Tag Archives: Haslemere Town Council

A refreshing breeze of independence

The Haslemere Town Council and Waverley Borough Council independent candidates wrote a letter to The Haslemere Herald this week but the letter was not published. Here it is:

A refreshing breeze of independence

Dear Sir

In an e-mail to members of the Local Government Association (Independent Group) this month, the Vice Chair, Marianne Overton MBE, opens by saying:

“It is clear that there is a refreshing breeze of Independence now flowing in and rooting in our Councils. Our Independent group members of all shades are strong local representatives, well connected with their communities and determined to concentrate on putting residents first.”

The Vice Chair signs off with the words:

“Our members bring a more listening and more inclusive government that looks at the facts, focuses on residents and leads to far better decisions. That I hope is what is on the way!”

Up and down the land there are more than 1,700 independent councillors representing 7.5m people in 39 councils.

On 7^th May there is a unique opportunity to elect twelve independent councillors to represent you on Haslemere Town Council and Waverley Borough Council.

If elected, we will be answerable not to a political party but to our constituents and our consciences. We commit to core principles of openness, transparency and accountability.

Please feel free to get in touch with us if you would like more information about our campaign. We are on independents@haslemerefirst.com

Signed by: http://www.haslemerefirst.com/election-imprint/

Letter in the Haslemere Herald from Mark Jasper as independent candidate in Haslemere town council election

Mark Jasper is standing as an independent candidate in the Critchmere ward in the Haslemere town council election on 7th May 2015.

Here is the text of his letter that appeared in the Haslemere Herald this week.

Mark Jasper

I have grown increasingly frustrated at the way the views of Haslemere residents have become muffled by the presence of party politics on Haslemere Town Council.

This reality was perfectly demonstrated at a public meeting regarding the proposed Sturt Farm development. A large number of residents attended the meeting at Haslemere Hall, many spoke passionately, to raise legitimate concerns about the scale of the development, the impact such a development would have on local infrastructure and the environment. It was also an opportunity to hear the views of our town councillors, a number of whom ‘wear two hats’ as elected representatives of Waverley Borough council, the planning authority.

What residents witnessed was a heavily choreographed performance befitting the surroundings. The meeting concluded with a series of pre-prepared statements, which amounted to silence from the town council on the biggest single development proposed in Haslemere for a generation.

Haslemere deserves a voice, the voice of its residents. The town council must listen, genuinely and openly engage with residents and respond to their concerns, free of wider political influences.

The town council is not a place for party politics. It must support residents, business, community groups and be a strong vocal champion of its health and transport infrastructure.

I intend to stand as an independent candidate for the Critchmere ward at the forthcoming town council election. I will be joining other independent candidates in a loose alliance of similarly minded individuals, focussed on removing the politics and openly, transparently and firmly putting Haslemere first. I urge readers to cast aside national voting intentions, and at this very local level vote for your independent candidate.

Follow Mark on twitter, @VoteMarkJasper

Independent Candidates standing in town council election on May 7th

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Haslemere has three tiers of local government. We have a town council (Haslemere Town Council), a borough council (Waverley Borough Council) and a county council (Surrey County Council). In May 2013, I was elected as an independent Surrey County Councillor representing Haslemere constituents. My first term of office is 4 years and I am half way through that term.

On May 7th there will be a chance for Haslemere residents to vote in the General Election, Waverley Borough Council Election and the Town Council Election.

It is wonderful news that there will be nine independent candidates standing in Haslemere. Here is a copy of their letter that appeared in The Haslemere Herald yesterday:

For the first time, the people of Haslemere will have the chance to vote for a different kind of town council. There will be independent candidates standing in every ward. Why is this happening? The independent candidates share the belief that the Town Council should be run entirely in line with the needs and wishes of the people of Haslemere and their children. Also, a local council should seek to represent the views of its electors about how Haslemere evolves; that means being good at finding out what residents think about parking, buses and trains, open spaces, facilities for children and teenagers, housing developments and more. These views need to be put to the Borough and County councils accurately and forcefully. Party politics should be absent from our town council; there is no logic to having councillors with Westminster party affiliations and, for voters, it makes no sense to vote out of party loyalty.

We offer you the chance to vote for independent candidates and have councillors with a wide range of backgrounds and expertise and the freedom to vote for what is best for Haslemere.

