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The complaint ref 7070082 concerning the unsecure scaffold was upheld. Please read the local resolution reply below or by clicking on this link. |
Case Management
(Repairs and Improvements)
Customer Assurance Team
Business Services Group
33/35 Jamestown Road
London NW1 7DB
Tel: 02079743075
Fax: 020 7916 2009
Email: keith.pettinger@camden.gov.uk
14th June 2011
Our Reference: 7070082
Re: Local resolution complaint - Issues with scaffold outside your property.
Thank you for the complaint dated 19th May 2011. I am sorry that you have found it necessary to complain about a council service.
I have checked the repair records on our Northgate system where we raise orders for repairs and have looked at orders raised on your flat, the block address and the boiler house address. I have also spoken to the contractors and other sections involved in the repairs. The details will indicate if we raised a service request, works order or inspection. A service request is a record of any contact we have with you that is not turned into a works order or inspection.
This scaffold was ordered under order reference 1126505/1 with Camden Building Maintenance. This order was raised by Jeff Huseyin, contract manager in the inspection & specification team. The works were to erect scaffold on the end elevation to renew a damaged roof hatch above the tank room. The order was raised as a programmed works priority, this mean that the timescale will be agreed between the contract manager and the contractors.
The order indicates that the scaffold was erected on 19th May 2011 by Griffin Scaffolding Ltd on behalf of Camden Building Maintenance. The roof hatch was replaced and the scaffold was struck on 24th May 2011.
I have seen your e-mail to Councillor Roger Robinson dated 19th May 2011 which was copied to Pat O'Neill, head of service delivery. He responded on 20th May 2011 where he stated that he had asked his staff to advise residents on the situation regarding this scaffold. Ross Barber, contract manager responded to Cllr Robinson on 20th May 2011 advising that Jeff Huseyin, contract manager would be looking at this scaffold on the same day. He advised that this scaffold may be in place for 2 weeks whilst the new roof hatch was manufactured. You e-mailed back to Pat O'Neill on 20th May 2011 advising that the scaffold was still in the same place and that nobody had contacted the residents to advise what was happening. You e-mailed Pat O'Neill on 23rd May 2011 asking if there was any update concerning this scaffold and if it was to be removed on that day. Ross Barber responded on 23rd May 2011 advising you that Jeff Huseyin would respond to you regarding this matter. You e-mailed back on the same day stating that you wanted to know when the scaffold was to be removed. Jeff Huseyin e-mailed you on 23rd May 2011 advising you that the scaffold had been erected outside your property in error and he apologised for this. He advised that the works were due to be completed on 26th May 2011 and that the scaffold would be removed on that date. He advised that it was not the policy of Camden's reactive repairs service to fit alarms to all scaffolds. He advised that he would instruct the contractors to fit an alarm to this scaffold.
You ask the following questions in your e-mail:
1) Please can you tell me the reasons why this scaffolding has been erected
This scaffold was erected to allow access to the roof to renew a roof hatch to the tank room. The scaffold should have been erected on the end elevation of the block away from windows, or landings etc.
2) Please can you tell me why I have not been notified that the scaffolding was going to be erected outside my flat?
It is the responsibility of the Contractors to advise residents in advance when scaffolds are to be erected. Having discussed this with Camden Building Maintenance it appears that there was a breakdown in communication between the Camden Building Maintenance and Griffin Scaffolding Services. The sub contractors did not give Camden Building Maintenance enough notice of the date that the scaffold was being erected. Therefore they did not have time to advise residents in advance. They apologise for this failure to communicate this information..
3) Please can you tell me why the scaffolding is NOT alarmed (as per Camden Council's regulations)?
I have discussed the issue of this scaffold not being alarmed. It is the policy that scaffold erected under the reactive day to days repairs contract do not have alarms fitted as standard. Decisions are taken by the contract managers who are managing these works on the individual merits of each scaffold/repairs/locations etc. I have discussed your comment that John Stow, mechanical manager sates that it is Camden's policy to alarm all scaffolds with John Stow. He has advised me that it is the mechanical and electrical delivery team decision to include alarms as parts of any scaffolds that they erect. This is due to the fact that these scaffolds are generally onsite of long periods of time.
4) Please can you tell me why there is no emergency telephone on the scaffolding? This has been left blank (see attached pictures).
I have discussed this question with Steve Outram, contract manager at Camden Building Maintenance. He advised that it Camden policy to have the scaffold inspected on erection by the scaffold contractors and then inspected every seven days by the relevant officer at Camden Building Maintenance. Once the scaffold has been erected, the scaffold is post inspected by the relevant person at Griffins Scaffold Ltd and the safety certificate is passed to Camden Building Maintenance who will then inspect the scaffold every seven days. In this case, the photos were taken before this could be done.
5) Is this a reasonable manner for a contractor of Camden Council to behave? Please advise?
It is clear from the above information that this works did not go ahead as we would have expected. The scaffold was erected in the wrong location, the communication between the contractors and sub-contractors was poor and meant that the agreed procedure of advising residents of the erection of scaffold in advance was not followed. Once the scaffold was onsite these works were completed and the scaffold was struck within 5 days. I would apologise for the lack of communication residents received around the progress of this works. I appreciate that this caused residents concerns around security to their properties. This case will be raised with the contractors at the regular contractor liaison meeting that Camden has with its term contractors to learn the lessons and to ensure that this type of incident/poor communication does not happen in the future.
Bearing this information in mind, I am upholding your complaint. I apologise that both you and other residents were inconvenienced and that the issue has been allowed to exist for as long as it was. I apologise for the hassle and inconvenience this has caused you and other residents.
Your right to have your complaint reviewed
If you are dissatisfied with my decision you can appeal to the Chief Executive. The Chief Executive's Central Complaints Unit will investigate your complaint, they are independent of the service you are complaining about. They will send you a report of the investigation within 25 working days.
For this appeal you should contact:
Central Complaints Unit,
Camden Town Hall,
Judd Street,
London,
WC1H 9JE
Phone: 020 7974 5644
Textphone: 020 7974 6866
Fax: 020 7974 5589
e-mail: complaints@camden.gov.uk
website: www.camden.gov.uk/complaints
If you need to speak to me regarding this letter, please call me on 0207 974 3075.
Yours sincerely,
Keith Pettinger
Case Management Officer
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