Agenda
1. Apologies for Absence
2. Minutes of meeting on 4th January
3. Matters Arising from the Minutes
4. "Security in the Home" -
presentation by James Lewis (Buchannan and Curwen)
5. Reports from sub Groups
a) Membership
b) Planning
c) Highways
6. New Decision Making Arrangements at Mole Valley District Council
7. Any Other Business
Monday, 25 January 2010
Friday, 15 January 2010
Press: Ashtead & Leather Local Article
Leatherhead, blue, yellow and (faded) brick red!
The good news first: several kingfishers have been seen on the River Mole between the Town Bridge and Thorncroft Bridge. This welcome piece of information was given out at the Leatherhead Residents’ Association social evening last Monday. There had been a lot of worry over these birds while the River Path and an adjacent office block were being built.
Sometime in the New Year, however, many of the town’s roads are due for yellow paint, some for a considerable amount of yellow paint. In some cases this will be extremely welcome – the Epsom Road must be an example of this, but in other cases many residents are unhappy with the proposals. However, the numbers actually writing in to object were not sufficient for the council to alter the plans. Conversely, it was noted that even when virtually the whole road wrote in to request one plan, because it was not one of the council’s recommended solutions, it was not accepted. It will be very interesting, on Day 1, to see how quickly the other, neighbouring roads fill up. Homelands, Fortyfoot, Melvinshaw, Daymerslea Ridge, Oaks Close all look set to receive unprecedented numbers of early visitors. Being early will be the key factor in obtaining a free parking place; after 6.30 am it will almost certainly be impossible. Residents of Kingston Road, Park Rise and Windfield are going to have to be extremely careful and remove their cars during the “Forbidden Hour” or they are likely to find summonses attached the windscreens of their own cars right outside their own homes.
Lastly, hopes for a third lane the whole length of Station Approach between the bridges have been dashed. This would have involved the dismantling of the old staircase access and a costly road widening scheme. Instead, just the scaffolding is to be removed revealing the old brick retaining wall.
C. Brown of the Leatherhead Residents’ Association
The good news first: several kingfishers have been seen on the River Mole between the Town Bridge and Thorncroft Bridge. This welcome piece of information was given out at the Leatherhead Residents’ Association social evening last Monday. There had been a lot of worry over these birds while the River Path and an adjacent office block were being built.
Sometime in the New Year, however, many of the town’s roads are due for yellow paint, some for a considerable amount of yellow paint. In some cases this will be extremely welcome – the Epsom Road must be an example of this, but in other cases many residents are unhappy with the proposals. However, the numbers actually writing in to object were not sufficient for the council to alter the plans. Conversely, it was noted that even when virtually the whole road wrote in to request one plan, because it was not one of the council’s recommended solutions, it was not accepted. It will be very interesting, on Day 1, to see how quickly the other, neighbouring roads fill up. Homelands, Fortyfoot, Melvinshaw, Daymerslea Ridge, Oaks Close all look set to receive unprecedented numbers of early visitors. Being early will be the key factor in obtaining a free parking place; after 6.30 am it will almost certainly be impossible. Residents of Kingston Road, Park Rise and Windfield are going to have to be extremely careful and remove their cars during the “Forbidden Hour” or they are likely to find summonses attached the windscreens of their own cars right outside their own homes.
Lastly, hopes for a third lane the whole length of Station Approach between the bridges have been dashed. This would have involved the dismantling of the old staircase access and a costly road widening scheme. Instead, just the scaffolding is to be removed revealing the old brick retaining wall.
C. Brown of the Leatherhead Residents’ Association
NEW DECISION MAKING ARRANGEMENTS AT MOLE VALLEY DISTRICT COUNCIL
You may have already seen the Council's webpage and replied:
www.molevalley.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=8193
If you have not, I apologize for not posting this much sooner. It seems to have got overlooked in the holiday period and the bad weather. We have, however, kindly been allowed until 4th February to submit observations; you should email leaderormayor@molevalley.gov.uk.
Also this will be discussed at our meeting on Monday, 1st February, at 7.00 pm in the Letherhead Institute.
The position may be summarized thus:
The Council currently operates a Leader and Cabinet Executive, but according to the requirements of the Local Government Public Involvement in Health Act 2007), the Council will be required to change its Executive decision making process from May 2011.
The Council can opt for one of two models:
* Leader and Executive Cabinet
* Directly Elected Mayor and Cabinet
Under both models the Leader/Mayor would hold responsibility for all Executive functions and be elected or appointed for a 4 year term (subject to the end of their term of office). He/she would appoint Councillors to a Cabinet and have the option to delegate decision making powers to the Cabinet as a whole or individual Councillors and Officers. The Council would continue to approve the budget, Council policy and set Council Tax levels.
The key difference is how they are appointed and removed from office.
* The directly elected Mayor would not be a Councillor, but chosen in a separate election and would be elected for a four year term.
* The Leader would be a Councillor, elected in the regular local elections and appointed as Leader by the other Councillors (“the Council”). The Council would retain powers to remove the Leader from office in certain circumstances.
The arrangements for decision making in relation to regulatory functions (e.g. licensing, planning) are not Executive responsibilities and will remain unchanged.
The Council must opt for one of the above models by December 2010, for implementation after the next local elections in May 2011.
Currently the LRA Committee favours the directly elected Mayor model.
www.molevalley.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=8193
If you have not, I apologize for not posting this much sooner. It seems to have got overlooked in the holiday period and the bad weather. We have, however, kindly been allowed until 4th February to submit observations; you should email leaderormayor@molevalley.gov.uk.
Also this will be discussed at our meeting on Monday, 1st February, at 7.00 pm in the Letherhead Institute.
The position may be summarized thus:
The Council currently operates a Leader and Cabinet Executive, but according to the requirements of the Local Government Public Involvement in Health Act 2007), the Council will be required to change its Executive decision making process from May 2011.
The Council can opt for one of two models:
* Leader and Executive Cabinet
* Directly Elected Mayor and Cabinet
Under both models the Leader/Mayor would hold responsibility for all Executive functions and be elected or appointed for a 4 year term (subject to the end of their term of office). He/she would appoint Councillors to a Cabinet and have the option to delegate decision making powers to the Cabinet as a whole or individual Councillors and Officers. The Council would continue to approve the budget, Council policy and set Council Tax levels.
The key difference is how they are appointed and removed from office.
* The directly elected Mayor would not be a Councillor, but chosen in a separate election and would be elected for a four year term.
* The Leader would be a Councillor, elected in the regular local elections and appointed as Leader by the other Councillors (“the Council”). The Council would retain powers to remove the Leader from office in certain circumstances.
The arrangements for decision making in relation to regulatory functions (e.g. licensing, planning) are not Executive responsibilities and will remain unchanged.
The Council must opt for one of the above models by December 2010, for implementation after the next local elections in May 2011.
Currently the LRA Committee favours the directly elected Mayor model.
Friday, 8 January 2010
PUBLIC EXHIBITION
What is the future of the Leatherhead Conservation Area?
Should its boundaries change?
What is special and should be conserved?
We are having an
Open Day
On Saturday 16th January
From 10.00 am to 4.30 pm
View proposals from the draft Leatherhead Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan
and tell us what you think.
There will be opportunities to discuss proposals with Council staff and comment on the proposals
Come and see us at
The Library, The Letherhead Institute
67 High Street, Leatherhead
The draft document will be available to view on-line at www.molevalley.gov.uk and comments can be left on-line until Monday 8th February 2010
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