Borough of Camden, London, England, UK. Not endorsed or funded by Camden Council.
About this blog
NOTE: I believe this account has been illegally hacked. Little clues have been left for me. They like playing games.
Friday, 11 September 2015
Sunday, 9 August 2015
Damp Patch on interior wall and ceiling of Flat
Have contacted repairs and await their action over the matter.
Notice I still have that horrible (imo) chip wood paper on some of the walls the council put up because I really can't be arsed to do much to this flat because it has never really felt like a home
NB don't get me wrong that I am not grateful to have a roof over my head, and to have a secure tenancy, because I am grateful, and I don't really ask for much in life, but its now gotten to the point with my added health problems and getting old(er) that I just want somewhere decent to call home and I'm not giving up this time like I have in the past.
I'm not the only one in this situation, lots of people are and i'm sick and tired of people having to fight (if they are able to and not every is able to) land-lords, the gov for a simple decent 'home' to live in.
Some people may think that being a council tenant comes with a whole load of benefits, some yes, but not that many unless of course you're one of the 'chosen ones' or have contacts in the council. And I know some tenants are a pain just as some council people are in my experience, but sometimes it seems like its just a job to some council people, tick this box - there we homed them, doesn't matter though what state the property is in or how suitable or not it is. Peoples environments matter whether they be living, working or play, they all have an effect whether good or bad on people.
Finished me rant - for now.
Update 15 August 2015
Not heard anything from housing repairs team yet about my report to them (via email) last Sunday of damp patch with above pics. Water is rolling down wall on a daily basis. Not a lot of water but enough to keep the wall wet.
19 Aug 2015
Plumber - apprentice and supervisor came to flat this afternoon.
2 September 2015
Plumber came yesterday in the morn(about the noisy pipes) to try and access all flats but could only access 2. This time the tenant in top flat (most of the noise comes from when top flat water is used) was asked to turn on the hot water and I could hear the noise from pipes quite clearly in my living room.
Plumber came down and I said I can hear the noise from pipes and he went over to pipes and bent forward to listen and asked is this where the noise is coming from or something similar and I said yes and I also mentioned the noise (not then though) along ceiling.
When he went outside to do mains check neighbour next door approached him and I went out as I wondered what it was to do with her - as it turns out and I had not been aware of this was that she could hear the loud banging noise from pipes and something like a bubbling boiler (which worried her) and informed him of what she could hear and that it woke her up at night. That it had been going on for years.
I said I'm glad you said what you said as over the years I have gotten the impression that the landlord thinks I'm making up my reports of the noise - or something.
Anyhow, plumber replaced ball cock ( said something about valve) in upstairs loft water tank to see if that fixes the problem and off he went.
Later in early morn I could hear water pressure noise - then the banging pipes, but not as bad as it usually is. Will give it a little while to hear whether usual noise returns.
Also have surveyor coming about water leak in hallway. Discovered that part of wall near my bedroom window is a bit damp as wallpaper bubbling and whole strip came away easily. No water coming down wall though as far as I can see.
Update 22 Sept 2015
Surveyor came the other week to inspect the water damage on the wall in hallway and in bedroom, he said something about condensation and used one of those hand held gadget things against the walls which bleeped and red light and high number read and I asked him did it mean the wall was damp and he said yes. Then something about having to get into flat above and pull up things, then off he went.
Then plumber came today to inspect the walls in flat (and part of ceiling which is crumbling apart) then looked out of b/r window and said the outside wall was wet, which at the time I thought yeah its raining, but later had a proper look and saw what he meant - see below pics
and
Then he went to flat upstairs and I didn't see him again.
Hopefully the having-a-look stage has finished and the work that's needed gets underway soon.
Update 30 Sept 2015
The toilet overflow pipe for flat above which is situated on wall of patio/balcony below toilet window has water coming out of it. I'm guessing the plumber who came to inspect both flats on the 22 Sept 2015 would have seen the water.
No word yet from repairs team since plumber came on 22 Sept 2015 about further appointments.
Update 18 October 2015
Roofer came last Monday to look at upstairs patio - was up there about 5 minutes then left.
Has been 2 months now since I reported the damp patches to landlord - a number of appointments to look at things but little else as far as I am aware.
Update 27 October 2015
Found out from tenant above that she has another appointment this week for plumber or whoever to look at things.
As far as I know water is still coming out of tenant above me toilet overflow pipe which comes down onto the patio roof, which has to be replaced apparently. Am still getting water coming down the wall in hallway, can't really see if it comes down on bedroom wall as much as though it is damp the layer of paint beneath the wallpaper that came off, is still on the wall though some of it is bubbled so can't see the water so obviously as hallway hall. Outside wall below part of patio where the inside damp is, is notably wet.
