Oaklands Association Ltd (OAL) is a private company limited by guarantee and not having a share capital which was formed on 5 September, 2002. It is a residents association whose principal objective is the maintenance and upkeep of the private roads within the area. The roads involved are shown on a schematic map which can be viewed by clicking on the relevant link under "Useful Info" at the top of the website.
Prior to the formation of OAL, this road maintenance was undertaken by a looser association of the local residents but, as the catchment area and number of residents increased, it was decided that a more formal structure would be preferable. Currently, there are 213 households (as at March 2023) within the OAL area, and this number has been increasing slowly with the subdivision of larger plots and the completion of new housing developments.
The roads maintained by OAL are not owned by it. Ownership of the roads has never been clearly established, and it seems evident that rights of way and access and services have been established by way of many years uninterrupted and unchallenged use.
Aside from its overriding road maintenance objective, OAL also seeks to promote a neat and tidy environment and to encourage the safe use of our roads. In pursuit of these subsidiary objectives, OAL attends to the following:
periodic road sweeping and drain clearing;
encouraging households to cut back foliage on their properties to the extent that it overhangs the estate roads and/or causes inconvenience or damage to road users;
encouraging residents to keep their boundaries free from litter;
provision and oversight of a dog waste bin;
installation and maintenance of such signage, road marking, white lining, speed humps and mirrors that the Directors consider appropriate;
the provision and maintenance of salt bins around the estate for use on our roads in severe weather conditions.
It is important to recognise that OAL does not have the power to police or enforce any of its efforts in respect of promoting a pleasant environment.
OAL is not responsible for the provision and maintenance of street lighting nor for the provision and maintenance of road name signs. These are respectively the responsibility of Hertfordshire County Council and Welwyn Hatfield District Council.
A copy of the Articles of Association can be viewed by clicking on the relevant link under "Archives" at the top of the website.
