diff --git a/.github/workflows/composites/clean-space/action.yaml b/.github/workflows/composites/clean-space/action.yaml
index f115de3a20..0c9546e9c5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/composites/clean-space/action.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/composites/clean-space/action.yaml
@@ -4,6 +4,12 @@ runs:
   using: "composite"
   steps:
 
+    - name: Disable man-db to make package install and removal faster
+      shell: bash
+      run: |
+        echo 'set man-db/auto-update false' | sudo debconf-communicate >/dev/null
+        sudo dpkg-reconfigure man-db 
+
     - name: Free Disk Space
       uses: jlumbroso/free-disk-space@main
       with:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/composites/run-and-save-test-times-when-cache-missing/action.yaml b/.github/workflows/composites/run-and-save-test-times-when-cache-missing/action.yaml
index 8366aa3252..0adeff92d7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/composites/run-and-save-test-times-when-cache-missing/action.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/composites/run-and-save-test-times-when-cache-missing/action.yaml
@@ -46,7 +46,9 @@ runs:
             -Dhttp.keepAlive=false \
             -Dmaven.wagon.http.pool=false \
             -Dmaven.wagon.http.retryHandler.class=standard \
+            -Dmaven.wagon.httpconnectionManager.ttlSeconds=120 \
             -Dmaven.wagon.http.retryHandler.count=3 \
+            -Dmaven.resolver.transport=wagon \
             -Dspring-boot.build-image.skip=true          
         
         touch /tmp/test_times_${{ env.CURRENT_INDEX }}.txt
diff --git a/.github/workflows/composites/run-and-save-test-times-when-cache-present/action.yaml b/.github/workflows/composites/run-and-save-test-times-when-cache-present/action.yaml
index 9cfbcaefd3..a2f91d3cde 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/composites/run-and-save-test-times-when-cache-present/action.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/composites/run-and-save-test-times-when-cache-present/action.yaml
@@ -155,7 +155,9 @@ runs:
               -Dhttp.keepAlive=false \
               -Dmaven.wagon.http.pool=false \
               -Dmaven.wagon.http.retryHandler.class=standard \
+              -Dmaven.wagon.httpconnectionManager.ttlSeconds=120 \
               -Dmaven.wagon.http.retryHandler.count=3 \
+              -Dmaven.resolver.transport=wagon \
               -Dspring-boot.build-image.skip=true
         
         touch /tmp/test_times_${{ env.CURRENT_INDEX }}.txt
diff --git a/.settings.xml b/.settings.xml
index c8add61d78..4e199c5c3a 100644
--- a/.settings.xml
+++ b/.settings.xml
@@ -46,6 +46,10 @@
 				</repository>
 			</repositories>
 			<pluginRepositories>
+				<pluginRepository>
+					<id>central</id>
+					<url>https://repo1.maven.org/maven2/</url>
+				</pluginRepository>
 				<pluginRepository>
 					<id>spring-snapshots</id>
 					<name>Spring Snapshots</name>
diff --git a/spring-cloud-kubernetes-commons/pom.xml b/spring-cloud-kubernetes-commons/pom.xml
index 6a6ee7919a..4b22ccd36d 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-kubernetes-commons/pom.xml
+++ b/spring-cloud-kubernetes-commons/pom.xml
@@ -11,18 +11,6 @@
 
 	<artifactId>spring-cloud-kubernetes-commons</artifactId>
 	<name>${project.artifactId}</name>
-    <build>
-        <plugins>
-            <plugin>
-                <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
-                <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
-                <configuration>
-                    <source>17</source>
-                    <target>17</target>
-                </configuration>
-            </plugin>
-        </plugins>
-    </build>
 
     <dependencies>
 		<dependency>
diff --git a/spring-cloud-kubernetes-examples/kubernetes-leader-election-example/pom.xml b/spring-cloud-kubernetes-examples/kubernetes-leader-election-example/pom.xml
index 6268864c01..2a83490e9a 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-kubernetes-examples/kubernetes-leader-election-example/pom.xml
+++ b/spring-cloud-kubernetes-examples/kubernetes-leader-election-example/pom.xml
@@ -11,8 +11,7 @@
 
 	<artifactId>kubernetes-leader-election-example</artifactId>
 	<name>Spring Cloud Kubernetes :: Examples :: Leader Election</name>
-	<description>Leader election demonstration with Spring Integration and ConfigMap
-	</description>
+	<description>Leader election demonstration with Spring Integration and ConfigMap</description>
 
 	<dependencyManagement>
 		<dependencies>
@@ -73,14 +72,6 @@
 					<skip>true</skip>
 				</configuration>
 			</plugin>
-			<plugin>
-				<artifactId>maven-surefire-plugin</artifactId>
-				<version>3.1.2</version>
-			</plugin>
-			<plugin>
-				<artifactId>maven-failsafe-plugin</artifactId>
-				<version>3.1.2</version>
-			</plugin>
 		</plugins>
 	</build>