Spring 2005 Newsletter

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Since the last newsletter we have had three monthly committee meetings, which all residents can attend - contact me for more information - and our annual Christmas social event to thank our road stewards for the marvellous work they do in delivering newsletters to all the residents of our two wards. Our thanks to Archie Newbury, who has decided to stand down from the committee after 13 years, for his contribution to the WERRA Committee. Archie had responsibility for liasing with advertisers and selling advertising space in the newsletter, essential in ensuring that the newsletter remains a viable and free publication to our readers. We are pleased that Archie will continue as a Road Steward in West Ewell and will be guiding Colin Parker, a new RA member, into this important role. If you would like to discuss advertising your business in our newsletter then Colin will be pleased to hear from you (tel. 020 8873 1817).

The committee meetings have resulted in my writing to various agencies and individuals including the following:

Jet Garage, Ruxley Lane - An application to increase the size of the shop by over 300% was opposed by the committee on the grounds of insufficient parking facilities, concerns about increased usage in accessing and leaving the development at what is now a very busy light controlled junction, as well as the impact of the development on people living in close proximity. The council planning committee refused the application.

Gadesden Road garage site - An application has been received from Rosebery Housing to develop this site. Your WERRA committee held a meeting on March 1 SI which was attended by 35 residents and tenants, all concerned about the environmental and social impact this particular back land development will have on them, WERRA will be opposing this redevelopment.

Chessington Road-Green Lanes/Meadowview Road - Following the hard work put in by your local Councillors in 2004 in getting the area in front of these shops looking attractive, the Highways Department dug part of the area up, removing 2 cherry trees in the process, in order to put in a bus bay, Work came to a halt at Christmas and I wrote to the Department asking what was causing the delay, Their reply indicated that this is caused by the need to divert electric and communication cables and has taken sometime for the developer to arrange. There will be funding made available to make the necessary environmental improvements when the work has been completed.

Gill Smitheram, Secretary

At the February council meeting it was announced that the Council Tax increase for 2005/6 would be 4.9% At this level the Band 'D' council tax would be increased by £6.23p per year which equates to just 12 pence per week. This increase ensures that the services prioritised by our residents are not put at risk, that we continue to drive down our use of reserves and that we don't leave future generations of council tax payers to pick up large tax increases in the years to come.

We have one of the lowest council tax rates in Surrey.

Ruxley and West Ewell Ward Councillors

On 1st January 2005 six voluntary groups were brought together under one roof at the Town Hall in The Parade Epsom, to provide a wide range of help and advice. This new initiative is one of the first in the country, and it is designed to ensure that residents who need impartial and free advice on a specialist topic can get it easily and quickly. Until this move, the voluntary organisations listed below had their offices in a variety of council-managed venues throughout the Borough. However, many people who need advice need to access more than one organisation, and placing them in one central contact area makes that access easier.

The new one-stop facility is next to, but deliberately separate from, the Borough Council's own offices in order to emphasise the independence of these voluntary groups. People need to know that, if their concern is about the local council, the advice they receive will be independent and impartial.

However, placing the one-stop facility next to the Town Hall also means that those seeking Council-based advice on housing or council tax, for example, will have all these local authority and voluntary advice services in one convenient place. The new arrangements will also encourage much closer joint working, the sharing of resources by the six voluntary groups and, therefore, improved services for the local community.

Listed below are the names, contact details and remit of all the voluntary organisations that make up the Voluntary Services Contact Centre at the Town Hall.

Age Concern 01372 732455 - no appointment is necessary for personal callers. There is a home visiting service for vulnerable older people (01372 732455) and a transport scheme for medical appointments (01372 728758). Information on the Bradbury Day Centre is available (open 4 days a week at 63 Ruxley Lane) on 020 8393 7543.

Carers of Epsom 01372 722269 provide support for unpaid carers. In addition, they keep in touch through a monthly newsletter, hold coffee mornings around the borough, and organise trips throughout the year.

Citizens Advice Bureau 01372 720205 is a registered charity, staffed mainly by volunteers. It is independent and offers a free, impartial and confidential service to all members of the community. Call in during a drop-in session or telephone.

The Epsom & Ewell Volunteering Centre 01372 722911 provides information on a range of volunteering opportunities within the local area in conjunction with The Central Surrey Council for Voluntary Service.

Epsom Victim Support 01372 743650 Information on a range of matters including home security, compensation claims and court proceedings is provided free, and always confidentially.

