The Molewood Residents’ Association (MRA) represents the Molewood estate, Bengeo. This is the area north from Westfield Road and west of Bengeo Street and Wadesmill Road. The aim of the association is to support residents and enhance their enjoyment of the neighbourhood in which they live. The MRA is run by a committee of volunteers voted in at the Annual General Meeting every Spring.
The original aim of the association was to represent residents of the estate most of which was built by Leach Homes in the early 60s. As far as the ex-committee members I have spoken to remember, the MRA was founded before the final phase (The Wick) was built. We are still trying to find out the actual date so we can be sure when our 50th birthday is. We covered the construction in our 50th anniversary newsletter and more information is to be found on the Olde Molewood section of the website.
Until this website was launched last year communication with the membership was by word of mouth and the newsletter which came to be known as the Molewood Outlook. You can find back issues back to the 80s here. Please get in touch if you’ve got any older editions for us to copy.
Following a particularly poor turn-out at the 2008 AGM the committee felt that they should check that there was still the need for the MRA. A questionnaire was sent out and returned a resounding vote of confidence. However life has changed a lot since the 1960s. In the early days the association arranged parties for young and old. It ran trips to shows, was responsible for much of the shrubs and trees around the estate and even ran a tool loan service. For the most recent AGM report please click here.
If you have any more information about the origins of our association or documents from the early days please get in touch by email or give me a call.
I could not have written this short history without help from the following former committee members: Brian Laming, Janet Moy, Dave and Sue Kenney, David Black, Robin Tesselment and Michael and Nancy Scott.
Nick Gough
Chairman
August 2012
01992 423723
TITLE
1. The title of the Association shall be the Molewoods Residents’ Association.
OBJECTS
2. The objects of the Association shall be generally to further and protect the interests of the Molewood area residents.
AFFILIATION
3. The Association shall be independent of all political parties.
MEMBERSHIP
4. Membership shall be open to residents of the Molewood area on application and payment of the appropriate subscription.
5. Membership shall cease should the subscription not be paid within six months of the date due.
SUBSCRIPTIONS
6. The subscriptions shall be a sum to be agreed annually by the Committee.
7. The subscription shall become due and payable immediately following the Annual General Meeting each year.
OFFICERS
8. The Officers of the Association shall be a Chairman, a Secretary and a Treasurer who shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting.
MANAGEMENT
9. The management of the Association shall be the responsibility of a committee which shall consist of:-
(a) The Officers
(b) and other members of the Association who shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting.
POWERS OF THE COMMITTEE
10. No business shall be transacted by the Committee unless five Committee members are present, one of whom being an Officer.
11. The Committee shall have the power to fill vacancies among the Officers which may occur during its term of office.
12. The Committee shall have the power to co-opt members onto the Committee; such co-opted members may not at any time constitute a majority of the Committee nor a majority at any meeting of the Committee.
13. The Committee may appoint a Vice-Chairman, an Assistant Secretary and an Assistant Treasurer and such sub-committees as it thinks fit but such sub-committees shall only be advisory to the Committee.
14. The time between Committee meetings shall not exceed ten weeks.
FUNDS
15. The funds of the Association shall be deposited as determined by the Committee.
16. All drawings on the funds must be signed by the Treasurer and one other Officer of the Association.
GENERAL MEETINGS
17. The Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held in the second quarter of each year.
18. A Special General Meeting may be called by the Committee at any time and must be called by the Secretary on a requisition in writing signed by at least 5 percent of the membership; such meeting shall be called within 21 days of the receipt of the request.
19. The Agenda of any General Meeting shall be circulated not less than 10 days before the meeting. Business transacted at a Special General Meeting shall be confined to matters stated on the Agenda.
20. Nominations for the office of Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer, for members of the Committee and for the Auditors shall be in writing signed by the proposer and seconder and by the nominee and shall be handed to the Secretary before the Annual General Meeting. If no such nomination is received for a particular post nominations for that post may be received from the floor at the meeting.
21. The Accounts of the Association shall be made up to the 31st March in each year and shall be audited annually by two Auditors who shall not be members of the Committee. Such Auditors shall be appointed at the Annual General Meeting.
22. The Committee shall not dissolve the Association without prior notice to the membership and the calling of a Special General Meeting.
AMENDMENTS
23. The rules shall be amended only at the Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting called for such a purpose. Notice of proposed alterations of the rules shall be made in writing to the Secretary 21 days before such a meeting.
Rules as amended and agreed at A.G.M 23rd May, 1988.