Updated Press Release from MVDC

Correction to this post

At their meeting on 31^st July 2008, Mole Valley District Council voted in favour of creating 4 new area forums for the District.

The forums will give the community a greater opportunity to question the Council and be involved in the debate around decision making.

The District will be covered by 4 area forums; Chaired by local Councillors, each group will meet quarterly to discuss 2 topics of relevance to residents in that area. The forums are as follows:

Ashtead / Leatherhead – Chairman Councillor Sylvia Sharland

Bookham / Fetcham – Chairman - Councillor Clare Curran

Dorking – Chairman – Councillor James Friend

Rural Areas – Chairman – Councillor Don Webb.

The first meeting of each Forum will be held in September or October. The Forums will be asked to consider an item of District wide significance as referred by the Executive, and one which the Chairman considers to be of local importance. There will also be the opportunity for Members of Mole Valley’s Executive to update the Forum on specific issues and there will be opportunity for a Question and Answer session at each meeting.

Representatives of the Police, Surrey County Council, health organisations and other local organisations will be invited to the meetings, which will be open to the public.

It will be the responsibility of the Chairman to report back to Mole Valley District Council and its Executive, the outcome of each area forum discussion.

Leader of Mole Valley District Council, Councillor Jean Pearson said; “The Local Area Forums will benefit Mole Valley residents and Businesses by opening up discussions on a range of topics and making participation in the Council decision making processes more accessible. Now that we have agreed to create the 4 Area Forums and who will chair each one, Council Officers together with the four Chairmen will finalise the dates and location of the first meeting of each Forum and we will publicise this information.”