This was a meeting of The Camden Town District Management Committee (DMC). The meeting was about the District Management Committee (DMC) approving its annual budget; discussing the proposed redesign of the Council's Tenant Participation and Consultation and Engagement Teams; and receiving updates on a range of Housing and Property services. The meeting included the Housing Ombudsman's annual report on Camden Council. The meeting also provided an update on the progress on the Regis Road regeneration strategy.

Tenant Participation Structure and Ways of Working

The agenda included a report from the Head of Property Customer Services & Engagement for Camden Council describing a proposed redesign for the Tenant Participation and Consultation and Engagement teams. The report says that the Council plans to combine the teams into one team, which will be divided according to the five Neighbourhoods¹ that Camden is organised into.

The report claims that this will “better deliver our regulatory standards and new participation approach, ensuring everyone in Camden-managed homes can become an active resident, and their voices are close to decision-making." It says that this new way of working is based on a number of previous discussions with Camden residents, including:

• 883 responses to a survey
• A workshop attended by 14 residents not currently involved in housing and repairs services.
• Two focus groups, one with 15 young people, and one with Sheltered Accommodation residents.
• A workshop with 15 Housing and Repairs staff.
• Visits to 6,600 households as part of the Council’s Estate Action Days.
• A Resident Action Day Conference held by Camden residents.

The report explains that Camden Council is aiming to provide residents with a range of ways of being involved in Housing and Repairs services, saying Some may want to fill in a survey about housing services from time to time, some may want to set up a TRA, while others might want to join a tenant’s panel to help decide how services are run in the future. The report says that the Council will also “provide advice and support including ‘how to guides’ to make it easier” for residents to get involved in community projects, and will support the community champions projects being run by five local VCS organisations.

The proposed team structure will be led by an Engagement Manager. This role will manage five Engagement Officers, one for each of the five Neighbourhoods. The report says that the Engagement Officers will lead on the delivery of ten Neighbourhood Action Days per year.

Property Services and Housing Management - Repairing and Letting Our Properties

The agenda included a report on the progress of the Council's Voids Improvement Programme². The report stated that there were 454 empty Council homes in Camden at the time of the meeting. These were listed as follows:

Location	Total Voids	% of Council Housing Stock	Sheltered	Held Properties
London Borough of Camden	454	1.90%	62	148
Camden Town	81	0.34%	6	18
Gospel Oak	97	0.41%	31	26
Hampstead	124	0.52%	6	65
Holborn	77	0.32%	18	14
Kentish Town	75	0.31%	1	25

The report provides information about the number of bedrooms in the empty properties, and the wards that the sheltered housing is in. It says that 149 empty properties are not being advertised for rent, explaining that these properties are instead being used for projects, and lists the number of properties in each project. It then describes how the Council is working to make its empty homes ready for residents, saying Additional surveyors and contractors are working on our empty homes to prepare them for letting. The number of properties becoming empty are being closely monitored to ensure they are surveyed and a works order raised as soon as possible.

The report explains that a new Lettings Team was launched on 06 January 2025. This new team was designed to reduce delays in the lettings process. The report says that each officer manages a defined area and carries out each of [the] stages required to prepare a property for letting, “allow[ing] us to monitor progress".

The report then explains that we are advertising properties for lettings during the works period, explaining that this will allow prospective residents to advise what works are being carried out during the viewing. This will also allow applicants to use the time it takes for works to be completed to prepare to move, and to sign the paperwork and collect they keys as soon as the property is ready.

Finally the report describes how the Surveying and Lettings teams now work together, saying The surveying and lettings teams are co-located in our [Holmes Road depot](https://www.google.com/maps/search/Holmes+Road+depot+Camden). This facilitates cross team working and discussions regarding the works and viewings and allows the handover upon completion of the works so the sign up and collection of keys are promptly planned for. The report says that the teams also have twice-weekly meetings to monitor performance, and that the Council is continuing to conduct a survey three months after new residents move into their homes to learn from their feedback.

