Association for Tenants and Leaseholders serviced by Camden Council linking residents of Camden borough street properties to discuss common aims and concerns. This covers issues like repairs, capital works, housing management, etc, and works toward policy and procedural change via Camden Council. CASP has formal voting membership status on District Management Committees (DMC's). The CASP Committee meet monthly and communicate with residents through newsletters, a website, borough-wide and district meetings - for more info, please refer to the 'about us' and 'participation' section of this website. If you wish to contact your CASP representative, to highlight an issue affecting LBC street properties in your area, or to raise any other issue affecting LBC street properties, please e-mail camdenstreetproperties@yahoo.co.uk. Alternatively, please use the contact details at the bottom of the page. To find out what's happening in your district (Kentish Town, Camden Town, Holborn, Gospel Oak, Hampstead) for LBC street properties, please also refer to the 'meetings and events' / 'district news' section of this website! "Unfortunately in the past decisions on how to develop representative structures for LBC street property tenants and residents have not in any way involved residents living in these properties. In fact, the process in place did nothing more than to contribute to the marginalisation of LBC residents living in Camden's residential streets. CASP are eager to ensure that this does not happen again!" (CASP deputation to Camden's Overview and Scrutiny Commission, June 14th 2005) PLEASE NOTE THE ASSOCIATION IS CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF UPDATING SOME SECTIONS OF THE SITE! Recent News!!!! LBC Street Properties and Solar Panels! Over the next few months, around 1000 LBC street properties will be contacted and asked whether they wish to explore having solar panels fitted to their roofs. CASP is also supporting the project - launched in November 2011 - but has stipulated that a pilot project should take place ahead of the main programme being rolled out. It has also made sure that there is in place a definate opt-out clause in case tenants or leaseholders choose not to have the works! Not all properties will be suitable to have the panels fitted, but if you require more info about the scheme, please contact Karen Honey on 0207 974-3277 or CASP Fire Risk Assessments and LBC Street Properties! Over the next few months, the London Borough of Camden will be carrying out fire risk assessments in all its LBC Street Properties. CASP AGM - Many thanks! The Association would like to say a big 'Thank you' to all those CASP members who packed the Town Hall chamber at the Association's AGM on March 30th! CASP Local Meetings!!! The Association is now in the process of organising a number of local CASP meetings throughout the borough - keep your eye on the relevant section of this website for more details! Noise Nuisance 'Scrutiny' Panel!!! CASP has lobbied extensively for the setting up of a scrutiny panel to look specifically at the issue of noise nuisance / pollution . The panel is due to commence shortly - if you wish to provide evidence to the panel, please contact the Association for more details!!!! Update November 2011 - The recommendations coming out of the noise nuisance scrutiny panel will be announced in early 2012! See below for more details! Further News!!!!!! 'Camden Council Budget Cuts - 'No choice' councillors resist calls to defy the cuts' (CNJ, March 3rd 2011) http://www.camdennewjournal.com/news/2011/mar/camden-budget-cuts-%E2%80%93-%E2%80%98no-choice%E2%80%99-councillors-resist-calls-defy-cuts Details of Camden's Budget  (Agreed by full council on Feb 28th 2011) http://democracy.camden.gov.uk/mgConvert2Pdf.aspx?ID=9480&T=9 "We will see a loss of local services on a scale never previously seen. Once gone, these vital services will be lost forever!" (CASP member, February 29th 2011) 'Demand for check on electrical safety' (CNJ, January 27th 2011) http://www.camdennewjournal.com/news/2011/jan/demand-check-estate-electrical-safety-surge-blew-radio-equipment-ampthill-square-flats 'Caversham Road tenants in scaffolding cage hit by break-ins' (CNJ, 9th December 2010) http://www.camdennewjournal.com/news/2010/dec/caversham-road-tenants-scaffolding-cage-hit-break-ins New 'Noise Nuisance' Scrutiny Panel set up! After pressure from CASP and elected Cllrs who sit on the Housing and Adult Social Care (HASC) Scrutiny Committee, a decision was taken on January 12th 2011 to set up a formal scrutiny panel on the subject of noise nuisance - the Panel formally launched in June 2011. The Panel has held a series of sessions to hear 'evidence' from tenants and leaseholders and its recommendations are expected to be announced in early 2012!  