Minutes of the Meeting of Kennington Park Estate Tenants’ Association held on 15 July 2015 at Kennington Park Estate Community Centre
Present: 21 tenants and leaseholders of Kennington Park Estate: Joan Twelves in the chair
In attendance: Christina Edoja, HSH Housing Officer, Tracey Dada, Hyde Resident Engagement Officer
1. Apologies for absence
Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Jack Hopkins, Cllr Claire Holland, Raquel Mattos, Lynne Philips, Alex Reuben, Gail Sixsmith, Nigel Walker, HSH Resident Services Manager, Anna Blakeman, HSH Estate Services Officer
The Chair announced that Marco Barrella was no longer a resident of KPE having moved very recently. Marco was thanked for his work on behalf of the Tenants’ Association and Kennington Park Estate.
2. Minutes of last meeting of the Tenants’ Association held on 29 April 2015
The minutes of the 29 April 2015 meeting of the Tenants’ Association were approved as a correct record of that meeting.
3. Matters arising from the minutes of the last meeting
At the last meeting residents had registered concern about outstanding repairs including the performance of Mears, the repairs contractor, parking enforcement arrangements, service charges etc. It was disappointing to note that these remained outstanding issues of concern. TA officers had requested a review of the visitor parking permit system because of the change to 24/7 enforcement and a response from HSH management was awaited.
4. Housing management and estate management issues. (Reports and queries from tenants and leaseholders for the attention of HSH management)
Tenants and leaseholders reported housing management and estate management issues as follows:
- Concern was expressed with reference to ineligible vehicles parking in the Abel court
- PCN issued to blue badge holder. (The Housing Officer confirmed that residents with blue badges displayed in their vehicles were not to be )
- The floodlight and the traffic mirror at the entrance to Sherwin still required repair
- Irresponsible parking in Sherwin also remained an issue. Residents requested the parking enforcement contractor to patrol at different times each day as vehicle owners determined to avoid the patrol returned to park in Sherwin after the regular patrol had visited
- Residents in Sherwin, Hornby and Blades reported that long outstanding repairs in connection with water leaks, damp and mould had not been undertaken despite having been reported many times. The Housing Officer recommended reporting the repair through the call centre as staff in the housing office were under instruction not to take repair reports about leaks and damp
- Residents in ground floor flats in Grace expressed concern about ASB arising from the activities of residents in flats above. The HSH ASB Officer was requested to
5. Anti-social behaviour affecting Kennington Park Estate: HSH management response
Residents reported the serious anti-social behaviour in the Key/Blythe courtyard.
- The Housing Officer confirmed the problem was receiving high level attention from the police. The Police had recommended changes to the design and planting in the Key/Blythe court yard to ensure activities in the area could be seen from all sides as opposed to obscured by walls, shrubs, planters, etc. These changes were to be made as soon as
- Residents recommended HSH should enforce tenancy conditions to make it clear that ASB was not tolerated and parents must take responsibility for their children
- Residents expressed concern about the lack of provision for young people
- Residents identified the very long outstanding disrepair of the Key and Blythe lighting columns. If it was not possible to repair these lights, an alternative must be
- Residents reported that the situation was intimidating when walking home after dark
- Residents reported that the anti-social element was responsible for damaging/vandalising the door entry system in Key and Blythe
- Residents queried the usefulness of the CCTV monitoring system in this situation and expressed concern about paying a substantial service charge for a service which did not appear to have a significant effect on deterrence or detection
- Residents were informed of the forthcoming meeting of the Oval Safer Neighbourhood Panel scheduled for 29 July 2015 at which these problems could be reported to the Oval Safe Neighbourhood Team and discussed
- Residents were urged to call 101 to report anti-social behaviour to the Oval Police Team to ensure there was a record of all the incidents
- Cllr Edbrooke agreed to recommend to the Oval police team that a dispersal order could be
Tina confirmed she and the Housing Office were in regular contact with local police in terms of dealing with the undesirable gatherings of young people in the Key/Blythe courtyard after dark. It had become a gathering point for young people from elsewhere as well as those living on KPE. She was not able to specify details of the issues discussed, however, the police had made a detailed assessment of the area and had made recommendations about action which could be taken to make it less attractive to these gatherings, particularly by increasing visibility across the area. Tina appealed to residents to report incidents to the police to ensure the concern of residents was on the record and more resources could be allocated to the problem. Tina agreed to inform the police of the problem with mopeds speeding round the Estate at night giving rise to noise and safety issues. Residents commented on the lack of provision for young people and on the responsibility of parents in relation to teenage children.
