Ashtead IndependentsKeep national party politics out of local government

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of David Howell yesterday afternoon. He served Ashtead with distinction for all of his adult life and will be greatly missed.

Our condolences go out to his family

David Howell 1948 -2012

Following the election the Ashtead Independents have chosen Simon Ling as their new Leader in place of David Howell, with John Northcott as Deputy Leader.  Simon Ling will also be Leader of the informal Independent group in the Council.

All three Ashtead wards were won by Ashtead Independent Candidates in the elections on 3rd May.  Chris Townsend retained his seat for Ashtead Park with an increased majority, Paula Hancock took the seat for Ashtead Common previously held by David Howell with an increased majority, and Mary Cooper won the seat for Ashtead Village from Conservative Chris Reynolds with a majority of 299. You can see the profiles of your two new Councillors elsewhere on this site.  The whole team thank all those who turned out to vote for our successful candidates in the dreadful weather, and also all those who helped us in many ways over the election campaign.  The new Council will have 19 Liberal Democrats, 15 Conservatives, 6 Ashtead Independents and 1 other Independent.  It remains to be seen how the Executive will be constituted for the next two years, and all three groups will be having discussions over the next few days – watch this space!

Both West Ashtead and Greville Primary schools are to have an extra reception class of 30 from September this year. This takes account of the many new families now resident in Ashtead. Other districts and boroughs have serious school place problems across Surrey. Your County Councillor, Chris Townsend, has been instrumental in getting potential ‘planning tariff’ funding from the Parsons Mead development to allow these extra places for Ashtead children. He is looking at other ways to improve our local schools with the Surrey Education officers.

 There are stories being put out to the electorate that the Ashtead Independents want a widening of Woodfield Lane from Barnett Wood Lane down to the Station. This is being positioned as detrimental to the trees and surrounding area, whilst the Conservatives proposal of double-yellow lines is not.

We cannot speak for the Tories but the Ashtead Independents have requested a Surrey Highways report, via County Councillor Chris Townsend, to assess a number of options to alleviate the traffic flow in the area. The report was requested last year at the Local Committee of Mole Valley (with both MVDC and Surrey CC councillors in attendance) and is due shortly. The options will certainly include double yellow lines and road widening elements but this will be amongst other possible solutions and may well have various combinations that seek to improve the situation. Surrey Highways engineers will have looked at the current layout down to the station and put forward their expert views.

The report will be in the public domain and full consultation will be given on the options to Ashtead residents, not just those on the north side of the crossing as all village residents use both the shops and the station.

As a result of the planning “tariff” linked to the Parsons Mead and other local developments, funds may well be available to progress this project. Certainly, whichever solution is finally agreed we must ensure that we take into account both the station development proposed by Network Rail/Southern over the coming year and what you want.

The Ashtead Independents are very keen to ensure that relevant professionals provide the proposals needed before consultation so that it is informed rather than speculative – which is certainly the case at the moment. The outcome must be to solve problems in this area, to ensure that the tree-lined avenue remains and is unaffected, and that comprehensive consultation takes place with all Ashtead residents.

• In all but five of Mole Valley District Council’s 38 years of existence no single party or group has had overall control.
• Over the last two years the Ashtead Independents, with FIVE seats, have held the balance between the Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties who have each had 18 or 17 seats.
• In those two years the five Ashtead Independents have held the following major offices:

• Chairman of the Council
• Deputy Leader of the Council
• Executive member for Property
• Executive member for Planning
• Chairman of the Scrutiny Committee
• Vice-Chairman of the Audit Committee
• Vice-Chairman of the Licensing Committee

• In  previous years the current Ashtead Independents have also held the following offices:

• Chairman of the Planning Committee
• Vice-chairman of the Resources Committee
• Chairman or Vice-Chairman of numerous panels and members’ working groups.

No party of any persuasion has ever represented Ashtead so well for so long and we remain the best placed to do so. 

