Tag Archives: Haslemere

Councillor Update for Haslemere, June 2019

2nd June 2019 – shared update about HillFest, an amazing event organised by Friends of Woolmer Hill.

3rd June 2019 – attended meeting of Haslemere Town Council’s Haslemere Vision steering group with Melanie Odell (Chair of the steering group), Stewart Brown (Chair, Haslemere Vision), Kirsten Ellis (Independent Councillor) at Haslemere town hall.

4th June 2019 – shared further update online about Thames Water works in Tennyson’s Lane. More here. (This work has now been completed and the road is open.)

5th June 2019 – Surrey County Council meetings in Kingston including first meeting of Climate Change Task Group chaired by Cllr Goodman, Cabinet member for Environment and Waste. Also, met with passenger transport team to discuss rail partnership initiative.

5th June 2019 – shared notification of pavement reconstruction in Beech Road from 17th June for approximately 5 weeks. More here.

6th June 2019 – attended #DDay75 anniversary memorial in Haslemere.

With Tom, British Legion standard bearer

6th June 2019 – shared online the South Downs Rambler Rail Bus link this Summer between Winchester and Petersfield rail stations, from Hampshire Community Rail Partnership colleagues. More here.

9th June 2019 – notified postponement of Beech Road pavement repair. More here.

10th June 2019 – Rethinking Transport – Member Drop-In Session at County Hall, Kingston. The Rethinking Transport project is fundamentally reimagining transport in Surrey: developing new, sustainable transport options where journeys are wanted or needed, while also rethinking how residents access communities, employment, health and social care, education and other key services to avoid unnecessary travel. More here.

12th June 2019 – attended LoveHaslemereHastWaste event at Haslemere Museum. Follow on Facebook here. You may also wish to read the article about the event in The Haslemere Herald, here: Keen Support for War on Waste.

13th June 2019 – chaired inaugural Steering Group meeting of the Surrey Hills to South Downs Community Rail Partnership – Haslemere, Milford and Witley stations with Godalming and Farncombe planning to join us. More here. Read The Haslemere Herald article here: On track to deliver passenger satisfaction. South Western Railway’s latest stakeholder newsletter is here:

13th June 2019 – shared online update re. signage for College Hill footpath. More here.

14th June 2019 – interviewed by BBC Surrey to talk about The Community Rail Partnership. Transcription here.

14 June 2019 – Merrow SCC highways depot – met with Cllr Matt Furniss, SCC Highways portfolio holder and Richard Bolton, SCC Local Highway services group manager to discuss SCC highways issues and forward strategy. Change in Kier provider, Flowline (the subcontractor providing Surrey’s gulley cleansing and drainage maintenance services) will be replaced by a new provider, Drainline.
Tour of highways laboratory, where a team of experts analyses road surfaces taken from cores, identifies why road failures occur, tests new materials and carries out work for many other counties.


16th June 2019 – shared guest blog post by David Goddin: Why I’m Supporting the Community Rail Movement

17th June 2019 – shared online update about pavement repair works in Beech Road. More here.

17th June 2019 – shared update re Surrey County Council’s preparation for a new Surrey Waste Local Plan. More here.

19th June 2019 – met with Mark Youngman SWR at The Station House to discuss the Surrey Hills to South Downs rail partnership potential bids to SWR’s Customer and Communities Improvement fund. The rail partnership has a range of project ideas generated at the launch.

20th June 2019 – shared agenda for Waverley Local Committee meeting (28th June). More here.

20th June 2019 – shared Councillor update from Tim Oliver, Surrey County Council Leader on Surrey County Council’s Transformation Project Overview. More here.

20th June 2019 – attended Surrey Climate Commission launch at the World Wildlife Fund eco-centre in Woking. Read more about its aims here. Was very positive that SCC Cllr Mike Goodman, Cabinet Member for Environment and Waste gave Surrey CC backing for the commission.

24th June 2019 – received draft minutes of Haslemere Town Council Amenities June 2019 committee. Read here.

25th June 2019 – shared update re next Teen Parenting course arranged by Tennyson’s Sure Start Centre. More here.

25th June 2019 – County Hall, Kingston, meeting with Mary Lewis, Cabinet Member for Children, Dave Hill Exec Director Children, Families and Learning and Simon White, Executive Director Adult Social Care and Ruth Hutchinson, Deputy Director Public Health. All provided helpful overview of services and challenges facing the County.  Particular focus on transformation of children’s services given long term failures as identified in Ofsted reports. Austerity cuts mean Surrey receives some of the lowest funding for these vital services – which present a real challenge. Many social issues remain hidden in Surrey. 

