Agenda and minutes

Appendix A lists those Tenants’ and Residents’ 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 Associations 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 Team together with a membership list and a completed registered form.

Consideration was given to the ‘A’ and ‘B’ lists.

Hugh Boatswain, Senior Tenant Participation Officer, reported that there had been two recent TRA AGMs – one for Una House and one for the new TRA for Carroll Close & Sanderson Close.

Petra Dando asked that it be noted that the CASP AGM would be on 20^th September 2019.

RESOLVED –

THAT the ‘A’ and ‘B’ lists be noted.

Apologies were received from Sue Robertson and June Dodds.

There were no announcements.

There were no declarations of interest.

There were no notifications of any urgent business.

There were no deputations.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting of the Kentish Town District Management Committee held on 18 June 2019.

Consideration was given to the minutes of the meeting held on 18^th June 2019.

RESOLVED –

THAT the minutes be approved as a correct record.

The DMC is asked to note the progress of the action points arising from the previous meeting.

Consideration was given to the progress report.

RESOLVED –

THAT the report be noted.

To consider the KT DMC constitution and any potential amendments.

Hugh Boatswain introduced the item. He said that he had emailed TRA reps asking for their comments on the Kentish Town DMC constitution, further to the discussion at the June meeting. He said that he had received one submission. He tabled a paper with the submission and his comments (Appendix A).

Louis Loizou spoke to his submission and emphasised his view that DMCs should have the main say in relation to Council housing as councillors were elected by a mix of electors in a ward, not just by council tenants. Officers clarified that the DMC was a consultative body as, legally, the decisions in relation to council housing had to be made by elected members of the Council.

The Chair said that, when the Council had the committee system, there were representatives of the DMCs on Housing Committee. He regretted that this was no longer the case, as the Council was governed by the Cabinet system these days.

Petra Dando spoke to express her views about the conduct of the elections at the June DMC. She felt there should be more opportunity for candidates to present a personal statement in writing to the Committee and to speak to them at the meeting prior to the election taking place.

A view was expressed by some attendees that the DMC agendas were too long to enable in-depth scrutiny. Others felt that there needed to be a range of items on the agenda, given the wide range of council activities taking place that had an impact on housing management and housing services.  

Queries were raised about the agenda-setting process, and the Chair advised the meeting that agenda items were raised at the DMC joint chairs meetings and then there were local agenda-setting meetings for each DMC at which the Chair and Vice-Chairs could decide if they wished to prioritise or remove any items or to add ones of local concern.

A member asked that efforts be made to solicit views from TRAs on how meetings could be better run. It was proposed that this could be discussed at a separate meeting, given the need to go through the other items on the agenda at this meeting.  Members agreed this proposal and asked that such a meeting be arranged.

                                                                        ACTION: Tenant Participation

The Chair asked that officers provide information to that meeting as to what the restrictions around what DMCs could do were.

                                                                        ACTION: Tenant Participation

Report of the Head of Tenant Participation and Sheltered Housing.

DMC members are asked to review the attached Tenant & Leaseholder Engagement Code of Conduct (Appendix 1) prior to the September DMC round and consider the comments already made by DMC members detailed in this report.  At the meeting members will be asked to propose changes to the Code of Conduct.

Consideration was given to a report of the Head of Tenant Participation and Sheltered Housing.

Hugh Boatswain introduced the item and said that he had received a couple of comments about the code of conduct when emails had gone out to TRA reps about it.

A member said that the number of comments received might have been low because the email went out over the summer holiday period. It was suggested that the code of conduct could be discussed at the extra meeting proposed at Item 9 above.

                                                                        ACTION: Tenant Participation

Report of the Director of Property Management.

This paper provides an update on work to improve the repairs service; in particular access to the service and our approach to resident engagement.

Consideration was given to a report of the Director of Property Management.

Gavin Haynes spoke to his report. He said that call handling for repairs calls had transferred from Contact Camden to Property Management from 1^st August. He said there had been an improvement in the speed of call handling – with up to 97% of calls being answered within 2 minutes – and that the location of call handling staff within the Property Management directorate would help improve their liaison with repairs operatives.

Members highlighted the various concerns they had about their dealings with the repairs service and contractors. One member said he had had to make repeated calls to the repairs service and Waites and he had found the process frustrating. He said it was important that residents had one point of contact.

Another attendee said that he had seen operatives turning up to a job without the right equipment, which had led to delays and the need for repeat visits.

Members also felt it was important that the Council penalised poorly-performing contractors by not using them again.

Members proposed that there be a case study on Kenbrook and Brookfield, given the particular concerns reps had on those estates. Officers were asked to liaise with those TRAs and to report back on their findings.

