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.