25th June 2019 – received South Western Railway’s latest stakeholder newsletter, The South Western Report, which can be downloaded here.

26th June 2109 – County Hall, Kingston, meetings with SCC Transportation Planning Development officer and Passenger Transport team manager to discuss SWR Customer and Communities Innovation Fund bid.

27 June 2019 – met with Head, Shottermill Infant School, Haslemere, parked my bike in the scooter hub, very impressed with the school’s work to meet UN Sustainable Development Goals.

28th June 2019 – attended June 2019 Waverley Local Committee. Read papers here including item re petition for Critchmere Hill and Woolmer Hill here. At the meeting, I agreed I will be arranging a site visit meeting with the petitioner and SCC Highways officers. Also, at this meeting, there was mention of Waverley’s s106 database (which includes Surrey CC covenants as well as Waverley’s). Here is the link, for interest: http://pfm.exacom.co.uk/waverley/index.php

GENERAL NEWS

I am pleased to advise that SCC’s drainage maintenance subcontractor, Drainline, took over provision of this service from Flowline as of Monday morning. All but one of the operatives has transferred across, and Drainline have provided a number of brand new machines, which will improve productivity and reduce the number of breakdowns. This will be at no additional cost to the County Council. There remains a limited backlog of work which was not completed by Flowline, but, Drainline are expected to complete this work by the end of this month.

You may be interested to read Surrey County Council’s Customer Service Snapshot May 2019 which I received this month. Link here.

Here is Transition Haslemere’s July 2019 newsletter.

My next county councillor update will be in September.

Haslemere Petition Critchmere Hill/Woolmer Hill

Yesterday, I attended the June 2019 Waverley Local Committee.

This petition was given consideration for Haslemere:

“We the undersigned petition Surrey County Council to Reduce speed limit to 20mph on Critchmere Hill / Woolmer Hill Road.  Better speed bumps.  Reduce speed limit to 20mph.  Red markings on road.  School and nursery on this road.”

This is the officer response to the petition: ITEM 5ii Petition Response Woolmer Hill.

The discussion for this petition is included in the webcast below. The item begins 54 minutes in. My comment begins 1 hour 3 minutes in. (For some reason, part of what I say in the response gets cut off.)

https://youtu.be/eOL_UiZBYwk

Teen Parenting Course, September

From: Children’s Centre Manager

Subject: OUR NEXT TEEN PARENTING COURSE

Good morning,

I would be grateful if you would publicise our next Teen Parenting Course to the families you come into contact with.  This course is funded by Surrey County Council through Tennyson’s Sure Start Children’s Centre.  The course is FREE to families on low income and is heavily subsided to all other parents by Surrey County Council.

Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you would like any more information.

Kind regards,

Rachel

Rachel Gardiner

Children’s Centre Manager

Tennyson’s Sure Start Children’s Centre

Haslemere

01428 644485

www.tennysonschildrenscentre.co.uk

Guest Blog: Why I’m Supporting the Community Rail Movement

Sharing a guest blog post written by local business man, David Goddin. David is a volunteer for the Haslemere Community Rail Partnership and set up the website which you can see here. David writes:

There’s a powerful new force spreading across UK railways. It has the capacity to make a real difference for the travelling public – and local economies across the nation. It’s called community rail.

In essence, community rail is groups of volunteers – often with the backing of local business and other organisations – who adopt ‘their’ stations and work alongside the train operators and Network Rail to enhance facilities and make them more attractive for regular travellers and occasional visitors.

Community rail is not a convenient public relations cop-out for either the station owner (Network Rail) or the station management – usually the route’s dominant train operating company (TOC). Community rail

Irrespective of any arguments on how the railways are organised, the fact is that the infrastructure and rolling stock needed to provide any reasonable service requires huge investment. And there’s not much left for frills.

Sure, Network Rail and the TOCs could do more for local stations – but inevitably at a cost to the passenger and the taxpayer. The likely result would probably also see a blanket range of improvements with little chance of station individuality.

Community rail, on the other hand, draws on funding from local and central sources to finance individually tailored and locally driven projects to enhance the interface between train and the area a station serves. If these projects are a success, they could help to boost ticket sales for leisure travel – making off-peak train services more profitable.

I became involved in this non-political movement when our local chamber of trade and commerce was showing interest in a local initiative to form a community rail partnership (CRP). We worked together with a number of other local voluntary organisations, as well as the town council, the South Downs National Park Authority and, more recently, the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, to create the Haslemere Community Rail Partnership.

This was made possible through ongoing support from the Association of Community Rail Partnerships (ACoRP) and our TOC – originally South West Trains and now South Western Railway.

As with many other station adoptions, we have a small team who regularly tend the station’s flower beds. But our activity goes much further.

