The Camden Council Housing Scrutiny Committee met on 15 July 2025, and discussed topics including tenant satisfaction, homelessness strategy, and housing investment. The committee reviewed reports, proposed changes to the work programme, and agreed to monitor action items from previous meetings.

Procurement Strategy for the Camden Rough Sleeping Outreach Service

The committee discussed the procurement strategy for the Camden Rough Sleeping Outreach Service, formerly known as Routes off the Streets (RTS). The current contract is due to expire on 31 March 2026, and the council is seeking to recommission the service with some changes. The proposed contract is for 72 months, with an estimated total value of £10,416,000.

The service aims to support people rough sleeping to access services and accommodation, increase wellbeing, reduce rough sleeping, and coordinate responses for those with multiple disadvantages.

The procurement process will use an open procedure, as set out in the Procurement Act 2023¹, and will consider service-specific scenarios, staffing structures, equality, diversity and inclusion, and lived experience.

The committee noted the report.

Draft Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2025-2030

The committee reviewed Camden's draft Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2025-2030, which builds on the previous strategy from 2019-2024. The strategy is a statutory requirement under the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017². The public consultation for the draft strategy is open from 23 June to 29 September 2025. The draft Strategy will be reviewed and presented to Cabinet for consideration on 10 December 2025.

The strategy focuses on four key priorities: preventing homelessness, providing joined-up support, securing more housing, and campaigning for change nationally.

The committee noted the report.

Housing Investment Strategy Update

The committee considered an update on the implementation of the Housing Investment Strategy, which outlines the council's ambitions for delivering and acquiring homes, and improving existing stock. The report provided updates on the capital investment programme, Decent Homes compliance, stock condition surveys, and the Quality Homes, Family Friendly, and acquisition programmes.

The committee noted the progress made in meeting the Decent Homes Standard³, reducing outstanding fire risk actions, and conducting internal stock condition surveys.

2024/25 Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs)

The committee reviewed Camden's Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs) for the 2024/25 financial year, comparing them to the previous year and benchmarking against other London boroughs. The report summarised tenant satisfaction with various services, including repairs, safety, and communication.

The committee welcomed the improvements in TSM measures related to anti-social behaviour handling, having a safe home, and being kept informed. However, they requested a report addressing repairs service performance and its link to complaints processing and service satisfaction for the next meeting.

Insight, Learning and Impact Report

The committee considered the Insight, Learning and Impact Report, which focused on the year 2024-25 and covered a range of measures from each council directorate. The report highlighted key challenges, opportunities, and learning points across various services.

The committee welcomed the work that the Housing Transformation programme was having in changing the culture of housing services.

Work Programme and Forward Plan

The committee discussed the work programme and forward plan, making the following changes:

• Added the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2025 2030 Cabinet Report for December 2025.
• Requested further information regarding damp and mould as part of the report on Damp and Mould and response to Awaab's Law for September.
• Added a Repairs Performance Report for September.

The committee agreed to the revised work programme.

Appointment of Co-opted Members

The committee considered the reappointment of Charles Bertlin, Larissa Hope, and Victor Seedman as co-opted members for the 2025/26 municipal year. The committee resolved to reappoint them.

Other Matters Discussed

• The repeal of the Vagrancy Act would not reduce the Council's enforcement abilities, as it would still have access to anti-social behaviour powers.
• Camden has a strong voice at the London level and works closely with other boroughs, particularly on shared issues like rough sleeping.
• Camden is investing in its own temporary accommodation stock and exploring models like Housing First.
• The Personal Passport was a good way for people to be more empowered, and this approach was now being looked at as a model to help develop the referral form that was used for the whole pathway service.
• Leaders from mental health, adult social care, and substance misuse services now meet regularly to discuss homelessness.
• The Council expected the new provider for rough sleeping support to offer women-only times and dedicated women-only spaces in the hub.
• A strategic review of the hostel system was being undertaken to explore whether separate spaces might be needed for different groups.
• The meeting was advised that there were no high-risk fire safety actions outstanding, with slightly more than half being medium risk and the remainder low risk.
• The aim of the internal stock condition survey was to reach 100% completion by autumn 2026.
• The Council was the lead borough in the London Consortium for Warmer Homes, and was looking to roll out solar panels and storage to 3,000 homes.
• A report would be going to the next meeting of the scrutiny committee outlining the way the Council had sought to address the issues that had been raised by the Housing Ombudsman.
• Council officers were working with and when appropriate learning from other boroughs in the way they were seeking to improve Repairs Services, along with taking forward the requirements arising from Awaab's Law⁴.
• The rents team had been reorganised to work across five neighbourhoods, aligning with the neighbourhood model, and rent arrears were reduced by nearly £2 million.
• All new and existing staff would be given appropriate training, which would ensure they understood the Council's expectation on being accessible and ensuring the correct balance was being chosen when seeking to take enforcement action.