Notice Board 2002
All opinions expressed on this site are those of their respective authors.
They are not necessarily those of the organiser of this site.
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It seems pretty obvious that the majority of dock residents don't give a monkeys about the marina club, perhaps they remember when it was popular and we were woken up by drunken louts waiting for mini-cabs in the early hours!
Why don't we just turn it into flats and make some proper money out of it, there are still plenty of pubs in Brentford.
Steve Bullman, Romulus Court 12 Dec 02
Wonderful! Another piece of wonderful estate management by Pinnacle. A Pinnacle duty manager not even capable of charging his phone...it leaves me speechless. I am suffering from flu at the moment and noticed the heat loss straight away.
I suggest that everyone writes a letter of complaint about Pinnacle to the Chairman of the Board. Do other residents really want Pinnacle to get their contract renewed next year? I, for one, don't. This heating restoration problem is the just the latest in an ever increasing list of failures to perform simple estate management tasks. Resident shareholders need to act before it is too late!
Andrew Holt, Nero Court. 10 Dec 02
Membership fees are a legitimate income of any club and are therefore not a subsidy. The question to be asked is why did the membership fees fall from £7,000 in 2000/01 to £1,400 in 2002/03.
The AUDITED accounts for 2000/2001 show a profit from ordinary activities after taxation of £5,347. These accounts were signed by Kelvin Brooks.
The salary and bonus paid to the Club Manager were as agreed at the start of the financial year - in addition to a salary for running the Marina Mooring operation.
Three questions require answers:
1. When will the accounts for 2001/02 be published.
2. What was the cost of the legal action taken against John Nash - subsequently withdrawn.
3. What is the basis of the "loan" currently made to the Club by a Director.
David Procter, Augustus Close. email: daprocter@BDRWaol.com [Editor's Note: When replying by e-mail, remove the letters BDRW from the address.] 10 Dec 02
Service Charge Demands/Reminders
Pinnacle now post Service Charge Demands/Reminders FIRST CLASS (at a cost of 27p) on headed notepaper in an A4 envelope from Bath! The total cost of each reminder must be nearly £1 each. What a total and utter waste of shareholders money!
Whilst reminders have to be sent, why can't these be sent using the internal mail service? These reminders are supposed to come from Sue Green, but are actually pp-ed by someone from Pinnacle.
The reminders also seem to be sent out indiscriminately - and threateningly talk about non-payment being a "breach of the lease". I, along with another shareholder, have received such a reminder, despite having long standing maintenance problems that Pinnacle are AWARE OF and have totally FAILED to rectify.
Failure to maintain block services is a breach of the lease. It seems that Pinnacle want you to pay service charge monies even when they are failing to supply an adequate level of service. They know about these complaints, but have still sent out a needless threatening demand for service charge monies.
I have always paid my service charge on time, but will not be intimidated into paying for services I am not getting according to my lease.
Andrew Holt, Nero Court
I would like to start discussion forums on:
- Hounslow Council's
Re-development Plan
What will be the effect on Brentford Dock, e.g., how is Dock Road affected?
- Who
owns/controls Dock Road?
If BD shareholders own it, why are they not allowed to use it as an access road or allowed to park there?
Dock Road is owned by Brentford Dock Limited. It was acquired when Brentford Dock Limited bought the freehold. That means that we are responsible for maintaining it.
All businesses along the road have right of access in order to conduct their business. Any subsequent sale of the land adjacent to Dock Road would contain the same rights to the new owners.
Dock Leaseholders have the right to WALK over Dock Road but not take a motor vehicle over it - this is stated in all leases Third Schedule Clause One:
"The right for the lessess and all persons authorised by the Lessess (in common with all other persons having the like right) to go pass and repass over and along ............ and along Dock Road ....."As the London Borough of Hounslow is a lessee, they can give permission for anyone in the Borough to walk along Dock Road. Therefore it is a public access road maintained at private expense. Clause 3 in Schedule 3 gives the right for lessees to drive a vehicle over all roads on the Dock "(other than Dock Road)".
The land currently occupied by the old W&K factory is scheduled for housing and Dock Road will be used by the developer for access to this development. The developer offered to pay £70,000 to Brentford Dock for the road up to the first bridge. All lesseess would have retained the right to walk over the road.
