Agenda item

Despite public assurances given almost a year ago to a previous meeting of this Council in response to residents’ questions regarding lack of heating and hot water in council owned properties at Riverside, Grantham, recent reports in the Grantham Journal reveal that the issue has still not been resolved and that residents fear another winter with the heating and hot water turned off.

I understand that the Council is now working to resolve this issue Council at the earliest possible date.

However, Council agrees that the situation over the past year has been totally unacceptable for our residents, many of whom are elderly and some of the most vulnerable in our society. 

As such, this Council agrees to:

1.    Urgently publish a full schedule of action with key delivery times including a firm date of when this issue will be finally resolved

2.    Launch an urgent inquiry into what has gone wrong to learn lessons so other residents may avoid a similar fate in future

Consider making an ex-gratia payment of up to £500 for each tenant affected to be paid before Christmas 2019.

Councillor Dilks asked for the consent of the Council to amend the wording of his motion from that printed in the agenda pack. Council gave its consent to the change by way of a show of hands and Councillor Dilks proposed:

Despite public assurances given almost a year ago to a previous meeting of this Council in response to residents’ questions regarding lack of heating and hot water in council owned properties at Riverside, Grantham, recent reports in the Grantham Journal reveal that the issue has still not been resolved and that residents fear another winter with the heating and hot water turned off.

I understand that the Council is now working to resolve this issue at the earliest possible date.

However, Council agrees that the situation over the past year has been totally unacceptable for our residents, many of whom are elderly and some of the most vulnerable in our society.

As such, this Council agrees to:

1.    Urgently publish a full schedule of action with key delivery times including a firm date of when this issue will be finally resolved

2.    Launch an urgent inquiry into what has gone wrong to learn lessons so other residents may avoid a similar fate in future

3.    Urgently considers making appropriate ex-gratia payments to each tenant affected

4.    Publishes the findings of the independent inquiry and any recommendations in full at the earliest opportunity

Councillor Dilks, in proposing his motion referred to an article that was published in the Grantham Journal in January 2019 which referred to the issues at Riverside. He also referred to the discovery of asbestos and the impact that had. He also asked for further information about the independent inquiry. The motion was seconded.

The former Cabinet Member for Housing said the Council had done its best to try and carry out repairs but ultimately it had had to renew the heating and hot water facilities at Riverside flats. During the works, residents had been provided with oil-filled radiators and a means of obtaining hot water. He provided reassurances that the traces of asbestos that were found were minimal; their discovery had led to a three-day hiatus in the programme of works while they were assessed by the Health and Safety Executive. Following that hiatus, the Council was given the all-clear to continue with the works. In response to a question, the Cabinet Member said that whilst he could not provide details of individual payments, he would be able to provide the total paid. It was anticipated that all compensation payments would be made by 7 February 2020 and he also drew Members’ attention to the fact that the service charge had been waived since September 2018. He also agreed that the Interim Strategic Director Growth would circulate details of the individual who was conducting the investigation.

On being put to the vote, it was AGREED:

Despite public assurances given almost a year ago to a previous meeting of this Council in response to residents’ questions regarding lack of heating and hot water in council owned properties at Riverside, Grantham, recent reports in the Grantham Journal reveal that the issue has still not been resolved and that residents fear another winter with the heating and hot water turned off.

I understand that the Council is now working to resolve this issue at the earliest possible date.

However, Council agrees that the situation over the past year has been totally unacceptable for our residents, many of whom are elderly and some of the most vulnerable in our society.

As such, this Council agrees to:

1.    Urgently publish a full schedule of action with key delivery times including a firm date of when this issue will be finally resolved

2.    Launch an urgent inquiry into what has gone wrong to learn lessons so other residents may avoid a similar fate in future

3.    Urgently considers making appropriate ex-gratia payments to each tenant affected

4.    Publishes the findings of the independent inquiry and any recommendations in full at the earliest opportunity