Waterways Management Company Management Committee
27 February 2008 at 8pm
The Anchor Public House – Conservatory
- Apologies
Steve Matthews
David Trebilcock
Wendy
Nick S - Private business
[No private business notified] - Approval of minutes from last meeting
Approved with one change - Matters arising
Bike cull
Action is on Secretary and Peverel to get letter out to residents. Also need to ensure
the boat people are made aware of cull. Peverel will do this.
Resolve slippery footbridges
One bridge has slip prevention on it, the other does not. GSC are looking at either
painting it or putting on grip strips. GSC will get costs and make decision.
WRA spending plan and request for funding
Review constitution and communication plan
Names of Committee onto web – Done – closed
Secretary to send out constitution
Send proposed objectives to Chair
Arrange convenient date for meeting
Path on Wildlife corridor
To replace half of this will cost £12.5k. Full replacement up to £25k.
Action closed – money to be put aside for 2009 as is not in this
year’s budget.
Lighting issue on Wildlife Corridor
Ongoing Action on GSC
Bins in Waterways
Director is dealing with this – On-going action on GSC. One bin is going to be
chosen and “test-run” before final decision is made
Signs for Lake
Action on-going on Secretary
Action against owner of dog in apartment block
As of 1st March – action closed. New action to be undertaken depending on action of
dog owner. - Objectives
Chairman brought discussion on objectives forward. All agreed with owners
allocated:
Transparency and Communication – Action on Communications
● Sub-committee
● GSC Minutes and ABSC Minutes to go on web site via Secretary
● Complaint procedure and WMC remit to be on web site, WWN and notice board.
Also what is not in remit!
Review of WMC Agents – Action on Director
● Director has issues a proposed programme for the year. He has talked to one other
organisation and received some good ideas.
● A second Director indicated we should build a tender with Peverel’s assistance
given that it was in their interest to do so.
● First Director said that there is a subjective debate to be had to get ideas and
suggestions and then the objective discussion based on a tender.
● Need for a sub-committee
● A third Director asked to update the current contract – though indicated that he was
not happy to do this – very out of date!!
● Second Director indicated he would assist first on this group and another would
also provide ideas.
● All asked to provide ideas to second Director who has action to form subcommittee
– Miles, Nick and Louise volunteered.
● WRA invited – minute taker will check who can do this.
● Review objective as to whether this is achievable this year. Do we have time this
year to do a proper job?
● A Director asked/indicated, that through inertia Peverel get the job for as long as
we don’t decide to change.
Cost efficiencies – Action on ABSC
● Cleaning frequency idea needs to be communicated.
● ABSC has agreed the way forward and will move on decisions
Community Facilities – Action on RD and MT
● RD to liaise with CA to see if Peverel will review lease for
reduced rate or “free”.
Parking and Traffic –
● Parking Sub-committee need to resolve things with WRA and to get a time for a
joint meeting
● Frenchay Road has been adopted and there are issues that need to be dealt with
here – the canal bridge and parking – agreed that PSC should get on with sorting
Frenchay Road.
● Comment about costs being put to AGM
Action on Chair to send revised objectives to Secretary for publication - Complaints portfolio
Report from Managing Agents
● Including status of outstanding matters - Dog Issue – Letter written. Awaiting action from owner by 1 March
- Queries about the funding of the WRA and where the minutes of the AGM are and
how this was written up. - A regular correspondent – concerned that Peverel should look at correspondence
and do immediate issues and save others for once a month review!
● When to write and when to talk or arbitrate in response to complaints.
E.g. Feeding of pigeons.
● Was a suggestion that WRA should perhaps take on a more “neighbourly”
approach to assisting to sort issues rather than writing letters. WRA thought not in
their remit. A Director indicated that communications is helpful and we should make
a decision on which way to go on a case by case basis. e.g. Shrubs that were
destroyed – Peverel has been trying to talk to the individual concerned but he is
never in.
● Question as to who deals with OCHA issues – Answer – WRA - Health and safety issues
No issues - Financial update
Brief summary of activity
A budget has been sent to Treasurer by Peverel and reviewed. This is showing a
14% increase in Schedule 1 because of the pumping station and additional
gardening work. Apartment charges are staying the same due to reducing some
costs.
ACTION – CA to send Committee the details and comments are to be sent back
to JL. - Report from Apartment Block Subcommittee
Brief summary of activity, if any Matters escalated to full committee:
● Whether and how to consult when proposing changes to residents’ expectations
e.g., internal redecoration and change of cleaning frequency.