Camden Town DMC Budget

This report is about the Camden Town DMC budget for the 2024/2025 financial year. It explains that all Camden TRAs³ need to have spent their budget allocations by the end of the financial year. The report says that unspent funds cannot be rolled over, but that “In exceptional circumstances money can be spent on specific projects using budget from the previous year”, explaining that these cases must be decided on a case by case basis by the Council's Finance Department. It describes how TRAs can apply for exceptional circumstances.

The report reminds TRAs that they should use their Special Projects Grant for social activities. The report then reiterates that bids need to be discussed with Tenant Participation Officers before being presented to the DMC, and explains that late bids will not be accepted.

The report details the remaining budget as follows:

Budget Item	Amount
Total budget for the financial year	£155,380.00
Total of bids approved in year	£37,869.00
Balance available for the financial year	£117,511.00

The report then includes the following new bids for the Committee's consideration:

TRA	Bid Request	Amount	Comments
Walker House TRA	Supply of park benches x2	£2785.84	This bid was considered under the new express processing being a single item under the £5k threshold
Walker House TRA	Fixing of 4 benches	£500	This bid was considered under the new express processing being a single item under the £5k threshold
Regents Park TRA	Installing 1x H36 Gerda system/lockable box cover to replace the current fire key entry system.	£857	This bid was put forward by Moyosore Ojo, Community Safety Enforcement Officer. The bid was considered under the new express processing being a single item under the £5k threshold.

Finally the report summarises all bids approved to date:

TRA	Bid Request	Approved	Purchase Order Date	Completion Date	Comments
Camden Town DMC	£2,500.00	Yes	Internal Journal Transfer	28/09/24	Finance team will make adjustment at year end account closing
Threefields Estate TRA	£2,571.00	Yes	03/07/24		Application for Gerda locks to secure the areas from street population and reduce ASB on the estate
Regents Park Estate TRA	£6,856.00	Yes	03/07/24		An LFB security device to be fitted on 8 communal entrance doors across Windermere, Roswick and Woodhall blocks - this will prevent unauthorised access by non-residents who engage in ASB activities.
Ampthill TRA	£5,000.00	Yes	03/12/24	28/01/25
Walker House TRA	£3,000.00	Yes	03/12/24
Ossulston TRA	£18,212.00	Yes	Internal Journal Transfer		The work is phase 2 of a project started by the grounds maintenance team to improve the open space and greening of the estate.

Cabinet Member for Better Homes Annual Report

This report is Councillor Sagal Abdi-Wali's annual report on Housing in Camden.

The report describes how the Council has been working with London Councils⁴ to lobby the government for more money and better policies to fund Council Housing. The report explains that this lobbying was partially successful, saying London Councils welcomed the recent national decision to retain 100% of Right to Buy (RTB) receipts locally and the additional £500 million in Affordable Homes Programme funding, but that boroughs are advocating for a long-term 10-year rent settlement and comprehensive debt review to truly stabilise social housing finances.

The report describes the Council’s plan to save £7.51 million by the 2025/26 financial year. It explains that this is a response to inflationary pressures, high repair costs, and a growing temporary accommodation demand. It says that Camden has been spending its reserves to cover budget shortfalls for the past five years, but that this is not sustainable.

The report details the costs involved in running the Council's Housing stock. It explains that Camden Council receives £10,000 per year in rent for each of its properties, but that it costs £14,000 per year to manage and maintain the property. The report goes on to explain that Camden Council lost £168 million in potential rental income between 2016 and 2025, as a result of the previous government's rent caps. It then lists a number of pressures on the Housing Revenue Account budget, including:

• High inflation, which it blames on Brexit, Covid and the war in Ukraine, increasing the cost of energy, repairs, maintenance, and housing services.
• High interest rates, which are one of the major sources of overspend against the HRA’s 2024/25 budget.
• £296 million in capital expenditure on Fire and Building safety works since 2017. It explains that the Council has only received £91 million in government funding towards these works, and that the remainder has been paid for out of the HRA's budget.
• New pressures on the repairs budget as a result of over a decade of underfunding and underinvestment on the part of government. The report explains that this includes works to remove and prevent damp & mould and an increasing workload of legal disrepair cases.

