Press: Leatherhead Local : May 2008

Dave Smith's Article from this months LL:

The Leatherhead Residents Association continues to increase our number of members and as this happens improvements to our operations also continue. Our first newsletter to members has been issued and we are hoping to start work on the second ready for Summer. Web site address www.leatherheadresidents.org.uk

To become a member please complete the details at the membership form and return to us with your fee of £2 for a year or £5 for three years. We will then issue you with a membership card and further information on how you will benefit from joining.

Thank you to all who attended the St George’s Day celebrations in the town and those who signed up for membership to the LRA.

No news yet on the Town Centre Forums from MVDC and as reported last month most projects’ have been put on hold in favour of spending large sums of money on our roads. I am sure you have noticed!

Surrey County Council advise that 35 major maintenance schemes are planned for Surrey and they have a FREE email service for notification of when these will start.

You can also comment on any concerns you have with MVDC by going to http://www.molevalleyviewpoint.co.uk and letting them know, particularly about the new proposed waiting restriction schemes due to take effect in Leatherhead. They seem to be interested which is good news.
Our way of increasing membership is the very important role of Road Steward and Leatherhead has many roads. The fairly straightforward role is described below.

The network of road stewards is the main way of maintaining a high level of membership, which is vital if the Leatherhead Residents’ Association is to represent the views of the residents to such bodies such as the local council.
The duties we ask of the Road Stewards are as follows:

1. Introduce yourself as our Road Steward and collect subscriptions (we will provide letters).
2. Deliver a newsletter 2 – 3 times a year to members of the Leatherhead Residents’ Association.
3. Maintain details of members in your road(s) on the form provided.
4. Forward money collected to the Treasurer."

If you would like to give it a go please contact

membership@leatherheadresidents.org.uk

Thank you.
David Smith

LRA Publicity & Marketing - Roundabout Sponsorship

In a continuation of the discussion on Publicity, I propose the following:

A number of local traffic islands (roundabouts) are sponsored by local businesses. The LRA should also consider this also. A simple sign with the logo and the web address would suffice. Currently the M25 J9 (Chessington side) has no sponsorship.

Could the Committee officer with Highways portfolio look into this? I suspect SCC Highways would be the first port of call.

Comments welcome.

The Green Mole Forum

The www.greenmoleforum.org is your resource if you are interested in improving the sustainability and preserving the beauty of Mole Valley.

It provides news and information and is a hub connecting and networking local groups working towards the common aim of reducing our environmental footprint.

Leatherhead Leisure Centre

Source: Mole Valley Unison Leaflet

Do you want £12.6 million of your Council Tax Money Spent to Profit a Private Leisure Organsisation???

This is exactly what Mole Valley is Considering. Despite the fact that on November 2005 all MVDC residents were surveyed over the future of the Leatherhead Leisure Centre (LLC) and the resounding decision was to refurbish an keep the facility in house with the existing management, not privatisation!!

Not only that, but YOUR council tax money was spent on two expensive and detailed consultants reports in Nov 2002 and Dec 2006 both detailing that MVDC should set up their on leisure trust, in house.

Now MVDC are spending 12.6 million of YOUR MONEY to refurbish LLC, and then may give it to a private organisation to reap the profits and the benefits for the next 15 years.

If you feel strongly about this and would like to comment please contact your local councillor.

LRA Meeting Agenda - 2nd June 2008

Meeting to be held at 7:00pm at the Letherhead Institute, 67 High Street, Leatherhead, KT22 8AH.

(7pm) Police Report and members concerns. (Cold Calling etc)

1. Apologies
2. Minutes
3. Matters Arising:

• Town Centre Forum
• Chamber of Commerce Spring Social
• Local Plan Consultation – Potential Housing Sites
• Leatherhead Area Partnership -River Mole Project.
• Festivities Committee

4. Members’ Issues (Middle Road, Magazine Place, Windfield, Epsom Road)
5. Publicity, Consultation & Communication

6. (8pm* approx.) Officer’s Reports:

• Membership
  
• Treasurer: Insurance & Affiliations.
• Website
• MVDC Planning Applications.
• Publicity & Newsletter
• Chairman

7. Correspondence
8. Future Programme & Events
9. A.O. B .

* Break for refreshments then members of the public leave. (Committee remains)

Proposed New No Cold Calling Area - Bookham/Fetcham/Ashtead

Proposed New No Cold Calling Area - Bookham/Fetcham/Ashtead - information from Ashtead Residents Association.

Surrey Trading Standards and Surrey Police are currently working together to look at ways of reducing the levels of distraction burglary and doorstep related crime within Surrey. With this in mind we are considering introducing a No Cold Calling Zone in the Bookham/Fetcham/Ashtead area.

