Issue - meetings

To consider the Council Flat Communal Cleaning Task and Finish Group’s final report and recommendations.

(Report attached)

RESOLVED that

1)                 the Council undertake statutory consultation procedures with secure tenants and consultation with leaseholders to establish if support exists for the introduction of a service charge to cover cleaning arrangements in communal areas in Council flats.  Consultation to include sheltered housing complexes;

2)                 a further report be prepared to Executive Committee regarding the feasibility of introducing a service charge for cleaning in communal areas when consultation with residents has been completed;

3)                 a revenue bid be submitted to enable the flooring in Three Story flats in Batchley be stripped, cleaned and sealed to bring it up to a suitable standard;

4)                 lighting occupancy sensors be trialled in one block of the Three Storey flats in Batchley to monitor the impact and benefit of this system to residents when entering and leaving the communal areas funded from the current cleaning budget;

5)                 a trial use of wall mounted air fresheners be undertaken in one of the communal stairwells funding from the current cleaning budget;

6)                 correct no smoking signs be installed in all communal areas where none are currently situated; and

7)                 use of graffiti wipes by cleaners be included in the Council’s future cleaning contracts.

(Officers to provide an estimated service charge for cleaning communal areas to be used when consulting residents.)

Councillor Mould attended to present a report from the Council Flat Communal Cleaning Task and Finish Group 

The Task and Finish Group had reviewed the arrangements currently in place to clean communal areas in blocks of Council flats.  The group had also considered whether to recommend that those areas not included in the present contract for cleaning should be included in the next contract which would be implemented in July 2010.

On investigation it was found that cleaning arrangements were only in place in a small number of council flat communal areas and the specification for cleaning each of these areas varied.  Where no cleaning arrangements were in place, it was written into tenants’ contracts that they were expected to clean the areas themselves.

Members of the Task and Finish Group had visited communal areas in Council flats that were both cleaned and not cleaned and found that the standard of cleanliness between them was very different.  It was felt that all Council flat tenants and leaseholders should benefit from a basic level of cleaning and that all communal areas in Council flats should meet a good standard of cleanliness that could be maintained.

Consultation that had taken place with tenants and leaseholders showed that the majority of those who expressed a view thought cleaning should be introduced.  Most were also in favour of paying a small service charge to cover costs.

In addition, other elements that could contribute to the overall condition of communal areas were examined.  These included professional cleaning of some floors; better lighting; a method to eliminate unpleasant odours and graffiti removal.

Officers were asked to provide an estimated service charge for cleaning communal areas to be used when consulting residents.

RESOLVED that

1)                 the Council undertake statutory consultation procedures with secure tenants and consultation with leaseholders to establish if support exists for the introduction of a service charge to cover cleaning arrangements in communal areas in Council flats.  Consultation to include sheltered housing complexes;

2)                 a further report be prepared to Executive Committee regarding the feasibility of introducing a service charge for cleaning in communal areas when consultation with residents has been completed;

3)                 a revenue bid be submitted to enable the flooring in Three Story flats in Batchley to be stripped, cleaned and sealed to bring it up to a suitable standard;

4)                 lighting occupancy sensors be trialled in one block of the Three Storey flats in Batchley to monitor the impact and benefit of this system to residents when entering and leaving the communal areas funded from the current cleaning budget;

5)                 a trial use of wall mounted air fresheners be undertaken in one of the communal stairwells funding from the current cleaning budget;

6)                 correct no smoking signs be installed in all communal areas where none are currently situated; and

7)                 use of graffiti wipes by cleaners be included in the Council’s future cleaning contracts.