Camden Association of Street Properties

NEWSLETTER!

Dear Camden Street Property Tenant

Throughout this news item I have in most instances used the word “tenant” to signify both tenant and leaseholder.

This short news item is to inform our members about the Association’s most recent work and to invite you all to attend the Annual General Meeting on Thursday 4^th September 2008 at Hampstead Old Town Hall, 213 Haverstock Hill, NW3 (7.30-9.30pm). A CASP housing surgery will also take place before the main meeting (6.30-7.30pm) - please see main meeting flyer!

CASP ELECTIONS

The Association will also be looking to elect a new Committee and Officers – we will seek to elect a Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Publicity Officer and committee members.

If any LBC street property tenant or leaseholder would like to stand for any of the above positions at the AGM and need further guidance, please contact Bruno Sanhuesa, Camden’s TP team – all nominees will be expected to say a few words about their interest in LBC street properties at the AGM and all nominations (to be made on the night) will also need to be formally seconded on the night. Bruno Sanhuesa can be contacted on 020 7974-5984 or bruno.sanhueza@camden.gov.uk  

If members would like to receive a more comprehensive report, outlining the work of the Association since it’s re-launch in October 2004, please contact the Association to request a copy – the CASP Committee can be contacted at camdenstreetproperties@yahoo.co.uk

The CASP Management Committee has continued to meet regularly once a month to discuss issues of concern to LBC street property tenants.

Much of CASP’s work since its re-launch in October 2004 has involved trying to create and put into place a sustainable and workable framework, to enable the Association to meet the general and wider needs of its membership. Much of this has now been achieved and it will be left to future committees to build on what is already in place. Saying this, and although the Association is still in its development phase – some housing forums have been in place for over 30 years – it is still important for the Association to be responsive to suggestions about how it can develop, improve and adapt, especially in light of the wider changes taking place as part of Camden’s revised tenant participation process.

THE CASP COMPACT

It is also vital that LBC street property tenants continue to have a ‘voice’ on issues that affect them. The CASP Compact – drawn up in response to concerns raised directly by street property tenants and residents – has now been signed (December 2007) and will at least ensure that tenants and residents are not only represented, but also that the Association is provided with the right level of support by Camden Council to enable it to function as an effective body.

AN IMPROVED AND MORE COST-EFFECTIVE HOUSING SERVICE?????

One of the biggest challenges faced by the Association – and I am in no doubt that most tenant groups have faced similar challenges – has been to try and consult members on some issues which have been largely created in an effort by Camden Council to make savings by continually making cuts to vital services. This can be particularly frustrating especially when one is asked how do all the changes translate into providing a better and more cost-effective housing service for tenants at a grassroots level?

The situation continues to be made worse by the fact that central government continues to reduce, year after year, much needed housing subsidy to Camden Council – money that is needed now to be spent on our homes and vital services!

A FORMAL “THANK YOU” TO THE CASP COMMITTEE

I would very much like to formally thank members of the CASP management committee for all their hard work and dedication throughout the year – their work has very much encouraged crucial debate and highlighted a number of important issues affecting our homes.

THE HOUSING SELL-OFFS – NO END IN SIGHT!

An example of this has been to highlight the immoral and thoroughly unjustified stance Camden Council has adopted over the sale of empty Camden street properties at a time when there exists a 15.000 strong waiting list for Camden homes – CASP members have actively expressed this view at meetings, deputations to Camden Council and in all correspondence including letters to the local press.

Of course, nobody should be expected to live in sub-standard housing conditions, but the idea of selling-off vital Camden housing stock to help raise additional funding for essential repairs to its existing homes seems very wrong, especially as central government was prepared to make this funding available if Camden tenants had voted in favour of an ALMO.

Following the mayoral elections in May 2008, CASP also supported the idea of a meeting with the newly elected Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, in the hope that funding promised by the previous mayoral administration might still be available and spent on refurbishing these empty properties – CASP also organized a number of deputations to Camden’s Housing and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee and Camden’s Executive in order to request that Camden rigorously explore this option!

Camden is continuing to consult tenants on its proposals as part of its Investing in Camden’s Homes consultation. Again, the Association has made its views known on the issue – please come to the meeting on September 4th and have your say!

CAMDEN HOUSING POLICY CHANGES AND LBC STREET PROPERTIES

Another example of this work has been to highlight, through various consultation exercises, the impact Camden Council policy changes could have on some aspects of housing management and individual LBC street properties.