Mid Surrey Advocacy for Mental Health 01372 748299 is a charity (also in Epsom Hospital). Help and support is provided for people with mental health problems in making their own decisions and in representing themselves. The Service will also speak for those who request it and will represent their wishes.

In response to public demand, and a well thought out business plan from the Ewell Court House Organization, the unanimous vote that the house should be used for the community by the community has been largely welcomed as a good decision. For the record I must correct the misconception, put out in the Conservative In Touch newsletter, that Ewell Court House was given to the Council. NOT TRUE! The house and 12.5 acres of land was purchased by the council in 1935 for £5490. It is incumbent on the council to use the building and land to the best possible advantage, and not to be a drain on council tax payers. The earlier decision to develop the house to flats (not to demolish, as some would have you think) may have been a little off the mark, but it set a challenge for the community that was far more effective than placing an advert asking for volunteers to run Ewell Court House would have been. The end result is that, after reviewing the use of the house and exploring alternative uses, public opinion has been measured and the house has been saved for use by local people, for local people.

Residents of Clarendon Park are living in a news and information vacuum! Neither of the two local free newspapers are delivered there, nor for that matter to any of the developments on the Hospital Cluster. Not only are these residents unaware of local issues, they also miss out on the many publications that are delivered with it, such as the Council's Insight magazine, the neighbourhood watch pamphlet, and most importantly the recent consultation document about Epsom Hospital. Interestingly, this means that the two local Residents' Association newsletters are the main forms of communication in Clarendon Park! It is clear from communication I have received and comments made at the CPRA AGM in January that residents are keen to have local papers delivered to their homes.

I have written to Newsquest, publishers of the Epsom Guardian, asking if this would be possible. They have responded that they carry out regular reviews of their distribution patterns and will consider this at the next review. I have followed this up by sending them a list of new developments in the borough over the last 10 years to reinforce my case. 1 would be happy to pass on the name of my contact at Newquest should anyone wish to contact them direct.

Many basic services are not available to residents of Clarendon Park because the roads and open spaces have not been adopted by the local authorities (Surrey County and Epsom & Ewell Councils). Whilst this delay is not uncommon in these situations, that doesn't mean that I find it acceptable, and so I am in regular contact with the council's officers to push forward for solutions to the issues that have caused the lack of progress. I am aware that this particular news item is short of detail; this is because I do not wish to prejudice any cause of action the council may take on this issue in the future.

I spent a few hours in the Bonesgate stream in January doing my bit for the "friends of the Hogsmill" http://fothos.ukwildnews.co.uk/ Usually this is a satisfying and enjoyable task, picking up litter, etc; however, this particular stretch of the stream, between Cox Lane and Gatley Avenue, was strewn with commercial rubbish that had clearly been dumped by tradesmen living in nearby homes. In 3 hours we filled 2 skips from only 200 metres of river. This inappropriate use of our open space is aided by a gate leading to a secluded car park, from where much of the material must surely originate. I have asked that the security of this area be reviewed so that the fly tippers at least have to work a bit harder to dispose of their waste.

Although not in Ruxley Ward, I know that a number of residents of the ward use Ewell West Station and so in response to a number of recent enquiries I've been finding out about a number of issues regarding Ewell West Station and environs.

Ticket Machines: These have had a software fault since around October and still cannot issue various types of ticket. However they are unlikely to be fixed because they are due to be replaced with new machines on March 23rd. I shall be on the platforms on the 24th March to check on this!

Platform Height: I have learned that the track, which is around 30 years old, is due for replacement in the summer of 2006 and that the misalignment with the platforms will also be rectified. OK, that's a wait of 18 months, but good news none the less.

Land adjacent Platform 1: Currently the outlook on this land for passengers and residents is disgusting and the fence alongside Chessington Road is in need of repair. I have sent digital photos of these areas to South West Trains who have given an encouraging, but not yet definite, response about getting these areas tidied up.

We (that is, my two fellow ward councillors and I) recently had leaflets distributed to a number of homes adjacent to the infamous new section of Chessington Road. If you were not a recipient of this leaflet then you can read it on our RA website. Since the new section of road opened in October I must have heard just about every comment possible about this road. Some find it abhorrent, others like the separation from the dual carriageway. Everyone can find very valid suggestions for improvement, such as (and this is not an exclusive list) proper speed control, and the control of cut throughs at the Ruxley Lane shops and petrol station; these points are being looked at by your councillors., Surrey County Council and the police.

