MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF KENNINGTON PARK ESTATE TENANTS’ & RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION HELD ON 28 NOVEMBER 2018
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 Alex Reuben, Jennifer Gore, Cllr Hopkins and Cllr Normal
- Minutes of the last Annual General Meeting of the Tenants’ & Residents’ Association held on
27 September 2017 and matters arising from the minutes
The minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting of the Tenants’ & Residents’ Association held on 27 September 2017 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 2017/18
The 2017/18 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 AGM in September 2017:
- Establishment of Kennington Park Community Centre Charitable Community Benefit Society:
In response to community concern about potential redevelopment of the site of the Community Centre, Hyde indicated there were no immediate alternative plans for the site and this was unlikely to change for three years. It was, therefore, agreed that the community could be given a longer lease on the Community Centre if an independent, formally registered, limited liability community organisation was established to take responsibility. The April meeting of the TRA approved the proposal to establish a formally registered community benefit society. An application was made to the Financial Conduct Authority to register Kennington Park Community Centre as a charitable Community Benefit Society and the registration was formally confirmed by the FCA in September 2018
- Cleaning and grounds maintenance
The contract for cleaning and grounds maintenance had been with Cleanscapes and Groundscapes for two years. The TRA works very closely with the Property Manager on Estate Inspections. Progress had been made but much remained outstanding
- Pest control
The Property Manager, with the support of the TRA, took action to deal with the infestation affecting Key and Blythe for many months in 2018. The poor refuse management and inadequate cleaning of the refuse enclosures was also addressed. However, irresponsible refuse dumping in the area remained a regular occurrence and the situation continued to be closely monitored.
- Intervention on repairs: Internal within flats and communal
The Property Manager and TRA representatives discussed poor performance with the Repairs Contract Manager and regular meetings now occur to ensure close monitoring of repairs, particularly high profile repairs which have been reported and not progressed within a reasonable timescale
- Estate Inspections and Fire Safety
Inspections focus on ensuring safety on communal balconies and it is essential that residents ensure that balconies are clear of personal possessions, bicycles, etc which are a safety hazard. Estate inspections continue and arrangements will be made to remove items assessed as a safety risk.
- KPE Housing Office (Magee Street): Services for tenants and leaseholders
The TRA expressed concern about the Hyde staff restructure, particularly about the lack of communication with residents and the implications for customer service at the local level. As residents were aware, the changes resulted in staff shortages at the Housing Office and its frequent closure during 2018. The TA contacted senior managers several times to register the strongest objections on behalf of residents. In response, the service from the Housing Office improved to some extent.
- Hangars for bike storage
In recognition that it is a fire safety risk to store bicycles on communal balconies and cannot be permitted, the Property Manager was in the process of making arrangements for installation of secure bike hangars on the Estate and the TRA had pressed the Council to install bike hangars in the public roads in the area.
- CCTV monitoring service
Proposals from Hyde with reference to a new CCTV system were strongly challenged in relation to value for money, justification for a costly, new service, lack of statistical and security impact assessments, compliance with OJEU rules, resident engagement, fair apportionment of charges, management of the service, etc.
- Service charge scrutiny and review
In August 2018 revised service charge statements for 2016/17 were issued to KPE residents in response to very strong representations from the TRA with reference to the inaccuracies of the original statements. Hyde has insisted a new service charge (computer) system has been introduced to ensure elimination of the numerous mistakes made over many years. The TRA was about to scrutinise the 2017/18 invoices on behalf of tenants and leaseholders.
- Redevelopment of the gas holder site
The Berkeley Homes planning application for the development of the site was approved by the Council in June 2018. The application breached planning policies. 170 objections to the plan for the site were received by the Council in comparison with just 20 representations in support. Work on the site was scheduled to start in 2019 and was likely to impact on residents of Read House particularly as the gas holder site is within yards of Read.
The TRA continued to work on these and other issues of concern to residents of the Estate.
- Financial Report 2017/18
The Treasurer presented the Financial Report covering 2017/18. Expenditure: Leaflet printing and delivery: £64, Stationery: £149.52, Website maintenance: £206.97, Projector: £71.79. Balance £620.27against budget for the year of £1,112.55. £1,000 was donated from reserves to fund holiday activities for local children at the Centre.
- 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. 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, Steph Reid to the position of Deputy Chair, Marilyn Evers to the position of Secretary and Ed Reid to the position of Treasurer. There were no other nominations and the recommendations were formally approved for consideration at the next meeting of the Executive Committee.
5.2 Nomination of block representatives
Block representatives were nominated and elected as follows:
Abel: No nomination Alverstone: Potential nomination to be confirmed Blades: Steph Reid
Blythe: Bernard Jennings Brockwell: Jennifer Gore Grace: Jennifer Gore
Hornby: Marilyn Evers Key: No nomination Lockwood: June Mahoney
Lohmann: No nomination Read: No nomination Sherwin: Joules Broderick
Cllr Holland was thanked for conducting the elections.
- Schedule of meetings of Kennington Park Estate Tenants’ & Residents’ Association in 2019
1900, Wednesday, 27 February, April, July, September (AGM), November 2019. (Precise dates to be confirmed.)
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MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF KENNINGTON PARK ESTATE TENANTS’ & RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION HELD ON 28 NOVEMBER 2018
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 Alex Reuben, Jennifer Gore, Cllr Hopkins and Cllr Normal
- Notes of the last meeting held on 26 September 2018
The notes of the last meeting held on 26 September 2018 were approved as a correct record of that meeting.
- Matters arising from the minutes of the last meeting
At the meeting on 26 September, which had been notified as the 2018 Annual General Meeting of the Tenants’ & Residents’ Association, it was agreed to defer the Annual General Meeting to the next scheduled meeting on 28 November as the quorum for a properly constituted AGM was not present.
- Housing Management and Estate Management Issues
Matt Hopkins reported on the bulb planting day held recently when over 2,000 spring bulbs had been planted across the Estate. Matt planned to organise the creation of a herb garden during the Easter school holiday in 2019, involving an educational theme for children.
- He referred to the Berkeley Homes development on the gas holder site. Berkeley Homes representatives were available to attend a meeting of the Tenants’ & Residents’ Association to inform and explain in relation to the practical construction of the huge new development.
- Matt and TRA representatives had been in close discussion with the Contract Manager in relation to details of the lateral mains work in Key and Sherwin Houses.
- He confirmed Estate Inspections were undertaken every month and residents were welcome to join him and the TRA officer who regularly attended. Matt referred to personal possessions stored on balconies creating a safety risk. Storage of personal possessions on balconies was prohibited. It was a particular risk to store bicycles on balconies as their presence clearly posed a serious safety hazard for residents requiring to move quickly along the balcony as a means of escape or in other circumstances.
- Matt reiterated that bike hangars had been ordered for installation in some blocks. A letter would be issued to residents of those blocks when the hangars were installed to offer places on a first come first served basis.
- Matt acknowledged that drainage remained an issue and clearing horizontal drains to prevent court yard flooding was rarely dealt with within an appropriate timescale.
- Matt also acknowledged the problems encountered with the malfunction of fobs in relation to Lockwood House. The issue had been dealt with as reported in the Annual Report from the TRA.
- A resident expressed concern in relation to installation of smart meters for domestic consumption, as recommended by the government and utilities companies, and the problems associated with the non compatible domestic electrical system.
- Any Other Business: None raised.
- Date of next meeting: 1900, Wednesday, 27 February 2019
Meeting of Executive Committee, 1830, Monday, 11 February 2019