Camden housing
Hampstead edition Summer 2015
Local housing news for Camden Council tenants and leaseholders, including Fortune Green,
West Hampstead, Kilburn, Swiss Cottage, Frognal and Fitzjohns and Belsize.
Fun days around
Camden this
summer
As part of our borough’s
50th anniversary
celebrations, we’re holding
five family fun days on
Camden estates.
Residents in and around
Ampthill Square, Castle Road,
and Fellows Road have already
celebrated with performances of
a Greek play, The Eumenides,
and an art exhibition, as well
as having lots of fun with
face painting and crafts.
Everyone is welcome, so if
you haven’t yet been to one
of the fun days (or even if you
have!) come along to the ones
that are happening in July
and August, for more family
activities and free refreshments.
There will be exhibitions of the
New school buildings
at Liddell Road
Camden’s planning
committee recently
approved applications for
redevelopment of the site
at Liddell Road light
industrial estate.
The proposals include an
additional building for Kingsgate
primary school, creating 420
much needed additional
places for children aged three
to eight. The project is part
of Camden’s Community
Investment Programme (CIP) –
and making sure that we have
Walls on Walls community art
project, gardening workshops
and pedal powered smoothie
making, and a chance to find
out more about the Camden
Account – a new easy way to
access Council services online.
Events still to come:
Thursday 23 July, 3 to
6pm, Judd Street Open
Space, WC1H 9QX.
Thursday 6 August, 3 to 6pm,
Camelot House, NW1 9AR.
Find out more:
camden50.co.uk/
fundays
Residents at Ampthill Square and Castle Road fun days
enough school places is one of
the project’s highest priorities.
The proposals for the site also
include office space, housing
and a new public open space.
We’re now hiring a contractor
to start building the school,
Redevelopment – Liddell Road
and demolition of the existing
buildings will start in summer
2015. We will be consulting
with the local community on
the construction process.
Find out more: camden.
gov.uk/liddellroad
Welcoming
Councillor Callaghan
Councillor
Patricia
Callaghan is
Camden’s
new Cabinet
Member for
Housing.
Cabinet
Members each
look after a different area of the
Council’s work and, together with
the Council Leader, make most
decisions about how services are
delivered. Cllr Callaghan is also
Deputy Leader of the Council,
Survey: what
you told us
Over 2,000 people filled in
our recent survey of tenants
and leaseholders.
The vast majority (76%) of
people who rent from the Council
said that they were satisfied
with the service that Camden
provides, which is great.
You said,
we did:
In the survey you told us
what your top priorities are
– here’s how we’re making
them our priorities too:
Repairs and maintenance:
90% of residents rated our repairs
service as good, very good,
or excellent. We’re making it
easier to report repairs online
with the Camden account.
Quality of your home:
we’ve completed 63 lift
refurbishments, and
overhauled 7 district heating
systems in the last year,
with 20 more planned for next
year. We redecorated and
and moves from her previous
post as Cabinet Member for
Adult Social Care and Health.
Cllr Callaghan said: “I’ve been a
resident and social housing tenant
in Camden for many years, so I
understand the challenges that
the Council faces. I’ve seen your
priorities in the recent survey, and
I will ensure that the department
delivers on these. I will be out and
about in the borough, meeting
tenants and leaseholders, and
I want to hear your thoughts
about how we’re doing.”
For times of Cllr Callaghan’s
surgeries go to: camden.
gov.uk/democracy
refreshed communal areas in
63 blocks last year, with many
more planned for this year.
Value for money of rent and
service charges: we’ve frozen
our service charge for two
years running. We’ve reduced
the average cost of repairs,
and we received 22,000 fewer
calls to our repairs telephone
line last year – because we’re
getting more right first time.
Keeping you informed:
we’re looking to improve
estate noticeboards and would
welcome your input on this. We
supported 104 tenant and
resident associations last
year, and our Camden online
account will make it easier
for you to keep up to date.
Dealing with antisocial
behaviour: tenant satisfaction
with our response to antisocial
behaviour increased from 33%
to 54% this year. Our caretakers
now have smartphones which
means that they can report
problems more quickly. We’re
also improving the way we
deal with noise complaints.
