Barbican Resident Guide

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

 

Click here to read

 

Building Safety Strategy

 The BEO have sent out the Building Safety Resident Engagement Strategy for Ben Jonson House:

Click to read

Buzzing Up Strangers

From the BEO:

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Buzzing Up Strangers

In these busy times of Christmas deliveries, can we remind residents not to 'buzz in' strangers to the block. Only allow entry if the delivery is intended for you.

Otherwise, always check ID and credentials of workers accessing your homes. All authorised City contractors should be carrying ID and have with them a letter of the work they will be conducting.


Tailgating & Security Reminder for both Residential Blocks & Private Garden Areas

We are taking this opportunity to remind residents to be vigilant about tailgating. This is one of the biggest security threats to the estate and possibly the easiest to solve.

It seems prudent to remind residents not to hold the door/garden gates open for anyone without a residents estate key, but also to be mindful that the doors/garden gates close properly behind you.

If you are not comfortable closing the door on someone and there is someone behaving in a suspicious manner, then please wait until you are in a safe place and call either 101 (the Police non-emergency crime reporting number) or your nearest Concierge or Lobby Porter.

Click here for the list of numbers for the Concierge & Lobby Porters.

The future of the CPAs - meeting 21st Oct 19:30

The City of London is going through another round of using their accounting model for the car parks to justify cutting Car Park Attendant (CPA) services.

Below is an update from Mark Wheatley in 3 parts:

• A covering letter
• A call to a meeting:  Frobisher Suite, level 4, Barbican Arts Centre Thu 21 Oct - 19.30 to 21.00
• A BRC resolution on the matter

Location of the Frobisher Suite

The Covering Letter

Dear All,

Again, thank you for corresponding with me to share your concerns about the two consultations over the car park attendants and future service models for that area (with regard to the 'concierge +' aspects of the CPA work).

As before, this email is sent on a personal basis rather than 'for' the Corporation of London or the Barbican Residential Committee (BRC). It has three parts and is quite long (apologies). After this introduction, I share the notification which Corporation colleagues are sending through formal channels and then attach the resolution submitted to the BRC.

As I believe you will be aware a resident-led task and finish (T&F) group has now led deliberations and presented a resolution to the Barbican Residential Committee (BRC) which I chair.

I am pleased to say that proposal - copied below this email - was accepted by the BRC last Friday.

So, we can now invite you to join the public meeting which was promised some weeks ago. The meeting will be jointly chaired by me and Adam Hogg of the Barbican Association.

This meeting is to enable us to listen to your views before decisions are taken on the resolution copied below (presented by the Residential Consultative Committee to the Barbican Residential Committee of the City of London Corporation).

The meeting will not be filmed/live-streamed but - per below - we will capture comments made in person and will be happy to take your thoughts into consideration if you prefer to email them to me.

We do also intend to hold formal resident consultation on final proposals before any implementation, so this will not be your only opportunity to shape the future service model.

We very much welcome your input. I hope that you have a lovely weekend.

Very best regards,

Mark


The call to a meeting

BARBICAN RESIDENTS' MEETING
Frobisher Suite, level 4, Barbican Arts Centre
Thursday 21 October 2021 - 7.30pm to 9.00pm

The Chair and Deputy Chair of the Barbican Residential Committee (BRC), Mark Wheatley and Michael Hudson, cordially invite residents of the Barbican Estate to join them for an open 'public' meeting. The meeting will be co-chaired with Adam Hogg of the Barbican Association.

The purpose of the meeting is essentially to give residents the opportunity to raise and discuss any areas of concern they may have with the City of London Corporation's (the Corporation) management of the Barbican Estate especially, in light of the recent proposals put forward for the future management of the Barbican Car Parks. We will also update attendees on the current situation and plans for moving forward.

We are particularly keen to hear your ideas on how we can work together collaboratively to bring about real improvements to the condition and future management of the Barbican Estate whilst, at the same time, identifying opportunities for both achieving the cost savings required by the Corporation and, addressing the significant annual losses incurred by the Corporation in managing and maintaining the much underused Barbican car parks.

