The meeting was opened by the Chair, Bill Bailey, who welcomed all residents, particularly those who are new to the Estate and attending for the first time. Also Councillors Diana Pagan and Nigel Sumner; PC David Traynor from the Safer Neighbourhoods Team and Anna England of Ealing Council's EnviroCrime unit.

Apologies were noted from Councillor Barbara Yerolomou, Committee members Sergei Turceninoff (Secretary Houses) and Anthea Douglas (Treasurer Flats).

1. 2006 AGM
Minutes were approved. There were no matters arising.

2. 1. Community policing on the Estate
Guest speaker PC David Traynor gave us an update. There is now a full team in place and the team is able to provide better cover. The main concerns are noise pollution, fly tipping and burglary. There had also been a number of incidents of begging scams. Locally there had been isolated problems at the Park Royal Leisure Complex. He advised the phone numbers to use, for emergencies 999 otherwise 020 8721 2947.

Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator Trudy Prescott talked about the scheme's role and the need for support. Japan Services will help with the distribution of newsletters.

2.2. Environmental Protection
Guest speaker Anna England updated the meeting on the Councils plans to improve the environment with specific reference to the collection of household rubbish. Residents were asked to strictly follow the Council’s instructions for rubbish collection, as per the Council’s notice of 4^th May 2007. Failure to do so risked a £110 fixed penalty notice or prosecution. The meeting expressed concern at this heavy handed approach and some contradictory points in the notice. Residents were urged by the Chair to nonetheless take notice of what is required, which is after all in everyone’s best interest in keeping the Estate clean.

3. Annual Report: The Estate (Bill Bailey)

West Acton Controlled Parking Zone
The scheme was implemented in April last year. By all accounts it has been successful. We have asked to be consulted when the scheme is reviewed this year. The main concern now is parking at night and residents are encouraged to use their garages.

Street lights
The first phase in upgrading the quality of street lighting was completed in Princes Gardens and Links Road, with the installation of Heritage lamps with a swan neck bracket on an Oxford column. The scheme is designed to meet the new European lighting standard to make our streets brighter and safer at night. They are a great improvement on the old lamp standards. We are now waiting for the design plan for the next phase.

Vale Lane roundabout
The long awaited traffic island was installed to help prevent vehicles driving the wrong way round the roundabout. Its effect appears to be limited. There are no plans to make any further changes. We have asked the Safer Neighbourhood Police team to check regularly.

Street trees
Due to age and recent dry summers, many trees have died. We are maintaining pressure to ensure they are replaced. Masons Green Lane has just had a comprehensive make over, again following pressure from the Residents Association.

HHGERA Website
The new website has been launched and was demonstrated. The chair thanked the excellent work completed by our very own in house web team, in particular “web mistress” and editor Nim Maradas and image maker MC Tsang. The site will be developed continuously. A request was made for old photos of the Estate to add to the picture gallery. Local Estate Agents will be advised about the site.

4. Annual Report: Houses (Bill Bailey)

The gardens
A new gardens maintenance contract was awarded to Abel Gardeners. They are the Flats gardeners and with a base on the Estate were able to give us a better price than the previous gardeners.

A sum of £2,250 was paid towards the renovation of the Pond Garden. Funds will be allocated towards restoring the pond itself in due time.

This year 2007 a major project has started in the Princes Gardens/Tudor Gardens service roads and the Princes Gardens central reservation to heavily prune back the laurels and hedges, to remove dangerous overhanging branches and to clear dead trees. The red horse chestnut at the junction Princes Gardens and Vale Lane will be reshaped.

Service roads gates
There has been a delay in installing the gages as, following a change in personnel in the Council’s Planning Dept, we were requested to withdraw our planning application and resubmit it with more detailed drawings and elevations for each gate. We have now submitted a second application and expect to proceed with a progressive installation of gates this year, starting with the Vale Lane / Princes Gardens entrance, where local residents have already been canvassed.

We have been successful in obtaining a grant of £10k from the Council as part of their Community Safety Alley-Gating Scheme, towards the cost of the scheme of about £15,000.

Conservation and Planning
The Estate remains popular. Houses continue to be bought and sold regularly. The good news is that the number of tenancies has declined, particularly to groups, as owners begin to appreciate the high cost of excessive wear and tear that this type of letting brings. Conversions and building works are ongoing, but is everything under control

However, there have been two instances when the Council had failed to act according to its planning policies for the Estate as set out in the Design Guide. Firstly, a Certificate of Lawful Development which was issued in error by Planning and secondly an Appeal to the Secretary of State, when Planning failed to acknowledge an application in time. Both give us some cause for concern as a precedent may be set and we have raised them at a formal meeting of the Council’s Development User Group.

Currently we are looking for a new Conservation Panel member, preferably someone with an architectural background, to join panel chair Sergei Turceninoff. Contact him on 020 8992 0769.

5. Annual Report: Flats (Carole McLoughlin)

Major works
Refurbishment of the entry doorways and common hallway of each block are now planned. Two hallways will be refurbished as models and residents invited to comment.

Cherry trees
A number of cherry trees along the Links Road boundary have had to be felled. They will be replaced with similar flowering ones.

Pond garden
The new design for the garden was approved. Abel Gardeners have cleared and replanted the garden with shrubs and flowering ornamental trees. The lawn has been reseeded and hundreds of bulbs planted, which already made a fine show this spring.

2008 HHGERA calendar
Carole McLoughlin presented proposals for the Estate’s first annual calendar, illustrated by various alternate design models. A photo competition has been organised and residents were encouraged to submit photos. The calendar is planned to be issued in the autumn.

Social events
The Committee organised two successful social events during the year: a Pub Quiz at the Greystoke and a New Year Social at Ellen Wilkinson School.

6. Treasurer’s reports
Victor Jundi presented the audited accounts for Houses .
Carole McLoughlin presented the Flats accounts.

7. Election of Officers
The meeting unanimously re-elected Bill Bailey as Chair and Carole McLoughlin as Vice-Chair.

8. Election of Committee Members
The meeting elected members of both Committees unanimously.

Houses Committee
Bill Bailey (134 Princes Gdns) - Chair
Sergei Turcheninoff (43 Monks Drive) - Secretary
Victor Jundi (187 Princes Gdns) - Treasurer
Harriet Lalor (9 Monks Drive)
Nim Maradas (227 Princes Gardens)
Alan Merrett (15 Queens Drive)
Sharad Parmekar (155 Princes Gdns)
Quentin Phillipps (2 Queens Drive)
John Stone (223 Princes Gardens)
MC Tsang (167 Princes Gardens)

Flats Committee
Carole McLoughlin (2 Essex House) - Chair
Anthea Douglas (2 Buckingham House) - Treasurer
Robin Bowden (11 Essex House)
Caroline and Brian Milligan (8 Essex House)
Renate Sohnen-Theime (11 Devon Court)
Julia Wong (21 Oxford Court)

9. Subscription Rates
Flats Subscription voted to increase to £3 annually.
Houses Subscription voted to remain at £30 annually.

10. Meeting closed
The Meeting closed at 9.15pm. Bill Bailey thanked all those for attending and supporting the Residents Association and in particular our local Councillors and Home Beat Officers.