The Hampstead District Management Committee was scheduled to discuss the upcoming Housing Revenue Account budget for 2026/27, review the grounds maintenance and play service, and consider issues related to fly-tipping in Camden. The meeting also included updates on the Hampstead DMC budget and tenant engagement.

Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Budget Setting 2026/27

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on the progress of setting the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) budget for 2026/27. This report highlighted the challenging financial climate for HRAs across the country, noting that Camden's HRA had lost significant rental income since 2016 due to changes in government policy. The report detailed various budget pressures, including inflation, increased repairs costs, and the expense of complying with new regulatory requirements such as the Building Safety Act.

A key point of discussion was the proposed rent increase for 2026/27, which was limited to Consumer Price Index (CPI) plus 1%, equating to a maximum of 4.8%. The report also outlined the potential impact of rent convergence, a government initiative that could allow for further increases to bring rents closer to a formula rent level. The report provided detailed tables illustrating the potential impact of these increases on average rents for properties of different sizes.

Service charges for communal services such as caretaking, grounds maintenance, and CCTV were also under review, with proposed increases to cover inflationary pressures. The report detailed the purpose of each service charge and the projected costs for 2026/27. Potential savings were also identified, including a proposed increase in garage rental fees and a reduction in the bad debt provision due to improved rent recovery performance. The committee was to be asked for its views on these proposals at a future meeting.

Camden's Grounds Maintenance and Play Service

An update was scheduled regarding the recommissioning process for Camden's Grounds Maintenance (GM) and Play Service. The report detailed the management of over 300 green spaces on housing estates and 76 public green spaces. A comprehensive analysis had explored various service delivery models, concluding that a hybrid approach would best meet the council's needs. This model involves a partnership with a contractor, idverde, for transactional maintenance work, alongside an in-house team for more relational work with neighbourhoods.

The new contract, commencing in April 2026, will include enhanced services such as highways greening management and the option for interactive water play feature management. A new in-house Neighbourhood Gardening Team will be established to work with residents and community groups on improvement projects, while a new Infrastructure Team will focus on building and repairing park assets. The report also outlined the contract management and performance monitoring processes, including monthly meetings and a system of penalties for the contractor. Optional services, such as resident garden maintenance and a dog foul mechanical remover, were also mentioned, subject to budget availability.

Fly-Tipping in Camden

The committee was to consider a briefing paper on fly-tipping in Camden, with a specific focus on the Hampstead Town Ward. The report highlighted an increase in reported fly-tips, with over 35,500 incidents in 2024/25. The majority of these were small-scale, often involving black bags. The report detailed the council's No More Rubbish Excuses campaign, launched in June 2024, which aims to raise awareness and enforce penalties for fly-tipping, with fixed penalty fines increased to £1,000.

The report identified specific fly-tipping hotspots within the Hampstead Town Ward, including Heath Street, Flask Walk, Perrins Road, and Rosslyn Hill. It noted that time-banded collections in commercial areas encourage businesses to manage their waste responsibly. The report indicated a reduction in fly-tipping events in Hampstead Town Ward over the past year, with 724 recorded incidents between January and October 2025, compared to 922 in the same period the previous year.

Hampstead DMC Budget Report

The committee was scheduled to review the revenue budget for 2025/2026, which consolidated the former minor works and major revenue works budgets, totalling £164,100.00. The report encouraged Tenants' and Residents' Associations (TRAs) to submit bids early to allow for assessment before DMC consideration, with all expenditure needing to occur within the financial year. The report outlined the process for bid submissions and criteria, noting that late or verbal bids would not be accepted on the day.

Two new bids were presented for consideration: a £26,000 request from Kilburn Vale TRA for the rejuvenation of an existing garden area, and a £50,000 bid from Hampstead DMC for pilot additional security patrols in ASB hotspot areas. The report also listed previously approved bids, including funding for a door entry system at 15 Belsize Avenue TRA, a bike shed for Sidney Boyd TRA, deployable cameras for the DMC bid, and a well-being programme for the Hampstead Sheltered Housing Scheme.

Tenant Engagement Report Quarter 2 2025/2026

This report provided insights from tenant engagement activities and forums facilitated by Housing and Property Services. It included an evaluation of resident feedback from Neighbourhood Action Days, Annual General Meetings of TRAs, a Building Safety Consultation Event, a Sheltered Housing Forum, and the Gospel Oak DMC meeting.

Key findings indicated that residents' primary motivations for attending were to voice opinions, resolve housing or repairs enquiries, and connect with their community. The report noted that 77% of respondents enjoyed the engagement activities, with Neighbourhood Action Days and TRA AGMs showing the greatest impact in fostering opportunities to influence decision-making and feel connected to the community. Suggestions for improvement included offering Neighbourhood Action Days more frequently, providing access to council organisation charts online, increasing the range of services at these events, and offering clearer agendas at TRA AGMs. The report also detailed applications received for the Special Projects Grant and the District Management Committee Fund, as well as Stories of Impact highlighting initiatives such as the development of Building Safety Information Packs and the success of Neighbourhood Action Days.