                                                                        ACTION: Gavin Haynes & TRA reps

Attendees commented that new tenants should be shown how to operate central heating systems in their flats when they moved in. Because this was not done, this led to confusion and people inadvertently damaging the system and having to call-out repairs operatives. They also said residents should be able to have internal stopcocks within their flats to turn off the water or the gas supply. This would stop damage worsening while residents waited for staff to act to turn the supply off.

Josh Cedar from Holly Lodge asked that the stock conditions survey / inspection report for the estate be provided.

                                                                        ACTION: Gavin Haynes

Residents were concerned about the lack of co-ordination between different repairs operatives. One resident pointed out that her flat would be without a toilet for a whole day due to the delay between the person coming to disconnect/connect the toilet and the people coming to relay the bathroom flooring. This could have been remedied by them both arriving at the same time.

RESOLVED –

(i)            THAT the report and the comments above be noted.

(ii)          THAT a report come back to the Committee on the Kenbrook and Brookfield estate case study.

Report of Principal Lead Officer for Parking & Access.

To update the DMC on Estate Parking at Maiden Lane and the Council’s approach to managing the parking.

To outline the current procedures around parking management and enforcement on Camden’s housing estates.

Consideration was given to a report of the Principal Lead Officer for Housing and Access.

Andy Foster, the Estate Parking and Access Manager, introduced the report. He explained that, since the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 came into force, estate parking restrictions could only be regulated under contract law. Parking without the correct permit where restrictions were in force was a form of trespass and thus those vehicles could be ticketed, although the form of parking ticket differed from those on public roads.

There were particular problems facing the Maiden Lane Estate and so the Council was considering introducing a Traffic Management Order (TMO). The consultation on this would be starting on 18^th October.

Members expressed concern about whether the tickets issued on estates were being pursued energetically enough. There was a suggestion made for the installation of gates which could be opened by girder keys. Mr Foster said this might cause difficulties on some estates, especially where there were a large number of deliveries being made by online shopping firms. He said each estate was unique and so different parking management approaches would suit different estates.

An attendee queried the approach being taken to abandoned vehicles. Mr Foster said that this was currently being reviewed.

Jane Hickson expressed concern that there were parking spaces on Leighton Crescent that the Council did not seem to have a record of.

The Chair asked that an updated report, with details about progress on the proposed Maiden Lane TMO, come to the Committee in six months’ time.

ACTION: Andy Foster (Estate Parking and Access Manager)

RESOLVED –

(i)            THAT the report and the comments above be noted;

(ii)          THAT an update report come to the March 2020 DMC

Report of the Senior Tenant Participation Officer.

The DMC is asked to note the report and comment on the proposed changes to the updated funding guidelines as outlined in Appendix A.

Consideration was given to a report of the Senior Tenant Participation Officer.

Hugh Boatswain introduced the report. He highlighted that a couple of amendments were being made to the guidelines to clarify the timescale for bids. They would have to be provided to the Neighbourhood Housing Officer at least 20 working days prior to the DMC meeting to be considered at that meeting. He asked members if they had any comments on the guidelines.

Petra Dando said that there had been discussion in CASP in the past about the need for a provision that a bid had to relate to a project which would benefit a significant number of people. This would prevent one resident or household putting forward a bit that was specific to their home.

The Chair asked that there be a further opportunity for members to send in their comments to Tenant Participation and that it come back to the December meeting.

                                                                        ACTION: Tenant Participation

RESOLVED –

(i)            THAT the report and the comments above be noted.

(ii)          THAT the item come to the December DMC meeting.

Report of the Head of Tenancy Services.

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/dmcbids.

Consideration was given to a report of the Head of Tenancy Services.

Tara Cookson, Neighbourhood Manager, presented the report. She said that the first two Brookfield bids in the report (for a residents’ trip to a Christmas Market and a trip to the pantomime) would be being covered by a special projects grant. Only one Brookfield bid was remained.  

RESOLVED –

THAT the following bids be approved:

Report of the Team Leader (HRA and Capital Projects).

The DMC is asked to note the report and use information to feedback to TRAs ahead of Joint DMC in January 2020.

The new rent standard from 2020/21 allows rents to be raised by up to inflation plus 1%. This report is a prompt for discussion with DMCs on rent levels as well as service charges ahead of the Joint DMC in January 2020.

Consideration was given to a report of the Team Leader (HRA and Capital Projects).

Emma Cardoso, Team Leader (HRA and Capital Projects) introduced her report. She explained the time frame for the HRA budget-setting. The joint DMC meeting would be held on 8^th January 2020 to discuss the budget and the Cabinet would make its decision on 15^th January 2020.

Ms Cardoso highlighted that the Government had mandated rent reductions of 1% per year over the past four years. This had had a budgetary impact on the HRA (Housing Revenue Account) and impacted on the works they had been able to do to the council’s housing stock. From 2020 to 2025, central Government had said that local authorities could now increase their rents by up to CPI + 1%.

