Author Archives: admin

Locally Supported Contact Tracing Starts in Surrey

Press Release issued 26th November 2020

From today, Surrey County Council will be supporting the national Test and Trace programme by contacting people in the county who have tested positive for COVID-19, if the national programme has been unable to reach them.

Contact tracing is one of the most effective ways of slowing the spread of COVID-19. People who have tested positive are asked who they have been in close contact with while they’ve been infectious. Those close contacts are then alerted by the national Test and Trace programme and given the appropriate advice, so that they can self-isolate and avoid infecting those around them and in the wider community.

Surrey residents who test positive will be referred to the local contact tracing team if the national Test and Trace service is unable to contact them within 24 hours. Relevant data sharing agreements are in place between Public Health England and Surrey County Council to support the programme.

The overall target set by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) is for 80% of positive cases to be reached by contact tracers. Surrey already has a strong contact tracing completion rate of around 80% through the national Test and Trace service. The local service will ensure that even more people who have tested positive for COVID-19 are successfully contacted.

The local contact tracing team are part of Surrey County Council’s customer services team, and the team have all completed the national Test and Trace training programme. The team will be calling from a local number 01483 404 939 and once they make contact, will complete a contact tracing questionnaire and offer any relevant welfare support or financial assistance advice for the resident’s period of self-isolation.

For those who have been told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace and living on a low income, help is available from the government via the self-isolation payment scheme. Residents may be entitled to a payment of £500. The payment will be made by their local authority under the Test and Trace Support Payment scheme. More information on how to apply for the payment can be found on the Surrey County Council website.

Ruth Hutchinson, Surrey County Council’s Director of Public Health said,

“Contact tracing is a crucial part of our efforts to slow the spread of the virus. We’re fortunate that in Surrey the national Test and Trace service is already reaching around 80% of our residents who test positive. This is an opportunity for us to build on that national effort and use our local knowledge to reach even more people.”

“Our contact tracers have undergone the national Test and Trace training programme and are familiar with Surrey’s local areas and communities. Local contact tracing will ensure we reach as many residents as possible who have tested positive for COVID-19 – making sure they self-isolate and have the support, help and advice they need to keep themselves and everyone around them safe.”

Surrey County Council will be joining local authorities across the UK in local contact tracing, using knowledge of the county and localised data from Public Health Teams, and working in partnership with our district and borough councils to deliver the service.

ENDS

UPDATE: A3 Hindhead Tunnel Improvements to Technology – Planned Closures

UPDATE: A3 Hindhead Tunnel Improvements to Technology – Planned Closures

As part of the ongoing work to upgrade the technology within the Hindhead Tunnel, we will be closing the Tunnel (in both directions) overnight (between 9pm and 6am) on the following dates:

Saturday 5 December 2020 and Sunday 6 December 2020 north and southbound tunnel
Saturday 12 December 2020 and Sunday 13 December 2020 north and southbound tunnel

During the closures northbound traffic will be diverted via the A325 (from Longmoor), B3004 (Kingsley to Alton) and A31 (towards Guildford). Southbound traffic will be diverted along the A31 (to Alton), B3004 (Alton to Kingsley), A325 (to Longmoor).

Please note that the works may be subject to change due to weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances. We’ll advertise closure on yellow signs placed in advance alongside the road.

We would like to apologise in advance for any inconvenience or disruption you may experience during these closures.

If you have any questions, or if you would like to know about our work, please contact us on 0300 123 5000 or email info@highwaysengland.co.uk. Or you can visit our website at https://highwaysengland.co.uk/travel-updates/daily-closure-report/ where you can find a weekly report of all full closures across the network.

Yours faithfully

Area 3 Communications Team

Waverley’s Local Plan Part 2 Consultation

News Release Issued by Waverley Borough Council

Local Plan Part 2 Consultation

Residents, businesses and developers are being invited by Waverley Borough Council to give their views on the draft Local Plan Part 2: Site Allocations and Development Management Policies.

The council adopted part one of the new Local Plan in February 2018. This set the overall strategy for development in the borough for the period up to 2032 and contains key strategic policies, including the number of new homes to be provided and their broad distribution. Local Plan Part 2 will complete this work by setting the policies that direct planning application decisions, and will allocate sites for housing in Haslemere and Witley, where individual Neighbourhood Plans are not doing so. Part 2 of the Plan also allocates sites in the borough for Gypsies and Travellers and will review other land designations.

