RIGRA Annual General Meeting

Saturday 23rd April 2024 at 10am

TO BE PRESENT

Leaseholders and Tenants RIGRA Committee

1. OPENING BUSINESS

David Cutts

• Approval of minutes for the AGM 25 March 2023

• Notice that the AGM will be recorded

2. INTRODUCTION

David Cutts: Presentation of current matters and issues.

3. CONFIRMATION OF COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS

There being no challenge under the current constitution, the following will come into effect immediately after the AGM:

• Re-election for three-year terms of Ahmed Omar (Atlantic) and David Cutts (Chair, Granite)

• Election for three-year terms of Carrie Thompson (Granite), Darshini Menon (Iverson), Erica Villa (Iverson), Stefano Formaggi (Great Eastern), all of have been co-opted onto the Committee since the last AGM

• Election for a three-year term of Kari Pitkin (Wyndham) who responded to the latest Call for Volunteers

• Resignation of Mark Pinney

4. ANNUAL GENERAL REPORT April 2023- March 2024

RIGRA Committee’s report to be reviewed by section.

5. AGENDA ITEMS FROM THE ANNUAL SURVEY & ADDITIONAL ITEMS FROM RESIDENTS

The results of the survey were emailed to all Leaseholders and Tenants on 5 February 2024 with the Draft Agenda.

From the Survey

• Dissatisfaction with R&R’s financial mismanagement and a lack of accountability. There is a requirement for transparency, and efficient, better financial reporting, and cost-effective management that includes evidence that contracts are being renegotiated. There are too many instances of unexpected bills, unclear financial statements and difficulty in obtaining explanations for charges. Better control is needed for a Service Charge that increases substantially year-on-year. A call for a thorough review and audit.

• The need for effective management in completing outstanding projects, especially defect resolutions, and cladding work, with an emphasis on timely and on-budget completion.

• Improvement of overall appearance and safety in communal areas, including landscaping, cleanliness, and general upkeep.

• A lack of monitoring of building issues including defects (e.g. leaks, car parks and lifts) and slow work in putting other matters right (e.g. swimming pool).

• Security concerns, particularly in parking areas and entry points highlight the need for increased safety measures.

• Requirement for clear communication on all matters and an improvement in timely reporting to emails from

• residents.

• Dissatisfaction with Bellway's interior standards and overall building finishes.

• Parcel management issues.

• General concern about the management of the Estate and a call for other companies to be approached to replace Rendall & Rittner.

RIGRA Committee

• A range of opinions were expressed. These included appreciation for volunteer efforts and frustration at a lack of transparency and failure to address residents' concerns in holding R&R accountable to whom RIGRA Committee often appears too close. Those critical of RIGRA are also critical of its leadership and would like to see change.

Additional items raised by residents

• Right To Manage (RTM) - Whether Leaseholders would be open to exploring this matter with a subsequent vote to follow to determine if RIGRA Committee should pursue the RTM model for running the Estate on the Leaseholders’ behalf.

• RIGRA transparency - Communication has lessened over the past 6-12 months. Leaseholders require better visibility of RIGRA meetings and actions within working groups. This could be recordings of virtual meetings, minutes, Power Point Presentations shared on the portal, etc.

• RIGRA key priorities, key successes, and current work: What are the three top areas which RIGRA Committee is focusing on in 2024? When did work start on them and what is the latest update? Other than cladding, what successes were achieved by RIGRA Committee in 2023? How is RIGRA Committee is ensuring that all the development is looked after in a fair manner, eg. planting only occurring on the L+R buildings, Bellway area in disrepair with no resolution in sight despite efforts made by the defects group for the past 18-24 months?

• Building Insurance - The building insurance for all the River Gardens is negotiated by London+Regional on behalf of Leaseholders who are invoiced annually. How transparent is this negotiation at a time when the Government has instructed the FCA to challenge how insurance for large property portfolios is negotiated. Have Leaseholders ever been offered alternative quotations from insurance brokers?

• Heat / Energy billing - Raised by a Leaseholder due to unresolved comms with R&R over the charging for work on a HIU, and a wish to understand what is being done to resolve the current mess.

• The appointment of a Leaseholder as a director of GWMC - To be introduced by a resident.

• Commercial Units at River Gardens – Interest from Daniel McCarthy (Bond Court) in working with a small group of residents to explore whether there is anything that can be done to improve the situation here.

6. LEASEHOLDER DRAFT RESOLUTION

Tabled by Kari Pitkin and seconded by Calum Matheson, for presentation and discussion at the meeting:

‘To amend the Constitution with reference to the clauses that determine how the Committee works. The Draft Resolution is for a series of votes on the recommended changes to:

• Clause 5.2 – vote Yes or No

• Clause 5.4 – vote Yes or No

• Clauses 5.12 and 5.17 – vote Yes for No for the two

• Clause 7.8, 7.9 and 7.10 – Vote Yes or No (all relate to the same item)

• Clause 8 to the up-dates to 8.2, 8.3, 8.4 and 8.5 – vote Yes or No for all three

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

DATE OF AGM 2025

The Constitution stipulates that the AGM must be held within the first four months of the calendar year.

John Wallace, Secretary to RIGRA Committee 16 March 2024