Introduction

The Upham Park Road Residents Association (UPRRA) was formed at a meeting in July 2002 attended by 28 residents in the Scout Hut near Stamford Brook underground station.

The following Aims and Objectives were agreed at that meeting and serve to introduce the role of the UPRRA.

To represent the needs and wishes of all the residents of Upham Park Road to protect and enhance the domestic environment and conserve the amenities of the residential area.

Including: -

•  The monitoring and dealing with any traffic problems
  
•  The safeguarding of domestic parking facilities
  
•  The preservation and improvement of pedestrian access to Turnham Green Station
  
•  The improvement of street cleanliness
  
•  The proper care and maintenance of the lime trees lining the road
  

One of the key founding members was the late Bill Lindsell. The current committee members are: -

•  Graham Tigg (Treasurer) (since 2003)
  
•  Richard Palmer (since 2004)
  
•  Carol Stone (since 2004)
  
•  Marise Lee (since 2006)
  
•  Jackie Aust-Lean (since 2007)
  

The committee meet two to four times a year depending on how many issues have arisen that impact the street. There is an AGM every year, usually around November, open to all residents. Minutes are taken at all meetings. Some matters are dealt with using email. For flexibility the committee doesn't have a formal permanent Chairman or Secretary.

What does the Committee do
Some of the issues that the UPRRA has helped resolve include regular removal of rubbish from the underground railway embankment, regular cleaning of the snickett (path by the embankment to the station), tree pruning – notably in 2005, traffic light phasing, street cleaning and drainage, footpath maintenance, speeding motorbikes on the road (when LMC sold bikes), Councillors and Community Support Officers speaking at AGMs, recycling awareness.

What does the Committee NOT do
The UPRRA does not represent the views of all the residents in the road. For example, LMC made a planning application in 2008/9 to develop the site on the west corner of Upham Park Road with the High Road. Any objections to the application was left as a personal choice for all residents, including the committee. The committee did write expressing their agreed concerns of the impact on parking, the visual appearance (height) and disruption during building works. As another example, some residents requested at the AGM in 2007 that a permanent vehicle turning facility be made available at the end of the road, with a downside being the loss of overnight parking spaces this would necessitate. The views of the road were canvassed through a questionnaire with the conclusion that opinion was clearly divided and the matter has been taken no further.

Financing
The association has few running costs at present. Meetings are generously hosted in resident’s houses so expenses are limited to stationary items and AGM refreshments. Funding comes from donations at the AGM and a one-off £500 given to the association when an advert featuring Johnny Vaughan was filmed in the road back in 2005. Funding stood at over £550 in 2009. The view of the committee is to keep funding at that level for future unforeseen needs such as a solicitor’s letter.