You can comment on the document by submitting your views between Friday 27 November 2020 and Friday 29 January 2021 (inclusive).

The plan and supporting documents as well as information on how to make a representation, will be available to view on the council’s website at: www.waverley.gov.uk/LPP2.

Hard copies of the documents will be available for viewing at the Council Offices, The Burys, Godalming, GU7 1HR by appointment only, and other suitable arrangements will be made for those who are not able to view the documents electronically and who are either unable or unwilling to travel to Godalming during the current pandemic. Anyone wishing to make such arrangements should contact the council’s Customer Services Team on 01483 523333.

In addition, the consultation will run for a period of nine weeks, rather than the statutory minimum of six, in order to mitigate any impact on the consultation that may be caused by Covid-19. Following the consultation, the plan will be updated and submitted to the Secretary of State for approval and subsequent adoption as council policy.

Councillor Andy Macleod, Portfolio Holder for Planning Policy and Services said: “The draft Local Plan Part 2 is the result of a great deal of hard work by our officers, detailed evidence gathering, public consultation and working with our partners in town and parish councils across the borough.

“We want Waverley to continue to be one of the best places in the UK, where people of all ages want to live, work and visit.

“The pre-submission consultation, starting on Friday 20 November, asks all interested parties what they think about our proposals for a new suite of development management policies and site allocations, as set out within Local Plan Part 2.

“We want to make sure this plan is right for our communities. The council is very interested in hearing your views and I would encourage everyone to take the time to get involved.”

For further information contact:

Tel: 01483 523296

Web : www.waverley.gov.uk

Email: communications@waverley.gov.uk

Invitation: Be a Councillor Event – Thursday 10 December 2020

Sent on behalf of the LGA Independent Group

I am writing to let you know about a virtual Be a Councillor event that the LGA Independent group are holding for people interested in running as an independent candidate in local elections. Please share this with anyone that you know has considered or is interested in standing as a councillor.

The event will be held on Thursday 10 December 2020 from 6pm – 7.30pm. The event will include a presentation covering an introduction to being a Councillor, followed by an opportunity for a Q&A session with a panel of experienced independent councillors.

To register for the event, individuals need to email: independent.grouplga@local.gov.uk including their name and local authority area. The Zoom joining details will be sent out by the LGA Team to those that have registered, at the beginning of the week of the event.

Best wi

Aimee Wittams-Smith

Political Officer (Independent Group)

Local Government Association

18 Smith Square

Westminster, London

SW1P 3HZ

W: https://www.local.gov.uk/lga-independent

Road closure on Midhurst Road, Haslemere – Pre-patching for Surface Dressing

Please find attached the leaflet for the pre-patching works in preparation for surface dressing on Midhurst Road, Haslemere. The leaflets will be delivered to local residents and businesses tomorrow.

Road closure

30 November

9:30am – 3:30pm

For 3 days

Please see the attached leaflet for the extents of our work.

Roadworks during the coronavirus restrictions

The government and Department for Transport have asked the Highway Sector Council to make every effort to deliver essential highways projects on all local authority highway networks, whilst abiding by the COVID-19 safe working practices. We are therefore carrying out these works in line with central government and COVID-19 safe working practises and in accordance with the CLC Site Operating Procedures, endorsed by Public Health England.

Our sub-contractor will have appropriate procedures in place to ensure their staff can comply with government advice. We would ask that you please respect these workers as they deliver these highways services.

We will continue to keep Surrey moving and all key routes will remain open and safe for key workers. For more information visit www.ourroads.today.

Sometimes our plans have to change, often due to bad weather or problems on other works in the same programme which can have a knock on effect. If anything changes with the details of these works, we will let you know.

You and your residents can also find up to date details and receive updates of the works on https://one.network/

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us on 0300 200 1003 or email works.communication@surreycc.gov.uk.

Kind regards

Works Communication Officer

Works Communication Team

Surrey Highways

Email: hannah.hayes@surreycc.gov.uk

For more information about what we do, please visit our Surrey Highways website.

We always try to provide excellent customer service; please let us know how we are doing.

You can follow us on Twitter @HighwaysSurrey and Instagram @Surrey_Highways.

Apprenticeships available on South Western Railway

To: South Western Railway Stakeholders
Subject: Apprenticeships available on South Western Railway

I’m writing to highlight a significant number of live ongoing vacancies at South Western Railway that could be of interest to your network.

We’re commitment to the communities we serve and currently have nine open apprenticeship opportunities, and a significant number of live ongoing job vacancies across the network – many of which do not require previous rail industry experience.