The report says that the Council increased rents by 2.7% and made changes to service charges to cover a £7.45 million budget pressure. The report goes on to say that the Council agreed a Housing Investment Strategy, which will see £350 million invested in Council homes over the next five years. It explains that this programme will be part funded by the sale of empty, small or unsuitable Council homes that require a lot of repairs.

The report describes how Camden Council, along with Southwark Council, has been lobbying the government to increase its funding for Council Housing. It explains that Camden Council was one of the Councils that produced the [Securing the Future of Council Housing](https://www.southwark.gov.uk/downloads/download/4825/securing_the_future_of_council_housing_a_joint_report_by_local_authority_landlords) report, which makes a number of recommendations for how the government can fund council housing.

The report describes the Council’s plans to reorganise its housing services into ‘Neighbourhoods’, and explains that the Council has been trialing this approach in Kentish Town, integrating its housing officers, caretakers, community safety teams, and repairs services into neighbourhood teams, which share office space. The report claims that this has allowed staff to provide a more flexible service to residents, and that the trial will be expanded across the whole Borough.

The report explains that Camden Council is reviewing its housing policies and procedures to ensure that they comply with the Council’s legal obligations.

The report describes how the Council has begun a programme of visiting its tenants, explaining that the Council will be visiting three groups of tenants initially:

• Residents aged over 70
• Residents who have not reported a repair in the past 12 months
• Residents who reported damp and mould 12 months ago but have not had a follow-up visit since

The report explains that, whilst the primary purpose of these visits is to check that the tenant is still living in the property, the visits will also allow staff to collect information about the residents’ vulnerabilities, and to identify any residents who require a Person-Centred Fire Risk Assessment.

The report explains that Camden Council has launched a new Domestic Abuse policy and procedure, and that it is currently working towards accreditation by the Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance. The report explains that this work has already included the delivery of training for Council Housing staff.

The report explains that a new procedure for dealing with domestic abuse in the Neighbourhoods service was introduced in April 2024, and lists the training that staff received. The report says that Camden Council is using a new dashboard to track domestic abuse cases, and that it has appointed a new Complex Case Coordinator who will be in post for one year.

The report explains that a new Homelessness and Domestic Abuse procedure was introduced in October 2024, and that this was informed by a ten day workshop.

The report explains that the Council is using a new case management system to track domestic abuse cases. It then lists the training that the Council’s homelessness prevention advisors have received.

The report describes how the Council has launched a ‘Domestic Abuse Early Detectors’ network, which aims to help Council staff working in roles such as “repairs, caretaking, property management, cleaning, and transport services” to identify and respond to domestic abuse, and explains that a training film was created for the scheme.

The report explains that the Council is revising its Housing Allocations Scheme, explaining that some minor changes to the Scheme have already been adopted, and that the Council plans to review the impact of the policy on those fleeing domestic abuse when making more substantial changes to the policy.

The report describes the Council’s Domestic Abuse Points Assessment Panel, which aims to help victims of domestic abuse access housing.

The report describes the Council’s two perpetrator intervention schemes. Drive works with high-risk cases, and Restart works with medium-risk cases. The report describes how the Restart scheme includes a partnership with the organisation Cranstoun, which includes a “bespoke perpetrator accommodation pathway”. This allows perpetrators to leave the family home, preventing the victim from having to move. The report explains that Camden Council plans to launch its own perpetrator intervention programme in 2025.

The report describes how the Council and the Metropolitan Police launched a Domestic Abuse Perpetrator Panel in August 2024, and that this includes members from other organisations too. The report then lists the perpetrator training that Housing staff have received.

The report describes the Council’s domestic abuse awareness campaign that was launched on White Ribbon Day 2024, called “Know you’re not Alone”. The report explains that the campaign aims to raise awareness of domestic abuse among Camden residents, and explains that the Council worked with a number of community groups to develop the campaign.

The report explains that the Council plans to launch a sub-campaign of the Know you’re not Alone campaign in January 2025, called No place for abuse, which will aim to increase referrals into the Council’s domestic abuse support services.

