The Camden Council Housing Fire and Building Safety Panel met to discuss updates to their terms of reference in light of the Grenfell Inquiry Phase 2 recommendations, resident training programmes, compliance performance, and future work plans. The panel agreed to recommend updates to their terms of reference to the Leader of the Council, and they noted reports on resident training, compliance, and the forward plan.

Terms of Reference Review

The panel agreed to recommend to the Leader of the Council that the Terms of Reference of the Panel be updated. Gavin Haynes, Director of Property Management, explained that the proposed terms of reference should cover all the new regulatory requirements in this area.

The proposed changes to the terms of reference include:

• Updating the sections dealing with Purpose and Objectives to include the Fire Safety Act 2021, Building Safety Act 2022, Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, and Awaab's Law 2024.
• Reviewing the government's response to the Grenfell Inquiry Phase 2 report and providing oversight on the implementation of the council's Grenfell work programme.
• Receiving officer reports on the status of work being undertaken to achieve compliance with current fire and building safety legislation and regulation.

The council's Grenfell work programme will look at:

• Building control functions
• Design standards, technical requirements, and contract management
• Landlord Services and Tenant Management Organisations (TMOs)
• Fire Risk Assessment
• Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans
• Major incident plans

Resident and Tenants & Resident Association Representatives Training

The panel noted a report on resident training and awareness. Michal Jankowski, Head of Resident & Building Safety, along with Gavin Haynes and Councillor Sagal Abdi-Wali, Cabinet Member for Better Homes, responded to questions about fire safety awareness training offered by the council.

The council is considering making training mandatory for members of the District Management Committees (DMCs) and Tenants and Resident Associations (TRAs), and is seeking ideas for additional training on building and structural safety, hazard management, and resident responsibilities under the Building Safety Act.

The council is also considering how to offer training to young people, potentially using social media.

The training proposal has three elements:

1. Fire Safety Awareness training for TRA and District Management Committee representatives, provided on a cyclical basis.
2. Fire Warden training for TRA and community representatives managing TRA or community halls, also provided on a cyclical basis.
3. Interactive online fire safety awareness training available via the council website, DMC micro-sites, and public libraries.

The panel requested a further report on the expected responsibilities for individuals and the suggested type and level of training required to allow them to fulfil those responsibilities.

Performance on Compliance Q4 2024/25

The panel noted a report on performance on compliance for Q4 2024/25. Sinéad Burke, Head of Property Asset Management, along with Gavin Haynes, Maria Jacobs, Head of Neighbourhoods, and Michal Jankowski responded to questions.

Key discussion points included:

• Lifts on the Chalcots Estate: Officers will provide a response regarding lift failures, including causes, frequency, emergency button testing, response protocols, cooling systems, planned upgrades, and associated costs.
• Lift performance on Fleetway and Sandsfield blocks on the Birkenhead Street Estate: Officers will investigate and provide a response.
• Water main bursting on the Mayford Estate: Officers will respond to concerns about the lack of checks on water supply and health and safety, paving stone works, lighting in the children's playground, and lift outages on the Ampthill Square Estate.
• Repairs performance: Wider issues are reported to the Housing District Management Committees, with information available on the DMC microsites.
• Emergency lighting: Officers will provide information regarding the flick test and full drain down test for communal and emergency lighting.
• External validation audits: Outcomes will be reported to a future meeting of the panel to provide external reassurance on the accuracy of the council's information.

The report provided an update on compliance across fire, legionella, asbestos, gas, electrics and lifts (FLAGEL) for the housing portfolio for Q4 2024/25. It also provided:

• Q4 performance on safety related Tenant Satisfaction Measures for 2024/25, which will be reported to the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH)
• An update on the latest progress made to complete fire safety actions, and an update on delivery against the Voluntary Undertaking agreed with the RSH November 2023.
• An update on Building Safety Case submissions
• A note on the council's preparations in respect of Awaab's Law

Forward Plan and Action Tracker Update

The panel noted the forward plan and action tracker updates. The next meeting will include a report on the results of the External Evaluation Audit. Further information regarding the issues on the Mayford Estate and the lifts on the Chalcots Estate will be included as an appendix to the Compliance report going to the October meeting. An update on the Chalcots Estate Phase 2 inquiry will be provided to panel members in the near future.