Cold Callers wanting to Buy Gold & Silver Jewellery

A sign of the current economic situation is that many people have been considering selling old or unwanted gold jewellery for cash to put some extra money into their pockets.

Please beware!!  Some people and companies will post a flyer through letterboxes, saying that they will pay “best prices” or “top prices” for any unwanted gold jewellery.  Normally, the flyer says that they will be in the area for a few days and provide a telephone number to call to arrange a home visit.

There is nothing illegal in this practice at all but……….most of these firms are only looking to pay the “scrap value” of any gold in terms of its weight.  The same applies to any stones set into rings etc.  This amount is considerably less than the actual insurance value of any whole piece of jewellery itself, so please consider very carefully before feeling pressured into selling any items.

Also, there are some unscrupulous people who are taking advantage by “cold calling” door to door and asking the resident if they have any items that they would like to sell.  Quite often they also refer to an advertising flyer being posted out but, in fact, nothing of the sort has been done.

We would ask you not to let these people into your home.  They may well be willing to part with some cash for items that you show them but they may also distract you and take other items that you had no intention of selling.  In other words – stealing from you.

This exact scenario has happened very recently to a local resident and they wanted us to make as many people as possible aware of this so that they do not become victims too.  We are very grateful to this resident for being willing for us to share their experience.

Agenda for Open Meeting 1 July 2013 at 7.30 in the Leatherhead Institute

1. Apologies for absence

2. Minutes of last open meeting 3 June 2013.

3. Matters arising.

4. Correspondence

               1. Mr. Grayling

               2. Mr. Searle from MV Housing Association

               3. Any other correspondence

5. Reports from sub-groups:

               1. Environment Sub-group

               2. Publicity & Membership Sub-group

               3. Planning Sub-group

6. Meetings attended:
             1. LAP,

             2. Judicial review

             3. Fortyfoot Road campaign

7. Meetings yet to be attended

8. A.O.B:

• Explanation of a calendar rota for watering the plants in town
• Words about the Parish Church and the LRA joining forces over Open Gardens next year.
• Floral memorial to First World War victims
• Drop in for the cycle race
• Public meeting about the proposed development in Church Road

We have an apology, but ...

We read in the Leatherhead advertiser today (June 20th) that Cllr Dickson has apologized to Martin Newey and John Whittaker for stating that the accusations of misconduct made against her had been "malicious." At long last she has admitted: "In particular, I acknowledge that Mr Lingard had concluded that he did not question the integrity of any of the complainants."

Indeed he did not. He actually stated: "I do not question the integrity of any of the complainants nor do I believe that any of them has told me any untruths." In other words, the Lingard Report attributed neither fraud nor malice to any of the complainants. Yet is only after eights months and a recourse to the courts by two of the complainants that an apology is issued to those two complainants.

Yet in the her press statement issued by Mole Valley Conservative Party on 1st October 2012, Cllr Dickson names seven complainants. Are the other five, then, guilty of fraud and/or malice? Clearly Mr Lingard did not think so. Is it not time that Cllr Dickson did the honorable thing and apologized to all seven?

I note Mr Whittaker's statement in the Advertiser, though I am sorry the newspaper did not print it in full:
"Councillor Dickson’s press statement, with its false allegations against people who made complaints about her conduct, was appalling. She has now (8 months later) apologised. This apology is the result solely of legal action taken by complainants. The Council has always known the true position, but has said nothing about its councillor’s much publicised false allegations. It is a pity also that the Lingard Report has been kept from the Standards Committee which commissioned it."

To all of which I say "Amen!"

It is high time that things were brought into to the open. Not only should the Lingard Report be passed to the Standards Committee, it should, in my opinion, be put into the public domain.

And now we wait ....

How many times have we heard from Longshot spokesmen that the Judicial Review brought by Cherkley Campaign Ltd had no merit and would fail?