The report describes how the Council is reviewing its Caretaking Support and Response Team, explaining that this will be done in 2025, and that it will consider how best to use the team's resources, and how to ensure a consistent standard of service across the Borough.

The report provides an update on the Council’s Traffic Management Orders (TMO) scheme. Camden Council uses TMOs⁵ to control parking on its estates. The report explains that consultations have been completed for ten estates, that work has been completed on two estates, and that “work is ongoing for the remaining estates”. The report explains that Camden Council will be reviewing the lessons learned from the scheme before choosing any more estates to include in the scheme.

The report explains that the Council will be developing a Good Neighbourhood Management Policy, which will focus on safety and the quality of the Council’s estates. It also explains that a new estate/block inspection process will be created, which will be conducted by the Neighbourhood Housing Officers and the Estate Services team, and that the Council will be reviewing how it can best support the Estate Services team.

The report describes how the Council will be reviewing its sheltered housing, making sure that it meets the requirements laid out in the government's [Our Future Homes: Housing that Promotes Wellbeing and Community for an Ageing Population](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1120878/Housing_Our_Ageing_Population_-_Independent_Taskforce_Final_Report.pdf) report.

The report explains that Camden Council’s Housing Repairs Contact Centre is increasing the number of ways that residents can report repairs, explaining that residents can now use WhatsApp, SMS and webchat to report repairs, as well as multilingual support.

The report describes how Camden Council launched its new Madetech online platform in December 2024, replacing its old residents’ account system. The report lists the new system’s features:

• A more user-friendly design.
• The removal of the need for account verification and a simpler password reset process.
• The ability for residents to query the system using their postcodes.
• The ability to upload photographs.
• The ability to report damp and mould.
• The ability to speak to staff using online chat.
• The provision of text or email confirmations.
• The ability to reschedule or cancel appointments.
• A feedback form at the end of every interaction.
• The ability to track repairs.

The report says that Camden Council started using SMS messages to inform residents about repairs on their estates and the surrounding areas, and that it is now texting residents with information about communal heating repairs, as well as lift repairs.

The report details the number of calls received by the Housing Repairs Contact Centre in 2023 and 2024. It shows that the number of calls has decreased by 20%, from 145,647 in 2023 to 116,006 in 2024.

The report describes how Camden Council uses resident feedback to improve its Housing Repairs Contact Centre.

The report describes how there has been an increase in complaints and enquiries about housing repairs, and says that this shows “both the growing demand for our services and the rising expectations of our residents”.

The report details the number of complaints and enquiries that the Council received in 2024/2025, and shows that performance against targets has generally decreased.

The report describes how Camden Council is working with the Housing Ombudsman to improve its complaints handling procedures, explaining that this follows a paragraph 49 investigation by the Housing Ombudsman.

The report describes how Camden Council has expanded its Housing and Property Residents Panel, and has launched a new Housing Customer Experience Oversight Panel, which aims to enable residents to hold the Council to account for how it delivers its services.

The report details the number of repairs that Camden Council completes each year. It explains that 85% of residents are satisfied with the completed repairs, but that residents are dissatisfied with the long waiting times for non-emergency repairs. It then explains that these delays are a result of the repairs team having to “adapt and take on fire safety work, establish a dedicated team for proactive damp and mould management, and allocate resources to promptly tackling disrepair claims”.

The report describes the new ROCC repairs system, which aims to allow Council staff to more efficiently schedule repairs and track works orders. It explains that new systems are allowing managers to more efficiently manage staff absences, increasing the number of visits they can complete every day.

The report explains that the Council is currently managing 420 disrepair claims, and that it has appointed a dedicated Disrepair Programme Manager.

The report explains that the Council will be reviewing its repairs policies and procedures to take into account the introduction of Awaab’s Law⁶, and that it will update residents on any changes.

The report explains that the Council will be choosing new contractors to deliver its mechanical and electrical services, and that the new contracts will start in April 2026.