31 Oct 2015
Plumber came and changed ball cock in upstairs toilet re toilet water overflow pipe and had a look again at the damp walls in my flat and damp wall outside my window. Said something about moving upstairs water overflow pipe inside. Said something about trying different things to see if its works. Time will tell - so far no noticeable water coming down hallway wall since about Thursday.
These things can take some time what with making appointments suitable for tenants and whatnot.
3 Nov 2015
It has been 5 days now since plumber came and changed ball cock in upstairs flat loo and I haven't noticed any water on hall way wall. Guessing the toilet overflow was part of the problem, which has now been fixed. The next test I think is for when it rains heavily to see if water comes down wall and if so then report it to landlord.
Once the problems with the flat above have been sorted out and the water has stopped coming into my flat, I will have to get onto landlord to re- report the damage the damp has done to my walls and part of the hallway ceiling. I will re-report it because the landlord doesn't work in a joined up way in such matters.
Dec 17 2015
A plasterer from the landlord came to look at the damage to the wall in the hallway and bedroom last week. He hadn't been briefed on the problem and wanted to start when he came but I queried whether the walls had dried out as no one from the council has made this clear to me since I reported that the water coming down the hallway wall had stopped following the ballcock change, he went away and an appointment for next month was sent to me.
The landlord doesn't do internal decorating anymore apparently but have some other process one has to go through.
I don't know if its connected but neighbour has had someone in flat for last 2 days doing some work. I think they have been using white paint which dripped onto lino floor outside flat door (not cleaned up) and newspaper taped down on floor at flat door, inside flat. No noticeable new painting done in communal area.
16 Feb 2016 post update HERE
Sunday, 26 July 2015
Tenants Right to Manage
The scheme is about tenants taking on small scale housing repairs and maintenance services from their landlord.
In July 2013 we hear that the first tenant cash back scheme has been started in Camden by the Russell Chambers Residents Association HERE
" Camden Council has agreed to pay the group what it would normally cost to run this part of the service and has signed a Cashback Agreement with the group to formalise the delivery of the service in the longer term."
Council tenants legal Right to Manage stems from section 27 of the Housing Act 1985 HERE.
The Housing (Right to Manage) Regulations 1994 HERE prescribed how tenants where to legally go about taking on housing management functions.
In June 2011 the Camden Association of Street Properties (CASP) and the council colluder's entered into an housing management agreement to provide, not an existing service, but a new service for targeted tenants who live in council street properties. Click HERE for casp write up on the gardening project.
Why no above board and open management agreement with CASP or indeed the DMC's who CASP get money from to carry out the gardening maintenance service? Some dmc members also run community halls based on/near the estate they live in. They are for use of all the community but are paid for from the housing revenue account.
According to Camden councils website HERE there are 6 TMO groups in Camden
- Abbey Road housing co-op
- Agar Grove Tenant Management co-op limited
- Chalk Farm housing group
- Carol street housing co-op
- Godwin and Crowndale housing co-op
- St Pancras Court housing co-op
A few years back I asked Camden council via the FoI Act what legal powers/legislation they where using to fund the 5 dmc's - or words to that effect and I was informed that it was the wel-being powers within Local Government Act 2000 HERE.
I also asked:
" Dear Camden Borough Council,
Please provide me with the following information:
1. A copy of the initial and subsequently updated agreement/s the
council entered into with the five district management committee's
(dmc's) - Holborn, Camden Town, Kentish Town, Gospel Oak and
Hampstead - that enables dmc members to allocate large sums of
public funding to council tenant groups in Camden.
2. The legal status of the 5 dmc's "
To which I was sent information I didn't ask for.
After another try I was informed
"with hindsight, the HASC might have advised you that there are quarterly reports that touch up the monitoring and accounting aspects of the DMC's".
I have since found out that the accounting aspects in the dmcs agreement amounts to dmc members not having to produce annual accounts for even their own members let alone other tenants to see, and not having to give the council the accounts either.
Another FoI request informs
"The DMC's have access to funds but they are not entitled to spend them directly. Instead the DMC's make recommendations on how the money that has been allocated to them should be spent. The decision making in terms of spending the money is then taken by Council Officers"
Update 25 Feb 2016
In regards to the above quote, dmc members do get sent cheques to spend on some works/goods/services as stated in some officers reports (not at hand right now).
" [F227Management agreements.
