March 13, 2016: Surrey County Councillor Update:

MEETINGS ATTENDED SINCE MY LAST UPDATE ( Last full summary was Jan 19, 2016 here.)

Jan 26^th, 2016: Attended Economic Prosperity, Environment and Highways Board:  Agenda here. At the meeting, in response to a resident experience survey, I raised my concerns about the Local Area Committee, how it functions, and the need for it to be more user friendly.

Subsequently met with SCC’s Community Partnership Team to discuss (March 7^th, 2016). My key concerns: public not clear about purpose and function of LAC, distinction between public and private meeting. LAC is a private committee meeting held in public, should be more of a conversation with residents- too restrictive in terms of discussion, officers’ expertise not always fully used, suggest chair should rotate- current chair in post for 6 years, more use of social media before, during and after meetings.

9^th February 2016: Attended Full Council: Agenda here.

In this meeting SCC discussed budgets for 2016/2017 to 2020/2021. Here is a press statement from the independent councillors and residents’ association councillors for Surrey County Council. Also, you may be interested to read my colleague, Eber Kington’s Budget Statement during the meeting.

March 10^th, 2016: Attended Economic Prosperity, Environment and Highways Board: Agenda here.  In the meeting, there was a Project Horizon Year 4 discussion. I raised the issue of Blackdown Lane that due to an administrative error was not completed as agreed in the Year 3 program. The Project Horizon team confirmed that Blackdown Lane is on the Year 4 program, a date to be confirmed as due to severe central government grant cuts to SCC the final highways budget has not been settled.

March 15^th, 2016: Attended Full Council. Agenda here.

OTHER MEETINGS HAVE INCLUDED:

Local Area Committee (LAC) – Community Engagement meeting: how to make Local Area Committee more accessible.

March 3^rd, 2016 LAC Private meeting, Farnham:  Agenda items included SCC schools and SureStart Centres

David Hodge, Leader of SCC: Private meeting

Haslemere Conservation Area Appraisal, steering committee meeting, Haslemere Town Council

Had several meetings with SCC Highways team in Merrow

Attended Southwest Trains stakeholder conference, Basingstoke. Working with SWT/SCC/Station Travel Plan. (More below)

NEXT WAVERLEY LOCAL AREA COMMITTEE MEETING:

Friday, 18 March 2016 1.30 pm, Godalming Baptist Church, Queen Street, Godalming GU7 1BA: Agenda here. You can follow local committee updates here on Twitter and here on the web.

LOCAL MEETINGS

The Haslemere Station Community Partnership has now formally established, via a legal agreement with South West Trains (SWT). Haslemere station is the main transport hub in the town, with over 1.3 million passenger journeys/year. The aim of the partnership, to improve the look of the station with planting, and better signage and also to use the station as a ‘gateway’ to promote Haslemere, its events, community assets, businesses and the wonderful surrounding countryside to both visitors and residents.

To date the partnership includes: South West Trains, Surrey County Council, Haslemere Town Council, Haslemere Visitor Information Centre, South Downs National Park Authority, Haslemere Chamber of Trade, Haslemere Fringe, Haslemere Vision and the National Trust. SWT community stakeholder team has match funded any contributions made by partners- to date SWT have awarded £5000, I have awarded £1200 from my SCC Members Allocation.

The station community partnership has been granted a short term lease on the vacant shop at the station. The plan is to create a Haslemere community information point. A team of volunteers, headed by Ken Griffiths has transformed the shop and a launch is planned in the next couple of weeks.

Visual of station shop

Haslemere Train Station: I’ve had several meetings with SWT engineers/arboriculture team to discuss the removal of all vegetation along the car park boundary in preparation for the additional deck at the car park. I have been working closely with SWT, pressing for maximum screening to reduce the visual impact of the metal structure. SWT have agreed to plant a screening hedge, with some specimen trees- although behind the current bus layby the pilings for the new structure will be too close to the pavement edge, so no planting will be possible. I am investigating whether a cantilevered, lit shelter would be possible along this section to provide a dry pick up and drop off area for train and bus passengers.

In response to a number of resident inquiries, SWT requires no planning permission for the car park, planning permission is deemed granted by virtue of Part 8 of the GPDO (2015).

I wrote about parking at the station here earlier this year.

St Ives School: Year 5, girls very concerned about litter, and the negative impact on the environment. Accompanied year 5 girls on Lion Green, as they picked up several sacks of litter as part of ‘Clean for the Queen’ initiative. I was impressed by how much they cared about their town, and the environment, how well informed they were and how much they wanted to do something to make a difference.

