The Barbican Estate Residents Consultation Committee was scheduled to meet to discuss repairs and maintenance, the Major Works Programme, service charges and a governance review. Updates from various working parties, including the Garden Advisory Group and the Service Level Agreement Working Party, were also scheduled. The committee was also expected to note the action tracker for the Barbican Estate Residents' Consultation Committee and the Barbican Residential Committee.

2024/25 Barbican Estate Service Charges Actuals

The committee was scheduled to consider a report presenting the actual expenditure against the billed estimate for the period 1 April 2024 – 31 March 2025. The report stated that the consolidated accounts for the Barbican Estate were underspent against the billed estimate, with a total underspend of £1,384,436. The report also included detail on the Barbican Estate Office (BEO) costs of management and supervision, resident staff, cleaners, car park attendants and house officers. It noted underspending in general repairs and technical services, and overspending on lift maintenance. The report stated that £450k of underspending in heating costs reflected the benefits of the City of London's Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). The 2024/25 accounts were scheduled to be audited by an external accounting firm.

Governance Review

The committee was scheduled to discuss a report recommending a governance review of the Barbican Estate, commissioned to examine the decision-making structures, stakeholder relationships, and statutory frameworks. The review, proposed by Charles Russell Speechlys (CRS) in collaboration with Inside the box Advisory, outlined a phased programme of work combining legal and management consultancy perspectives. The proposal set out a three-phase review programme:

• Phase One – Diagnostic and Legal Review
• Phase Two – Process and Governance Design
• Phase Three – Resident and Stakeholder Engagement

The review was designed to:

• Deliver a single, authoritative reference framework for how the Barbican Estate is governed.
• Clarify the relationship between the BEO, RCC, BRC, and RTAs.
• Support consistent communication and decision-making across working parties.
• Strengthen accountability by defining roles, authority, and escalation routes.
• Establish a foundation for improved resident engagement, transparency, and trust.
• Identify opportunities for digital communication and record-keeping improvements.

The report noted feedback from residents and adjustments made, including sharing recordings and written synopses after key meetings to improve transparency, and building resident engagement into all 3 phases of the work.

Repairs & Maintenance (Lot 2) – In-House Update on Phased Implementation

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on the implementation of the in-house repairs service following Barbican Residential Committee (BRC) approval. The Barbican Estate Office (BEO) was adopting a phased approach to ensure continuity of service and effective management of resources. Two phases had been identified:

• Phase One: Managing the handover between Chigwell and Elkins
• Phase Two: Developing the BEO's internal capability

An open resident meeting had been scheduled at St Giles Church to discuss the approach and gather resident feedback.

Report of Major Works Programme Board

The committee was scheduled to receive a report from the Major Works Programme Board (MWPB) meeting held on 3 September, with updates on the Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) Programme, Contracts Matrix, Project Tracker, and Capital Expenditure Plan. The Board was scheduled to review updates to the PPM Schedule, outlining cyclical maintenance activities across the estate, and discuss clarifying responsibility for shared spaces such as the podium and lakes, with input from both the City of London and the Barbican Centre. The Contracts Matrix was scheduled to be reviewed as part of ongoing contract consolidation and monitoring, with contract values being populated from PCA forms and current contract end dates added. The Compliance Risk Register was reported to remain under development and would be reformatted for improved readability and accuracy. The Board was also scheduled to review progress on several ongoing and planned projects, including:

• Fire Signage: The fire signage pilot for Bunyan was discussed, and a new pilot block would be identified.
• Fire Doors: Testing was underway with Gerda Security for proposed letterbox designs.
• Brandon Mews Canopy: A joint meeting would be arranged with consultants, MWPB members, and Brandon Mews leaseholders.
• Lift Replacements: Resident engagement had taken place regarding Tower lifts, and a FAQ sheet and Section 20 notice were being prepared.
• Expert Witness (Ben Jonson House): Jane Cook (expert witness) was scheduled to visit the estate in advance of the pre-start meeting. The Board was also scheduled to review the Capital Expenditure Plan and discuss clear criteria for what constitutes a Major Works project.

Director of Property & Estate Management Report

The committee was scheduled to receive a report providing an overview of current activity and strategic developments across the Barbican Estate, highlighting progress on the Governance Review, the in-house repairs service transition, organisational realignment within the Barbican Estate Office (BEO), the ongoing major works programme, and the submission of Building Safety Cases for the three Barbican towers to the Building Safety Regulator. The report noted that work was continuing with Charles Russell Speechlys (CRS) on the independent governance review, and that the BEO was progressing with a phased implementation model for the in-house repairs service. The new BEO organisational structure, approved in 2024, was reported to be continuing to bed in following a period of recruitment and service realignment, and a Resident Communication Strategy, scheduled for publication in Q1 2026, would support the structure by setting standards for openness, transparency, and resident feedback. The Major Works Programme Board was reported to be continuing to oversee the delivery of the estate's large-scale capital projects and planned maintenance works, and the City of London Corporation had formally submitted Building Safety Cases for Shakespeare Tower, Cromwell Tower and Lauderdale Tower to the Building Safety Regulator (BSR). The Director had also committed to undergo a comprehensive review of estate service-charge apportionment.

Working Party Updates

The committee was scheduled to receive minutes and reports from various working parties:

• Garden Advisory Group: The Gardens Advisory Group carried out inspections of the Barbican Gardens in September 2025 and reviewed the results at their meeting on 15 October. The inspections confirmed that the rains in late August and September had restored the lawns, and trees and shrubs were putting out new leaves and new growth. The GAG were positive about the work of the City Gardens staff, and were scheduled to follow up with the City Gardens team on the issue of replanting the Speed Gardens trees.
• Service Level Agreement Working Party: The Working Party was scheduled to discuss KPI data for the first half of 2025, including a substantial shortfall in performance in relation to urgent repairs. The WP was also scheduled to note continuing issues in response times for Stage 1 complaints, and discuss KPI data in relation to lifts. The WP was scheduled to discuss resident involvement in block inspections, and new information on spending by contractor in each quarter.
• Climate and Zero Carbon Working Party: The Climate and Zero Carbon Working Party had not had a Chair since Ted Reilly left the Barbican, and it had been agreed that it would be most efficient to join forces with the Barbican Association. Richard Setchim had agreed to become Interim Chair of the Climate and Zero Carbon Working Party, with David Preston acting as secretary.