Tuesday, 31 March 2009

Surrey Police Pledge



Click on the image to view.

Surrey Police Pledge - full document here

Friday, 20 March 2009

North Street - Bus Stop Improvements

Location: D288 NORTH STREET - LEATHERHEAD

Days of work: .From 23 March 2009 to 6 April 2009

Times of work: 07.00 - 19.00; Monday to Friday

What will the work involve? Bus Stop Improvements
How will my route be affected? Kerb and footway to be restricted

Who has been informed about the roadworks? Information on the web (???)

Who is doing the works? Surrey Highways Partnership

Monday, 9 March 2009

National Science and Engineering Week: 6 - 15 March 2009



National Science and Engineering Week is part of the ‘Science: [So What? So Everything]’ campaign which aims to show people how science benefits our everyday lives, is crucial in strengthening the UK economy and meeting some of the major challenges of our time.

More details here.

Saturday, 7 March 2009

Friends of Triel Leatherhead and District Twinning Association

Website: http://www.friendsoftriel.com/

Leatherhead & District was officially twinned with a small town in the North West of Paris called Triel-sur-Seine in 2004 following informal exchanges that had taken place on a regular basis since 1992. Every year there are exchanges between groups in our area and groups in Triel.

Our last exchange visit was a great success, our biggest and busiest ever with a 55 French vistors travelling by coach to visit us. The next Exchange Visit will be taking place from Friday 23 May to Monday 26 May 2009 when we will be travelling to Triel. More information can be found here.

There is great enthusiasm in Triel to link up with local organisations over here - representatives from French churches, choral societies, football clubs, schools and a host of other organisations in Triel are keen to foster links with similar organisations in the Leatherhead area. The twinning committee would be delighted to hear from any local groups who would like to join the 'Friends of Triel'. On a more personal level, the welcome and hospitality encountered by the various groups who have visited Triel over the years is always warm and generous. The committee are keen to expand the membership of the 'Friends of Triel' and would welcome any individuals or families who would like to join as new members.


Tuesday, 3 March 2009

Monday, 2 March 2009

AGM Treasurer's Report

We are indebted to John Hampton for auditing these Accounts.

The Leatherhead Residents’ Association has a very healthy bank balance at present, including a ‘General Reserve’ of £3000 - the amalgamation with the Leatherhead Society providing this. The three year membership fee, that the majority of our members have paid, has to be split over a three year period in the accounts – a third of it is transferred to the Income and Expenditure account each year and this is the amount of money that can be used for that year, together with the one year membership fees and any donations.

In order to give our members good value for their membership fee, anyone joining the Association after 1 September each year is recorded as being a member from January the following year and therefore receives four months free membership. Membership fees received in advance therefore go into the accounts for the following year – expenses of course for those four months still go into the accounts for that year, and this is why the Income and Expenditure Account and Balance Sheet show a deficit, when in fact the bank balance is healthy.

As the LRA started up from scratch eighteen months ago, there have been some startup expenses, such as starting up the Road Steward system based on the system used by the Bookham and Ashtead Residents’ Associations. These associations have found that a network of road stewards is the best 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 the local council and town forums etc.

Now that we have established a system for running the Association and for getting more members, we have made some changes and should not be incurring the amount of expenses we have had over the last eighteen months. However, we still need to set up more Road Stewards and the membership fees will also be used to cover the cost of hiring the meeting room, printing membership forms and of course producing the newsletters.


Paula Sabine
Hon. Treasurer

AGM Chairman's Report

Due to the inspiration of David Smith the Residents Association was re-vitalised from the remaining nucleus of the Leatherhead Society, and thanks to the hard work particularly of Paula Sabine and Fran Barnby the membership has grown from two to five hundred households. Ray Brown set us on course with the establishment of our Website and we now have the excellent support of our Webmaster John Bleackley.

I am not going to bore you with a summary of the events of the past eighteen months. All members have received our newsletters and those who have access to the Website have a regular update of minutes and are aware of our concern with events in the area concerning planning, parking, the High Street, the River Path, Epsom Hospital, transport and the Core Strategy – future planning for Mole Valley.

My task is to thank members who have supported our meetings, Roy and Cheryl Allen and Caroline Brown for their support to local residents and their concerns over planning issues.

Over this past year that has been a considerable increase in concern over consultation, MVDC has provided training for Residents Associations concerning planning, but the situation still continues of proposals concerning the High Street where consultation has not been extended sufficiently to residents who are concerned over the obstruction to comfortable and safe access through the High Street, due to clutter of A boards, chairs and tables, parked cars and the sad state of the paving, drains and rough cobbles. However there appears to be action planned to improve this situation.

