Annual Genaral Meeting 25th November 2010 Minutes

Present
Graham Tigg (Treasurer, Chair)
Jackie Aust-Lean (Committee member)
Marise Lee (Committee member)
Carol Stone (Committee member, Minutes)

10 Residents

Apologies
Richard Palmer (Committee member)

1. The Chairman welcomed those present and introduced members of the Committee. A special thank you was given to Jackie for hosting the AGM and Carol for her work in progressing most of the actions over the past year.

Overview of the year 2009-2010
2. The Chairman provided a brief resume of the Committee’s work during the past year.

Street maintenance and road markings
In response to repeated requests by the Committee, the residents’ parking road markings had been repainted in late spring/early summer. This work had been necessary following pipe replacement work undertaken by Thames Water several years ago.
In cases where paving stones had been lifted by tree roots the Council’s remedy was to resurface the area with tar macadam, which was unsightly.

Trees/leaf clearance
Extensive pruning of the trees in the road had taken place in December 2008 on a regular three-yearly cycle. The growth at the foot of the trees tended to be removed by the Council on request, with some residents dealing with those trees directly outside their premises. Leaf clearance had recently taken place, unfortunately before most of the leaves had fallen (subsequent to the AGM full street cleaning took place in December).
Residents thought that it would be helpful to have a timetable. The Chairman observed that, because it was not possible to close the road for street cleaning, individual residents with vehicles had some responsibility to facilitate cleaning access.

The ‘snickett’
In 2009 the possible installation of CCTV cameras, for security purposes, at the UPR end of the footpath beside the railway embankment to Turnham Green Terrace (the snickett), had been raised with the Council. Following a number of reminders, one of our Homefields councillors eventually advised this would be a matter for Transport for London (TfL). Those present at the meeting agreed that the matter should not be pursued further: there was no history of incidents in the snickett and the overhead lighting had been improved. There continued to be a problem, however, during the summer months from overhanging trees in the back gardens of the houses along the north side of Thornton Avenue. A group of UPR residents had cut back some of the overhanging branches (subsequent to the AGM overhanging foliage had been cut back again). The committee appreciates this independent action by residents.
TfL contract the Council to clean the snickett and the Committee reminds the Council of this as necessary.


Refuse/recycling collection
On the whole the new arrangements for the weekly collection of refuse and recycling appeared to be working well although there continued to be some confusion about the fortnightly alternating collections of garden waste and plastics. It was noted that residents had not received up-to-date collection date calendars from the Council. Also noted was that pavements and the road were often strewn with litter following collections. One resident complained that, despite having contacted the Council on numerous occasions, her food waste container was not collected from the boundary of her property. The Committee undertook to raise the foregoing matters with the Council (subsequent to the AGM the Council have sent residents new collection calendars as requested).

LMC planning application
3. Residents had been informed of revised proposals for the redevelopment of the site at 104-108 Chiswick High Road. They are substantially similar to those approved in April 2010 but no longer retain the existing front elevation of the building – it will be rebuilt in the same style instead. The Committee did not wish to make any further comments on this application. Residents could view the plans and follow progress online here http://planning.hounslow.gov.uk/Planning_CaseNo.aspx?strCASENO=P/2010/3115
(note that the library provides online facilities for this).

Mice
4. In response to a comment by a new resident at the 2009 AGM about the presence of mice in their house, the meeting noted that this was a common problem in the road, exacerbated by the long terraces of houses. The Chairman advised that the Committee had discussed a request for a coordinated eradication programme involving a number of properties and rejected it as being logistically too complicated. The Council operates a pest control service for which a charge was normally made.

Treasurer’s report
5. In his capacity as Treasurer, the Chairman reported that there was £547.75 in the Association’s account, compared with £570.02 in November 2009. £15 had been received in donations and £0.45 in interest. £30.50 expenses had been incurred for the 2009 AGM plus £7.22 for photocopying of the 2010 AGM flyer.


UPRRA Website
6. The Chairman mentioned the Website which he had established for the UPRRA at www.uprra.blogspot.com. At present it included information about the Residents’ Association, including its genesis, terms of reference and achievements.

7. The site can be used to communicate with residents with internet access and readers can comment on entries.
The Chairman asked attendees to include their email addresses on the attendance list. Resident’s names and email addresses would not be published on the website.


Committee membership
8. There were currently five members of the Committee. The Chairman invited any resident who was interested in serving on the Committee to contact one of the existing members. It was desirable that potential members should have easy access to email as this was the preferred method of communication between members and with Council officials.

Street party
9. The possibility of holding a street party in 2011 was discussed briefly. Such a party had been held in 1977 to mark the Queen’s silver jubilee. It was agreed that the views of residents should be canvassed before any approach to the Council should be made regarding the necessary permissions. The Chairman was asked to explore the possibility of seeking residents’ views via email and the website.

Dates of future meetings
10. The next AGM would be held in November 2011, on a date to be notified.

11. A Committee meeting would take place early in 2011 in order to take forward issues raised at this meeting.

12. The meeting ended at 9.50pm.