Those interested in becoming an Apprentice are encouraged to apply quickly as the openings, which always prove incredibly popular, will be closing to applications at midnight on Sunday 22 November.

The four-year scheme is geared towards developing highly-skilled Train Technicians and has an impressive retention rate of 98%. Each apprentice divides their time between training college and gaining valuable workplace experience, giving them the opportunity to learn while they earn. Successful applicants can expect to receive a salary of £20,577 in the first year, increasing to £25,306 by year four (plus regional allowance).

We appreciate that it’s short notice, but could you help us share the details of our apprenticeship scheme – and wider job opportunities at SWR – across your own contacts. To this end I’ve attached the press release which has further details: https://www.southwesternrailway.com/other/news-and-media/news/2020/november/new-opportunities-to-get-on-the-right-track-for-a-career-in-the-railway

We’re also sharing details of the two case studies from Nicole and Emmanuel on social media between now and Sunday:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SW_Help/status/1329008687852253184

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6734490161637289984

We would be very grateful if you could share these posts through your own social media channels to ensure these career opportunities reach as many people as possible.

If you need any more information, then please do drop me a line.

Senior Regional Development Manager

Stakeholder Team

South Western Railway

–www.southwesternrailway.com

Response: 20’s Plenty for Surrey

Sharing a response regarding 20 is Plenty from SCC’s Cabinet Member for Transport to 20 is Plenty’s South East Region Coordinator.

From: Matthew Furniss, SCC Cabinet Member For Transport
Sent: 19 November 2020 11:50
To: All Councillors
Subject: 20’s Plenty for Surrey

Dear Councillor,

I believe the following enquiry has been circulated to a number of Members. Please see response below if you have received this enquiry through.

Many thanks for your email with information on the support for 20 mph speed limits. I am very much sympathetic to lower speeds in residential areas and busy shopping streets – lower speeds reduce the risk of collisions, can support more walking and cycling, and can make places more pleasant to live.

We need to ensure that any measures to encourage lower speeds are effective. National research has shown that simply reducing speed limits using signs alone will not be successful in reducing speeds towards 20 mph if the existing mean average speeds are closer to 30 mph. Therefore our policy requires that additional supporting measures will be required for a scheme to be successful if the existing speeds are above 24 mph. What type of measures and how extensive the measures will need to be will depend upon each individual stretch of road and how fast the existing mean average speeds are. For example, if the existing mean average speeds are closer to 30 mph then traffic calming (e.g. raised road tables) are likely to be required. However if the mean average speeds are just above 24 mph then the nature and extent of any supporting measures would not be as great. Therefore the process we use in Surrey follows best practice and ensures that we measure the existing speeds beforehand before deciding upon the viability of any new speed limit (including 20 mph), along with the type and extent of any supporting measures that may be required (if any). Our policy can be viewed via this link.

Within Surrey, decisions on speed limits are delegated to local committees of elected members within each District or Borough, along with a budget allocation for highway improvements. It is for local members to decide upon the priorities for highway improvements in their areas, and whether they would like to pursue 20 mph speed limit schemes as opposed to other highway improvements on the roads that they are responsible for.

Kind regards

Matt Furniss

Cabinet Member for Transport

BELOW IS THE E-MAIL SUBMITTED by 20 is Plenty’s South East Region Coordinator.

Dear County Councillor

7 out of 10 people in the UK agree with 20mph in residential streets: UK Government National Travel Attitudes Study
Over 20 million people live in Local Authorities where 20mph is the norm for built up areas.
Speed limiting technology, standard on all new cars from 2022, will revolutionise speed limit compliance.
The UK government has signed the Stockholm Declaration recognising 20mph as the maximum speed limit where people and motor vehicles mix: http://www.20splenty.org/un_says_20splenty.

Yet, Surrey County Council’s speed limit policy assumes that 20mph is an exception and includes an 8-step process which makes it all but impossible for your local communities to achieve what they want.

If you want 20mph to become the norm on residential roads in the county, 20’s Plenty for Surrey would like to work with you to achieve it in a cost effective manner.

If you continue to endorse 30mph, we’d like to understand your reasons and to answer your questions. Our FAQs cover the 20 most common myths http://www.20splenty.org/20_questions_about_20_s_plenty.

20’s Plenty for Surrey looks forward to hearing from you.