For example, when discussing Camden’s Housing Management Improvement Programme (HMIP) the Association emphasized the different ‘dynamics’ of each district. For example, Kentish Town has a very high concentration of LBC street properties. This clearly represents a set of different challenges in terms of providing an effective housing management service to tenants (i.e., most street property tenants do not receive a traditional caretaking / patch management service and it can be difficult for tenants to identify alternative services) therefore CASP has asked Camden that these issues, as well as others affecting tenants in LBC street properties, be reflected in the outcome of any review.

The initial phase of this process (HMIP) – discussed at CASP’s March General Meeting – was completed on April 28^th when the new Rents Team was launched and 5 ASB officers took up their posts in each DHO.

CAMDEN’S HOUSING MANAGEMENT IMPROVEMENT PLAN – PHASE 2

The next phase of the process (usually referred to as Camden’s Housing Management Improvement Programme – HMIP) will look at changes to Camden’s caretaking service (this will impact heavily on the service provided to tenants living on Camden’s estates) and a transformation of the District Housing Office management structure.

Camden is proposing to re-draw housing management service boundaries to align with ward boundaries. If implemented, this could mean the introduction of ward based management services which will impact on the way some services are delivered to tenants and residents. It is being proposed that ward based managers also deal with housing management issues and that there be a reduction of District Managers from five to two. Saying this, Camden does not propose closing any district housing offices. These two officers would then be responsible for a North and South split of Housing Management which would also include overseeing new arrangements for capital works (i.e., Camden’s new partnering arrangement) and Rents Team – the item will be discussed by Camden’s Executive on July 23^rd 2008.

It is quite clear that Camden’s proposed changes will impact quite significantly on how services are delivered to tenants throughout the borough and it is vital that our members are encouraged to have their say and become informed about the new proposals – please come to the meeting on September 4th and have your say!

CAMDEN STREET PROPERTIES AND CAPITAL WORKS / CAMDEN’S NEW PARTNERING ARRANGEMENTS / RESIDENT MONITORING OF CAPITAL WORKS

On behalf of the Association I would also like to thank those tenants who have communicated with the Association – some quite extensively – on specific issues that affect our properties. This has also helped the Association to collect up to date information on issues affecting our members who live in LBC street properties. It has been essential to collect this information in order to not only fully understand the issues affecting our members but also to allow the Association to successfully represent the views of tenants living in these properties.

A large number of tenants have contacted the Association to discuss their concerns about capital works – these have ranged from poor performing contractors to inflated and unjust charges for capital works

Historically, tenants living in LBC street properties have not been sufficiently represented on traditional housing forums as properties with ‘distinct’ differences from ‘estate’ based properties. Forums have been largely estate focused, which means in the past that as much as 20% of Camden’s housing stock has been excluded from consultation on issues around capital works.

CASP has met with a number of senior officers from Camden’s Renewals Section and it is hoped that these discussions have led to a better understanding of some of the issues around capital works and Camden street properties.

One of CASP’s main concerns has been to highlight how stock information about LBC street properties is collected and how reliable is the information in view of the fact that many LBC street properties, even those in the same street, are often different in design?

There is also a clear feeling that Camden do employ some good contractors but also that Camden are reluctant to get rid of contractors who consistently fail to perform, much to the detriment of Camden tenants and residents.

Camden is now moving towards a new ‘partnering’ arrangement to help deliver its capital programme. Whilst it would seem sensible for Camden to employ contractors with a proven track record, CASP has been quite critical of the consultation process carried out by Camden Council prior to the introduction of the new system. Camden states that it aims to deliver a better value for money service to both rent payers and leaseholders, however, many tenants still remain concerned about how the new arrangement will translate into a better service, especially for tenants and residents who live in Camden’s street properties?

Camden’s new ‘partnering’ arrangements and proposals for tenant and resident involvement in monitoring capital works will also be discussed at the Annual General Meeting – please come to the meeting on September 4th and have your say!

CASP SUB-GROUPS

The Association has also formally proposed the setting up of three CASP sub-groups in order to progress the work of the group:

• A CASP Publicity and Editorial sub-group – to help promote and highlight issues affecting Camden street properties;

• A CASP Leaseholders’ sub-group – to focus more effectively on issues affecting leaseholders’ who live in LBC street properties and to work closer with groups representing leaseholder interests;

Camden is currently launching a Leaseholders Improvement Plan and it is vital that the concerns of LBC ‘street property’ leaseholders are included in the list of priorities.

• A CASP Conservation and Environmental sub-group – to raise awareness of conservation / environmental issues affecting our homes and to support / bring together members who have an interest in such issues (green spaces, etc)

Please note: members are permitted to join a particular sub-group but without becoming a formal member of the CASP management committee – please contact CASP for more details! 

THE ROLE OF THE CASP DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE

Part of CASP’s work has been to try and establish a CASP District Representative in each district (Gospel Oak, Camden Town, Kentish Town, Hampstead and Holborn) who will work closely with each District Manager to help highlight important issues affecting LBC street properties. CASP members are encouraged to contact their representatives if they wish to highlight an important issue affecting LBC street properties.

