruno Bridge" (Apologies for this - MT).

Item 5.2 d (f) Review of Project Cost Plan - Item should have been numbered 6.2 d (f), "Board" should read "Community Board".

Item 5.3, Role of EDMC and Design Group, page 6, last paragraphs - under "Agreed that" item ii) should state "Tim Goodwin" in the "Action Column" rather than all items i) to iii) being actioned by "Canalside and Residents".

Item 7.1 - "HIV and Aides Policy" should read "HIV and AIDS policy".

Item 7.2 e, Equal Opportunities Action Plan, Staff Recruitment - "B&EM" should be expanded to read "Black Ethnic Minority".

Minutes agreed with the above amendments.

2. Matters Arising from the Minutes of 19^th March

Item 2.2, Dustbins at Garden Place - Nick Strauss asked where the bins were now? Sara Cunningham replied that John, the caretaker, was back from paternity leave and should have them "under control".

Canalside

Item 5.1 (Item 2.2c, Refuse Collections)

Jerry Piper stated that there had been no improvement to the refuse collection at Phillipp Street (Whitmore Estate). Sara Cunningham stated that Canalside had sent a complaint regarding various refuse collection problems to "ServiceTeam" who now run the refuse collection service for the Council. ServiceTeam have replied but nothing has been resolved yet.

Jerry Piper stated that his main complaint continues to be inadequate bin provision. Sara Cunningham responded that replacing broken bins and ServiceTeam collecting on the correct day should improve the provision, that ServiceTeam have agreed to replace broken bins and this has been taken up with the Council. Jerry Piper stated that it had been 8 weeks since he raised the issue and still nothing has improved. Extra bins would help.

Canalside

Ivy Matkin stated that the bins in Garden Place are always full up because residents fill the bins just after they have been emptied rather than depositing refuse before the collection takes place.

Items 5.3 b&c, Site Safety - Complaint was made about this item at the start of the meeting.

Item 5.4 c, Letter from MHO to Contractors at Whitmore House - Rose Hayes reported that Kingsbury Contractors did sweep up about 2 weeks ago.

Item 5.5, (Item 4.7 (Item 5.5b, Newsletter)) - Rose Hayes asked if newsletter had now been delivered to the correct addresses in Bryant Court. Sara Cunningham replied "hope so".

Canalside

Item 5.4 c, Letter from MHO to Contractors at Whitmore House - Robin Hawkes stated that Canalside to supply members with name of new project officer at MHO.

Canalside

Item 5.9 (Item 6.8 (Canalside Policies)) - Nick Strauss stated there was a need to have a review of the parking policy. JS queried whether this needed to be brought up as it had been covered previously. Sara Cunningham stated that the review would need to take place in June although she knew this was not a popular item for committee members.

Canalside

Item 5.6 (Item 5.1 Report Backs: Ascent 21) - The Tenant Support Worker stated that A21 had responded to his letter. HAWK TRA committee has discussed the letter and decided on action that should be taken.

Item 5.11, (Item 7.2 (Any Other Business: Finances)) - The Tenant Support Worker now has 2 cheques for the EDMC to bank. He also needs two cheques to be signed.

Item 5.8 b, (Item 4.5 (Item 5.1, Parking Policy Review)) - Ivy Matkin felt that residents needed to depend on more than "good will" to prevent parking in "disabled bays". Agreed to add this issue to the items considered at the parking revue.

Canalside

Item 5.2 c, Report Backs - Review of Project Cost Plan, Project Phasing Plan, Contractors - Nick Strauss stated that selection of Cost Consultants and Senior Project Manager was "news to me" and that the Canalside Community Board was not informed. Robin Hawkes to check on whether board had been informed.

Robin Hawkes

Item 7.2 a, HIV and AIDS Policy, Equal Opportunities - Sara Cunningham stated that the "Action Plan" had been reviewed and not the policy.

Item 7.1 a, HIV and AIDS Policy, AIDS virus - Sara Cunningham had taken advice regarding risks of infection and had put an amendment to the policy presented to the Canalside Community Board along with a note about it.

Item 8.2 Any Other Business - AGM and Elections - The Tenant Support Worker stated that he has not yet sent out the paper on the elections. Robin Hawkes made it clear that Canalside must discuss the elections at the next Community Board meeting in April, they have already been delayed. Agreed to move date for next EDMC meeting forward by a week from 16^th April to 9^th April.

Tenant Support Worker

Robin Hawkes to send out papers to the Canalside Community Board for its meeting on 10^th April and then do an addendum sheet with anything that arose out of the discussions at the EDMC meeting. Sara Cunningham to present rent arrears policy to May EDMC meeting. The Tenant Support Worker to send out paper on elections and AGM before 9^th April.

Tenant Support Worker

Item 7.2 e, Equal Opportunities Action Plan, Staff Recruitment - Nilam Raichura asked when the recruitment would start? Robin Hawkes stated that the policy had gone to the Canalside Community Board and been agreed and the policy would be followed through when recruiting staff in the future.

Canalside

Item 8.3 The Tenant Support Worker asked about the newsletter, he had only received one article for it so far.

Members

Agreed that elections, AGM and Newsletter to be discussed at the next EDMC meeting as priority items. No guests or visitors are to be invited regarding other matters.

Tenant Support Worker

8. Any Other Business

None taken