Best Wishes

Adrian Berendt

South East Region Coordinator

Facebook http://tinyurl.com/20splentyonfacebook

Campaigner Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/177304489851446/

Surrey Hills to South Downs CRP; Good news – Cycle back to health project funding

My email to our Community Rail Partners:

Dear Partners,

I am delighted to let you know that we have been successful in obtaining funding from the Community Rail Network to deliver a project that aims to encourage people to jump on their bikes either for the first time, or to return to cycling to improve both mental and physical health while also increasing the use of the valuable town centre station car park spaces. We will be offering heavily subsidised cycle training in partnership with Surrey County Council, free bike doctor repair sessions and guided cycle rides for all abilities from our partner stations (Haslemere, Milford, Witley, Godalming and Farncombe).

The project seeks to:

Make use of the station car parks at the stations within the Surrey Hills to South Downs Community Rail Partnership which are now often empty due to the reduction in commuter parking because of Covid restrictions – permission has been granted by SWR management to use station parking capacity within the Surrey Hills to South Downs CRP for both cycle training and bike doctor maintenance sessions.

Encourage station staff to get involved and use the training themselves. (This has been requested by the station manager, who fully endorses the idea of the project)

Re-acquaint people with their local stations
Create more community activity around rail stations, bringing more local people to the station
Promote the cycle facilities that are available at stations
Increase inbound tourism by bicycle
Encourage greater use of trains by people with bicycles.
Support more integrated travel planning – individual or group business and leisure users
We have linked up with Surrey Hills Cycle Hire who have agreed to map out some new rides to suit all abilities and rides that start and end at our stations

Surrey CC have agreed to deliver the training at a subsidised rate and are looking forward to working with us. They have already agreed that the bookings for the training can go through their website which is designed to take the bookings

East Hants Rail Partnership have also been successful in obtaining a grant so will work in partnership to promote this exciting project.

We plan to start the project in Spring 2021, depending on the Covid restrictions and look forward to engaging all partners in this exciting initiative.

Best wishes

Nikki

Temporary traffic lights Lion Green/Wey Hill/Tesco access, Haslemere – Traffic light improvements

Please find attached the leaflet for the traffic light improvement works at the Lion Green/Wey Hill Tesco access junction in Haslemere. The leaflets will be delivered to local residents and businesses over the next few working days.

Lion Green/Wey Hill/Tesco access, Haslemere

Temporary traffic lights

23 November

For 3 weeks

Please see the attached leaflet for the extents of our work.

Roadworks during the coronavirus restrictions

We will continue to keep Surrey moving and all key routes will remain open and safe for key workers. For more information visit www.ourroads.today.

You and your residents can also find up to date details and receive updates of the works on https://one.network/

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us on 0300 200 1003 or email works.communication@surreycc.gov.uk.

Kind regards,

Drew Buerger

Works Communication Officer

Works Communication Team

Surrey Highways

UPDATE 19th November 2020.

Traffic light works – Tesco/Lion Lane – I have a meeting with the project engineer on Monday Nov 23rd – start of works. I requested the works be delayed until after Christmas but have been told the traffic light posts are becoming structurally unsound and also that if the lights fail, the system is now obsolete meaning a repair will not be possible causing greater disruption so the works are urgently needed. SCC team have agreed to expedite works as rapidly as possible, and will provide manual lights for a minimum of 3 days after end of lockdown so they can keep traffic flowing and reduce tail backs.

Update 10th November 2020.

After concerns were raised by the local community regarding the impact these works may have on already struggling local businesses, the decision was made to postpone these works until early next year. The new date is yet to be confirmed and is subject to road space availability.

Mobile Covid-19 testing – Haslemere, 20th and 21st November

Dear Councillors and Clerks,

A mobile Coronavirus testing facility is being established in Weydown Road Car Park, Haslemere, from Friday 20 November to Saturday 21 November.

Testing is available to all those with COVID-19 symptoms, but must be pre-booked online. Booking is open from 5pm the evening before and on the day.

Residents should book on the national testing portal: visiting www.nhs.uk/coronavirus or call the NHS on 119

Key workers should book on the government portal: https://www.gov.uk/apply-coronavirus-test-essential-workers

Those without an appointment will be turned away.

Children under the age of 5 can be tested but there will need to be 2 parents or guardians in the vehicle – one driver plus one adult in the back to administer the test (you must not leave your vehicle once on site). If only one parent is present, you must park away from the test centre and enter on foot, where you will be taken to a different area for testing.

Those without transport can walk into the testing centre, but will also need a pre-booked appointment.

Please feel free to share with your networks.