The report explains that Camden Council is considering bringing the repairs and servicing of its residents' heating systems in-house, and that a report will be made to the Cabinet on 26 February 2025. The report explains that if the Cabinet approves the proposals, the new in-house service will begin in April 2026.

The report describes how changes to the way that the Council’s Voids programme is managed are being made. It explains that two new contractors have been appointed in Hampstead, and that a new supervisor will be in place for three months.

The report explains that Camden Council is advertising its empty homes for rent whilst repairs are still underway, and describes the changes to the way that the Allocations team works.

The report describes the Housing Investment Strategy that was approved by the Cabinet in January 2025, explaining that its aim is to achieve net growth in Camden’s housing stock, and to improve the quality of its existing housing. It describes the Community Investment Programme, which is delivering 4,850 new homes in Camden, including 1,800 social rented homes.

The report provides information about Camden Living, Camden Council's housing company, explaining that it is currently providing homes at intermediate rent, private rent, and to refugees.

The report describes the Family Friendly Housing Purchase programme, explaining that by December 2024 the scheme had delivered 18 additional bed spaces and avoided £3 million in investment costs.

The report then lists all of the Capital Works projects that Camden Council has recently completed, and is currently working on, as well as those that it will soon start work on.

The report describes how rents and service charges are being increased, explaining that this is a result of rising inflation and costs, such as energy, repairs and maintenance, high interest rates, and new regulations, such as the Social Housing Regulation Act and the Building Safety Act.

The report describes the new RentSense IT system, which helps staff to prioritise rent arrears cases, and provides an update on the Council's Fire Safety Programme.

The report details the progress that has been made in installing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in Camden’s homes.

The report provides an update on the Council’s Damp and Mould work. It details the work that was done between January and November 2024. It explains that the team visited more than 3,000 homes, completed 1,744 mould washes, and attended just 15 emergency callouts within 24 hours. It explains that there are currently 463 active cases, and that five of these cases are considered severe.

The report explains that the Council will be reviewing its procedures for tackling damp and mould to ensure that it complies with Awaab’s Law.

The report describes how Camden Council has been working to reduce the number of complaints about damp and mould it receives. It explains that training has been delivered to more than 400 Housing staff, and details the training that the Damp and Mould team has received.

The report describes the Council's new online reporting form for damp and mould, which enables residents to upload photographs of damp and mould in their properties, explaining that the new system has resulted in 70 new reports being received every week.

The report describes the Council’s new model for Tenant Participation, explaining that this was a response to the Social Housing White Paper. The report details the three objectives of the new model:

• To ensure that every tenant and leaseholder has the opportunity to be an active citizen
• To ensure that residents are able to influence decision making, service design and scrutiny
• To enable local networks and active residents to make a positive difference to their neighbourhoods

The report explains that Camden Council will be developing a virtual We Make Camden Tenants Group, and will create tools and resources to help residents take action in their homes.

The report describes the Council’s Intensive Tenant Engagement programme, explaining that it has resulted in:

• Action Days being held at 32 estates and neighbourhood areas.
• 6,610 homes being visited.
• The recruitment of 300 volunteers from across the Council to speak to residents.
• The development of 30 Estate Action plans.

The report describes the work that is being done to improve the sports pitch at the Peckwater Estate.

The report describes how the Council is improving its website to provide information to residents about how they can get involved in influencing its housing services, explaining that new microsites have been created for each of the five District Management Committees.

The report describes the training and support that the Council has been providing to TRAs, and explains that the Council has been working with TRAs to deliver a Resident Action Day.

The report explains that a universal feedback form has been created for all resident engagement activities, and that the Council is developing an app to help it track attendance and diversity at residents groups.

The report describes the work that the Tenant Participation team has been doing in Camden, explaining that it has been working with 110 TRAs and five DMCs. It explains that two online events were held to discuss the communal heating pool service.

The report lists all of the new TRAs that have been established in Camden.

The report describes the Resident Action Day that was held on 28 September 2024, explaining that it was attended by more than 100 residents, and describing the fireside chat that was held with the Leader of Camden Council, Councillor Richard Olszewski.

