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Permalink Reply by Damien Vaugh on April 29, 2015 at 11:24

It seems to me the issue is not how wealthy the COL is or how much it spends on the Arts. As I see it the Housing Department has in the past been run as a fiefdom, I say past because there is much talk of change. Operating a fiefdom means the housing department has for years been given autonomy to manage the £m's collected in rents and service charges. Elected members have very little clue as to how the money is spent, and until now, have not had to confront the scale of the dilapidation on the estates.

Recently I had cause to ask for a certificate to say that service charges and rents had been audited either internally or externally. Remember we are talking about huge sums of money. I had nievely assumed that this was basic good management and oversight. I discovered the service charges are not audited by an independent auditor nor are the COL obliged to get a suitably qualified local authority accountant to provide us with a certificate.

My conclusion was that the arms length , hands off ,fiefdom status enjoyed by the housing department has allowed mismanagement and poor value for money collected from residents. I take some hope from the new management commitment to improve things and to work proactively with residents. As for the accounts the councillors have a legal obligation for the management of the housing revenue and it is they who should ask why are the service charges not audited by an independent or local authority accountant.
Damien
Chair
PSLA.org.uk

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Permalink Reply by Gavin Hutchison on July 26, 2015 at 13:07

To add to the ongoing discussions and reflections on the general state of the estate building fabric:

I left my flat in Crescent House yesterday to find a newly landed piece of concrete on the pedestrian route undercroft adjacent to the plaza.

The concrete including reinforcement as per the attached photo is 18cm long and weighs 0.5kg. More than enough to give someone a nasty injury.

I have been a resident in Crescent House for the last 5 years and attended a recent meeting following fires collapses and corrosion where the Estate Team attempted to reassure residents that everything was in hand and not to worry. Unfortunately I was not able to attend the evening meeting with presentation by the city's concrete specialist, but I'm sure it was very enlightening.

The problem the City has is not just their slow and under ressourced reaction, it is the long term underinvestment in surveying, analysis and maintenance of its building stock. 

Concrete has been seen by the ill-informed as a no maintenance facade material, but this is not the case and the estate and its residents will be paying the price for a long time to come.

I will be handing this lump in to the Estate Office and will read all the posts on the building repairs

Gavin Hutchison - Crescent House

 

Attachments:

• IMG_2316.JPG, 1.2 MB

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Permalink Reply by nathan on July 26, 2015 at 14:39

Hi Gareth, could you please explain where the concrete fell from, I am not sure of the location when you say you found it on the pedestrian route undercroft adjacent to the plaza, I live in Crescent House and I would like to photograph where it fell from and add it to my collection,

thx

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Permalink Reply by Maria Elizabeth Prior on July 26, 2015 at 15:16

And, you certainly have a large 'collection' of mishaps, incompetent repairs, negligence etc Nathan!  Perhaps you should make up a file of it all to be presented to the C o L to remind them of their responsibilities.

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Permalink Reply by nathan on July 26, 2015 at 18:37

I would keep the concrete and send the photo instead to management in the housing department, its evidence as are e-mails,

I am sure the estate office would gladly take any evidence from you, but don't expect it to be found in a months time.

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Permalink Reply by Maria Elizabeth Prior on July 26, 2015 at 19:27

Nathan, I have evidence on my mobile phone, showing just how bad the public have misused Hatfield House lawn, but being a computer idiot, I have no idea how to transfer them from my mobile to computer, as the evidence needs to be sent to the C o L.  Can you help me with this?  
nathan said:

I would keep the concrete and send the photo instead to management in the housing department, its evidence as are e-mails,

I am sure the estate office would gladly take any evidence from you, but don't expect it to be found in a months time.

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Permalink Reply by nathan on July 26, 2015 at 22:55

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Permalink Reply by Gavin Hutchison on July 27, 2015 at 9:54

Nathan,

It's pretty much at the midpoint between The Shakespeare and Cullum Welch on the East side, leading edge of undercroft. There's still bits of crumbled concrete lying around on the paving, photo attached.

Gavin

nathan said:

Hi Gareth, could you please explain where the concrete fell from, I am not sure of the location when you say you found it on the pedestrian route undercroft adjacent to the plaza, I live in Crescent House and I would like to photograph where it fell from and add it to my collection,

thx

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Permalink Reply by nathan on July 27, 2015 at 11:06

Thx, Ill take a few snaps and post on here.

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Permalink Reply by nathan on July 27, 2015 at 16:46

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Permalink Reply by Bosques on July 27, 2015 at 23:03

At least we have Simon Rattle to keep our spirits up as the windows in Great Arthur House fall out, Crescent House burns down, the garages are crushed by the collapse of the concrete above and the rest of the place slowly returns to the state left by the Luftwaffe in the 1940s.

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Permalink Reply by Maria Elizabeth Prior on July 28, 2015 at 0:26

Yes, Bosques, and apart from that everything is okay!  

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