Hospital Friends provide ECG machine for local NHS patients13 May 2008
This year the Friends of Thames Ditton Hospital have funded over £60,000 worth of new ultrasound and ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat) equipment for the consultant clinics at Giggs Hill Surgery run by MEDICS – the new GP-based NHS medical service for patients in the Molesey, Claygate, Esher and Dittons area. At their AGM on 20 May the Friends will add new state-of-the-art ECG equipment for the new cardiology clinics. The recent performance of Cinderella at the Vera Fletcher Hall raised a significant contribution to the funds required for this latest equipment.
Councillor Karen Randolph, Chairman of the Friends, notes that now MEDICS are providing patients in the Claygate, Esher, Molesey and Dittons area with consultant services such as ultrasound locally instead of their having to use acute hospitals at Kingston or Tooting, and within 2 weeks instead of patients having to wait up to 12 weeks for appointments. "W're very grateful to local residents and businesses for their magnificent support in raising these substantial sums," she adds. The Friends remain determined to continue pressure on the Surrey Primary Care Trust to open the much needed 14 intermediate care NHS beds at Emberbrook to build on the improvement in health care in the local area which these new ultrasound, ENT and cardiology services will provide.
Local election results1 May 2008
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Many thanks to residents for turning out and voting. Turnout was higher than last year and Weston Green had the highest turnout in Elmbridge at 46.2%. Thames Ditton 40.1%.
In Thames Ditton, Ruth Lyon was re-elected with 1345 votes. The Conservative polled 335 and Labour 107.
In Weston Green, Lorraine Sharp was elected with 800 votes. Bucking a trend that saw a swing of 5-6% to the Conservatives nationally, nearer 12% in Elmbridge, the Conservative polled less than last year at 429 on a higher turnout. There were no other candidates.
Well done, everyone: back to work now.
Elsewhere in Elmbridge the Conservatives took 3 seats from Residents and Independents and 1 from the LibDems to give them an absolute majority of 32 out of the 60 Borough seats. The implications of this will become apparent over the coming year. We congratulate them and will aim to work with them pragmatically.
Full results in Elmbridge
Esher News article on results
Thoughts for polling day ...29 April 2008
Minor French playwright Albert Guinon:"There are people who, instead of listening to what is being said to them, are already listening to what they are going to say themselves" Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington: "I never saw so many shocking bad hats in my life". | Winston Churchill:"I have always felt that a politician is to be judged by the animosities he excites among his opponents." David Cameron (speaking today 29 April): "I haven't ended Punch and Judy politics" |
Well - there's a thought!
Esher station flooding cured29 April 2008
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Another stern test of the drains and culverts from under Esher Station bridge with rains last night and this morning that certainly left a lot of standing water around Thames Ditton. But the trouble-spot under Esher station bridge was again as dry as a bone. So we've finally cracked it thanks to tenacious efforts. Commuters in Weston Green can get home with dry feet. Excellent. Well done team. |
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St. Paul's School does Weston Green proud28 April 2008
It's a delight to report another glowing OFSTED report for one of our local schools - this time, St Paul's Catholic Primary School in Weston Green.
"This is an outstanding school," wrote the Inspector after March's evaluation. "Teaching and learning are outstanding......St Paul's operates as a very orderly community. Pupils' behaviour throughout the school is exemplary, and they get on and work very well together. Pupils greatly enjoy school and they develop into confident, articulate young people."
We love to hear all those things about a school. And also that, as one parent is quoted, it "
makes my child appreciate that you are rewarded for effort as well as results."
St. Paul's scored top marks in every category except for the decor and outdoor facilities in the Foundation Stage where minor improvement is recommended - although the Inspector quoted a typical parental view that 'The care that is taken to ensure a smooth entry into school life for both the children and the parents has been fantastic.' "it gives an accurate picture of the good start that children have at the beginning of their education.... It is just physical development where standards are not as strong."
Well done St. Paul's.
The righteous wrath of Kelvin MacKenzie refreshes Weybridge South25 April 2008
Sun columnist and former Editor Kelvin MacKenzie found Elmbridge's Administration and local MP's stuffy, uncaring and unresponsive. So he decided to stand for election against the comfortable Conservative incumbent, a local estate agent, in Weybridge South. He's spending the allowed £600 of his own money printing leaflets, to put himself up against the mighty Conservative electoral machine. And finding quite a bit of voter sympathy. You can read the entertaining account of this interesting candidate in the Telegraph here
Mr. MacKenzie is campaigning on these issues:
- Wants more reasonable car-parking charges: more people to use the station car parks instead of the streets, and to encourage more people to shop locally.
