Agenda
Waterways Management Company
Minutes of Management Committee Meeting 114
6.00 pm Thursday 8 May 2025
Present: Pat Strudwick, Liz Wheater, Roni Hameiri, Ann Hall, Aroul Ramadass
(Treasurer), David Morris (minutes), Nicholas Orme, Brian Shine (Acting Chair), Kate Lack, Nazeem Dharamshi, Liz Cairncross, Lucienne Bracke (Firstport), Alex Mazurkiewicz (Firstport)
- Apologies for absence
Louise Robertson, Liz Cairncross, Raquel Stremme - Minutes of WMC meeting 113 held on Thursday 13 March 2025
(circulated with the agenda) - Matters arising from the minutes
3.1.Replacing notice board – Formal planning permission is required and is
chargeable. Decision made to abandon physical noticeboard,
3.1.1. Move to digital communications.
3.1.2. Some people don’t have email. Add a message to the snail mail
from Firstport “please register for email”.
3.1.3. Actions: Agree letter content with Firstport (A director to liaise with
Firstport)
3.2.Updating the Welcome to the Waterways leaflet. Almost complete.
Adrian Mourby to do the layout. Send to everyone via email. Send to
everyone without email by normal quality printout.
3.3.Contact with Waterside low carbon team – no updates.
3.4.Berkeley Homes re transfer of the land – Directors met with BH – a process will
be initiated to transfer to a shell company. - Sub Committee reports
4.1.Apartment Blocks Sub Committee
4.1.1. Lifts:
4.1.1.1. 115-135 FR postponed due to elderly resident.
4.1.1.2. 108-126 FR insufficient funding.
4.1.1.3. FP to request tenders from alternative lift consultants.
4.1.1.4. FP to provide wording for future emergency cases.
4.1.2. Tenders for redecorations, Stone Meadow and EJW. Action: FP to
update
4.1.3. Marking of parking spaces. Most car parks need to be done. Action: FP
to get quotes
4.1.4. Broken lift in apartment block – resolved.
4.1.5. 114-141 Frenchay Road: postman would to be able to put Royal Mail
parcels inside security doors. No action possible.
4.1.6. Unoccupied apartment in Complins Close. Action: Engage legal firm due
to possible leak. See also 9.2
4.1.7. Vans parked in car parks by people who do not appear to be residents.
No big issue at the moment. Consider CCTV/ANPR.
4.1.8. Wooden floored balconies. Decking is demised to the apartment. Railing
are responsibility of WMC. Action Firstport
4.1.9. Cracking external render – needs more investigation. Action: FP to
arrange surveyor and look at downpipe issues. Possibly related.
4.1.10. Cracking internal plasterwork – resolved – no subsidence.
4.2.Gardening Sub Committee
4.2.1. Resurfacing driveways and electric vehicle charging points – FP to
update
4.2.1.1. Innovus will refund fees charged. A new firm (AIFM – All In
Facilities Management) has been instructed to carry out an onsite
assessment, detailed report and quotation options. Needs to be split
by material options and blocks/zones. (Two directors agreed to meet,
others welcome.) Date pending.
4.2.1.2. Request to include other homes in tender process – the selected
contractor could quote separately to those householders.
4.2.1.3. Verify titles of car parking spaces. FP needs to legal check, using
examples from two of the directors’ spaces.
4.2.2. Rat contract: complaint from owner in Complins Close. Pest Control
service is in place.
4.2.3. Bin collections in Complins Close. No action can be taken by WMC.
Suggestion: Resident can write to their councillor.
4.2.4. Removal of two Cyprus leylandii trees along the railings in
Frenchay Road. Done.
4.2.5. Tree pollarding works on western boundary – update and plans for next
work in about 3 years
4.2.6. Suggestion to replace four alders in Stone Meadow with Pyrus
Chanticleer next winter. Action: Director to draft a letter to the residents.
4.2.7. A resident’s damaged Tulip tree – replace? Could there be an alternative
location? Action: Director to check with resident
4.2.8. Trees between fences of North Lark Hill – responsibilities to be
established. Action: Check with director not present at the meeting.
4.3.Private houses Sub Committee
4.3.1. Garden railings – FP to update. AIFM will survey them.
4.3.2. Proposal to erect a bike shed to replace a bin store. According to the
Freehold, new structures are not permitted on Waterways, therefore
WMC objects by default. Action to be taken by director. - Finance
5.1.Budget for 2025-26
5.1.1. Cleaning Company Invoice split across blocks – logic of the split to be
communicated by the cleaning company. FP to advise.
5.1.2. Company Sec – there are alternative providers pitching for the business.
Action: FP can reduce the costs to zero.
5.1.3. Company Sec – confirm Comp Sec arrangement in the agreement.
Consider external tender for alternatives.
5.1.4. Insurance – some blocks increased by 84%. FP will use the figures WMC have proposed. FP Alex to include in the budget.
5.1.5. Budget still outstanding. Delays due to FP Accounting Team transition.
Budget expected from FP 09.05.25.
5.2.Progress on Asset Plan – 6 done, 7 to go. Actions to be taken by
directors.
5.3.Section 22 requests – pending.
5.4.Update on bank account. FP agreed to provide bank statements
periodically. - Feedback
- Managing agent
7.1.Fire safety concerns – next FRA to be done in 2025
7.2.New contact details – Gavin, FP Customer Services Manager to be invited to next meeting. Imran will work alongside Lucienne as a secondary property
manager.
7.3.List of approved contractors – Lucie to share.
7.4.Evaluate options for Company Secretary functions – see point 5.1.2 - WRACIC
8.1.Waterways World report from WMC directors
8.2.Community Room and Commercial Block - Any other business
9.1.Organisation of WMC, including needs of committee, chairing, and recruiting
new committee members. Retirements are pending. Which functions need to
be fulfilled? Share ideas with WMC Chair.
9.2.Investigate leak in Complins Close
9.3.Contact to obtain keys to communal door in Complins Close. FP to send info with contact.
9.4.Bicycle theft. CCTV, extend bin stores. CCTV – ask councillor. Encourage
every crime to be reported, hits the crime map and local councillor, which will
trigger Police presence. Ask for a Police meeting to discuss options. FP to
reach out to the Police. Action: A director to share notes with several ideas.
9.5.State of bridge near 51 Stone Meadow. FP has requested a quote from the
JBR Carpenter.
9.6.Leak in one of apartment block buildings. Action: FP has dispatched Dynorod (9 May 2025)
9.7.Lock broken in a block – needs a replacement cylinder. In progress.
10.Private discussion
11.Dates of next meetings
10 July, 11 September, 13 November 2025, at 6.00 p.m. in the Community Room
12.Resident Q&A
12.1. Communication
12.1.1. Waterways website should have a link to the accounts
12.2. Parking resurfacing query. Section 20 process explained.
12.3. Financial Liability.
12.3.1. End of year accounts are published on the Firstport Portal.
12.3.2. Any works above £250 per dwelling would require a Section 20
process.
12.4. Trees & Shrubs
12.4.1. Trees between fences of North Lark Hill – responsibilities to be
established.
12.4.2. Costs should Benefit Residents – discussed
12.4.3. Representation
12.4.4. Bicycle sheds/theft – it is not permitted to erect new buildings due
to the arrangement with Berkley Homes. We are trying to work around this
as well as working on the freehold transfer from BH to WMC.
12.4.5. EV chargers – a slow moving subject connected with other
subjects
12.4.6. Service Charge Renewal – when can the letter be expected?