FACT-CHECKING THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS
The Liberal Democrats have circulate a leaflet headed “Fact-Checking the Ashtead Independents”. 1. MOLE VALLEY LOCAL PLAN The LibDems...
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Ashtead’s Independent councillors are restarting monthly surgeries at which residents can meet their County and District Councillors to discuss any issues of concern.
The surgeries will be at Ashtead Library (Woodfield Lane) from 14.00-16.00 on the first Saturday of each month, starting on 4 March 2023.
At least two Councillors will be present each time, and the Library Service is making an office available so any discussions can be in confidence.
No booking is necessary and there is on-site parking, just drop in anytime during the two hour slots.
We are grateful to Surrey County Council and the Ashtead Library for making this venue available to us.
Meet your Independent Councillors
30 April 2024
FACT-CHECKING THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS
The Liberal Democrats have circulate a leaflet headed “Fact-Checking the Ashtead Independents”.
1. MOLE VALLEY LOCAL PLAN
The LibDems state that they “inherited” the Mole Valley Local Plan and that they sought to remove Green Belt sites
such as Ermyn Way but were blocked by the Government. This is not the case. The Local Plan process commenced
under the previous administration but the current Mole Valley Plan is entirely a Liberal Democrat Plan and to suggest otherwise is disingenuous. The Liberal Democrats have been in control of MVDC since 2019 (they have 30 seats out of 39) and the current Plan is the work of the Liberal Democrat administration not their predecessors.
In neighbouring Elmbridge (a council led by a coalition of Liberal Democrats and Residents' Association Independents) a Local Plan has been put forward with no proposed loss of Green Belt land. Mole Valley could have followed the example of Elmbridge but chose not to do so.
2. PROPERTY INVESTMENTS
The Liberal Democrats have been in charge of Mole Valley for the last five years and under their management the Council has continued to hold properties as investments as far afield as Wales. Ashtead Independents believe that it cannot possibly be right in current financial circumstances, when there is great pressure on public services, and when there is a waiting list for social housing, for Mole Valley's local authority to be maintaining properties and investments outside the district, especially when the property market is such a risky business. The Council’s entire focus should be on investing money here in Mole Valley for the benefit of local residents.
3. CYCLE CORRIDOR
The Liberal Democrats are all for the proposed Cycle Corridor along Craddocks Avenue and Barnett Wood Lane. In their leaflet they dispute the figure for the cost to Mole Valley. Instead they quote a new figure, seemingly plucked from thin air. Whatever the actual price tag, the scheme is potentially unsafe (for cyclists, pedestrians and drivers alike) and just another costly 'white elephant'.
Andy Smith
Independent Candidate for Ashtead Lanes and Common Ward 2024
30th April 2024
Ashtead Football Club all weather pitch - our position
Ashtead Independents are keen to encourage sport of all kinds in appropriate places.
Ashtead Football Club already hires all-weather pitches at local schools, and the new one is seen as a District-wide facility to hire out. At present children and teenagers can often be seen practising on the area where the enclosure would be, without having to pay the Football Club.
What is proposed uses a surface that has not been approved for pitches by FIFA and will produce toxic nanoparticles of plastic that can get into children's blood streams as well as contaminating the water runoff.
This is the only area where children can play and picnic with nearby car parking and bus stops.
Ashtead Common is a National Nature Reserve and Ashtead Park is Grade II listed and also a Local Nature Reserve so not suitable for general sporting activities.
The Woodfield is managed under arrangements with Natural England for its plants and birdlife so again is not suitable for sporting activities.
Furthermore, alternative positions for an all-weather pitch, which would leave open the area currently used by children and aspiring footballers, have been suggested to the Club but not pursued by them.
I am not sure you are aware that it was the Ashtead Independents who saved the Youth Club near The Woodman from closing as we felt that was something that Ashtead should continue to offer.
ELECTION FACTS
In their election literature the Liberal Democrats have presented graphs that give the impression they were a close
second to the Ashtead Independents in the 2023 local elections. This is entirely false.
