Kipling Estate T&RA Report: September 2013
1. Resident Participation Strategy
JMB directors have agreed a Resident Participation Strategy. The objective is more communication with and participation by residents. To free up resident representative and staff time we are proposing four formal TRA meetings a year, with each TRA having an option to organise as many or as few informal/ social meetings as they wish. There are a number of stands to this strategy.
a. Tenants Levy
We want to re-negotiate the tenants’ levy rules for funding T&RAs, based on what residents think is important, rather than the existing Southwark criteria. Whilst this is happening we will ensure that enough JMB wide meetings are happening for each T&RA to meet the existing criteria.
b. Website
We now have a news page on our website www.leathermarketjmb.org.uk. The emphasis is on providing the information that residents are interested in, such as problems with main services, such as lifts, gas and water and social activities.
c. Notice boards
We have set aside money for new notice boards. Do you want us to renew the old boards, or should we be looking at different locations?
d. Tenants Home Visits
We have been thinking about the residents we rarely get to see. Over the next three years we want to visit every tenant in their home. To check if they are the lawful occupant, have any unreported/ unresolved repairs, understand the importance of fire safety, know where their stop cocks are and how to use their heating system.
e. New posts
We will be advertising two new posts. A Resident Liaison Officer to provide information to residents and encourage their participation when we are doing major works and other estate works. Secondly, a part time Communication and Participation Officer, to assist with communication and participation generally. If you know someone who may be interested ask them to keep an eye on the Guardian, Inside Housing and the JMB’s website.
f. Resident-Led Inspections
Please see attached a programme of estate inspections. Any resident is very welcome to come along. There are dates to meet with John-Paul Eaton, Estates Services Manager, to look at cleaning and gardening standards and Kelly Gosbee, Repairs Supervisor, to look for communal repairs.
In the past we have tried to organise the inspections around the availability of particular staff and resident representatives. This has not worked, so we have said that we will advertise dates and make sure that inspections happen on these dates.
The outcome will be reported to T&RAs and on our website, for people not able to get along.
Meeting dates for Estates repairs inspections:
| Kipling Estate including Simla and Burwash HouseMEETING POINT: BURWASH HOUSE 10am | 25.9.13 | 20.11.13 | 19.3.14 | 14.5.14 |
The Cleaning and Gardening inspections are on the following dates:
First Thursday of each month
03/10/2013
07/11/2013
05/12/2013
Simla – 10:30am
Burwash 11am
Low rise blocks: 11.30am
g. Social group
Generally resident representatives would like to see us doing much more across the JMB working. We are therefore re-starting our Social Group to plan community activities and decide which community initiatives we should support. If you would like to join please contact Jenny Conway, at the JMB office.
h. Stepping stones for potential directors
We are keen that new people some forward to be directors. When people have tried to go from no involvement with the TRA/JMB to being a full director usually they have given up after a couple of months, leaving their TRA unrepresented.
We have therefore advertised in our newsletter and website for residents to come forward. We are inviting people who are interested in getting involved to an information session on Thursday 19th September at 6pm. We are encouraging people to get actively involved with TRA and JMB activities for at least a year, before they stand as a director.
For people standing this year we are asking them to write a candidate’s statement setting out their experience and knowledge, which we will distribute to each TRA area before their selection meeting.
The date of the JMB’s AGM is Wednesday 23rd October at 6.30pm, in the Village Hall. Under our constitution we should hold a meeting before the end of September. However, we are asking members’ permission to meet later, as we want a more structured directors’ nomination process than we have had in previous years.
2. Garages Weston Street/ Guy Street
For some time the Council has looking at the possibility of building on parts of the Kipling Estate for their ‘hidden homes’ initiative. The idea behind this is to look at garages, sheds and other underused parts of estates as areas to build new housing.
The Long Lane housing office was included in the first part of this – and as that is not in the JMB management area, we have had to let the council take control.
However, where we have a say we want to be able to take control as we believe we can get a much better deal for JMB residents. The next area that has come up is the JMB garages on the corner of Weston Street/ Guy Street.
We have persuaded the Council to let the JMB take control of the process here and we have got money from the Mayor of London to help pay for this (from a fund called GLA Community Right to Build money). This means that we can make sure that JMB residents can have their say right from the start on how any new housing would look and we would want Kipling residents to be first in the queue for new homes.
3. Fire safety risk assessments
We are working through fire risk assessments for all of our blocks. Any metal grills have to be removed. Also we have been given specific examples of where routes that people will need to use to escape from a fire are partly obstructed.
4. Decent Homes Works
The first phase of works are completed. Please let Alan Gawler, Major Works Manager, know about any problems. Our plan is to finish off the Kipling low rise blocks in the next financial year, but we are trying to see if we can afford to do this earlier.
5. Simla/ Burwash fire safety works
We are still trying to get the council to get their contractor back to sort out a few minor outstanding repairs. Because the contractor had limited responsibility to repaint the lift lobbies and landings we will put our two painters in to do this, when the weather gets cold and wet.
Cleaning and gardening inspection dates:
Falmouth Road – 10:30 – Third Thursday of the Month
18/09/2013
17/10/2013
21/11/2013
19/12/2013
Symington – 11:00 – Third Thursday of the Month
18/09/2013
17/10/2013
21/11/2013
19/12/2013
Munday – 11:30 – Third Thursday of the Month
18/09/2013
17/10/2013
21/11/2013
19/12/2013
Nashe – 11:50 – Third Thursday of the Month
18/09/2013
17/10/2013
21/11/2013
19/12/2013
Beeston – 12:10 – Third Thursday of the Month
18/09/2013
17/10/2013
21/11/2013
19/12/2013
Johnson / Lyly / Greene – 13:30 – Third Thursday of the Month
18/09/2013
17/10/2013
21/11/2013
19/12/2013
Kempe /Alleyn / Middleton – 14:30 – Third Thursday of the Month
18/09/2013
17/10/2013
21/11/2013
19/12/2013
Great Dover St / Bartholomew St – 15:30 – Third Thursday of the Month
18/09/2013
17/10/2013
21/11/2013
19/12/2013
Communal Repair Inspection dates
| July – September 2013 | October – December 2013 | January – March 2014 | April – June 2014 | |
| Lawson Estate area 1: Falmouth Road, Symington House, Munday House, Nashe House, Beeston House.
MEETING POINT: SYMINGTON HOUSE 10am
|
17.9.13 | 5.11.13 | 4.3.14 | 29.4.14 |
| Lawson Estate area 2: Burbage and Chettle Close, Lyly House, Greene House, Jonson House, Kempe House, Alleyn House, Middleton House, Cardinal Bourne, Great Dover Street and Bartholomew Street. Peveril House and Rephidim Street.
MEETING POINT: PEVERIL HOUSE 10am
|
18.9.13 | 6.11.13 | 5.3.14 | 30.4.14 |