WATERWAYS MANAGEMENT COMPANY
MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MEETING NO 84
7.30 pm, Tuesday 14 January 2020
Present: Adrian Olsen (Chair), Tao Tao Chou, Ann Hall, Paula Reynolds, Louise Robertson, Brian
Shine, Raquel Stremme, Mary Tovey
In attendance: Natalie Griffiths, FirstPort Property Services
Minute taker: Imogen Olsen
1 Apologies for absence
1.1 Adrian Mourby, Nicholas Orme, Hilary Sorensen, Liz Wheater
2 Minutes of meeting 83
2.1 The minutes of meeting 83 held on 19 November 2019 were approved.
3 Matters arising from the minutes
3.1 The key storage box on the outside wall of 115-141 Frenchay Road had been taken down.
3.2 Nothing further had been heard regarding the repositioning of the community notice board.
4 Electric vehicle charging
4.1 There was some discussion of the legal position of WMC regarding
improvements/developments. FirstPort had provided legal advice but this was considered to
be rather ‘grey’ and suggested that it would be advisable to consult members to see if there
were any objections to proposed works. One director had submitted a written opinion,
which was discussed. The Chair said that the Memorandum of Association of the Company
suggested that works/services could be carried out that were “necessary or desirable” and
that, according to the lease for apartments and the transfer document for freehold houses,
the WMC could carry out “other works and services” as approved by an AGM/EM. Therefore
it was agreed that any proposal regarding electric vehicle charging on the estate should be
an item to be discussed and voted on at an AGM/EM.
4.2 The EV Working Party, including three non-directors from the estate, had held a meeting on
7 January and its convenor reported back. Three directors had started to investigate the
ownership and arrangement of parking spaces over the entire estate. There was some
uncertainty over the exact number of houses; FirstPort agreed to check and confirm whether
the exact number. It was agreed that we would need to know the different parking
arrangements and locations across the estate, including visitor parking, before inviting one
or more companies to inspect and advise on feasibility, and possibly costs. The owners of
most houses should be able to charge their cars from their own electrical supply but there
may be a need to insist on cable protection when passing over WMC land – this could be an
issue if and when there is considerable take-up. Houses with more distant parking spaces
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would face the same problems as apartment blocks in terms of access to a power supply, etc.
In parallel with this work on parking, the Chair and another working party member will
organise a survey of owners to ascertain current and likely future take-up of electric/hybrid
vehicles. The allocation of costs (installation, maintenance and charging) was also discussed.
It was agreed that any charging facility would be strictly limited to Waterways residents only
and it should be possible to further limit some points to particular residents e.g. those in a
block. It was suggested that installation costs should be contributed to by anyone who might
benefit. A director proposed that the WMC continue to investigate the installation of electric
charging points and the committee agreed to this. The committee thanked the director for
all their hard work.
5 Negotiation with Berkeley Homes concerning transfer of estate freehold to WMC
5.1 There was no progress to report as Berkeley Homes had still not replied with a draft legal
document as requested. The lead director was away and will take this up again.
6 Sub-Committee news round-up
6.1 Finance
6.1.1 The annual accounts had been very late but had now been sent to all members. FirstPort
explained that they had been delayed because of extra queries and requests for information
from the auditors. The Treasurer asked FirstPort to ensure that next year the process was
speeded up.
6.1.2 The Actual v Budget report was discussed but it was still rather rough and ready as expenses
had not yet been fully allocated.
6.1.3 FirstPort clarified the position regarding the estates budget (S1) and how much remained
and stated that the reserve for this heading was still healthy.
6.2 Apartment Blocks Sub-Committee
6.2.1 It was agreed to go ahead with the next two repaving projects, which are the hazardous
paths around the car-parking areas outside two apartment blocks in Stone Meadow and
Cox’s Ground. Evergreen would be organising this work direct with the contractors and can
start fairly soon.
6.2.2 There was much discussion of the survey of lifts which FirstPort had recently commissioned.
A director reported on a meeting with Steve Webb of Hemsworth Associates, who had
produced this survey. He had divided the remedial work into repairs and modernisation
works, spread over a number of years, varying for each block. All this work would be very
expensive and it may be necessary to discuss with the consultant the priorities and what is
merely desirable, particularly in the modernisation recommendations. It was agreed that the
most urgent project was the lift at 44-60 Frenchay Road, and that the minimum possible to
get this back in working order should be carried out as a priority. FirstPort would discuss the
priorities and time-scale with Steve Webb and check how much remained in the reserves and
report back. In relation to the lifts in the other blocks it will be necessary to increase the
reserves over the next few years to pay for the works.
6.2.3 FirstPort explained that the delay in mending broken lifts was due to the difficulty in
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obtaining parts as lift companies no longer carry large supplies of parts and often parts have
to be ordered from abroad which can take weeks. Steve Webb is recommending that in
future we should specify British parts where available which may be more expensive but
which can normally be obtained very quickly compared with parts which have to be obtained
from abroad and so would save a great deal of frustrating delay when things go wrong.
