R.D.R.A.

Thank you to all those who attended our AGM.

Chairman’s address

Good evening, all, thank you for coming along tonight to our 96^th AGM. 

Our association remains committed to fostering a strong sense of community, addressing local concerns, and advocating for the continued improvement of our area. Each year brings its own challenges and successes, all of which require dedication, teamwork, and the support of our members and leadership. As we reflect on the past year, it is important to recognise the progress we have made and the people whose efforts have helped shape it.

First, I would like to offer my heartfelt thanks to all hard-working committee members. We are all volunteers, giving our time and effort to make Rickmansworth and our community a better place.

Welcome to New Committee Members

I would also like to extend a warm welcome to our new committee members:

Suzzane Harding, our new Secretary

Sam Thakkar, our new Treasurer

Mike Sims, who also represents us as our elected independent councillor on Three Rivers District Council and will assist us with Reg 19 and other Planning issues.

Mike Charnock, a local shopkeeper and businessman from Money hill Parade.

Paul Harding, a local resident actively involved in reopening the Ebury play area and the Aquadrome woodland path.

Natasha Thakkar, who helps us with and manages our Facebook and social media presence.

Millie Sims, who leads TikTok and Instagram, and will help us organise youth events.

Let us look back on  Our Achievements Over the Last 12 Months

We organised a petition and campaigned to secure the reopening of the Ebury Play Area. Re-Opening is expected on or before 8 July.

We also organised a petition and are actively involved to get the Woodland Path in the aquadrome reopened. This remains an ongoing issue, and we will continue this campaign and keep you our members and residents updated until the path is reopened.

Batchworth Bridge pedestrian crossing remains a serious concern. However, we have made progress and have been assured by our County Councillor that a solution is being developed, with completion hoped for before the end of this year.

We alerted the council and the Environment Agency about the pollution behind KFC and the Car wash in Money Hill Parde and got it resolved and cleaned up. Many thanks for the prompt and diligent action and intervention of two of our new committee members.

We got together with Hillingdon Residents and Friends of Stockers Lake to highlight in Local, and National News Media, the pollution and damage done to our local environment and prized local nature reserve that is Stocker’s Lake, by the Springwell Scrap Metal people. They were issued with a Hight Court Injunction to stop their activities. The clear up work has begun.

We campaigned and successfully prevented a Berger Bar opening in the Esso Filling Station in Money Hill Parade.

We are actively involved in consultations getting a pragmatic solution that works for all the residents for Beryl Bikes.

I actively represent RDRA on the Three Rivers Joint Residents’ Association Committee (the JRA) and FOMLUC, where I now serve as Treasurer. And I have attended most of the relevant BCC and TRDC meetings and forums.

This year, we have returned to the Ricky High Street Markets.

Recently We organised two very successful events for our residents and members in partnership with Radfield Home Care. 1^st was Dementia Awareness at Willam Penn, and 2^Nd was Later Life Festival at the Ricky Golf Club.

Community Engagement and Visibility

Alongside our campaigning work, we have continued to raise the profile of this association and strengthen our connection with residents. Our return to the Rickmansworth High Street Markets has helped us speak directly with local people, hear concerns first-hand, and encourage wider involvement in community issues. These conversations are invaluable, as they help ensure that our priorities reflect the concerns of the people we represent.

We have also continued to use social media more effectively to share updates, publicise events, and encourage residents to take part in local campaigns. This broader reach is helping us engage not only long-standing members, but also younger residents and newer households who may be interested in supporting the work of this association. So please make a point to follow us on these platforms.

Challenges Ahead

Looking ahead, the new committee faces several important challenges.

Whether we welcome it or not, central government is set to abolish Hertfordshire County Council. We expect to learn more in November about what will replace it. At present, it appears that the county may be divided into two, three, or four new unitary authorities.

An even greater challenge will be the Local Plan, particularly Regulation 19. Three Rivers District Council submitted a plan with significantly lower housing numbers than those required by government, and as a result, the plan was rejected. Additional sites have now been proposed by the minister to meet the higher targets. This means that a substantial part of our Green Belt is at risk. As a constituent member of the JRA, we will work together to present a united front and to mitigate the impact on our green belt as far as possible. This will require raising significant funds to secure the specialist support and advice of experienced planners and barristers. Chorleywood and Carpenders Park have already started their fundraising campaigns. We will need to start our fundraising campaign soon.

