Annual General Meeting 2025
Minutes of Welshwood Park Residents Association Annual General Meeting
Wednesday 10th September 2025 at The Oak Tree Centre, St Anne’s Community Hall, 252 Harwich Road, Colchester.
Apologies were received from ten residents.
Minutes of the AGM held on Wednesday 18th September 2024 were approved.
Matters Arising Nothing was raised.
Chairmans Report Given by the Secretary
In the autumn the committee approved the purchase of trees to help replace the loss of existing oak trees, the new trees are a field Mapel and a crab apple having been planted on the grass verge on either side of the entrance to The Glade.
The committee discussed the need for a WhatsApp group for the estate but came to the conclusion the administration and the probable need for GDPR was excessive and the email system was adequate.
The association had to remove a dead muntjak deer from the verge that had been knocked over in Woodlands, the council later took deer away.
A local councillor brought to our attention the City Councils proposed local plan to build 2000 home on the field around us, which spurred us into action to oppose it.
In the winter the chairman stood down due to work commitments, fortunately another resident was prepared to step in as acting chairperson until their appointment was confirmed at the AGM.
The leaf collection in December 24 was 7.74tonnes in January 25 it was 3.6tonnes total weight 11.34 tonnes with a total Cost £*****.
Complaints were received from residents in Welshwood Park Road about people not clearing up after their dogs resulting in the council putting up signs reminding people to clear up after their dogs.
The acting chairperson was selected to speak at the council planning meeting on 17th February and 7th May in opposition to the building on the field around Welshwood Park. The local plan was rejected on both occasions.
The association asked residents for donations to pay for a consultant with 40% contributing. However, the association may require additional contributions.
Residents undertook to get the path behind 17 to 37 Woodlands made into a Public Footpath, Essex County Council accepted the forms residents and walkers completed and the path will become an official footpath once the bureaucracy has been completed.
The association asked for a survey of the trees on council land as several are looking poorly or dead. This is now the responsibility of Essex County Council and issues have to be reported individually on Essex County Council “Tell Us” web site Tell us – Essex County Council scroll down the page to the box Trees, Hedges and Weeds. Or advise the Residents Association for us to report the problem.
The association has appointed a consultant and has appointed an ecologist who will start working for us in September.
Election of Officers
The election of a Chairperson and a Secretary, as well committee members were approved. The current secretary is stepped down but remains on the committee with the existing committee members.
The committee consisting of: –
Eight residents.
Planning Matters
A detailed update document of the Residents Association opposition to Colchester City Council Local Plan was issued with the agenda for this meeting. A local resident went through sections 4 and 5 of the document taking questions and providing clarification as necessary.
Volunteers were requested for the Woodland Trust Ancient Tree Inventory to measure and record ancient trees in the field hedgerows and wood onto the inventory. The details of how to do this are in section 5 of the above document issued with the agenda with the web page information. Please contact the association if you are able to help.
The meeting approved the committee to spend more than £**** on consultants, ecologist and other assistance related to the opposition of the City Councils proposed local plan for the year to the next AGM.
It was noted a Welshwood Park Road resident (on the north side of the road) had purchased the section of field behind his garden stretching across the field. It was not clear if this would help prevent building on this field in the future.
The Governments cancellation of the upgrade to the A12 has caused Colchester City Council to say that the proposed West Tey development will not go ahead, it may also help our opposition to the Local Plan as Colchester Council does not envisage creating jobs in Colchester meaning people living in any new development will have to commute to other towns / cities.
Our local councillors also represent St Johns so are able to liaise and share information between the St Johns Fields Association trying to protect the field behind St Johns Road to Bullock Wood with ourselves.
Looking ahead to the creation of a Unitary Authority, one of the options is to combine Colchester, Tendring and Braintree councils with approximately 75 councillors. However, the new format has still to be resolved.
Neighbourhood Watch No problems in our area.
Residents who would like a weekly email of information of all Neighbourhood Watch issues in the Colchester area, please reply the Residents Association email so their request can be passed to the Neighbourhood Watch Team.
Environment & Trees
There was discussion as to whether there should be one or two leaf collections or an increase in subscriptions as the association made a loss last winter, it was agreed the association should increase the subscription to £** to cover the cost for two refuse vehicles. Two local councillors said they would cover some of the vehicle hire costs deficit.
The leaf collection dates were agreed as Saturday 6th December 2025 and Saturday 10h January 2026. Sharing the location between Woodlands and Welshwood Park Road. Our original request for the 29th November was not available.
We will be contacting local scouts to see if they can help with the bag collection to the refuse lorry.
Finance
As agreed above the annual subscription is to increase to £** to cover the cost of the leaf collection refuse lorry hire.
The treasurer prepared the accounts showing a bank balance of £******
Please see Treasurers Report below for more detail. The accounts were approved.
Any Other Business
The Welcome to Colchester sign on the A137 entering Colchester from Ardleigh is overgrown, our councillors have taken this issue on.
When turning right out of Welshwood Park Road the hedge towards the railway bridge has become overgrown blocking the view of oncoming traffic, our councillors are to look into the ownership of the hedge.
Chairperson thanked all residents who attended and closed the meeting at 9:30 pm