MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF KENNINGTON PARK ESTATE TENANTS’ & RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION HELD ON 24 SEPTEMBER 2019
Present: 12 tenants and leaseholders. Joan Twelves in the chair.
In attendance: Cllr Claire Holland, Matt Hopkins, Hyde Property Manager for Kennington Park Estate
- Apologies for absence
Apologies for absence were received from Steph Reid, Jennifer Gore, Cllr Hopkins and Cllr Normal
- Minutes of the last Annual General Meeting of the Tenants’ & Residents’ Association held on
28 November 2018 and matters arising from the minutes
The minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting of the Tenants’ & Residents’ Association held on 28 November 2018 were approved as a correct record of that meeting. There were no matters arising from those minutes.
- Kennington Park Estate Tenants’ & Residents’ Association Annual Report 2018/19
The 2018/19 Annual Report was available at the meeting and on the KPETRA website. The Tenants’ & Residents’ Association had undertaken the following activities on behalf of all tenants and leaseholders during the period since the last KPETRA AGM in September 2018:
Community Centre: Over the previous three years the Tenants’ and Residents’ Association had been engaged in the long and painstaking process of discussions with Hyde about the future of the Community Centre. Registration of Kennington Park Community Centre Charitable Community Benefit Society was formally confirmed by the Financial Conduct Authority in September 2018. After a year of negotiations with Hyde on the detail of the terms and conditions of legal agreements, the Lease and Management Agreement between Hyde and the new, independent Community Benefit Society came into force on 1 September 2019. The finances of the Centre had been stabilised; events sponsored by the CBS for children were popular and well attended; and there were regular activities for young people facilitated by Active Communities Network.
Cleaning and grounds maintenance: The contract for cleaning and grounds maintenance was with Cleanscapes and Groundscapes. KPETRA worked very closely with the Property Manager on Estate Inspections. Grounds maintenance had improved significantly over the last year. Regular Estate Inspections focus on the cleaning service. The Property Manager regularly discussed the shortcomings and the achievements in relation to cleaning performance with Cleanscapes managers.
Estate Inspections and Fire Safety: Estate Inspections with the Property Manager also focused on ensuring safety on communal balconies, ensuring that balconies are clear of personal possessions, bicycles, etc which present a safety hazard.
Fire Risk Assessments: The TRA continued to pursue the production of accurate, up to date fire risk assessments for the Estate. The FRAs undertaken in 2015 were flawed. The TRA insisted on a meeting with the new contractor to discuss fire risk assessments completed in the last few months in relation to KPE.
Communal repairs: Repairs required in communal areas were reported on monthly Estate Inspections. The response to repairs requiring urgent attention had been slow during 2019. The Property Manager and the TRA had been in discussion with senior Hyde staff in order to ensure appropriate, timely action.
Communal Lights: Over several years the TRA made strong representations to Hyde about the lack of an effective system of regular inspection and repair. The cleaning contractor was responsible for replacing failed bulbs in balcony lights. However, the new LED balcony lighting recently installed in Key and Sherwin was to be maintained by specialist electrical contractors. The new LED light bulbs should last for years,
Lateral Mains Replacement Programme: Towards the end of last year the TRA intervened in the scheduling of the major works to replace communal electrical wiring in Key and Sherwin Houses. The TRA was alarmed at the cost of the works to leaseholders. However, Hyde recently informed residents of Blades and Hornby of the cost of this work in their blocks. The charge to leaseholders was estimated at a figure greatly in excess of the work in Key and Sherwin. The TRA made representations to Hyde to challenge the basis on which the same work was anticipated to cost so much more. In response Hyde reviewed the contract figures and reduced the costs to Blades and Hornby.
Pest Control: In response to an alarming pest infestation problem on the Estate last year vVery serious pest control measures had to be brought in. TRA Officers investigated the terms of the new pest control contract and were reassured to some extent that charges to residents would be based on pest control work actually undertaken. A significant amount of pest control work had been required on the Estate over the last year. A wasp nest was spotted and reported during an Estate Inspection and a fly infestation also had to be dealt with.
Hangars for secure bike storage: after a little delay, bike hangars had been installed in three blocks. At the time the Council announced it was to install a bike hangar in Clayton Street, the TRA pressed the Council for more than one hangar in the roads serving the Estate. The Council installed two bike hangars in Clayton Street.
Kennington Park Estate Housing Office, Magee Street: As reported at the last AGM, Hyde implemented a major restructure of housing management in 2016/17. There was no longer a Housing Officer for the Estate. Tenancy issues must be reported via Customer Services 0800 3 282 282 or by email, CustomerServices@hyde-housing.co.uk. Tenancy Advisors deal with tenancy issues on an appointments basis. Other issues, including repair requests can be reported through Customer Services by phone or email. These changes mean there are now few services available from the Housing Office and Hyde had, therefore, reduced the opening hours. The modern, digital, online system sometimes meant vulnerable and/or elderly residents were left out. The TRA supported residents when required to ensure good communication with Hyde and access to essential services.
