Road Fund History | Constitution

Road Maintenance Fund

For the unadopted/private roads in Badgers Mount.

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NOTE
We would remind residents of the recommended 20 mph speed limit on our roads. This is because the roads are shared with pedestrians, cyclists, horse riders etc. It is the accepted practice that if you approach the narrower sections of road and there is already a vehicle coming the other way, the second vehicle waits at an appropriate passing place to allow the first one into the section to pass. You should not expect someone’s drive beyond their boundary to be used as a passing place.

Minutes

Draft Minutes of the 57th AGM held at the Memorial Hall on 9th May 2025
2025 AGM Minutes (DRAFT) 

News

Winter Newsletter December 2025

May I on behalf of the Committee extend the Season’s greetings at this festive time of year to all owners and their families.

In the period since our last Newsletter the roads under our remit have undergone repairs where appropriate, whilst road sweeping has been a feature with a second round under review now that most of the trees have shed their leaves.

The Committee is always concerned that sustained bad weather will impact the road surfaces and the Treasurer and I maintain a continual watching brief with frost, snow and rain being a lethal combination which can damage the road surface. As with everything these days, the cost of repairs is getting more expensive, but we don’t want the roads to become as badly rutted and potholed as they were before the Fund was formed.

The AGM held in May confirmed that the charges should stay at the same level as last changed in 2018, £40.00 per house plus £30.00 for every vehicle in regular use, given the steady drain on household resources. The Committee did preface this position by saying that repair costs had risen, particularly labour and tarmacadam and that unless more owners understood the economic principals of road management, it would be impossible to load those that currently meet their obligations, without there being serious shortcomings in the foreseeable future. Thus, to those that pay their annual dues a grateful thank you and perhaps a silent word from those that do not, a greater recognition to those that do maintain our roads.

Thanks to all those residents who have paid their contribution for this year. As at this time last year, about 2/3 have paid leaving 1/3 who have not paid. It is noticeable that some houses have more cars on their drives that are in regular use than the number they pay for. Some of those who have not yet paid rarely pay and rely on their neighbours to pay to maintain the roads which they use. The contribution request form will only be printed on the reverse of this newsletter for those who have NOT paid. This is to avoid the confusion which occurred last year when a few residents paid again although the form stated that they had already paid.

The Committee has seen a record number of house sales that require us to expend time and effort in assisting the legal process. This we do as part of our duties as by doing so we ensure that buyers are fully aware of the status of the roads and the position of the Fund. As a result, most new residents do pay their contributions. However, there may come a time when those households who do not pay their annual dues, are not afforded the same benefits as those that willingly meet their obligations to repair the roads.

I leave you this Newsletter as a reminder that the Committee is working hard to offset problems and with that a Happy Christmas and a Healthy New Year to you all.

David Masters
Chairman

Highland Road - Marchants surface dressing July 2015

Road Fund History

Early in the 1960s, following the building of some houses and bungalows in Highland Road, a few residents held a meeting to discuss the possibility of funding a scheme to lay a surface to Highland Road. The road then was nothing more than a cart track of flints and large pot holes. Footwear during the winter months was definitely gumboots with thick soles!

The meeting successfully raised a sum of money to make a start on filling pot holes with tarmacadam. Under the name Highland Association, the group called upon all residents in the road to contribute into a fund so that more work could be carried out in successive years.

However, after the worst section of Highland Road had been treated (in 1965), residents in Milton Avenue and Badgers Road were impressed and following a meeting of all residents of the three roads, the Badgers Mount Road Maintenance Fund was born. Johnsons Avenue joined the fund on the 1st January 1988.

Albert Thomas

UPDATE: Woodlands View joined the Road Maintenance Fund in 2025.
In 2024 the residents of Woodlands View self-funded the surfacing of their road.

BADGERS MOUNT ROAD MAINTENANCE FUND CONSTITUTION

Constitution of the Badgers Mount Road Maintenance Fund as adopted at the Annual General Meeting on 14th April 1983, with subsequent amendments made at Annual General Meetings.

NAME
1. The name of the organisation shall be “Badgers Mount Road Maintenance Fund” (hereafter referred to as “the Fund”).

AIMS
2. The aim of the Fund shall be to maintain in a reasonable condition the surfaces of unadopted roads in Badgers Mount, the majority of whose frontagers undertake to make voluntary contributions to the Fund, and where such roads have been made up to a reasonable standard prior to the fund accepting responsibility for maintenance.

MEMBERSHIP AND SUBSCRIPTIONS
3. Members shall be those occupiers (over the age of 18) of properties who have paid the subscription for the current year, or for the calendar year preceding the Annual General Meeting. If property ownership changes during the year and the subscription has been paid, the membership stays with the property and will be transferred to the new occupier.
4. The amount of subscriptions shall be decided by the Annual General Meeting or any other specially convened General Meeting, after receiving a recommendation from the committee.
5. Residents in roads which are not maintained by the Fund but use the maintained roads to access their property may pay a reduced subscription based on the number of vehicles in regular use.

OFFICERS, COMMITTEE AND ADVISERS
6. The Fund shall be managed by a committee comprising Chair, Deputy Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, and a minimum of three members. There shall be at least one committee member who resides in each of the roads maintained by the Fund.
7. The committee may appoint an adviser to provide recommendations for works to the roads. The adviser may attend committee meetings but shall not vote.
8. All officers and committee members shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting and shall be eligible for re-election. Any casual vacancies shall be filled by the committee for the period up to the next Annual General Meeting. All officers and committee members must be members of the Fund.
9. The committee may enter into contracts on behalf of the Fund in furtherance of its aims.

MEETINGS
10. There shall be an Annual General Meeting of the members not later than 30th April. The quorum shall be eight members, who may include members of the committee.
11. A Special General Meeting may be called at any time by the committee or by the request of at least eight members submitted in writing to the secretary.
12. Only members may vote at any General Meeting, each member being entitled to one vote. In the event of equality of votes the Chair shall have a casting vote.
13. Not less than fourteen days notice of every General Meeting shall be sent to every house. Accidental omission to give notice to a member shall not invalidate the proceedings of any meeting.
14. The committee shall meet to scrutinise the annual accounts and to prepare the business for the Annual General Meeting and on other occasions as necessary.

FINANCE
15. The financial year shall be the calendar year, ending on 31st December.
16. The Treasurer shall keep proper account records and prepare annual accounts and statements for each financial year and submit them to the auditor and the Annual General Meeting.
17. The Annual General Meeting shall elect an auditor to inspect the accounts and provide a signed report for presentation at the Annual General Meeting. No member of the committee or an adviser is eligible to be the auditor.
18. A bank account shall be kept in the name of the Fund. The committee may invest accumulated subscriptions at their discretion.
19. Three officers shall be signatories for the bank account(s), with any two required for all transactions.
20. Adequate reserves shall be maintained to allow for any emergency works to be carried out without the bank accounts going overdrawn. Overdrafts shall not be used.

INSURANCE
21. The fund shall take out an insurance policy to cover any public liability claims arising from the maintenance of the roads.

AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
22. The constitution may be amended at the Annual General Meeting providing that notice of the proposed amendment(s) has been circulated to members at least ten days before the meeting.
23. The constitution and any subsequent amendments shall come into operation on the day following the Annual General Meeting at which they were approved.
[Revised March 2023]

Note
The Badgers Mount Road Maintenance Fund and the Residents' Association are separate bodies.

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