The Housing Fire and Building Safety Panel of Camden Council was scheduled to discuss the London Fire Brigade's annual report, an update on proposed changes to the Decent Homes standard, and performance reports on compliance across various safety areas. The meeting also included a review of the panel's forward plan and action tracker.

London Fire Brigade Annual Report

The panel was scheduled to receive an overview of the incidents attended by the London Fire Brigade (LFB) in Camden during the 2025/26 financial year. The report, presented by LFB Borough Commander David George, was intended to highlight trends that could assist council partners. It included data on fires, special services, and comparisons with previous periods. The report also detailed fire safety checks conducted at local businesses and the process for home fire safety checks, which are now triaged via an online tool. The panel was asked to consider this report and raise any questions.

Update on Proposed New Decent Homes Standard

A report from the Director of Property Management was scheduled to provide a summary of the proposed changes to the Decent Homes standard, which was consulted on in 2025 and announced in a policy statement in January 2026. The Decent Homes Standard, first introduced in 2004, sets a minimum quality standard for social housing. The proposed new standard, which will apply to both social and privately rented homes, aims to reflect modern expectations and prioritises safety, decency, and warmth. Key changes include extending the list of components considered in a home's repair status, making kitchens and bathrooms key elements assessed on condition, and introducing new criteria for flats and houses. A new section on damp and mould hazards is also proposed, where even minor cases would cause a home to fail the standard. The report noted that the new standard is expected to be effective from 2035, with interim targets for energy efficiency. The council anticipates significant financial impacts from these changes, which are not currently costed in existing budgets.

Performance on Compliance Q3 2025/26

This report, also from the Director of Property Management, was set to provide an update on compliance across fire, legionella, asbestos, gas, electrics, and lifts (FLAGEL) for Camden's housing portfolio during the third quarter of 2025/26. It was also to include Q3 performance on safety Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs), an update on progress in completing fire safety actions, an update on Building Safety Case submissions, and performance against Awaab's Law.

Key figures presented were expected to show performance in areas such as gas safety, fire safety, asbestos, water safety, and lift safety. The report highlighted that lift safety performance had declined in the previous quarter, attributed to access issues for inspections, with a backup contractor engaged to address this. Electrical safety was noted as a Tenant Satisfaction Measure, with performance in the low 90% range. Overdue fire risk assessment actions were reported to be reducing, though some high-risk actions remained due to access issues. New electrical regulations coming into force from April 2026 requiring valid Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICRs) for all social homes were also mentioned, with a delivery plan in place. Water safety performance was reported as broadly in line with targets, with ongoing challenges in street properties.

The report also detailed progress on the Voluntary Undertaking with the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) regarding fire safety actions, noting that a new IT system, True Compliance, had been implemented to manage Fire Risk Assessments (FRAs) and actions. Updates on Building Safety Case files for higher-risk buildings (HRBs) were also to be provided, along with information on Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs). Performance against Awaab's Law, focusing on damp and mould hazards, was to be reported, indicating sustained 100% statutory compliance across Rapid Response KPIs.

Forward Plan

The panel was scheduled to review the forward plan for future meetings, as presented by the Director of Property Management. This included a proposed work programme for upcoming meetings, with a report on Grenfell phase 2 inquiry recommendations planned for June 2026, subject to government publication. The review and refresh of the Resident Safety Programme work streams up to 2030 was also mentioned. The panel was invited to suggest future items or amendments to the programme. An update on actions requested at previous meetings was also to be presented.

The report indicated that the item concerning the definition of high-rise/higher-risk buildings would be removed from the work programme, with the new Decent Homes Standard proposed as a replacement item for the April meeting. Further reports on key issues arising from the stock conditions survey and fire safety training for residents were requested for the June meetings. The panel's Terms of Reference were also scheduled for review following the outcome of the Grenfell phase 2 inquiry recommendations.