• The Mansionhouse Gardens Owners' Association was set up under the Deed of Conditions by the original developer, Balfour Beatty. Since every resident contributes to a community fund, the committee has an important responsibility to represent all members.

    The factor handles everyday upkeep—such as repairs, inspections, and contractor arrangements for shared areas like roofs and stairwells—and the committee keeps an eye on their performance to ensure high standards.

  • Committee and Office Bearers

    • Committee members, including the Chair, are elected at the AGM.

    • Any Association member can stand for election.

    Role of the Committee

    • The role of the committee is to benefit the estate by discussing and resolving issues.

    • The committee collaborates with the factor to improve the estate, focusing on community enhancement and broader issues beyond maintenance.

    • The factor handles maintenance and repairs for common areas like roofs, walls, stairs, lifts, and utilities, arranging inspections, estimates, and contracts. The committee monitors the performance of the factor and any contractors.

    • For large-scale works or projects, a subcommittee of at least three experienced members may be formed to assist the factor.

    Role of the Chair

    • After the AGM, the Committee agrees on a yearly work plan.

    • The Chair prepares agendas and leads meetings, delegating if necessary.

    • The Chair serves a one-year term and may stand for re-election.

    • In tied votes, the Chair holds a casting vote, typically maintaining the status quo.

    • The Chair supports all Committee decisions.

    • For urgent issues, the Chair and two members may act on behalf of the Committee.

    Purpose & Meetings

    • The Association operates under the estate’s Deeds and Conditions.

    • At least four meetings are held annually, with a quorum of five members.

    • Meetings are open to members and invited guests; non-owners may only attend if cohabiting with an owner.

    • Only Committee members can vote at meetings, with each household receiving one vote at the AGM.

    Conduct of Meetings

    • Non-committee members can raise issues through the Chair or factor, or during AOCB.

    • Courtesy and respect are required, and meetings will be capped at 2.5 hours.

    Committee Conduct

    • Members cannot publicly represent the Committee without group approval.

    • Committee decisions are collective and must be supported by all members.

    • Urgent decisions can be made by a sub-committee of three, including the Chair.

    • Criticisms must be addressed during meetings, not privately.

    Email Communication

    • Emails must be professional, focused on Committee business, and aimed at driving progress.

    • Disagreements or criticisms should be addressed in meetings, not via email.

    Conflicts of Interest

    • Members must declare conflicts of interest and may be asked to abstain from voting or leave discussions.

    Confidentiality

    • Confidentiality regarding individual residents must be maintained.

    • Minutes are for members only and may not be shared without approval.

    Breach of Code of Conduct

    • Breaches result in a warning from the Chair.

    • Continued breaches or refusal to leave allow the Chair to close the meeting.

    • A member may be removed after receiving two separate complaints from committee members or association members apart from the Chair, and two separate warnings from the Chair.
      If conduct does not improve after warnings, the Chair has the discretion to remove the member from a meeting or the Committee entirely for maximum of 1 year. Examples of conduct that may result in removal include breaches of conduct as listed above but also bullying, aggressive behaviour and/or language and discriminatory behaviour and/or language.

  • All residents are welcome to become full committee members, which involves actively participating in estate projects and attending meetings. If that’s not for you, you can still be part of the community by attending our Annual General Meeting (exact date and location sent out via our mailing list and the factor closer to the time).

    We encourage all residents to be involved in our community, even if joining the committee is not for you. We encourage every resident to come to the AGM once a year, so from 2025 we’re going to hold it in summer, and we’re going to be hosting more community events that we’d love for everyone to attend.

    To stay up to date with events, please join our mailing list. Once we have a notice board installed, we’ll issue information there too.

  • 2025’s agenda will be set at the AGM in January, so if you’d like to have a say in what happens in our estate in 2025 we strongly encourage you to attend the AGM. Beyond maintenance, such as finishing the roof repair and ash tree works in 2024, we’re going to be doing more community-led projects, such as:

    Bike Parking
    We’re looking into the cost effectiveness of installing bike parking for the estate.

    Sustainable Gardening
    We’re making our green space more sustainable this year. We’re going to be participating in No Mow May which simply means that for the month of May the gardeners won’t be mowing the grass. From early June, the greenery goes back to normal. No Mow May is a national movement set up by Plant Life UK which ensures green spaces work for pollinators eg. bees.

    As well as this, we’re looking into planting wild flowers in specific areas in our estate from springtime.

    Benches
    We’re looking into purchasing some communal benches, installed in springtime, so we all have the opportunity to enjoy our lovely estate.

    Notice Board
    We’re looking to install a community notice board in the estate so we can keep all residents up to date.

    Events
    2025 is going to be the year of community - join our mailing list to keep up to date with the various events we have planned which will (hopefully) include a barbecue - everyone invited!