6.2.4 There had been a new leak in the recently repaired roof at 115-141 Frenchay Road.
Hunnington’s had investigated and found that the new tiles had not been cemented down
and had therefore been lifted in recent high winds. Technically these tiles were not supposed
to be stuck down but it was agreed that in this case they should be. FirstPort would report
back on the position regarding the guarantee and repairs to the apartment affected by the
leak.
There was a leak in the roof at 30-47 Cox’s Ground but this was not an active leak and a
Section 20 consultation was under way.
6.2.5 There had been an overflow leak at 115-141 Frenchay Road from a rental property which
had not been properly maintained. FirstPort had sent a stern letter to all residents of the
block, which it was agreed had been unnecessarily alarming for several elderly residents.
FirstPort were asked to charge the owner of the relevant apartment for all work in repairing
the wall, and also to monitor the state of the wall meanwhile.
6.2.6 A resident at 108-126 Frenchay Road had requested consideration be given to the
installation of a secure cycle store for that block. It was agreed that a director [BS] would
organise some research into this possibility along with other residents of the block. The Chair
would reply to the original request explaining this.
6.2.7 A director had complained that the internal stairwell and external lighting for 44-60 Frenchay
Road is left on all night, wasting electricity and causing light pollution. Some other blocks had
a different system whereby lights are only activated as required but it was agreed that
altering the lighting in the common parts here could be expensive. The ABSC would look into
the matter.
6.2.8 There was no evidence of any new Airbnb or other short-term lets.
6.3 Gardening Sub-Committee
6.3.1 There had been no progress regarding the proposed stone weirs, as nothing had been heard
from Berkeley Homes regarding the freehold transfer to WMC, and the two processes were
meant to progress in parallel. This matter would be followed up at the next meeting of the
water sub-group.
6.3.2 Work on resurfacing the canal towpath was now almost complete. [1]The rough path leading
down to the towpath from the Frenchay Road bridge had been included, so it was to be
assumed that Berkeley Homes must have decided to allow the County Council to have a right
of way over that path. [2] The Chair had had a useful meeting with Charles Baker, C&RT
project manager for this work, who had explained the situation regarding the damaged
Thames Water inspection chamber. A new pipe had been installed in the side of the chamber
in order to drain off the leaking water directly into the canal, but this may reduce water
levels in our system. According to CB, this was a temporary solution, designed to protect the
new tarmac surface. It was agreed that Thames Water would have to come up with a
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permanent repair, and that C&RT, WMC and the Trap Grounds should join forces in order to
persuade TW to deal with this longstanding fault once and for all. The Chair would write
formally to CB along these lines, and also inform Catherine Robinson of the Trap Grounds of
the situation. In the meantime we should monitor the water levels in the watercourse.
6.3.3 FirstPort had met Evergreen to discuss the remaining winter work, which is mainly
concerned with trees. It was agreed that Evergreen should now proceed with this work.
6.3.4 Voting had been successfully carried out among the house owners of Frenchay Road on the
tree to replace the felled alder in Frenchay Road, and the great majority of the 17 votes cast
had been for the ornamental pear, Pyrus Chanticleer. This will now be planted and will act as
the tree to replace any alders in the future.
6.3.5 The next bike cull would take place when the lead director was available in the next couple
of months. Labels had already been produced by FirstPort. A director volunteered to join the
team.
6.3.6 It had been reported that dumped rubbish still remained at the back of 23 Complins Close.
FirstPort had written to the owner and asked them to remove it all by the end of January.
7 Scrutiny Sub-Committee
7.1 The Chair would in due course contact chairs of the sub-committees with managing agent
performance assessment templates to complete.
8 Feedback
8.1 Nothing had been received on the Feedback web page.
9 WRACIC
9.1 The hog roast on 9 December 2019 had been a great success, and a date for the 2020 late
summer and winter events had already been set. Volunteers were needed to ensure the
continued success of these events.
Richard Dorey has resigned as WRA Chair but will still be involved in the events; a new chair
has not yet been appointed.
10 Managing Agent
10.1 There was nothing to report.
11 Any other business
11.1 The WMC committee dinner had been arranged by a director (RS) for Wednesday 29
January.
11.2 A director had offered to pay for a new tree to be planted by the lakeside to replace the one
which had recently died. This had been discussed with Evergreen.
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12 Dates of next meetings
12.1 Dates for future meetings, all on Tuesdays at 7.30 pm in the Community Room:
2020: 17 March
12.2 It was agreed that the date for the AGM should be Tuesday 19 May 2020, if the Baptist
Church was available. The Secretary would arrange the booking.
The Chair reminded five directors (AH, PR, MT, AO, AM) that they would have to fill in the
form to be re-elected at the next AGM and asked them to bring them to the next meeting for
endorsement.