Agenda and minutes

Appendix A lists those Tenant and Resident Associations (TRAs), which have satisfactorily completed the registration process at the date of despatch of this agenda. It gives details of the representatives of those TRAs to be co-opted onto the DMC, in accordance with the constitution, together with the names of the substitutes.

Appendix B lists those TRAs whose registrations have lapsed. If a TRA wishes to register it must hold an Annual General Meeting (AGM), open to all members, once a year (with an independent observer in attendance). The minutes must be sent to the Tenant Participation Service together with a membership list and a completed registered form.

The DMC considered the list of registered tenant and resident associations (TRAs) provided by the Tenant Participation Service listed at Appendix A to the agenda and those TRAs whose registration had lapsed, which were listed at Appendix B.

RESOLVED –

THAT the ‘A’ and ‘B’ lists be noted.

Apologies for absence were received from Maria Seixas (Agar Grove TMO), Richard Caylor (Bayham Place Estate TRA). Jackie Haggett (Ampthill Square TRA), Wolfram Westendorf (Godwin and Crowndale TMO), Suzie Lai (Mornington Place and Clarkson TRA), David Perris (CASP), Anne Byrne (Three Fields), Stephen Kelly (Three Fields), and Rienzi Trento (Ossulston TRA).

To agree the election of Chair for 2024/25 meeting year.

RESOLVED –

THAT Fran Heron (Ampthill Square TRA) be elected Chair of the DMC for the 2024/25.

Chairing the meeting

The Chair advised that as she could not be present in person the Vice-Chair would chair the meeting in the room.

Community Engagement workshops – Maria Fidelis School

The meeting was advised that there would be 2 engagement works shops taking place on 15^th and 16^th July at the Old Diorama Arts Centre, 201 Drummond Street, London NW1 3FE 4pm to 6pm, regarding the proposal to convert the ground floor of the former Maria Fidelis school building into a community hub.

Meeting Housing Heads of Service

The meeting was advised that there would a meet the heads of housing services session for all TRAs taking place on 2^nd September. This would be an opportunity for tenants and residents to meet the heads of service from both housing and property management, and find out what their roles were in the Council. An invite to this event would be sent out in due course.

There were none.

To elect up to two Vice-Chairs of the DMC for the 2024/25 meeting

year, including a senior Vice-Chair to become acting Chair should the

need arise.

RESOLVED –

THAT John Wood (Walker House TRA) be elected Vice-Chair of the DMC for the 2024/25 year, and that the appointment to the position of the other vice-chair be deferred to the September meeting of the DMC.

There were none.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting of Camden Town DMC held on 6^th March 2024.

Consideration was given to the minutes of the meeting held on 6^th March 2024.

RESOLVED –

THAT the minutes of the meeting held on 6^th March 2024 be approved.

Consideration was given to the action points.

Heat Pool deep dive

The meeting noted that a further session had not yet been set up, and they were concerned that progress had not yet been made regarding questions that they had previously raised.

John Wood also agreed to provide information on the session he would be having with London Tenants Forum regarding heating pool costs.

                                                              ACTION BY: John Wood

CCTV – Churchway Estate

The meeting did not feel that Churchway Estate had been given an adequate explanation as to why it had not been included in the CCTV installation programme, and John Wood would seek to engage with the Police and the Council on this.

                                                              ACTION BY: John Wood

Mobile CCTV Cameras

Officers would seek to provide an update regarding the position of the mobile cameras that had been funded by Camden Town DMC. This would include whether they were being used and the general areas they were covering.

                                                              ACTION BY: Natasha Dickinson

CCTV Coopers Lane Estate

Officers agreed to provide an update regarding the operation of the CCTV Cameras on Coopers Lane Estate.

                                                              ACTION BY: Natasha Dickinson

Council’s Allocation Scheme

The meeting was informed that work was being progressed regarding revising the Council’s Housing Allocation Scheme, and the proposed changes would be reported and consulted on in due course.

To agree the DMC’s Constitution and Code of Conduct as set out in the attached documents.

The Chair would give consideration as to whether the Constitution should be revised regarding the wording in part 2 (e), on a TRA electing a representative to the DMC when its representative had been elected Chair.

                                                              ACTION BY: Fran Heron

RESOLVED –

THAT the Constitution and Code of Conduct be approved for the 2024/25 Year.

i)           To elect the DMC’s representative to the Camden Safer Neighbourhood Board.

Camden Safer Neighbourhood Board

“Camden Safer Neighbourhood Board is a community-led charity that brings together the community, police and council with the aim of reducing crime and antisocial behaviour in Camden.

“We oversee three main strands of activities:

• Public meetings and community conversations – these provide residents from across Camden the chance to challenge the Police Borough Commander and senior officers from the Community Safety Partnership about crime 

• Stop and Search – the Camden Stop and Search Monitoring Group meets four times a year. We also have a panel of 18 Camden Independent Youth Advisors with a keen interest in Stop and Search. 

• Camden Safer Neighbourhood Board Trustees – we hold six meetings a year where a small group of Trustees having been appointed by the CSNB hold the police and Partnership to account for performance in crime and antisocial behaviour. The Trustees oversee the work and set the policies for the CSNB.”

For more information, visit https://camdenconnected.com/

ii)          To elect representatives to any other bodies as needed.

Resident Action Day Working Group x 1 place

The DMC asked that when possible, representatives provide a written statement to the DMC regarding the work they undertook.

