ACTION:

1. Apologies

Ms Sue Goldman.

Sandra Bradley has moved away and will no longer attend.

2. Complaints Session

2.1a

Nick Strauss Called 3 Fridays ago at Canalside office re: lights not working at Orme House leaving area of Haggerston East in the dark. Last Wednesday was told no repairs could be done without contractors permission. Last Friday only one light working and nothing has happened to date. Nick Strauss saw flood lights not working in Whitmore House while cycling through it last week - he felt that estates were being made unsafe because Canalside were not maintaining the lights. Nick Strauss has brought this to attention of EDMC before starting the formal complaints procedure.

2.2

Nick Strauss has still not received site inspection reports from Tim Goodwin, the request has been outstanding for 3 months. There is no evidence that site safety checks are being carried out despite assurances to the EDMC. Nick Strauss is starting formal complaints proceedings.

2.3

Nick Strauss informed the EDMC that Canalside have not paid this quarter’s funding for the Tenant Support Worker. LBH have also not paid and HAT are disputing money owed to the TRA, however Canalside owe roughly £7,000 and the Tenant Support Worker cannot be paid until the TRA receive this money.

Canalside

2.4

Sarah Cunningham could not comment on lights but clarified which block on Whitmore was affected. Members felt the faults on Whitmore were due to problems with the time switches. Jerry Piper felt that Canalside should be "pro-active" and stated that they should check if the lights were off during hours of darkness or on during daylight hours and report the problem, he and was concerned that checks were not being carried out as a routine.

Canalside

2.5

Sarah Cunningham stated that Tim Goodwin has done a report to the EDMC which has an item on site safety.

3. Ascent 21

3.1

Frances Hawkings introduced herself as the director of Ascent 21 and Lewis M as the youth worker. Frances Hawkings circulated a report which had previously been given to the Canalside Board in October.

3.2

Ascent 21 have a remit to reduce unemployment on the estate. Unemployment stood at 26-28% when they started, now it is down to 15%. The London average is 5% and Ascent 21 are aiming to get within 2-3% of this. They wanted to "aim high and see where it goes" and have set a standard for working with employers.

3.2a

Ascent 21 have tried to track people who leave the area. The trend is for people who find employment to move out, mainly young people and young families. The main reason for leaving is a low standard of education and the choice of schools.

3.2b

Ascent 21 run an outreach project which trains people in Advice and Guidance to NVQ level 3. They were turned down for EU funding as none is given for advice and guidance "which seems strange". They are training 8 outreach workers themselves and have built up customised training in small groups. They also train on counselling, which is a different approach to dealing with the same problems.

3.2c

Ascent 21 have linked training and employment with HB entitlement and are trying to get higher waged jobs which don’t need qualifications. They are aware that the cost of Childcare can increase when people take jobs. An example of their success is the link with London Underground. They are also starting work with the fire service (who need admin. staff as well as fire fighters). They are starting links with the Metropolitan police and the Hackney College.

3.2d

Ascent 21 have 5 full time staff and also employ sessional outreach workers who do door knocking and leafleting.

3.2e

Ascent 21 did a large survey last year and found that "elderly" people were being excluded from regeneration, they wanted to get back a sense of community. Regeneration measures jobs and the sense of community was not being counted. They have started an "Elderly Support Group" and devised a questionnaire for "elderly" people. The Metropolitan Police and the local Chemist want to be involved and the Chemist can give out information on safety, heating etc. There are a wide range of ethnic groups and some Turkish "elderly" people have become involved in the project.

3.3

The Youth project has suffered from LBH cuts. They tried to start a summer programme but this has not worked well due to lack of funds. Renaisi are the main SRB funders and want specific outputs - but the project is finishing in March and there is no realistic way of meeting the targets set. Ascent 21 have written to Renaisi and also a local Councillor is writing to try and get the targets reset.

3.3b

Lewis M reported on youth activities by the project:

2 Longbow House was given to the project by Canalside as a youth room. The project did not have the funding to do Health and Safety works. Ascent 21 arranged a football youth tournament with the Met Police.

3.3c

Lewis M stated that they were doing "more than just youth work" showed a leaflet which had been sent out to residents publicising "Run for your Money" , a careers event to get people thinking about the future.

3.3d

They have worked with Leyton Orient football team to give training to young women. Tickets were given out for the England v Finland women’s match at Leyton Orient football ground (England won).