Strange then then that such a 'meritless case' has taken three days of legal argument in the Royal Courts of Justice and that the judge, Justice Haddon-Cave, has reserved his judgment because, in his words, it is a "serious case" (and, indeed, it is) and he clearly thinks it is going to take some time for him to come to his conclusions and write out his findings and his judgment.

The question of the need for yet another golf course in Surrey has been asked and debated ad nauseam, not only during the Judicial Review, but also during applications for Interim Injunctions and in the local press over the past few months. We learnt today from the Interested Party's (i.e. Longshot's) QC that we have been looking at this in the wrong way: of course we don't need another golf course, but, apparently, we do need a world class golf course superior to any other in the UK!

I guess courses like St Andrews, Gleneagles, Royal County Down, The Belfry, Royal Birkdale, Surrey's own Wentworth or the many other prestigious golf courses all lack something, for the Cherkley course is to be superior to them all. And won't we be lucky to have such a superior course in Mole Valley? Good grief - I just noticed a squadron of pigs flying by.

They've gone. We now wait patiently for the judge's verdict. All who attended the hearings agree that the judge was perceptive and has taken great pains to get a grip of the case and that, whatever the verdict is, we can be confident that it will have been properly and fairly arrived at.

Tour of Britain visits Surrey on 21st September

Dear All

As you will be aware, the Tour of Britain is returning to Surrey for the penultimate stage on Saturday 21^st September and the race will be coming through Mole Valley  as the stage starts in Epsom and finishes in Guildford . The local launch is taking place on Monday 10^th June. Cllr Townsend will be attending the launch to represent Mole Valley . 

At the launch details about the Surrey route will be announced including, we believe, information on the Sprints and the ‘King of the Mountain’ (KOMs) climbs. The first sprint will take place on South Street in Dorking and the second of the climbs will be taking place within Mole Valley going along Coldharbour Lane , the first being on Crocknorth Road in Effingham, just across the border in Guildford Borough Council. 

The majority of the race will be run under a rolling road closure, but we have been advised that full road closures will be put in place for all 3 of the Surrey KOMs. We do not know if the road closures will be mentioned at the launch event on Monday, but have been advised that the traffic orders will be made by Surrey County Council in the next week, at which point notices will begin to appear in the local press. The event organisers and SCC know that communication is crucial and they intend to visit all residents and businesses that are along the closure route to discuss any issues or concerns they might have. 

Attached are maps outlining the location of the road closures for the first two KOMs and also a briefing from the Traffic Management Team at SCC outlining the rationale behind the closures. I hope that this will provide you with some useful information and if you have any questions or concerns, please do let me know and I can ensure that these are raised with the event organisers. 

[UPDATE From WEBMASTER] - the information in the attachments can be found in this post:

http://lrassociation.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/tour-of-britain-road-closure-information.html
 

Kind regards

Louise

Louise Bircher
Customer Service and Communications Manager
Mole Valley District Council
Tel: 01306 879155
www.molevalley.gov.uk
Follow us on Twitter @molevalleydc

The Battle Continues

You may have seen the headline "Let Battle Commence" in last Thursday's 'Leatherhead Advertiser'.   The report correctly said that two days had been set aside for the Judicial Review (6th & 7th June).  But the review is going into a third day, Monday 10th June.

"How on earth did this get through planning?" was my last Blog (which generated 10 comments).  As one listens to the Judicial Review that question seems more and more pertinent. 

The Cherkley Campaign has been pleased at support given over the past two day by people attending the court hearing (click here to see list).  

If you feel strongly on this - and clearly very many people do - you may like to attend on Monday.  The proceedings will start at 10.30 in Court 19 of the Royal  Royal Courts of Law on the Strand near Aldwich.  

This case is a chance to say to councils across the country that you cannot ignore your officers' recommendations, your planning policy and the advice of the experts (landscape consultants, CPRE, Surrey Hills Board, NT etc.) on the back of a lot of public relations puff.