To see the full survey results:
camden.gov.uk/star
To sign up to the Camden
Account: camden.gov.
uk/camdenaccount
Investment near you
We’ve been working on
improvements to lots of our
properties in Hampstead, including
those on Sherriff Road, Kylemore
Road, Goldhurst Terrace and
Hemstal Road. We’ve also
been working on communal
areas at Constable House,
Dobson Close, Freeling House,
and Casteleden House, and
Alexandra and Ainsworth Estate.
Next stop, we’ll be improving
the heating systems at Highgate
Newtown, Rowley Way, Brookfield
and Croftdown. We’ll also be
working on 217-229 West End
Lane, Express Buildings and
Bridge House, and improving
communal areas at 5-7 Belsize
Grove and 57/59 Ainger Road.
Find out more:
camden.gov.uk/betterhomes
Redecorated – Constable House
Leaseholders:
have your say
Are you a Camden Council
leaseholder (or freeholder paying
Camden service charges)?
Do you want to influence how
Camden Council works with its
leaseholders? Stand for election
to the Camden Leaseholders’
Forum and meet senior officers
and councillors regularly to discuss
issues and propose improvements.
Elections happen every three
years. There are seats for
new members, as well as for
those wanting to return.
Interested? To stand, email your
name, Camden leasehold address,
email address and reasons
why you’re standing (up to 100
words) to [email protected].
Closing date is 31 July. For more
information visit
leaseholdersforum.org.uk
or call 020 7974 7056
Smart caretaking
Our caretakers now have
smartphones – which means
that they can report problems
more easily, and get things
sorted out sooner.
Caretakers across Camden
help to ensure that our estates
are kept clean, and in good
repair. They also improve
quality of life for residents, by
doing things like visiting people
who are frail or disabled, and
reporting antisocial behaviour.
With their new phones caretakers
have access to email. They can
take photos, and report repairs,
and other issues, straight away.
Having the phones has already
helped to resolve local problems
like rough sleeping and antisocial
behaviour in communal areas.
Caretakers are the eyes and ears
of our communities, and the new
phones mean that they can be
even more helpful to residents.
Artisan gardens
A Kentish Town tenant
and resident association
(TRA) has transformed their
communal garden – with the
help of professionals.
The garden at Artisan Dwellings
had become muddy and untidy, so
residents applied for funding from
Camden to spruce it up. As well
as a new bench, new doors, and
paved walkways, the Council were
able to supply help and advice
from a grounds maintenance
officer and a horticulturalist.
Funmi Abiola, chairperson of
the TRA, explains what this
has meant for residents. “The
work wasn’t just manual. The
team from Camden, Victoria
and Adekunle, talked to us –
they really cared about what
happened to the garden and
understood what we needed.”
“People of all ages came
outside to get involved. It’s
become a real social hub for the
building – a game changer.”
Now residents have set up a
gardening club, and they are
Caretaker appreciation
In our recent survey of council
tenants and leaseholders, 73%
of you said that Camden staff
are friendly and approachable.
Eleanor Fawcett, who lives in
South Hampstead, says: “‘Our
caretaker is always helpful,
looking after the estate and
the people who live here.”
Eleanor Fawcett –
South Hampstead resident
Report repairs
It’s not just caretakers who
can report repairs online – you
can too. Go to camden.
gov.uk/camdenaccount to
register and report a repair.
planning further improvements
and social events.
“It’s revived our community,”
says Funmi, “when we’re out
here, we’re all communicating
with each other.”
For more information about how
to improve your garden through
a TRA visit camden.gov.uk/tp
Do you have green fingers?
There’s still time to enter this year’s
Camden in Bloom competition
– see camden.gov.uk/
camdeninbloom for details.
