Whittington Tenant and Resident Panel Meeting

14 october 2015

______

Attendees

Frank SinnottLower Hilldrop TRA Chair & Chair of TRP

Jan MandersonGirdlestone TRA Chair

Susanne LamidoResident and Vice Chair

Alan TylerPenderyn Way TRA Chair

Glyn RobertsHilldrop Crescent TRA Chair

Christopher Marchantlocal student

Ms E VigarColley House Resident

Kat FletcherCouncillor

Jean HughesLBI Recycling

Paul LightfootHousing Repairs Manager

Andrew MarchArea Housing Manager

Doug GoldringHousing Operations Director

Pamela AristokleCommunity & Service Development Officer - minute taker

Apologies

Janet BurgessCouncillor

Satnam GillCouncillor

ITEM / MATTER RAISED / ACTION
1.0 / Introductions
All attendees were introduced; the meeting was chaired byFS.
2.0 / Jean Hughes – Recycling and Support Officer
2.1
2.2
2.3 / Information about the recycling changes given, changes are due to budget cuts, but the Council is still committed to being a green borough. Properties that have blue bags, door to door recycling will be withdrawn and communal bins will be used. Some properties we will be keeping it e.g. in this area 1-5 Tansley Close as they have their own refuse bags, which will be collected on a split body vehicle.
GR – I live at number 4 and we don’t have blue bags or green box
We will carry out a full consultation with all TRA’s, TMO’s & Councillors, looking new locations, and then we will consult individually.
FS – asked about Lower Hilldrop. JH to contact FS to explore the need for extra collections
SL – friend lives on Melyn Close, there is no recycling for food there. JH said there will be various points in the borough to take food waste too, has been trialled in Tollington Ward
JH said that residents cannot use black bags to put their recycling in, the crews will assume it general waste and will report it as contaminated. Please spread the word at your meetings, and we will also be doing posters. / JH
JH
3.0 / Paul Lightfoot – Repair Manager
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
3.6
3.7
3.8
3.9
3.10 / PL- I have been visiting Councillors, staff and TRA’s to gain their thoughts and feedback about our repairs service.
Operatives focus was not customer service. In the last year we have been doing lots of work with the Supervisors to change their mentality. We have moved into one building; Surveyors, Housing Direct etc….
Also looking at IT, to manage the appointment side of repairs. We have evaluated the repairs process and how we deliver repairs. We have scoped it out into a flow chart, and looking at IT is a part of this. In the next 2-3 weeks we will have a decision, the IT system eventually chosen will take approximately a year to implement, lots of work to do in the next 12 months.
We are fully training operatives in their skills and training them into multi-skills, which will help our objective of getting the repair done the first time. We are getting more operatives on flexible shifts so that we can offer the evening appointment slot.
JM discussed the attitude of some of the operatives. PL explained it is about managing a culture, which takes time, but this is definitely their focus. Operatives have been given new job descriptions with their responsibilities. If an operative is not acting in an acceptable manner, please tell us so we can investigate accordingly.
DG said that for some repairs, you will be able to book your appointment on line
Scaffolding – A new contract has been procured in the last 6-8 weeks. The will attend site and asses if scaffolding is required, before erecting they will card affected properties so you are aware. This will extend to TMO’s. Please tell me if scaffolding goes up and you have not been told.
Repair Priorities – Currently have 2hrs, 24hrs & 20 days. 35% of the 60 thousand repairs fall into the first to priorities; this is very high and should be 10%. We will be proposing two new priorities. Having a high amount of repairs in the first two priorities means pulling operatives off of jobs, and does not allow proper planning. High value repairs and legal repairs need a priority as they cannot be completed within 20 days
PL will bring the repairs flow chart when he next visits
AT got a card through his door explaining the proposed priorities. PL said that this has not been advertised anywhere yet. PL gave his email to AT to contact him when he locates the card.
SL asked about an outstanding repair on the Hilldrop CC regarding a leak. PL to update the CSDSO / PL
4.0 / Previous Minutes
4.1 /
  • 2.4 Hollins House -EO did extra monitoring of the lift floors & jet washed the bin rooms. QAO’s will prioritise duties accordingly across the patches when a relied Caretaker is being used.
  • 5.1 Hollins & McCall House ASB - no further reports to OOH or Police
  • 5.2 Girdlestone Estate – no current live casework
  • 5.3 Girdlestone Estate – Broadway patrolling the area working with the homeless. Caretaking checking garages near 1-30 Girdlestone daily. Mears renting some of those garages now.

