Barbican Resident Guide

 BEO have released a new version of the Barbican Resident Guide ...

 

Click here to read

 

Bulky Waste Collections - the rules

The BEO asks that we dispose of large items as described here:

https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/services/waste-and-recycling/household-waste-and-recycling/reuse-and-recycle/bulky-item-collection

Letter from the BEO:

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Bulky Waste Collections

Dear Residents,

We'd like to remind everyone about the process for arranging bulky waste collections.

Recently, there have been a few instances where large and/or inappropriate items have been left in communal areas/car park without going through the proper collection channels.

We completely understand that disposing of larger items can be inconvenient at times, and our aim is always to make things as straightforward as possible. However, when bulky waste is not managed correctly, the estate management team is left with no choice but to arrange additional collections. Because this is an additional external service, the cost is then recharged back to the service charge – something we want to avoid. Wherever possible we do attempt to recharge offenders directly but identifying this behaviour accurately can be very difficult.

To help prevent this, please ensure that all bulky waste collections are arranged through the appropriate channels, details of which can be found on our website Bulky item collection - City of London. By following this route, we can ensure that collections are carried out efficiently, fairly, and without unnecessary additional costs for everyone.

For the avoidance of doubt, the scheduled bulk waste collections on Monday and Thursday are free of charge. This issue relates to inappropriate waste left in communal areas or car parks not collectable under the guidelines.

Thank you for your cooperation and for helping us to keep our building clean, safe, and cost-effective.

Reduced Cleaning Service - Friday 19 August

From the BEO:

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Dear Residents

We will be running a reduced cleaning service on Friday 19 August, rubbish will be collected as normal but may take a bit longer with less staff.

This is because the upcoming tube strike on Friday 19 August will affect the number of cleaning staff being able to get into the office.

Thank you for your understanding in this regard.

1 Golden Lane - How Big?

The redeveloped 1 Golden Lane will be much bigger, and more intrusive, than the current building.

Planning permission for the proposed redevelopment has been submitted (see the notice here).

You have until 5th May to make representations.  If you object to the plans make sure you include the word "object" in your objection otherwise it will be taken as merely a comment.

Send your representations to PLNComments@cityoflondon.gov.uk 

I have also received a flyer which gives a good sense of just how much bigger the proposed building will be: higher by no less than 20.39 meters (66.89 feet).  The flyer also points out that the proposed building will built out to be closer to Ben Jonson House, that there will be new entertainment terraces, and that refuse containers will be placed immediately in front of Ben Jonson House.

Click to read the whole flyer

Rubbish Locker Doors

Here is a note from the BEO about rubbish locker doors.  See here for a picture of what they are talking about.

The note from the BEO:

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Rubbish Locker Doors

Following a recent inspection by the City of London’s Fire Safety Officer, we have had to remind all our cleaning staff, to ensure all the lockers by the front doors are left locked when shut, after rubbish collection has taken place.

We understand that this may be an inconvenience to some of you but as the lockers form part of the fire safety compartmentation, it is essential they are left shut at all times.

We are aware that there are a number of broken locker doors or locks across the estate, and these are being dealt with. The cleaners have also been reminded to report any faulty doors or locks in the future.

Over time, some of you may have lost the keys, or not had them passed on to you by the previous owners. If this is the case you can borrow one from the Porter/Concierge but you can also purchase one from the local hardware shop such as City Hardware on Goswell road, and ask for the Barbican square rubbish locker key.

Please be reminded that the lockers are there for this purpose and with regular rubbish collections across the Estate, there should be no need to leave anything out in the communal areas.

Thank you for your assistance and understanding with this matter.

Bulky Waste - where to dump it

From the BEO:

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Managing the Bulky Waste Areas

Residents can take their bulky household items to any of the collection points around the Barbican Estate at the following Car Parks: Bunyan, Garchey lay-by in Beech Street, Cromwell, Thomas More, Andrewes and Willoughby.

Residents leaving items within the bulky point areas across the estate, are responsible for keeping the area tidy and must ensure the bin area and bins are accessible at all times.

If residents have any bulky rubbish or household items they wish to dispose of, they should contact the City of London Corporation's Cleansing Division. By giving five days' notice items will be removed from outside their flat on Tuesdays and Thursdays. There is a small charge for this service. Further information can be found here.

Residents can also dispose of items at Tower Hamlets waste centre. Please check the recycling page on the City website and the A - Z recycling page for further information.

Builders Yard - with us until October

The 28th May newsletter from the BEO has an item about "Public Realm Works" which will upgrade the pavements all the way around the new Denizen flats. The builders yard for this project, and the associated mess and noise, is located beneath Ben Jonson House on Golden Lane.

The project is due to last 21 weeks. So we can expect the builders yard to be around until October this year, or longer.