Funmi Abiola - TRA chairperson
Get active on
the Templar
Estate
Gym membership can be
expensive – but if you live on
or near the Templar Estate in
Kilburn, there’s a new way to
exercise. We’ve installed an
outdoor gym on the estate, with
a range of equipment to help
you work out. Outdoor gyms
are a great, free way for people
of all fitness levels to get active
in the fresh air. Any questions?
email groundsmaintenance@
camden.gov.uk
Working together to
make improvements
The housing resident scrutiny
group looks at how the
Council’s housing services
work and comes up with ways
to improve them.
Richard Walker, chair of the
group, talks about his role: I’ve
lived in Red Lion Street in Holborn
for around five years. I joined
the scrutiny group because I
wanted to help to improve the
service provided by Camden
for leaseholders and tenants.
The group talks to tenants and
leaseholders, in person and on
the phone, to make sure that the
Council is meeting their needs
and providing value for money.
We also look for areas where
money might be being wasted.
Over the past year we’ve
reviewed the visits that housing
officers make to new tenants,
and we’ve also just reviewed the
housing complaints process.
Get involved:
camden.gov.uk/tp
Richard Walker - Holborn resident
Photography
competition
Free food waste
caddy and liners
What does living in Camden
mean to you?
As part of our 50th anniversary
celebrations we’re holding
a photography competition.
We’re inviting you to share
photos that capture what being
a Camden resident means to
you. The best photographs will
be displayed at an exhibition
to be held in the autumn. One
winner will be chosen to feature
on the cover of the Camden
magazine. For more details see
camden50.co.uk/50photos
Recycle things
like fruit and
vegetables,
meat and
fish, tea bags
and coffee
grounds.
Go to contact.camden.gov.
uk/environmentservices to
request a free caddy and liners.
Free fun learning
this summer
Camden Summer University
offers free courses over the
summer for 13 to 19 yearolds. From photography to
boxing, go to camden.gov.
uk/summeruniversity
to book a place.
Now summer’s here . . .
Fund, following a joint bid from
local residents and the Council.
k
Langtry Wal
Way
Rowley
Tenants’
hall
Ab
Ainswo
Road
Loudoun
Everyone’s welcome at
Alexandra Road Park,
Events
reopening mid July.
There will be a wide range of
Take your pick from: meadows
events in the park throughout the
and lawns, a woodland walk, play
summer and into the autumn.
areas, and places to sit and picnic.
Details at lovecamden.org or
friendsofalexandraroadpark.
The park is in South Hampstead
com
between Loudoun Road and
Abbey Road. It was renovated
with a £1.5m
Belsize Road
grant
South
Hampstead
from the
National
Lottery
ark
RooaaddPPark
through
xanddraraR
AAlelexan
the
Heritage
Road
Lottery Fund
dary
Boun
and Big Lottery
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What to do in a gas
emergency
If you suspect a leak:
• Don’t turn any
electrical switches or
appliances on or off
• Don’t smoke
• Don’t use naked flames
• Don’t use a mobile device
Creative Services 2015. 2695.2
• O
pen doors and windows
to vent the gas
• Turn off the gas supply if it
is safe to do so, by turning
the emergency control valve
at right angles to the pipe
• Report the gas emergency
to the repairs telephone line:
0207 974 4444, selecting
the option for gas emergency.
Summer play schemes
We fund local community and
voluntary organisations to
provide holiday play schemes for
children aged four to 13. There
are schemes to suit all families –
including specialist services for
vulnerable children. Messy play is
encouraged at most centres, so
don’t wear your best clothes! More
details: camden.gov.uk/play
Play schemes in Hampstead
The Winchester Project
21 Winchester Road, NW3 3NR
020 7586 8731
[email protected]
thewinch.org
Three Acres Community
Play Project
Parkhill Road, NW3
020 7722 3812
PACE - Fortune Green
Play Centre
Fortune Green Road, NW6 1DR
020 7183 5120
[email protected]
paceforall.com
Hampstead Community Centre
78 Hampstead High
Street, NW3 1RE
020 7794 8313
hampsteadcommunitycentre@
btconnect.com
hampsteadcommunitycentre.
co.uk
Brookfield Play Centre
Brookfield School, Chester
Road, N19 5DH
020 7313 5272 / 07805 834851
p3charity.org
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