Service charge scrutiny and review: The TRA continued to seek clarification and justification in relation to charges for servicing fire safety equipment and emergency lighting, legionella testing, playground safety inspections, communal lighting inspection and repair, and as always the disproportionate cost to KPE residents for closed circuit television monitoring and repair.
Development of the gas holder and Tesco sites by Berkeley Homes: it was reported that Berkeley Homes had initiated regular community liaison meetings to ensure the community was kept up to date with progress of demolition and construction on the sites. The temporary Tesco store opened at the end of July and the demolition of the old store started in August. In discussion with Keltbray, the demolition contractor, the KPETRA Secretary raised specific concerns in relation to the opening and decontamination of the main gas holder located next to Read and Kilner Houses. Berkeley Homes committed to distribute door to door information to Read and Kilner to ensure residents were made aware of the date on which the gas holder was to be opened to reveal the water, sludge, sediment, hydrocarbons etc, so that residents might be prepared for the noise and vibration of the cold cutting required to access the water and for the possibility of odours from the water and sludge which had been in situ for many years. There may be implications for residents of Grace and Brockwell as servicing of the construction site is via Vauxhall Street. There was concern about road safety in this relatively narrow street.
Redevelopment of the TfL/Flo site on Montford Place: The site is owned by Transport for London. In a partnership with Grainger plc, there is a plan to build some 150 homes including 40% affordable, plus live/work light industrial space/studios. TfL and Grainger intended to undertake wide, inclusive consultation.
Surrey County Cricket Club (The Oval): Residents in KPE blocks close to the cricket ground had found the level of amplification of the Oval PA system in the summer months of great concern. In response, Cllr Holland arranged a meeting with Richard Gould, the Chief Executive at the Oval with a KPETRA representative. Richard Gould confirmed that work on the PA system had ensured sound was now directed into the ground with as little as possible escaping into the surrounding area. Richard Gould also confirmed that construction of the new stand and facilities in place of the Peter May stand was scheduled to start in October and construction of the new hotel on the Oval House Theatre site in summer next year.
- KPETRA Financial Report 2018/19
The Chair presented the Financial Report covering 2018/19. Expenditure amounted to £572.02 consisting of £389.90 on leaflet printing and delivery: Website maintenance: £106.12: Miscellaneous items, £76. A donation of £50 was received resulting in a Balance at 22 September 2019 of £1,189.99.
Nominations to the Executive Committee of the Tenants’ & Residents’ Association
5.1 Nomination of Officers: Chair, Deputy Chair, Secretary, Treasurer
Cllr Holland took the chair to conduct the elections for block representatives and nominations to the Executive Committee of the Kennington Park Estate Tenants’ & Residents’ Association. Cllr Holland invited nominations for Chair, Deputy Chair, Secretary and Treasurer of the Tenants’ & Residents’ Association.
Joan Twelves was formally nominated to the position of Chair, Ed Reid to the position of Deputy Chair, Marilyn Evers to the position of Secretary and Alastair Kisby to the position of Treasurer. There were no other nominations and the recommendations were formally approved for consideration at the next meeting of the Tenants’ & Residents’ Association Executive Committee.
5.2 Nomination of block representatives
Block representatives were nominated and elected as follows:
Abel: Bernard Jennings Alverstone: June O’Mahoney Blades: Joan Twelves
Blythe: Bernard Jennings Brockwell: No nomination Grace: Jennifer Gore
Hornby: Marilyn Evers Key: Bernard Jennings Lockwood: June Mahoney
Lohmann: No nomination Read: No nomination Sherwin: Joules Broderick
Cllr Holland was thanked for conducting the elections.
- Any Other business
The Annual General Meeting was followed by a general meeting when Matt Hopkins, Property Manager, reported on estate management issues including regular Estate Inspections with Tenants’ & Residents’ Association representatives and dealing with the issue of balconies cluttered with bicycles and other personal possessions presenting a fire risk and a safety risk. Matt referred to the problems experienced in Lockwood House in relation to the communal electricity supply and reported that discussions were in hand with Hyde head office about the possible prioritisation of Lockwood before Blades and Hornby for lateral mains replacement work. Matt also reported he was working with the grounds maintenance contractor to redesign the communal green area to the rear of Alverstone to ensure it was available and inviting as a communal garden area.
He also referred to communal repairs and his work to deal with the slow, inadequate response from the communal repairs contractors. Residents agreed that contract management required improvement. He reported that the new Chief Executive of the Hyde Group was taking an interest in the old depot fronting Harleyford Street. The new CE was discussing the future use of the building with senior Hyde staff.
- Schedule of meetings of Kennington Park Estate Tenants’ & Residents’ Association in 2020
Next meeting 26 November 2019, thereafter, in 2020, 1900, Tuesday, 25 February, 28 April, 7 July,
29 September (AGM), 24 November 2019.