Ride London Drop In Sessions

Dear All

Following their first leaflet drop earlier this month , Prudential RideLondon-Surrey have confirmed that they would like to hold a number of drop-in sessions in Surrey in order to engage with our residents and businesses about the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 and Classic events on Sunday 4 August.

As the final details of the route will not be known until end June, and RideLondon are planning a second leaflet drop in very early July, these sessions have been planned to tie in with these factors to ensure that the sessions can be as useful as possible and are therefore scheduled for the first 2 weeks of July.

4 drop-in sessions have been secured for Mole Valley. These will be attended by Prudential RideLondon, MVDC, SCC and hopefully Transport for London.

I would be most grateful if you could assist with publicising these events to our residents please. More information about Prudential RideLondon can be found at their website www.prudentialridelondon.co.uk or on the GoSurrey website at www.gosurrey.info as well as on our own site www.molevalley.gov.uk

Thank you

Kind regards

Louise

Louise Bircher
Customer Service and Communications Manager
Mole Valley District Council
Tel: 01306 879155
www.molevalley.gov.uk
Follow us on Twitter @molevalleydc

Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 4 August 2013

Resident and business engagement drop-in sessions.

All timings are for actual engagement time. Please allow an additional 30 mins either side for set-up and take down.

Date	Location	Timing	Audience
Thursday 4 July	Masonic Room, Dorking Halls, Dorking	3pm to 7pm	Residents and Businesses
Monday 8 July	Box Hill Village Hall, Box Hill	4pm to 8pm	Residents
Tuesday 9 July	Forest Green Village Hall	4pm to 8pm	Residents
Wednesday 10 July	Park House, Leatherhead	4pm to 8pm	Residents and Businesses

 

Volunteers Required: Neighbourhood Forum

Leatherhead is now under great pressure to release Green Belt Land so as to take urban expansion from London. When in 2009, the Council agreed to provide so many new homes under the South East Plan - that was for the South East Region - not for the London Region. These target figures relate to the whole of Mole Valley, not just that area in the north of the District. They should have been rejected by our Councillors.

Too many of our organisations in this Town are for the Leatherhead District, including Ashtead and Bookham. Therefore they are not constitutionally able to join forces for the sake of the Town alone. We need to stand together shoulder to shoulder with other members of the Leatherhead Conurbation (to avoid confusion with the word District). So we need 40 or more, honest citizens who care, to come forward NOW and fight a combined defence of our Town in a new Neighbourhood Forum, according to the Localism Act. We cannot trust our Council any longer.

Volunteer now, for the sake of the Town by sending your contact details to me. Hubert Carr (email:hubertcarr@gmail.com)

The League of Friends of Leatherhead Hospital needs your support.

 Leatherhead has had a cottage hospital for over 100 years , the first hospital being at 8 Clinton Road in 1892 and consisting of 8 beds , followed in 1902 by the Queen Victoria Memorial Cottage Hospital at the junction of Epsom Road and Fortyfoot Road now a block of flats Victoria House. The current hospital was built in 1940 and had originally 52 beds now reduced to 23.

The current hospital has 30 out patient clinics, an award winning rehabilitation gym, a state of the art colposcopy unit for detecting and treating cervical cancer, a Community Assessment Unit for fast tracking  medical cases thereby avoiding hospital admission, speech and language unit and a wheel chair assessment unit

The League of Friends was formed in 1960 and has raised nearly 2and 1/2 million pounds to provide equipment and amenities for the patients

2 years ago we commissioned a feasability study for the future of the hospital  which concluded that there was ' great potential for expansion and development of services at the hospital '

At the moment we are at the watershed as to the future as on 1st April this year the NHS has undergone major restructuring with  budget control being transferred to Clinical Commissioning Groups ( CCG )  and the estate of the hospital  transferred to a Government agency.

Come  to the League of Friends of Leatherhead Hospital  AGM at 8.00pm in the Parish Church Hall on Friday 31st May. All residents welcome.

