Woodcote (Epsom) Residents Society

Since being elected in May this year activities have been busy.   I elected to join a number of committees and external bodies for which a brief summary of each is outlined below:

Planning: 

A very technical committee and time consuming and I am loving it.  The policy and framework that the borough has to review applications against is extensive and complex.  Since May there have been a number of planning committee meetings and site visits.  The first planning meeting reached its guillotine timing of 11pm when we had to finish the point being examined and reconvene a few days later to complete the agenda of applications.  A long day. 

Environment:

One meeting held since May and a broad agenda of topics affecting resident’s borough wide.  Key items from my point are to continue tree planting, maintain our green space, ensure air quality is maintained and improved. 

A climate change working group is being setup and I have opted to join this group.  Currently it is oversubscribed and it is yet to be seen if I will make the membership.

Audit, Crime and Scrutiny:

Our first meeting was an introduction and training session combined with our first agenda.  More study is required to fully appreciate this powerful committee. 

Epsom Downs Conservators:

Liz, Bernice and I are on this committee and Liz has covered off nicely what’s been progressed to date in her report. 

Recently I attended the Trainers open day with Bernice and Liz.  We visited all but two of the open yards.  Ideas are being captured to help improve next year’s event, we may even get a conservators team for the space hopper race!

Attending many of the Epsom Downs race meetings has been key for me as I’m a keen photographer of racing horses for over two years now.  I actively support the trainers, jockeys, exercise riders and owners with pictures at the races and on the training gallops.  I have attended other race courses, such as,  Lingfield to further support Epsom trainers who have been racing there recently. 

Epsom Downs Consultative Committee: 

No meeting as yet.

Friends of Epsom & Ewell Parks (FEEP):

A joint meeting of all Friends of Epsom parks at this meeting held at the town hall.  I was unable to attend the last meeting due to my work commitments. 

My activities with Friends of Rosebery Park continues and I organised the Epsom & Ewell Silver band to play in the park again this year.  A good turnout was experienced and the weather held.

More recently the Epsom Food Festival was hosted in the park which was a great success. 

There is a big push to make better use of our park facilities through the borough and I’m working with officers on progressing, supporting and communicating these activities. 

I am very pleased to say that Rosebery Park was awarded the Green Flag award again this year.  I met with Green Flag judges and provided a tour of the park and updates of works completed or in flight.  They were very impressed with the engagement from the Friends group and the collaboration with Epsom & Ewell Borough Council.

Friends of Rosebery Park has its AGM on 24^th September 2019.

Armed Forces champion:

A number of meetings held with the Armed Forces Covenant, an information day event hosted by the 11^th Battalion, attendance and support of the Royal British Legion, and attendance and support of the breakfast club on Sunday mornings at the Assembly rooms Weatherspoon’s in Epsom. 

Further study and outreach with local organisations is required to support this very worthwhile cause.

A number of councillors along with the Mayor have already volunteered to poppy collections coming up in October/November. 

Cycling champion:

Met with the cycling action group who had a long meeting with Surrey County Council to prioritise cycle enablement options throughout the borough. 

Due to attend the follow on regular meetings with this group.

Ward issues:

A number of questions and queries from local residents on a range of topics from parking to road safety, trees, pond works, litter, grass verges. 

I have submitted a number of questions to the upcoming local committee on Monday 16^th September, covering road safety, pedestrian access and safety and parking restrictions. 

A considerable amount of time has been spent with local residents working through actions from a previous local committee.

Local Government Association:

 The LGA has an education programme called the Next Generation Programme 2019-20 and I have been fortunate to be able to secure a place on this prestigious programme. 

“The Next Generation Programme offers ambitious and talented councillors an unparalleled political development opportunity – uniquely developed within party political traditions and with party political experts. The Programme equips emerging political leaders with the skills and confidence to be bold champions of local government and progress in their political careers.”

Other:

EETAB:

I continue to attend and support the Epsom & Ewell Tree Advisory Board (EETAB) in their activities and goals.  I see this group as ever more hugely important in the boroughs climate change. 

I have attended many training sessions and workshops since the election and also had contact with many residents.  Below is a short summary of some of the things I have been involved in.

I was appointed to serve as an Epsom & Walton Downs Conservator and have attended a few workshops and meetings.  There have been a few problems highlighted about anti-social driving around the Downs, particularly in the central car park and this issue is being addressed.  Liz has covered more about our work on this body in her report.

I also sit on the Community & Wellbeing Committee and at the first meeting in June the Rainbow Leisure Centre were given approval to close the dedicated indoor Bowls hall in favour of a Children’s Soft Play area.  The reason for this was that the Bowling Clubs bowl outside during the summer months and it was not economically viable for the hall to be unused for 3-6 months per year.  The good news is that indoor bowls will still be offered at the Rainbow Centre in the form of a bookable sport in the main hall, using portable bowling mats.

The Committee also approved the Council’s request to search for an expert to take over the management of Ewell Court House in order to generate higher incomes from rentals.  The Council will still wholly own Ewell Court House and there will be a proviso that residents in E&E will still be able to access this beautiful resource.  It is hoped that the new management arrangement will operate a service similar to that seen between the Council and the Rainbow Leisure Centre which has been very successful to date.

I have attended a Health Liaison Panel, chaired by Liz and her report has the latest update about the new integrated care partnership and the Council’s emerging Health Strategy for the borough.

Liz and I met with Claire, our local Police Officer to discuss the problems being caused by a huge increase in the amount of cars being driven down Chalk Lane.  An officer has recently been deployed there to remind drivers that this road is  for access only.  We also discussed other issues such as suspected drug use in the Ward and speeding.

Residents’ concerns have been centred largely around unwanted/inconsiderate parking, mainly around schools and this continues to be a challenging and ongoing issue to solve.  There have also been quite a few concerns raised about the state of grass verges in Langley Vale and some allotments at Epsom Common.

Planning applications and decisions – this has been a very busy subject and we are currently handling concerns and questions from quite a few residents, arising from the application to develop the Atkins site, closure and redevelopment of the Wells Centre and also the Woodland Trust site at Langley Vale.