WATERWAYS
MANAGEMENT
COMPANY
MANAGEMENT
COMMITTEE
MEETING
NO
62 held
at
30
Lark
Hill
7.30
pm,
Tuesday
10
May 2016
Present:
Adrian
Olsen
(Chair),
Greg
Barnes,
Tao
Tao
Chou, Sally
Duncan,
Ann
Hall, Adrian
Mourby,
Nicholas
Orme, Hilary
Sorensen, Raquel
Stremme,
Mary
Tovey
In
attendance:
Rebecca
Burt, Rachel
Dolacinksi and
Philip
Johns,
FirstPort
Property
Services
Minute
taker:
Imogen
Olsen
1 Apologies for
absence
1.1 Paula
Reynolds,
Louise
Robertson
2 Minutes
Approval
of
the
minutes
from
meeting
61,
15
March 2016
2.1 The
minutes,
with
minor
corrections, were
approved
as
an
accurate
record.
3 Matters
arising
from
the
minutes
3.1 The
problematic
lift
in
Complins
Close has
now
been
inspected
and
the
contractor’s
report
is
awaited.
4 Review
of
AGM
4.1 1.
It
was
agreed that
in
future
members
should
have
the
opportunity
to
raise
questions
throughout
the
AGM,
rather
than
after
the
close
of
official
business
as
has
been
the
case
in
previous
years.
It
was
also agreed that, as
the
various
reports
will already have been
circulated
to
members,
summaries
should
be
read
out
instead.
This
would
leave
more
time
for
questions.
It
was
agreed
that
an
extra
Question
and
Answer
session
should
be
held
halfway
through
the
year,
for
half
an
hour
before
the
committee
meeting
scheduled for
4
October
FirstPort
would
publicise
this
and
ask
for
questions
to
be
submitted
in
advance.
5 Allocation
of
Directors’
responsibilities
5.1 It
was
agreed
that
areas
of
responsibility
would
be
as
for
the
previous
year,
with
MT
resuming
the
position
of Treasurer.
6 Objectives
for
the
year
6.1 A
list
of
seven
objectives,
which
had
previously
been
circulated,
was
agreed,
with
the
addition
of
one
further
objective,
and
responsibility
for
each
was
allocated.
7 Welcome
to
The
Waterways
booklet
2
7.1 Work
on
the
first
draft
is
now
due
to
be
completed
by
the
end
of
May
2016.
8 Railway
line
developments
8.1 A
meeting
had
been
held
on
28
April
in
the
community
room
involving
Network
Rail,
their
sub-‐contractors,
and
Waterways
residents.
There
was
a
good
turnout
on
both
sides
and
it
was
judged
a
worthwhile
exercise.
Network
Rail
had
as
a
result
supplied
further
information
to
residents
affected
by
the
works.
Details
about
the
acoustic
fence,
and
a
timetable,
will
be
sent
to
the
Chair later
on.
8.2 Network
Rail
have
now
reconsidered
the
outrageous
charge
of
£100,000
previously
demanded
in
order
to
enable
the
pruning
of
the
poplars
along
the
railway
line.
Negotiations
are
now
in
progress
between
MBS (the
tree
contractors) and
Network
Rail
and
it
is
hoped
that
the
trees
can
be
pruned this
autumn before
train
testing
on
the
new
line
starts
towards
the
end
of
November.
8.3 A
site
meeting
with
Network
Rail
representatives
had
been
arranged
for
11
May,
to
be
attended
by
the
Chair,
a
Frenchay
Road
resident
and
three
residents
from
Stone
Meadow.
9 Sub-‐committee
news
round-‐up
9.1 Finance
9.1.1 FirstPort
reported that
the
new
budget
had
gone
out.
There
had
been
an
increase in
insurance
costs for
some
apartment
blocks
to
take account
of
a
re-‐evaluation
and
a
tax
increase.
After
questions
from
a
director, FirstPort
explained
that
the
freeholder
of
these
blocks
(which
organises
the
insurance) is
Estates
and
Management,
and
that
this
company
has no
link
with
FirstPort
or
with
Berkeley
Homes.
9.2 Apartment
Blocks
Sub-‐Committee
9.2.1 There
was
a
lengthy
explanation
and
discussion
of
the
problems
surrounding
108—126
Frenchay
Road,
focused
on
their recent roof
replacement and the
Right
to
Manage
legislation.
WMC
directors
had
decided
to
seek
independent
legal
advice
and
had
drawn
up
a
shortlist
of four law
firms.
A
further
meeting
would
be
held
shortly and
a
firm
would
be
briefed. Meanwhile
FirstPort
are
still
awaiting
documentation
regarding
the
works
carried
out by
Claydon
Freehold
Ltd,
including
the
roof
guarantee.
This
has
been
requested
four
times,
to
no
avail.
A
director
pointed
out
that
WMC
should
contact
the
other
owners
in
that
block
direct,
as
they
may
be
unaware
of
the
repercussions
of
action
already
taken
and
of
the
Right
to
Manage
legislation.
It
was
agreed
that
a
compromise
solution
would
be the
preferable
way
forward.
There
was
also a
general discussion
about
using
more
contractors local
to
Oxford
in
future.
FirstPort
explained
that
a
local
roofer
has
recently
been
added
to
their
list
of
suppliers
at
the
request
of
a
director.
It
was
agreed
that
FirstPort
would
look
into
adding
local
carpet
suppliers
and
decorators
to
their
list,
with
the
assistance
of
the
Apartment
Blocks
Sub-‐Committee.
3
FirstPort pointed
out
that
they
are
keen
to
receive
feedback
on
all
contractors
used, via
their
online
system.
9.2.2 FirstPort
reported
on
current
Section
20
consultations.
