The Chilmington Management Organisation (CMO) is aware of the concerns raised by
residents in correspondence sent to various stakeholders regarding the Chilmington
Green development. The Board welcomes constructive engagement about the
community and recognises that many residents have expressed understandable
frustrations regarding the pace of development and the delivery of infrastructure across
the site.
As the organisation responsible for managing and maintaining those areas that have
been transferred into its control, the CMO shares residents’ ambitions for Chilmington
to become the thriving, sustainable and well-connected community originally
envisaged. However, it is important to distinguish between matters that fall within the
CMO’s responsibilities and those that remain the responsibility of developers, planning
authorities and other statutory bodies.

Infrastructure and Development Delivery

The delivery of housing, roads, community facilities, utilities and wider infrastructure is
not a function of the CMO. These matters are the responsibility of the lead developer
and the Local Planning Authority.
The Board is acutely aware of the delays affecting the wider development and shares
residents’ frustrations regarding the slower-than-anticipated pace of progress. Recent
developments involving the administration of Hodson Developments have further
increased uncertainty surrounding the future delivery programme. Like residents, the
CMO relies on the orderly progression of the development in order to plan effectively for
the long term and to achieve the vision set out for Chilmington.

Section 106 and Public Interest Issues

The ongoing discussions and disputes relating to Section 106 obligations are not
matters controlled by the CMO. These are issues involving developers, local authorities
and other parties with responsibility for planning obligations.
The letter calls for an independent enquiry into the CMO. It is important to remember
that we have recently had the Planning Inspector review the terms of the Section 106
agreement and rejected all of the proposed amendments to dilute the CMO. This was a
public enquiry run by an independent body that heard evidence and consulted widely.
The outcome of the appeal is available to be downloaded from the Councils website.
Nevertheless, the uncertainty created by these ongoing discussions has a direct impact
on the CMO’s ability to plan for the future, establish long-term budgets and make
informed decisions regarding the services it provides. The Board therefore shares the
frustration felt by many residents regarding the lack of clarity and certainty surrounding
these issues.

Estate Management and Value for Money

The Board recognises that residents rightly expect value for money from the estate
charges they pay. The CMO seeks to operate transparently and efficiently, with its
budgets, business plans and financial information publicly available through its
website.
A significant challenge facing the organisation is that the development has not
progressed at the rate originally anticipated. By this stage, it was expected that
substantially more homes would have been completed and occupied. Had this
occurred, the fixed administrative and governance costs of running the CMO would
have been shared across a much larger number of properties. Instead, those costs
must currently be recovered from a considerably smaller number of homes, placing
greater pressure on charges than would otherwise be the case.
The Board has worked to reduce costs wherever possible while seeking to maintain
service standards. However, achieving further savings can inevitably affect the level of
service that can be delivered.
The CMO also recognises concerns raised regarding landscaping and maintenance
standards. The Board actively monitors the performance of its landscaping contractor
and takes issues seriously when they are reported. In some instances, areas that
residents perceive to be part of the CMO-managed estate are in fact owned or
maintained by other parties, which can contribute to an overall perception of poor
maintenance.
The current landscaping contract is due to be re-tendered and the Board intends to seek
input from members and residents as part of that process to help ensure future
arrangements reflect community expectations. The Board remains committed to
delivering the best possible service within the resources available and continually
reviews opportunities to improve efficiency and value for money.

Transparency and Accountability

The CMO is committed to transparency, accountability and regular engagement with
residents. Financial information, budgets, business plans, AGM papers, meeting
agendas and minutes are published through the organisation’s website and are
available to members. The Board also engages with residents through annual general
meetings, resident forums and ongoing communications throughout the year.
The Board recognises that some residents would like greater influence over decision
making. It is important to understand that the governance structure of the CMO was
established as part of the wider development arrangements and is not something that
can be unilaterally changed by the current Board.

CMO Governance Structure

The governance structure illustrates how control of the organisation is shared during the
development phase.
The Board comprises ten voting trustee positions. Five of these positions are allocated
to the Developer Consortium, with the remaining five allocated to representatives of
residents, Ashford Borough Council, Kent County Council, the Housing Association and
the voluntary sector.
As a result, developer representatives retain 50% of the voting rights whilst the
development remains under construction. The governance framework was intentionally
designed to reflect the fact that Chilmington Green is a strategic development which
has not yet reached completion.
The diagram demonstrates that, whilst residents are represented through both Board
membership and CMO membership, the organisation is not currently a resident
controlled body. Full resident control can only emerge as the development progresses
and the governance arrangements move towards their end state.
This distinction is important because many of the concerns raised by residents relate to
matters that are beyond the direct control of the resident trustees or the CMO itself.
Decisions are taken collectively within the governance framework established for the
organisation and must reflect the balance of voting rights contained within that
structure.
The Board nevertheless remains committed to ensuring that residents’ views are heard
and reflected in decision-making and will continue to provide opportunities for
engagement through AGMs, resident forums, consultations and the election of resident
representatives.

Consumer Protection Concerns

The sale and marketing of properties at Chilmington Green are not matters in which the
CMO is involved. The organisation was established to manage and maintain community
assets and services within the development and does not participate in property
transactions between developers and purchasers.
Questions regarding information provided during the purchase process are therefore
matters for the relevant developer and, where appropriate, professional advisers
involved in those transactions.
The CMO does, however, seek to ensure that residents have access to clear information
regarding estate management arrangements. Detailed information about rent charges,
governance arrangements and ongoing responsibilities is available through the CMO
website and is also provided as part of the welcome information issued to residents
joining the community. Information has been published to explain the operation of the
rentcharge arrangements and the long-term management model established for the
community.

Looking Forward

The Board understands why residents feel frustrated by the pace of development and
the uncertainty surrounding infrastructure delivery, Section 106 obligations and the
future of the wider site. These frustrations are shared by the CMO itself. The Board has
repeatedly experienced the practical and financial consequences of delayed
development, uncertainty regarding future infrastructure delivery and the ongoing
challenges affecting the wider Chilmington Green project.
However, it is important to recognise that many of the issues raised by residents’ are
not matters for which the CMO has responsibility or direct control. The delivery of
homes, roads, schools, community facilities, strategic infrastructure and planning
obligations rests with developers, planning authorities and other statutory bodies rather
than the management organisation.
The Board also believes it is important that stakeholders understand the governance
arrangements under which the organisation operates. Whilst residents are represented
on the Board and through membership of the organisation, developers currently retain
50% of the voting rights under the governance structure established for this phase of the
development. As a consequence, responsibility for decisions is shared amongst a
number of stakeholders and does not rest solely with resident representatives or the
management organisation.
The CMO remains committed to providing services as efficiently and transparently as
possible, publishing information openly, engaging with residents constructively and
seeking value for money on behalf of the community. The Board welcomes constructive
scrutiny and discussion about how governance, accountability and resident
engagement can continue to evolve as Chilmington Green progresses towards
completion.

Ultimately, the Board, residents, local authorities and developers all share the
same objective: to see Chilmington Green become the well-maintained,
sustainable and thriving community originally envisaged. The frustrations we hear
expressed by residents are real and should not be dismissed, they are frustrations
shared by the Board itself. However, meaningful progress will only be achieved
through a clear understanding of where responsibilities lie and through
constructive collaboration between all those involved in delivering the
development. The CMO stands ready to work with residents, MPs, local authorities,
developers and other stakeholders to help deliver that outcome and to ensure that
residents’ concerns continue to be heard and acted upon wherever the
organisation has the ability to do so.