Whilst their team of cowboy lawnmowers have made fairly regular appearances, Glendales seem to be a bit short in the weeding and planting department.
We are told that the little squares of ground which were bizarrely concreted over recently (after the 6th June walkabout by Lewisham Homes management) are now being re-instated as a result of residents' complaints and possibly our Concrete Jungle post also on 1st July.* Hopefully the guerrilla planting that is taking place around the estate – in lieu of any maintenance and planting by Glendales – can now continue in these beds as well.
The new plants look great, as do the window boxes (since Crossfields Greenspaces' plant and soil giveaway on 16th July). However, be prepared to defend your window boxes when and if Lewisham Homes get round to implementing a Zero Tolerance policy to items outside flats in communal walkways.
CEO Andrew Potter told us on the recent walkabout that London's Fire Chief has ordered that all boroughs have the choice to either monitor and educate their residents about not leaving fire hazards in the walkways, or introduce a ban on all items. If the circumstances surrounding a fire were found to involve balcony obstructions, boroughs stand to face a hefty fine – therefore Mr Potter favoured a zero tolerance policy as his cheapest and safest option. He said he was aware that it would be a highly unpopular move, and the issue is to be debated by the board. The ban on outdoor items would include all flower pots and possibly even window boxes.
Caretaking Manager Mike Smith, attending last night's TRA meeting, said there are regular Fire Safety inspections of communal walkways, and levels of priority reached before action is taken. Serious obstructions result in a warning, and non-compliance results in the householder's belongings being removed and stored. (See May's post about the last half-arsed attempt to do this). The meeting argued that since there is already a process in place for monitoring Fire Safety obstructions, there was no need for the introduction of a zero tolerance policy.
We also argued that growing flowers, shrubs, herbs and vegetables on our balcony walkways contributed positively to both our own and our neighbours' mental health and well-being.
Here's some examples:
*Leaseholders: look out for being billed in 2012 for both concreting over and removal of concrete.
"CEO Andrew Potter told us on the recent walkabout that London's Fire Chief has ordered that all boroughs have the choice to either monitor and educate their residents about not leaving fire hazards in the walkways, or introduce a ban on all items. If the circumstances surrounding a fire were found to involve balcony obstructions, boroughs stand to face a hefty fine – therefore Mr Potter favoured a zero tolerance policy as his cheapest and safest option. He said he was aware that it would be a highly unpopular move, and the issue is to be debated by the board. The ban on outdoor items would include all flower pots and possibly even window boxes."
ReplyDeleteOh Dear! Potter is in a muddle again. Neither the London Fire Brigade (LFB) nor London's Fire Chief, whoever (s)he is, have ordered boroughs to do anything. The truth is that the Local Government Group (formally known as the Local Government Association or LGA) have issued non-statutory guidance called Fire Safety Guidance for Purpose Built Blocks of Flats. That Potter apparently thinks that it comes from LFB and only applies to London strongly suggests that he has not bothered to read it (Although the final guidance was only issued a few days ago the consultation draft has been available since early May) This is particularly frightening in the light of the fires at Pitman House, Tanners Hill in September 2010 and, despite the LFB issuing a Enforcement Notice regarding Pitman House, the subsequent double fire fatality at Marine Tower, Abinger Grove in March this year, which also resulted in an LFB Enforcement Notice.
Pitman House LFB Enforcement Notice
http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/notice_detail.asp?id=57261
Marine Tower LFB Enforcement Notice
http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/notice_detail.asp?id=63990
Fire Safety Guidance for Purpose Built Blocks of Flats (2.8 Mb PDF on a clunky server)
http://www.local.gov.uk/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=71e152a6-9e0a-4810-aee6-498167664f79&groupId=10161
The prime reason for producing the guidance was the July 2009 Lakanal House fire in which six people died. The guidance does suggest that landlords should either adopt a 'zero tolerance' or 'managed use' approach to communal areas but anybody reading, or even briefly skimming, the document would understand that the big concern is tenants storing combustible materials on enclosed landings that could lead to means of escape such as the landings themselves and / or communal stairways filling with smoke. Nothing in the guidance suggests that any landlord large or small, private or public should adopt a 'one size all' across all its estates or buildings. In that there is a legal requirement to carry out fire risk assessments on individual blocks of flats, there should be no problem in having an easily understanble managed use policy in relation to the Crossfields Estate.
Perhaps I am being unrealistic or simply old-fashioned, but I still think that highly paid staff at social landlords should not have any problem in reading a 192 page document when tenants are dying.
Thanks Bill. Will pass to Cllr Paul Bell...
ReplyDeleteAlso interesting to note that Glendales were round yesterday (Monday) doing a bit of weeding.
Glendales only did a little bit. They didn't do Castell and Wilshaw for sure.
ReplyDelete