In the May 2023 elections, the three (successful) Ashtead Independent candidates in Ashtead Lanes and Common
Ward received a combined today of 4,723 votes, winning all three Ward seats on the Council. The defeated Liberal
Democrat candidates received a grand total of 1,335 votes. In other words, Ashtead Independents received 3.5 times as
many votes as the LibDems in that election.
In the same election, in Ashtead Park Ward, Ashtead Independents received 3,352 votes, winning all three seats. LibDem candidates managed only 660 votes between them, meaning that five times more people voted for the Ashtead Independents than for the LibDems.
Ashtead Lanes and Common Ward election 2023
Ashtead Independents 4,723
Liberal Democrats 1,335
30 April 2024
Ashtead Park Ward election 2023
Ashtead Independents 3,352
Liberal Democrats 660
14th April 2024
TWO INDEPENDENTS CANDIDATES FOR
MAY ELECTION GIVE THEIR VIEWS
Mole Valley District Council May elections are to elect two councillors for the wards of Ashtead Park and Ashtead Lanes & Common.
While Ashtead has six council seats for the two wards, elections are to be held each year for two seats in rotation. The next ‘two seat’ election is due on Thursday, 2nd May.
Standing in Ashtead Park is Gerry Sevenoaks, the current sitting Independent councillor who was first elected in 2023. In his election leaflet, Gerry says that since his he was elected he has been campaigning on many local issues including opposing the controlling Liberal Democrats to retain green belt sites in the local plan for housing development.
In Ashtead Lanes & Common, a new Independent candidate – Andy Smith – says that if elected he will work with his fellow Ashtead Independent councillors to prioritise the interests of the Village and keep Ashtead a “green and pleasant place.”
Both Gerry Sevenoaks and Andy Smith’s election leaflets can be found by clicking this link.
30th January 2024
UPDATE ON MOLE VALLEY LOCAL PLAN
Following the Government’s decision, in December2022 to make changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), MVDC asked the Planning Inspector to pause the examination of Mole Valley’s Local Plan. After pressure from Ashtead Councillors, the Council passed a motion to withdraw all Green Belt sites (including Site DS1- land South of Ermyn Way).
Read more HERE
ASHTEAD PARK VOLUNTEER GROUP
It is a shame that our first volunteer day of the season had to be cancelled but we will be having another at the end of January, and I will keep people informed on our website and on social media. There is still a huge amount of clearance work needed in the park because it is just that – a park.
The estate did not have a great deal of natural woodland and, although there are some lovely specimen very old oaks, many of the older trees were planted by the owners of Ashtead Park House, now the City of Freemans School. These include some alien specimens such as the Yellow Buckeye (Aesculus flava) from America and the Caucasian Elm (Zelkova carpinifolia).
Continue reading HERE
I promised to let you know about volunteer days at Ashtead Park. The Lower Mole Project Group will be working there on 30th January to 1st February 2024. The Deepdene Volunteers will be working there on 17th January, 21st February, and 20th March.
Please turn up and join in. We really must cut back the bramble and encroaching sapling that are choking out some of the ancient trees. Plans are being drawn up for longer-term management but work can go on in the meantime. People arrive at 9.45 a.m. and work for as long as they can. Just bring your lunch, warm clothing and something to protect your hands. Some implements will be provided but if you have loppers or cutters, please do bring them. The more people who join in, the quicker the park will be improved.
We have such a limited number of opportunities because, of course, birds will start nesting in the spring. Please do come and join in.
By Councillor Patricia Wiltshire
18th December 2023
Representing the two Ashtead Wards on Mole Valley District Council and Surrey County Council ... ... and with good reason!
Ashtead Independents
Ashtead Independents are registered with the Electoral Commission to enable them to be identified and use a logo. Our Constitution and Rules make clear each vote independently with no whip.
We, the majority of Ashtead residents and the Ashtead Residents’ Association, consider that National party politics has no place in local councils. It creates unnecessary antagonisms and divisiveness, and tends to prevent a proportion of members of the Council from being able to exercise full influence on behalf of their constituents.
In this site we introduce ourselves and try to keep you up to date with current issues affecting Ashtead. Please use it to contact us to ask questions, to ask for help, to offer assistance in our campaigns, or especially if you would like to join us!
FOLLOW US ON
@ashteadindependents
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