CASP ANNUAL ACTION PLAN / PRIORITIES FOR THE YEAR 2008/9
(TO BE INCORPORATED INTO THE CASP COMPACT)
*Please note the term ‘tenant’ has been used throughout the document unless otherwise stated to imply council tenants and leaseholders.
* Please also note the term ‘members’ has been used to imply both registered and unregistered members of the Association unless otherwise stated.
CAMDEN’S HOUSING MANAGEMENT IMPROVEMENT PLAN (HMIP)
Aim of CASP Committee
Ø Keep members informed of the development of the Plan and provide opportunity for input from CASP members.
Ø Ensure that relevant discussions take place with Camden Council on the inclusion / recognition of issues important to street properties during the development of the Plan.
Ø The Association to collect information on how previous consultations / focused sessions have impacted on service delivery to the Association’s membership.
The Association has organized a number of borough-wide CASP meetings – details sent directly to all CASP members (registered and unregistered) - and meeting details advertised in the local press. Members also kept informed through regular newsletters, etc.
The Association continues to ‘push’ through regular discussions with Camden Council the importance of recognizing the needs of Camden’s street properties when developing the Plan.
CASP members (registered) are also currently being kept informed of the development of the Plan through a series of ‘district’ meetings.
THE INCLUSION OF STREET PROPERTY ISSUES IN NEW WARD BASED / EAST/WEST SERVICE PLANS
Aim of CASP Committee
Ensure that issues important to Camden street properties are included in new ward based east/west service plans.
Brief discussions commenced at Camden Town District meeting to progress this item but further discussions need to take place.
THE INCLUSION OF STREET PROPERTY ISSUES IN WARD BASED NEWSLETTERS
Aim of CASP Committee
Ø Ensure that issues important to Camden street properties are included in new ward based newsletters.
Discussions have commenced to take this project forward.
THE ‘PARTNERING’ PROCESS (CAPITAL WORKS) AND CAMDEN STREET PROPERTIES
Aim of CASP Committee
Ø Ensure that CASP members (registered and unregistered) are kept informed of developments and are provided with regular opportunities to have their say on Camden’s proposals.
Ø Ensure that genuine opportunities exist for Camden street property tenants to get involved in Camden’s new ‘partnering’ model.
Ø The Association to collect information on how previous consultations on capital works / focused sessions have impacted on service delivery to the Association’s membership.
In January 2009 the Association met with officers from Camden’s Renewals Department and discussions have taken place regarding the importance of creating genuine opportunities for Camden street property tenants to get involved in Camden’s new ‘partnering’ model.
Discussions are to continue involving CASP, Camden Renewals Department and Camden’s Tenant Participation Team.
The Association has also agreed to enquire about the unnecessary use (and cost) of scaffolding on capital works schemes, especially in those examples where scaffolding has been left in place months after the completion of a scheme.
DECENT HOMES AND THE SALE OF CAMDEN STREET PROPERTIES
Aim of CASP Committee
Ø Ensure that CASP members (registered and unregistered) are kept informed of developments and are provided with regular opportunities to have their say on Camden’s Decent Homes Proposals.
Ø Respond to members’ concerns around Camden’s Decent Homes Proposals and the impact on Camden street properties.
Ø The Association to collect information on how previous consultations / focused sessions have impacted on decisions taken by Camden / Camden’s Executive on the issue of selling vital housing stock.
The Association has organized a number of borough-wide CASP meetings and invited key speakers to attend in order to keep its membership informed and to give all members (registered and unregistered) the opportunity to have their say on the issue. CASP members have also been kept informed through regular newsletters, etc.
In response to members’ concerns, the Association has also organized a number of deputations to Camden’s Executive and HASC scrutiny committee in order to make its views known on the issue of the sell-offs.
The Association has ‘actively’ lobbied the current and previous Mayor of London in an attempt to place pressure to release vital public funding in order to halt the sell-off of Camden street properties.
The Association has also ‘actively’ lobbied the current and previous Minister for Housing in an attempt to place pressure to release vital public funding in order to halt the sell-off of Camden street properties.
The Association continues to highlight issues around the sell-offs / lobby for vital ‘direct’ funding to spend on Camden’s homes.
REPAIRS / SEPARATE REPORT ON REPAIRS AND STREET PROPERTIES
Aim of CASP Committee
Ø Continue to respond to members’ concerns around the standard of repairs and Camden street properties.
