Statement from Martin Weaver - Head of Planned Maintenance

From: Martin Weaver
Sent: 06 October 2010 16:47
To: Sam Lewis (TP); Ian Clark; 'Francine Bennett '
Cc: Clive Taber; Richard Wiles; James Roche; Denise Hill
Subject: Lockner Estate Controlled Access

Dear all

I understand that there is an AGM of the RTA tonight and that there was a request for us to attend regarding the concerns regarding the above.

Unfortunately I was only aware of this request yesterday and I am already committed to attend another meeting. Having discussed with colleagues I thought that it may be helpful if I provided a statement which will hopefully confirm the situation ahead of tonight's meeting.

I can confirm that there is no hidden agenda or driver other than ensuring that we fulfil our responsibilities with regard to security on the estate.

We are looking at the possibility of providing Controlled Access schemes for all Hackney Homes blocks that don't currently have this facility. However, schemes will only be progressed where a majority of residents are in favour.

Some time ago initial consultation took place on Lockner and this indicated that there was a majority in favour of pursuing a perimeter scheme. At that stage the scheme was dropped from the provisional programme because it was clear that consultation and planning issues would delay it and also that it could be an expensive scheme which would not be affordable that year.

I confirm that the scheme is not in our current programme. 

We are intending to consult further with residents once we know the results of the Planning Application. There would be no point in consulting on a scheme that was unacceptable to the planners, so the timing for further consultation is once the results of the Planning Application are known. This will be the appropriate time for us to meet with the TRA.

So if Planning Approval is granted we will consult all residents, and if the majority are against the scheme the proposal will be dropped and not pursued further. This has already occurred on a number of blocks.

If the majority of residents are in favour we will identify when the scheme could be included in future year's programmes. The earliest this could possibly occur would be in 2011/12 programme.

I realise that there is some scepticism around this but as the Head of Planned Maintenance I can assure you that this is the current position.

We will be contacting the TRA once we have the Planning outcome to discuss the next stages of the process or to confirm that it cannot go ahead in any case due to non approval by Planners. Finally can I re-emphasise that a scheme will only progressed if the majority of residents are in favour and that there are no other considerations that will impact that decision.

I hope this is helpful for your meeting.

Regards

Martin Weaver
BSc CEng MIMechE MCIBSE MAPM
Head of Planned Maintenance
Property Services
Hackney Homes
Tel: 020 8356 1658
Mob: 07903 970 650