Issue - meetings

Sarah Klymkiw presented deputation to O&S on the 23^rd of November and outlined the following.

Leaseholders advised by Council to be patient and to pursue payment plans which are flexible and can be relinquished.  The leaseholders were offered 25 years to pay the debt or to resolve the remaining payment when selling property.  So far there had been no conversations about alternatives to the Pods.

As of the evening of the 23^rd of November, the leaseholders had yet to receive a response to their section 20 observation legal letter.

After speaking at full Council, the Leader had written to the deputation to advise that the December decision on the Noel Park Pods had been delayed until 19^th January 2021.  There had not been a confirmation of continuing meetings with the leaseholders. The leaseholders had been promised a further programme of engagement which suggested a series of meetings. The leaseholders wanted this to be a continuing dialogue and to present their case and be listened to.

In response to questions, the deputation provided the following information:

• Further to acknowledging the shocking notices and letters received by the leaseholders and highlighting the need to save on the cost of temporary housing of leaseholders, the deputation was asked about the red line in terms of the brick extensions. The deputation believed that there were three alternative options to the Pod and one of those was not to have a Pod at all.  In the 1970’s residents were asked by the Council to have a choice in having a Pod and at least five flats had refused. Therefore, it was known that there could be a solution without a Pod.  The second option was a brick-built extension, and the current cost was not known. However,  in 2015 a study was completed which showed that a  brick built extension would cost the same as a replacement Pod of around £25k. The option of the rebuilt brick extension was not taken forward as it meant rehousing tenants. However, the deputation were aware that when works were being done on Noel Park estate, tenants were being moved and felt that this option should be offered to Gladstone Avenue tenants  to be rehoused whilst the work is completed. It was not fully known how long these works would take and timescales of 3 months and 6 months was suggested and so this part of the proposal would be incomplete. The third option would be to re-clad the existing Pods and remove the asbestos. The deputation contended that this was being done to other properties in Noel Park. This would cost less than a new Pod, around £20k for a double pod and £10k for a single pod.  This was another viable option the leaseholders felt could be put forward to tenants.
• The cost of decanting residents was too high when the brick-built extensions were £25k in 2015. The deputation questioned that given the cost of the replacement Pods had now doubled, it was likely  ...  view the full minutes text for item 18