Plans are afoot to install a commemorative sculpture on the Pixham Lane/A 24 roundabout to mark the Olympic cycle race passing through Dorking.  The selected design shows two laser cut cyclists and incorporates numerous Surrey oak leaves.  Part of the money for this is to be raised by public subscription and everybody is being invited to sponsor a leaf. For a donation of £40, you get an elegant thin steel oak leaf in a clear plastic wallet (CD sized) with a personalised numbered certificate and the pleasure of knowing you have helped to provide a beautiful addition to the Mole Valley street scene.  You may even be able to pick out your leaf as you navigate the roundabout into Dorking in years to come!

Applications should be made to Councillor Caroline Salmon at cllr.salmon@mole-valley.gov.uk or 01306 743403 or any Ashtead Councillor can send you the form.

Big Energy Week is an advice campaign coordinated by Citizens Advice Bureaux (CAB) to help consumers spend less on heating their home.

Rising fuel bills are stretching household finances and people are looking for ways to save money on their energy bills.  Leatherhead and Dorking CAB will give practical advice and help throughout Big Energy Week (16-21 January 2012) to help people cut their fuel bills and get all the financial support they are entitled to. Please visit the CAB stand in Leatherhead in the Swan Centre on 17th January 2012 for more information.

CAB Manager Anne Haigh says that more and more people are coming to them for advice on how to spend less on their fuel bills.  During Big Energy Week the CAB want to tell people that help is at hand and that there are things they can do  to cut their fuel bills. For example people should  speak to their energy supplier to check that they’re getting the best deal and are on the cheapest payment method – and save energy by insulating their home – most  energy companies are offering free and/or discounted insulation.

You could save more by switching energy suppliers and an accredited switching website can help you do this. Plus it’s important to check that you are getting all of the benefits and tax credits that you’re entitled to – as you could be missing out on money that could make pay it easier to pay your fuel bill.

You can pick up a leaflet with tips and advice on cutting your fuel bills from Leatherhead and Dorking CAB.

A new website – www.bigenergyweek.org.uk - is full of tips on how to cut your energy bills.  And as part of Big Energy Week there will be events up and down the country where people can get practical advice on how they could spend less on heating their home.

For more information contact: Leatherhead and Dorking CAB 08444 111 444 or the Manager on 01306 876806 or 01372 373070

The results of ‘Save a Space for Me’ are in following the nomination of three open spaces in Mole Valley to become Queen Elizabeth II Playing Fields in 2012!  Here they are for the three sites with Ashtead Recreation Ground topping the list with a whopping 473 votes of support:

Ashtead Recreation Ground  473 votes

Cock Lane Recreation Ground 119  votes

Cradhurst Recreation Ground 117 votes

The full nationwide sets of results are accessible through the link below, and you’ll see Ashtead fared very well.  The results have yet to be collated into a national league table but Fields in Trust are working on this.

http://www.qe2fields.com/Upload/file/Voting%20results.pdf

http://www.qe2fields.com/Castyourvote.aspx?dm_i=P46,MA30,3IZDYK,1SZ6M,1

Surrey County Council and the Surrey Strategic Partnership have committed to ensuring that all homes and businesses in Surrey have access to Superfast Broadband. The UK currently has some of the slowest broadband speeds in Europe and improving this is crucial. The internet now affects nearly every aspect of modern life and superfast broadband will bring new opportunities and ensure that those living and working in Surrey do not get left behind. Surrey County Council has invited bids from private sector companies to deliver the necessary infrastructure for Surrey.

If you think broadband access is important for Surrey, we need you to support this project by completing our online survey – and by encouraging other homes and businesses in your area to do the same. Let us know what your current internet access is like, the problems it causes and what you need for the future.

In order to secure superfast broadband for Surrey, the County Council needs to be able to evidence the demand for it. This information will be used to support conversations with infrastructure providers and to build the commercial case for laying the infrastructure in each area. We welcome surveys from everyone but the project has identified seven areas of focus within Mole Valley, namely Abinger, Forrest Green, Oakwood, Newdigate, Norwood Hill, Dawes Green, and Betchworth.

Over 1300 of you have taken part so far – 99% of respondents have said that it is important for Surrey to have access to good broadband speeds and 98% would like faster internet speeds than they are currently able to access.

To take part in the survey or to get further details of the project please go to www.superfastsurrey.org.uk, or contact superfastbbsurrey@surreycc.gov.uk/ 03456 009 009 to be sent a hard copy.