WATERWAYS MANAGEMENT COMPANY
Minutes of the MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MEETING NO 82
Held at 7.30 pm on Tuesday 17 September 2019 in the Waterways Community Room
Present: Adrian Olsen (Chair), Tao Tao Chou, Ann Hall, Adrian Mourby, Nicholas Orme, Paula
Reynolds, Louise Robertson, Brian Shine, Hilary Sorensen, Raquel Stremme, Mary Tovey
In attendance: Rachel Dolacinski and Natalie Griffiths, FirstPort Property Services
Minute taker: Imogen Olsen
1 Apologies for absence
1.1 Liz Wheater
2 Welcome to new property manager
2.1 Natalie Griffiths was welcomed to her first meeting with WMC and introductions were
made all round.
3 Minutes
Approval of the minutes from meeting 81
3.1 The minutes of meeting 81 held on 16 July 2019 were approved.
4 Matters arising from the minutes
4.1 The lift at 108-126 Frenchay Road appeared to be working again after some problems
with the repairs.
4.2 FirstPort were in communication with Evergreen regarding repairs to the gate and path
between Frenchay Road terraced houses.
4.3 A director had been in touch with local children regarding the design of posters to warn
against leaving dog mess on the canal towpath.
4.4 The solar-powered lights in the Complins Close bin store had been vandalised, twice.
FirstPort had been advised by an electrician that a cage should be installed around the
solar panel outside the bin store.
5 Matters arising from the Q&A session
5.1 It was agreed that this session had been a success, with a good turn-out of fourteen and
a positive atmosphere. It was hoped that the new owner at 2-32 EJW might become a
useful contact in a block hitherto lacking in interested residents.
6 Railway line developments
6.1 There was nothing to report, apart from various hints that freight traffic might be
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increasing. Some people were reporting greater noise levels from freight trains.
7 Negotiation with Berkeley Homes concerning transfer of estate freehold to WMC
7.1 The director leading these negotiations updated the committee on progress. A solicitor
had now been engaged and Berkeley Homes had been asked to prepare a draft transfer
document. Nothing had been heard since and it was clear that this was not a priority for
Berkeley Homes. The director would continue to prod them. Meanwhile she had
discovered from reading the small print that, after the completion of the transfer, WMC
would be able to enforce estate covenants.
7.2 A surveyor would be needed in order to establish exact boundaries with Network Rail
behind Stone Meadow and with St Edward’s School to the north of Cox’s Ground.
8 Sub-Committee news round-up
8.1 Finance
8.1.1 The annual accounts were still with the auditor and everything was running smoothly,
on course for completion by late October.
8.2 Apartment Blocks Sub-Committee
8.2.1 A director raised the question of charging points on the estate for electric vehicles and
the implications for the imminent renewal of paving around 115-141 Frenchay Road. It
was agreed that such charging points would eventually probably need to be installed.
The director had arranged to meet an electric charging company who could advise on
prices and possibilities for inserting trunking for future cables under the new paved
areas, to avoid these being dug up again later. Another director pointed out that the
installation of charging points would not fall within the remit of WMC as they could not
be regarded as ‘maintenance’. FirstPort agreed that in their experience such work had
been done at private expense, on a block-by-block basis.
8.2.2 A director summarised what had been discussed at that afternoon’s Apartment Blocks
Sub-Committee meeting.
Steam cleaning had been a great success and further cleaning would be scheduled.
Various redecorations were still awaited.
A progress report on the survey of lifts is due soon from FirstPort.
Clothes/carpet moths had become a problem in 56-90 EJW and spraying had been done
in common areas, but it was felt that some were still present. FirstPort agreed to send a
letter to all residents in the block advising them to take appropriate measures.
A director still had a problem with damp in her flat and a photo was shown. This is still
being investigated.
A key-storage box had been affixed to the outside of 115-141 Frenchay Road. FirstPort
agreed to send a letter to all residents of the block to say this was not permitted.
