WATERWAYS
MANAGEMENT
COMPANY
MANAGEMENT
COMMITTEE
MEETING
NO
73
7.30
pm,
Tuesday 13
March 2018
Present:
Adrian
Olsen
(Chair), Ann
Hall,
Adrian
Mourby,
Nicholas
Orme, Paula
Reynolds, Louise
Robertson,
Brian
Shine,
Raquel
Stremme, Mary
Tovey,
Liz
Wheater
In
attendance:
Rebecca
Burt and
Esther
Kolawole,
FirstPort
Property
Services
Minute
taker:
Imogen
Olsen
1 Apologies for
absence
1.1 Tao
Tao
Chou,
Sally
Duncan,
Hilary
Sorensen
2 Minutes
Approval
of
the
minutes
of
meeting 72, 16
January
2018
2.1 The
minutes
were approved
as
an
accurate
record.
3 Matters
arising
from
the
minutes
3.1 (5.3.12)
Evergreen
have
now
been
instructed
to
mark
with
a
‘V’
the
two
visitor
parking
spaces
in
Cox’s
Ground.
4 AGM
Wednesday
25
April
2018
4.1 The
Annual
Report
is
in
the
process
of
being
compiled.
4.2 Notifications
of
the
AGM
will
be
sent
to
members
on
30
March,
with
remaining
paperwork
and
draft
agenda
on
9
April.
There
are
no
vacancies
for
directors
but
nevertheless
members
need
to be
invited
to
stand.
4.3 The
format
of
the
AGM
will
be
the
same
as
last
time,
including
a
Q&A
session.
Members
will
be
requested
to
submit
questions
in
advance
if
possible.
5 Railway
line
developments
5.1 Crowd
funding
is
being
sought
for
the
noise
monitoring
proposal,
but
so
far
not
enough
has
been
raised, even
including
£1000
still
in
the
kitty
and
£1000
promised
by
two
Councillors.
Wolvercote
councillors
are
likely
to
contribute
also.
We
might
have
to
cut
back
on
the
original
proposal.
5.2 Layla Moran
MP
has
called
a
meeting
to
discuss
railway
noise,
to
be
held
on
13
April
5pm
at
the
Jericho Community
Centre,
33a
Canal
Street.
The
Chair
will
attend. If
anyone
else
wishes
to
attend,
they
must
let
her
know.
5.3 Cllr
Louise
Upton
had
responded
regarding
the
air
pollution
from
diesel
freight
trains,
and
the
news
was
slightly
more
encouraging,
in
that
the
city
council
is
testing
new
2
monitoring
equipment
which
may
be
suitable
for
community
use,
although
this
means
we
may
have
to
carry
out
monitoring ourselves.
6 Sub-‐Committee
news
round-‐up
6.1 Finance
6.1.2 FirstPort
reported
that
next
year’s
budget
was
ready
in
draft,
waiting
only
for
the
apartment
block
roof
prices.
6.2 Apartment
Blocks
Sub-‐Committee
6.2.1 Progress
has
been
made
with
roofing
contractors
using
the
surveyor
and
three
tenders
are
now
in.
The
preferred
company has quoted
a
total
of
£148.000
plus
VAT
for
all
blocks.
The
most
expensive
block
is
115-‐141
Frenchay
Road
at
£57,000,
because
of
its
extensive
flat
roof
areas, and
this is
more
than
their
reserves.
FirstPort
plan
to
use
some
of
next
year’s
reserves
so the
residents
will
repay
in
instalments,
rather
than
ask
for
a
one-‐off
additional
amount.
The
work
is
so
expensive
because
scaffolding
will
be
needed
rather
than
cherry-‐pickers and
the
whole
building
will
have
to
be
covered,
but
it
will
at
least
carry
a
20-‐year
guarantee.
FirstPort
will
reissue
the
Section
20
first
notices
again
in
order
to
cover
all
eventualities.
A
director
asked
if
FirstPort
had
seen
any
reviews
of
the
preferred
contractor.
FirstPort
replied
that
their
surveyor
had
recommended
the
company
and
would
be
signing
off
all
the
work
before
payment
was
authorised.
6.2.2 Asset
Management
plans
were
discussed.
These
will
be
integrated
with the
budget
review
and
reserve
funds,
on
a
block
by
block
basis.
