Agenda item

Prior to consideration of the main agenda Councillor Muhammed Butt (as Chair) advised the Trust Committee that he had accepted a number of requests to speak at the meeting from a range of stakeholders in relation to matters due to be considered on the agenda.

Each representative was then invited to address the meeting with the following comments highlighted.

Councillor Lorber (representing the Friends of Barham Library) was the first to address the Trust Committee highlighting a number of property related issues relating to the current building on the estate.  These included concerns in relation to out-dated signage around the complex and arrangements for the Fire Alarm test, which he advised were in addition to the points raised in a separate email submitted prior to the meeting regarding the provision of public toilet facilities, progress in a final decision being made on the use of Unit 7 and the potential use of alternative renewable energy sources.

Having thanked Councillor Lorber for his comments, Councillor Muhammed Butt advised that a written response on the various matters raised would need to be provided following the meeting.  He then moved on to welcome Debbie Howe (Project Manager Dementia Hubs Brent) and invited her to address the meeting.

As well speaking on behalf of the Dementia Hubs Project, Debbie Howe advised that she was also representing Ashford Place & Community Action on Dementia in order to highlight the work being undertaken through the Dementia Memory Lounge and Café (supported by the Dementia Hub Project) in relation to community support, outreach work and private consultations for individuals suffering with Dementia and their families.  In addition, the Trust were advised that the Hub were keen to explore the potential to enable temporary use of part of Unit 7 within the Barham Park Building in order to complement the support being provided through the provision of an additional dedicated space for small private advice & guidance sessions using part of the Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy (NCIL) funding allocated to bring the Mess Room area back into use.

Councillor Muhammed Butt thanked Debbie Howe for her comments and the positive work being undertaken through the Dementia Hub Project in relation to the provision of dementia support across the borough.  Whilst willing to consider the support available to address the issues highlighted, Councillor Butt advised it would not be possible to provide assurances around the unit identified at this stage, pending the outcome of the wider strategic property review of the Barham Park building.

As a final contribution, Councillor Muhammed Butt then invited Mahendra Desai (representing the Barham Park Veterans Club) to speak as one of the Trust’s tenant organisations.

In addressing the Trust Committee Mahendra Desai advised he was speaking as Chair of the Veterans Club in order to outline concerns regarding the current state of repair, windows and upgrade of the boiler within Unit 2 of the Barham Park Building.

Councillor Butt thanked Mahendra Desai for his comments and attending the meeting and advised that the issues and concerns raised in relation to the current state of repair of the building had been noted.  Whilst again highlighting the current strategic property review being undertaken in relation the building, he also highlighted potential use of the Carbon Offset Fund as a means of supporting the works required, which he assured the Veterans Club officers would also be considering in seeking to address the issues raised.

In noting the comments raised, Councillor Muhammed Butt thanked everyone who had spoken for their participation and advised that the issues raised would be responded to as appropriate during the remainder of the meeting.