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 and Leaseholder Engagement 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 and Leaseholder Engagement Team listed at Appendix A to the agenda and those TRAs whose registration had lapsed, which were listed at Appendix B. An updated A list had been circulated as part of the supplementary agenda.

THE DMC was advised that there had been AGMs held at Bourne Estate TRA and Dudley Court TRA. 

RESOLVED –

THAT the ‘A’ and ‘B’ lists be noted.

Apologies for absence were received from Judith Milner (Langdon House), Rosalind Lau (Birkenhead TRA Substitute), Andrey Kobilnyk (Glynde Reach), Maureen Murphy and June Close (Tybalds Close TRA), Edward Sweetman (Tybalds Close TRA Substitute), Bill Moroney (Brunswick TRA), Alex Khawaja (Red Lion TRA), Ian Schofield (Dudley Court TRA), and Councillor Lotis Bautista. 

The meeting was advised that Councillor Sagal Abdi-Wali, Cabinet Member for Better Homes, had given apologies as she had to leave the meeting early so her item would be considered following consideration of item 6, Minutes.

There were no other announcements.

There were none.

An updated A list had been circulated for information. Also a paper had been circulated for consideration regarding appointing a DMC representative to the Service Standard workshop taking place on 5^th December 2024.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting of the Holborn DMC held on 10 September 2024.

RESOLVED –

THAT the minutes of the meeting held on 10^th September 2024 be approved and signed as a correct record.

Report of the Team Leader (HRA & Capital Projects), Supporting Communities.

This report provides an update on Housing Revenue Account (HRA) 2025/26 Budget Setting progress ahead of the January Joint DMC meeting at which DMC representatives will be asked to provide feedback on proposals.

Consideration was given to the report of the Director of Finance.

Cait MacDermott, HRA Strategy Advisor, took the meeting through the report and she along with Emma Cardoso, Strategic Finance Lead – Housing, gave the following key responses to questions:

·       There was still a projected overspend being identified in the current year’s HRA and officers had identified a further £730,000 worth of savings that would need to be made to meet this shortfall. These included;

1)    Leaseholder income £300k - this involved adjusting the budgets to the actuals as the HRA budget process was a few months before the leaseholder estimates process, but officers were also continuing checks to see that all valid costs were passed on;

2)    Reduced bad debt provision £100k - new software had been helping with rent arrears collection so the savings target was being increased;

3)    Increase commercial property income £60k - this had been achieved in 2024/25 so it was being adding into the budget;

4)    Property Management £140k - Removal of some vacant non-front line repairs staff posts from budget with no impact to services; and

5)    Repairs £130k - Improve efficiency to reduce repairs costs.

·       Further details in relation to the proposals for the heating pool budget and the projected overspend for 25/26, beyond those measures identified in the report (£7.5M), would be identified in the report going to the HRA budget and Rent Setting meetings taking place on 8^th January 2025. This information had not been available when the information had been circulated due to the timelines for consideration of all the issues and the agenda despatch timelines not matching. Officers would seek to ensure these timelines matched in future years.

·       Depreciation costs had been factored into the budgetary proposals and no further action in this area was required. Depreciation was calculated independently of the stock condition survey results.

·       Officers would provide details of the two posts that were being deleted from the Repairs Services as part of the budgetary saving proposals.

ACTION BY: Director of Property Management

RESOLVED –

THAT the report be noted

Report of the Director of Housing.

The purpose of this paper is to update the DMCs on progress of the Housing Transformation programme, raise awareness of key pieces of work and immediate priorities within the programme.

Consideration was given to the report of the Director of Housing

Katie Hawthorn, Housing Change and Transformation Manager, took the meeting through the report and she along with Stephanie Marsh-Aldis, Landlord Services Manager, gave the following key responses to questions:

·       In preparing for and now seeking to meet the Regulator of Social Housing’s and Housing Ombudsman requirements, the Council had set up a number of groups that allowed the authority to work with tenants and residents to identify issues of concern, measure and improve service performance and assess and advise on its handling of complaints. The proposed Service Standards Work Shop would add another part to this regulatory compliance process. Information in relation to the issues raised and discussed at these meetings was available to view on the Council’s website.

·       The Digital Change programme would be a vital tool for the authority in underpinning the transformation of Housing and Property Services. The aim of the project was to deliver efficient, responsive and user friendly data and digital systems that met the needs of Camden’s residents and supported the Council’s performance management processes. Residents who could not access Council services through digital mechanisms would be able visit the reception desk at 5 Pancras Square, or through tenancy visits to raise issues in-person. Further work was being done through the Housing ‘Front Door’ programme regarding ensuring those that could not access digital forms of interaction with the Council (especially those with a terminal illness), were able to report and interact with all housing services when they wished.

