The Housing Fire and Building Safety Panel of Camden Council was scheduled to discuss the London Fire Brigade's annual report, an update on proposed changes to the Decent Homes standard, and performance updates on various safety compliance measures. The meeting was also set to review the panel's forward plan and consider any urgent business.

London Fire Brigade Annual Report

The panel was scheduled to receive an overview of the incidents attended by the London Fire Brigade (LFB) in Camden and the community engagement activities undertaken by the LFB during the 2025/26 financial year. The report was intended to highlight trends that partners should be aware of and could potentially assist with. The report included figures on fires and special services attended, as well as details on fire safety checks and prevention activities.

Update on Proposed New Decent Homes Standard

A report was scheduled to provide a summary of the proposed changes to the Decent Homes standard, which was first introduced in 2004 and last amended in 2006. The new standard, announced in a policy statement in January 2026, aims to improve housing quality for millions of renters and will apply to both social and privately rented homes. The proposed changes include an expansion of the components considered in the standard, with kitchens and bathrooms becoming key elements assessed on condition rather than age. New criteria for flats and houses have been introduced, and a new section on damp and mould is proposed, where even minor cases would cause a home to fail the standard. The report also outlined the proposed timeline for implementation, with the standard expected to be effective from 2035, and noted that the council anticipates significant financial impacts that are not currently costed in existing budgets.

Performance on Compliance Q3 2025/26

The panel was due to receive an update on compliance across fire, legionella, asbestos, gas, electrics, and lifts (FLAGEL) for Camden's housing portfolio during the third quarter of the 2025/26 financial year. This report included Q3 performance on safety Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs), an update on progress made to complete fire safety actions, an update on Building Safety Case submissions, and performance against Awaab's Law.

Key performance indicators for Q3 showed that while gas safety, asbestos, and water safety performance remained high, lift safety performance had declined, necessitating the engagement of a backup contractor. Electrical safety performance was steady, with progress being made on overdue remedial actions. Overdue fire risk assessment actions continued to reduce, with only a small number of high-risk actions remaining. The report also detailed progress on the Voluntary Undertaking with the Regulator of Social Housing regarding fire safety actions, noting that the implementation of a new IT system, True Compliance, was expected to improve data handling and monitoring. Updates on Building Safety Case files for higher-risk buildings indicated that while the call-in rate was lower than expected, the council was preparing draft case files. Performance in relation to Awaab's Law, which came into effect in October 2025, showed sustained 100% statutory compliance across key performance indicators for the Rapid Response Team.

Forward Plan

The panel was scheduled to review its work programme for future meetings. This included a standing item on compliance performance reports, an update on the Commercial Properties Compartmentation Programme, and a report on the Grenfell phase 2 inquiry recommendations, subject to the publication of a government programme. The panel was also invited to suggest future items or amendments to the programme, with a review of the panel's Terms of Reference planned for the June meeting.

The report also included an action tracker detailing the status of actions arising from previous meetings. Notable actions included the development of a fire safety leaflet for rough sleepers, an update on issues identified on the Mayford Estate, and consideration of an in-depth analysis of vacant flats to assess their condition and longevity.