Changes have been made in the methods of providing information and consultation. We no longer receive paper copies of minutes and Agendas of the MVD Council meetings, and now have to rely on the Internet. The introduction of Council controlled Forums, in our case the Ashtead and Leatherhead Forum, has led to concern from all four district Residents Associations in the North of Mole Valley, who all agreed the importance of maintaining the Leatherhead Town Centre Forum as a means of sharing our mutual concerns. This has led to a change of name and will now be known as the Leatherhead and District Forum.

Three years ago representatives of each of the four areas led the research involved in the establishment of the Leatherhead Plan and the eventual formation of the Leatherhead Area Partnership to enable the opportunity for finding additional funding for local projects. Some have been successful, a few led yet again to concerns over insufficient consultation. Three members of the Leatherhead Residents committee, David Smith, Paula Sabine and myself are now members of the Leatherhead Area Partnership and are in a better position to represent the concerns of residents and also to promote local need for organisations needing funding.

The LAP now intend to centre their aims on supporting local organisations, which will ensure that projects are put forward that are hopefully not likely to cause contentious opposition. That is my interpretation of the decision. The LAP reports to the Leatherhead District Forum and it also has established links and incorporates representation by local Council Officers and County and District Councillors, at present these are Tim Hall and David Sharland.

Another change intended to involve greater public in-put to influencing services is the establishment of Local Involvement Networks, which replace the Patient and Public Information forums. Members of the public are invited to monitor both Health and Social Services. Surrey LINks is in its first year of establishing committees and I serve on the communications and mental health groups.

The Government have also decided that greater concern should be taken in the views of people of age 50+, and the establishment of local a regional forums through Age Concern and the amalgamation of Age Concern and Help the Aged are again adding to a volume of meetings, not to mention the Co-design meetings held by the Surrey Primary Care Trust concerning the provision of services at Epsom Hospital. The outcome of these is to be announced on Wednesday at Epsom Town Hall.

Challenges: The recent announcement of MVD cuts in subsidies and increases in charges, in the current credit crunch, leaves us all aware of the need for not only tightening our own belts, but also the need for extra support both by volunteers and petitioning and fund-raising. One advantage of the concerns of climate change and considering reducing the effects of CO2 emissions is that it involves reducing expenditure, although sometimes it involves initially increased installations costs. The arrival of 1400 employees to Unilever in Leatherhead has increased the road and parking problems, but hopefully helps to support our local shops.

This week presented the proposals for waiting restrictions for consultation and the next stage of the Core Strategy and housing provision proposals. But without consultation the latter has included a suggestion of a possibility of increased housing provision over the car park area in Bridge Street.

This last Saturday a number of voluntary and service organisations took part in a health and community event jointly promoted with Mole Valley 50+. Apart from providing information useful to a number of residents on issues of finance, carers concerns, health, transport and volunteering, there were a number of suggested ventures, which will present us with challenges:

  • The survival of the Theatre
  • The formation of a Credit Union
  • The offer of a musical event as an opportunity of funding.
  • The challenge of encouraging Leatherhead to become a Transition town and to decrease the use of oil, preparing for the inevitable reduction in oil supplies and the problems of climate change.
  • And an assurance of funding from Surrey County Council for a future community event.

As increasingly the means of communication becomes focused on e-mail and the Internet, I find myself involved with communication to a variety of organisations with members, who do not have access to the internet, either due to age, health problems or lack of income. I have reluctantly decided that I cannot cope with the increase of commitment that I have undertaken and have decided to step down from the chairmanship of the Residents Association, knowing that there are others with greater computer skills and experience of local government than myself well able to take over. I will continue to support the committee and look forward to the challenges that are inevitably going to keep me busy with your help.

Hilary Porter 1.3.09

Support Polesden Lacey Shakespeare



A New Beginning

The works of Shakespeare have been performed, since 1951, in the Open Air Theatre at the National Trust property Polesden Lacey, near Bookham in Surrey. The theatre was created in the grounds of this country mansion through the work of the Bookham Community Association. Performances of Shakespeare’s plays have been part of the summer festival under the umbrella of the National Trust. A new company, Polesden Lacey Shakespeare, has been formed to carry on this tradition. The National Trust continues support for our future plans but we need to find extra funding to help us progress our activities.