Nikki Barton, Sandra McHugh, Ken Griffiths, Melanie Odell. Picture by David Goddin

Haslemere was fortunate to have a vacant small retail premises on the station forecourt, next to the ticket hall and gateline. The CRP has been able to take this over to use as an ‘information hub’, staffed by volunteers who share local tourist information, maps and leaflets with visitors – especially those wishing to enjoy the abundance of walking and cycling routes in our area.

Information Hub

The Information Hub exists to extend a warm welcome to visitors, helping them to choose destinations and routes that suit their taste – both scenic and commercial. We are fully aware of the importance of the tourist pound, and every one that visitors spend here is a win for the local economy.

We are currently negotiating for alterations and improvements to the Hub, to create additional space and greater visibility –­ both to visitors and the thousands of commuters who pass it each day. The improved Hub will provide enhanced publicity opportunities for local organisations. We also hope that it will lead to an increase in volunteer numbers, facilitating longer opening hours.

In another exciting development, our CRP has just been upgraded to the Surrey Hills to South Downs Community Rail Partnership which will see our influence spreading northwards through local volunteers at four as-yet unadopted stations: Witley, Milford, Godalming and Farncombe – with all of which we have much in common.

Right now we are working on a range of ideas for projects that could win central funding and contribute significantly to an improved travel experience through Haslemere, which this year celebrates 160 railway years.

Community rail is highly regarded in official circles, as were reminded at the recent ACoRP-led Community Rail in the City event at London Waterloo in ad hoc face-to-face contacts with Andrew Jones MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, responsible for railways, at the Department for Transport, and Sir Peter Hendy, Chairman of Network Rail.

So what do I see in it? Well, aside from the opportunity to make a small voluntary contribution on the fringe of the rail sector (partly appeasing the long-held boyhood desire to be an engine driver) community rail has much to offer to a wide range of businesses. That strengthens demand for communication – and that’s the challenge I thrive on.

Click here to read David Goddin’s original article on his own website.

South Western Railway Welcomes The Latest Addition to its Community Rail Partnership (CRP) Family

The inaugural Steering Group meeting of the Surrey Hills to South Downs CRP was held on Thursday 13 June, following the group’s registration with the national body, the Association of Community Rail Partnerships (ACoRP). CRPs are not for profit organisations created to help further link local communities with the railway. Full press release here.

The new CRP, which covers Haslemere to Milford, with aspirations to extend to Farncombe, includes partners from Surrey County Council, South Downs National Park and Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, met to agree its action plan for promoting the destinations along the line, as well as encourage greater use of sustainable and healthy transport. It also considered bids that could be submitted into SWR’s Customer and Communities Improvement Fund (CCIF), when it is launched later in the year.

The CRP has grown up from the long-established station adoption of Haslemere, which includes art displays, the tending of green areas and planters, as well as the creation of a dedicated Information Hub, staffed by local volunteers.

The group is also working closely with the operator to provide one of its unique Try the Train days for the local school, supporting pupils as they prepare to make the step to secondary school, developing their confidence with rail travel.

SWR’s Community Rail Manager, Andy Harrowell, said:

“We already provide support and funding to 8 CRPs across our network, helping to involve our communities with our stations and services, and are delighted to welcome this new addition. The adoption work at Haslemere has made a real difference to the station and we look forward to working with the CRP to deliver similar enhancements along the line. We have already provided finances to support the Hub this year and will be discussing with the CRP other project funding for the future, based on the action plan discussed.”

Surrey County Councillor for Haslemere, Nikki Barton, Chair of the Steering Group said:

“The new Surrey Hills to South Downs Community Rail Partnership has come together thanks to the vision and hard work of our dedicated volunteers and partners, and with the invaluable support of SWR and ACoRP. We have exciting plans for a range of projects going forward, which build upon the key role our train stations play in the vitality of our communities and their strategic locations as gateways to the beautiful surrounding countryside.”

Allison Thorpe from South Downs National Park Authority, and Caroline Price of Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, added:

“2019 marks 70 years since the Government passed an Act of Parliament to establish national parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. In this anniversary year, both the South Downs National Park and the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty are delighted to come together in this the new line partnership to encourage more visitors to access these special places by rail.”

Station adoption see groups work with the operator to add a local feel to each location. SWR has committed to helping each group register with ACoRP, paying their membership fees, as well as offering a specific fund to support work. SWR has 18 ACoRP registered station adopters across the network, ranging from Brentford, to Templecombe and Wareham. It is keen to encourage more, and is in discussions with a number of groups to adopt stations in the future.