This was refused by the Board with Kelvin Brooks claiming that this access was worth a lot of money. As the Borough can give permission for anyone to access the road and as the developer will retain the rights granted to W&K this is obviously wrong and we are now left with the possibility of having to maintain a Victorian cobbled road which will be extensively used by someone else, who will have the right to drive over it!!
- David Procter, Augustus Close, 6 Dec 2002
- Parking
How to make best use of what we have. I regularly see vehicles parked in such a way that they take up the space of two cars. One suggestion would be to paint parking boxes to assist people to use only the required space.
In Ron Kenny's time an experiment was carried out on the road alongside the Marina from the shop to Marcus Court. The road was measured and divided by the length of a standard marked parking bay on public roads.Over a period of one week the number of cars parked on that section at night was counted and it was found that if the road had marked bays less cars would be accommodated.
An experiment was also tried at "herring bone" parking along this section but this prevent access to the parking bays in front of the Numa Court garage
- David Procter, Augustus Close, 6 Dec 2002
- Outsourced Management of
Brentford Dock
To where / whom should queries and/or complaints be directed - if Pinnacle's staff are not performing effectively? As an example, it seems that, since the outsourcing, the Management Office's role has declined in usefulness, and getting responses and answers to queries requires several attempts.
I feel that there are several "small" improvements that can be made that together would provide immense benefit to residents. I welcome your thoughts.
Raj Vada email: raj_vara@BDRWhotmail.com [Editor's Note: When replying by e-mail, remove the letters BDRW from the address]
[Editor: In the near future, an easier-to-use forum will be added to this site. In the meantime, if you wish to add your thoughts to the discussion, use the form on the bottom of this page or email them to noticeboard@brentford-dock.net.]
Hi, I currently own an ex-BWB narrowboat called ROE which was built by E. C. Jones of Brentford, and I am trying to find out more about the builder and hopefully some photographs of his workshops. Is there anybody on here who might be able to help please? Many thanks, Dave Clark (dc327@BDRWcam.ac.uk) [Editor's Note: When replying by e-mail, remove the letters BDRW from the address] 19 Nov 2002
Ladies and Gentlemen,
By hook and by crook I have all these email addresses of
Brentford Dock shareholders. I have published a couple of
open letters to the Board, and I expect there will be more.
I send all that kind of material to Neil O'Dwyer who has so
far been willing to put them up on his "Residents' Web
Site". This involves him in a fair amount of work, and he is
a busy man. He could withdraw**
this useful means of communication at any time, as it is
entirely his own creation and costs him a good deal to
maintain, both in terms of time and of money. For your
information, the site is http://brentford-dock.net
Most people just want to live here quietly and I do not want
to intrude on you, nor to be a spammer. I have two
questions for you.
1) Would you like to receive my publications by email? A no
will ensure I bother you no more.
2) Do you know of any other shareholders who have email, but
are not in this address list? If so, please forward this to
them. They can contact me and give me their email addresses
only if they so wish. I'd especially like email addresses
for Board Members. Currently I have only that of the
Chairman.
Many thanks,
Anthony Warren
|
Annie Knight Ayyub Malik Bob Hill Charles Hudd Charmian Allcock David Procter Elkie Holland Gareth Wynne Hans Styrnell |
Hazel Wright Helen Sones Ian Ridpath J Haywood Jane Cody Jim Sutter John Barker John Nash John Yates |
Karen Copeland Louise Jackson Mary Spice Michael Bradley Neil O'Dwyer Peter Dignam Peter Wilson Sue Pinker Terry Mahoney |
** [Webmaster's Note: There are no plans to withdraw the Brentford Dock Residents' Website. In fact, it will shortly be improved with additional features. Since its inception, it has been hoped that other residents would run (maintain / contribute to) parts of this website. It says that on the front page.]
Green Dragon Lane, Old Brentford, 1900
I am looking for information on GREEN DRAGON LANE, OLD BRENTFORD 1900. Please
has any one any photos I can copy? Thank you M.Mealey, Leek, Staffs
email: m.mealy@BDRWbtopenworld.com
[Editor's Note: When replying by e-mail, remove the letters
BDRW from the address]
Over 2 months ago a large hole was dug at the
entrance to Dock Road/right hand side.