3.3e

They would like to do more but are "not being heard" regarding funding. They want to get young people together in a community forum to "push things forward". They ran a successful drop-in day for youths but have no premises for youths to congregate - the Ascent 21 office reception area is too small.

3.4a

Jerry Piper asked what had happened to the youth flat.

3.4b

Ascent 21 still have the youth flat but wanted to knock numbers 1 & 2 together to make sufficient space. The equipment was stolen from the flat during the summer and there are no funds to replace it or do the work to the flat. that Canalside are already giving the project "a small amount" of money, £5,000.

3.4c

Members suggested that the EDMC and the TRA could support Ascent 21 in addition to the local councillor. Nick Strauss suggested that the project concentrate on "consciousness raising groups" and that day trips could be supported by Community Chest applications. Frances Hawkings stated that Ascent 21 could not make applications but agreed that a youth group could.

EDMC, Ascent 21

3.5a

Nick Strauss asked that Ascent 21 address concerns about their "structural consultation" with other residents groups. He suggested that Ascent 21’s community programme be worked from the ground up and that it be brought to the EDMC in February before being presented to the Board.

3.5b

Ascent 21 agreed to take their community programme to the EDMC before taking it to the Board meeting.

Ascent 21

Jerry Piper queried the aim of bringing unemployment within 2% of the London average and noted this was not written down anywhere, he also wanted to clarify where Ascent 21 operated. Frances Hawkings stated that the figure was not written down as it is a new one and Ascent 21 operated in the Haggerston ward and Whitmore Estate.

Ivy Matkin asked if Ascent 21 would be interested in taking ideas for the youth project from local residents groups? Frances Hawkings stated that because of previous set backs project is a "blank page" at the moment, people could contact Lewis M with ideas.

Frances Hawkings and Lewis M left the meeting

4. Minutes of 16th October - accuracy

4.1

Date is wrong on header to pages 2-8.

4.2

Item 3.2h, Metropolitan Home Ownership change "National Housing Federation" to "London Borough of Hackney".

4.3

Item 4.1, (Item 2b from September, Draft Budget for EDMC) Sentence should read: "derives from £1460 from Canalside".

4.4

Item 5.7, Additional Item (Complaints Session?) Change "Canalside had in fact agreed not to levy the charges" to "Canalside had not so far levied any charges". "Sandra Bailey" should read "Sandra Bradley"

4.6

Minutes agreed with the above amendments

5. Minutes of 18th September - Matters Arising

5.1

Item 2.2e, Parking Policy Review Members stated that a review of some aspects including issuing of parking permits had been set for 6 months at the last meeting and members were anxious that the review process started soon. Sarah Cunningham stated it was not possible for her to start anything before the new year but she could do something for February.

Sarah Cunningham

5.2a

Item 3.3g, Letter from MHO to Contractors at Whitmore House Sarah Cunningham had "tried to get hold of Riz Aziz to confirm he has sent the letter" but had not been successful. Members noted that the EDMC now had Riz Aziz’s telephone number from the MHO letter regarding legal action against commercial tenants.

5.2b

Agreed that the Secretary should pursue MHO and Riz Aziz for the letter to be sent and copies to be made to the EDMC.

Secretary

5.3

Item 5.3, EDMC Bank Account The Tenant Support Worker confirmed that the bank account has been set up and that the EDMC now has the cheque book. Jerry Piper felt that it may be hard to get signatories at short notice.

5.4

Item 5.1, Declarations of Interest Agreed to circulate Ivy Matkin’s list of external interests with the minutes.

5.5a

Nick Strauss felt that the EDMC should congratulate itself on getting out the newsletter, copies were shown at the meeting.

5.5b

Kim Barnes (Archer House) and Ivy Matkin (Garden Place) reported they had not received it, the Tenant Support Worker had seen that leaflets had been left in the communal entrance at Garden Place. Members asked the Tenant Support Worker to find out what had happened and ensure the leaflets were delivered properly.

Tenant Support Worker

6. Canalside Policy - Harassment

6.1a

Sarah Cunningham stated that there were some minor corrections to be made to the draft that had been circulated. It was agreed that in the interests of time the policy should be gone through heading by heading once only and alterations should be recorded when that part of the policy was reached

6.1b

Members felt that the policy should have numbered headings and paragraphs.

6.2

Our Approach to Harassment and Anti-Social Behaviour

6.2a

Alter first point to read: "…….harassment and anti-social behaviour…….".

