The Gospel Oak District Management Committee met on Thursday 17 September 2026 to discuss the Housing Revenue Account's medium-term financial strategy and resident engagement for budget setting, alongside updates on housing investigations and the council's budget. The meeting also covered performance reports, tenant satisfaction measures, and local issues.

Registration of Tenants' Associations and Co-option of Tenant Representatives

The committee was scheduled to review the list of registered Tenants' and Residents' Associations (TRAs) that had completed the registration process. This included details of representatives to be co-opted onto the DMC, along with their substitutes. A separate list of TRAs whose registrations had lapsed was also to be presented, with information on the process for re-registration.

Minutes and Progress Report

The meeting was scheduled to include the approval and signing of the minutes from the previous Gospel Oak DMC meeting held on 16 July 2026. Attendees were also to consider the progress report and any other matters arising from the previous meeting.

HRA Medium Term Financial Strategy & Engagement for Budget Setting 2027/28

A report from the Strategic Finance Lead – Housing was set to outline the financial challenges facing the Council and their impact on the Housing Revenue Account (HRA). The report was expected to detail the proposed approach for engaging tenants in the budget-setting process for 2027/28. This included addressing the significant savings target of £8m to £12m needed over the next three years for the HRA, even with maximum allowable rent increases. The report also proposed changes to the rent-setting consultation format to make it more accessible and meaningful for all tenants, moving away from the traditional Joint DMC meeting to a wider range of participation methods. Key dates for this engagement process, including a Meet the Heads Property Event and a consultation window leading to a January Cabinet decision, were to be presented.

Housing Investigations

The Director of Housing was scheduled to provide an update on the work of the Housing Investigations team (HIT). This team is responsible for ensuring that individuals residing in or applying for council homes are entitled to do so, and for investigating tenancy fraud and breaches of tenancy conditions. The report was expected to detail the number of homes recovered in the 2025-2026 period due to various forms of fraud and unauthorised occupancy, as well as the amount of unlawful profit recovered.

Gospel Oak DMC September Budget Report

The Resident Engagement Manager was to present a report detailing the Gospel Oak DMC's budget allocation for 2026/2027. This report was to cover progress on approved bids and any new bids submitted for consideration. The total budget for minor and major revenue works for the financial year was £154,060.00. A new bid for £2,500 from the Maitland Park TRA for a Common Birds Habitat Panel was listed for consideration.

Cabinet Member Better Homes and Homelessness Paper

Councillor Anna Wright, Cabinet Member for Better Homes and Homelessness Prevention, was scheduled to provide an update. This was to include information on improvements to void turnaround times, with active voids reducing from a peak of 480 to 327. The update was also to cover progress on housing IT system improvements, the new in-house gas boiler team, the lift repair SMS update service, preparations for the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP), and winter preparedness for heating and hot water systems. Additionally, an update on the completion of the major works programme at the Chalcots Estate and ongoing resident safety initiatives, including significant investment in fire safety, was to be presented.

Homes & Communities Performance Report - Quarter 1 2026/27

This information item, presented by the Head of Housing Policy, Performance and Assurance, was intended to update the DMCs on the performance of services delivered in-house by the Homes & Communities directorate. The report was expected to cover a mixed picture of high demand for housing services, alongside positive improvements in areas such as housing income performance and building safety compliance. Challenges in areas like gas certification and reducing overdue fire and building safety actions were also to be highlighted. The report included detailed Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for Housing Solutions, Allocations and Lettings, Housing Income and Leasehold Services, Neighbourhoods, Building Safety, and Repairs.

Tenant Engagement Quarterly Report: June, July, August 2026

The Head of Housing and Property Engagement and Customer Service was to present insights and recommendations from the quarterly monitoring of tenant engagement activities and forums. This report was to cover engagement events such as Neighbourhood Action Days, feedback from residents, applications to the Special Projects Grant, and applications to the District Management Committee Fund. The report noted record numbers of tenants attending Neighbourhood Action Days and highlighted a significant opportunity to increase participation among younger tenants and working-age households, as well as male residents. It also detailed resident feedback, which was overwhelmingly positive, with a strong appreciation for face-to-face interaction and practical assistance.

Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSM) Survey

This information item, from the Head of Housing Policy, Performance and Assurance, was to update the DMC on the latest Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSM) results for the 2025/2026 financial year. These measures, required by the Regulator of Social Housing, provide a view of landlord performance from the tenant's perspective, covering perception and management information. The report was to detail year-on-year changes in various TSM indicators, including satisfaction with overall service, repairs, complaints handling, and anti-social behaviour. It was noted that while overall satisfaction had slightly decreased, satisfaction with repairs and complaints handling had improved, while satisfaction with listening to tenant views and handling anti-social behaviour had declined.

Local Issues

The committee was scheduled to consider any local issues raised by DMC members.

Any Other Business

Any other business that the Chair considered urgent was to be discussed.