In order to allow everyone to attend safely and not arrive all at once, doors to the Frobisher Suite will open from 7pm, for a prompt 7:30pm start.

The venue holds a maximum of 160 people and in order to keep a track on numbers, anyone wishing to attend, please

RSVP the Barbican Estate office using this link

Maps are attached above showing the main entrance where people would usually enter, and directional signage will also be displayed around the Barbican Centre to get people to level 4 where the meeting rooms are located.

For anyone not able to attend, we will be capturing comments and these will be shared with everyone after the event.

We very much hope you can join us for what we hope will be a useful, open and useful discussion.

Mark Wheatley, Chair of the BRC
Michael Hudson, Deputy Chair of the BRC



The BRC Resolution

The Resolution:

RESOLVED, that –The Barbican Residents' Consultation Committee are asked to note that the terrace block representatives on the Barbican Residents' Consultation Committee (RCC) have voted in favour of retaining the current number of Estate Concierges.

'We will support the City of London Corporation in levying a one-off surcharge on terrace block leaseholders, to cover the pro-rata share (for the remainder of the 2021/2022 financial year) of the direct costs of employment of the 6 Estate Concierge roles scheduled to be removed, pending more detailed negotiations between service charge payers and the City Corporation. These costs were estimated by the Barbican Estate Office to be approximately £232,000 per year.

This is being offered as a matter of goodwill and is not an acceptance that the City Corporation would be entitled to reduce services in this way, or of the calculation of the terrace block car park inputs and outputs used to arrive at service charges. If an agreement is reached with the City Corporation, service charge payers will ask for a commitment (from the City Corporation) to that agreement in writing.

In consideration of accepting the one-off surcharge, service charge payers would ask City Officers to work flexibly and imaginatively with the RCC to find a longer term solution to this issue, within the structure of the current lease and freehold transfers, and to assist the RCC Service Charge Working Party in finding ways to significantly reduce service charges, without materially affecting the level or quality of front line services offered by the Barbican Estate Office'.

The representatives from Cromwell, Shakespeare and Lauderdale Towers asked for their abstentions to be recorded.

Barbican Prohibition Signs

From the BEO:

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Barbican Prohibition Signs

The new Barbican Prohibition Signs finally received planning consent on the 6 July and have been ordered. There are enamel, colourful measuring 300mm x 600mm approx. 1 foot high x 2 feet in width and scheduled to arrive by the end of August.

The new signs will be sited in approved locations in the main 'problem areas' of the estate where skateboarding, parkour, cycling and other forms of anti-social incidents have occurred most frequently. Wherever possible they will be sited nearby to the existing byelaw signs.

They will be erected in the agreed locations across the estate in early September.

Asbestos Remedial Works - Ben Jonson

From the BEO:

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Asbestos Remedial Works - Ben Jonson Lift Lobbies

Asbestos remedial works are required in the following lift lobbies and staircases during the below dates – works are within EDA cupboards and residents will not be able to enter or exit the block via these lift lobbies / staircases while the works are carried out and will need to use an alternative entrance / exit for the block.

• 9 August - Staircase 61 – Landing between Podium and 02 Level
• 10 August - Staircase 62 – Landing between Podium and 02 Level
• 11 August - Staircase 63 – Landing between Podium and 02 Level
• 12 August - Staircase 64 – Main lift lobby at 02 level.

Please note, lifts will not stop on the floor where the works are being carried out on each day, no more than one area will be worked on at the one time to minimise disruption to residents. Works will be carried out between 9am and 4pm.

Eton Environmental will be carrying out the works on behalf of the Barbican Estate.

If you have any questions ahead of these works, please do not hesitate to contact the Project Manager via steven.murray@cityoflondon.gov.uk or 020 7029 3915.

