Month: October 2023

Dear Shareholders,

As we move into the autumn season, we thought it would be helpful to keep you up to date with company matters in the Manco3 area.

Maintenance

In the first part of the year 29 Manco 3 lights were upgraded to LED fittings. The current maintenance programme includes a project to convert the remaining 65 Manco3 lamps to LED. This work will be completed over the next few months, and should improve reliability as well as reduce electricity costs. The annual cyclical redecoration of courtyard lighting columns and mounting brackets, bollards and other Manco 3 assets is also underway and should be completed shortly.

Amongst the services Manco3 is obliged to provide to its shareholders is a basic television connection. We are aware of a number of issues concerning the connection of modern Sky Q (and similar) connections within the infrastructure of the Manco3 area, which covers some of the older parts of Poundbury. We are currently undertaking a review of the television services being provided across the whole of Poundbury, including suggested upgrades to the headend units to accommodate the high volume, data reliant services that are found in modern television packages, including Sky Q. Although Manco3 is not contractually obliged to provide fibre strength signal to all shareholders, we recognise that modern television services have far greater requirements in terms of data speed and volume in order to provide HD, ultra HD and similar services. The upgrade will not only provide this enhanced service, but will bring the system up to a standard similar to that used in new housing developments.

Our grounds maintenance contractors are looking forward to a busy few months, with the usual autumn pruning and trimming activities to be carried out, and the seasonal fall of leaves to deal with. Once the leaves have fallen and are cleared, the managing agent will be arranging for the seasonal clearing of the gullies and channels that serve the courtyards. This work is usually carried out in December.

We would like to reassure shareholders that we actively work on ensuring all works go through due diligence processes; making sure we get the best value we can for the long term.

If you wish to report any faults or issues which require Manco attention you can do so through our website at www.poundburymanco.co.uk, or contact the managing agents, Symonds and Sampson, by phone on 01305 756968 or email at mancos@symondsandsampson.co.uk.

Manco3 – What We Can Do and What We Cannot Do To Help You.

We know that people are not always clear about which activities Manco3 is responsible for. More details can be found on our website, www.poundburymanco.co.uk, but in summary Manco3 provides the covenanted services in common areas (primarily courtyards). These duties include some maintenance activities and management of adherence to stipulations. For example, we are responsible for all courtyard lighting and repair of ducted free-to-air TV services, and advice on connection to subscription TV systems such as Sky. For clarity, Manco3 has no responsibility for broadband services, including the provision of TV channels through broadband.

The Mancos are not responsible for the areas immediately outside apartment blocks or the bin stores serving these areas. These will be the responsibility of a Flat Management Company established when the building was constructed, to whom any queries should be addressed.

However, if you are uncertain who is responsible for a particular issue please get in touch with Symonds and Sampson through any of the routes shown above; if it is not us, they will do their best to pass your query on to the right quarter.

Communications

Considerable time and effort has had to be spent contacting the few remaining shareholders who have not paid their 2023 maintenance charges. Please keep the Company up to date with your current contact details via www.poundburymanco.co.uk: telephone number, email address, and address for correspondence – the last is particularly important if it is different from your property in Poundbury.

If you are letting your property in Poundbury, it is helpful for us to know if you are employing a letting agent. It is also prudent to include a requirement in any tenancy agreement for tenants to comply with the Poundbury Stipulations. Holders of Power of Attorney and Executors of Wills also need to know their obligations as shareholders.

The Directors

The current Resident Directors are: Dr. Andrew Wyatt (elected as chairman for the current financial year), Mr. Graeme Taylor, Mr. Robin James (elected at the 2023 AGM), Mrs. Philippa Thorniley (Company Secretary and Director). The Duchy of Cornwall Directors are Mr. Jason Bowerman and Mr. Peter Lacey.

However, we are always keen for new resident directors to join the board, and continue to encourage nominations. Any interested shareholders (owners of a residential or commercial property in the Manco3 area) can put their name forward. The role is largely strategic, with the day to day management being undertaken by our managing agents. For more details please speak to any of the current directors or contact www.poundburymanco.co.uk.

The 2024 Annual General Meeting

Finally, an early date for your diary: the 2024 AGM will be held on Wednesday 1^st May 2024 at The Brownsword Hall, Poundbury.

The Directors

Poundbury (Manco3) Ltd

Maintenance Program
Symonds and Sampson, MANCO 2’s Managing Agents, carry out quarterly checks of all common areas in active-maintenance. In addition to resolving any issues identified during their visits or responding to reported problems from Shareholders, they also carry out a program of routine maintenance. In addition to regular gardening, this summer will include painting of railings in several locations, plus pruning of emerging tree roots in Merrivale Court together with surface damage repairs. Additional tree reduction works will be carried out as identified by the Duchy arborist.