● Policy on granting consent for e.g., pets, structural alteration
● Bin Store issue with OCHA – now resolved. Money coming back from OCHA. Not
fully agreed yet – WRA to take up with OCHA
● Electrical testing has been done in all communal areas. Energy
audit to be done now.
● New Window cleaning company in place
● Bins issue being sorted
● Lift updates – done
● Discussion on making a decision was had – do the ABSC consult with all owners
and write to them asking for comments or objections before moving forwards or do
they write to indicate what being done based on a decision criteria and why decision
taken and action will be carried out unless objections received by a certain date.
Discussion covered issues over being held to “ransom” by a minority, there is a
danger of being over consultative since WMC was elected to make decisions so we
should inform people and if they are of a mind to object – they will.
ABSC Agreed to inform people e.g. Decoration of communal areas – will not happen
as expected every four years if not needed and it could stretch to six years and costs
reduced as a result. Need to be sensitive to owner occupiers requirements vs rental
owners. Director trusts ABSC to do the job. A second Director indicates this is why
the objectives are so important. The 4 year decoration period was arbitrary anyway.
Peverel indicated that a precedent was set with one block – but despite objections
this was done in the right way.
● Director raised issue of Covenants and how these would be enforceable – question
as to what the covenants are – so Action on Chair to send Covenant List to
Committee. - Report from Gardening Subcommittee
Brief summary of activities:
Pruning of trees – moved on again as £800 tree survey indicated that a number need
to be cut down. 7 to be exact due to health and safety issues and issue of liability if
they fall on the railway. Also a tree officer is to be present when the trees are cut
down.
Water Filtration – they are testing what it should be between the lake and Outlet.
Peverel looking for feedback on this.
Pump Item – the pump is there to prevent flooding. Costs are now built into the
budget.
Bin has been dealt with
Winter planting is going to be done.
Wildlife plan – this is out of date and needs working on – which is being done. A
water vole has been sighted!
Archway bike stand is being re-located. - Report from Community Room Subcommittee
Brief summary of activity, if any
Done above - Report from Parking and Traffic Subcommittee
Brief summary of activity, if any
Done above - WRA matters
Have put together a schedule for the Newsletter Estate Easter Egg hunt is in March
Meeting on 4th March - OCHA matters
[Brief summary of activity, if any
Matters escalated to full committee:
● Waterways fishing club update
● Shout are making a video and looking for interviewee volunteers
● Are having an interim evaluation which seems to be going well
● Lease with the community room – how is this going?
● NAG have provided a grant of £850 for provision of a dance class – first one on
11th March - WMC objectives to Nov 2008
Debate and agreement of draft objectives document
Done above - WMC communication plan
Debate and agreement of draft communications plan
● New welcome pack for new residents – to be reviewed
● WMC Owners pack to be obtained from Peverel – out of date and needs updating
● Tennant welcome pack – could WRA do this?
● Put welcome pack on web site?
Action – Chair to send Secretary the welcome pack, which should include
information on parking - Development issues
Maintenance of estate railings This was in parking costs but now in gardening costs
– some small railings that are particularly bad are being done immediately. Need to
look at the budget here. GSC made a decision and got on with it!! - Any other business
● Service Contract – done above
● Diane – new playground is well used – good. A lady who lives nearby keeps an
eye on things. One or two H&S issues – child stuck under gate and the grass is not
taking and hence still fenced off. ACTION – GSC to take up with council.
● Lights on EJW – person at Berkley’s to whom this should be raised. – ACTION –
Secretary
● Graffiti on wall by lake: Peverel indicated that this is raised with insurance company
to pay before work done. A Director indicated that this is where issues arise as
insurance agent does not respond quickly and it can take months to resolve by which
time it is often quicker to “do it yourself” – cited issue with bin-store lock and Peverel
over several months. Peverel indicated not getting enough money to chase insurers
more often. Issue with doing it yourself is that later there could be liability issues if
you keep doing little things – the costs can add up and an owner could later object to
this cost! Peverel to keep chasing insurers.
● Chair to chase who owns what on Waterways. To be extracted from Berkley
Homes if possible – Peverel has been chasing but it has been difficult to get hold of.
● Lights in one of the blocks on EJW – have been sorted out - Date of next meeting
And proposal of any headline items:
Enforcement of covenants,
Who owns what, Insurance,
Issue of OCHA homes going private – do they become part of WMC duties and
therefore chargeable?