1) A local housing authority may agree that another person shall exercise in relation to—
(a)such of the authority’s houses as are specified in the agreement, and
(b)any other land so specified which is held for a related purpose, such of the authority’s management functions as are so specified.
(2)In this Act—
(a)“ management agreement ” means an agreement under subsection
(1) or a sub-agreement, and
(b)“ manager ”, in relation to a management agreement, means a person by whom management functions are exercisable under the agreement.
(3) A management agreement shall set out the terms on which the authority’s functions are exercisable by a manager.
(4) An agreement under subsection (1) shall contain such provisions as may be prescribed by regulations made by the [F3appropriate Minister].
(5) A management agreement may—
(a) include provision authorising a manager, with the consent of the authority, to agree that another person shall exercise any management function exercisable by the manager under the agreement;
(b)where a body or association is a manager, provide that the management functions of the body or association under the agreement may be performed by a committee, sub-committee, officer or employee of the body or association.
Thursday, 25 December 2014
1. Drug Wars In Camden
Monday, 23 September 2019
2. Camden Drug Wars HERE
19 August 1999
Monday, October 4, 1999
Thursday, 10 July 2014
Camden Councils Audit and Corporate Governance Committee
AGC Terms of Reference HERE
The General Purposes committee doesn't appear to have ever received deputations or evidence from members of the public.
GPs committee review (Feb 2006) of the need for a separate audit committee HERE which brought about the setting up of the Audit committee which held its first meeting on 29 March 2006 HERE
The newly set up Audit committee set about looking at work of the councils internal audit team - report HERE.
an extract from the report about why an internal audit service is needed:
- Section 151 of the Local Government Act 1972 requires every local authority to ‘make arrangements for the proper administration of their financial affairs’.
- The Accounts and Audit Regulations 2003 requires the ‘relevant body to ensure that an adequate and effective system of Internal Audit is maintained’.
The Audit committee received quarterly reports on the work of the councils internal audit team who seem to have a lot of work to do.
The Audit and Corporate Governance committees first meeting was 25 March 2009 HERE
Sunday, 25 May 2014
Camden Council 22 May 2014 Election Results
54 Seats, 18 Wards.
Previous Seats (May 2010-May 2014)
Con 10
Lab 30
LD 13
Green 1
Seats following 22 May 2014 council elections
Green 1
Labour and Cooperative 2
Lib Dems 1
Conservative 12
Labour 38
Winners names in bold
Belize
Jonny Bucknell - Con 1219
Bradley Hillier-Smith - Lib Dems 760
Madeleine Jennings - Lab 939
Claire-Louise Leyland - Con 1157
James McGowan - Lab 782
Darren Robert Murphy - Green 269
Lawrence Joseph Nicholson - Lib Dems 678
Harunur Rashid - Lab 709
Leila Roy - Con 1016
Nigel Rumble - Independent 199
Tom Simon - Lib Dems 992
Rowan St Clair - Green 272
Stuart Temple Taylor - Green 243
Total including rejected 9257
Actual votes 9235
Rejected/spoiled 22
Turnout 38.26%
Bloomsbury
Hammad Baig - Lib Dems 185
Timothy Barnes - Con 608
Amiery De Malet - Lib Dems 212
Sabrina Francis - Lab 1271
Samuel William Gage - Green 396
Giles Game - UKIP 219
Stanley Grossman - Lib Dems 167
Adam Douglas Keir Harrison - Lab 1295
Andrew Keep - Con 536
Sarah Macken - Con 489
Rishi Madlani - Lab 1226
Dee Searle -Green 419
Shana Tufail - Green 341