OUR Priorities for the Coming Year

In the year ahead, our priorities will be, to build on the progress already made, whilst responding firmly to new pressures affecting our area. We will continue to focus on the matters that residents consistently raise with us.

We will continue to press for the reopening and improvement of valued woodland path in the Aquadrome.

We will continue our campaign on road safety until – Batchworth Bridge pedestrian Crossing has been made safer.

We will continue to monitor and respond to developments in local government reorganisation, and the Local Plan process and make every effort to save our green belt.

We will continue to strengthen community engagement through public events, local forums, and digital communication. Based on the success of the two events organised in partnership with Radfield, we plan a few more events in the coming year.

We must expand our membership and fundraising capacity so that we are able to fund our campaigns and we are better equipped to represent you our residents effectively.

Closing Remarks

In closing, I would like to thank all committee members, our supporters, and our residents who have contributed their time and ideas and offered encouragement over the past year. The strength of this association has always rested on the willingness of local people to get involved, speak up, and work together for the good of the wider community.

The months ahead are likely to bring important decisions for Rickmansworth and the surrounding area. Some of these will present real challenges, but they also underline why a strong and active residents’ association matters. We will continue to speak up for our community, defend the character of our area, and work constructively with others wherever possible and progress can be made.

I hope that more residents will come forward and join us, renew their support, attend meetings, join this committee and take part in our campaigns and fundraising efforts. With a committed committee, an engaged membership, and the backing of the wider community, I am confident that we can continue to make a positive difference for our community in the years ahead.

Thank you for your continued support.

Click for RDRA’s 96th AGM presentation

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Questions and comments on the night

Comment: Lighting under the bridge has failed, who is responsible to fix it?
Response: Report this to Hertfordshire County Council who are responsible for this.

Comment:: Ebury path has badly overgrown vegetation.
Reponse: Report this to Hertfordshire County Council who are responsible for this.

Comment: Graffiti is blighting the area, especially on road signs which costs a lot of money to repeatedly remove.
Response: If the graffiti is on road signs then please report to Hertfordshire County Council. If the graffiti is on a public structure, please report to Three Rivers District Council. If the graffiti is on a private structure, please have a conversation with the owner.

Comment: Neighbouring areas are dong a litter picking event would RDRA be interested in this if BCC supplied the tools? Perhaps on a regular basis.
Response: Good idea, we’ll get back to you.

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Our speakers spoke about cyber crime

We’ve listed points we found interesting below. The full speaker slides are in the presentation above.

1. Always think of cyber crime as fraud rather than scams.
2. Call 159 who can verify if any bank has contacted you.
3. Call 101 who can verify if any police officer has contacted you.
4. Text ‘Call’ to 7726 followed by the fraudsters telephone number so that others are safer.
5. Email report@phishing.gov.uk for guidance.
6. Join HertsConnected.co.uk (who took over from OWL) to receive crime alerts in your local neighbourhood so you can make certain to lock your doors & windows.
7. Invent a codeword with family & friends so you know they are who they say they are (phone/text/email).
8. Remember fraudsters are now a business with an HR and Marketing departments – they will send you glossy brochures and create fully functioning websites to trick us – you always have time to check companies are legitimate with the Financial Conduct Authority: www.fca.org.uk
9. Find good local reputable companies for services like locksmiths, electricians and gas etc.
10. AI can record your voice on the phone and clone it so they can pretend to be you, needing money urgently from other people, so don’t feel bad hanging up without speaking, if you don’t recognise the phone number.
11. Never feel embarrassed about reporting – it will save someone else from loosing money.
12. Trading standards offer free call blocking services if you or your family member is extremely vulnerable.
13. Modern smart phones also let you know calls are from suspected scammers, based on reporting by others.
14. Modern smart phone settings can also stop calls completely from unkown numbers, keeping you or vulnerable family/friends safe.

Cyber Crime Talk is coming to Rickmanwsworth Library on Friday 3rd July – we highly recommend you attend!