by Andy Sharvill, HCERA Treasurer
Each summer, a slightly beleaguered looking HCERA street rep comes knocking on your door inviting you to renew your membership or join HCERA.
For those residents who do not make the AGM, you may be interested to know our sources of income and where your money goes. By far our largest source of income is the annual membership subscription and without your subscriptions, HCERA could not continue. These contributions are supplemented by a donation from Woodhill Properties Limited (the freehold owner of much of the estate) and donations received at the summer party. Our expenditure includes issuing membership packs to all new residents, newsletters, memberships of other bodies, plants and bulbs for communal areas, holding the AGM and hosting the summer party. Overall we are broadly at a break-even position.
The collection rates are set out below per road, but in summary, just under 80% of all residents contributed to the Association in 2011, with the same percentage of Ethelburt Avenue residents contributing to the separate road fund. A contribution rate of 100% is, in my opinion, unachievable due to factors such as houses being vacant, rented out, in the process of being sold, or residents being on holiday when the collections take place, so personally I believe that this is a fantastic achievement and demonstrates the sense of community within the conservation area.
Road Houses Contributors
Bassett Green Road 39 31
Ethelburt Avenue 108 83
Stoneham Lane 18 10
Leaside Way 37 29
Summerfield Gardens 9 7
Field Close 12 12
TOTAL 223 172
The collection of the 2012 membership subscriptions has commenced, and I have every confidence in the residents that this year will see even more contributors, so I would like to thank everyone in advance.