6.2.3 Carpet
replacement
for
108-‐126
Frenchay
Road
is
now
moving
ahead
after
queries
from
an
owner had
been
sorted
out.
After
some
discussion,
it
was
concluded
that
one
corridor
which
lies
behind
a
locked
front
door
with
a
doorbell
and
flat
number
is
not
part
of
the
communal
areas.
6.2.4 All
seemed
to
be
quiet
on
the
Airbnb
front,
but
directors
were
asked
to
continue
keeping
their
eyes
and
ears
open.
6.2.5 Nothing
further
had
been
heard
from
Councillor
Howson
about
the
proposed
Complins
Close
key
cupboard
for
the
Frenchay
Road
bollard
locks.
It
was
agreed
that
the
matter
should
now
be
pursued
unless
we
hear
of
any
developments.
6.3 Gardening
Sub-‐Committee
6.3.1 In
the
absence
of
a
Director,
the
Chair
provided
an
update
on
the
silt
works.
A
full
response
was
still
awaited
from
Berkeley
Homes to
a
request
for
technical
assistance
in
devising
a
scheme
of
weirs
to
trap
more
silt
in
the
canal
side
silt
trap
east
of
the
Frenchay
Road
culvert.
Thames
Water
have
now
cleared
three
of
the
five
silt
traps
in
the
catchment
area
of
the
watercourse
and
are
working
on
the
remaining
two.
There
had
been
a
productive
meeting
that
day
with Lanes
for
Drains who had
agreed
to
provide
a
quote
for
clearing the
whole
silt
trap
up
to
the
Frenchay
Road
culvert.
They
also
promised
to
come
up
with
some
ideas
on
a
weir
scheme
in
the
silt
trap.
6.3.2 It
was
accepted
that
Evergreen
are
not
really
able
to
carry
out
work
to
level
the
swale.
However,
Dick
Mayon-‐White
has
done
an
excellent
job
in
digging
out
the
mud
and
the
3
water
now
seems
to
be
flowing
more
freely.
Some
fine
tuning
is
still
needed
and
it
is
hoped
that
residents
will
be
able
to
carry
this
out.
6.3.3 FirstPort
reported
that
they
had
received
no complaints
about
the
tree
works
recently
carried
out
by
the
lake
and
elsewhere.
One
resident
had
complained
to
Councillor
Wade,
and
the
Chair
had
replied
to
explain
that
the
trees
had
been
cut
down
in
an
attempt
to
reduce
antisocial
behaviour
by
the
lake,
to
open
up
the
views
of
the
lake
and
eliminate
the
expensive
annual
maintenance
of
the
trees
there.
The
stumps
will
be
left
for
the
time
being
to
see
if
they
die.
Eventually
more
manageable
shrubs
will
be
planted
in
their
place where
possible
and
parts
will
be
grassed.
Evergreen
are
to
install
a
dummy
CCTV
camera
and
RB
has
also
arranged two
dog-‐
fouling
notices for
the
lake
area.
A
director reported
spotting
a
member
of
the
public
failing
to
pick
up
after
her
dog
and
it
was
agreed
that
it
would
be
easier
to
remonstrate
with
such
people
without
the
trees
blocking
the
view. It
was
noted
that
dog-‐fouling
had
worsened
over
the
past
six
weeks.
6.3.4 The
graffiti
on
the
retaining
wall
beneath
the
Fielders
Row
houses
had
been
removed
by
the
developer, an
indication
that
they
accepted
ownership
of
that
wall.
The
question
of
ownership
of
the
wall
underneath
the
main
road
was
raised,
and
whether
it
could
be
assumed
to
be
the
responsibility
of
the
County
Council.
6.3.5 It
had
been
decided
that
damaged
paving
slabs
would
be
replaced
before
the
worn
car-‐
park
surfaces
are
attended
to,
because
the
slabs
are
more
of
a
health
and
safety
risk and
are
a
constant
drain
on
resources.
FirstPort
has
used
the
surveyor
to
make
specifications
and
recommendations,
and
he
has
said
that
the
foundations
for
the
slabs
are
more
important
than
the
slabs
themselves.
He
advised
that
we
should
replace
the
foundations
and
keep
as
many
of
the
old
slabs
as
possible,
as
there
is
basically
nothing
wrong
with
them.
If
the
slabs
are
laid
properly,
they
should
be
able
to
withstand
cherry-‐pickers.
