Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has – Margaret Mead
With the holiday festivities now but a distant memory, and the first month of 2024 done and dusted, February is the month often known for being a month dedicated to, and all about love, with Valentines Day being slap bang in the middle of it. More has been written about love than probably any other subject, but putting aside romantic or eros love, possibly of greater importance would be how we can practice brotherly and agape love (sacrificial), especially in the context of community scheme living.
With the possibility of a changing political landscape in 2024 with national elections looming, we must remain hopeful that despite the ongoing load shedding, water shortages and the devastation that has been wrought on our economy, 2024 may still offer us the opportunity to make a difference to the lives of those we interact with every day. That in the interactions we have, with some healthy reprioritising of our life choices and decluttering of our minds, we can choose to be a positive influence in the world, and to adapt to even the unwanted but unavoidable changes that come our way.
February is also budget month when the government seeks to come up with new and inventive ways to increase our tax burden, and to extract as much money out of our pockets as they can to meet their spending habits. This year is going to be no different, as the tax base continues to dwindle and the strident demand for government social interventions continues to grow. It is therefore an ideal time after learning how much more we will be required to part with, to implement our own personal budget to greater understand how and where we spend our hard-earned money, and to look at what measures we need to implement to ensure that we manage to come out every month on what we earn. Budgeting is never easy as there is only a finite resource with an ever-increasing demand on how that resource must be spent.
It is critical for a community scheme to have a workable and realistic budget where it is the responsibility of owners and scheme executives alike to ensure that the community scheme where they live is financially sustainable, with sufficient income to be able to meet its monthly expenses and hopefully to put aside a little for any unexpected expenses that seem to arise at the most inopportune time. It’s not always easy to accomplish a balanced budget with so many demands and voices all speaking with different agendas based on their own personal circumstance, but to ensure the financial stability of a scheme it is an absolute imperative.
When visiting a community scheme, it soon becomes apparent if the scheme owners and the scheme executives have their priorities in the right place to ensure that the value of the properties in the scheme are enhanced through ongoing maintenance being attended to, that there is sound cash management being exercised and that scheme expenses are properly budgeted for in terms of levy income received. In poorly managed schemes, the first budget item that usually get cut is the maintenance of the scheme, and in a short space of time the scheme begins to look run down and uncared for, with a commiserate drop in the value of the scheme properties, and any demand to live in the scheme.
Your Whitfields Scheme Relationship Managers will assist the scheme executives in the drawing up of a realistic budget to be presented to the owners at the AGM for their approval. A budget that tries to find a balance between the realities of the tough economic times and the provision of the minimum services that are expected by owners and residents. A budget that prioritises the enhancement of the value of the properties in the scheme, but which may require some sacrifice, prioritisation of resources and usually increases in levies. Such required increases often aren’t approved by owners at the AGM, usually on basis of unaffordability and so the scheme starts a downward spiral as maintenance is compromised and minimum services such as security that people expect, aren’t able to be provided.
At Whitfields we endeavour to listen, care, and deliver, through serving the members of the community schemes we manage. We undertake that we will by our best endeavours and best practise, provide relevant and updated information to the scheme executives on the applicable governing scheme legislation and how such impacts the scheme where they are appointed, and to give them the necessary direction and advice as to how they can best manage their schemes.