Members of the Panel: Cllr Andrew Marshall, Cllr Jill Fraser, Cllr Thomas Neumark, Petra Dando (CASP Chair, Co-opted member, HASC scrutiny committee), Cllr Phil Jones. Please click on link to access CASP's most recent report including recommendations submitted to Kentish Town DMC (March 2011 - page 23-26)   http://democracy.camden.gov.uk/mgConvert2PDF.aspx?ID=2949&T=10 Camden Community Investment Programme Proposals by Camden Council to progress a number of small site developments, as well as discussions to regenerate some areas in Camden (ie, Gospel Oak) are now underway, and it is the intention of the Association to try and involve tenants as much as possible in any discussions which may affect their homes. More info will be available at our AGM and through clicking on the below links!  http://democracy.camden.gov.uk/mgConvert2PDF.aspx?ID=898 http://www.camdennewjournal.com/news/2010/sep/council-land-comes-under-microscope-sell-plan  Housing & Adult Social Care (HASC) Scrutiny Committee News! 'Recommendations due shortly from Camden's time limited scrutiny panels - Decent Homes and Housing Repairs (March 2011), Tenant Participation (April 2011) and Leaseholder Service Charges (March 2011) For dates of future HASC Scrutiny Committee and other meetings please refer to our 'meetings and events' section on this website CASP Annual Newsletter 2011 The Annual Newsletter provides more details about the Association's AGM and includes an outline of the Association's work for 2010/11 Please click on the below link to access a copy of our latest newsletter http://www.camdenassociationofstreetproperties.org.uk/casp_newsletters_13.html CASP Action Plan 2010/11 The Action Plan outlines the Association's latest recommendations in a number of areas including housing management, Home Ownership Services, Major works and Repairs, Community Safety, etc Please click on the below link to access a copy of our Action Plan 2010/11 http://www.camdenassociationofstreetproperties.org.uk/casp_action_plan_76.html Leaseholder Service Charges Scrutiny Panel Paper The above paper was discussed by the HASC scrutiny committee at its meeting on March 24th 2011 - to view the paper and its recommendations (page 51-57) please click on the below link! http://democracy.camden.gov.uk/mgConvert2PDF.aspx?ID=2951&T=10 Update March 2011: A response from Home Ownership Services (HOS) to the above report and its recommendations is due to be tabled for discussion at the HASC scrutiny committee meeting on April 20th 2011.  CASP responds to Localism Bill consultation (February 2011) http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmpublic/localism/memo/loc95.htm http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2010-11/localism/committees/houseofcommonspublicbillcommitteeonthelocalismbill201011.html 'Localist' assault on social housing! (Guardian, May 18th 2011) http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/may/18/localism-bill-social-housing 'Bill strikes at socialist housing heart"! (Forum, CNJ, May 20th 2011) http://www.westendextra.com/letters/2011/may/forum-bill-strikes-social-housing-heart CASP Suggestion Boxes CASP suggestion boxes are now in place at all District Housing Offices (DHO's) - please use them to help communicate with the Association. Meetings and Events 2011  Please check the above section / below link for further details of meetings and events! http://camdenassociationofstreetproperties.org.uk/casp_events_2.html Latest meetings: Library Users public meeting, Pan-Camden HS2 Alliance public meeting, TUC march against the cuts, community safety public meeting. local CASP meetings. Calender of Council meetings - see relevant section for more details! Useful 'housing' Links! There are a number of websites which publish a range of housing related articles. These sites are regularly updated with new articles and we would encourage interested  members with access to the web to routinely check the sites for new articles! http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/ http://www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/ http://www.defendcouncilhousing.org.uk/dch/ 'Camden United Against the Cuts' A link to guide / inform members who wish to get more involved in fighting the cuts! http://camdenunited.org.uk/ http://www.camdentradescouncil.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15&Itemid=9 http://www.defendcouncilhousing.org.uk/dch/   CASP STANDS UNITED WITH OTHER CAMDEN TENANTS AGAINST THE SELL-OFF OF CAMDEN COUNCIL PROPERTIES! In April 2007 the Executive Member for Housing, Cllr Chris Naylor, was invited to attend the Association's AGM and address the meeting on Camden's Housing Strategy. As expected, many members at the meeting expressed concerns about the Council's possible plans to sell-off council street properties as a way to lever in much needed investment for Camden's deteriorating housing stock. Some months after the meeting, Camden Council announced its plans to sell a number of (empty) street properties. Again, the Association registered its disapproval by making its views known in a deputation to Camden's Executive on December 12th 2007. To read the deputation in full click on the link below! http://camdenassociationofstreetproperties.org.uk/12th_dec_2007_49.html VICTORY FOR NO SELL-OFFS CAMPAIGN!!!!! FOLLOW THE HISTORY OF THE CAMPAIGN - SEE BELOW! (May 2010) New administration (elected Cllrs) orders halt to the property sell-offs! Sell-off freeze plea is ignored Tenants’ call for a moratorium on council home sales rejected by Lib Dems One of the properties up for auction: 13 Parsifal Lane, West Hampstead - self contained flat in a converted house with use of large garden.  