Annual General Meeting 13th July

How can it be that we are already halfway through the year? As the old saying goes, time waits for no one, least of all the Co-op business that gives us opportunities to get involved and be part of the community. Yes, it’s time for the Annual General Meeting. You should already have received notification of the AGM planned for this evening (13th July) via email or through the door, and we hope to see as many of you there as possible. Come along to hear about plans for the forthcoming year, along with any other maintenance and organisational proposals, as well as up-to-date financial details.

Please remember, we are planning to offer a limited number of spaces for those who prefer to physically attend the meeting. These places will be reserved, in the first instance, for Co-op members who have been unable to join via Zoom. We will also continue to provide an online space for those who find digital attendance more convenient or need to isolate. Thanks to those who have sent in their apologies already – it is really helpful to know in advance how many residents plan to attend. So, please do let us have your acceptance or apologies, and tell us whether you’ll be attending in person or via your internet connection.

Photography Competition

After the photography competition was extended to make the most of the summer months and all the lovely blooms out at the moment, we received some super pictures from residents Lilly and Farrokh. Don’t forget to send us more of your images. You have to be in it to win it and a £25 voucher for a local shop could provide you with all sorts of goodies. Closing date 31/07.

Fire Escape Doors

During the summer months, it may be tempting to open fire escape doors, climb out and use the space for socialising or enjoying the sun. However, these spaces are out of bounds, and uninsured for improper use. Along with council tenants and leaseholders, private tenants should be made aware that under no circumstances, except during genuine emergencies, are they to access the roof spaces in any of the blocks. To continue doing so is a breach of your tenancy and lease agreement and we urge everyone to take note.

Bin Sheds and Rubbish Collection

It may be boring. It may be grubby. It may be annoying. But it’s crucial! Dirty and unhygienic bin sheds are a very real problem on some parts of the estate. Once the sheds cross a certain threshold, council employees won’t take the rubbish away. Dirty bin sheds attract rats and if rubbish is allowed to collect over a number of weeks, sometimes those rats die inside the bin sheds, and no one can see the bodies, and the stench eventually becomes unbearable.

Thankfully, some bin sheds are kept exceptionally tidy and clean. So, we know it’s possible. Please do not disregard this message about your bins and rubbish bags. Here is a clear reminder about how rubbish should be disposed of.

• Rubbish of any description should not be stored on the landings for any amount of time ever.
• Rubbish bags should be placed inside the bins, and where available, inside the sheds with the doors closed.
• Bags must be properly tied so that rubbish doesn’t fall out when the council staff collect them.
• The council will only take black bin bags for normal rubbish and WBC orange bags for recycling. Garden waste should be placed in green bags.
• Bin staff will simply leave bags behind that aren’t these colours or that have the wrong sort of waste inside – garden waste in an orange bag will be rejected, for instance.
• If a bin becomes unhygienic because it has not been collected for several weeks, the council staff will not touch it. They will not pick up a rubbish bin and empty it out.
• And, finally, they will not take rubbish that isn’t bagged correctly, so there is no point putting discarded cardboard boxes in the shed and hoping they will disappear.

Sometimes, council employees do miss rubbish that is correctly bagged. Please use the council website to report this as soon as possible when it happens at www.wandsworth.gov.uk/missedcollections. The Co-op cleaners will attend on Wednesdays and litter-pick the communal area only. However, they are not contracted to clean your bin shed for you. Residents are entirely responsible for their own bin sheds. If you are concerned that someone else is using your bin shed, please use a padlock. However, you will need to make sure it is open on rubbish collection days.

If you have extra rubbish that cannot fit into the bin shed, please take it to Smugglers Way Waste and Recycling Centre.