It is hoped that the vast majority of estates will gain but it is widely understood that estates well resourced prior to changes may notice paradoxically a perceived reduction to previous cleaning cycles as service provision 'Step Changes' are implemented.
One of the factors leading to the readjustments to levels of caretaker service in the two districts of Camden Borough was the poorly judged Veolia Environmental Services Ltd estate cleaning 8 year contract brought in by the Liberal Democrat Housing executives only a few months before the local elections of 2010. This contract will last until 2018.
This contract or more precisely the variation to street cleaning contract by Veolia brought in external estate cleaning of all hard surface areas and essentially this represents the cut-off point where caretakers would now only be responsible for mostly interiors of an estate, whereas prior to the Veolia contract variation they would have had much wider responsibilities across all aspects of there charge buildings.
Naturally, the LibDem Housing executive strategic change of 2010 of bringing in Veolia to do parts of estate external cleaning and thereby reducing and modifying the then caretaker duties, was set in train from 2010.
There was a considerable cost to this 8 year Veolia variation contract. Which had resulted in net reductions to the overall caretaker levels and workloads since 2010.
The problem:
In the worsened financial climate of austerity and reductions significant changes had to be brought in to help fund both the Veolia variation contract and existing caretaker service provision to coexist through to 2018.
Hence onto the Caretaker Review 2011 which on its panel had a leaseholder, a frontline caretaker, a supervisor, a trade union representative, management representative and two tenants. This report went to Cllr Julian Fulbrook and Mike Cooke Director of Housing and Adult Social Care.
The report was circulated in December 2011 to DMCs
The report is in the public domain, see comment below.
Monitoring of the Veolia variation estate cleaning contract was indicated as one of the areas of improvement.
Another report to DMC and leaseholders forum on caretaker services was made to DMC March 2012. This document 'Update report on the changes to the Caretaking service by Justin Hunt, Head of Estate Services.
This and the proceeding reports are public documents and can be downloaded and read in its entirety from the Camden council website.
From the report it explains;
On Sight Supervisors OSS will be monitoring all aspects of service provisions from Veolia, Fountains and then extended to include caretakers.
The OSS will be using PDA smartphones to capture information such the 'eyes and ears' of local information.
Conclusion:
To return to my original question that I am asked from residents on Council estates.
Who are responsible for cleaning our estates?
The answer is a mix of traditional caretakers, Veolia and Fountains who are responsible for grounds maintenance all now monitored by the OSS.
One excellent piece of news especially in Camden Town with Primrose Hill is that communal balconies will now be cleaned by the caretaker services, whereas that was deemed responsibility of residents before.
Also on very large estates comprising multiple buildings it is hoped that residents will now notice improved levels of caretaker services.
As co-opted member of Housing and Adult Social Care Scrutiny committee and and member of a District Management Committee I will continue to research and monitor these caretaker changes implementations.
Photo of large estate on Clarence Way on Hawley Road is one of the many estates in CTPH that I have discussed this and other local issues.
