Upper Saxondale Residents’ Association
(USRA)

History and role of USRA

The Upper Saxondale Residents’ Association (USRA) was established in 2003 as an informal grouping of local residents at the time that our development was created by David Wilson Homes (DWH). After the development was completed, DWH transferred some of its land at Upper Saxondale to USRA, with conditions attached. This land was held by a number of local residents as trustees, on behalf of USRA.

USRA, through volunteers, improved the land, created the woodland walk, fruit orchard and forest garden, extended the village hall and organised many events for local residents.

The USRA trustees decided that a specific legal entity should be created to hold the land and so the Upper Saxondale Community Interest Company (UScic) was created in 2012. USRA  transferred the land to UScic and some of the USRA trustees became directors of UScic.

USRA and UScic co-existed side-by-side for a number of years. UScic was the formal body that owned the land and managed the finances.

Ultimately it seemed needlessly complicated to have two parallel bodies, USRA and UScic, so in 2019 USRA merged into UScic. which then changed its name to USRAcic. However as USRAcic was a bit of a mouthful, it was often referred to just as USRA!

The standard ‘articles of association’ of USRAcic provided a governance framework in areas such as meetings, appointment of directors, delegation of authority and membership. Membership of USRAcic was the equivalent of being a shareholder in a normal limited company. Membership was confined to local residents. The USRA Articles of Association document, which was registered in 2012, gives more detail.

Initially, residents made voluntary donations to help raise funds to supplement income from hiring out the hall and holding social events. However, to be a member of USRAcic there was a monthly subscription of £5 per household, to help fund maintaining and developing the environment at Upper Saxondale, including the hall, tennis courts, woodland walk and fruit orchard. Members were also entitled to use the tennis courts and to become members of the Lawn Tennis Association.

USRAcic Committee

Latterly, the USRAcic Directors were:

  • Ian Storey (Chair)

  • Tim Buxton (Treasurer, Membership & Tennis)

  • Georgia Moore (Secretary)

  • Gordon Moore (Director)

  • Iris Morgan (Communications)

Creation of Upper Saxondale Parish Council (USPC)

USRAcic led a campaign for the creation of a separate parish council for Upper Saxondale, with the aim that the parish council would take over USRAcic’s role. Secure funding would be provided though the parish council precept part of council tax. This campaign was successful and Upper Saxondale Parish Council came into being in May 2023, at which point subscriptions to USRAcic were discontinued.

USRAcic’s asssets were transferred to USPC, and in March 2025 USRAcic was formally wound up.

DWH has also transferred further land at Upper Saxondale to USPC.