A group of owners in our Strata discovered the incompetence and one-person 7-8 year dictatorial rule in our Strata too late when AF & CWF went into deficit. Yes, this person is very accomplished, knowledgeable, knows more about Strata law than the Strata Manager.
See where our Strata landed with so much knowledge ! Knowledge is not the solution for Strata woes. SC Members do voluntary work and they know it is unpaid work. Payment does not by itself attract good volunteers. What is important is sincerity and honesty in work, not interfering with SM’s or BM’s work ( in allowing BM to appoint contractors for various works, unless proven to be dishonest or incompetent ) and most importantly setting an example in simple ways.
Strata Committee must know the BM, the security guards and the cleaners ( last two on minimum wages, mostly ) are the eyes and ears of the building 24/7 and if they feel you are taking care of them in any way you can, Strata will be safe to live in, defects are discovered before they become a budget-busting headaches, living environment improves.
Begin improving conditions in the garbage rooms where the cleaners work : by painting all surfaces once every 5 years, chutes twice a year including fragrance mats in each garbage room on each floor, take interest in how they work, talk to them about their problems at work and how residents can improve their work conditions ( not throwing glass down the chute, not throwing newspapers, card boards down the chute that increases their work and often injures them ).
Also engage them for simple works that don’t need specialist skills to supplement their income so long as the work is better than before and payment lower than before. After 4 years of untrained SC Members , everything in our Strata improved : finances, happiness of owners / residents / cleaners / security guards and even contractors as their bills are paid without much follow up.
So training of SC Members is not the only solution without other things as stated above.