A few people have commented that they expected a roundabout at the Ruxley Lane junction instead of traffic lights. I checked back and found, tucked away in a dusty file, an OHP acetate that I showed at one of our Residents' Association AGMs around 3 or 4 years ago showing the plan of the lights just about as they are now.

I would like to thank those who helped distribute the leaflet.

Certain sections of the political community, but notably no residents I have spoken to, have suggested that RA councillors have shown lack of interest in the issue of the future of Epsom Hospital, their argument being that councillors should be attending every meeting held on the subject. The truth is that councillors have been very active on the issue, and our own Health Liaison Committee has been working very hard to communicate with the health authorities.

However, I was elected to make decisions on your behalf in the council chamber and that will always be my first priority over being another body in a meeting where I don't have any voting rights or capacity to make a decision. If there is a clash of meetings, I'll be in the one where I have the power to make a difference!

Visit my web log for latest news of my activities: http://dereksupdates.blogspot.com/

Cllr Derek Phillips

The dualled section of the Chessington Road was opened in October. This has had a mixed response, with many residents pleased that the noise of traffic has been reduced in the residential area, while others are concerned about speeding. Following several meetings with the Police and County Highway engineers I invited ward councillors and a concerned resident to meet with Simon Hall, the principal engineer. On 1st March we visited the Old Chessington Road area to visualise how the planned modifications would alleviate the dangers caused by speeding. If you would like details of the planned changes then do please contact me.

Ruxley Lane/Chessington Road Junction. I am very concerned about the "diversion" tactics used by some motorists at this junction. They have been seen to use the garage forecourt and slip road opposite to by-pass the lights and to avoid the junction altogether by using side roads. I am working with County officers to address these problems.

The Kiln Lane Link has been put on hold for several years due to a change in government priority for major road schemes. It will reviewed and judged amongst many other projects. This decision will now affect the funding of the planned improvements to the footbridge at West Ewell station. I am meeting with the local Transportation Manager to try and resolve this.

Fulford Road/Sunnymede Avenue/Sefton Road. After a great deal of effort I have finally managed to get the maintenance work desperately needed on these roads brought forward and been advised that they will be included in the 2005/06 major maintenance programme. It is hoped that work will take place during the summer.

Work has almost been finished on the Safe Routes to School project in Danetree Road. The "walking bus" is using the new crossing and they are very pleased with it. Parking by some parents continues to be a problem and more consideration is requested from these people. A Puffin crossing outside Epsom & Ewell High School is also being installed as part of this project, which will also improve traffic management into Ruxley Lane from Cox Lane and pedestrian safety.

Each year I am given an allowance to spend on community projects in my county division. I have recently given £1,000 from this allowance for improvements to the playground in Gatley Avenue. I gave £3,000 (not £300 as reported previously) for the provision of a part-time football coach for 3 years for the Longmead area.

As chairman of the Youth Leisure Forum I am aware of the need to improve communication with our young people about youth and leisure facilities in the Borough and I recently received a letter from a young student at Epsom & Ewell High School who had experienced difficulty in accessing the appropriate information. I discussed this with ward councillors and it was suggested that the School would benefit from, and be able to make use of, a 42" plasma screen. I provided this out of my allowance and it is now in place and proving very popular with students, teachers, parents and visitors. This is the first time that something like this has been done!

I have also provided funding for the provision of an information board for the Bonesgate Open Space, 6 benches for Horton Country Park and £2,000 towards the Hogsmill Meadows River project- part of which is a bridge across the "stepping stones" and improvements to the surrounding pathways.

I am working with Epsom & Ewell Crime Prevention Team on a project that will extend over 5 years to provide additional lighting on high speed roads, town centres, crime areas (or where there is a fear of crime) and night-time road traffic accident sites. I am asking your ward councillors for their observations but I would be very pleased to hear from you of any areas that you consider would benefit from this.

The service has added Southfield Park Primary School (no. 5 bus) to their fortnightly Wednesday schedule, visiting from 2.55-3.30pm. This will provide a service to our residents in Clarendon Park. The Cox Lane community centre service (no. 4) visits 3pm-3.20pm also on Wednesday. The dates for April are 6th and 20th and fortnightly thereafter.

