The latest news and updates from the Chalcots Estate – w/c 13 November 2017

Cladding removal and replacement

• This week you will have received a letter informing you of how we will be covering additional fuel costs incurred between October and the end of April 2018. Blashford residents will receive £35 a month as two combined payments, one now and one in January. Residents from Taplow, Burnham, Bray and Dorney pay direct to Camden and additional fuel costs will not be passed on to them. If you have any questions or concerns please call 020 7974 4444 (option 7).
   
• We would like to thank all residents who told us what they thought about the cladding replacement options. Using your feedback, along with technical information about the cladding options, we will be putting together a publically available report to go to cabinet members in the New Year. This report will include a summary of your feedback and show how we have included it in the decision making process. After considering the report, the Council will make a final decision on the permanent cladding replacement for your estate. We expect this decision to be made in early 2018.

Current works

• Following concerns raised about the installation of new front doors, we can confirm that a second team will follow up initial fittings to repair any damaged plaster or cabling. To make sure any problems are resolved quickly we have introduced an enhanced sign off process that will be led by a quality control checker called a clerk of works. As part of this, our contractors will now go through a sign off sheet with you when works are completed. To make an appointment to have your door fitted, or to highlight any snagging works, please contact your Resident Liaison Officer:
  
  Taplow and Bray – Hayley Townsend – 07702 970354
  Burnham and Blashford – Angela Carr – 07590 170332
  Dorney – Sue Speller – 07939 158509
   
• Over the weekend, we will be carrying out our annual emergency lighting tests on your estate. This means that the normal lighting in the communal areas will be turned off for a period of a few hours. We are making you aware of this so that you do not think there is a problem with the lighting in your block. If you have any questions please call Rydon or United House Living on 020 7288 8322.
   
• To avoid congestion in the mornings, contractors have agreed that they will not use the lifts between 8am and 9.30am. Likewise, contractors will not use the lifts between 3.30pm and 5pm.

Resident safety

• Today (Friday 17 November) is the last opportunity to provide feedback to the Council about areas for consideration in the independent review. If you haven’t already done so, please email your suggestions to [email protected] by the end of the day. We will be announcing the appointment of the review’s independent chair shortly, we will release a summary of the feedback received along with an outline of the review around that time.

Other news

• We are now offering a quiet working space for Chalcots residents in the Adelaide Room at Swiss Cottage Library. This room will be available from 10am to 8pm Monday to Thursday and 10am to 5pm Friday and Saturday. If you wish to use this space, you will need to sign in at the enquiries desk when you arrive. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the library. We are currently putting together a wider respite package with access to additional quiet spaces and leisure activities throughout the remaining period of works. We will write to you with further details shortly.

Feedback from TRA technical meeting, Wednesday 15 November 2017, present Taplow, Burnham, Bray and Dorney

• It was confirmed by Council officers that any issues with locks in the new front doors should be reported to the contractor site team for the relevant block and the lock would be replaced. If there is a lock failure out of the contractor’s working hours then this should be reported to the normal Rydon telephone number and they will arrange for a locksmith. The Council officers confirmed that the cost of cutting any additional keys as a result of a lock being changed would be dealt with by the Council. Council officers also confirmed that they were still exploring whether there was a viable option for doors automatically locking when they were shut. Council officers pointed out, now there is an effective door closer, this may cause issues with residents locking themselves out, which is why the current door requires residents to consciously lock the flat door behind them.
   
• Following on from the last meeting, further examples of problems with the fitting of the new front doors were raised by the TRA group. Council officers outlined the process of fitting the new frames and doors and that a separate team (including wet trades and floor layers) follow on to make good any areas affected by the installation of the door. It was acknowledged by Council officers that, to date, the gap had been too long for the follow up work but contractors had been instructed to undertake these works within a couple of days of the doors being fitted. Council officers also accepted that there had been a number of issues with the quality of the door fittings completed by contractors. A list of requirements and methodology has been agreed with the contractors and it was disappointing this was not always followed. An independent clerk of works has been appointed by the Council who has been reviewing the quality of door fitting work undertaken to date and will be reporting their findings back to the Council on Thursday.
   
• The TRA group raised the issue that the fitting of photoluminescent number and stair strips had begun again without agreement. Council officers explained that this was a fire safety requirement to enable residents and the fire brigade to navigate their way round in a smoke filled environment. It was agreed that this work should remain on hold whilst options for achieving the fire safety requirements whilst avoiding an institutional look for the communal areas were explored.
   
• The question of when parking areas could be released for residents at Bray and Taplow now the scaffolding was completed was raised by the TRA group. Council officers explained that some final safety assessments were being completed and they would make this space available as soon as it was possible.
   
• There was a request from TRA group that the communal areas were repaired and re-painted once all the work was finished. Council officers agreed to review how this might be funded.