GHRA

AGM 2024

23 October 2023 / 7:30 PM / Wine Valley

ATTENDEES

Stephen Aggett

Claire El Mouden

Sam Omatoyo

Clare Lowe

Rob Haxton

Chris Grasby

Alex Bell

Iskra Garbachkova

Cllr Damien Maguire

Adrian Unitt (GHVDC)

Gemma Davis (GHVDC)

Cllr Chris Pruden

Cllr Frank Ideh

Cllr Nick Cotter

Cllr Rob Parkinson

Cllr Tom Beckett

AGENDA

1. Getting settled
2. Introduction (SA)
3. GHVDC Q&A
4. Vote on Proposed Constitutional Amendments (SA)
5. Treasurer’s Report (SO)
6. Chair’s Report (SA)

Interval – Hand out voting slips

7. Community Centre / Sports Facilities Update (CEM)
8. Community Management Update (CEM)
9. Q&A
10. Announce election results (SA)
11. Resident suggestions of goals for 2024/25, feedback on what can we do better?

MINUTES

Link to Slides: 2024-10-23 – AGM Slides

Introduction

• Welcome
• We have microphones for the online participants, so everyone here will be heard.
• Introduce existing Committee and new nominees
• But first, we are going to get right down to business with a Q&A with the leadership of GHVDC. We have with us tonight Adrian Unitt, Managing Director and Gemma Davis, Customer Experience Director.

GHVDC Q&A

Roads and Pavements

•  Resident asked if  road sweepers could clean streets regularly as they used to; need to remove leaves clogging drains was highlighted. 
• Developer said there would be road sweeping and the frequency will increase in winter.
• Resident asked if the village is any closer to getting finished  roads and pavements.
• Developer said resurfacing of roads in phases 1A and 1B should start Mid November 2024 and finish April 2025

 Traffic and Speed Control

• A resident asked whether the developer planned to implement speed control measures, particularly around the school area where safety concerns were raised.
• The developer explained that traffic calming measures are included in the road designs, which will be implemented in the final works. These have been agreed with the highway’s authority.
• It was highlighted that enforcement remains a challenge until formal traffic regulation orders (TROs) are in place. Once TROs are implemented, enforcement can begin.

Parking Issues

• Parking was noted as a significant challenge, with the developer pushing back on proposals from Oxfordshire County Council to reduce parking spaces for new homes in Stage 2. The developer acknowledged that parking pressures are likely to increase as many households own multiple vehicles.
• Developer believes reducing parking provision a retrograde step and will increase fly parking on roads.
• Once TROs are enforced, Cherwell District Council will take over responsibility for parking restrictions.

Public Transport

• A lack of bus services was highlighted by residents as exacerbating parking and traffic problems and suggested this lack could make GHV a special case with regards to having more parking.
• Developer: encouraged residents to make  strong representations for adequate parking in upcoming Stage 2 consultation.

Green Spaces

• Developer said efforts are underway to transfer several community spaces, including the village green, entrance green, and Gateway Parks East and West, to the District Council.
• Transfer process is delayed due to complications with the Section 106 agreement.
• Minor defects are being addressed to meet council requirements and expedite the transfer.
• Resident asked why Gateway Park is still not open 5 years after it was completed
• Developer said inspections at Gateway Park found major issue with the boardwalk- absence of handrails. Council in 2018 requested handrails  be omitted for aesthetic reasons; health and safety being met by reed planting,  Council now demands handrail installation.
• Adding handrails would cost £30,000, impacting development funds and housing costs;  developer believes this is an unreasonable change of rules.
• Council and developer at an impasse: Hence park remains closed, with no timescale for when it will open.
• Councillors present at the meeting said they would pursue this to help resolve the issue.

Site Management

• Resident questioned if developer would appoint a Health and Safety Officer
• Developer said its construction director oversees site safety, with independent inspections from two companies, and no reportable incidents.
• GHRA asked about reporting process for site issues.
• Developer is recruiting a new Resident Liaison Officer who will be single point of contact. Meanwhile, concerns can go to Give My View portal or GHVDC’s Gemma Davis.
• Resident asked if developer would install good quality CCTV due to recent crime and vandalism on site
• Developer said CCTV is in place, but issues e.g. use of false number plates, limit its effectiveness to identify criminals; Neighbourhood Watch suggested for added security.
• Residents Association said it would be supportive of any residents wishing to start a Neighbourhood Watch 

The Future

• Resident asked what progress on public consultation for stage 2.
• Developer is sending feedback leaflet on Stage 2 consultation to all GH households, with revised proposals available on Give My View from October 30.
• Public feedback event (November 8 at the developer’s sales office) will allow residents to discuss updates with the developer and third parties.
• Updated proposal incorporates input from the February-March consultation and a design review panel.
• GHRA asked how developer can freeze the design when there is no up-to-date tree survey.  Developer said to wait and see the plans
• Residents asked when convenience store would be built. Developer said this is part of  Phase 1 plans. Timescale 2026.
• Resident asked if residential home being built on former health hub site changed plans for extra care home opposite the school.
• Developer said residential home does not impact plans for an extra care facility opposite the school. Added that extra care is part of the Stage 2 application and the current Section 106 agreement, providing affordable care through local authority.  Developer said there is  operator interest who seeks to remove the facility from the Section 106 agreement to secure grants, which are essential for viability.  County Council declined to do this.
• Resident asked when we would get a community centre, as now have over 500 residents, and developer in breach of 106 agreement which states building should have commenced. 
• Developer said building of community centre is now with Cherwell District Council and residents being consulted to move forward with it.

