Agenda item

Resident Ballot in South Kilburn

This report details proposal to support a resident ballot in relation to regeneration of the South Kilburn area, in line with GLA guidelines.

Decision:

RESOLVED:

i. That Cabinet agreed that a ballot in South Kilburn take place.

ii. That Cabinet agreed that the voters in the South Kilburn ballot are the circa 1,000 residents from the remaining 17 blocks due for demolition, that also meet the eligibility criteria set by the GLA.

iii. That Cabinet agreed the following ballot question, subject to written approval from the Independent Body, Electoral Reform Services;

Are you in favour of the proposal to continue with the regeneration of South Kilburn? - YES / NO

iv. That Cabinet agreed to delegate authority to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Lead Member for Regeneration, Property and Planning and the Lead Member for Housing and Welfare Reform to agree and finalise the question if not approved in writing as set out in paragraph (iii) by the Independent Body, Electoral Reform Services.

v. That Cabinet agreed to delegate authority to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Lead Member for Regeneration, Property and Planning and the Lead Member for Housing and Welfare Reform to finalise, circulate and publish to eligible resident voters the Landlord Offer document which will be the subject of the South Kilburn ballot.

vi. That Cabinet agreed to delegate authority to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Lead Member for Regeneration, Property and Planning and the Lead Member for Housing and Welfare Reform to agree the dates of the ballot. The intention was for the ballot to take place 3 months following the effective date of Cabinet approval.

vii That Cabinet agreed to delegate authority to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Lead Member for Regeneration, Property and Planning and the Lead Member for Housing and Welfare Reform to agree the voting methods for the ballot.

Minutes:

Councillor Shama Tatler, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Property and Planning, introduced the report stating that, in line with the GLA guidelines, Brent Council supports resident ballots in areas of regeneration, in this case South Kilburn.

Councillor Tatler stated that the development in South Kilburn has been ongoing since 2004, and has several more years remaining on the programme.

Councillor Tatler stated that 17 remaining blocks due to be demolished are included within the ballot. It was noted that there are circa 1,000 eligible voters within these blocks.

Members of Cabinet noted that the ballot must take place within six months of the Landlord Offer being published.

Councillor Tatler stated that, in accordance with the GLA’s Affordable Housing Capital Funding Guide, local authorities must ask all residents whose homes will be demolished for their approval to re-develop an area of council housing. This will take place in the form of a resident ballot of South Kilburn, where residents will be directly asked whether they want to continue the regeneration of the area.

Councillor Tatler stated that officers have worked with the GLA, who support Brent Council’s plans for the ballot.

It was noted that in order to ensure the ballot is conducted in a fair and democratic way, the Council has engaged the Electoral Reform Services (ERS) to oversee the process. They have provided expert guidance and examples of best practice to ensure this ballot is carried out in the correct manner and the ERS has been consulted throughout.

Councillor Margaret McLennan, Deputy Leader of the Council, expressed her support for the ballot process and the continuation of the regeneration programme. She informed members that she had attended the opening of the South Kilburn Hub that weekend and had received positive feedback from residents about the regeneration programme and the ballot process.

Councillor Ellie Southwood, Cabinet Member for Housing and Welfare Reform, echoed the comments in support of the ballot process.

Members of Cabinet noted an email from David Walton, Vice Chair South Kilburn New Deal for Communities, sent to Carolyn Downs, Brent Council’s Chief Executive, regarding ‘the unilateral landlord proposed partial 1/6^th re-ballot of the South Kilburn Estate in 2019’.