RESOLVED –

1.    THAT Mahboob Rahman be elected at the DMC’s representative to the Safer Neighbourhood Board

2.    THAT John Wood be elected as the DMC’s representative to the Resident Action Day Working Group

ACTION BY: Stanton La Foucade

To consider the report of the Community Safety Programme Manager

This report provides an update of the work of the Community Safety Service Anti-Social Behaviour Task Force pilot to date.

Consideration was given to the report of the Community Safety Programme Manager.

Natasha Dickinson, Community Safety Officer, took the meeting through the report and gave the following key responses to questions:

·       In relation to calls to the Responsive Security Patrol (RSP), officers noted that reference numbers were not always being given out to tenants and residents who were calling in incidents as a matter of course, and they would make sure that guidance on this was given to colleagues taking the calls.

                                                              ACTION BY: Natasha Dickinson

·       The polices and processes outlined in the paper would apply to street properties as well as Council housing estates, and these would be put in the public domain when available.

The DMC agreed to pass on its best wishes to Councillor Callaghan following her recent fall.

                                                              ACTION BY: Fran Heron

RESOLVED –

THAT the report be noted

Report of Housing and Repairs

This reportprovides a progress update on the work of a collective of officers and DMC chairs reviewing the process for allocation of, management and monitoring of the DMC budget and bidding process.

Consideration was given to the report of the Tenant Participation Co-ordinator.

The DMC felt that it was important that the Tenant Participation Team was fully resourced so that it could ensure that the revised bidding process was able to be implemented successfully. Also, it welcomed the early work that had been undertaken by the DMC Chairs and officers in identifying proposed changes, and that the final version would be considered at the September round of DMC meetings.

RESOLVED –

THAT the report be noted

Report of Head of Neighbourhoods.

In line with the DMC funding guidelines, TRAs will be asked to provide an update to the meeting regarding the progress of agreed bids, including an update on the associated spend. TRAs are invited to circulate any relevant information in advance through the clerk.

TRAs are encouraged to submit bids as soon as possible, so they can be properly assessed and prepared by officers, ready for submission to the DMC. TRAs are reminded that verbal bids cannot be accepted at DMC meetings as, in line with the guidelines, officers need to be able to assess bids before passing them to the DMC.

For more information on DMC bids, please see our webpages: www.camden.gov.uk/district-management-committees.

Consideration was given to the report of the Head of Neighbourhood Services.

Bids

The DMC gave consideration to the bid from Camden Town DMC, to fund the resident action day, at a cost of £2,500.00. The bid was discussed and approved by the DMC.

The DMC gave consideration to the bid from Threefields Estate Tenants and Residents Association, for Gerda locks at a cost of £2,571.00. The bid was discussed and approved by the DMC.

The DMC gave consideration to the bid from Regents Park Estate, for a LFB security device to be fitted across 8 communal door entrances at Windermere, Roswich and Woodhall Blocks at a cost of £6,856.00. The bid was discussed and approved by the DMC. The DMC noted that this bid was being proposed by Threefield Estate and Regents Park Estate TRA (who were not present), due to the specific circumstances of the estate.

The DMC asked for an update to be provided to the next DMC regarding the Bridgeway Street bid for security gates.

ACTION BY: Neighbourhood Managers

RESOLVED –

THAT the bids and action outlined above be approved

ACTION BY: Neighbourhood Managers

Godwin Court Estate – Lifts

Officers agreed to look into the issues regarding the lifts at Godwin Court Estate and provide an update to the TRA.

                                                              ACTION BY: Tony Blair

Report of Project Manager

This report provides an update on our project to improve parking on Camden's estates.

Consideration was given to the report of the Project Manager.

Officers agreed to provide the Ampthill TRA with details of when the Traffic Management Order would go live.

                                                              ACTION BY: Andy Foster

The bay size on the estates would be the same as for those on street-parking so should cover most car sizes. Spaces would be identified for blue badge holders but they would also need to seek to have a parking permit. Tenants with a blue badge could also apply for a designated disabled parking bay if they wished. In relation to the “protected bays” on the estate for blue badge holders. These bays could only be parked in by residents who were displaying a blue badge along with an estate parking permit. Permit holders parked in a “protected bay” without displaying a blue badge would receive a Penalty Charge Notice.

Report of the Director of Property Management

This report provides an update on the fire safety works programme, Damp & Mould and Capital works programmes in train

This report was made available to the DMC for information purposes.

The DMC agreed to take up the offer of a webinar on capital works project and works being done across the Better Homes, FRA, retrofit and M&E programme.

                                                              ACTION BY: Gavin Haynes

Report of the Green Spaces Operations Manager

This report seeks to provide an update on service delivery, concerns, challenges and respond to queries from GODMC reps on their experience of the service in their district

This report was made available to the DMC for information purposes.

Report of Head of Allocation, Lettings & Private Housing Services

This reportprovides a progress update on the voids programme of works and the current position of the in relation to the housing stock

Consideration was given to the report of the Head of Allocations, Lettings & Private Housing Services.

The DMC asked that the issue of voids performance be a standing item on the DMCs agenda going forward, and an officer should come to the next meeting to answer any questions. Also, the meeting asked that future reports provide a breakdown of voids in the respective DMC districts, performance turn-around times and allocation for the voids, whether the Council was meeting its targets and if not why, and the rent arrears figures.   

                                                             ACTION BY: Gerry Crowley

There were none.