Due to the budgetary pressures caused by rising costs and the mandated rent reductions, HRA reserves had been reduced. The report stated that the HRA balance had reduced by £5.6m since the financial year 2015-16. The Chair asked what the balance stood at now. Ms Cardoso said she would provide this information to members.

ACTION: Emma Cardoso (Team Leader)

Councillor Apak said that the this draft HRA budget report was coming to DMCs in the September round to give TRAs more time to consult their members about it.

He added that service enhancements proposed from the caretaking review would increase the caretaking service charge by 85p-95p a week. He explained this was not in the draft report, which simply indicated what service charges would be if there was a 3% increase (which would be CPI + 1% if CPI was at the forecast level of 2%).

Members asked if there could be information provided to street properties as to what service charges they were liable for – as many street properties did not receive those services.

Linda Treherne asked if taking the external estate cleaning in-house from Veolia would increase service charges. Councillor Apak said that would be done within existing budgets as the Council would be using funds it had formerly paid Veolia to pay those staff.

Members expressed concerns as to the extra costs incurred by the HRA when contractors did not work efficiently. They highlighted a number of issues of concern from their estates.

The Chair asked if a list of planned capital works in Kentish Town could be provided.  He also argued against any increases in other charges.

ACTION: Gavin Haynes (Director of Property Management)

RESOLVED –

THAT the report and the comments above be noted.

To consider a report from the Cabinet Member responsible for housing.

Consideration was given to a report of the Cabinet Member for Better Homes.

Councillor Meric Apak spoke to his report. He said the new Landlord Service had just launched in the south of the borough and was bedding in. He said posters would be printed to display on estate notice boards so people were aware who their Neighbourhood Officers were. Street properties would be written to with this information.

The Neighbourhood Officers would have smaller patches than housing officers had in the old structure, and they would be expected to take ownership of most housing management issues when tenants raised them with them. They would provide a single point of contact, which residents had said they wanted.

Councillor Apak said he was about to sign off on the caretaking review report. He was asked when Veolia would be finishing, and he said this was likely to be at the end of the year.

Residents asked if a list of caretakers’ tasks would be posted up on noticeboards. Councillor Apak said that was the intention. The view was expressed by some attendees that the quality of the caretaking service varied – with some very good caretakers and some who were not.

RESOLVED –

THAT the report and the comments above be noted.

Report of the Head of Landlord Services.

This report provides an update of recent news within the Kentish Town DMC Ward boundary since the last meeting.  As previously requested, TRAs are asked to submit items for inclusion in the report that they wish to share.

Consideration was given to a report of the Head of Landlord Services.

Tara Cookson emphasised the change in landlord services that was taking place. She said that neighbourhood housing officers would normally be working from a base in the district and be able to see tenants by appointment.

She updated members on the progress of major bids that had been approved by the DMC.

Residents commented that calls from the Council appeared as an unknown number on their phones. Angela Spooner said this might be true for most officers, but she thought this had been removed for calls from Kentish Town housing officers.

With regard to the posters about neighbourhood housing officers, it was suggested that newer versions should be designed to also give information to those who were not fluent in English.

RESOLVED –

THAT the report and the comments above be noted.

To consider a verbal update on the Steering Group.

Stanton La Foucade, Tenant Participation Co-Ordinator, verbally updated members on the Resident Participation Review Steering Group. The Group had first met on 30^th July and had come up with seven actions they wished to be followed up.

There had been some uncertainty about the KT DMC representation on the Group, and it was agreed that Abu Naser serve as the KT member and Momota Khatun as the substitute.

Members asked that there be a Tenant Participation website. This would make it clear to residents what the TP service was and what it did. Officers said that the Council had been revamping its website, and so there had not been the chance for individual services to create their own part of the website yet. Any additions to the Council’s website would have to be done centrally at the moment, not by the service itself.

RESOLVED –

(i)            THAT the verbal update be noted

(ii)          THAT Abu Naser be the KT DMC member of the Steering Group and Momota Khatun be the substitute

(iii)         THAT the comments above be noted.

DMCs are asked to note reports on:

- Landlord Services Review update

- Local Government Electoral Boundary changes

- CCTV Information Paper

The report was noted.

DMCs are asked to note information on:

- Tenant Participation Officer patch summary

- Tenant Participation training

- Grants, equipment and loans

The report was noted.

Information about Camden’s Community Investment Programme (CIP).

The report was noted.

TO FOLLOW

The dates of future DMC meetings would be:

·         Tuesday, 3^rd December 2019

·         Wednesday, 8^th January 2020 (joint with the other DMCs)

·         Tuesday, 3^rd March 2020

It was noted that the dates of future DMC meetings would be:

·         Tuesday, 3^rd December 2019

·         Wednesday, 8^th January 2020 (joint with the other DMCs)

·         Tuesday, 3^rd March 2020