6.2b

alter second point to read "…….Canalside will promote involvement……"

6.2c

Members felt that Canalside should be able to refuse nominations from the council with a history of anti-social behaviour or harassment. Sarah Cunningham stated that legally Canalside had to accept nominations and could only refuse with "good reason". Jerry Piper asked that it be minuted that the mix of tenants on the Canalside estates meant that any block would have tenants who were vulnerable to harassment.

6.2d

Members were concerned that harassment was defined only as more than one occurrence. Sarah Cunningham stated that this was the legal definition, there needs to be more than one occasion. Members wanted Canalside to act if violence occurred in one-off incident. Sarah Cunningham stated that Canalside would act but would not use the harassment policy. Nick Strauss suggested putting in a line stating that serious one-off incidents would be dealt with under another policy (anti-social behaviour?).

6.2e

Alter Page 2, 5th paragraph after bullet point 2nd & 3rd lines to read "…….on more than one occasion. Anti-social behaviour………" i.e. sentence to be broken into two.

6.2f

3rd and 6th point under "Acts of Harassment defined in the tenancy agreement" had to remain as worded as these were quotes from the Canalside tenancy agreement.

6.2g

Nick Strauss suggested that on 4th paragraph after bullet points there should be examples of external agencies added to the end including "school inclusion teams".

6.2h

On second paragraph after bullet points "residents" should be changed to "complainants".

6.3

Dealing with Reports

6.3a

Nick Strauss asked about dealing with "vexatious allegations". CS stated that a point could be added at the end of the section referring to false allegations and "officers procedure".

6.3b

Residents felt that under point 3 residents should not be left 1 day or for 5 days before action was taken but should be dealt with as soon as possible. Suggested amendments were: "A visit will be arranged immediately" and "immediately if possible or as soon as possible". Sarah Cunningham stated that it may not always be "logistically possible" to deal with a case immediately. Sarah Cunningham undertook to word the point to show that Canalside cared about the complainant and would act quickly.

6.3c

12th point be reworded to say that "Complainants will be asked whether they wish a case to be closed on completion of the action plan"

6.3d

Paul Sprenger asked that the tenants be offered help in approaching the police if they were advised to do so by Canalside

6.3e

Nick Strauss asked that the 5th point be expanded to include advice regarding the Canalside confidentiality policy.

6.3f

Paul Sprenger asked that 8th point be amended to read "Proof of harassment must be provided if 'harassment is the excuse for a transfer request being made".

6.4

Legal Action Against Perpetrators

6.4a

1st sentence add "….to the perpetrator" to end of sentence.

6.5

Harassment by Staff

6.5a

1st sentence change "Trust" to "Canalside".

6.6

Harassment by Contractors

6.6a

Jerry Piper asked whether this clause was supported in the contracts that Canalside had with contractors at the moment. Sarah Cunningham stated she did not know. Jerry Piper felt that the clause could not be acted on if there was nothing in the contracts and asked that a sentence be added to the effect that if there is no clause in existing contracts then future contracts will have one added.

6.7

Support to Staff

6.7a

Nick Strauss asked about safety of staff when "interviewing psychopaths". Sarah Cunningham said there were office procedures cover this. Nick Strauss asked that these procedures were referred to in the policy.

6.7b

Jerry Piper suggested that last sentence (page 5 top) should "include staff".

6.8

Alternative Accommodation for Victims

6.8a

Members in general felt that expecting tenants to pay for removals after being forced to move due to harassment was adding "insult to injury".

6.8b

Agreed that members would recommend to the board that the sentence be changed to "Financial assistance will normally be made towards removal expenses in line with the decants policy".

6.8c

Sarah Cunningham asked that it be minuted that she wanted the wording to allow staff to be able to use their professional discretion on payment of removal expenses.

6.9

Maintenance

6.a

Jerry Piper asked that "remedial work" be changed to "repair and remedial work".

6.10

Agreed that Sarah Cunningham would: Revise the policy in line with members requests; Include numbering for headings and paragraphs; and send a final draft to EDMC members for comments before presenting to the Canalside Board.

Sarah Cunningham

7. Reports from Sub-Committees, Members

7.1

The Tenant Support Worker had copies of various reports and minutes available for members if they wanted them.

7.2

Sarah Cunningham conveyed Tim Goodwin’s apologies for non-availability of the last Design Group meeting notes.

9. Any Other Business

Rose Hayes stated that next meeting would be scheduled for 18th December when there was too much else on and suggested cancelling it.

Agreed to have Festive event on same date instead, time and venue to be confirmed and members notified.

Tenant Support Worker & Secretary