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.

Apologies for absence were received from Cayford House TRA nd Gospel Oak 7 & 8 TRA.

To agree the election of Chair for 2023/24 meeting year.

RESOLVED –

THAT Terence Ewing be elected Chair of Gospel Oak DMC for the 2023/ 2024 municipal year.

To elect up to two Vice-Chairs of the DMC for the 2023/24 meeting year, including a senior Vice-Chair to become acting Chair should the need arise.

An election for the two roles of Vice Chairs was conducted. As there was only one nomination the Committee noted that they could hold an election to fill the role late in the municipal year, should they wish.

RESOLVED –

THAT Sarah Robbins be elected Vice-Chair of Gospel Oak DMC for the 2023/ 2024 municipal year.

Nottingham attack

The Chair announced and led a one-minute silence following the attack in Nottingham in which three people died.

Fire Community Consultation Panel

The Chair invited David George, the Fire Borough Commander, to address the Committee to provide information about a series of events and workshops where concerns could be raised regarding the response aspect of the London Fire Brigade. He was keen to hear from residents at these events and provided the contact information for residents. (appendix A)

Statement by the Camden Association of Street Properties (CASP)

The Chair allowed the CASP representative to read a statement in regard to a master key scheme for street properties. (appendix B)

The Chair said that an update on the scheme would be provided in the September meeting round

The Chair declared that he had an ongoing stage 1 and ongoing stage 2 complaint with Camden around the consultation process.

No other declarations were made.

There was no such business.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting of the Gospel Oak DMC held on 2 March 2023 and to consider the progress report.

Consideration was given to the minutes of the meeting held on 2 March 2023.

The representative from Cherry Court TRA abstained from commenting on the minutes as they had not received an agenda ahead of the meeting.

The representative from Beaumont Walk asked for an amendment under the Beaumont Walk Bid announcement. He said that the minutes referred to a singular project when it was two that had been agreed by officers. This amendment was confirmed by officers. He asked that the minutes state

‘Officers agreed that the funding could be ringfenced for both projects and paid from the 2022/ 2023 DMC budget, even if the project payment was completed during the 2023/ 2024 financial year.’

RESOLVED –

THAT the minutes be agreed, subject to the amendment above.

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

A number of DMC reps commented that they had not received an agenda and so had not had the chance to review the Code of Conduct and Constitution. They asked that any decision on them be deferred to the next meeting and that any Committee Member amendments to the Constitution be circulated ahead of the meeting also.

RESOLVED –

i)                 THAT the Code of Conduct and Constitution remain in place until the next meeting.

ii)               THAT the Code of Conduct and Constitution item be deferred until the next meeting.

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.

REOLVED –

THAT the appointments to other bodies be deferred to the next meeting.

To consider the report of the Directors of Housing and the Director of Property Management

Consideration was given to the report of the Director of Housing and the Director of Property Management. The report was introduced by the Landlord Services Manager.

The Committee then discussed the report and made the following key comments:

A member asked about the sample size for customer satisfaction, the Head of Property Customer Services and Engagement said that after each repair and text message is sent to the resident with a separate follow up phone call. The service spoke to over 700 people per month.

The Head of Property Customer Services and Engagement pushed back on a comment from a Committee member that the WhatsApp service did not work, he explained that 79% of repairs raised, including emergencies, was not done over the phone.

A DMC member raised an issue that they had been used as the contact for a communal repair, as an address needed to be given in the system. They asked if communal issues could be reported without giving an address. the Head of Property Customer Services and Engagement explained that giving an address was necessary in the current system as a way to avoid investigating vexatious, hoax reports. He said that the service were looking to contact TRAs so that the resident voice was captured in the reporting process.

In response to a member suggestion that a repair reporting app be developed that was similar to the one used to report fly tipping, the Head of Property Customer Services and Engagement said that Camden were in the process of exploring this option.

A member raised concern over missed repairs appointments, the Head of Property Customer Services and Engagement said that majority of appointments do take place and that it was unacceptable to cancel appointments without letting residents know. He agreed to speak to the repairs team to provide an update.

Action by: Repairs Manager

RESOLVED –

THAT the report be noted.

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 the report of the Head of Landlord Services.

In their introduction of the report, the Landlord Services Manager clarified a typing mistake in the report, the remaining budget for the current year should be £145,180.

The bid in the report from Mansfield road TRA would be deferred to the next meeting.

Wendling TRA

RESOLVED –

THAT the bid be agreed.

Bacton Tower TRA

The bid was introduced by the representative from Bacton Tower TRA, who gave details and breakdown of the bid.

In response to a question form a member, the Landlord Services Manager said that the process of obtaining 3 quotes as part of the procurement process was only necessary for projects that breached a certain cost threshold.

RESOLVED –

THAT the bid be agreed

Food Corporation

DMC representatives were concerned that the group were announcing themselves as the voice of the local community and engaging with council officers as such. They were not happy that they had had a meeting with the Community Investment Programme (CIP) team when DMC members had not been engaged. The DMC agreed to invite the CIP team to a future meeting for an update and discussion on works in Gospel OAK.

Action by: the Tenant Participation Coordinator

Void council properties

The DMC requested an update report on void properties at a future meeting.

Action by: the Tenant Participation Coordinator

Installation of new boilers

The DMC requested an update report on the programme of works for installing new boilers at a future meeting.

Action by: the Tenant Participation Coordinator

There was no such business.