5.0 / Estate Issues/ASB
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
5.5
5.6
5.7
5.8
5.9
5.10
5.11 / SL said that there are some tress in Melyn Close that are diseased and need looking at, EO to contact SL
JM said that above the community centre, there is a strong smell of weed/skunk. ASB officer to contact JM directly
GR said that the play area in Moelwyn Hughes Court has youths gathering. He has advised residents that have spoken with him to always call ASB OOH and leave a voicemail message. It is 13-14 yrs olds who are smoking and littering. It has low level fencing that can be jumped over. EO to look at the fencing and if the gate is locked. The resident on the ground floor flat does not want to identify them as she is worried about retaliation. GR was to give AM her details after the meeting
There is also ASB activity on the stairwell at Moelwyn Hughes Court. AM said we are getting a door there as currently anyone has access. EO had advice AM that 5 residents had queried this. EO to follow up with timeframe.
GR reported drug activity on Hilldrop Lane. These are adults, difficult for police to patrol as lots of areas they can hide when they see them coming, suggested plain clothes police. ABH to contact GR.
FS said Dalmeney Avenue near the new library, there is a gathering of drinkers in the last few months. Mentioning it as a preventative measure to advise the police. By the shop on the side of Kimble House
JM reported that the block with 200 Girdlestone has a boy selling drugs to the neighbouring block, approx. 15/16 yrs old. The perp is at number 229. JM to give AM details after the meeting.
SL said that rubbish is still being dumped on Community Lane. EO had cleared 3 loads already. There are boys smoking and littering at the end. The Caretaker is sweeping the leaves but not taking the bag, so squirrels are ripping it
JM said that the trees affecting 25 Annesley Walk have still not been trimmed. PH to chase and feedback.
AT lighting on Penderyn Way. Is it on a timer as some lights come on at different times of the day and others don’t come on at all? EO has always done his best, but still not resolved. Don’t believe the timer has been changes since installed, and/or if bulbs need changing.
GR-EO came to our last TRA meeting and got lots of questions about the caretakers. AM will follow this up with EO / EO
ABH
EO/ABH
EO
ABH
ABH
ABH
EO
ABH
PH/JO
EO
EO
6.0 / AOB
6.1
6.2
6.3
6.4
6.5 / Projects Team Update – there was no further update available. PA to get an update from AS and email out to panel
SL asked about the safety of the dry stone wall, the top is loose and not safe. AM to speak with EO
Tansley Close – GR said that Mark Rowe did not finish the snagging list e.g. screwing a bench to the floor. PA to check with LEB from E&R
GR- there is a Chestnut tree at Moelwyn Hughes Court which is very large; an officer advised me that it could be the oldest tree in Islington. Currently it is the lumber point, and it is such a shame that the tree might be ruined. EO to review lumber point location and possibility of protecting the tree with fencing
FS – At the front of Kimble House are the recycling bins and the lumber collection point. This is unsightly, can better arrangement be reviewed.
At our TRA meeting EO had said that Octopus gave the TRA funding for the garden area in Community Lane. KF confirmed it was Greenspace money and the garden area sits with the Community Centre not the TRA. PA to speak with LEB and EO who responsibility sits with. / PA/AS
EO
LEB
EO
EO
LEB & EO
Date of next meeting
Tuesday 19thJanuary 2016 at the Hilldrop Community Centre, Community Lane. Meeting starts promptly at 7pm with refreshments available from 6.30pm

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