It is very important to continue this work in order to develop and publicize the role ahead of the AGM. CASP is looking to elect Camden street property representatives for each district (Camden Town, Holborn, Kentish Town, Gospel Oak & Hampstead) at the first meeting of the newly elected committee.

CASP DISTRICT WALKABOUTS – CONTACT THE ASSOCIATION!

In response to concerns raised by tenants about the lack of opportunity for street property tenants to get involved in district walkabouts, CASP began work on developing a ‘street property’ walkabout model which provides a further opportunity for street property tenants to get involved in the work of the Association.

It was discussed and agreed some time ago that it would be very useful for the Association to have in place a formal CASP walkabout model which would serve as a guide and support to CASP representatives when organizing walkabouts throughout the borough.

The CASP walkabout model, which is now in place, includes the involvement of all relevant council officers, relevant agencies (i.e., safer neighbourhood teams) as well as ward Councillors.

The walkabout model allows all formal members of the Association to participate in street property walkabouts but in a number of different ways – the walkabouts have been very successful in identifying a number of different issues affecting street properties, especially around community safety and environmental.

LBC street property walkabouts have now taken place in Gospel Oak, Hampstead and Kentish Town and walkabouts are planned in Camden Town and Holborn.

Please remember, the aim is to actively involve all formal members of the Association in walkabouts and, if you are interested in getting involved, please remember to become a formal member of the Association as this allows us to use our resources more responsibly – many thanks!

CASP AND CAMDEN’S TENANT PARTICIPATION STRATEGY

The CASP Management Committee remains united in the view that the provision of TP services must be inclusive, accountable and accessible to everybody. One of the largest and most controversial challenges facing Camden and its established tenant forums, must be to ensure that whatever TP structures are in place, are there to reflect the views of all Camden tenants.

Unfortunately, some tenants have made the mistake of comparing CASP to a traditional estate based TRA. This has demonstrated a fundamental misunderstanding about why CASP was re-launched and the particular challenge it faces in terms of trying to make sure that an historically under-represented group of tenants (tenants who live in scattered street properties) get some kind of representation on issues that affect their daily lives. The dynamics are completely different although the principle of tenants needing to be represented in some shape or form is identical.

Historically, street property TA’s have proved difficult to set up and, even when this has been achieved, they have proved difficult to sustain, which can be demonstrated by the low number of street property TA’s currently registered as members of District Management Committees (DMC’s).

As part of Camden’s Tenant Participation Strategy, CASP is now formally exploring the idea of the Association becoming formal voting members of DMC’s. As stated by Camden Council in its TP strategy: “The Council focuses a considerable amount of resources to funding and servicing DMC’s and their members, funded from the Housing Revenue account which street property tenants also contribute to. We believe that it is therefore fair and equitable to afford them full voting rights”.

MEMBERSHIP OF THE ASSOCIATION

Membership of the Association is open to all 6500 LBC street properties in the borough, however, due to cost implications, CASP proposed at its AGM in January 2006, and members agreed, the idea of introducing a free membership, much like the type adopted by some TA’s. Meetings would continue to be advertised in the same way (CASP website, local press, etc) but flyers, updates, etc, would only be sent to those residents who registered as members of CASP. However, CASP felt is was essential that one quality mail out per year is sent to all LBC street properties in order to keep all tenants informed about the work of the Association and to give all members a further opportunity to register as formal members of the Association. It was also agreed that the number of CASP general meetings per year would be reduced from three to one, including the Annual General Meeting.

The idea of trying to ‘actively’ involve more formal members in the work of the Association (whether this be through invites to participate on walkabouts or district meetings, etc) is currently being explored, especially as the Association has developed and put into place a more sustainable and workable framework, to enable the Association to meet the general and wider needs of its membership.

Remember, if you would like to get more involved in the work of the Association, please return the CASP formal membership form as this not only allows more people to get involved in the work of the group but also allows us to use our resources more responsibly – many thanks!

If you would like to contact the CASP Committee about any item raised in this newsletter, or about any other issue affecting Camden street properties, please contact us at camdenstreetproperties@yahoo.co.uk. Alternatively, please contact Bruno Sanhuesa, Camden’s TP team, on 0207 974-5984 or bruno.sanhuesa@camden.gov.uk and ask for your details to be passed to CASP.

If any tenant would like this document translated, please contact the CASP Committee or Camden’s TP team on the contact details shown above.

I look forward to seeing you all at the CASP AGM.

David Rodgers

Chair, Camden Association of Street Properties (July 2008)