WATERWAYS MANAGEMENT COMPANY
MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MEETING NO.33
7.30 PM ON WEDNESDAY 6 JULY 2011
MINUTES
Present: Miles Thompson (Chairman), Mireille Levy, Nicholas Orme, Sally and
Richard Doyle, Martin French, Nick Robinson, Louise Robertson,
Raquel Stremme.
In attendance: Rebecca Hill (Managing Agent), Wendy Stone (WRA editor)
Minute taker: Emma Thompson
- Apologies
Derek Summers, Paula Reynolds, Richard Dorey. - Private Business
None. - Approval of minutes from meeting 32 (23/5/11)
The minutes of the meeting were approved as a correct record. - Matters arising
4.1 Progress on Welcome to the Waterways booklet
The draft booklet was now with OM Property Management awaiting a sponsor to print
it as an A5 brochure. For the moment it would be produced on the basis of print ondemand.
4.2 The article on the OM website had been circulated in the last edition of the
Waterways World – closed. - Health and Safety
5.1 The article on led theft had been produced – closed.
5.2 An update on being careful by bodies of water had been uploaded on to the website
and had yet to be circulated for insertion in the Waterways booklet.
RESOLVED
Chairman to send information to editor of Waterways booklet. - Update from Managing Agent
6.1 Identity theft
Thames Valley Police had stated that there had been no further incidents of identity
theft. It was their understanding that this local gang had now moved on. OM Property
Management had provided their details to the Crime Prevention Officer and had
asked them to identify whether a solution could be proposed.
RESOLVED
OM to provide a progress report at the next meeting.
6.2 CCTV
In response to the letter issued by OM explaining the reasons which precluded the
installation of CCTV a further request had been received to consider a passive
system. The WMC remained unconvinced and opted to retain its original decision.
RESOLVED
OM to respond to the resident accordingly.
7 Items from WRA
7.1 A report had been submitted detailing how the money provided by WMC had been
spent by the WRA and payment for 2011-12 had been authorised and would be
issued shortly.
7.2 An autumn barbecue was planned for September and all residents had been notified
and requests for volunteers to run the event made.
7.3 It was reported that the community room was now available for use but the remaining
obstacle was the signing of the lease. Three individuals from the WRA had
volunteered to undertake the management of the room but the establishment of a
charitable trust to do this had proven more complicated than originally envisaged.
OCHA had provided advice but had not indicated that they would be willing to take on
the responsibility for the lease. As the WMC had been released from its mandate to
consider the community room at its last AGM it had no authority to sign the lease. An
extraordinary meeting would have to be called. In the meantime, the WMC wanted to
understand the benefits for the company if it were to take it on, the financial
implications and other risks associated with the proposal.
RESOLVED
Working group to be convened to review the options.
7.4 A paper was presented which proposed the merger of the WRA and the WMC. The
Committee enquired whether all the members of the WRA were aware of the
implications of what was being proposed.
RESOLVED
Working group established to consider the community room should also review the
pros and cons of the merger for consideration at the next meeting of the WMC.
8 Right to Manage Status
8.1 The implications of moving to a right to manage approach could result in a variety of
standards of management within the apartment blocks or indeed the risk of a
deterioration of the exterior of the buildings. It would involve those responsible for the
apartment block incurring legal costs. 50% of owners would have to agree to proceed
and owners would still have to contribute towards the maintenance of the estate
which would mean no costs savings to owners, whilst increased administration and
management through a limited company.
RESOLVED
WMC noted this as an option available to owners.
9 Finance
9.1 OM Property Management had been requested to provide a draft copy of the
accounts by the end of August.
Apartment SubCommittee
9.2 Major works had recently been carried out within a Complins Close apartment block
which had created significant disruption to residents. It was envisaged that the carpet
throughout the block would have to be cleaned.
RESOLVED
ABSC to discuss and agree whether the owner should be issued with an invoice for
the necessary works to bring the communal areas of the block back to its original
standard.
Garden SubCommittee
9.3 Update on the culvert maintenance
The County Council had been contacted regularly and had not responded to date on
the issue relating to ownership of the culvert. In the meantime, an alternative
approach to clearing the culvert had been identified which would involve pumping out
the silt but there remained the issue of establishing whether a waste disposal site
would be willing to accept the waste.
RESOLVED
OM to write to County Councillor, to follow up the request concerning the culvert.
Contact details to be provided by the WMC Chairman.
Residents affected by the culvert should also be encouraged to write to the county
councillor on the matter.
No further action to be taken by OM Property Management until the ownership issue
resolved.
Louise Robertson temporarily took over the role as Chair during the discussion on
the following topic due to the Chairman declaring a conflict of interest.
New property by the lake
9.4 The owner of the recently completed house by the lake on land adjacent to the
Waterways development had enquired whether it was possible to purchase a small
plot of land to extend the size of their garden. The ownership of the land had to be
confirmed, it also needed to be established whether the WMC had the right to sell it
and if so, various clauses would need to be contained within the contract regarding
the use of the land. It was further identified that a badger set might also exist.
9.5 The owner had also been reminded about the obligation to review the seeding of the
area in the Autumn.
RESOLVED
To await proposal from owner regarding how they wished to proceed on the land.
Resurfacing of parking plots in Cox’s Ground
9.6 A variety of quotes had been obtained to rectify the parking which had deteriorated
significantly. In order to simply replace like-for-like it was likely to cost £11,000 but
the original surface provided by the developer, Berkeley Homes, had only been
suitable for pedestrian traffic, not cars. Consequently, in order to replace it with a
more appropriate surface it was likely to cost £28,000.
9.7 Clarification would have to be sought on the ownership of the parking in front of the
freehold houses. In some instances, the transfer of the parking may have been made
to the new owner as part of the sale.
RESOLVED
OM to identify ownership issue surrounding parking plots.
OM to contact Berkeley Homes in respect of poor workmanship.
Parking and Traffic Sub Committee
9.8 The County Council had been contacted to take remedial action on the curb stone
which had been reported at the last meeting due to the adoption of the main roads
within the development. The Council claimed it had not adopted Elizabeth Jennings
Way and had no record to suggest this. Given that the Council had imposed parking
restrictions following its consultation with residents, this was considered an
unacceptable response.
RESOLVED
OM to contact County Councillor to expedite the matter.
Parking in Complins Close
9.9 It had come to the attention of residents that a member of the boating community
was frequently parking in resident allocated parking.
RESOLVED
Member of the WMC to raise the issue with the individual concerned.
Feedback
9.10 None to report.
AGM Sub Committee
9.11 Draft minutes of the last AGM had been posted on the website – closed.
10 AOB
10.1 OM Property Management was thanked for taking action on removing a tree which
had seeded and grown rapidly during the year.
11 Date of next meeting
11.1 Monday, 5 September, Anchor, 7.30 pm