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8.2.3 No signs had been spotted of further Airbnb or other short-term lets.
8.3 Gardening Sub-Committee
8.3.1 There had been little progress on the proposed construction of stone weirs in the
balancing pond. There was some concern regarding the requirement to remove all
vegetation from the banks in order to regrade them. The old planting plans drawn up by
Berkeley Homes had shown far more planting than was currently in place: evidence that
the ‘overplanting’ was not the fault of WMC. There was also a feeling that we would
need a project manager to oversee any contractor. Nothing further had been heard
from Stuart Divall, and the director leading this project would contact him again.
FirstPort were asked to find out whether they could project manage this work if it goes
ahead.
Berkeley Homes had supplied a specially made metal pole for measuring the depth of
the silt. This had been used after the recent silt clearance and had shown that the trap
was indeed completely empty.
8.3.2 Lanes had eventually completed the recent silt clearance operation but there had been
some confusion on their side as to what they were supposed to be doing. This had been
sorted out eventually.
8.3.3 The tree stump in Frenchay Road had been removed and it was now time to send all
residents in that road a letter explaining the options for replacement. A director would
liaise with FirstPort.
8.3.4 A director had brought a sample of the paving slab which had been proposed for the
forthcoming repaving work outside 115-141 Frenchay Road. It was agreed to proceed
with this sample, Tobermore Tegula Trio, 50mm, Golden. FirstPort would investigate a
second quote from the firm suggested during the Q&A session.
8.3.5 It was agreed to investigate the possibility of installing an estate water supply for use by
the gardeners, possibly near the water main close to the post box. FirstPort would
contact Thames Water.
8.3.6 Signs and cameras to deter antisocial behaviour at the rear of Clearwater Place were to
be erected shortly by Evergreen.
8.3.7 The ‘Himalayan Balsam’ growing along the wildlife corridor had turned out to be Great
Willow Herb, and therefore non-invasive. However there was still quite a lot of
Himalayan Balsam behind Cox’s Ground which needed to be tackled, either by
Evergreen or by volunteers, probably next spring before the flowers set.
8.3.8 The Gardening Sub-Committee would fix a date for the next walkabout.
8.3.9 One director had spotted some young people by the lakeside possibly dealing in drugs.
9 Scrutiny Sub-Committee
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9.1 It was agreed that a further monitoring of FirstPort’s performance would be arranged
this autumn using the established templates.
10 Feedback
10.1 An apartment owner had written to request the documentation needed for a property
transfer. She had been referred to the Property Managers who had passed the request
to the appropriate section.
11 WRACIC
11.1 The summer barbecue was due to take place the following Saturday.
There had been an offer to help with publicising The Big Rake by putting up posters in
Frenchay Road. A director would liaise with this resident.
Another litter pick would be organised for later in the autumn.
11.1 The Community Notice Board under the arches in Complins Close was considered by
some people to be in the wrong place as it was hidden away and difficult to access,
being behind a bike rack. It was agreed that a better place would be fixed to the railings
of the Elizabeth Jennings Way bridge near the letter box, and that WMC would write to
the relevant person on the City Council.
12 Managing Agent
12.1 Section 20 consultations were all in hand.
13 Any other business
13.1 A director asked when the car park on Cox’s Ground would be resurfaced. It was
explained that the car parks would be dealt with once the repaving work had been
completed, probably in two years’ time. There was some discussion of the possibility of
using bonded resin for the car parks. A director had already investigated this for use on
her own drive and had details of different types of bonded resin surface together with
costs.
13.2 The Chair raised the matter of internal door handles throughout the estate, which are of
poor quality and can lead to people getting locked into rooms. He had been advised by a
resident who is an expert that Legge products are best. It is a simple matter to replace
the cylinder and a locksmith may not be required.
14 Dates of next meetings
14.1 Dates for future meetings, all on Tuesdays at 7.30 pm in the Community Room:
2019: 19 November
2020: 14 January, 17 March