(Posted by LRA  Committee in support of League of Friends)

Surrey County Council Planning Service Review Survey

Surrey County Council is currently undertaking a review of the planning service, which is responsible for determining planning applications for minerals, waste and county council owned developments such as schools and libraries. The aim of the review is to identify and implement service improvements that will deliver an enhanced planning provision to all users. Planning is facing significant changes both in legislation and demand so we want to ensure that our service is prepared and processes are effective and efficient.

As a stakeholder in the Council’s planning service we would value your input and therefore wish to invite you to take part in this short survey so that we may understand your views and potential issues concerning the Council’s current planning process in relation to your role.

Please use the link provide below, which will guide you to the survey titled ‘Planning Review –Stakeholder Survey.’

Link to Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/sccplanningreview  

We would be grateful if you could submit your response by Friday 31 May 2013.

If you require any further information then please do not hesitate to get in contact with myself or alternatively you can contact the project manager Dominique Stephens (Dominique.stephens@surreycc.gov.uk)

Kind Regards,

Katie Rayner

Planning Technician
Surrey County Council
Tel: 020 8541 9927

Epsom Hospital Update: Your Life in Their Hands

Here is a report on what happened:

http://www.epsomguardian.co.uk/news/10428439.Just_three_members_of_Surrey_GPs_commissioning_group_to_decide_on_proposals_to_downgrade_Epsom_Hospital/

The day as it unfolded.

http://www.epsomguardian.co.uk/news/10427409.Epsom_Hospital_decision_will_be_delayed_until__later_date_/

Agenda for Open Meeting 3rd June 2013 at 7.30 Leatherhead Institute

1. Apologies for absence

2. Minutes of previous Open Meeting in March

3. Matter arising

4. Correspondence:    The Judicial Review

5. Reports

     Planning Subcommittee

    Environment Subcommittee

    Publicity and Membership Subcommittee

6. Meetings attended/reports not included above:

     Hospitals, esp. Epsom

    Green Belt Review and CPRE Workshop

     Friends of Leatherhead Hospital AGM

    Community Garden

     Norbury Park

7. A.O.B.

1. Credit Unions - request for information

2. Newsletter

3.   Kingston House gardens

4.  Anything useful or interesting from Bookham R.A.

Save South Leatherhead

We are local residents who live in the south of Leatherhead. We enjoy living here because Leatherhead is an urban area set in very special countryside.  So imagine our horror when we found that developers have suggested to Mole Valley District Council that they re-draw the green belt boundary south of Windmill Drive and Yarm Way; beyond Downs Lane and all around Givons Grove. 

If this land is released from the green belt then developers  will build housing estates of literally hundreds and hundreds of houses. The implications for Leatherhead residents are serious and time scale very short – just a few months.  
We have therefore set up a campaign to fight this and we ask for your support.  We need to work together so we can demonstrate to the Councillors that we are united and, hopefully, a force to be reckoned with.  We:

• send out briefing notes (so people understand the issues)
• send up-dates so people know what is going on
• ask people to write personal, well informed letters.
• all share information together
• answer questions as they arise.
• pursue a technical side with experts in different aspects of planning.
• liaise with relevant local and national organisations.

If you would like to know more, or, if you would be willing to help by writing a letter please email Irene and Ian on SaveSouthLeatherhead@gmail.com

Adult Learners’ Week 2013 (18-24 May 2013)

 

Adult Learners’ Week is the biggest annual learning festival in the UK.

This year Surrey libraries will be using the festival to promote our “new look” IT learning offer. Whether you are completely new to computers or want to discover how to make the most of the internet and develop your skills there are plenty of options to help you.

Key to the offer is a range of online learning resources available through the library and from home for independent learners. Check out the free resources on our library website www.surreycc.gov.uk/libraries/learning.