Danetree Middle School wants you! You need an interest in education (training provided), but you don't have to be a parent.

Submitted by Neighbourhood Specialist Officer PC2492 Lightfoot

Recently Ruxley ward has suffered a large amount of criminal damage in the form of graffiti. Although this behaviour is unacceptable and has a significant impact on the area, it is a difficult offence to prove without witnesses. If anyone has witnessed any offences in the area, contact me (details below) or Crimestoppers anonymously (0800 555 111). The Section 30 Anti-Social Behaviour Order that was enforced around the shops at Gatley Avenue/Ruxley Lane has been a success, with a fall of over 40% in calls to police reporting youth disorder, and our detection rate of crimes rising to 29%. I have noticed a decline in the amount of anti-social behaviour and groups of youths congregating here, and I hope that this is the experience of others.

I am aware that speeding causes concern to many local residents - to volunteer to help the Community Speed Watch contact the Casualty Reduction Officer, PC 1994 Fruen ( ).

I will be holding policing panels to provide businesses and residents with the opportunity to inform me of what they expect from Surrey Police, what they regard as their policing priorities, and any problems they are experiencing. I hope to meet many of you whilst on my duties within the ward and at these panel meetings.

If you would like to discuss any local policing issues with me, please feel free to make contact at: 0845 1252222, or (website: www.surrey.police.uk).

There has been an increase recently in both wards of incidents of vandalism and graffiti, with four bus shelters being smashed in one evening. Where your councillors have been informed of this they have reported these crimes to the Surrey Police Crime Reporting Bureau (0845 125222) themselves. And it is important that these events are reported to help the police identify 'hot spots' and direct resources to them. Graffiti can also be reported to the Epsom & Ewell Town Hall Call Centre (01372 732000 or ). Residents are then issued with a disclaimer form to be signed and returned, thus enabling the affected area to be cleaned free of charge. So if vandalism or graffiti affects you or your neighbourhood report it to the Police.

After many years' good service, it has become necessary to undertake some major repairs to the Ashley Centre car park. These repairs are necessary to ensure that the car park remains safe for both drivers and pedestrians and that the building complies with the Disability Discrimination Act.

The works comprise structural repair work, waterproofing, surfacing and remarking the parking areas. In addition a traffic-signal-controlled crossing for pedestrians and those using the Shopmobility facility will be provided at the entrance to the car park.

Obviously any repair work to a major town centre car park is going to cause disruption to residents, shoppers and people working in the town, therefore the Borough Council has worked with the Mall Corporation (who manage the shopping mall) to select a time period for the work that will cause least disruption to users of the Mall. Therefore the planned works to the car park began in February 2005 and will take approximately 29 weeks to complete.

To minimise the disruption, the contractor undertaking the repairs will work on one floor at a time and will be required to introduce a traffic management scheme within the car park. In addition, visitors to Epsom town centre will be directed to use alternative parking at other car parks - including Hook Road and Upper High Street.

Although the capacity of the car park will be reduced during the works it is hoped that our residents will both understand the need for these repairs and will also be patient if, at times, car parking is not as easy or convenient as they have come to expect.

Cllr. Clive Smitheram

Many congratulations to John Garlick of Larkspur Way in Ruxley Ward on receiving this award from the Mayor of Epsom & Ewell, Cllr. Brian Angus.

John has used his financial skills to the benefit of so many organisations within the Borough: - The Burma Star Association, Neighbourhood Watch Support Group, The Mayor's Charity Committee, Age Concern, Friends of Nonsuch, Probus Club - the list is endless. He is also a Member of the local Citizens' Advice Bureau and the Crime Prevention Panel. In 2000 he received. the Voluntary Service Award. For two years John was RA Councillor for West Ewell Ward and he continues to support and serve the Residents' Association as a Road Steward.

Further congratulations are in order as John and his wife, Doris, celebrate their Golden Wedding Anniversary in April. Best wishes to them both.

With effect from 1st April the Council will be collecting recyclables weekly. Epsom & Ewell recycle 16% at the present time, but with the weekly collection of tins, glass, newspapers and textiles we hope to increase this figure. The council is looking into the feasibility of collecting green waste for composting, when a suitable site in Surrey has been found to take the vast amount involved. Landfill sites in Surrey are filling up fast and we should all try and recycle as much as possible, as I am sure most of you do, as everything we put in our dustbins ends up in the landfill sites.

West Ewell Councillors