All
carpet
replacements
are
now
going
ahead,
apart
from
108—126
Frenchay
Road.
The
recent
roof
survey
has
shown
that
three
roofs
need
urgent
replacement,
and
consultation
is
under
way
regarding
those.
Other
roofs
are
not
so
urgent
and
will
be
discussed
by
the
Apartments
Block
Sub-‐
Committee
at
their
next
meeting.
Redecoration
consultations
are
also
under
way.
9.2.3 A
walk-‐around
will
be
organised
by
the
Apartment
Blocks
Sub-‐Committee
in
order
to
decide
what
new
signage
is
required.
9.3 Gardening
Sub-‐Committee
9.3.1 A
meeting
is
to
be
held
on
16
May
with
Curt
Lamberth
in
order
to
discuss
his
report
on
silt
and
water
in
the
watercourse.
It
is
hoped
that
he
can
also
advise
on
future
maintenance,
including
how
often
the Thames
Water
silt
trap needs
to
be
emptied,
so
that WMC
can
then
take
up
the
matter
with
Thames
Water.
9.3.2 Metrorod’s
report
on
the
uneven
gradient
of
the
swale
behind
Clearwater
Place
was
not
helpful. It
was
agreed
that
FirstPort
would
organise
a
site
meeting
with
Metrorod.
9.3.3 There
has
been
excellent
progress
on
the
project
to
paint
murals
under
the
two
canal
bridges,
a
joint
venture
between
the
Canal
&
River
Trust,
Oxford
City
and
County
Councils,
the
police,
the
WMC
and
the
boating
community.
A
project
manager
has
been
appointed
and
an
artist
co-‐ordinator
chosen.
A
competition
will
be
held
for
design
ideas
on
themes
already
suggested,
and
it
is
hoped
that
painting
will
be
carried
out
in
the
summer.
A
successful
site
meeting
had
been
held
that
very
morning,
and
the
possibility
discussed
of
extending
the
murals
into
the
arches
on
the
side
of
the
Frenchay
Road
bridge.
9.3.4 The
planting
by
the
lakeside
was
discussed.
It
was
decided
that
the
next
Health
and
Safety
inspection
should
include
an
investigation
into
the
possible
dangers
of
gaps
in
the
planting.
The
Gardening
Sub-‐Committee
would
then
consult
with
Evergreen
as
to
a
new
planting
plan to
enable
greater
views
of
the
lake
from
nearby
properties.
9.3.5 Work
has
begun
on
painting
bike
stands
and
railings
in
accordance
with
a
staged
plan.
9.3.6 We
are
still
waiting
for
Oxford
County
Council
to
paint
the
double
yellow
lines
already
agreed
on
their
plan.
Budget
restrictions
have
caused
the
delay.
Our
own
double
yellow
lines
at
the
entrance
to
Clearwater
Place
have
been
finished,
and
it
was
agreed
that
they
have
resulted
in
some
welcome
improvement
in
the
parking
situation.
9.4 Scrutiny
Sub-‐Committee
9.4.1 The
WMC
mark-‐up
on
the
new
draft
management
contract
with
FirstPort
appeared
to
4
have
been
lost
during
recent
staff
changes.
Another
copy
had
been
supplied
by
the
Chair
and
this
is
now
with
FirstPort’s
legal
department.
9.4.2 It
was
agreed
that
the
new
system
of
having
two
property
managers
for
The
Waterways
was
working
well so
far.
9.4.3 It
was
agreed
that
the
Scrutiny
Sub-‐Committee
would
investigate
the
suggestion
proposed
at
the
AGM
that
the
contract
for management
services
to
the
WMC
should
be
put
out
to
tender
at
some
time
in
the
future.
10 Feedback
10.1 A
resident
in
The
Crescent
had
complained
about
teenagers
causing
a
nuisance
by
the
lake
and
had
suggested
that
WMC
write
to
the
heads
of
St
Edward’s
and
Cherwell
Schools.
It
had
been
explained to
the
resident that
a
director
had
done
this
some
time
ago,
and
had
been
advised that
nothing
could
be
done
unless
the
individuals’
names
were
known. It
was
agreed
that
residents
in
that
area
are
best
placed
to
monitor
the
situation
and
report
any
disturbance
to
the
police,
although,
depending
on
what
happens
in
the
future,
the
Chair
might
consider
writing
to
the
heads
of
the
two
local
schools
in
broad
terms
about
any
problems.
It
was
pointed
out
that
taking
photographs
of
the
culprits
was
an
effective
discouragement.
11 WRACIC
11.1 There
was
nothing
to
report.
The
liaison
director
mentioned
that
he
no
longer
seemed
to
be
receiving
information
about
WRACIC
meetings
and
it
was
agreed
that
this
should
be
rectified.
12 Managing
agent
12.1 A
quotation
for
£1587
plus
VAT
had
been
received
for
building
a
ramp at
the
back
of
The
Crescent,
which
seemed
expensive.
It
was
agreed
that
FirstPort
would
obtain
an
alternative
quote,
to
include
a
handrail
and
a
non-‐slip
surface.
12.2 The
general
Health
and
Safety
review
would
be
carried
out
in
the
summer.
13 Any
other
business
13.1 GreenSquare
had
requested
that
an
area
behind
Clearwater
Place
be
fenced
off
so
that
it
could
be
used
privately
by
their
residents.
A
director
will
investigate
this
and
report
back
at
the
next
meeting.
14 Date,
time
and
location
of
future
meetings
14.1 Dates
of
next
meetings:
12
July,
4
October,
29
November
(2016),
17
January,
14
March
(2017)
– all
Tuesdays
at
7.30
pm
in
the
Community
Room.
The
meeting
on
4
October
will
be
preceded
at
7
pm
by
a
half-‐hour
Question
and
Answer
session
for
members.