ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2026 held on Tuesday APRIL 21st at 7.00pm at Orpington Rugby Club, St Mary Cray
- Welcome from Chairman
Callum Sutherland welcomed everyone to the new meeting venue and thanked them for attending. We had 26 attendees representing 21 households. We were quorate.
- Apologies for Absence
Apologies are received from Solaire Mustafa; Ian Reed; Pat Courtney; Elaine Elvines; Faye and Charlie Nixon; Tim Magon and Vince Lethbridge
- Adoption of Minutes of last AGM
Minutes were adopted. They had been sent as an email in 2025 and also in April 26 to all Residents. No amendments were suggested.
- Chairman’s Report
Callum discussed:
- Over the year a Pot Hole has been repaired on Highfield Road. The first repair failed and a second repair was necessary. This appears to be holding up well.
- Peter Turner asked re extent of the Gas Works. Various people were able to update the Residents
- Treasurer’s Report
The Treasurer’s report is added at the end of the Minutes
- Setting of Annual Road Fund Contributions
Kate, the Treasurer informed us that the last road repair was in 2011. We are hopeful that another will not be required for about 10 years.
Cost projection is £200,000. Kate suggested an increase to the annual fee of £10 taking it to £90
There was a discussion around the amount needed. It was agreed by a clear majority of the residents attending to increase the fee to £100 each year.
The amount will continue to be reviewed annually at the AGM
- Request for New Committee Members
The Committee needs more members, a request was made to all those attending but we did not get any volunteers. We would like other residents to consider volunteering in the future. Please approach any of the Committee members to find out what is involved and to express your interest.
- Planting of Trees – Nick Muir
Nick made the point that we used to have Silver Birch trees along our roads and they looked fantastic They have reached the end of their expected lives and most have now died and been taken down. He suggested that we should ask all residents to consider planting a tree in their verges. All a similar type, such as cherry, that would all blossom at the same time and help give a stunning display and bring uniformity back to our estate.
Andrei asked if we would need permission from the council and also if there would be restrictions around planting over utility pipes etc.
Callum will enquire with the council if we can plant trees in the verges.
Ian and Nick Muir offered to look further into the planting of trees.
- Update on BT Works on our Estate
Sue had requested this update. We think that BT have finished their work. The Gas company are continuing to change gas supply pipes from copper to plastic.
- Update on SGN gas works on Highfield Road
Works are continuing.
11. Communication from Peter Wood
Peter Woods had written to the committee to state that he has concerns. He feels that there is a conflict in interest with Callum Sutherland being in the role of Chair of the Residents Association and also the Neighbourhood Watch representative. He suggested that Callum should step down from one of these positions.
There was a long and heated discussion, the majority of the attendees agreed that it was acceptable for Callum to carry out both roles and that there is no conflict. (Particularly as we do not have any other volunteers for either of the roles).
12. Website
Reminder that we have a website and to encourage people to use it. Nick would like to add photos and information
The website address is www.leesonsfields.co.uk
13. Re-Election of Officers and Road Stewards
Chairman – Callum Sutherland– Proposed by Greg and Seconded by Sue Turner
Treasurer – Kate Nevens– proposed by Sue Turner and Seconded by Sue Aindow
Secretary – Gurjit Barn – proposed by Bill Gatfield and Seconded by Sue Aindow
14. Neighbourhood Watch
No Update today
15. Snow Coordinators and Friends
Callum Sutherland and Mark Comer have volunteered their services to the local Council as Snow Coordinators
The Snow Coordinators will liaise with the council so that they are able to deliver salt to us if heavy snow is expected.
We had 3 volunteers to store the Salt so that it does not all have to be in one location.
Ian –3 Highfield volunteered to store salt as needed
Gurjit – 36 Highfield volunteered
Roberto at 7 Highfield volunteered
16. Street Party …. Elle and Gurjit will send details of the Street Party which is planned for the Afternoon of Sunday July 5th 2026
Meeting closed at 8.30pm
Treasurer’s Report Year to 28 February 2026
The current balance on the bank accounts is £66,873.39. Of which £50,000 is in a fixed interest deposit account which will mature in October 2026.
The total ‘income’ for the year was £8,332.83. This was made up of £6,756 road contributions and additional road contributions of £160 for solicitor information. We received £900.83 of interest and accrued a further £516 to the 28 February which will be received in October 2026.
The interest is subject to corporation tax. £86 was paid in corporation tax for the 2024/25 year and a further £269 is due by 28 February 2027 for the 2025/26 year.
Corporation tax returns for both years have been submitted so we are up to date with our filing obligations.
The current contribution level is £80. There are 93 houses in the association. This would bring an annual contribution of £7,440. In 2025/26 we received £6,450 of contributions relating to the current year £6,450 which is a recovery of 87%. This is the equivalent of 13 houses not paying or not fully paying. Four of these houses are only missing one year’s payment and one of these has paid since the year end.
There are contributions of £990 outstanding for 2025/26, £845 for 2024/25 and £1,883 of historic underpayments, the majority of which relate to two households.
The treasurer would like to thank the efforts of the road wardens for their work in collecting contributions.
Total expenses for the year are £3,221.24. Of which £821 was normal annual expenditure: room hire, corporation tax, insurance, website costs and data protection
fees. The remaining £2,400 was due to pothole repairs in particular the ‘sinkhole’ outside 33 Highfield Road.
Review of contribution levels
The road was most recently resurfaced in 2011 at a cost of £55,000. The equivalent cost today at the average inflation rate would be about £83,000. However, construction costs
are likely to have inflated at a higher rate than this. The total length of the road is about 930m and an average width of a residential street is 6m. Co-pilot estimations give a figure of £200,000-£360,000 for a resurface with full planning and resurfacing with level correction at the junctions with the main road.
At current levels of contribution, we would fall significantly short of the required amount.
An estimate of between £144 and £316 per year would be required if the road needed resurfacing in 10 years time.
The alternative would be to start at £90 this year and work up with an increase of at least £10 per year but preferably an increase of £25 per year to fully cover the cost without the need for a special levy when the road needs to be resurfaced.
When the road was last repaired, we didn’t have sufficient funds and loans were made by certain members of the roads which were repaid with the next years normal contributions.
The road is still in very good condition so I would not anticipate any major repairs in the next few years.