This is clearly quite a large project.  There will even be regular project update email messages if you sign up (see below).  It's a shame the people running the project didn't engage with residents before deciding to export the static noise and mess of the project from the work location around the Denizen to a builders yard beneath our homes.

Here is the notice from the newsletter:
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Public Realm Works in Fann, Viscount and Brackley Streets and Golden Lane

The works around the Denizen development at 43 Golden Lane started on Monday 24 May and will be delivered in phases to minimise impact on movement in the area, with one way system operating in Brackley, Viscount and Fann streets to accommodate vehicular access.

The works are contained to the footways around the newly completed development at 43 Golden Lane and to the works on Zebra crossing in Golden Lane. The full duration of these works is approximately 21 weeks.

For more information about the project visit www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/goldenlaneworks or email citypublicrealm@cityoflondon.gov.uk

Download the plan of works, you can also sign up to receive our regular project updates directly to your mailbox.

Your Service Cupboard, and how to use it

The BEO are reminding us again how to use our service cupboards for refuse:

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Refuse Collection Cupboards

Please place your rubbish bags in the refuse cupboard at the side of your front door, for collection every Monday to Friday before 8.15am as there is only one rubbish collection per day.

In some blocks resident representatives have agreed a variation to the standard service. Contact your House Group representative or House Officer for details.

If you need to dispose of rubbish at the weekends or Bank Holidays, please take it to your bin compound or see your Car Park Attendant or Lobby Porter for directions.

Please be reminded that the waste collection deposit cupboards were designed to do a job and should be used at all times. Residents should not leave rubbish in the corridors, as this is a fire hazard.

Click here for further information on the website.

Feral Pigeons on the Estate

The BEO offer to help with feral Pigeons

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Feral Pigeons on the Estate

We would like to remind you to please contact your House Officer or the Estate Office as soon as possible, should you find feral pigeons nesting on your balcony. Effective management controls will help keep numbers low which in turn keeps maintenance costs down.

To assist in the control of pigeons and seagulls, please do not feed the birds on the highwalks, lawns or in and around the lakes. In particular, please do not feed them on your balconies, as they tend to then roost nearby.

Keeping the balconies clear of twigs and leaves may also help to reduce the chance of any nesting. Contractors visit weekly to control pigeon nesting and use a Harris Hawk to control pigeon numbers.

Please click here for more details in the gardens tab of the Residents Information Pack.

Thank you for your help with this matter.

Good Neighbour Guide

From the BEO:

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Good Neighbour Guide

Compliance with a few basic rules and conditions will help to make life in the Barbican more enjoyable given the very high density living. Your attention is also drawn to the terms of your long lease or tenancy (as appropriate).

Do not make noise inside your flat and on balconies that could cause nuisance to your neighbours. This includes making/taking telephone calls on your balcony at unsociable hours and also closing doors quietly.

Please click here for further details. The Good Neighbour Guide is in the Resident Information Pack in Communal Living.

Christmas rubbish collection times

From the BEO:
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Christmas Period Rubbish Collection

Please find the dates of the rubbish collection over the Christmas period below.

Date	Service Provided
Thursday 24 December	Rubbish collection in all blocks – no other cleaning in the blocks
Christmas Day - Friday 25 December	No cleaning service
Boxing Day - Saturday 26 December	Rubbish collection for those blocks that have it
Sunday 27 December	Rubbish collection for those blocks that have it
Bank Holiday - Monday 28 December	Rubbish collection in all blocks - no other cleaning in the blocks
Tuesday 29 December	Normal Cleaning Service
Wednesday 30 December	Normal Cleaning Service
Thursday 31 December	Normal Cleaning Service
Friday 1 January 2021	No Cleaning Service
Saturday 2 January	Rubbish collection for those blocks that have it
Sunday 3 January	Rubbish collection for those blocks that have it
Monday 4 January	Normal Cleaning Service

Waste Collection - back to every week day

From the BEO in the 17th July bulletin

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Rubbish Collections

As of Monday 20 July, rubbish collection will return to 5 collections per week (Monday to Friday). Please also continue to collapse your boxes.

We are not yet in a position to resume the weekend collections for the few blocks that have them.

Please see further information here in the refuse collections tab of the cleaning and recycling page.

Waste Cardboard Boxes

From the BEO:

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Cardboard Boxes



We urge residents to assist us in breaking down cardboard boxes to help the cleaners spend more time and focusing on actual cleaning.

The images above show examples of the number of boxes seen outside flats. If this is multiplied by 2000+ flats, you can well imagine the time needed to collapse them all.

This time saved, can help the cleaners spend more of their time on cleaning.

We appreciate your cooperation and assistance in these difficult times.

Rubbish! ... and what to do with it

From the BEO:

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Cleaning Regime across the Barbican EstateUpdated 22 May

We are continuing to provide more of our regular tasks.