This year we present ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ on Saturdays 11th and 18th July and Sundays 12th and 19th July starting at 3pm. The production is directed and adapted by Margaret Hunter to make it accessible to all audience members young or old, with entertainment before and during the interval. Dorking Hall Box Office (01306 881717) have kindly agreed to act as our booking agency. Sale of tickets will commence on 2 April. Further information is available on www.polesden.co.uk.

What would we like you to do?

We have obtained an amount of funding but would of course welcome further support. A team of local professionals have been drawn together to prepare for the productions not only from the artistic but also the commercial point of view. We would like to grow the strength of Polesden Lacey Shakespeare to provide, in these idyllic surroundings, Shakespeare for audiences from the local community, London and the South East.

Last year the National Trust launched the Friends of Polesden Lacey Shakespeare. We have now taken it over from the Trust and are inviting public help to build the future of this much loved local tradition. We have taken over the website that was used for the festival and invite those interested in becoming a Friend to ring 01372 453638 or visit www.polesden.co.uk, for a joining form.

Whatever you choose to do, we do hope you will come and enjoy this enchanting play in the glorious surroundings of Polesden Lacey.

With all best wishes from
Margaret Hunter and Polesden Lacey Shakespeare

Sunday, 1 March 2009

AGM Notification - 2nd March 2009 - 7pm

The Leatherhead Residents Association AGM will be held at the March open meeting on Monday March 2nd, following the Police Report at 7 pm.

The meeting will be held at the Letherhead Institute.


1.Police Panel
2. Apologies
3. Chairman’s Report “Change & Challenge”
4. Treasurer’s Report
5. Election of Committee members:
  • Chairman
  • Vice Chairman
  • Treasurer
  • Secretary
  • Committee members (8)

(Currently serving members: Hilary Porter, David Smith,
Cheryl Allen, Roy Allen, Fran Barnby-Smith, Caroline Brown,
Ray Brown, Hubert Carr, Paula Sabine, Dennis Wickham.

6. Membership
7. Planning
  • High Street
  • Waiting restrictions
8. Members’ Issues
9. A.O.B.

Wednesday, 18 February 2009

Improving Recycling Rates in Mole Valley

Mole Valley claims to have one of the highest dry recycling rate in the UK. How can this be improved further?

Here's a simple idea.

A number of consumer items such as foil, cartons & batteries can only be recycled at the MVDC Recycling sites. Why not place small recycling bins for these items close to places that people go on a regular basis e.g outside Sainsbury's/Lidl & Tesco? The collection bins do not have to be that big - they can be collected with other waste on a daily basis and the bins wheeled away for safe storage overnight.

Citizens of Mole Valley are far more likely to visit the Supermarket than the tip. The Recycling Sites are not that accessible if you don't have a car. Get the supermarkets involved - after all they provide the goods in the first place - it will look good for their image also. The Plastic Bags collection bins are well used in-store and so this indicate that folks are willing to bring recyclables to the shop with them.

Thursday, 12 February 2009

Mole Valley District Council Transport Focus Group



Dear Sir/Madam
As part of its work programme for 2008/09, Mole Valley District Council's Scrutiny and Audit Committee has set-up a Transport Panel to investigate the current public transport provision across the District.
The Transport Panel feel that before they meet with the relevant service providers, it would be useful to meet with local public transport users to get the views of the people who use these services and try to identify realistic improvements that could be made.
To enable the Panel to meet with residents they have arranged to hold two focus groups. One on Wednesday, 18th February at 7.00pm at Park House, Leatherhead and the other on Monday 2nd March at 7.00pm at the Council Offices in Dorking.
So if you have an interest in public transport in Mole Valley the Chairman of the Transport Panel, Councillor Tim Hall, would like to invite you to attend either of these meetings to share your views.
Alternatively, if you know of anyone else that would be interested in attending, please let them know.
If you have any further questions, or would like to confirm your interest in attending, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Yours Sincerely
Simon Trevaskis
Senior Democratic Services Officer
Mole Valley District Council
Tel: 01306 879384

Monday, 9 February 2009

CAB Update

Conservatives save Citizens Advice Bureau

Mole Valley’s Conservative Administration has put forward a helping hand to the Citizens Advice Bureau.

Conservative Councillor Ben Tatham, Portfolio Holder for Finance said:-

“Many people in our community are facing financial troubles. We believe that the Citizens Advice Bureau provides a crucial role in helping those people. Consequently we have decided to ensure that the CAB gets the funding it needs in the coming year, so that it can continue with its excellent work.”