How many homeless families would this house help to accommodate?  "Sell-offs hit health and family life" (CNJ Forum, March 4th 2010) http://www.camdennewjournal.com/letters/2010/mar/%E2%80%98sell-offs-hit-health-and-family-life%E2%80%99 Official: Every tenant on warpath over home sales!!!!! New Journal survey challenges claims that tenants support sell offs The mock auction protest that was held outside Aspern Grove on Friday To read the full story please click on the link below http://www.thecnj.com/camden/2009/070909/news070909_02.html Photos show tenants protesting outside Aspern Grove (July 3rd 2009) against the sell-off of much needed Camden Council properties - several properties, including (empty) Camden Council street properties, were due to come under the hammer at a public auction on July 6th 2009! Monika Caro, CASP Vice-Chair, drives the message home to Camden Council and elected Councillors at the mock auction! Below is a copy of the letter from Cllr Chris Philp, Chair of Camden's Housing and Adult Social Care (HASC) Scrutiny Committee requesting the joint deputation (Camden tenants and Cllrs) with the Minister for Housing - sent after tenant' groups present deputations on the issue and demand that a vote be taken at the meeting (HASC scrutiny panel meeting - May 26th 2009)  The Rt Hon John Healey M.P. Minister for Housing, Department for Communities and Local Government, Eland House, Bressenden Place, London SW1E 5DU Dear John Healey, Meeting the Decent Homes Standard in Camden and the sale of Camden Council Houses Firstly, can I congratulate you on your appointment as the new Housing Minister. I am writing to request an urgent meeting to discuss funding for meeting the Decent Homes standard in the London Borough of Camden. The Government has in the past provided capital funding to local authorities to bring council housing up to the Decent Homes standard. Because Camden’s tenants did not want to adopt an Arms Length Management Organisation, Camden has not received any such Government funding. Once Camden’s existing budget for capital works is taken into account, a shortfall of £213 million over 5 years still remains if we are to meet the Government’s Decent Homes targets. In order to plug this funding gap, Camden Council is currently resorting to a number of measures, including the sale of council houses in the Borough. On Tuesday 2nd June during a pre-election visit to north London, the Prime Minister was asked about this situation by the Camden New Journal. Responding to a question about whether Camden Council should sell council properties to fund the Decent Homes work, the Prime Minister said: “I think what we need to do is to get the council to respond to our invitation for more money for council housing, for social housing.” This exchange is reported at: http://www.thecnj.co.uk/camden/2009/060409/news060409_01.html We would like to confirm that this means there is now Government money available to fund the Decent Homes work in Camden. This issue was also discussed at a meeting of Camden Council’s cross-party Housing and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee on 26th May 2009. We received representations from tenants, leaseholders and Trade Unions (listed below). The scrutiny committee unanimously resolved to seek a meeting with yourself to be held within 4- 6 weeks, to discuss how this matter can now be resolved. This had the full support of the Tenants, Leaseholder and Trade Unions present. Representatives of these bodies would like to attend the meeting too. There is unanimity amongst all political parties in Camden, tenants, leaseholders and the Unions representing council staff that the Government should not discriminate against Camden simply on the basis that Camden’s tenants did not want to adopt an ALMO. If the Government can assist us with the Decent Homes funding, as it has with other councils, then this would remove the need to sell council houses. I look forward to hearing from you shortly on this matter and once I have received a date you from you I will contact those individuals and groups indicated above informing them of the date. I would not envisage that more than 10 people would attend the meeting from the various Camden groups. Yours sincerely, Councillor Chris Philp Chair of the Housing and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee Representatives of the following groups were present at the scrutiny meeting and unanimously agreed on (i) the need for an urgent meeting with you to discuss this matter and (ii) That it is preferable to obtain the missing money to fund the Decent Homes work from the Government (as other councils have) rather than from selling Camden’s council houses: Camden UNISON The Camden Association of Street Properties The Camden Federation of Tenants and Residents Camden Defend Council Housing Camden Council’s Labour Group Camden Council’s Liberal Democrat Group Camden Council’s Conservative Group Hampstead District Management Committee Gospel Oak District Management Committee  UPDATE - JUNE 2009! PM BROWN TO CNJ: ‘I’LL FIX HOMES’ PRIME Minister Gordon Brown finally appeared to open the door to long-awaited investment in Camden’s council homes – after being collared by the New Journal! To read the article click on the link below (CNJ June 4th 2009) http://www.thecnj.com/camden/2009/060409/news060409_01.html Council houses sell-offs fight on its way to Beckett Tenant activists and trade unionists stand united against the sell-off of much needed Camden Council properties! 