·       There had been a restructuring of Housing services that would lead the service forward. Recruitment had been underway to fill the vacant roles and it was the aim that the new structure would be operational early in the new year. The DMC would be informed when the senior manager positions in Housing services had been filled.  

ACTION BY: Maria Jacobs, Head of Neighbourhoods

·       The restricting of Housing services had led to operational changes which had caretaking now becoming the responsibility of new Neighbourhood Operations Managers. Currently the main areas for neighbourhoods were set up as north and south. In order to ensure there was an even split of properties the 5 new areas of north, south, east, west & central were being split into 3 teams. The teams would be as follows:

-       East. South & west. Central & north. 

-       2 Landlord Service Managers – changes to 3 Neighbourhood Operations Managers

-       8 Neighbourhood Managers - changes to 9 Neighbourhood Services Manager

-       62 Neighbourhood Housing Officers – reduces to 60

-       1 Estate Management Services Manager – past post holder retired a year ago. Post no longer required

-       5 Principal Caretaking Manager – reduces to 3 Estate Services Managers

-       All the above were managed by the Neighbourhood Operations Managers. 

-       Also within the structure was Camden Living with a manager and officer to manage the new build blocks and properties. The team that currently dealt with the parking and lettings of sheds, cars  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

Report of the Director of Housing.

This report provides an update on the ongoing work to implement the Housing Service's KPIs.

Consideration was given to the report of the Director of Housing.

Katie Hawthorn, Housing Change and Transformation Manager, took the meeting through the report and gave the following key responses to questions:

·       The Key Performance Information (KPI) dashboard was the information provided to the Housing and Property Services senior management teams, and provided a quarterly or monthly update regarding the respective KPI. This allowed senior management to be aware of service performance and any issues, and could take appropriate action when necessary. This data was publicly available and would enable tenants and residents to have benchmark data which could be used to track service performance over time.

·       Officers would consider improved ways to present performance changes (e.g. colours and numbers making sense, green good but statement higher or lower was that still good, [RAG rating]), so that the KPI dashboard was easier to understand and allowed for easier comparisons and tracking.

ACTION BY: Katie Hawthorn

RESOLVED –

THAT the report be noted 

Report of the Director – Property Services.

The DMC Chairs requested an update on the programme and how estates without CCTV would be considered for addition to the network.

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

Due to technical issues the officer expected to be in attendance but was unable to join the meeting on-line. As a result of this the DMC asked that a separate meeting be held sometime in the new year to allow for a discussion on CCTV issues. The aim was for this to be a hybrid meeting to allow the DMC representatives and appropriate officers to be there in-person.

ACTION BY: Deborah Pyne, CCTV Governance & Data Protection Manager/Russell Taylor, CCTV Control Room Operations Manager

The DMC was advised that CCTV images were stored in a secure place and could only be accessed through proper processes and by designated officers.

The DMC asked that a paper to be submitted to the next meeting of the DMC regarding the crime hotspots in the area, whether they were already covered by CCTV, along with the views of TRAs regarding areas of concern regarding crime and ASB. This information would help shape the proposed CCTV installation programme. 

ACTION BY: Director of Public Safety

DMC and TRA representatives were encouraged to contact officers should they wish to have CCTV installed on their estate.

                                                              ACTION BY: DMC representatives

Report of the Cabinet Member for Better Homes

Councillor Sagal Abdi-Wali, Cabinet Member for Better Homes, provides an update on several areas across the portfolio for the November DMC cycle. 

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

The meeting was advised that though the Councillor Sagal Abdi-Wali had to leave early officers would be in attendance to answer questions regarding the other items on the agenda. Also the Chair and Vice-Chairs of the DMC would meet with the Cabinet Member to raise issues that had not been dealt with at the meeting. This would include a discussion around the IT interactions with the Council and the testing of the resident’s experience, ensuring all IT processes allowed for the loading of photos that would then be shared with the relevant team, rather than then the tenant having to upload photos again, contractors attending a repair callout but then not undertaking the work as they were not fully aware of the job, contractors then attending a callout but only taking photos repeatedly rather than fixing the issue along with ensuring DMCs were given enough notice to make appointments to workshops and other bodies to allow representatives to attend (e.g. Service Standards workshop).