The Conservatives also have further proposals for Mole Valley’s forthcoming 2009/ 2010 budget.

• Car parking charges – the charges for Dorking and Leatherhead will be 60 pence per hour for each of the first 5 hours, but the 2 hour charge will be reduced from £1.20 to £1.

• Citizens Advice Bureau – there will be no reduction in Mole Valley’s grant to the Citizens Advice Bureau for the coming year.

• Allotments – allotment charges for 2009/2010 are already agreed for the next 12 months. However Mole Valley is considering a modified concession scheme for 2010/2011 which will be extended to those in receipt of benefits.

• Use of Park House, Leatherhead – the new charge for using Park House will be limited to £47 per session.

Councillor Tatham said:-

“We never stop listening to what our residents are saying. Our car parking charges have remained steady for the last few years, but we recognise that more needs to be done to help our local businesses. These are difficult times, but we’ve tried to strike a balance between savings and higher charges so that Mole Valley remains a top quality council. To fund the above changes, we are proposing to increase the Band D Council Tax by a further £2 per year. We will continue to have the second lowest rate of Council Tax in Surrey.”

Malcolm Johnson – Communications Officer – Conservative Group of Councillors for Mole Valley

www.molevalleyconservativegroup.org.uk

5th February 2009

Sunday, 8 February 2009

Linden Pitt Path - Dog Fouling

A note for dog owners using the Linden Pitt Path:

The Linden Pitt Path is not a Dog Toilet.

This path is used extensively during the day by children & parents. If your dog does foul the path...

Clean It Up.

Perhaps SCC can liaise with MVDC and put up anti fouling signs & a 'poo' bin when the path is modified in coming months.

To complain about the state of the path try:

http://www.mole-valley.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=564

Linden Pitt Path Works

Regular users of the Linden Pitt Path will have noted the 'White' notices from SCC have been posted up along the path. SCC plans to widen the path from the Grange Road entrance to the end of St. Andrews school property. The width will increase by one metre on the St. Peters school side.

The modifications will involve removing the trees along the St. Peters side of the path. New trees will be planted. The trees will be removed during half term and the widening will take place in the Summer holidays. A temporary path will be put in place that runs parallel to the Linden Pitt Path. From the diagram on the notice, it appears that the temporary path will run through St. Andrews school grounds.

Thursday, 5 February 2009

Knoll Roundabout - the Irony

Yesterday (Wednesday) parents trying to use the 'preferred' route to schools in North East Leatherhead (Grange Road), found that the poorly gritted paths of this link made the way too dangerous to use. This route uses the the pedestrian bridge over the M25, which links the St John's Gardens to Ottways. This meant parents were forced to go round the houses and brave the Knoll Roundabout.

Another irony here is that the path is right next to a major gritting depot.

Wednesday, 4 February 2009

Mole Valley Leatherhead Common Panel Meeting JANUARY 2009




A report for the panel meeting from The Leatherhead North Safer Neighbourhoods Policing team







Statistics for 19/10/08-19/11/08

20/11/08-14/01/09




Burglary Dwelling

0

4

Burglary Non Dwelling

2

1

Theft From Motor Vehicle (TFMV)

4

5

Theft of Motor Vehicle (TOMV)

0

0

Robbery

0

1

Violent crime

6

5

Criminal Damage

14

11




Total

26

27


Crime statistics have remained low for North Leatherhead.

Burglaries generally increase over this period but Im pleased to say that we only had four over the festive period which is low compared with other areas of Surrey.

Last months priority was anti social behaviour on the Cleeve road estate particularly Randalls Cresent.

We have tried to spend as much time as we can on the estate and hope people have seen us. I am unaware of anti social behaviour in Randalls Cresent over this period.

On New Years Eve there was an altercation on Cleeve Road. This is believed to have spilled out from a party on Randalls Cresent. A 19 year old male suffered quite severe facial injuries.

One local male has been arrested and released on Police bail while enquiries continue. If anyone has any information about this please speak to me afterwards.

I mentioned last month about the assault on Kingston Road where a male was hit with a bottle. One male has been arrested with a second to follow shortly.

With regards to the hatchings at the crossing close to Clements Mead, I have moved a number of cars off from this area and will continue to do so.

With regards to vehicles speeding down Clements Mead, I have spoken with our Casualty Reduction team and they are currently dealing with speeding issues in other areas of Mole Valley but will have a look at Clements Mead as soon as they can.