This
would
save
a
lot
of
money. The
car
parking
areas
will
be
considered
when
this
work
is
done.
6.3.6 FirstPort
had
carried
out
the
consultation
regarding
a
proposed
gate
between
12
and
14
Lark
Hill,
which
had
resulted
in
only
one
person
opposing
the
idea.
However,
they
are
very
strongly
against
it and
there
are
conflicting
reports
on
whether
the
other
houses
want
it
or
consider
it
necessary.
It
was
decided
not
to
proceed
with
the
gate
for
the
time
being
(a
design
for
which
has
not
yet
been
supplied
by
the
requester)
but
to
monitor
the
situation
for
six
months
and
to
ask
residents
to
report
any
incidences
of
antisocial
or
criminal
behaviour.
FirstPort
would
write
to
all
the
houses
affected.
6.3.7 FirstPort
have
submitted
an
application
to
fell
the
poplar
on
the
green,
which
is
diseased
and
dangerous.
The
Council
say
they
will
take
6-‐8
weeks
to
respond.
The
tree
will
have
to
come
down
as
soon
as
permission
is
received,
but
a
stump
of
two
metres
minimum
will
be
left
so
that
a
sculpture
can
be
created.
6.3.8 The
CRT
Living
Waterways
Awards
plaque
and
mural
photos
will
be
mounted
in
the
Community
Room
and
next
to
the
murals.
The
sign
makers
are
waiting
for
a
PDF
which
a
director is
to
supply.
6.3.9 The
bench
by
the
canal
at
the
rear
of
the
Rackham
Place
apartment
block
has
twice
been
moved
to
beneath
the
Elizabeth
Jennings
Way
bridge.
This
was
reported
to
4
GreenSquare,
who
swiftly
acted
to
return
the
bench
to
its
proper
place
and
they
have
now secured both
benches
there
more
firmly.
A
director
reported
that
a
resident
had
told
him
that
the
culprits
were
abusive
children
from
outside
the
Waterways,
and
that
the
police
had
been
called.
The
boating
community
have
been
very
helpful
over
this
problem.
6.3.10 There
was
some
discussion
of
the
recent
snowfall
and
consequent
need
for
gritting.
Directors had
gritted
the
two
bridges
with
the
help
of
Dick
Mayon-‐White,
and
the
grit
bins
had
been
swiftly
replenished
by
the
Council.
It
was
agreed
that
both
the
AGM
report
and
the
next
WRA
newsletter
should
include
a
reminder
that
residents
are
responsible
for
gritting
when
the
snow
falls,
to
be
written
by
a
director.
6.4 Scrutiny
Sub-‐Committee
6.4.1 A
meeting
had
been
arranged
for
the
evening
of
Thursday 15
March.
Monitoring
reports
from
ABSC
and
GSC
had
been
updated
in
readiness.
7 Feedback
7.1 Nothing
had
been
received.
8 WRACIC
8.1 The
litter
pick
on
10
March
had
been
a
success
as
usual,
with
twelve
volunteers.
A
director pointed
out
that
the
garden
for
19-‐35
EJW
has
become
a
dumping
ground
for
rubbish
and
that
the
GreenSquare
gardeners
are
not
as
thorough as
Evergreen.
8.2 WRACIC
had
scheduled
a
meeting
for Monday
19
March.
A
resident is
doing
an
excellent
job
looking
after
the
Community
Room
and
its
bookings.
Another
resident is
Treasurer,
a
job
which
includes
looking
after
the
receipts for
the
railway
noise
monitoring
crowdfunding
appeal.
9 Managing
Agent
9.1 Nothing
additional
to
report.
10 Any
other
business
10.1 A
director
asked
whether
the
bollard
at
the
end
of
the
Bainton
Road
cut-‐through,
which
was
currently
pulled
out
of
its
place,
had
ever
been
in
this
condition
before.
It
was
pointed
out
that
this
bollard
is
frequently to
be
found lying
on
the
ground
and
that
eventually
the
Council
replace
it,
as
it
is
their
responsibility.
11 Date,
time
and
location
of
future
meetings
11.1 AGM
on
Wednesday
25
April at
7.30
pm
in
the
Woodstock
Road
Baptist
Church.
WMC
committee
meetings
– 15
May,
17
July,
25
September,
20
November
(2018),
15
January,
19
March
(2019)
– all
Tuesdays
at
7.30
pm
in
the
Community
Room.