'Alan Walter - a friend, a father... and fighter for tenants' rights! (CNJ, March 12th 2009) http://www.thecnj.com/camden/2009/031209/news031209_02.html http://www.thecnj.com/camden/2009/031909/letters031909_06.html Campaign to save properties set to go to Housing Minister in appeal for funds ‘The time for niceties is over – and Housing Minister Margaret Beckett had better beware’ To read the article click on the link below (CNJ May 28th 2009) http://www.thecnj.com/camden/2009/052809/news052809_04.html SUMMER SALE: YOUR HOMES More Camden Council homes go under the auctioneer's hammer as thousands of people continue to languish on Camden Council's housing waiting list! Tenant activists drive home the anti sell-off message on the streets of Camden! To read the article click on the link below (CNJ May 21st 2009) Camden tenants speak out on national television against Camden Council's latest plans to market rent empty council properties instead of allocating to Camden's homeless community (April 27th 2009) To read the article and watch the news Item click on the link below http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8022165.stm Tenants unite in protest over sale and market renting of empty council homes! Tenant fury at plan to raise cash by letting to top earners (CNJ April 23rd 2009) To read the article click on the below link: http://www.thecnj.com/camden/2009/042309/news042309_01.html MAYOR BORIS JOHNSON COMMENTS ON THE ISSUE! "What is the Mayor's view on Camden Council selling perfectly habitable council properties to private property developers at a time when the acute shortage of social housing is fast becoming a national crisis?" (CASP question to Mayor Boris Johnson, People's Question Time, March 5th 2009) The same question was put to Mayor Boris Johnson by Katie Davies of the Ham and High who interviewed Mayor Boris Johnson about his first 12 months in charge of London (Ham and High, April 9th 2009) "I have publicly stated that I will not interfere in matters that are the responsibility of London boroughs. How Camden chooses to fund and manage its property portfolio is entirely a matter for its elected councillors. I am investing £5 billion to support the capital's housing market over the next three years and deliver 50,000 affordable homes, including more family-sized homes to rent or buy" (Mayor Boris Johnson, Ham and High newspaper, April 9th 2009) THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO BE FLOGGING OFF THE FAMILY SILVER! "Many of our street properties have provided homes to generations of families. The present administration's plans to sell therefore, even a limited number of street properties, at a time when demand for council housing far exceeds supply, have been met with concern and we ask HOW CAN THIS BE JUSTIFIED!" (CASP Deputation to Camden's Executive, December 2007) CASP Open letter to Margaret Beckett MP - 27th November 2008 - see below link! http://www.thecnj.com/camden/2008/112708/letters112708_04.html  CASP says: "No more Council homes sales!" "It is completely ironic that many TA's were set up to protect tenants from the surge in property speculation which sought to empty houses for renovation and sale. In some areas, street properties were identified which the council purchased as part of its Compulsory Purchase Order. Over the years, these properties have provided homes to many Camden families. Today, the choice has been made to sell these properties to the highest bidder!" (CASP Deputation to Camden's Executive, July 2008) 'I won't fix council homes - and neither would Ken' (CNJ, November 27th 2008) http://www.thecnj.com/camden/2008/112708/news112708_03.html 'Ken is urged to stop homes sell-off' (CNJ, April 24th 2008) http://www.thecnj.com/camden/2008/042408/news042408_08.html  'They sold my home bombshell' (CNJ, March 6th 2008) http://www.thecnj.com/camden/2008/030608/news030608_01.html 'Battle lines are drawn in feud over housing sell-offs' (CNJ, December 13th 2007) http://www.thecnj.com/camden/2007/121307/news121307_02.html   Contact Details Camden Association of Street Properties c/o CASP Chair, Tenant Participation Team, Room 304, Bidborough House, 20 Mabledon Place,  London WC1H 9BF Telephone 020 7974 3901 (Camden's TP Team - and ask for your contact details to be passed to CASP) or email us direct at camdenstreetproperties@yahoo.co.uk