This hole is dangerous and looks awful and there is no sign
to signify a contractor / Hounslow Council / or who is
responsible?
As Dock Road is our property I would be interested in
knowing who is responsible and when it is going to be
rectified.
Angela Hill (angelapeter@BDRWbtinternet.com) [Editor's Note: When replying by e-mail, remove the letters BDRW from the address] Wednesday, October 30, 2002
A Lovely Place To Live
Hi Neil,
I lived at Brentford Dock from 1982 to 1999 and was a near
neighbour of yours in Otho Court.
[Ed: We've never forgotten you,
Bob]
I traveled through Brentford recently and, seeing all the
waterside development that has occurred since I left,
wondered whether a website had been developed for the 'dock'
and was pleasantly surprised to see that it has.
A most worthy effort I must say. Congratulations to you (and
anyone else concerned) in developing a most professional
site that must be most useful to residents and visitors
alike. I reckon the website represents a significant asset
for Brentford Dock.
[Ed: Sadly, Bob, the website
is completely ignored by the current Board - they will not
even print its name. When
I asked for a copy of the Residents' Handbook on floppy
disc, The Board That Loves To Say No (i.e.,
Kelvin Brooks) refused - even though it had already been
distributed, on paper, to every flat.]
I can see many improvements including the Marina Bar &
Restaurant - now looking like a nice place to visit!
At long last the TV system seems to have been sorted out
too! Your guide to the TV system is explained well and laid
out very clearly and thoughtfully. The gardens look great
and I'm clearly reminded of so many aspects that made
Brentford Dock such such a lovely place to live when I was
based in London.
Looking at the forum though, sadly, the politics don't
seem to have changed much!
Kind regards & best wishes
Bob Harding-Williams
Regency Mews, Cheltenham
PO Box 339, Twickenham TW1 2XF Telephone & fax: 020 8876 0455 Website: www.hacon.org.uk Email: info@hacan.org.uk President: Lord Gilmour of Craigmillar
OVERFLOWN & OVERLOOKED: MAKING YOUR PRESENCE FELT
I am writing to you personally to invite you to attend some of our forthcoming events in the campaign to put a stop to the third runway at Heathrow. Many of our supporters have given extremely generously to our night flights appeal campaign, for which we are very grateful. This time, you may be relieved to hear, I am asking not for money but for your physical presence!
As you will recall from our latest newsletter, the Government recently issued its South East Regional Air Studies (SERAS) for a 4 month consultation period. One of the options put forward in SERAS is to expand Heathrow further by building a third runway.
Both ourselves and the "No Third Runway" Campaign, with whom we are working closely, feel that visible protest is the key to preventing yet more expansion at Heathrow, so we have organised a number of events. Updated information on these and other events, such as public meetings in Ealing, Hammersmith and Windsor will be available via your local papers, and at www.hacan.org.uk.
The effectiveness of these events is dependent on your support.
Monday 14th October: Public Meeting at Civic Centre, Lampton Road, Hounslow. Organised by Hounslow Council. The start time is expected to be 7.30 pm, but check with the council for confirmation.
Wednesday 16th October: Lobby of Parliament. A Rally will be held on the Green (opposite the House of Lords) from about 2.30 pm. The Grand Committee Room has been booked from 3.30 - 6.30 pm. The idea behind a lobby is that you contact your MP beforehand to say that you would like to meet him/her. You then have the chance to lobby your MP in the Grand Committee Room. The beauty of a lobby is that you don't need to be there all afternoon if you can't spare the time. Lobby your MP even if you know they are sympathetic! Numbers count!
Saturday 26th October: Red Bus Ride along the New Flight Path.
We have hired an open-top red London bus. It will travel from Sloane Square to Windsor underneath the route of the new fight path to alert people to what a 3rd runway would mean for them. It will be a mass of colour and will, from time to time, broadcast..... aircraft noise! We are writing to MPs and councillors inviting them to join us.
- The bus leaves Sloane Sq. at 9.15 am, and drives to
Hammersmith Town Hall (King St) for a photo-opportunity
from 10.00-10.15am.
- The bus stops at Turnham Green, (junction of Acton
Lane and Chiswick High Rd.). There will be a short rally
from 10.30 am - 11.15 am. This is the main place where
Londoners are asked to gather.
