Agenda item

Committee received presentations from Stephen Nash, Interim Director Strategic Development & Delivery on how it consults and engages with the different stakeholders in the delivery of its new homes and Alistair Gale, Head of Programming, Design and Customer Care on partnership working.

·       Meeting was advised that besides delivering new affordable high-quality homes it is important for residents to understand why Council is building new homes on their estate, why it has to sell homes to pay for the works, and how people can apply for newly built homes. This is possible through its consultation and engagement process.

·       The New Build Team does not determine whether a scheme goes ahead, that lies primarily with the Council’s Planning Committee.

·       The Team ensures that all relevant voices are heard, how it influences our buildings and spaces and the need to continue involvement.

·       Interim Director highlighted its engagement process with internal stakeholders with its initial fact finding; design guide; stakeholder workshops; building control and technical reviews; members meetings and updates.

·       Throughout the engagement process, the New Build Team aims to put residents at the heart of the process by involving them in both design and implementation phases.

·       In terms of community engagement, meeting was advised that local knowledge and feedback helps improve council schemes and enhance the social value that developments can deliver and this is done via exhibitions and drop in sessions, residents meeting the Design team to talk about the built environment; Steering groups and design workshops; feedback surveys; newsletters and posters and visiting residents.

·       Meeting was also informed that the New Build Team engage with residents that do not live on the estate so as to get their perspective on the impact of the new scheme.

·       Resident engagement continues during construction and onto when scheme is completed and handed over as new schemes can have an impact on resident amenity with possible closures of access roads and noises from construction activities and its impact on residents well-being.

·       The new build team provides regular newsletters, organise ‘meet the contractor’ event, having in place a dedicated resident liaison officer; use of online project webpages, attendance of TRA/TMO meetings and including a contractor ‘Social Value’ clause.

·       A successful engagement process will ensure that process is tailored to the needs of the projects as it is important to recognise that there is a no ‘one-size-fits-all’ . The process will make use of local knowledge and feedback to develop and refine proposals, that it will allow for a ‘win/win’ approach whereby existing / and future residents will benefit, achieve an acceptable balance of time/cost/quality for the Council New Build once construction is underway.

·       Meeting was informed of the recent changes within the New Build Team, that previously the engagement process was managed by a Project Manager, a Strategic Engagement Manager and Officer has been proposed to manage the process with tasks of reviewing how the Team currently engages; filter out what works, what doesn’t, what could be done better; speak to other developing boroughs and incorporate the best that they do; work closely with LBI Engagement and Participation Team and Communications Team; meet the requirements of the GLA / Social Housing Regulator and other relevant bodies etc.

·       In terms of Cross Public Sector Working, One Public Estate supports locally-led partnerships of public sector bodies to collaborate around their public service delivery strategies and estate needs, an example being the funding of (some) ground works to Parkside Estate. It was also noted that more lobbying would need to be done regarding TFL as they remain one of the few large landowners in the borough.

·       The New Build team engages with the Islington Local Estates Forum and has resulted in projects such as Vorley Road (37 council homes, new medical centre, new library), the Finsbury Leisure Centre (100 council homes, new leisure centre, new medical centre, new energy centre) and Daylight New Park (new council homes, new medical centre, new adult day centre) etc.

·       GLA funds have resulted in the building of council homes for Londoners and Affordable Homes programme for sale, which is to be welcomed.

·       In terms of best Practice and Knowledge Sharing, the new team is part of the Local Authority Design Working Group (LA DWG).

·       The team also engages in various networking activities such as the Housing Forum which supports Council’s at different stages in delivering more quality homes for their communities nationwide; London Councils (LC); LC London Housing Developers Group; Neighbouring developing councils and Contractors & consultants.

·       Meeting was advised that LBI being one of the founding members of the Benchmarking Construction for London group, is able to upload tender award data and supporting information that helps to produce construction cost benchmarks so that it obtains best value for money especially in terms of construction costs.

·       On the possibility of further collaboration with similar schemes such as the Richard Cloudsley School, meeting was advised of the unique circumstances which made it possible, however if such opportunity arises in the future the Team will take it up.

·       Meeting was informed of cross working with other services, that the team has links with the Adult and Social Care Services which helps in identifying local housing demands and under-occupiers.

·       In response to suggestions that Council build on top of existing residential buildings or build downwards, the Executive Member for Finance, Planning and Performance reminded the meeting of successful conversion of garages and undercroft spaces, and that Council have no plans to build below ground.

·       The interim Director advised that fun day events were sometimes organised in estates with a view to design play areas, an opportunity to obtain feedback from children and young people’s.

·       In response to a question about previous collaboration exercises with smaller housing associations to build new homes, the interim Director advised that this was possible previously when council had small sites within the borough. The New Build Team provides support and advice to small housing associations when seeking planning permission.

·       On the question of abandoned projects and if it could be attributed to failure with the engagement process, meeting was advised that only one out of 40 schemes was abandoned and this was due to challenging circumstances from the economic climate.

·       Committee will have an opportunity to consider the experiences of neighbouring boroughs as part of the review into new build homes.

·       On the suggestion of extending the invitation to experts and academics, this was noted by officers.

Chair thanked both Stephen Nash and Alistair Gale for their presentations and that he and the vice chair would be meeting the New Build 

RESOLVED:
That the presentation be noted.