Waterways Management Company
Minutes of the Management Committee Meeting 112
6.00 pm Thursday 9 January 2025
Present: Louise Robertson, Pat Strudwick, Liz Wheater, Brian Shine (Acting Chair),
Roni Hameiri, Ann Hall, Kate Lack, Aroul Ramadass (Treasurer), Nazeem Dharamshi,
David Morris (minutes), Raquel Stremme, Nicholas Orme
- Apologies for absence
David Hone (First Port) - Minutes of WMC meeting 111 held on Thursday 14 November 2024
(circulated with the agenda) - Matters arising from the minutes
3.1.(3.2) Replacing notice board – keep this open
3.2.(3.3) Person to update Compendium of Decisions – share with the rest
of the group. Decide what to do next. Keep on agenda.
3.3.(3.4) Updating the Welcome to the Waterways leaflet. Check the work
in progress then send it around.
3.4.(3.5) Contact with Waterside low carbon team – update from Waterside
following this meeting. - Sub Committee reports
4.1.Apartment Blocks Sub Committee
4.1.1. Lift survey to decide next block, survey and timing. Directors to
discuss next steps/options.
4.1.2. Update on tenders for redecorations, Stone Meadow and EJW.
FP: Surveyor has attended. A return visit is required to inspect areas
around balconies. Access is being arranged with apartment owners.
4.1.3. Marking of parking spaces: Directors to provide a list of affected blocks.
4.1.4. Broken lift in apartment block. FP: Quotes are being gathered. 1) WMC
requests a copy of the fault report from FP. 2) Establish why this wasn’t
handled as an emergency repair. 3) Audit the inspection records (and keys)
and the future schedule. Directors to write to Firstport on the above.
4.1.5. Tenant storing dozens of boxes on balcony. FP issued removal notice.
Boxes are still in place. Action: Directors to write to FP for follow up.
4.1.6. Cracks in apartment block 44-60 Frenchay Road – FP reports that
Surveyor has contact with tenant who lives abroad. Action: Directors to
write to FP to follow up.
4.1.7. Lift warranty following lift rebuild – parts warranty is only 12 months.
4.1.8. Flickering light outside 82 EJW – Director to visit and find out which
specific light.
4.2.Gardening Sub Committee
4.2.1. Project to re-surface the driveways – WMC to write letter of
objection to the Section 20, pending further clarification.
4.2.2. To confirm that the gardeners use Roundup Bioactive, which contains
Glyphosate, for controlling weeds – James has confirmed they use
Roundup Biactive for the weeds and hard standing areas. He advised it’s
safe for the operator, pedestrians, animals and aquatic life and cannot be
ingested through skin contact or any animals walking on it. They only
spray 4 times a year and have not done so in the school holidays. They
also attend site early- 05:30-06:00 to avoid as many people as possible.
This point now closed.
4.2.3. Timing of replanting of trees in Frenchay Road – FP & James meeting to
be scheduled for February.
4.2.4. Tree felling Frenchay Road. Abusive behaviour towards tree surgeons
and residents.
4.2.5. Meeting with a neighbour re management of our boundary trees with 101
Bainton Road. Meeting to be arranged with James to discuss options for
the trees. No hurry.
4.3.Private houses Sub Committee
4.3.1. Electric vehicle charging points, including cost of putting cables under
the surface of parking areas – FP: We have asked the Surveyor to
provide comments for this query. However, the driveways are the
responsibility of the RMC and residents need to apply for consent
(contact customer services) for any proposed installations. WMC to
include this in the response to the section 20 regarding conduit. Director
to follow up.
4.3.2. Garden railings – FP: we have requested a site meeting with Oliver
Russell (Ironmongers).
4.3.3. Resurfacing of parking spaces – see other points 4.2.1 and 4.3.1
4.3.4. Application to resurface land belonging to 77 Frenchay Road – approved
by WMC.
4.3.5. Gate in passageway between 59 and 61 Frenchay Road. FP: Contractor
has attended, advised gate and supporting posts need replacing – awaiting
quote. A temporary bracket has been fitted to provide some support. - Finance
5.1.Budget for 2025-26. Soft deadline end of January.
5.2.Progress on Asset Plan – connected to the service charge budget
5.2.1. Predictions relating to Service Charge budget. Directors are working on
their blocks and these predictions will be reviewed.
5.3.Section 22 requests – have not been fulfilled within 30 days. Include in the
letter to FP. Action: Director to write from WMC. - Feedback
- Managing agent
7.1.Fire safety concerns – FP: Berkley homes will re-inspect.
7.2.New identical Deed of Variation signed and witnessed. Explore options to
require a better level of service from Firstport and Innovus. Action: Director to
draft a letter and share with WMC.
7.3.New contact details. Nick Elliott is a contact at Innovus.
FP: Waterways inbox traffic has reduced, as customers are contacting customer
service direct, to ensure a case is logged.
All queries are to be directed to our customer services centre. This will be logged
on the customer’s account and allocated to the correct team to assist.
The reason for using our customer service centre is to ensure that all queries are
logged and there is a clear audit trail if any issues occur. Logging your query will
create a case number which can be used if you need further information relating to
that case.
Please submit all queries, report any repairs, order keys & fobs, etc, via the
MyHome Portal or telephone our customer service specialists 0333 321 4080 - WRACIC
8.1.Waterways World report from WMC directors – several inaccuracies and
signed in the name of a WMC director, who has informed the WRA that the
procedure/checking needs to be correct in future.
8.2.Community Room and Commercial Block. Potential new tenant for the former
nursery. - AGM 2024
9.1.Report from AGM of 5 November 2024
9.1.1. Innovus costs are included in management fee.
10.Any other business
10.1. Organisation of WMC, including needs of committee, chairing, and
recruiting new committee members –a brainstorming session was hosted by
one of the directors. How to raise awareness and get residents more
involved. Show/tell the benefits, such as lowering service charges by being
active. Create a private Facebook Group for owners. Continue ideas until
next meeting.
10.2. Inviting residents to first part of committee meetings
10.3. Use of part of a garden for parking bikes – FP to confirm who owns the
land – covered in point 4.3.4
10.4. Offer to buy land managed by WMC – Revisiting the land issue. Contact
Berkeley Homes once again. Directors to check with a former WMC director for
previous activities.
10.5. Feedback on informal coffee morning at 83, Frenchay Road at 10:30
on 8 January. See 10.1
11.Dates of next meetings
13 March, 8 May, 10 July, 11 September, 13 November 2025, at 6.00 p.m. in the
Community Room