- The bus stops at Harmondsworth Village from 12.00 -
1.00 pm where it will be met by members of the "No Third
Runway" Campaign.
- The journey will end at Alexandra Gardens in Windsor. Berkshire and Oxfordshire people are asked to gather here at 1.30pm. The bus is expected at 1.45 pm when there will be a short rally. (Timings may vary a little depending on traffic).
We have reached a crucial point in our campaign to cap the further expansion of Heathrow airport. If we win the third runway battle, and if our ECHR night flight victory is upheld by the Grand Chamber, then it will be clear that Heathrow's environmental drawbacks rule it out as the site for Europe's major hub airport. So please, if you possibly can, attend one or more of these events. Come along with your family, your friends, and all your neighbours, and make your presence felt!
Yours sincerely,
John Stewart
Chair, HACAN ClearSkies 30 Sep 02
I am writing about the damage to cars being caused by the children who are constantly playing football in the Romulus Car Parking Area (the area near the start of Dock Road which is overlooked by the pathway).
If you are one of the parents of these children, would you like me to kick a football against your new car? My car, along with a number of others in this car park, have suffered damage to the paint work and body work.
On reporting this issue to Pinnacle, Sue Green just seems to want to make excuses for the behaviour.
On this very day, I have had to chase two kids off today who were hitting a grey BMW parked in the car park. Was this your car? If so, complain to the management office.
This is just a matter of weeks since the same kids were offered free football training in a link up scheme with Brentford Dock Football Club that was designed to prevent this sort of incident from happening.
The first of these kids is dark haired and normally wears a red Manchester shirt. The other kid is blond. Does anyone know where these kids live? If so, please report them to security as it could be your car next!
If we haven't suffered enough with car crime recently, now we have to put up with the sort of anti-social behaviour that the previous management company would have done something about!
Andrew Holt, 4 Oct 02
Editor: The free football training with Brentford Dock Football Club is sponsored by Pinnacle.
Unwanted marketing material
An individual who wishes to prevent personally addressed marketing material being sent to him/her may register with the Mailing Preference Service, Freepost 22, London, W1E 7EZ or Tel: 020 7766 4410.
Uninvited telesales and faxes can be prevented by registering with the Telephone Preference Service Tel: 0845 070 0707 and The Fax Preference Service Tel: 0845 070 0702.
Symone Hutchings
Harbourmaster John Nash
John Nash not only ran the Marina Club in an efficient and
friendly manner and made a profit; he transformed the black
hole in the centre of The Dock into a visual gem that is now
the Marina and the heart of the Dock.
He did this whilst providing a professional service to boat owners, controlling
costs and producing a profit. I hope that his service will be recognised
by the Company and that he will not become yet another valued member of the
Company who is allowed to slip away without a word of thanks. The residents
and shareholders of The Dock owe him a great deal.
David Procter, Augustus Close email: daprocter@BDRWaol.com
16 Sep 02
[Editor's Note: When replying by e-mail, remove the letters BDRW from the address]
Although I have no interest in the Marina Bar I would like to add my observation to your discussions. With my Save the Planet hat on I would like to request that the menus and events newsletters are restricted to the main notice board and the club itself.
I see the distribution of 590 coloured printed pieces of paper as environmentally unfriendly. How many residents read them? How much time do the security personnel spend distributing them and at what cost to the environment and the Marina?
Maybe we could organise a list of residents who want to receive these leaflets rather than add to everybody's ever-increasing "junk" mail. Sue Dickinson, Augustus Close. 13 Aug 02
Hounslow Animal Welfare Society
Hounslow Animal Welfare Society need people to foster
cats and kittens until they can find permanent homes for
them. They also need people to permanently adopt cats
and kittens.
Fosterers receive help with food, litter etc. They do not
have to buy these.
Persons interested in adopting or fostering will be visited and vetted.
Details and pictures of some of the cats can be found at
www.bellauk.com/hawscats.htm.
Norma Ward, Numa Court
24 Jun 02
Brentford Dock Residents'
Association - Golden Jubilee Party Report
On June 3rd 2002, Brentford Dock Residents' Association held
a Jubilee Tea Party in the Residents' Clubroom. The event
was officially opened, at 2pm, by the actor John Bardon
(a.k.a. Jim Branning, Mr Dot Cotton, from BBC1's Eastenders
programme). The Mayor of Hounslow, Councillor John Connelly,
also attended and stayed for about an hour.