For the not so confident, we offer free supported group sessions where you can:

• Learn how to use a keyboard and mouse
• Search online
• Keep in touch with your family and friends using email.

 For more information about the free group sessions for beginners please ask at your local library:

Addlestone, Ashford,  Banstead, Camberley, Caterham Valley, Chertsey,Cranleigh, Dittons, Dorking, Egham, Epsom, Ewell, Farnham, Godalming,Guildford, Haslemere, Horley, Leatherhead, Oxted, Redhill, Staines, Sunbury,Walton, Weybridge, Woking.

If you require further help with the internet you can make an appointment with one of our volunteer Computer Buddies who can offer free individual support.

We’re also looking for volunteer Computer Buddies who can spare a small amount of time to help others learn new IT skills. Visit our library website for more information about the role of a volunteer Computer Buddy.

To find out more about our online learning opportunities, talk to a member of our library staff, call 0300 200 1001 or visitwww.surreycc.gov.uk/libraries/learning. 

How on earth did this get through planning?

So asks Katie Hannant in today's edition of the Leatherhead Advertiser (page 18, 'Your Views').  That is exactly the question that many of us have asked time and again over the past year.  In my view, and I was there, the meeting of MV Development Control Committee on 4th April last year, at which the Officers' recommendation was rejected, was farcical and a poor reflection on local democracy.

I have stated before that it is my opinion the application should have gone to appeal.  But,  Development Control Committee having granted Longshot's application, Keith Taylor, the Green MEP for Surrey and the South East, was quite right to urge the Secretary of State, Eric Pickles, to call in the Cherkley Court planning application.  Unfortunately, Sir Paul Beresford, our Westminster MP for Mole Valley, urged Mr Pickles not to do so and, indeed, Mr Pickles did not call it in.  There seems to have been every attempt made locally to make sure this application remained in the hands of MVDC alone.

If you do read Katie Hannant's letter in the Advertiser, do read Mrs Krikorian's letter also.  She makes several very valid points and also makes it clear that there are a large number of objectors, contrary to propaganda that objectors are a small minority.

As for so-called delaying tactics, work is going on a-pace,  as both letters in the Advertiser make clear and, indeed, as anyone can see for themselves if they care to take a walk across the Cherkley estate.

The judicial review on the 6th and 7th of June is not an attempt to delay things; it is an attempt to have the planning permission quashed.

Even if the judicial review is successful, sadly the damage already done will take many years to be put right.  If, however, the judicial review fails, then we shall have this unnecessary golf course in a county already replete with golf courses and the green light will be given to councils everywhere that Local Plans can be ignored at will.  They will not be worth the paper they are written on.

THE GOLDEN PATHWAY ANNUAL

THE GOLDEN PATHWAY ANNUAL

by John Harding & John Burrows

Directed by Graham Pountney

The Golden Pathway Annual is a brilliantly funny, touching, nostalgic and often Pythonesque look at the Baby Boom austerity years of the 1950s and the swinging 60s. A series of

loosely connected fast-moving sketches whisk us through the life of Michael Peters from the age of 2 to 23. Michael is given The Golden Pathway Annual on his 5th birthday and its

fictional characters erupt into his real life as he grows up through the Coronation, Grammar School, adolescent awakenings, alienation from his parents, tries to find a job and

encounters a large chicken!

The show is a spectacular trip down Memory Lane for those who were there and a glimpse into another world for those who weren't, all wrapped up with lots of comedy and touches

of pathos. But it’s more than that: every scene is brilliantly written, the majority hilarious, the rest genuinely moving. 'The Golden Pathway Annual has things to say, says them well, looks you in the eye.'

Plays and Players review.

In short, it is fantastic.

1950s and 60s

You weren’t there? It’s perfect entertainment for anyone over 12!

Can’t remember them? You will now!

From June 4 to June 15

in the Casson Room Studio

Leatherhead Theatre

7:30pm Tuesday – Friday 2:30pm & 7:30pm Saturdays

No performances Sundays or Mondays

Experience this uplifting show from just a fiver!

