Minutes of the meeting of Kennington Park Estate Tenants’ and Residents’ Association
held on line on 1 March 2023
Present: 10 residents of Kennington Park Estate. Joan Twelves in the Chair.
In attendance: Anna Blakeman, Hyde Property Manager
- Apologies for absence
Apologies for absence were received from Jennifer Gore, resident of Grace House, and from Kennington and Oval Ward Councillors
- Minutes of the last meeting of the Tenants’ and Residents’ Association
The minutes of the last meeting were agreed as a correct record of the meeting. There were no matters arising from the minutes not covered by the agenda for this meeting.
- Housing and estate management issues/problems, from tenants and leaseholders for the attention of Hyde Housing Management
The Chair introduced Anna Blakeman as the outgoing Property Manager for Kennington Park Estate. Anna confirmed she had been in post as Property Manager for the Estate since September 2022, however, she had been appointed to a new position with Hyde starting at the beginning of March. Her replacement as KPE Property Manager had not been announced at that point.
Anna confirmed she had undertaken monthly Estate Inspections with the Cleanscapes Cleaning Supervisor and resident representative. The Property Manager responsibilities covered all communal areas on the Estate, including cleaning, grounds maintenance, communal repairs, fire safety, CCTV, play area inspection, pest control, controlled door entry, water hygiene. Anna reported that Hyde was piloting a different more comprehensive model of neighbourhood management (Safer Homes and Neighbourhood Management) with the aim of providing a more visible, more holistic service in response to consultation with residents. The new model was intended to incorporate all elements of the service to residents, including the communal repairs service, the tenancy management service and the service delivered by all Hyde contractors interfacing with residents. A new model was to be based on the specific issues and requirements in individual neighbourhoods and patch sizes were to be reviewed. It was also necessary to ensure that neighbourhood management included new requirements with reference to fire safety. Hyde was running neighbourhood management pilots in different areas, (properties above 18 metres in height, in Stockwell and Gosport: properties under 18 metres, in Croydon and Bromley: sheltered and supported accommodation, in Lewisham. A new IT system (total mobile connect) was to be a knowledge hub for neighbourhood managers.
Anna was thanked for her support and for attending the meeting.
- Rent and service charge increase for 2023/2024
It was confirmed the rent and service charge notification letters for 2023/24 had not yet been received. The letters were late last year. It was known that the rent increase was likely to be 7%.
Anna confirmed that service enquiries could be submitted to customerservicechargeteam@hyde-housing.co.uk. Residents related their experience of unhelpful responses from Hyde to service charge enquiries. Residents also reported that the format for service charges changed every year so it was impossible to make a year to year comparison and identify increases which required full explanation. Residents agreed Hyde was defensive in its responses to challenges about service charges as well as in other areas. Residents were encouraged to request an invoice pack for their block. Invoice scrutiny was a useful way to scrutinise charges and identify evidence to prove mistakes made by Hyde, either deliberate inaccuracies or inept mistakes.
- Any other business: The Chair reminded residents of the services to residents available at the Community Centre.
- Date of next meeting: It was agreed to arrange a KPETA meeting in the middle of the year, in person if possible.
Note: The Annual General Meeting of the TA was combined with the general meeting held on 1 March. Elections to Association positions were made as follows: Chair, Joan Twelves; Deputy Chair, Ed Reid; Treasurer, Steph Poynts; Secretary; M Evers. Block representatives: Grace and Brockwell, J Gore, Read, vacant; Sherwin, Joules Broderick; Lohmann and Hornby, M Evers; Abel, vacant; Key, J Bedeau; Blythe; Bernard Jennings; Alverstone, Alick Beale; Blades, S Poynts and E Reid.
KPETA Bank account Balance at March 2023: £694. The Annual Report covered: parking management and enforcement, electrical mains replacement programme, estate inspections, installation of new CCTV system, service charge scrutiny and review, bicycle storage on the Estate, plus major developments in the vicinity affecting Kennington Park Estate.