Build Defects

• A resident raised concerns about a serious build defect that was discovered by residents, not through the developer’s quality control, questioning if the developer relies on residents to report issues. Resident said defect has serious implications, and had it remained  undiscovered, would have had worse consequences in future. 
• Developer said it didn’t rely on residents to report defects, didn’t want to deliver defects, has reviewed procedures,
• ⁠GHRA member Alex Bell, experienced structural engineer, described a site walk-around with developer’s Construction Manager Grant Gibson 6 months ago, who explained the developer’s quality control procedures, involving multiple levels – builder, contractor, Housing Association, GHVDC, building control. Notwithstanding these measures, Alex discovered several significant defects which could not be considered snagging, and wrote a report to the developer describing the defects what needed rectifying
•  Response to GHRA was that there was no problem, that the developer had just employed a design person (who does not deal with  Quality Control), and no addressing of the actual defects. There were suggestions that libel and legal action might be taken against the GHRA.
• ⁠Resident asked when libel action would be taken by developer against GHRA 
• ⁠Developer said that they were not bringing a libel case against GHRA.  Resident asked why they had made an idle threat that could be considered bullying.  Developer said they didn’t agree that the mention of libel was a threat, that they beg to differ  with areas of Alex Bell’s report.  Alex asked the developer to explain the technical justification for those differences, rather than just stating a difference of opinion.
•  Developer went on to say the chair of the  Graven Hill board had outlined the developer position with regard to this in the letter and he couldn’t comment further on the matter.
• GHRA said no response had been made to the letter from the Chair of GHDVC as yet and this will be a matter for the new committee. GHRA also said it will be following up on this defect issue on behalf of residents.

Vote on Proposed Constitutional Amendments

The following amendments were put before the Committee: 2024-10-23 – Proposed changes to GHRA Consitution.docx

Prior to the vote, a resident suggested a comma be added to the following paragraph: “Any committee member may propose a single motion to be voted on by the Committee the next time the Committee meet. Any such motion must be discussed, for up to ten minutes.”

The Chair accepted the proposed revision and requested that the Committee vote on the proposed changes to the Constitution including the addition of the comma. The amendments were unanimously approved by the Committee present.

Treasurer’s Report

• The financial report was presented, outlining an income of just over £3,000 for the year, which was lower than the previous year. Expenditures were around £4,500, leading to a deficit of £1,461.
• Despite the deficit, the association’s reserves remained healthy at £7,208 at the close of the year, down slightly from the previous balance.

Chair’s Report

Events and Community Engagement

• The Chair highlighted the success of various events, including the Christmas Cracker and Easter Egg Trail, which saw strong attendance despite weather challenges.
•  A significant focus for the year has been the relationship between self-builders and the developer, with efforts made to improve communication and support for those involved in the self-build process.
• The Chair emphasised the work of the Build Standards group, who have been actively involved in identifying issues with construction quality and raising these with the developer.

Green Spaces and Landscaping

• There has been noticeable improvement in the appearance and maintenance of green spaces on the development, although challenges remain in getting these areas transferred to the District Council for long-term management.
•  Discussions are ongoing about the handover of key public spaces, including the village green and various parks.

Community Centre/Sports Pavilion Update

Progress and Delays

• The development of the community centre and sports pavilion remains delayed. The land and funding transfer from the developer to Cherwell District Council (CDC) is expected to occur by February of next year.
• The delay has been partly due to ongoing negotiations between the developer and CDC regarding the costs associated with preparing the land for development.
• The CDC is committed to working with residents on the design of the community centre. The project is expected to take several years, with an estimated opening around 2027.

Resident Input and Concerns

• The residents’ association will continue working closely with CDC to ensure that the community’s needs are met in the design of the centre and associated facilities. John, an experienced architect volunteering with the association, will contribute to the design process to ensure the best use of the available space.

CMO (Community Management Organisation) Update

• The CMO update focused on plans to establish a body that will take over the management of shared spaces and facilities in the Graven Hill development. The CMO will be responsible for managing green spaces, play areas, and potentially the community centre once built.
• The District Council has agreed to fund a feasibility study into the establishment of the CMO, with results expected later in the year.

Announcement of Voting and Introduction of the New Committee

One person stood for each of four named positions hence no vote was held. The following persons took the named roles for 2024/25:

• Paul Davis (Chair)
• Robert Haxton (Vice Chair)
• Fred Goldie (Secretary)
• Sam Omotayo (Treasurer)

Nine residents stood for eight available general committee positions. A paper and online vote was held and eight were elected for 2024/25. They were:

• Paul Bannister
• Alex Bell
• Sarah Chaplin
• Iskra Garbachkova
• Chris Grasby
• Jitinder Hari
• Tim Lobanov
• Stephen Aggett

The new committee expressed their commitment to building on the work of their predecessors and ensuring that residents’ voices are heard in ongoing development discussions.

The outgoing Chair delivered a farewell speech, reflecting on the progress made over the past year and thanking all the volunteers who helped make events and initiatives a success.

The Chair expressed confidence in the incoming committee and their ability to continue advancing the association’s goals, particularly around community engagement, build standards, and the development of shared spaces.

Update from Town and District Councillor Chris Pruden

• Councillor Chris Pruden provided an update from the Town Council, addressing some of the broader issues affecting Graven Hill, including the lack of public transport and ongoing discussions with the District Council about parking enforcement and community facilities.
• He encouraged residents to stay involved in local consultations and to continue working with the Town Council to address any concerns.

Open Floor from the New Committee: What Do Residents Want the Committee to Focus On This Year?

• The floor was opened to residents to share their priorities for the coming year. Several key areas were highlighted, including:
  • Continued focus on parking and traffic management
  • Ensuring that the community centre is developed in line with residents’ needs
  • Improving communication between self-builders and the developer
  • Further enhancing green spaces and public areas
• The new committee took note of these priorities.