Our priorities, if elected, would be:

(a) to listen to the concerns and needs of the community

(b) to give Haslemere the voice it deserves in statutory consultations

(c) to stand up for the principle of open and meaningful engagement between the people of Haslemere and local government at all levels.

In a nutshell, Haslemere First!

If you are interested in standing as an independent candidate for Haslemere Town Council, or if you would simply like some more information, we invite you to contact us via email on independents@haslemerefirst.com.

The candidates are:

Lesley Banfield

Paul Buckler

David O’Brien

Áine Hall

Maria Iriarte Mateo

Nigel Pyke

Vivien Shorleson

David Simmons

Miles Weston

Surrey County Concillor Update for Haslemere Town Council Full Council Meeting 20th November 2014

My Surrey County Concillor Update for Haslemere Town Council Full Council Meeting 20th November 2014, Item 5.

Wrote update for A286 and A287 road repairs from last week. It was not intended to have an overlap of the 2 roads but due to bad weather, gulley cleaning and maintenance, plus equipment breakdowns, the A286 repair has been delayed by a week. Pleased that the improved communications strategy is proving effective, following review with highways team. Also, please note full repair of Derby Road East.

Attended Haslemere & Western Villages Task Group, 3rd November 2014. The priorities for Haslemere are listed below. The priorities from the four area task groups (Haslemere, Farnham, Godalming, Cranleigh) are considered jointly by the four chairmen of the same who then recommend a programme to the local committee meeting in December. The bids from the four areas always exceed the available budget so there is no guarantee schemes prioritised at a local level will make it through to the programme.

Kerb build-outs to assist crossing Shepherds Hill at j/w Lower St to implement finding of 2014/15 feasibility study
Haslemere Gateways – additional bid for funding to continue work started in 2014/15 aimed at influencing driver behaviour/enhancing sense of place
Pedestrian safety at Shepherds Hill j/w Courts Hill in order to implement finding of 2014/15 feasibility study
Feasibility studies (Shepherds Hill ‘pocket park’. Grayswood A286 crossing. 20mph limits)
Sandrock Hill additional lighting
Town centre & Wey Hill de-clutter

Haslemere dustcart discontinuation proposal. See attached: Haslemere Dustcart Briefing Note

Made representation regarding Stepping Stones planning application for Undershaw. See attached: Cllr Barton response to WA20141655 for Undershaw at Hindhead

In contact with YHA’s Chief Executive to discuss closure on 31st March 2015 of YHA youth hostel in the Devil’s Punchbowl. Very sorry to see this hostel closing, especially in light of recent opening up of the vast National Trust area around the Devils Punhcbowl. See below comment to Haslemere Herald:

The closure of this youth hostel, tucked away deep in the heart of the Devil’s Punch Bowl will be a real loss to walkers and visitors to the area. While I appreciate that the YHA have decided to focus resources on the Tanners Hatch hostel near Dorking (over 30 miles from Hindhead) as their access to the Surrey Hills, this strategy appears to overlook the huge increase in visitors to the enlarged Punch Bowl area since the Hindhead Tunnel opened.

Attended Waverley Youth Task Group meeting. Updates from Guildford YMCA and Surrey Care Trust on Local Prevention Framework work (Sept 2013 – Aug 2014)

Other Items

Had pocket park discussion (jn Shepherds Hill & Lower Street) with town council and Haslemere Society

Yellow lining to arrive early 2015. Team is making its ways around Waverley towns. Next Waverley parking review is at LAC March 2015. Requests to parking@surreycc.gov.uk by end of year.

Community Enhancement Fund (£5K per annum) for Highways issues spent on new grit bin, veg gang, bike racks at Haslewey (to be installed by end Q1 2015)

Met Highways team to discuss cycle/walking network. Agreed to plan a street audit of Haslemere town centre as 1st step.

Have requested (in meeting with town council) better collaboration between all three tiers of local government.

Of General Interest

The Highways Agency are currently undertaking a feasibility study of the A3 Guildford Bypass with the aim of identifying potential improvements to the road network which could be implemented within the next five to ten years. A computerised traffic model will be developed, which will require the accurate capture of journey and traffic data, in order to accurately test any options.

A reminder of Passenger Transport Survey: https://www.surreysays.co.uk/e-i-directorate-programme-group/local-transport-review

Christmas meal at Haslewey on 25th December for anyone who may be alone at Christmas. Transport can be provided. Please kindly share this information. Contact hclorganiser@gmail.com