Bumper Festive Update...

Apologies
First off, apologies for the lack of progress, CIRG has been a little neglected recently due to personal and professional commitments of members. This has also made it difficult to respond to emails in a timely manner, so apologies if you have been neglected. If anyone has time on their hands and would like to volunteer please let us know.

Anyway, here’s a bumper update...


Recycling
I noticed that the glass recycling point at the front of City Island was full and overflowing when I drove past it today (I don’t use it – I use the one at Sainsbury’s). As a reminder, when the receptacles are full, you can call Midland Glass on 01623721006 to have them emptied. Could someone please do this tomorrow? It may be worth asking them to put a sign on the receptacles with the telephone number on as well?


Waterside Apartments – Litter and Debris
The good news is that due to CIRG petitioning the council, Leeds council are serving one notice on David McLean’s to control the litter coming from their site, and another notice to clean up the river banks that are strewn with their litter and debris. Failure to comply with these written, formal notices will result in a fine or prosecution. So, keep your eyes open in the coming weeks. If David McLean’s are still allowing litter and debris to fly – let CIRG know, so that we can take it up with the council, and help us get the arrogant contractors prosecuted (if you can take a photo of any offences that would be really useful too).

The bad news however, is, as you some of you know, many City Island apartments facing Waterside Apartments have been hit and damaged by large pieces of dangerous debris that has been negligently allowed to blow off site by David McLean. Unfortunately, the Leeds Health and Safety Executive have still not served a notice on David McLean’s regarding this disregard for peoples personal and property safety, preferring, instead to be fobbed off with David McLean’s excuses and lies. We are hopeful of progressing this with our MP early in the new year.


Waterside Apartments – Crane
Thankfully, the end is in sight for the completion of Waterside Apartments, Phase I are just about ready to be moved into, and Phase II should hopefully be finished by June. With this progress, comes the removal of the second crane next week (on the 20th of December I think). There will be traffic management in place, but expect a little disruption around Gotts Road.


New Onsite Caretaker
In an effort agreed with and supported by CIRG, Accent have recruited a full time caretaker to the City Island development. The caretakers name is Ian Carter, and he will be responsible for routine maintenance and cleaning, in an effort to get on top of the issues that so many of us were reporting as annoyances. We will ask for and report Ian’s full responsibilities after the next meeting with Accent early in the new year, but in the meantime, I have noticed an improvement in the car park to name just one. Welcome Ian! Continue to report maintenance issues to Tony who will pass on to Ian as required.


Accent Staff Change
Sarah Smith who was the main Accent City Island account manager is moving on. Good luck with wherever you are going Sarah, and I hope it wasn’t due to CIRG that you have decided to move on. The new lady in charge of City Island is Joanne Howe – welcome Joanne!


Update on CIRG Position on Accents Involvement in City Island
Several of the active members of CIRG have now taken legal advice from Schulman's Solicitors in Leeds (Thanks to Matt for organising this), on two main issues. Firstly, the outstanding work that we believe Mayfair should be responsible for completing at City Island, and the release of (our) monies by Accent in order to legally pursue this assertion. And secondly, we have asked Schulman's to investigate our suspicions that Accent may have a possible conflict of interests. Schulman’s have informed us of the following:

1. The company that represents all our interests, is City Island Management Company Limited (CIMCL)
2. CIMCL has only three directors, all of whom are residents of Kuwait.
3. CIMCL appointed Accent as management agents, and as such Accent are answerable to and only to CIMCL.
4. CIRG do not believe three Kuwaiti residents can possibly be best placed to have the best interests of City Island at heart.
5. Schulman's are therefore now investigating on our behalf, to find out how to release the shareholding of CIMCL to leaseholders of City Island, in order that we can appoint directors that do have City Islands best interests at heart.

In summary, CIRG therefore have two main concerns about Accents current involvement in City Island.

1. A belief that Accent may have a conflict of interests. If Accent are only answerable to three Kuwaiti residents, who are the same people who will also be awarding the contract for Waterside Apartments, we need to know that this is not the reason for blocking the release of (our) money in order to pursue Mayfair legally because of Accents fear of possibly not being awarded further business from the Kuwaiti trio if they do so.

2. Ultimately, Accent are not accountable to anyone who cares. This allows Accent to act with impunity providing poor service and poor value for money and not be held accountable. We need to ensure Accent can be held accountable, just as any other service provider would and should be.

These concerns have been articulated to Beverly Craig, Accents General Manager, on the 11th of November 2007, but we have heard nothing back from her to date.

In the new year CIRG will be progressing this matter aggressively. We have been led a merry dance for far too long.


Video Entry System
Apparently, those fancy camera’s on the video entry system are not just for show, you can hook up the video input from them to your TV in your apartment, in order to see who is buzzing your apartment for entry. This would be a good idea for lots of reasons, so if you want instructions or a helping hand on how to do so please contact our forever wonderful concierge, Tony, at Antony.Foy@Accentgroup.org and ask him how.


Next Residents Group Meeting
We are hopeful of the next residents group meeting with the Management company being help early to mid January, in order to acquaint ourselves with Joanne Howe, and her with us, and to recap on existing issues and table any new ones. We will send out an email with the date and time and asking for your agenda items early in January.


Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year
Finally, just to wish you all a merry Christmas and a happy new year! Without you all being active, vocal, or simply registered to receive the emails, we would not be able to be as effective as we are. CIRG has been going almost 18 months now, and we are hopeful of 2008 being our most effective year so far! Have a great festive break, see you in 2008!