The report describes the origins of the Resident Action Day, explaining that it was a response to a letter sent to the previous Leader of the Council, Councillor Georgia Gould, by eight DMC chairs, and explaining that the DMC chairs asked for:

• A broadening of engagement beyond formal resident groups
• Discussions on the diverse and complex issues faced by both tenants and leaseholders
• The facilitation of knowledge sharing, especially around the use of technology
• Discussions on key challenges such as funding for housing services, collaboration with councillors, and improvements to the repairs service

The report explains that the event was planned and delivered by a working group consisting of eight DMC representatives and Council staff, and lists the event's four key objectives:

• Encouraging active participation among residents in their communities and housing services.
• Strengthening connections across Camden, enabling residents to share ideas, solutions, and a collective vision for tenant engagement.
• Bringing together Council services, residents, and partner organisations to facilitate learning and collaboration.
• Showcasing the diversity, creativity, and resourcefulness of Camden’s tenants, leaseholders, and resident groups.

The report provides an update on the Council’s work to improve the standards in the private rented sector in Camden. It describes how the Full Council held a debate on the private rented sector on 14 October 2024, and explains that Camden Council is consulting on renewing its borough-wide additional houses in multiple occupation licensing scheme, explaining that the new scheme will begin in December 2025. The report explains that the scheme covers all houses in multiple occupation in Camden, and that this will include all properties where three or more people who are not from the same household are living, and who share facilities such as a kitchen or bathroom.

The report lists the ways in which the Council’s private rented sector enforcement team will be affected by the introduction of the government’s Renters’ Right Bill:

• The introduction of the Decent Homes Standard into the private rented sector.
• An increase in the range of offences that can be punished with a Civil Penalty Notice (CPN), and an increase in the maximum fine.
• The creation of a national database of private rented sector properties.
• Likely increases in demand for the team's services.

The report explains that Camden Council has been working with the government on how Civil Penalty Notices and Rent Repayment Orders can be used, and describes its partnership with Safer Renting.

The report describes how the Council successfully issued financial penalties to a landlord that was renting out a number of sub-standard properties in Camden.

The report describes the Council’s plans to hold private renters surgeries across the Borough, explaining that these surgeries will allow private renters to receive advice from a range of Council services, as well as a representative from the Council’s private rented sector enforcement team.

The report describes the Council’s Disabled Facilities Grants, which are designed to help Camden residents remain independent in their own homes.

The report describes the London Landlord Accreditation scheme, explaining that this is a scheme for landlords in all London Boroughs, and that it is managed by Camden Council.

The report provides an update on homelessness, rough sleeping and temporary accommodation in Camden. It explains that there were 980 households living in temporary accommodation in Camden in October 2024, up from 634 in April 2023. It explains that across London, 175,000 people are living in temporary accommodation.

The report describes the measures that Camden Council is taking to tackle the homelessness crisis. These measures include:

• A restructure of the homelessness prevention service to address staffing problems.
• A new programme for procuring temporary accommodation, which will be part of the restructure of the Allocations and Lettings service.
• Plans to lease 30 empty properties on regeneration estates for use as short life lets for temporary accommodation.
• The Temporary Accommodation Purchase Programme, which has purchased 159 former council homes for use as temporary accommodation.
• The redevelopment of the Camden and Chester Road hostels, which will provide 89 additional rooms for temporary accommodation, although this project is significantly delayed.
• The use of 35 homes on the Agar Grove Estate for temporary accommodation.
• The use of a new hotel brokerage company, Jigsaw.

The report explains that the Council’s efforts to reduce its expenditure on temporary accommodation have been partially successful, but that this has been offset by an increase in the number of people who are being accepted as homeless, resulting in a projected overspend of £12.4 million on the temporary accommodation budget in 2024/2025.

The report provides an update on the Council’s Routes off the Streets service. It explains that funding for the service has been cut as a result of the previous government’s assumption that rough sleeping would decline. Instead, rough sleeping has increased as a result of a range of factors, including the cost of living crisis. The report explains that funding cuts have reduced staffing levels and increased caseloads, and that Camden Council is lobbying the government for more money.

