Good evening everyone,
And first of all, thank you — sincerely — for electing me as Chairman of the
West Wickham Residents Association this evening. I am honoured by your
support and very conscious of the responsibility that comes with it.
It is also very nice to be elected as Chair of West Wickham Residents
Association given that Royal Mail has decreed that West Wickham is the most
romantic town in the whole of the UK. This was reported by London News in
February 2026 and related to Valentines week where the mail in West Wickham
went up by 16% the highest upsurge in the UK with Wokingham coming in
second with 14%.
I would also like to congratulate and thank the committee members who have
been elected tonight. The Association runs because people are willing to give
their time and energy, and that commitment should never be taken for granted.
- John Amos
- Chris Barnes
- Richard Barnes
- Charlotte (Charlie) Del Guercio
- Richard Douglas
- Katrina Iddon
- Pauline Nurse
- Anna Seabrook
- Graham Tysall
- Phil West
The Association has been without a Chairman for around three years, so this
evening feels a little like a reset moment. Not a revolution — but a restoration.
A chance to move forward with renewed structure and purpose.
Now, before I say anything further, I should make a small confession.
Although I have just been elected Chairman of the Residents Association, I am
My wife and I had an offer accepted on a West Wickham property on 4th
January 2024 — and exactly one year later, on 4th January 2025, we completed
the purchase after a rather lengthy probate process.
Clearly, we enjoy symmetry — even if the property exchange system does not.
Then comes the next life lesson: finding a good builder. As many of you will
know, good builders are not sitting at home waiting for the phone to ring. We
were fortunate to find Jamie Boyce from Infinity — and I say that not as an
advertisement, but as someone who is living through a renovation and has
almost come out the other side to tell the tale.
If you add probate, renovation, and the general unpredictability of houses into
the equation, you can understand why we still waiting to become physical
residents but the good news is that we have a moving in date 30 April 2026.
I am also looking forward to the situation where we are paying one Bromley
council tax bill instead of two. That will feel like genuine progress.
But here’s the important thing: although we weren’t physically living here, we
didn’t feel disconnected. We’ve been part of our WhatsApp street group for over a year. We attended a Christmas party at a neighbour’s house in December. So by the time we will move in we will already know all about the best local tradesmen. As a result of the Xmas party we have even had help from a couple of neighbours with parts of our renovation.
And that, to me, is what community feels like!
West Wickham has been part of my life for some time. My grandson Oliver is
five and my granddaughter Sophie is four. They live nearby, so I have a very
personal interest in the kind of community West Wickham is for young families.
I’ve also been visiting for over 20 years because two of the six members of our
long-running poker group have lived in West Wickham for some time.
The standing joke in our poker group was that you needed a bus pass to live in
West Wickham — which, as it happens, I now qualify for. But that stereotype
doesn’t really survive contact with reality. My 36-year-old son lives here with
two young children, and there are families across this community building their
lives here.
By background, I’m now retired. My career was in accounting and business
consulting. That means I value clarity, structure and efficiency. But more
importantly, I understand that organisations only thrive when people feel
appreciated and included.
Since September, after responding to an advertisement in the quarterly
magazine from our secretary Katrina Iddon, I’ve attended committee meetings
as note taker. That’s a privileged position. You see the work that goes on behind
the scenes.
The committee members give their time to planning matters, transport issues,
local concerns and the practical administration of the Association. This
voluntary work deserves recognition.
And our Road Stewards deserve particular thanks.
Around 4,000 households receive the quarterly A5 magazine — roughly 20
pages — delivered by Road Stewards who also collect the £3 annual
subscription. That means knocking on doors, handling payments, keeping
records, and representing the Association face-to-face.
Some of you here tonight are Road Stewards. Thank you. The Association
literally reaches homes because of you.
But there is an important question we must consider!
We currently reach about 4,000 households in the four West Wickham wards,
but it would be great if every household took delivery and paid the small annual subscription fee. So the number of magazines delivered is something we can be proud of and something we can build on.
So how do we ensure we are meaningful not only to members, but to the wider
community?
Membership matters:- The £3 subscription helps fund the magazine. The delivery network builds connection. But when we speak about planning, transport, policing or the vitality of the High Street, we speak about issues that affect everyone.
So I would like us to reflect on:
- How we support and perhaps simplify the role of Road Stewards.
- How we communicate with residents who are not currently members.
- And how we ensure younger families see the Association as relevant to them.
We must not become a nostalgia society. We must be a living, evolving Residents Association!
Looking ahead, I see three key priorities.
First: clarity of purpose.
We cannot do everything. But we can decide where our voice carries weight.
Planning matters. Transport links matter. Policing matters. The High Street
matters. We should identify priorities and focus our efforts where we can
genuinely add value.
Second: visibility and collaboration.
There are excellent organisations in West Wickham — Rotary, Friends of
Blakes and others — already doing valuable work. We should collaborate where appropriate and strengthen the overall community voice.
Perhaps that means more frequent updates on our Web Site. Perhaps greater
digital communication. Perhaps linking up with Facebook groups and more
particularly Street What’s App groups when we find an issue that affects a
particular area in West Wickham. Perhaps occasional presence on the High
Street — simply listening.
Third: governance and effectiveness.
Meetings should be structured, purposeful and respectful of people’s time. Clear agendas. Clear decisions. Clear follow-up.
Not longer — better.
And ideally, leaving space at the end for informal conversation. Community
grows not only in minutes, but in relationships.
My wife and I intend to grow older here. My grandchildren are growing up
nearby. I care deeply about whether West Wickham remains safe, vibrant and
welcoming — for families, for older residents, for businesses and for future
generations.
If I can help make the West Wickham Residents Association more visible, more
relevant, and more rewarding — then I will consider my time as Chairman well
spent.
So if I were to put it simply…
- Visible — so people know who we are.
- Relevant — so we address today’s concerns, not yesterday’s.
Thank you very much.
Colin Swinburn
Rewarding — so volunteers feel valued and residents feel heard.
It will be good to be properly settled by the end of April and I look forward to
working with you to ensure that West Wickham continues to prosper.