Message from the Chairman
Dear Residents, this year we held our normal AGM on Thursday 26th May at 8.00 p.m. in the Community Hall in Broadfields Lane as usual, where, as used to be the case, there will be some wine and cheese! Doors will be open early to give time to read the reports. If you come, please be sure that you do not have Covid 19 and in the event that circumstances change we shall notify you via the web site or a note. There follows the announcement of some changes which will need the approval of the meeting.
Constitution
The last 2 years have shown that we can function virtually when necessary but looking to the future it is clear that, for instance, our banking arrangements need to change to take advantage of these new possibilities. We are therefore proposing some modification to our constitution to formalise these changes.
Rather than asking for your approval on a clause-by-clause basis we have taken the opportunity to restructure the document and are presenting it as a single new document for approval. Most of the content is unchanged and we shall explain the reasons for the few proposed changes in more detail on the evening.
Resignation of Chairman
The other change for the evening is to approve a revised committee. It is with some sadness that I have felt it necessary to resign as Chairman. I had thought that I might have a few more years left in me – subject, of course, to you re-electing me! Some 18 months ago I suffered a health setback which, whilst being successfully treated, has left me with an increased uncertainty for the future. In these circumstances I feel that it is the right time to step aside and let someone else take the Association forward. The proposed new arrangements are explained on page 4 & 5.
My involvement started within months of arriving on the estate in 1978. Having bought the house because of the garden I was approached by a ‘developer’ who wished to buy half my (as yet uncultivated) garden. A few weeks later a notice arrived for the AGM of the Residents’ Association, so Pam and I went along to find out what they were going to do. And, as the saying goes, the rest is history.
So, this element of self-interest has led me, along with my fellow committee members, as amateurs with no political mandate and no legal authority, to nag, question and lobby those who have these powers and authority not to make decisions which would harm our estate and the amenities which we enjoy. We have also tried to be the initiator of events and services which our membership can benefit from. I refer here to the social events, theatre visits and the children’s’ Summer playscheme which we organised. In the nagging and lobbying category are the numerous planning applications, both large and small, which we have taken part in including speaking and questioning developers at several Public Enquiries into planning applications which had been refused by the District Council, but which had been appealed. Much of the above happened while I was a committee member and then Treasurer. As Chairman, the success of which I am most proud is the establishing of the Conservation Area. I list all the above to pay tribute to the number of people who have done all the work in ensuring that these things happen. It all has been a genuine team enterprise and I would like to thank all the other members of the committee, road representatives and others for their commitment and support during my 25 years of chairmanship of OHRA.
David Hall
The Agenda will be as normal:
- Apologies and Introductions.
- Approval of the Minutes of the 2021 AGM.
- Matters arising from the 2021 minutes which are not on the agenda.
- *Chairman’s Report.
- *Treasurer’s report and accounts for approval.
- *Report from Councillors (County, District and Parish).
- *Report from Local Police Officer.
- *Report on Neighbourhood Watch.
- Election of Officers for 2022/23.
- Election of Committee Members for 2022/23.
- Confirmation of Road Representatives for 2022/23.
- Consideration of the revised Constitution
*These items will be covered by written reports which will be available to those who attend on the night and a summary will also be included in the post AGM Newsletter and on the website.
The existing committee is shown later in this newsletter. Any nominations (the name of the nominee and indicating two OHRA member sponsors) for the vacant committee position must be received in advance and these should be made by telephone or email.