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.

RESOLVED –

THAT the A and B lists be noted.

Apologies for absence were received from June Dodds (Peckwater Estate TRA), John Webb (Kennistoun, Willingham, Rosemary & Margaret TA)

There were none.

There were none.

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Report of the Director of Finance

This report summarises the financial position of the Housing Revenue Account and the draft recommendations on rent and service charges to be made to the Cabinet in January 2020. The report also provides background information as part of the consultation with DMCs on the draft recommendations.

Consideration was given to a report of the Director of Finance, together with a presentation by Emma Cardoso, Team Leader (HRA & Capital Projects), with contributions from Mary McGowan, Director of Housing Management and Gavin Haynes, Director of Property Management. A copy of the presentation was tabled at the meeting, as attached at Appendix A.

The DMCs were informed that the report highlighted how the Council intended to continue to invest in its housing stock and services in spite of the challenging financial climate that the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) was operating in, following four years of 1% rent reductions and growing cost pressures from inflation and new fire safety requirements. It sets out a balanced budget with proposed levels of rent and service charges for 2020/21.

District Management Committees (DMCs) were invited to express a view on the proposed 1% plus inflation rent increase; stand still inflationary increases to service charges for CCTV, Communal M&E Maintenance, Responsive Housing Patrol, Communal Lighting and Grounds Maintenance. With regards to the Caretaking Service the DMCs were being asked to give a view on the £0.94 increase which was to pay for proposed service improvements, which had been consulted on and supported by over 70% of residents. Also the DMCs were asked to gives their views on the heating pool surplus. These comments would then be reported to the meetings of the Housing Scrutiny Committee and the Council’s Cabinet.

Councillor Meric Apak, Cabinet Member for Better Homes, then thanked Emma Cardoso, Mary McGowan and Gavin Haynes for the presentation.

Councillor Meric Apak, Mary McGowan, Gavin Haynes, Sharon Calvey, Head of Estates Services, and Emma Cardoso then gave the following key responses to questions:

·         The new Caretaking Service would still contain a number of residential caretakers positions, but it was unclear as yet the exact number. A number of caretaking positions were still waiting to be filled, and TRA representatives were encouraged to pass this information onto people who may be interested in taking up this role. The gross salary range for these new caretaking positions was between £26,000 - £28,000 pa. The increased service charge proposal sought extra resources to fund the new Caretaking Service which would be used to provide a more extensive service, and provide cover for staff leave or sickness without having to draw existing caretakers away from their current duties.

·         Officers were aware of the concerns regarding the heating system currently in operation on the Whittington Estate and they would be putting in measures to address these concerns, the approach to be followed would be discussed with TRA representatives.

·         Moving forward, heating interface-units could be an option for new heating systems fitted into its Council homes. Also the Council was looking at whether air filled heating systems would provide medium to long term solutions to the gas heating systems, which needed to be replaced due to the impact they were having on the environment. Funds from the heating pool could help the Council pilot such initiatives.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

The DMCs will retire to the following rooms to discuss the budget proposals separately:

Gospel Oak               - Council Chamber

Hampstead               - Committee Room 1

Kentish Town           - Committee Room 2

Camden Town         - Committee Room 4

Holborn                      - Committee Room 5

Meeting separately, Kentish Town DMC members considered the budget proposals for the HRA.

The DMC noted that the rent increase would be an additional strain on people who were having to pay the full cost of their housing rent, but felt that for this year the rent increase should be supported so that the proposed spending plans could be taken forward by the Council.

The DMC noted that officers in Landlord Services were available to provide tenants with advice on how they could manage their money or to seek other employment opportunities. Information regarding tenants rent arrears were monitored by the Council and support and action was provided as necessary.

RESOLVED –

THAT the proposed inflation plus 1% rent increase be agreed.

Officers agreed to look at whether the process of informing tenants of the rent increase could be improved, so that tenants could revise their standing orders before the rent increase was implemented.

                                                ACTION BY: Rhys Makinson

Caretaking

Members noted that though the new Caretaking Service was seeking to improve the service that would be given to tenants and residents, they were still concerned about whether the new service would be able to deliver. In order to feel confident that service improvements were being provided the DMC felt that not only should regular performance reports be provided, but that there should be a service review with the results being provided to the December 2020 meeting, to allow the DMC time to consider this information before the next rent setting/service charge meeting in January 2021.

The DMC also felt that Estate Services should reintroduce estate walkabouts involving appropriate staff, TRA representatives, tenants and residents and ward Councillors. This information would then be fed into the performance reports that to be provided to the DMCs.

The DMC noted that extra resources were being put in the new Caretaking Service to bolster management supervision of caretaker’s performance; along with extra resources being put into providing a floating support team which would provide cover for staff sickness and holidays along with dealing with short-term service issues.

The DMC noted increase in Caretaking Service charge would mean tenants would in practice pay £1.20 per week.

RESOLVED -

The DMC agreed to the increase in Caretaking Service Charges of £0.94 plus inflation a week, but asked for a review of the service to be brought back to the DMC in December 2020, and that it receive regular performance updates which would include the information arising from estates walkabouts.

CCTV/Communal lighting/Communal M & E Maintenance/Responsive Security Patrol/Grounds Maintenance

The DMC noted that the new Digital CCTV system was currently going through the procurement process. Once that had been finalised then the Council would prioritise implementation based on ‘hotspot’ areas.

RESOLVED -

The DMC agreed the proposed inflationary service charge increase.

Heating Pool Charges

RESOLVED –

The DMC agreed that heating pool charges be frozen.

Heating pool surplus

The DMC noted the work the Council was currently piloting in regards to the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

The DMCs will return to the Council Chamber to convey their comments to the meeting.

The DMC then adjourned and reconvened in the Council Chamber and the decisions of all five DMCs were noted and would be submitted to the Housing Scrutiny Committee on 13^th January 2020 and Cabinet on 15^th January 2020 for consideration.

Councillor Meric Apak then thanked all the DMC representatives for attending the meeting and giving the Council their views. He noted the views being expressed regarding affordability and the operational performance of services, and would be seeking the input from the DMCs regarding how they could take these issues further.

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