Board Appointments
The MANCO 2 AGM on 7th June elected two new directors to the Board, they are Graham Carr a retired Finance Director and Nicola Ghauri a Corporate Lawyer. Their skills are particularly relevant to the working of the Board and will complement those held by existing Directors. We are always looking for additional volunteers, so if you have business experience and would like to find out more information about the duties involved, please contact us (details below) for an informal conversation.

TV Distribution Upgrade
As some of the older TV distribution infrastructure is now reaching the end of its life and is no longer supported by the manufacturer, the satellite receiver equipment may need to be replaced. MANCO 2 working in partnership with MANCOs 1, 3 and 4, have completed a survey of the current condition of the network and commissioned the design specification for an upgrade of the equipment. We are currently awaiting sign-off from The Duchy before we can proceed with a market tender event to procure and install replacement equipment. We are aiming to complete the tender process and award contracts this year, with a view to installation and commissioning of the new equipment in 2024. Meanwhile, please report any TV problems as normal (details below), which our maintenance contractor will continue to support and address.

More Courtyards in Active Maintenance
Eventually over 50 courtyards and communal areas in the MANCO 2 area will become the responsibility of Shareholders. As yet, none of these areas have been formally handed over from the Duchy, however, MANCO 2 is gradually taking over their active-maintenance prior to formal handover. This only happens where it has been agreed with the Duchy that appropriate build standards have been achieved. Ongoing discussions with the Duchy have transferred a further 3 areas so far this year, taking the MANCO 2 cumulative total to 31 courtyards and communal areas in active-maintenance by July 2023. A further 12 courtyards are awaiting remedial works by Developers prior to acceptance later this year.

MANCO 2 Fees for 2024 under Review
Every Shareholder pays an annual fee which contributes to the routine maintenance of the communal areas, the management responsibilities of MANCO 2 and very importantly, the reserve fund which is invested to match inflation for future long-term commitments such as courtyard resurfacing. The existing Fee of £170 has been maintained for the last 5 years, however with materials and service cost inflation the Board are currently reviewing revenue and expenditure forecasts prior to setting the fees from 2024.

Contact MANCO 2
If you want to report a maintenance issue, repair need or breach of Poundbury Stipulations which relates to courtyards or common areas, please do one of the following:
• Report online https://www.poundburymanco.co.uk/send-report-to-manco-2/
• Or call the dedicated MANCO number at 01305 756968 (office hours)
Sending our correspondence electronically saves both time and money. If you wish to receive newsletters and other communications by email, please give our managing agent Symonds and Sampson your email address. Any personal information held on behalf of MANCO 2 is kept in strict compliance of the General Data Protection Regulations.

Dear Fellow Resident / Shareholder,

You usually only hear from the Board with the Calling Notice and paperwork prior to the AGM but following feedback we have decided to introduce a summer newsletter. You should be receiving this letter as an email if you have signed up for electronic correspondence or otherwise by mail. In the future, to save costs, it will just be emailed and available in hard copy at the S&S office. Please consider giving consent for emails to reduce costs.

The AGM has limited attendance most years although the Board like to think you have access to relevant information as you need it. Minutes of the AGM can be accessed via S&S and are formally accepted at the following year’s AGM.

One of the main talking points at the AGM was of courtyard maintenance and general upkeep of the MANCO1 grounds. There have been a large number of issues reported to Ryan’s team and sometimes the issues are perceived to be MANCO1 issues but sometimes it involves the footprint managed by the Council to which we have no jurisdiction. There is no doubt after 25 years some areas are becoming harder to maintain and we have employed additional services. We have established that we need to increase the allocated hours by a factor of almost three and having now drawn up a specification are going out to tender.

All concerns and problems are managed via S&S and the Board receive tabulated quarterly updates with the priority being on resolution. On the next page are the full 2023 statistics so you can understand what this involves and the importance of contacting S&S (by the options outlined). Notably, there has been an increase in enquiries from solicitors relating to house purchases to establish all is in order financially for their clients before completions.

The Board are dealing with outstanding service charge payments as there a small number of arrears and this requires extra admin hours and incurs costs to all Shareholders.

We continue to work on resolving the installation programme of the LED streetlights as the contracted company Enerveo did not identify structural problems with the arm-mounted lights on residents houses. This is extremely disappointing as the Board felt this established company offered a secure service and we are taking legal advice on how best to proceed.

There is ongoing work to address the occasional TV reception issues as part of a MANCO wide specification for Poundbury. A report has been received and options are being costed with value and longevity in mind as in the future fibre TV streaming will no doubt become the norm. We will not be neglecting those that want to remain with conventional/standard TV reception.

The Duchy is at a very early stage in investigating an EV charger station on Manco1.

One of the Board’s residential Directors will be stepping down at the next AGM and we would like to welcome another resident shareholder or two to the Board. Please make contact via S&S and see how you can become involved as it is not an onerous role.