Anti-social behaviour stats across the estate

The Barbican Association (BA) recently launched their Anti-Social Behaviour Reporter website which, as the name suggests, can be used to report anti-social behaviour incidents.

The chair of the BA has published a letter showing incidents reported so far.

As reported in the BEO newsletter ...

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Security Matters – July 2021

The Barbican Estate Security Committee and I are pleased to have been able to launch the Anti-Social Behaviour Reporter last month and we are also encouraged to see that a number of residents from various houses across the estate have already started to use this bespoke website to record ASB incidents.

Between the 19 and 30 June a total of 44 ASB incidents were reported. Totals by house and their % of the total were as follows:

• Ben Jonson 18 incidents (40.9%)
• Gilbert 7 (15.9%)
• Defoe 4 (9.1%)
• Bunyan Court 4 (9.1%)
• The Postern 3 (6.8%)
• Andrewes 3 (6.8%)
• John Trundle Court 2 (4.5%)
• Seddon 1 (2.3%)
• Breton 1 (2.3%)
• Willoughby 1 (2.3%)

In terms of the number of incidents and type of ASB activity reported, the results were as follows:

• Skateboarding 13 (29.5%)
• Rowdy Behaviour 8 (18.2%)
• Parkour 7 (15.9%)
• Cycling 7 (15.9%)
• Loud Music/ 1 noisy moped 7 (15.9%)
• Roller Skating 1 (2.3%)
• Intimidating Behaviour 1 (2.3%).

A summary report detailing the above is available to view on the Barbican Association’s website , when loaded, click on first report to view the details reported.

Going forward, please continue to use the website link shown below to record any anti- social behaviour activity you may witness across the estate. Please remember, at this stage, the Anti-Social Behaviour Reporter will purely record incidents.

If you witness an ASB incident, please use the website to record the event but if immediate action is also required then you should follow normal procedure i.e. call City of London Police on 101 (or 999 but only if urgent), Barbican Estate Office on 020 7029 3958, City Noise Team on 020 7606 3030.

Any non computer-savvy person should report ASB incidents via their Concierge (CPA or Lobby Porter), who will then feed the information to our website.

Chair, Barbican Estate security Committee

Smoke Alarms - check yours

From the BEO

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Smoke Alarms

Please be aware that leaseholders are responsible for smoke alarms in their flats. City Corporation tenanted flats' detectors are replaced and checked by the Estate Office for electrical safety every five years.

Leaseholders who do not have smoke alarms can ask for a home fire safety visit. This is a service where the London Fire Brigade provide personalised advice about fire safety. It's free, available 24/7, and they can even fit free smoke alarms if people need them.

Please click here for more details.

For more fire security information across the estate please see the website.

Moving in or out? Don't prop doors

From the BEO:
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Propping Doors Open and Moving in and Out

Please be aware that propping doors open is a security risk and an inconvenience to other residents.

When planning your move to or out of the Barbican Estate it is advisable to contact the Car Park Attendant or Lobby Porter who can give advice on the following essential details:

• Parking for your removal van
• If the van cannot be accommodated in the car park you can apply for special dispensation to park in the street. See contact list (Parking Dispensation).
• Height restrictions in car parks
• The times of day during which you can arrange for removals is usually between 8am and sunset.

For further information please check the website here in the Resident Information Pack.

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.

Fire Exits - Keep them clear

Another reminder from the BEO:

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Keep Communal Areas & Fire Escapes Free

Common parts, which include lift lobbies, balconies, corridors and staircases, should be kept clear at all times and they should not be used for storage.

Access: All access routes including stairs, hallways, walkways and balconies in communal areas must be kept clear at all times. The design of some properties incorporates an emergency exit route, for example across the balconies or through a wooden panel. Where these emergency exit routes are shared between properties, residents must ensure these routes are kept free from obstruction and security measures such as locks must not be added onto them.

Items in Communal Areas

The City reserves the right to remove any items left or disposed of in the communal areas without limitation should they be causing a fire risk or block access/exit routes.