• We will continue to complete your rubbish collection on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
• Rubbish collections continue to take up more than 50% longer than normal.
• Please ensure any cardboard or packaging is collapsed/folded down as much as possible.
• There will be no weekend cleaning or weekend rubbish collection anywhere on the estate.
• If you are able, please take your boxes and packaging down to the bins to dispose of yourself, it would be appreciated. If you are not sure where these are, your local Car Park Concierge will direct you.
• Please ensure your rubbish bags are secured/tied up, as normal procedure.
• The City of London Fire Safety Advisor asks that you keep your rubbish within your property, until collection days – corridors are still a fire escape route.
• Our staff will continue to focus on the touch points within the blocks. These include the entryphone, door handles and lift buttons.
• Lifts are being cleaned.
• Spot cleaning is being carried out. Vacuuming is being carried out.
• Litter picking and sweeping has begun again on the podium area. Hand rails are also being focused on.

Please note. There will be a rubbish collection on Bank Holiday Monday.

Waste collections now only Mon, Wed, Fri

Here is a message from the BEO explaining that waste collections will now only be happening on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

It's best to use the waste compartment in your service cupboard rather than leave your rubbish sitting in the corridor.

From the BEO:

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Reminder: Rubbish Collections

Rubbish left in the corridor

We are having to continuously reduce the number of cleaners we have coming into work. We also have to balance the enhanced cleaning needs at the moment.

Rubbish collections are akin to Christmas week at the moment and taking 50% longer than normal.

Rubbish collection will now only be on MONDAY, WEDNESDAY and FRIDAY.

Please ensure any cardboard or packaging is collapsed/folded down as much as possible.

Rubbish Collections

From the BEO:

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Reminder: Rubbish Collections

We are having to continuously reduce the number of cleaners we have coming into work. We also have to balance the enhanced cleaning needs at the moment.

• Rubbish collections are akin to Christmas week at the moment and taking 50% longer than normal.
• Rubbish collection will now only be on MONDAY, WEDNESDAY and FRIDAY.
• Please ensure any cardboard or packaging is collapsed/folded down as much as possible.
• Rubbish collection will now take all day
• There will be NO weekend cleaning or weekend rubbish collection anywhere on the estate.
• If you are able, please take your boxes and packaging down to the bins/ skips to dispose of yourself, it would be appreciated
• Please ensure your rubbish bags are secured/tied up, as normal procedure.

The City of London Fire Safety Advisor asks that you keep your rubbish within your property, until collection days – corridors are still a fire escape routes.

Rubbish - Tying for Easter

There will be no waste collection in Ben Jonson House over the Easter weekend.  The refuse collection schedule looks like this:

• Thursday 18th April ~09:00 - last collection before the Easter weekend
• Friday 19th (Good Friday) - no collection
• Saturday 20th - no collection
• Sunday 21st - no collection
• Monday 22nd (Easter Monday) - no collection
• Tuesday 23rd ~09:00 - first collection following the weekend

Please don't leave waste bags in the corridors over the long weekend, the bags are unsightly, potentially smelly and a temptation for pests.

And the BEO asks that all rubbish bags be tied shut.   From the BEO:
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Tying Rubbish Bags Securely

This is just to inform you to ensure that all rubbish bags are to be tied securely to avoid spillages when the cleaners remove them.

Please wrap broken glass in newspaper before throwing away as this prevents injury to the cleaners.

Rubbish Bags - Tie the knot

From the BEO:
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Tying Rubbish Bags Securely
This is just to inform you to ensure that all rubbish bags are tied securely to avoid spillages when the cleaners remove them.

Please wrap broken glass in newspaper before throwing away as this prevents injury to the cleaners.

Storage Units - Things left outside deemed trash

From the BEO

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Clearing the Storage Units

deemed fly tipping

Please note that residents should not leave items on top of the stores, as this is a Fire Hazard.

Items left around the stores are a Health and Safety risk. We appreciate your compliance with this, and items left, will be constituted as fly - tipping.

Garden Waste - trials and corrigenda

You live and learn.  A corrigendum is "a thing to be corrected, typically an error in a printed book.".  So here is one of those from the BEO with regard to what you can do with your garden waste:

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Corrigendum & Apologies: Garden Waste Trial
The garden waste trial came to an end in October 2018 and we'd like to thank residents for participating in this trial. At present, there is no garden waste collection.

A new waste collection contract will be beginning in April 2019 and we will use this opportunity to explore options to potentially provide a garden waste collection when practicable to do so. We will update you of the outcome in due course.

If you have any garden waste you would like to dispose of, this can be taken to Tower Hamlets Reuse and Recycling Centre, Yabsley Street, London E14 9RG.