- Wants to reduce the pay for the leader of the council, who has just voted himself a 40 per cent increase. "The socialists introduced pay for councillors, presumably as part of a make-work programme in the North. It was never intended as a job. It's bad enough that 630 folk in Westminster have their noses in the trough - we don't want thousands more. So I want the leader to go back to his old pay packet.," writes Mr. MacKenzie.
- Wants an end to final-salary pension schemes for council staff, to be replaced by other pension schemes in line with those now prevalent in the private sector.
Hampton Court Way pedestrian crossing fixed24 April 2008
The malfunctioning pedestrian crossing lights across Hampton Court Way near the school have finally been fixed Not for the first time, and certainly it won't be for the last time, the County authorities prevaricated and delayed action, and it is for these among other reasons that Residents need their own representatives on the Council. Residents' Association County councillor Peter Hickman put in a good deal of effort in harmony with mothers of children at St. Paul's school (in particular Yvonne Glennon) and contractors finally fixed the lights on 22 April.
TD parking solutions stalled while SCC concentrate on Walton24 April 2008
In case you are wondering why, after the intensive consultation activity at the turn of the year, nothing has since happened on Surrey's proposals for parking restrictions in Thames Ditton:
◊ Surrey Highways has switched its efforts to Walton's parking problems.
◊ The dynamic younger SCC official who has latterly taken the lead in consultation and drafting of proposals, Clarke Cover, is moving to Croydon council.
◊ The senior official David Curl who oversaw the earlier parts of the consultation exercise is also moving on.
Questionnaires concerning the area around Thames Ditton station were expected over a week ago but are not yet available from SCC Highways. We shall keep nagging.
No breath for an aria17 April 2008
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At the weekend you may have seen a team of Venetian gondoliers who popped in to the Dittons Skiff and Punting Club in Thames Ditton for a tea break.
Despite the bitterly cold weather the 17 rowers from the Settamari ('Seven Seas') Rowing Club in Venice were delighted to complete their row of the Thames from Wiltshire to Greenwich, abandoned last year because of the floods. A flotilla of six gondolas completed the stretch from Henley to Teddington helped by the Dittons Club President, Simon Leifer, a former GB oarsman- and record holder for rowing the length of the Thames. Invited to learn the art of gondoliering, Simon realised that there were still muscles he had never used! He said: " I was delighted to be asked to have a go but was surprised when they asked me to take the boat from Molesey to Teddington with them. It's as difficult as it looks believe me!" |
Surrey to tackle under 6% of urgent road repairs this year.17 April 2008
You know how bad many of Surrey's roads are. Following a bureaucratic exercise to identify roads within the County that are in urgent need of repair and resurfacing, we understand Surrey County Council have identified 611 such roads for "priority attention". And priority means...?
In the coming year they propose to tackle no less than....36 of them. At that rate it will take nearly seventeen years to do what needs to be done, even if other roads do not meanwhile deteriorate to the point where they also become priorities.
Surrey's PR statements and glossy brochures are somewhat more actively maintained than our road surfaces. The County Executive Member for Highways, David Munro (Conservative, Farnham South), has stated that "Overall the highways service is getting better and better."
Carillion subsidiary among companies accused of bidding malpractice by the Office of Fair Trading17 April 2008
Following one of the largest ever Competition Act investigations, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has issued a formal Statement of Objections against 112 firms in the construction sector in England. It maintains that these firms have engaged in bid rigging activities. Under the Competition Act 1998 and Article 81 of the EC Treaty, cartels are prohibited. The OFT has issued a note as to the action that might be taken by local authorities and other procuring entities as a consequence of the OFT's actions, and in particular the potential for exclusion of the companies under investigation from future tender lists. "It is important to note that no assumption should be made by procuring entities at this stage that there has been an infringement of competition law," cautions the OFT. The accused firms now have an opportunity to respond. The OFT's final decision is likely to be published next year.
One of the companies concerned is Carillion JM, a construction subsidiary of Carillion PLC that is responsible for the state of our highways. Nearly two years ago an undercover investigation by Surrey County Council showed that Carillion employees were goofing off during the 'working' day we were paying for. Surrey's report also heavily criticised Carillion for overcharging on road work. In one instance, repair to one and a half square metres of road surface, estimated to cost £200, ended up being billed in the sum of £2,782.50.
Carillion continues to hold the contract for road maintenance with Conservative-controlled Surrey County Council.
Council gumshoes - could it happen here?11 April 2008
Today's Telegraph reports that Poole Council has used the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (intended to cover counter-terrorism activities) to spy for two weeks on a family who were wrongly accused of giving a false address within the catchment area of an oversubscribed school to secure a place for their three-year-old. Surveillants made copious notes on the movements of the "target" mother and her three children as they followed their school runs and watched the family home at night.