Over 70 residents and friends attended and enjoyed a 50's
style tea of spam & tomato, corned beef, sausage rolls and
pickle, fish paste, cucumber and egg & cress sandwiches
followed by trifle and carnation milk.
Mouth-watering cakes were very kindly baked and donated by
Dock residents. Beverages were served, on silver trays, by "nippies",
suitably dressed in black with white caps and aprons. An
army of helpers made tea and drinks all afternoon, but more
importantly washed up copious amounts of cups and saucers.
The hall was tastefully decorated with red, white & blue
bunting, balloons and flags. The tables were adorned with
blue cloths topped by little pots of red and white flowers.
The Jubilee raffle was made up of prizes donated by a few
residents and several local companies including; Somerfield,
Goddards, Brent Pharmacy, Martins Newsagents, Jeffreys
Hairdressers, Wyevale Garden Centre, Tesco, Brentford
Football Club, Marks & Spencer and British Sky Broadcasting.
John Bardon and his fiancée left at about 4pm and we wish
them lots of happiness for their future together (they got
married on June 5th).
The afternoon was a huge success and enjoyed by everybody
who attended. A 'massive' thank you to all of you who helped
make the event possible.
Tessa Marchant, Social Secretary,
Brentford Dock Residents' Association
I have lived here for 22 years. I have never been frightened, mugged, burgled, drugged, fallen in the river or had anything of mine damaged or stolen. I have loved every minute of it. Neil O'Dwyer 15 May 02
To the Residents who toiled with the refurbishment and redecoration of the
Marina Club back in early 2000, and those of you who supported us on a regular
basis, enjoyed the events and drank us into a profit of £6k, many thanks! Your
efforts and bad heads should be appreciated by all the residents.
John Nash, Harbourmaster,
john_nash10@BDRWhotmail.com 31 Jan 02
[Editor's Note: When replying by e-mail, remove the letters BDRW from the address]
Dangerous Parking
Would the owners or drivers who park their vehicles in the ENTRANCE of the OTHO
COURT car park, off Augustus close, please note the following points:
(1) You are causing a partial obstruction which endangers cars turning into
the car park as it reduces the entry by three feet.
(2) Those parking spaces in the car parks are paid for or rented by dock residents
as part of their lease, although parking in Brentford Dock is difficult it is
possible to find a space if you are prepared to walk a distance sometimes.
(3) You have nice cars, surely you can afford to rent a parking space, there
are dock residents advertising car park spaces on the notice board by the management
office.
Sudhir Shah, Otho Court, sofatoad@BDRWyahoo.com,
27 Jan 02
[Editor's Note: When replying by e-mail, remove the letters BDRW from the address]
No Heating or Hot Water
I would welcome some information about the recent problems with basic services.
I have experienced two power cuts in as many weeks and had no heating or hot
water this morning. I assume this was a consequence of the electricity
failure which seems to have blacked out the entire Dock last night [Sun 13 Jan].
This isn't a whinge, both power cuts were dealt with commendably quickly, despite
the fact that they occurred on a Saturday morning and a Sunday night.
However, an unreliable domestic power supply is a rarity in my experience and
I would like to know what the underlying factors are. Gabrielle
Wallington, Nero Court 13 Jan 02
Comment from Neil O'Dwyer:
I have not verified the following. There was a message on my answer-phone saying that Roy Branch, Acting Estate Supervisor, said that power was disrupted to the whole of Brentford. Roy Branch allegedly said that the power cut "tripped" the pump(s) that drive the hot water around the estate. He also allegedly said that the boilers are maintained by an external company and that they were called on Monday morning.
It is bad engineering to allow a simple power cut to disable the pump(s) such that they have to be reset by a human. When power is restored to a normal domestic (one-house-only) central heating system, pumps restart without human intervention.
Maybe, on this occasion, there was a nasty surge when power was restored. Maybe not.
If our system has to be reset by a human whenever there is a power cut, then our day and security staff - and possible a few residents - should know how to reset the pumps.
We should be told the facts of this incident. Thank goodness it was a mild night. Neil O'Dwyer, 14 Jan 02
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