Councillor Sagal Abdi-Wali gave the following key responses to questions;

·       It was confirmed that the previous government had encouraged the use of reserves to cover routine spending rather than more major repairs, unlike the current government

·       The Council along with other local authorities were lobbying the government to obtain more funding to support local authorities Housing Revenue Accounts.

·       A copy of the Building Safety Case reports compliance action plan for all high-rise buildings would be provided to the DMC representatives for information.

ACTION BY: Michal Jankowski, Head of Resident and Building Safety

·       The Homes Road Depot re-provision was progressing as part of Camden’s Regeneration Strategy. Camden Planning were developing a new Camden Planning Guidance document that was currently out for consultation and those interested should respond by the end of December deadline. Officers continued to work with Yoo Capital, the developer, to ensure that the new Holmes Road facilities met the borough’s current and future needs which could include provision on the existing site.

RESOLVED –

THAT the update be noted

Report of the Tenant Participation Coordinator.

This report details the Holborn DMC budget allocation for 2024/2025, progress on approved bids and any new bids submitted for consideration.

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

Bids

The DMC gave consideration to the bid from Brunswick TRA, to fund the purchase of picnic tables, at a cost of £4,900.00. The bid was discussed and approved by the DMC.

The DMC gave consideration to the bid from Flaxman Court TRA, to fund the purchase of Phase 2 of communal Garden improvements, at a cost of £19,750.00. The bid was discussed and approved by the DMC.

The DMC was advised that a bid from Gamages TRA should have been on the agenda for the meeting, but it seemed that the bid had not been progressed by officers. The TRA was advised to resubmit the bid to the Tenant Participation Team and it would then be considered under the express decision process.

ACTION BY: Gamages DMC representatives

General

Also DMC representatives were reminded to put in bids to fund appropriate schemes before the March deadline. Bids received before the March meeting could be considered at the special meeting the DMC would have regarding CCTV.

RESOLVED –

THAT the bids and actions outlined above be approved

ACTION BY: Tenant Participation Officer

Communal heating and hot water failure in Seymour House

The DMC was advised that officers were in the process of making contact with the TRA and provide a response to the issues that they had raised.

New Tenant arrivals

The DMC was advised that Red Lion Square TRA representatives had not been made aware of new tenant arrivals on the estate, as agreed. Officers agreed to provide information regarding the current procedure, along with proposed approach going forward which would identify how they would be able to advise new tenants joining an estate of who to contact should they wish join the TRA along with whether they wished to be contacted by them.

ACTION BY: Maria Jacobs, Head of Neighbourhoods

Terminal Care of Residents

The Chair described receiving distressing accounts of terminal care for residents living alone at Langdon House and on the Bourne Estate. He had discussed them with Judith Milner of Langdon House and with Melanie Tew of the Bourne Estate. He asked if it would be possible to use the descriptions to improve services across both sites and possibly more widely.

ACTION BY: Maria Jacobs, Head of Neighbourhoods

Report of the Director of Property Management.

Void Improvement Programme.

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

RESOLVED –

THAT the report be noted

Report of the Area Regeneration Manager.

This report provides a summary update on the re-provision of the Holmes Road Depot as part of the Regeneration Strategy for Regis Road.

Consideration was given to the report of the Area Regeneration Manager.

RESOLVED –

THAT the report be noted

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

The DMC gave consideration to the action tracker update.

Falcon House

It was noted that response had not yet been provided in relation to the snagging issues during the capital works. Officers would seek to ensure a response was provided to the TRA.

ACTION BY: Fiona Joseph, Capital Works Project Manager

DMC representatives were advised to use the Council’s formal complaints process should they wish, along with going to the Housing Ombudsman when necessary.

Service standards workshop invitation

Report of the Housing Policy and Change Lead.

Invitation for DMC reps to contribute to the development of new service standards in Housing and Repairs Services.

Service Standards Workshop Invitation

Consideration was given to the report of the Housing Lead Policy and Change.

Lydia Roberts, Housing Policy and Change Lead, took the meeting through the report that had been circulated as part of the supplementary agenda.

It was noted that the Housing and Residents Property Panel had held a discussion around developing a wish list of what tenants and residents wanted service standards to look like. The workshop in December would discuss the proposed service standards arising from this discussion.

The DMC determined that they make an appointment to the workshop that would review the initial set of service standards, recommend any improvements and also feed into the proposed annual learning cycle. This appointment could change going forward to allow for other representatives to become involved depending on what issue was being considered.

RESOLVED –

THAT Jonathan Evans be appointed at the DMC representative to the Service Standards Workshop.

                                                              ACTION BY: Lydia Roberts