Total including rejected 7385
Actual votes 7364
Rejected/spoiled 21
Turnout 33.11%
Camden Town with Primrose Hill
Juniour Blake - Lib Dems 295
Pat Callaghan - Lab 2005
Richard Cotton - Lab 1542
Phil Cowan -Independent 287
Nicola Hart - Green 641
Mukul Hari - Lib Dems 255
Sarah Hoyle - Lib Dems 309
Chris Kassapiss - Con 609
Rory Manly - Con 655
Richard James Merrin - Con 567
Lazzoro Pietragnoli - Lab 1608
Daniel Alexander Rosenbaum - Green 601
Ben Van Der Velde - Green 455
Total including rejected 9847
Actual votes 9829
Rejected/spoiled 18
Turnout 38.00%
Cantelowes
Danny Beales - Lab 2002
Paul Nicholas Braithwaite - Lib Dem 725
Fran Bury - Green 639
Fiona Ann Firman - Green 632
Robyn Gardner - Con 375
Victoria Green - Green 546
Margaret Jackson-Roberts -Lib Dem 355
Phil Jones - Lab 1966
Angela Mason - Lab 1899
Robert Anthony Ricketts - Con 361
Catherine Felicity Jane Sinclair Jones - Lib Dem 344
Will Timmins - Con 346
Total including rejected 10221
Actual votes 10190
Rejected/spoiled 31
Turnout 40.58%
Fortune Green
Ian Cohen - Con 893
Juan Jimenez - Green 326
Nancy Jirira - Lib Dems 950
Leila Mars - Green 403
Lucy Oldfield - Green 318
Richard Olszewski - Labour and Cooperative 967
Andrew James Parkinson - Con 739
Flick Rea - Lib Dems 1151
Lorna Russell - Labour and Cooperative 1028
Nick Russell - Lib Dems 865
Tom Smith - Con 686
Phil Turner - Labour and Cooperative 904
Total including rejected 9246
Actual votes 9230
Rejected/spoiled 16
Turnout 39.20%
Frognal and Fitzjohns
Siobhan Baillie - Con 1497
Jack Boardman - Lab 606
David Ian Bouchier - Lib Dems 294
Charles Hilary Harris -Green 411
Mazida Khatun - Lab 481
Andrew Mennear - Con 1428
Edward Sherman Ross - Green 363
Richard Salmon - Lab 512
Gio Spinella - Con 1352
Erich Wagner - Lib Dems 187
Anne Ward - Lib Dems 284
Stephen Edward West - Green 312
Total including rejected 7738
Actual votes 7727
Rejected/spoiled 11
Turnout 33.70%
Gospel Oak
Steve Adams - Con 634
Theo Blackwell - Lab 1687
Constantine Buhayer - Green 527
Peter John Horne - Con 551
Roger Hughes - Lib Dems 248
Barry Leavers - UKIP 361
James Richard Marshall - Green 429
Maeve McCormack - Lab 1590
Laura Frances Noel - Lib Dems 245
John Reid - Trade Union and Socialist Coalition 110
Larraine Revah - Lab 1534
Kevin Simon Sefton - Lib Dems 158
Sangita Singh - Con 456
Jane Kathryn Walby - Green 548
Total including rejected 9084
Actual votes 9078
Rejected/spoiled 6
Turnout 40.70%
Hampstead Town
Rachael Agnew - Lab 726
Robert Carruthers - Lib Dems 542
Linda Chung - Lib Dems 1148
Tom Currie - Con 1272
Sophie Emma Clare Dix -Green 512
Maisie King - Green 365
Simon Marcus - Con 1465
James Newsome - Lib Dems 575
Maddy Raman - Lab 711
Luca Salice - Lab 609
Stephen Stark - Con 1380
Prashant Bhaskar Vase - Green 288
Total including rejected 9604
Actual votes 9593
Rejected/spoiled 11
Turnout 43.68%
Haverstock
Rahel Mohammed Bokth - Lib Dems 913
Charlotte Sophie Collins - Green 456
Christopher Cooke - UKIP 315
Stephen Daughton - Con 351
Nathan Davidson - Con 339
Jill Fraser Lib Dems 1081
Alison Kelly - Lab 1707
Andre Lopez- Turner - Green 356
Abdul Quadir - Lab 1578
Carole Ricketts - Con 291
Matt Sanders - Lib Dem 976
Una Sapietis - Green 361
Abi Wood - Lab 1462
Total including rejected 10206
Actual votes 10186
Rejected/spoiled 20
Turnout 42.46%
Highgate
Sian Berry - Green 1642
Will Blair - Con 727
Beth Charlesworth - Con 763
Will Dilnott-Cooper - Con 662
Sally Gimson - Lab 1739
Martin Charles Hay - Lib Dems 198
Matthew Johnston - Green 1252
Valerie Leach - Lab 1567
Oliver Lewis - Lab 1664
Robert McCracken - Green 1099
Henry Potts - Lib Dems 232
Martin Wright - Lib Dems 130