Tickets £5 & £10 with Student/Senior concessions

Standard £12 tickets - discounted to £10 if you buy 3 in one transaction

Box Office Tel: 01372 365141

www.theleatherheadtheatre.org

Leatherhead Theatre, 7 Church St, Leatherhead, Surrey KT22 8DN

Book now - space is limited!

Leatherhead Open Gardens

 

 

 

Epsom Hospital - Meeting 17th May 2013

Epsom General Hospital has recently been included in a review of hospital facilities for the South West London region.  The current proposals would likely lead to the closure of (amongst other wards) the current Paediatric and Maternity facilities at both Epsom General Hospital and St Helier.  This would mean that patients would have to travel to either St George's in London, Kingston or Croydon for in-patient paediatric or maternity facilities.  This could potentially affect us all. 

There is a public meeting of the Commissioning Group's Governing Board taking place on 17th May at 1.30pm at the Epsom Downs Racecourse, where these proposals will be discussed.    We are in danger of being railroaded  into these changes, so if you would be concerned about having to travel to St George's for in-patient paediatric care, or for maternity facilities, please come to this meeting and make your views heard.  Even if you have nothing to say, your presence will show your support for our local services.  Please put this date in your diary now.

The background:

Current Paediatric facilities at Epsom

Epsom Hospital currently has a consultant led paediatric facility with 8 Consultant Paediatricians, complemented by 3 Associate Specialists, 3 Staff Paediatricians and full tiers of Middle and Junior Grade doctors.  The Consultants work an ‘attending week’ system taking responsibility for the acute admissions for one week in six, returning to their outpatient working during the other weeks. During the attending week, Consultants are free from all other duties, providing two ward rounds per day as well as Consultant-delivered care to all children attending acutely according to clinical need.

‘Out of hours’ provision for acute Paediatric care is well developed with twice daily Consultant supervised handovers (8.30 – 9:30am and 4pm – 5pm) on Monday to Friday , which encourages good standards through in-site training and ensures patients are managed safely via effective communication. On weekends Consultants again supervise handover from 08:30- 09:30 and then conduct both Neonatal and General Paediatric Ward rounds, reviewing all children present on both units. In addition a Consultant ‘virtual’ ward round is undertaken between the Consultant on call and the duty ST4+ every evening at 10 pm discussing all patients & admissions during the intervening period. Consultants regularly and frequently return to site to aid management of children with complex or difficult presentations.     

Inpatient Services are provided in Epsom General Hospital within a dedicated Children’s Ward serving over 1500 patients each year (16 beds & cots) with the ability to provide short term intensive care / high dependency provision, including for acute severe asthma, bronchiolitis, seizure disorders, management of children with complex disability (e.g. patients from the Children’s Trust, Tadworth), Paediatric Oncology patients with neutropenic sepsis as well as management of all common paediatric acute medical problems.     Facilities also include 6 isolation cubicles catering to the requirements of children with infectious illnesses, very young infants and children requiring oncology inpatient treatment.
 

There is a Paediatric Day Case Unit which serves about 4300 patients each year, with around 900 day surgery cases, a Neonatal Unit (level 1)  with 1 HDU/ITU stabilisation cot and 7 Special care cots  which admitted 350 patients in 2011 and which provides 24 hour support to Delivery Suite, Postnatal Ward and all newborn infants for the Epsom and Mid Surrey areas. It is also able to deliver temporary intensive or high dependency care for extremely premature or sick infants prior to transfer to a specialist unit.  The Neonatal service is led by an attending Consultant Paediatrician as well as having separate daytime rotas for Middle and Junior doctors and Paediatric A&E facilities.

The Paediatric A & E dealt with around 14,000 admissions in 2011.  As a percentage of total A & E admittances this equated to 30%, of which more than 10% were admitted to the inpatient ward at EGH. 

