The Barbican Estate Residents Consultation Committee met on Monday 26 January 2026 to discuss the latest approved budget for service charge expenditure, review procurement processes, and receive updates on major works programmes. The committee also considered reports on the Barbican Estate Office's activities and updates from various working parties.

Service Charge Expenditure and Income Account

The committee was scheduled to consider the latest approved budget for the 2025/26 service charge expenditure and income, alongside the original budget for 2026/27. This joint report from the Chamberlain and the Executive Director of Community and Children's Services aimed to provide an overview of projected revenue expenditure for the service charge in dwellings for these financial years. The proposed revenue budget for 2026/27 indicated an increase of £224,000 compared to the 2025/26 budget. The committee was asked to review this provisional budget and approve it for submission to the Finance Committee, and to authorise the Chamberlain to revise the budgets as necessary.

Procurement Review

A report concerning the procurement of reactive repairs contracts was presented for discussion. This report aimed to update members on the process, address resident concerns regarding the procurement, and seek approval to commission an independent external review of the procurement, including its funding and resident involvement. The report noted that a previous procurement exercise in 2025 for reactive repairs contracts had awarded Lots 1 and 2 to Chigwell, who subsequently withdrew citing financial reasons, leading to the services being brought back in-house. While the City of London Corporation maintained that the procurement process was compliant with legal and governance requirements, it recognised resident concerns and proposed an independent review to provide assurance. The estimated cost for this review was up to £10,000, to be initially treated as a service charge cost, with reimbursement from the City if negligence was found.

Report of the Major Works Programme Board

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on the recent activities of the Major Works Programme Board (MWPB). This included discussions on consultant-led presentations regarding fire safety projects, specifically the Fire Doors Project and the Fire Signage Programme. Residents were to be given opportunities to view proposed designs and provide feedback. The Board also reviewed and supported the publication of the resident-facing Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) Programme, which aims to improve transparency around planned works and support the Service Charge Working Party's budget review. A compliance report was also presented, providing an overview of health, safety, and statutory obligations across the Barbican Estate.

Report of the Reporting Committee

This report provided a summary of the matters discussed by the Reporting Committee at its meeting on 12 November 2025. Key topics included a review of a draft paper on block inspections, discussions on the membership and remit of the Reporting Committee, and a verbal update on reactive repairs activity. The committee also considered proposals for the 2026 agenda plan, reporting templates, and the frequency of standard reports to enhance clarity and scrutiny. A gap analysis of work listed in the Altair report and achievements to date was committed to by the Barbican Estate Office (BEO). The report also sought approval for the appointment of four new members to the Reporting Committee.

Update from the Director of Property & Estate Management

An update was provided on the progress of key works across the Estate. This included information on the Building Safety Case for the towers, with an expectation of a decision from the Building Safety Regulator in late January or early February. The report also detailed the development of the Barbican App, with a pilot phase scheduled for late January/early February at Thomas More House, followed by a wider rollout in March. A comprehensive review of the Estate's car parks was underway to examine financial performance, occupancy, and management, with an options appraisal to follow. A full review of the redecorations project was also being conducted, examining finances, value for money, and delivery performance. The report highlighted a strategic shift towards a holistic building envelope approach for assessing and addressing buildings as complete systems. An update on the Ambue-led heating review was also provided, focusing on understanding system performance and identifying opportunities for improvement. Finally, progress on the transition to an in-house maintenance service for day-to-day repairs was detailed, including the design and mobilisation of the resident-facing service infrastructure and ongoing consultation with residents.

Working Party Updates

Updates were scheduled to be received from several working parties:

• Climate and Zero Carbon (CWP): This joint committee of the RCC and Barbican Association is focusing on cost, control, comfort, and carbon, with a priority on the Ambue heating study. They have been reviewing the City of London Corporation's climate action initiatives and intend to review their own Terms of Reference.
• Service Charge (To Follow): No specific details were provided in the agenda for this update.
• Gardens Advisory (To Follow): No specific details were provided in the agenda for this update.
• Service Level Agreements (To Follow): No specific details were provided in the agenda for this update.
• Asset Maintenance (To Follow): No specific details were provided in the agenda for this update.

Outstanding Actions

A joint report from the Town Clerk and the Executive Director of Community and Children's Services was presented, detailing outstanding actions. This report provided information on the progress of various projects and tasks previously raised.

The meeting also included time for questions on matters relating to the work of the committee and any other urgent business that the Chairman considered necessary to raise.