Residents strongly supported the proposal for a police enforced dispersal zone to include the whole Estate as opposed to just the Key/Blythe courtyard. Cllr Edbrooke and Cllr Holland agreed to contact the police to urge the introduction of a dispersal zone. Residents expressed concern about the lighting in the Key/Blythe courtyard.
Many of the lights on lamp posts had been out of order for a considerable time. Tina agreed to report the problem to Estate Services for swift resolution. There was an Oval Police Safe Neighbourhood Team meeting at the end of July and all residents were invited to attend in order to ensure the local police were aware of the strength of feeling on the problem. Progress on work to address the problem was to be reported at the next meeting of the Tenants’ Association.
6. Report from Executive Committee of the Tenants’ Association
- Report from Recent Estate InspectionsIt was confirmed interested residents were welcome to attend regular inspections with the Housing Officer. Recent estate inspections focussed on safety issues including balcony clearance, also cleaning, hard surface weeding, bulk refuse removal and the increased frequency of fly tipping on the Estate.
- Proposal from Hyde to redevelop the site of the Kennington Park Estate Community CentreIt was reported that redevelopment plans had been delayed while negotiations were held with TfL about the potential to make deliveries to a proposed retail unit from Harleyford Street. Hyde intended to gain planning permission and start on site before the end of the current financial year. Hyde also intended to close the Community Centre from the end of
6.3 Programme of Planned and Cyclical Maintenance with reference to Kennington Park Estate
It was reported that the TA was in discussion with Hyde senior management about the maintenance programme currently being undertaken at Kennington Park Estate and in the Stockwell properties which does not include a full programme of planned maintenance. A comprehensive, regular maintenance programme was one of the main reasons residents of Kennington Park Estate voted to transfer ownership of the Estate from the Council to HSH. The promise made to residents by HSH at the time of transfer was: Over the following thirty years a fully funded programme of regular repairs and maintenance will make sure the Estates do not fall into disrepair again. Plus: to undertake in accordance with Good Industry Practice a properly funded programme of cyclical maintenance for a period which shall not be less than 30 years starting from the completion date.
6.4 KPETA work on scrutiny of Service Charges
TA Officers reported on the detailed work of scrutinising service charges on behalf of residents of Kennington Park Estate. Regular meetings had been held with the Hyde Director responsible. At the recent meeting the Director and other senior staff were taken on a tour of the Estate to demonstrate the poor value for money received for the significant amount paid in service charges. The Director was also challenged with reference to the new charges introduced for 15/16 with no explanation or consultation.
6.5 KPETA Budget 2015/16
The KPETA budget for 2015/16 was presented and approved as follows:
TA Newsletters, £250, Newsletter delivery, £100, Small grants, £250: Training/Education/Courses, £400: Stationery/printer supplies etc, £150: Website service annual fee, £150: Website maintenance, £100: TA meetings refreshments, £50: Miscellaneous/Contingency, £280. Total budget, £1,730
6.6 Redevelopment of Gasholder Site
As previously reported, the gasholders had been decommissioned and the Council was working with Berkeley Homes on a potential master plan for the site. Further consultation with the local community had been delayed to September. It was confirmed that TA Officers were to continue to work to influence plans for the site as it is so close to KPE and will inevitably have an impact on KPE residents, particularly those living in Read, Sherwin, Grace and Brockwell Houses. Cllr Edbrooke reported that the Council wished to see a new library on the site along with a significant proportion of social housing.
7. Report from HSH Resident Forum
The HSH Resident Forum, consisting of representatives from all HSH Tenants’ Associations, including Kennington Park Estate, continued to meet on a quarterly basis even though Hyde/HSH management had withdrawn support. The Resident Forum reported and discussed the same range of concerns with Hyde management as raised by KPETA and made every effort to hold Hyde/HSH to account.
8. Report from HSH Resident Assurance Committee and HSH Board
It was noted that Hyde management was reluctant to report to residents on the activities of the HSH Board (now subsumed into the centralised GHSB) even though this should conduct itself as democratic and accountable particularly as it was the body which controlled the finances of Hyde Southbank Homes.
9. Any Other Business
Road works and disruption to traffic affecting Kennington Park Estate
The road works on Kennington Park Road, Harleyford Street and Harleyford Road and at the Oval junction were referred to and it was confirmed that so much disruptive work should not have been scheduled by TfL and NLE to be undertaken at the same time.
10. Date of next meeting of Kennington Park Estate Tenants’ Association:
The next meeting, the Annual General Meeting, was scheduled for 1900, 23 September 2015, 1830 to report individual problems to TA Officers. Meeting of the Tenants’ Association thereafter 18 November 2015.