Outpatient clinics are held both in hospital and community settings with outreach clinics operating in local health care centres throughout the Epsom and Mid Surrey area.

All Consultants undertake General Paediatric clinics but also offer specialist clinics in Asthma, Cardiology & Echocardiography, Diabetes, Endocrinology & Growth, Autistic Spectrum Disorders and ADHD, Epilepsy, Child development and Neurodisability (CP clinic), Chronic handicapping conditions, Haematology, Audiology, Oncology, Respiratory and Cystic fibrosis.

In addition there are regular tertiary specialist clinics in Paediatric Surgery, Cardiology, Respiratory and cystic fibrosis, Genetics, Neurology, Endocrinology, Audiology and Gastroenterology.  Epsom General Hospital is a Paediatric Oncology Shared Care Unit for Mid Surrey and Dorking as well as Sutton & Merton. Without inpatient facilities at EGH this status will be withdrawn, meaning families will face on-going care further from home for these highly vulnerable children.

Similarly inpatient facilities at EGH support the nearby Children’s Trust at Tadworth Court. If inpatient Paediatrics at EGH were to close these children with highly complex disabilities will face longer journeys to receive care when they are critically unwell.

The Review of Paediatric Services which took place in April 2011 found that 'Epsom currently provides an economical/flexible Consultant Delivered Service meeting the majority of the standards outlined in “Facing the Future”'. 

Proposals for St. George’s Site

The CSU would have approximately 130 beds, with 2 consultants on call from 8am to 6pm.  The Clinical Lead for Paediatrics at EGH has expressed the view that 'it is unsafe for 2 Consultants to cover this number of beds and many children would not be seen by a Consultant once admitted to Hospital.  It seems illogical that the sickest children (i.e. those who require admission to the in-patient unit) should not be seen on a daily basis by a Consultant. Currently, we have a flexible Consultant delivered service where the sickest children are all seen on or soon after admission by a Consultant and all children are seen at least once a day by a Consultant thereafter. Regular handover occur with Consultant presence, ensuring that Consultants are fully aware of the needs of all children under their care. We will firmly resist participating in a system that will not allow these essential safety standards to be maintained.'

Current maternity facilities at Epsom General Hospital

Epsom General Hospital provides a broad range of services for women by a team of 6.5 Consultants in Obstetric and Gynaecology, supported by 1 Associate Specialist, 3 Senior Staff Grade and full tiers of Middle and Junior grade doctors.  Inpatient services include a Labour Ward with a dedicated obstetric theatre supported by specialist Obstetric anaesthesia, an Antenatal and Postnatal Ward, inpatient Gynaecology beds in a female elective surgery ward and a day case unit, where the majority of gynaecology surgery now takes place. Experienced Midwifery staff support all obstetric activity in inpatient and outpatient facilities delivering Midwife-led care for all women wherever possible.  Outpatient services for women include Antenatal clinic facilities located in immediate proximity to Paediatric facilities, as well as local outreach services in all areas of Epsom and Mid Surrey, working together with Midwifery and Primary Health Care services to deliver accessible care to all women.  

All Consultants provide designated Consultant-led cover to Labour Ward as well as providing a range of specialist services including:

• Obstetrics
• Medical and High-risk Obstetrics
• Antenatal screening (including antenatal ultrasound and prenatal diagnostic procedures)
• Counselling services (working in concert with Paediatric services)
• Diabetes in pregnancy
• General gynaecology
• Fertility support services
• Gynaecological oncology
• Colposcopy / vulvoscopy
• Out-patient hysteroscopy
• Uro-gynaecology
• Recurrent Miscarriages
• Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit (EPAU)

Gynaecological Oncology

We have a respected and comprehensive gynaecological cancer service led by a Consultant with a special interest in this field with tertiary support from the Royal Marsden Hospital. A Gynaecology Clinical Nurse Specialist provides expert advice in addition to the facilities provided by our McMillan Butterfly centre.

