Agenda item

To receive questions submitted by the public to Cabinet Members, in accordance with Standing Order 33.

Members are asked to note that four public questions have been received, which have been attached along with their written response.

NOTED

1.          The written and supplementary verbal response provided by the Cabinet Member for Housing, Homelessness and Renters Security to a public question submitted by Martin Francis regarding compliance by the Council with the requirements, as a landlord, under the Building Safety Act, including the completion of structural and fire risk assessments on all buildings in scope.

2.          The written response provided by the Cabinet Member for Safer Communities and Public Protection to a public question submitted by John Cox on noise nuisance arising from HS2 works impacting on nearby residential properties, including those in Harley Road, NW10.  No supplementary question was received.

3.          The written response provided by the Cabinet Member for Environment, Infrastructure and Climate Action to a public question submitted by Charlotte Child (who joined the meeting online in order to present a supplementary question) regarding the need, given safety concerns highlighted by local residents, for the installation of a pedestrian crossing at the junction of Cavendish Road, Willesden Lane and The Avenue, NW6.  Whilst noting the initial response provided by the Leader of the Council at the meeting, the Mayor advised that given the Cabinet Member for Environment, Infrastructure and Climate Action had submitted her apologies for absence a written response would also be provided on the issue raised following the meeting.

4.     The written and supplementary verbal response provided by the Cabinet Member for Public Health & Adult Social Care to a public question submitted by Naishadh Patel (with Hitesh Patel attending the meeting in order to ask a supplementary question) regarding the selection and management of social care provision suppliers including local businesses.

Eligible for Call-In: No

The Mayor advised that four questions had been received from members of the public, which were as follows:

Question 1 from Martin Francis to Councillor Knight (Cabinet Member for Housing, Homelessness and Renters Security) regarding the safety of high-rise, and high-risk, residential buildings in the borough following the introduction of the Building Safety Act in April 2022.

Question 2 from John Cox to Councillor Farah (Cabinet Member for Safer Communities and Public Protection) concerning the noise pollution in Harley Road, NW10, arising from the nearby HS2 works in the London Borough of Ealing.

Question 3 from Charlotte Child to Councillor Krupa Sheth (Cabinet Member for Environment, Infrastructure and Climate Action) highlighting concerns relating to pedestrian safety in Cavendish Road, Willesden Lane and The Avenue NW6 and requesting the installation of a pedestrian crossing at the junction.

Question 4 from Naishadh Patel to Councillor Nerva (Cabinet Member for Public Health and Adult Social Care) regarding the monitoring, suspension and removal of care providers that were deemed unsatisfactory and the options that were currently available to businesses who wished to become a provider of care services.

Members noted the written responses provided on each of the questions, which had been circulated with the agenda. The Mayor advised that each member of the public had been invited to the meeting in order to ask a supplementary question and whilst John Cox had been unable to attend, she was pleased to be able to welcome Martin Francis, Charlotte Child (who was attending online) and Hitesh Patel (who members were advised was attending the meeting in place of Naishadh Patel) to the meeting.

The following supplementary questions were asked of the relevant Cabinet Member(s).

Question 1 Supplementary Question from Martin Francis to Councillor Knight, Cabinet Member for Housing, Homelessness and Renters Security.

In thanking Councillor Knight for the written response provided to his original question, Martin Francis, in reiterating the importance of building safety and the Council (as landlord) meeting its requirements under the Building Safety Act sought further detail as to whether the Council had conducted full structural surveys on those buildings in scope under the Act.  As part of the question details were also sought on whether any surveys had included the testing of core samples to determine the robustness of the building materials in order to identify any structural defects or issues and also the presence of any Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC).

In thanking Martin Francis for his question and attendance at the meeting, Councillor Knight (as Cabinet Member for Housing, Homelessness and Renter’s Security) referred to the detailed response already provided on his original written question.  In terms of structural assessments, she confirmed that a Building Safety Strategy was in place for each of the High-Rise buildings in scope managed by the Council.  This included FRA4 inspections being in place for each building and proactive checks having been conducted by Brent Housing Management in terms of evacuation plans and to ensure that fire stopping measures met the appropriate standards.  In addition to the physical mitigations, the Council remained committed to ensuring tenants were provided with regular updates and up-to-date information on evacuation plans and Fire Risk Assessments.

Question 3 Supplementary Question from Charlotte Child to Councillor Krupa Sheth, Cabinet Member for Environment, Infrastructure and Climate Action.

In highlighting concern at the response provided, in terms of the low prioritisation for a pedestrian crossing at the junction between Cavendish Road, Willesden Lane and The Avenue NW6 based on the number of reported accidents and pedestrian collisions over recent years, Charlotte Child queried the approach and felt there was a need for more proactive intervention to avoid any more serious accidents involving pedestrians.  As an additional concern, she also highlighted issues regarding the potential discontinuation of the ‘Street Safe’ app, which residents had been able to use to provide information regarding street safety concerns and sought details on how residents should continue to report concerns relating to pedestrian safety and issues at the junction.

As Councillor Krupa Sheth (Cabinet Member for Environment, Infrastructure and Climate Action) had submitted her apologies for absence at the meeting, the Mayor advised that a written response would be provided on the supplementary question following the meeting.  In addition, the Mayor advised (responding to a Point of Order by Councillor Georgiou) that she would be willing to allow Councillor Muhammed Butt (as Leader of the Council) to provide a further brief update at the meeting in order to supplement the written response provided on the original question.  Following on, Councillor Muhammed Butt reassured Charlotte Child that the Lead Cabinet Member and officers would also be willing to meet with local residents to continue discussions and consider the safety concerns highlighted.

Question 4 Supplementary Question from Hitesh Patel (representing Naishadh Patel) to Councillor Nerva, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Adult Social Care.

Having thanked Councillor Nerva for the written response to the submitted question, Hitesh Patel, as a supplementary question, sought further detail on the measures in place and action being taken to encourage smaller and more local companies to engage in the procurement process for award of social care contracts.

In response, Councillor Nerva (as Cabinet Member for Public Health & Adult Social Care) advised that the Council were currently assessing bids received under the procurement process for the reablement service and to appoint providers to join Brent’s homecare framework contract.  This had included a significant market warming exercise with providers to make them aware of the opportunities along with specific support for local providers in terms of the procurement and bidding process. Whilst not able to comment, at this stage, on the outcome of the bidding process an assurance was provided about the Council’s ongoing commitment to support local businesses in order to encourage their involvement in provision of local care services. In reiterating the responsibility that the Council had to ensure high quality care provision, Councillor Nerva detailed that an announcement regarding the outcome of the current procurement process was expected in the coming weeks.

Having noted the responses provided, the Mayor thanked the members of the public in attendance for their supplementary questions and Cabinet Members for their response and, with no further questions to be considered, advised that this concluded the public question session.