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Minutes from 16th January 2025 – meeting between residents and Savills

—

by

South Gardens Residents’ Association
in

Date: 16 January 2025
Attendees: 18 in-person, 18 remote

Minutes provided by Savills.

Welcome & RA Updates

  • Oliver welcomed attendees and announced the 7th-anniversary celebration of the RA next month.
  • Encouraged sign-ups to the new RA mailing list via southgardens.org, accessible to leaseholders, residents, and L&Q tenants.
  • Homeowner Guide to be created and distributed.
  • Thanks to Rhys & Alexandros for the new website. Links to be shared via WhatsApp and Dwellant.
  • Regular RA meetings with Savills continue.
  • Isobel (Chair of Arum & Henderson RA) discussed a new L&Q shared owner forum for management issues. Leaseholder forums and emails forthcoming.
  • Handover to Savills

Savills Updates

Introductions:

  • Lee Chapman (Savills): Introduction and role at Elephant Park / South Gardens, Overview of challenges and initiatives for transparency and communication.
  • Aimee (Savills): Introduction and role at South Gardens.

Operational Updates:

  • Parcel Safe System:
    • Introduced to minimize parcel theft. Positive feedback, but some issues with couriers dumping parcels.
    • Saved £64k annually by reducing concierge coverage; costs to be confirmed.
  • Fire Door Compliance:
    • Inspections of FP30/FP60 and resident doors starting within 8 weeks, with a 12-week completion timeline.
  • Security Updates:
    • Attempted plant room break-in noted; issues with CCTV monitoring
      discussed. Savills to include this in regular RA meetings.
    • New CCTV signage to be added. A comprehensive audit is underway.
  • Pest Control:
    • Contract shifted to Cleankill (as used by West Grove & Trafalgar Place) for
      improved servicing. Immediate actions for pest sightings to be reviewed.
    • Savills to include this in regular RA meetings.

Financial & Budget Discussions

  • 2024-25 Budget: £2.65M (10% contingency added).
  • Delay in receiving 2020-2023 accounts due to FirstPort’s non-compliance; legal action being considered.
  • S20b Notices:
    • Enables collection of funds for upcoming budgets.

Cost-Saving Measures

  • Landscaping:
    • Will be looking into costs to see if saving can be made.
  • Estate Maintenance:
    • Caretaker role potentially being introduced to reduce contractor call-outs.
  • Water Costs:
    • Exploring reductions for park fountains.

Future Projects

  • CCTV Surveys:
    • Stack pipe CCTV and clearance to be addressed starting in approx 8 weeks.
  • EV Charging Upgrades:
    • Lendlease to fund resurvey and upgrades. No timeline given currently.
  • Balcony Cold Bridging:
    • NHBC claims for structural defects; residents to follow the provided
      procedure.

Resident Engagement

  • Theme Ideas:
    • Residents invited to propose cost-effective communal décor ideas via poll.
  • Community Feedback:
    • Residents encouraged to share thoughts on cost-saving exercises.
    • Estate RA to be introduced.

Closing & Next Steps

  • Path improvements (Phase 4) set to begin in coming days. Location not confirmed as this is strictly down to weather and footfall.
  • Regular updates to be provided via RA meetings and mailing list.