The report describes how Camden became a Borough of Sanctuary in June 2024, and describes the Camden Pledge, the scheme by which Camden pledged to resettle 90 Afghan households who were evacuated from Afghanistan following the fall of Kabul in 2021.

The report describes the government’s Homes for Ukraine scheme, and the new Ukrainian Permission Extension Visa.

The report describes the Council’s Estates Mission programme, listing its three key aims:

• That residents living on the Council’s estates feel a sense of belonging and connection.
• That the Council’s estates are healthy environments.
• That residents are able to influence their local environment.

The report describes the Estates Mission’s three main projects:

• The community-led budgeting project at the Hilgrove Estate.
• The Community Champions project, which has been running on the Regent’s Park Estate.
• The Vacant Spaces Programme, which is trialling a project on the Hilgrove Estate.

The report describes how Camden Council is working with Arsenal in the Community and Adidas to refurbish the sports pitch at the Peckwater Estate.

Finally, the report summarises the progress that has been made during the past year, and thanks Council staff for their efforts.

Property Management Update

This is a short report that lists Camden Council’s Property Management priorities for 2025, explaining that it is a follow-up to a presentation that was made in September 2024.

The report lists the following priorities:

• Fire Safety – Completing all outstanding Fire Risk Assessment actions by December 2025.
• Building Safety Cases – submitting Building Safety Case reports to the Building Safety Regulator.
• Implementing new laws and regulations, including Awaab’s Law, and Residential Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans.
• Implementing the new Madetech and ROCC repairs systems.
• Implementing the new Housing Investment Strategy and Asset Management Strategy.
• Continuing to implement the improvements to complaints handling that followed the Housing Ombudsman report.
• Implementing new service standards and completing policy reviews.
• Improving repairs services.
• Completing the Chalcots Estate major works project.
• Progressing retrofit projects and the development of the retrofit at scale project that aims to install solar panels on 3,000 homes.
• Choosing new contractors to deliver its mechanical and electrical services.
• Considering whether to bring the repairs and servicing of its residents’ individual heating systems in-house.

The report says that the Property Management team is willing to host an online meeting to talk about the priorities in more detail.

The report includes the following organisation chart for the Property Management team:

• Director of Property Management – Gavin Haynes
  • Head of Resident & Building Safety – Michal Jankowski
  • Head of Property Asset Management – Sinéad Burke
  • Head of Capital Works – Susanne Afra
  • Head of Repairs – Tony Castle
  • Project Director, Chalcots – Astrid KjObsterg
  • Head of Customer Services & Engagement – Scot Reid

The report includes an appendix about Building Safety Cases. It explains what Building Safety Cases are and how they are being implemented in Camden, and explains that Camden Council has submitted 13 Building Safety Case reports to the Building Safety Regulator so far.

Procurement Act 2023

This report describes the Procurement Act 2023, which replaced the previous legislation that governed how the Council buys goods and services.

The report includes a number of slides that summarise the key changes introduced by the Act. The report highlights the new requirement for Councils to publish a pipeline of planned procurements, and to publish three Key Performance Indicators for each new contract.

Camden – Heat Metering Programme

This report describes Camden Council’s Heat Metering⁷ programme. It explains what heat meters are, and how they benefit residents. It explains that the Council began its heat metering programme in 2009, and that it will have installed 5,000 heat meters in its housing by the end of 2025. It explains that the Council is continuing to install heat meters as part of its planned maintenance programme, and as part of regeneration projects. The report describes the 2014 Heat Network (Metering and Billing) Regulations, and the 2020 amendments to the regulations.

The report explains that the government is planning to update its heat metering policies in 2025. It explains that the Council is committed to continuing its heat metering programme.

Housing and Violence and Domestic Abuse

This report describes the work that Camden Council has been doing to embed a “housing-led response” to domestic abuse across Camden. It explains that the Council has achieved accreditation by the Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance.

The report describes how Camden Council is working to tackle Violence Against Women and Girls.