Doubts over future of residents' association

THE future of one of the longest-established residents' associations in Croydon has been thrown into doubt after its AGM descended into disarray.

Following Spring Park Residents' Association's (SPRA's) fiery meeting – where unpopular motions are said to have been "overwhelmingly" rejected by more than 100 members – the chairman (Madawala Hemananda) and treasurer (Russell Elliott) resigned.

And in this month's association newsletter (SPAN), the committee's secretary Marzia Nicodemi-Ehikioya announced she would be standing down.

Under a "Farewell" headline, she wrote: "These are my last notes as secretary. I have worked hard for you for many years and no longer wish to represent people who cannot turn up once a year to the AGM and allow a small group to believe they can 'instruct' volunteers.

"The latter can go fly a kite."

The association, which is in its 78th year and serves 2,800 local households – held its AGM last month. Frank Seymour, a SPRA member for 20 years, described the AGM at Shirley High School as "a complete farce".

The 63-year-old retired consultant engineer said: "I'd never seen anything like it in all my time as a member – there was an uproar from the hundred or so members in attendance.

"Initially there were two motions submitted by members of the executive committee – one to remove the president's post without even consulting the incumbent president, and the other to invalidate a perfectly legitimate nomination for a new trustee.

"This last one caused the most upset and both were voted against by an overwhelming number of votes from the floor."

Mr Seymour, of Greenway Gardens, Shirley, hopes it will not be the end of the association.

But he said: "This behaviour from some members of the executive is simply unacceptable."

Confirming the departures, acting SPRA chairman Trevor Ashby said: "Since the meeting two senior officers have resigned and a third intends to resign so I have had to take over as acting chairman.

"The remaining officers and executive committee members are trying to resolve the differences within the association and to this end there will be an extraordinary general meeting in September to try and clarify the situation and find a suitable way forward."