Dear residents and shareholders
As most of you are aware the Granville Cliff Estate Company was set up in 1998 to manage the roads, paths, banks and verges on behalf of and to the benefit of the Residents. The Company delegated the management to a Resident’s Association (RA) later that year who have carried out the management ever since. This involves considerable time and effort by a small number of volunteers.
Over the years and on four separate occasions involving four different firms of Solicitors the RA has been advised to return the management responsibility back to the Company for clarity of management and for the legal protection of individuals who make decisions on behalf of the Residents.
Part of that management responsibility has been to collect annual fees for maintaining the roads, banks and verges. In addition a new build charge is levied on an individual basis for costs of damage caused to roads, banks and verges by new house building and large extensions requiring planning permission.
In the last couple of years a number of people have refused to pay either the maintenance or the new build levy. In one case the RA won a Court action on the payment of a maintenance fee but the individual has now refused to pay for the following year as they are of the opinion that the ruling only applied to one year. Two individuals have refused to pay for extensions to their property and another for a total new build. The RA went to Court on the latter but lost on a technical matter although the judgement is being carefully considered as there seems to be a way of enforcing the new build fees.
Because of these difficulties reluctantly the Residents’ Association Committee now wishes to return the management to the Limited Liability Company. In the main this is due to issues that may arise around protecting individuals who make decisions on behalf of the residents on safety and financial matters
There are costs involved in setting up the Limited Liability Company which is currently dormant. Once set up the Company will appoint more Directors as at the moment there are only two. More are needed to represent the Shareholders and Residents more comprehensively. Annual meetings of the Residents and Shareholders will be held and it may be possible to have a Residents Advisory Committee. There will also be a need to co opt directors occasionally in special circumstances.
As already stated we are reluctant to propose this but feel it is in the best interests of the Residents, Shareholders and Individuals involved in managing the Estate for the benefit of us all.
Vic Ellis Director and Secretary Granville Cliff Estate Company Ltd
Edward Thomas Director Granville Cliff Estate Company Ltd