Mobility Scooters, Prams, Buggies and Bicycles: All equipment must be stored within the resident’s home or car park wherever possible. If they must be stored within the communal area, they are not allowed to be stored in the escape routes from the premises or block access through the communal access routes. 

Please speak to your House Officer if you have any questions.

If you have any questions, please ask your House Officer

House Group contacts & numbers

From the Ben Jonson House Group Committee: 

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BEN JONSON HOUSE GROUP 
Useful Contacts for BJH Residents

House Group

To contact us directly ben.jonson.hg@gmail.com

To find information concerning BJH http://bjhg-blog.blogspot.co.uk/

House Officer (BEO)

Sheila Delaney Sheila.Delaney@cityoflondon.gov.uk

Security concerns/ unacceptable podium activities
i.e. Bikers, Skateboarders, Free runners doing potential damage

Barry Ashton (BEO Security) 0207 029 3920

Barry.Ashton@cityoflondon.gov.uk

For a more urgent response use Barbican Arts Centre 24/7 security number

0207 382 7308

City of London Police 020 7601 2222‬

Need a new key? Don't use local locksmith!

From the BEO:

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Barbican Keys

If you need replacement ASSA keys, please do order them from reception.

Cut keys from local locksmiths won’t be genuine ASSA keys and often get stuck in locks and cause problems.

Please click here for further details and click on the keys tab.

Security: keeping out the bad people

From time to time the BEO remind us that we should be very careful about letting non-residents into the building.  You can bet that these reminders come on the heels of an incident somewhere on the estate ... so best to pay attention.

From the BEO
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Tailgating & Security Reminder
for both Residential Blocks & Private Garden Areas

We are taking this opportunity to remind residents to be vigilant about tailgating. This is one of the biggest security threats to the Estate and possibly the easiest to solve.

It seems prudent to remind residents not to hold the door/garden gates open for anyone without a residents estate key, but also to be mindful that the doors/garden gates close properly behind you.

If you are not comfortable closing the door on someone and there is someone behaving in a suspicious manner, then please wait until you are in a safe place and call either 101 (the Police non-emergency crime reporting number) or your nearest Concierge or Lobby Porter.

Click here for the list of numbers for the Concierge & Lobby Porters.

We urge residents to be respectful of your surroundings and your neighbours and keep noise to a minimum. If noise is occurring after 11pm (11pm to 7am is designated night-time by Environmental Health), please contact your Estate Concierges/ Car Park Attendants or alternatively, approach the out of hours noise team on 020 7606 3030.

Please also remember not to 'buzz in' strangers to the block

Parcels - collect them promptly

We are reaching that critical time of year again for our CPA elves.

From the BEO:
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Reminder: Parcel Collection & Perishable Items





To help with the ever-increasing demands on our parcel rooms, especially with Christmas around the corner, would you please wherever possible, collect your parcel on the day of delivery.

Food deliveries should not be stored in the Concierge's Parcel Rooms as they do not have facilities to store perishable items.

In addition to this could you please have the following items delivered when you are home to receive them:

• Perishable Items
• Household Furniture
• Large Appliances
• Flat Pack Furniture
• Oversize Boxes
• Large consignments of Beers, Wines and Spirits.

These good neighbourly acts will ensure that all the residents will get a good and fair use of the Parcel acceptance service at the Barbican Estate.

Moving? Prop doors with care

From the BEO:

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Propping Doors Open and Moving In and Out


Please be aware that propping doors open is a security risk and an inconvenience to other residents.

When planning your move to or out of the Barbican Estate it is advisable to contact the Car Park Attendant or Lobby Porter who can give advice on the following essential details:

• Parking for your removal van
• If the van cannot be accommodated in the car park you can apply for special dispensation to park in the street
• Height restrictions in car parks
• The times of day during which you can arrange for removals. Usually this is between 8am and sunset.