Gynaecological Oncology Screening: We have just secured the setting up of a complimentary ultrasound service on the same site, running in parallel with a Consultant-led clinic to enable the immediate assessment of suspected ovarian disease and act as an adjunct to the hysteroscopy service.  This diagnostic clinic will optimise the experience and specialist training of the nursing staff already on site, to provide a comprehensive one stop clinic.

The Labour ward currently delivers 2,100 babies per annum with a growth of 6% per annum since 2004.  Most importantly the safety figures for Epsom are some of the best in the country, which calls into question why the facilities should be closed, when safety is cited as one of the key drivers:

·          The maternal mortality in the trust including Epson has been zero for the past 10 years;

·         New figures from a national report show that premature and newborn babies born at Epsom and St Helier hospitals are receiving some of the best care in the country.

·         The report, published by the Centre for Maternal and Child Enquiries (CMACE), shows that the death rate of newborns delivered at our hospitals was significantly less than the national average. It also showed that the number of stillbirths that occurred at the Trust is below average.

·         The report showed that sadly, for every 1,000 births in the UK, an average of 5.4 perinatal babies (the period from 24 completed weeks gestation to seven days after birth) died. At the Trust, the figure is lower at 3.2 deaths/1000 births.

·         The average number of neonatal deaths (the period from seven to 28 days after birth) across the UK was 2.1/1000 births. At the Trust, this figure was 0.8.

Co-located Midwifery-Led Unit (MLU)
Epsom General Hospital has  recently secured funding from the DoH to refurbish part of  the in-patient facilities to be an MLU co-located with the current labour ward. The building work has already started and due to open in May 2013. 

Looking after the Green Belt?

What is
happening
to our
Green
Belt?

The Cherkley Estate
Today ............

Poors Allotments Tomorrow?

Five families who tidy up a muddy, overgrown and neglected bit of Green Belt between the Cemetery and the Leatherhead Youth FC ground are told they must move because they will cause "substantial harm" to the Green Belt.  Yet the despoiling of 200 acres of chalk grassland apparently does not cause "substantial harm"!

If chalk downland cannot be protected, what hope is there for the Green Belt around Junction 9? 

The Green Belt around Leatherhead (April 2013)

By now, from the Press and other sources, members will be aware that Mole Valley has had many comments on its Green Belt Review.   This was conducted because of a promise made to SEEDA (South East England Development Authority) around 2006 to provide some 3760 homes between then and 2026.   With 1640 already built, that leaves 2120 to be constructed over the next 13 years or 163 each year.   This figure refers to the whole of Mole Valley and not just to Leatherhead. 

Other members may well have read the Green Belt Review’s comments and noticed that a considerable number of areas are being looked at by developers and landowners.   Some of these are new, some date from the Draft Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment.   Some are in the Green Belt and some are classed as Reserve Housing sites.   The land between Cleeve Road and Randalls Road, currently under discussion, is an example of this latter classification.   Some are simply possible sites in the future, according to their owners.   Those sites currently in the Green Belt are recognized as such and would need that restriction lifted.    The existence and listing of all these sites gives Mole Valley grounds for refusal of unsuitable applications.

However, the recent whiff of more utterly desirable sites becoming available because of the Review has prompted around 9 developers to make their somewhat alarming suggestions.   Three developers are after roughly the same patch to the south of Leatherhead.   But the main hurdle they all face is the Green Belt and so, at the moment, they simply form a “wish list.”   Nevertheless, the Council will look at them and possibly add one or two to their stockpile of land available.

The LRA feels that any breach of the Green Belt will lead to a softening up of the whole circumference and must, therefore, be resisted.   This was a brilliant strategy conceived at the beginning of the last century and enshrined in law after the Second World War.   We want it to continue both for our own sake and for that of our children.

Mrs. C. Brown (Planning sub-committee chairman)