Ø The Association to request separate information on how ‘vulnerable’ tenants are supported to access the repairs service.
Ø The Association to collect information on how previous consultations / focused sessions have impacted on service delivery to the Association’s membership.
HEALTH AND SAFETY AND CAMDEN STREET PROPERTIES INCLUDING FIRE SAFETY
Aim of CASP Committee
Ø Respond to members’ concerns around health and safety and Camden street properties.
Ø Involve / keep members’ informed as Camden Council develops its proposals
The Association has acted on members’ concerns and met with Camden’s officers to discuss Camden street properties and fire safety issues. Camden Council is currently in the process of finalizing draft proposals which will impact on Camden street properties.
COMMUNITY SAFETY AND CAMDEN STREET PROPERTIES
Aim of CASP Committee
Ø Respond to members’ concerns around community safety and Camden street properties.
Ø Discuss / agree ‘model’ for Camden street properties to support Camden street properties and its tenants around issues relating to community safety, etc.
Ø The Association to collect information on how previous consultations / focused sessions have impacted on service delivery to the Association’s membership.
The Association has organized a number of CASP borough-wide meetings – details sent directly to all CASP members (registered and unregistered) and advertised in local press – to discuss issues around Camden street properties and community safety / anti-social behaviour, etc.
The Association contributed to Camden’s Review of Anti-Social Behaviour and continued to ‘push’ the view that whilst services exist to support tenants who live in Camden street properties around community safety, etc, these services can be more difficult to identify or access by tenants who live in these properties.
The Association also provides every member (registered and unregistered) with an opportunity to contact the Association to help organize a ‘local’ walkabout to highlight / act on issues around community safety, etc.
The Association also invites all members (registered) to take part in CASP district walkabouts which provides members with a further opportunity to raise issues of concern.
NOISE NUISANCE / POLLUTION AND CAMDEN STREET PROPERTIES
Aim of CASP Committee
Ø Respond to members’ concerns around noise nuisance / pollution and Camden street properties.
The Association is in the process of organizing a number of ‘focused’ meetings with Cllr James King, Executive Member for Housing, in order to make further recommendations following Camden Council’s report on Responding to Complaints about Noise Nuisance.
The Association has now worked with Cllr King on drawing up a Plan of Action / List of
Actions which should, once implemented, be effective in helping to deliver a better service to members affected by this problem.
INCREASING CASP PARTICIPATION AND REPRESENTATION
Aim of CASP Committee
Ø To increase opportunities for participation and representation
Ø The Association to continue to develop a CASP communications strategy with a view to involving more members in the work of the Association / increase representation.
The Association continues to organize CASP district meetings with a view to involving more members in the work of the Association.
The Association continues to monitor and review the CASP Compact.
The Association continues to work on developing a new CASP website.
The Association continues to formalise and develop its role within Camden’s representative groups including the District Management Committees (DMC’s)
The Association continues to progress the development of the three CASP sub-groups.
PROGRESS THE WORK OF CASP SUB-GROUPS
Aim of CASP Committee
Ø The Association to continue to progress the three CASP sub-groups in order to aid the work of the Association / further involve its membership / increase representation.
The Association continues to progress this item.
CAMDEN STREET PROPERTY LEASEHOLDERS AND THE INCLUSION OF THEIR VIEWS IN CAMDEN’S LEASEHOLDERS IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
Aim of CASP Committee
Ø To encourage Camden street property leaseholders to have their say on Camden’s Leaseholders’ Improvement Plan.
The Association has written to all its members (registered and unregistered) to encourage input into the Plan.
The Association also organized a deputation to Camden’s HASC scrutiny committee in 2008 in order to highlight that historically the interests / concerns of Camden street property leaseholders have not been sufficiently acted on.
The Association needs to continue to work towards establishing more formal links with other groups representing leaseholder interests.
FOCUS ON THE 10 MOST CONTENTIOUS ISSUES FOR CAMDEN STREET PROPERTIES AS IDENTIFIED BY MEMBERS / DHO’s.
Aim of CASP Committee
Ø To focus on those issues that are seen as ‘priority’ areas for tenants who live in Camden street properties.
The Association is currently involved in organizing a number of ‘focused’ meetings with Cllr James King, the Executive Member for Housing and Community Safety.
AN ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT TO BE PREPARED AHEAD OF THE ASSOCIATION’S AGM / PROGRESS TO MEMBERS THROUGH NEWS ITEMS, CASP MEETINGS, ETC.