Contact Information
South Western Railway Press Office

press@swrailway.com

SWR’s family of Community Rail Partnerships include:
• Blackmore Vale CRP (Tisbury to Crewkerne)
• Devon and Cornwall RP (Axminster to Exeter)
• East Hants CRP (Liphook to Rowland’s Castle)
• Hounslow line CRP (Barnes to Feltham)
• Island line CRP (Ryde Pier Head to Shanklin)
• Lymington to Brockenhurst CRP
• Purbeck CRP (Moreton to Holton Heath, including Swanage Railway)
• Three Rivers CRP (Salisbury to Bursledon / Winchester, via Romsey and Chandler’s Ford)

New Signage for Public Footpath in College Hill

In September 2015, Waverley’s Local Area Committee agreed to proceed with formalising the public footpath that leads from the High Street (next to Lloyds Bank) and goes up to College Hill. Here are the committee papers for that decision. The footpath had been blocked by a local property developer, to the anger of residents. The developer appealed the decision.

In December 2016, a decision was made for a Map Modification Order – Footpath 604 Haslemere, meaning the developer had to open up access again. This decision followed a public inquiry held at Haslemere Museum, with representation from Surrey Council Council, The Haslemere Society, The Half Moon Estate Residents’ Association and many residents. More here.

For a long while residents have campaigned to have signage on the footpath.

The signage has been installed this week.

Beech Road Pavement Repair Postponed

Last week, I wrote about the Beech Road pavement reconstruction here.

Please see below an update about this reconstruction work:

From: Works Communication Team/EAI/SCC
 
To: Nikki Barton <Nikki.Barton@surreycc.gov.uk>
Subject: Works postponed: Pavement reconstruction – Beech Road, Haslemere – Traffic delays possible

Dear Cllr Barton

This is to advise that these works have been postponed due a clash with SGN works. The advanced warning signs will be collected next week and the works will be reprogrammed. We do not have a new date for this work as yet, but will be sure to update you once we do.

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 of the works on www.surreycc.gov.uk/roadworks.

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 Team
Local Highway Services
Surrey Highways
Email: works.communication@surreycc.gov.uk

Notification of Pavement Reconstruction, Beech Road, Haslemere

To: Nikki Barton <Nikki.Barton@surreycc.gov.uk>
Subject: Pavement reconstruction – Beech Road, Haslemere – Traffic delays possible

Dear Cllr Barton,

This is to advise you that we will be carrying out pavement reconstruction on Beech Road, Haslemere from 17 June (8am to 4:30pm) for approximately 5 weeks.

The road will remain open with traffic being managed by temporary lights and the pavement will be closed in sections whilst we carry out our works.

Leaflets and signs will be delivered over the next few days to advise residents and businesses of the upcoming works.

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 of the works on www.surreycc.gov.uk/roadworks.

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

Drew Buerger

Works Communication Team
Local Highway Services
Surrey Highways
Email: works.communication@surreycc.gov.uk

HillFest is on 15th June

I have been asked by The Friends of Woolmer Hill to publicise Hillfest, which takes place on 15th June at Woolmer Hill School.

Forget Glastonbury, Saturday 15th June 2019 sees the return of the most exciting music festival of the year, Haslemere’s HillFest! Taking place in the beautiful grounds of Woolmer Hill School, this family friendly festival showcases a host of incredible local talent and is supported by the Haslemere Fringe and the Music Works.

Following on from the success of the first HillFest two years ago, which had over 800 attendees and a brilliant line up of acts, this year’s festival is going to be just as good – if not better! Bands booked to perform so far include the alternative rock band, Cause for Concern (who are just about to release their debut EP!), indie/pop Woking band Sour Kix (veterans of numerous festivals and support of many big names, from Jessie J to the Kaiser Chiefs), young indie rockers St Paulo and indie/funk/fusion, the Tropics. Along with dancers, poets, musicians and other performers, HillFest is the perfect way to enjoy an afternoon of music, fun, food and sport – right on your doorstep. Festival-goers can flex their sporty muscles and have a go at archery, table tennis, football and badminton and satisfy their tastebuds and quench their thirst with a range of delicious food stalls and a licensed bar.

Organised by the Friends of Woolmer Hill, a registered charity, all money raised will go straight back to helping provide a better environment for the school pupils. Profits will be used to purchase essential science, arts and sports equipment plus allow the school to continue with its annual ‘Community Week’ where pupils undertake a wide range of enrichment activities.

Thanks to the involvement of the Haslemere Fringe and the Music Works, HillFest gives young people the opportunity to perform at a professionally run festival and the local community  a  fabulous music-filled afternoon. If you’re interested in performing, or would like more information, then please contact Friends of Woolmer Hill via the Hillfest webpage www.hillfestival.co.uk.