Sure Start Play Bus, Woolmer Hill, met with local mums and tots on the bus. Sure Start Centre provides excellent support for parents and early years children.

Haslemere Society steering group meeting – presentation inviting Haslemere Society  to join the Haslemere Station Community Rail Partnership

Haslemere Station Travel Plan: Haslemere Station Travel Plan: Surrey County Council, in partnership with Haslemere Vision has commissioned a Station Travel Plan with the aim of understanding how people get to and from the station, the issues all users of the station experience, and to identify barriers to accessing the station without the use of a private car. A survey of train users, non-train users, local businesses and other key community stakeholders has been carried out. There was a very high survey response rate, over 1600 responses – all data is currently being processed. Two concluding workshops will be held on March 22nd, 2016 in the Georgian House Hotel. I will publish the final report including all recommendations on this site.

PRESS MEETINGS

Interviewed by BBC Surrey regarding council budget cuts on 3^rd February.

Interviewed by BBC Surrey re Shepherds Hill sink hole on 2^nd March

COMMUNITY UPDATES

Members’ Allocation for Haslemere:

Here is a final list of recipients for my annual spend

• Waverley Borough Council: Waverley Skatepark Engagement 2015 –  £300.00
• Haslemere Table Tennis Club: Woolmer Hill Table Tennis Centre – £1,500.00
• Haslemere Basketball Club, Setting up a new team in Haslemere – £825.00
• 1st Haslemere Scouts: Equipment and Storage – £1,105.00
• Shottermill Junior School: Library Refurbishment Project – £800.00
• Haslemere Station Comm Partnership: Community Partnership – £1,200.00
• Haslemere Swimming Club: Training Equipment – £550.00
• Crossways Counselling Service: Counselling Workshops – £1,300.00
• Girlguiding, Girlguiding: LaSER South Korea 2016 – £450.00
• Woolmer Hill School: Community Orchestra Day & Young Musician Evening – £680.00
• The Wave: Family Fun Day – £600.00
• Haslemere CAB: Enhancement to Services – £986.00

GENERAL UPDATES

Sandrock. New lighting columns are now installed and connected to electricity.

Shepherds Hill sink hole repaired. Updates were here and here and also on my Facebook page and Twitter feed. Thanks again to all for their patience whilst the works and investigations were carried out.

Lion Lane Post Office Update. I received this letter from the Post Office about the closure of their operation in the former Coop, now M&S, supermarket in Lion Lane.

NB PO Letter (click on image to enlarge)

South Downs NPA Volunteering Opportunities Map – which enables organisations with volunteer opportunities to promote these opportunities to a wider audience. Here is a link to their website and map.

LittleLumpy is an annual cycling event which raises funds for the Haslemere Fringe. It has 4 routes with a new family-friendly route this year. Early bird discount ends March 2015. Check out the Little Lumpy website here. Their early bird registration fee ends 31st March 2016.

Haslemere Annual Town Meeting with a talk about Queen’s 90th birthday celebrations plus town volunteer awards will be on 23rd March 2016 (click on picture below to read invitation).South West Trains Travel Promotion.

SWT are offering advance off-peak day return tickets for just £15 adults & £5 kids, to over 170 destinations across the South West Trains network! You can save up to 78%*! Runs until 30th April. For more information: www.southwesttrains.co.uk/promotion.aspx

Hindhead Tunnel Story

Can you help complete the Hindhead Tunnel story? Circle Eight have recently announced that its next local interest production will tell the Hindhead Tunnel story from pipe dream to reality. The film will also tell the history of the A3 at Hindhead and will examine the impact the Tunnel has had on the Hindhead area since it opened nearly 5 years ago. They are eager to collect the views, stories and anecdotes of people who live and work in the locality. In particular they would be very keen to view any film or video local people may have of the area in the past and of the Tunnel construction. If you believe you have something to contribute to the film, please contact Michael Orford at michaeleo@btinternet.com or on 01428 644871.

Changes to Surrey’s Recycling Centres

Please see this link re SCC’s Recycling Reduced Hours. Also see here for information about recycling in Haslemere.

Parenting Puzzle Course

Please see here about the Parenting Puzzle course organised by Tennyson’s Sure Start Centre on Wednesday 4th May 2016 12.30pm – 2.30pm. Crèche provided. To be held at The Hen House.