For further information please check the website here in the Communal Living Tab in the Resident Information Pack.

Common Parts - share and enjoy

How to avoid a tragedy of the commons ...

From the BEO
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Good Neighbour Guide: Keep Common Parts Clear

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).

• Common parts include lift lobbies, corridors and staircases. These areas should be kept clear at all times and they should not be used for storage.
• Bicycles should be stored in the bike cages or designated areas located in the car parks.
• Please do not abandon unwanted items on balconies, lift lobbies or car parks.
• Please do not leave shopping trolleys in communal areas.
• If you do smoke on the balcony, please be mindful of your neighbour's open windows. And don't forget, the ventilation system in the bathrooms and kitchen is a communal system, therefore smells and smoke can travel into other flats.
• It is prohibited under the terms of the lease to hang washing on your balcony.
• 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.
• Although balcony drains are on a programme of scheduled maintenance, please can all residents ensure that as far as possible, they keep balcony drains free of soil/leaves etc. Drains can become clogged with debris during periods of heavy rain, and this can cause water penetration into flats below. Having decking and Astro Turf on the balcony paving slabs can contribute to stopping the drain from working to its full capacity and is not allowed.

Although any balcony adjacent to your flat may form part of your property, you should be considerate to your neighbours.

Balconies must not be obstructed as they serve as fire escape routes and are subject to formal rights of escape in case of emergency as set out in each long lease.

Click here for further information on the website in the Communal Living Tab of the Resident Information Pack.

Podium Antics - who to call

From the chair of the Ben Jonson House Group:

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Activities on the Podium

This notice is to provide you with the appropriate contacts if you notice activities which should not be taking place on the podium.

Barry Ashton (in charge of Security for the BEO)
Email: Barry.Ashton@cityoflondon.gov.uk
Telephone 0207 029 3920

Please give him details of your observation.

If you consider an urgent response is required, the Barbican Arts Centre have provided a 24/7 number through which residents may alert their security staff.

Telephone 0207 382 7308

The Ben Jonson House Group is aware of concern among residents concerning some of the activities taking place on the Podium. You probably know that skateboarding and cycling are actually prohibited and you may feel that the presence of groups practising free-running can be alarming.

If we are to address this matter, it is important to collect evidence for the authorities to justify some form of preventative action. Although plans are being developed for a simple method of reporting incidents, until they are in place we are recommended to use the contacts above.

I hope you will find this information helpful.

Chair, Ben Jonson House Group

Good Neighbour Guide - Noise

From the BEO:
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Good Neighbour Guide - Noise

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.

It is also requested to be considerate when listening to music in the gardens and communal spaces.The Barbican Estate Office in no way wishes to stop the residents enjoying the private gardens facilities with their friends, but these gardens are not suitable for parties. Social distancing should still be observed at all times.

Please also remember that the flats are very close by to the gardens and communal areas and that children should be supervised at all times.

Please click here for the Good Neighbour Guide.

Keep Communal Areas & Fire Escapes Clear

From the BEO:

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Keep Communal Areas & Fire Escapes Free

Common parts, which include lift lobbies, balconies, corridors and staircases, should be kept clear at all times and they should not be used for storage.

Access: All access routes including stairs, hallways, walkways and balconies in communal areas must be kept clear at all times. The design of some properties incorporates an emergency exit route, for example across the balconies or through a wooden panel. Where these emergency exit routes are shared between properties, residents must ensure these routes are kept free from obstruction and security measures such as locks must not be added onto them.

Items in Communal Areas: The City reserves the right to remove any items left or disposed of in the communal areas without limitation should they be causing a fire risk or block access/exit routes.

Mobility Scooters, Prams, Buggies and Bicycles: All equipment must be stored within the resident’s home or car park wherever possible. If they must be stored within the communal area, they are not allowed to be stored in the escape routes from the premises or block access through the communal access routes. Please speak to your House Officer if you have any questions.

If you have any questions, please ask your House Officer