I was told about the coach that parks outside Onestop last month. I have spoken to the head office of the coach company and the coach has not been seen since.

I have spoken with the manager at Ashtead Plant hire and he has agreed to speak with all his drivers and try to stagger their deliveries. Has this made any difference?

We have received a number of complaints from residents close to Esso petrol station about “boy racers” causing problems in the early hours of the morning on the forecourt. These same vehicles have been seen doing “doughnuts” in Tescos car park.

We have created this as a neighbourhood issue and issued banning orders from Esso to the offending vehicles.

I propose to target this for the following month.


PC Fran DAVEY 3239
Leatherhead Town & South SNT
Address: Leatherhead Police Station, 44 Kingston Road, Leatherhead, Surrey, KT22 7BN
Tel: 01483 6 (31356)
Mobile: 07967 98 (8956)
E-mail: davey3239@surrey.pnn.police.uk
Web: www.surrey.police.uk/neighbourhood.asp?area=MVSL


NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH - South Leatherhead - February 2009



Dear Reader

GARAGE WATCH

Garage Watch is a new incentive created by local officers in Mole Valley North. There has been an increase in offences where petrol is taken from petrol stations without payment being made. We are creating a link between local police and petrol stations aimed at sharing information on vehicles used in these crimes and people committing the offences.

ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR

We received a report from residents about drunken parties which became out of hand and of anti-social behaviour in the Linden Road and Lime Close areas of Leatherhead South. Following further enquires we created links and liaised with partners from the local housing team to resolve issues. The unwanted visitors were moved off the site and the building is now secure awaiting the return of the tenant.

PANEL MEETINGS

A Panel Meeting is where members of the community can come along and meet their local police officers and their partner agencies. There you can find out what is happening in your area, and more importantly you have the opportunity to give your point of view about local policing or services and voice your concerns.

We are lucky to have the opportunity to work together in partnership with the Leatherhead Residents and share the same meeting which is on the first Monday of every month at 7:00pm in The Institute, at the top of the High Street.

Please do come along, everybody is welcome.

ROADS

The Safer Neighbourhood Team are contacted on a regular basis by residents who wish to discuss general road improvements such as yellow lines, hatchings, road widening, signage, footpaths etc. Surrey County Council Highways Department are responsible for all of these issues and not the Police; their phone number is 0300 200 1003. The Safer Neighbourhood Team cannot enforce parking on yellow lines - this is carried out by the Traffic Wardens from Mole Valley District Council, phone number 01306 885001. If you have a problem with cars parking in a dangerous position or causing an obstruction then this is an issue for the Police and it needs to be reported to us to deal with. However it may be wise to report ongoing parking issues to Highways or your Local Councillor who may be able to seek a long term solution. Road improvements will not be implemented unless residents and road users raise the problem in the first place.

If you feel that there is a problem with excess speed in a particular road in Leatherhead then this needs to be reported to PCSO Peter Yard who is the Casualty Reduction PCSO for Mole Valley. He can then arrange for a traffic survey and consult with Highways to discuss potential road improvements and solutions.
If you are interested in a Speed Watch scheme then please contact PCSO Yard for more information - his details are on the Mole Valley page.


PCS Fran DAVEY, Gaynor GROUT and PCSO Hermione PILBROW
Neighbourhood Watch 01483 638125
Consumer Direct 0845040506

Only call 999 in a genuine emergency requiring police attendance.
For all non-emergency policing matters and to speak to your local officers please call 0845 125 2222
For more information please visit our website: www.surrey.police.uk/molevalley
E-Mail: davey3239@surrey.pnn.police.uk grout2056@surrey.pnn.police.uk
Address: 27-29 Kingston Avenue, Leatherhead, Surrey, KT22 7HY

Friday, 30 January 2009

Agenda for Open Meeting 3rd February 2009

Leatherhead Residents’ Assocation - Open Meeting -3rd February 2009, - 7.p.m. at the Letherhead Institute.

Agenda to Follow

Roadworks on Station Road

There will be roadworks in Station Road from lst – 13th February outside Hazeldean and Marlborough House.

Thursday, 29 January 2009

Recycle Milk Bottle Tops

Recycle Milk Bottle tops: St Nicolas Bookham collects them; go for recycling plus a donation to charity. If you ever go to Bookham they can be left in the Tower in St Nicolas Church (at the cross roads).

Church is open daily, approx 9-4pm.