OXFORD WATERSIDE RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION

OWRA Committee Meeting

Monday 16 August, 2006

 

Present:

Mike Atkinson, Richard Groves, Bernard Jones, Chris Leamy, Stuart Skyte, Alison Wood and Rosemary Bate

  1. Stuart Skyte and Bernard Jones were elected respectively as chairman and treasurer of OWRA.
     

  2. The notes of the previous meeting (8 May 2006) were agreed as a true record.
     

  3. Matters arising: 

  • Merrivale Square traffic:  The County Council’s work in implementing the one-way system was still awaited.

  • OWRA web site:  Chris Dale had  completed work on the new site.  We were now finalising the service provider and domain name.  SS to check with CD whether he would undertake all the site updating, including the tradesperson list.

  1. The notes of the 2006 AGM were noted.  The main outstanding issue arising from the AGM was speeding on Waterside generally and on Rutherway in particular.  Possible “solutions”, given that the committee felt that persistent speedsters would not be deterred, would be discussed with the Management Company.  These included allowing the planting on pinch-points on Rutherway to spill over onto the road; and putting up some of our own signs in the way that residents of Beechcroft Road had done.  Chris Leamy questioned the legality of the 20mph zone in any case, given a recent court decision.
  1. SS reported back on a meeting he and Clyde Britton had had with the Headteacher and Chair of Governors of Phil & Jim School about the spine road and parents using Plater Drive as a dropping-off point.  Key points arising from the meeting were:
5.1

The spine road was unlikely ever to be built
5.2

The Head would alert parents using Plater Drive that they could only park in the small number of spaces on the road marked with a P
5.3

The main issue for OWRA was the possible threat of a large school bus coming onto Waterside in the mornings and afternoons, and for weekly swimming trips.  The configuration of Walton Well Road, the bridge, Merrivale Square and Plater Drive militated against coach use.  So also did the lack of a parking space.
5.4

We agreed to insert an item in the OWRA newsletter encouraging residents who see trespassers in the school grounds at weekends to call the police.

  1. SS reported that the summer barbecue had made a surplus of £388-62.  This had been donated to the homeless charity OxPAT.  There had been approaching 200 people present on the day, including upward of 60 children.

  2. The next event as part of the St Margaret’s Institute Appeal was “wine and canapes” at St Hugh’s College on 9 September.  An open invitation would be inserted in the next OWRA newsletter.

  3. Gillian Skyte had taken over from Pat Hafferty as the link person with the garden contractors.  She and Katherine Phillips from Merton Court had been round the estate with Felicity Hill from Cluttons, reviewing the quality of the garden work and identifying areas for replanting and/or general improvement.  There had been a second walk-round with the contract manager to review the quality of the work.  Pointers for the future (for reporting to the Management Company):

8.1

More resources were almost certainly needed to manage the contract; the University Parks had probably under-bid in order to win the contract.

8.2

There was a constant need to remove shrubs that had come to the end of their lives (5-10 years in most cases) and to replant and refresh areas of the estate.  This had been made worse by poor pruning in the past.

8.3

If no additional resources were made available for routine garden    maintenance, the Management Company would have to make a policy decision on the sort of grounds it wanted on Waterside – well-maintained or adequately maintained.

8.4

CL suggested that we could have a “weeding party” if the need arose.

8.5

Richard Groves reported that he was going to dig up the Paulownia tree outside his house in the autumn; this could be found a spot on Waterside

  1. Train horn noise:  There had been some national developments in that the cross-industry Train Horns Steering Group was undertaking some research in three areas of the country to establish the nature of the problems created by the new horns.  There might be action taken at a national level in due course.  Meanwhile, we were seeking to engage the interest of the Noise Abatement Society in our particular situation on Waterside.

  2. Treasurer’s report.  OWRA membership stood at 81 households.  We had around £1,000 in the bank following our annual donation of £250 to the St Margaret’s Institute Appeal. The champagne prize draw, which had been instituted to encourage further membership, was made.  The winning membership was that of the Newells at 27 Rutherway.

  3. Other business:

11.1

Mike Atkinson suggested we should encourage residents to use water-saving “hippos” from Homebase; these cost 69p for two and, when inserted in cisterns, reduced the amount of water flushing through.  This was environmentally friendly and would reduce householders’ water bills.

11.2

The next newsletter would be sent out in time to alert residents to the change to refuse collection after the August bank-holiday.

11.3

The gate from Merton Court onto the towpath was being repaired.  Residents would be reminded of the code number to open the gate in the next newsletter.

11.4

Various elements of noise nuisance on Waterside were discussed.  It was agreed to put something in the newsletter about residents being sensitive to others, particularly at night.

11.5

There was a discussion about the possibility of changing the membership payment year from April/March to January/December, but it was agreed to leave it unchanged. 

  1. Date of next meeting:  Late October/early November