No Cold Calling Zones previously established in Guildford, Maybury and Horley, have shown great reductions in this type of crime by raising residents' awareness and empowering them to be more confident when dealing with unwanted doorstep callers.

They help to reduce the number of callers that residents receive as the zones have No Cold Calling Zone road signs erected at various entry points which act as visible deterrents to businesses. In addition, residents will receive a 'No Cold Calling Household Pack', which will include a door sticker for you to display and information on how to deal with uninvited
callers safely.

During the initial phase of this process we want to be able to consider all points of view about the proposed zone, and are especially interested in the views of residents and local businesses that may be affected.

Therefore we would like to take the opportunity to welcome all views, comments and opinions from members of the public on the proposed new zone.

To give us your views please contact Mr Amir Ali on amir.ali@surreycc.gov.uk or telephone him on 01372 371 775.

For information on the zones and how they work please go to the Surrey County Council website Trading Standards pages on www.surreycc.gov.uk/tradingstandards.

Please note that this public consultation will close on 15 June 2008 and after this we cannot guarantee your views will be considered when making our final evaluation.

I wonder why Leatherhead is not included in this? A question has been sent to Trading Standards.

LRA Publicity & Marketing - Duck Race

Does any one have links with the Leatherhead Festival Committee?

The Annual Duck Race is looming (21st June 2008). This is another opportunity to market the LRA to lots of families in the Leatherhead area. My proposal is:

• Sponsor a duck or two.
• Sponsor a HiVi vest for one of the 'divers' in the river.
• Have a stand/tent down by the river.
• Have some sandwich boards located in prominent places.
  
• Prepare new publicity material.
• Get some balloons made up with LRA logo & web address on them (c 150 GBP for 1000 units).

Comments please.

Garden Grabbing Petition

Sign up the e-petition on the 10 Downing Street website to stop over development.

Garden grabbing is on the increase at the moment.

Town Centre Parking Suggestion

One possible solution to the problems of day time parking, would be for local business to club together and lease to top floor of the Swan Centre.  Employees would then have this option open to them and would save them the hassle of trying to find a spot on the Epsom Rd or Winfield.  A similar system is used in Staines by Samsung.

Church Road Developments

Concerted efforts by residents in Church Road have fought off ill conceived plans by developers to over-develop parts of the Conservation Areas. Developers will always try to maximise profits to the detriment of the local residents. In summary:

• No1 Church Road (demolish & erect 7 new dwellings) - this went to appeal by public inquiry. Several residents turned up to Pippbrook to voice their opinions. The Planning Inspectorate rejected the developers appeal.
• The Bungalow, Byron Place (demolish & replace by 4 new dwellings) - this was rejected by MVDC. Over 100 letters of objections were received by MVDC.
• No.29 Church Road (build two semi detached houses in the back garden) - this went to a written appeal. The Planning Inspectorate rejected the developers appeals.

The site in questions have still the potential for development, however, residents are keen that any proposals are in keeping for the local area.

If developers are planning something inappropriate in your area, contact the LRA they will be able to advise.

LRA Publicity Material

The current media (web site & leaflets) does not really tell prospective members of the LRA what the organisation does and how it can help. Effort needs to be made to review this literate (electronic as well) with the view of attracting more locals into the Association.

The current material seems to dwell on the formation of the LRA but doesn't really make it obvious how the Association can help and how it hopes to influence the local bodies. We should state quite clearly that the LRA monitors & comments on:

• control of building and development
• preservation of buildings, trees and open spaces
• road safety and traffic matters
• footpaths and rights of way
• schools in our area
• public transport
• recreation facilities
• law and order.

Comments from the committee welcome.

LRA Meetings

The LRA meeting schedules are published on the LRA website. It would be useful for the proposed agenda to be posted up in advance. This would allow those that cannot attend the opportunity to send in their views in advance and then the Chairman could make these opinions know to the meeting delegates.

In addition, it would also be useful if the minutes of the meeting were published on the LRA website to allow those LRA members that did not attend the chance to find out what is going on. This should also apply to committee meetings; these should be minuted and made available to rank & file members. This will show that the organisation is transparent and not run by an isolated bunch of individuals with their own agenda.

Car Club for Leatherhead

One possible way to reduce congestion & parking in & around Leatherhead would be to introduce a Car Club. The concept & operation of Car Clubs are described on this web site :

http://www.carplus.org.uk/carplus/whatcarplus.htm

Guildford & Sutton both have car clubs. MVDC should get involved & promote such a scheme.

What do Leatherhead Residents think of this idea?

The Green Mole Forum is also looking at this idea. Visit their site to see what they do.