Total including rejected 11702
Actual votes 11675
Rejected/spoiled 27
Turnout 49.95%
Holborn and Covent Garden
Jeremy Richard Allen - Lib Dems 222
Lewis Barber - Con 601
Nikki Brain - Green 480
Robert Carlyle - Independent 162
Alison Frost - Con 635
Julian Fulbrook - Lab 1844
Eve Mullen - Green 458
Daniel Nesbitt - Con 576
Awade Olad - Lab 1588
Anthony Quinn - Green 357
David Simmons - Lib Dems 196
Sue Vincent - Lab 1714
Ken Wright - Lib Dems 181
Total including rejected 9046
Actual votes 9014
Rejected/spoiled 32
Turnout 35.50%
Kentish Town
Omar Ali - Lib Dems 304
Meric Apak - Lab 1992
Doreen Bartlett - Con 452
Paul Barton - Con 397
Darryl James Davies - Con 427
Judy Dixie - Lib Dems 375
Valdir Francisco - Lib Dems 195
Georgia Gould - Lab 2076
Jenny Headlam-Wells - Lab 2165
George Houghton - Green 738
Alaa Owaineh - Green 818
Jack Stephen Parker - Green 882
Maxine Spencer - UKIP 287
Total including rejected 11128
Actual votes 11108
Rejected/spoiled 20
Turnout 40.75%
Kilburn
Sarah Astor - Green 402
Douglas Beattie - Lab 1661
Richard Dunham Bourn - Green 276
Maryam Eslamdoust- Lab 1611
Thomas Gardiner - Lab 1543
Janet Grauberg - Lib Dems 876
Sheila Hayman - Green 286
Jack Holroyde- Lib Dems 746
James King - Lib Dems 883
Nick Vose - Con 411
Tim Wainwright - Con 409
John Whitehead -Con 357
Total including rejected 9483
Actual votes 9461
Rejected/spoiled 22
Turnout 38.31%
Kings Cross
John Burden - Lib Dems 236
Brian Gascoigne - Green 550
Abdul Hai - Lab 1333
Sarah Hayward - Lab 1467
Dominic Kendrick - Green 459
Adam Lester - Con 431
Ivan Julian Massow - Con 403
Patsy Prince - Con 401
Jonathon Simpson - Lab 1424
Michael Ancrum Skinner - Lib Dems 195
Elizabeth Margaret Stanton Jones - Lib Dems 263
Lewis Sullivan - Green 446
Total including rejected 7631
Actual votes 7608
Rejected/spoiled 23
Turnout 34.52%
Regents Park
Shahin Ahmed - Con 595
Nash Ali - Lab 1648
Sam Cannicott - Lib Dems 232
Hamish Hunter - Con 551
Heather Johnson - Lab 1675
Daniel Jarrod Jones - Lib Dems 525
Daviyani Rayshma Kothari - Lib Dems 133
Stephen Plowden - Green 457
Barry Read - UKIP 380
Nicholas John Seston - Green 409
Nadia Shah - Lab 1599
Ellie Vesey Thompson - Con 516
Anne Wright - Lib Dems 198
Total including rejected 8930
Actual votes 8918
Rejected/spoiled 12
Turnout 36.04%
St Pancras and Somers Town
Nana Oye Adjepong - Lib Dems 192
Peter Brayshaw - Lab 2488
Rob Culligan - Con 368
Samata Khatoon - Lab 2423
Elliott Miller - Con 295
Matty Mitford - Green 562
Brian Rice - Con 351
Roger Robinson - Lab 2511
Koonal Kirit Shah - Green 440
Nicole Sykes - Lib Dems 178
Abdul Hannan Tarofdar - Lib Dems 245
James Widdowson - Green 526
Total including rejected 10617
Actual votes 10579
Rejected/spoiled 38
Turnout 38.60%
Swiss Cottage
Chris Butler - Lib Dems 300
Tom Franklin - Green 433
Roger Freeman - Con 1294
Andrew Haslam-Jones - Lib Dems 230
Helen Jack - Green 376
Andrew Marshall - Con 1340
Jill Newbrook - Lib Dems 347
Ben Nunn - Lab 1029
Sheila Patton - Green 339
Simon Pearson - Lab 1008
Gretel Reynolds - Lab 960
Don Williams - Con 1221
Total including rejected 8886
Actual votes 8877
Rejected/spoiled 9
Turnout 34.67%
West Hampstead
John William Bryant - Lib Dems 836
Natalie Eliades - Con 800
Nick Grierson - Con 811
Richard Neil Griffiths - Green 327
Zane Hannan - Green 343
Keith Moffitt - Lib Dems 943
Magnus Nielsen - UKIP 202
David Pearce - Trade Union and Socialist Coalition 67
Angela Pober - Lab 1166
Gillian Risso-Gill - Lib Dems 901
Phil Rosenberg - Lab 1179
Andrew Saywell - Con 715
Quentin Tyler - Green 250
James Yarde - Lab 1082
Total including rejected 9622
Actual votes 9622
Rejected/spoiled 0
Turnout 38.00%