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.

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 list of tenant and residents’ associations as set out at Appendix A and their representatives be noted.

Apologies for absence were received from David Patterson, Mansfield Road TRA and Rita Thorpe, Kiln Place TRA.

There were no announcements.

No declarations were made.

There was no urgent business.

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 2023.

The report also seeks the views of the DMCs on the draft recommendations.

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

Gospel Oak            - Council Chamber

Hampstead             - Committee Room 1

Camden Town        - Committee Room 2

Kentish Town          - Committee Room 3

Holborn                   - Committee Room 5

At 8.00pm the DMCs will be recalled to report the outcomes from their respective meetings if they wish.

Passing of Lidia Venegas

The meeting held a minutes silence regarding the passing of Lidia Venegas a homeless person who had sadly died in Kentish Town.

The Team Leader (HRA and Capital Projects) took the meeting through the report and supplementary information as part of a briefing for all DMC representatives, after which Gospel Oak DMC then considered the rent and service charge consultation questions as set out in Appendix D at its own separate meeting.

The DMC members discussed the proposed heating pool charges. In response to questions, the Cabinet Member for Better Homes and the Team Leader (HRA and Capital Projects) made the following comments:

·       Those on energy meters could monitor usage more easily than those in the heating pool which is why the support with payment was being offered to people in the heating pool.

·       A programme of work was underway to install heat meters in more properties in Camden as well as improving building insulation.

·       Camden was unable to lower the heating temperature for individual residents, it also could not drop the temperature for everyone as some, especially vulnerable residents, depended on the heat.

·       The work of giving individual subsidies would fall on officers but would not create an additional cost.

Rent Increase

Following a vote, it was determined that the proposed increase should be supported.

Increase Tenant Service Charge – Caretaking:

DMC members were unhappy that there had been service charge increases but many of them felt that they were receiving a reduced service. They did not want to agree with an increase to charges as they did not think the service they were receiving was adequate.

A member also commented that there had been a substantial increase this area in previous years and that it might be worth not increasing the charges for this as other charges were increasing considerably.

Following a vote, it was determined that the proposed increase should not be supported.

Increase Tenant Service Charge – CCTV:

Following a vote, it was determined that the proposed increase should be supported.

Increase Tenant Service Charge – Communal Lighting:

A member commented that they had received good service from the lighting team, another member commented that Camden could focus on making their lighting more efficient to avoid waste lighting.

Following a vote, it was determined that the proposed rent increase should be supported.

Increase Tenant Service Charge - Communal M&E Maintenance:

Following a vote, it was determined that the proposed increase should be supported.

Increase Tenant Service Charge - Grounds Maintenance:

Following a vote, it was determined that the proposed increase should be supported.

Increase Tenant Service Charge - Responsive Housing Patrol:

Following a vote, it was determined that the proposed increase should not be supported.

Increase Garage rents

Members thought that Camden should explore charging more for garages and parking spaces to increase revenue for the HRA.

Following a vote, it was determined that the proposed increase should be supported.

Comments on heating pool proposals

The Committee discussed the options and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

There was no such business.