The mother, who runs a toy business, and her partner, a computer programmer, applied for their youngest child to go to a First School, where their two elder children, aged six and 10, were educated. They had held lengthy discussions with the council, which assured her that her school application was totally in order.
It couldn't happen here.... or could it?
(Poole Borough Council is run by 25 Conservative councillors. There are 17 Liberal Democrats.)
More freedom for motorists to speed?10 April 2008
A paper just published by the Conservative Way Forward in defence of motorists' freedoms argues that there is nothing unprecedented about recent global temperatures or rates of change and that there have been many fluctuations in temperature since the end of the last ice age. Among several policy recommendations in favour of the motor car are that bus lanes and cycle lanes should be removed or reduced in urban areas, that there should be no more traffic-calming measures, that speed limits should be raised and the 40mph and 50mph speed limits applying to heavy goods vehicles on rural single and dual carriageway roads should be scrapped. The paper urges abolition of speed cameras and that enforcement of speed limits should be restricted to situations where the driver is stopped at the time of an alleged offence.
On local considerations the proposals envisage that financial regulations should be tightened to prevent local authorities using parking charges to subsidise their other services
The full paper may be read here and we should welcome your views on it - there are some things in it that may appeal, others not.
Snow - yay!6 April 2008
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Local children awoke to an inch and a half of snow this morning, and on a Sunday, too! Their parents were almost as excited. Here are the Relfe-Daceys of Thorkill Road with a fine snowman built by 09.30 on Giggs Hill Green. Click photo for larger version. They weren't the only ones! More snow-pix. |
Top of the class5 April 2008
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Imaginative recycling of plastic bags created this cow in the sunshine woven into the meshing around the Infants School click on picture for larger |
This February's inspection of Thames Ditton Infants School confirmed in the Ofsted report, just published, what we already know: it is an outstanding school. It scored top grading (outstanding) in every category. The report notes: "One parent described this as 'a fantastic school' and that is exactly what it is." The Lead Inspector wrote subsequently to the children that "You were all very friendly, helpful and polite...I agree with you and your parents that yours is an excellent school...I thought your behaviour in class and in the playground was excellent. It was great to see that you get on so well together and help each other in your work and play."
Ruth Lyon, one of the School's Community governors, comments that the Infants School's sustained excellence is a tribute not only to Head Janet Espley and her staff, but to all the parents who offer terrific support and a wealth of experience and enthusiasm, and to the children themselves who love the school.
And to the support of the local community: Thames Ditton villagers are very proud of our Infants School. It's unsurpassed, and an inspiration to all state schools.
Police 5 - or Police 9.7?4 April 2008
Surrey Police Authority are holding out for a 9.7% increase in their Council Tax precept. Our Police envisage a 6% growth in their budget overall, followed by two years of under four percent during which their Council Tax take would rise at 4.9% p.a.
The Government has established that rises in the police share of Council Tax will be capped at 5% if they exceed that figure.
Surrey is one of seven police authorities in England that face such capping. Lincolnshire demanded an increase of 80% (!). Lobbying of ministers is taking place over the next three weeks, accompanied by the expected manoeuvering to get better deals.
The new Conservative Shadow Minister for Local Government, Bob Neill, said council tax was now probably the most unpopular tax in the country and that despite the caps there would still be an extra £53 a year on the bills of band D householders.
Council tax in England will rise by an average of 4% in the coming year against a rate of inflation of 2.5%. Surrey's county administration has voted for an increase of 4.9% - just below the level at which capping overall would have been imposed. Officials did present lower options: Residents councillors voted for a lower option.
A policeman's lot - comment.
China comes to Thames Ditton3 April 2008
Intrigued by the sight of half a dozen smartly-dressed Chinese business people carefully examining and photographing Thames Ditton High Street this morning? (The Ironing Board was observed to draw their special attention, by a resident who tipped off our reporting staff).
We can reveal that this was a delegation from the Chinese Ministry of Communications Rescue and Salvage Bureau in Beijing on a mission to increase international co-operation, and mutual business. They were here to meet and talk to MARINT Offshore Services.
One of the many things about this quirky Thames Ditton that we love is the wealth of top quality things that go on here. Now, who would expect that in what the press have described as 'this chocolate-box village' quite far from the sea, there would be a leading independent agency for Towage and Salvage throughout the world? But there is! Contributing to the valuable and vibrant office economy of our community, from its offices in Stag's Court MARINT tracks daily the position of every tug and supply vessel on the world's seas so that shipowners with vessels in trouble can find the nearest one, quickly and independently of any particular company's salvage claims.
Stag's Court, formerly the village slaughterhouse, may well be the oldest building in Thames Ditton after St Nicholas' Church. But now it houses a very modern concern. This is no 'cottage industry.' The visiting interpreter was quick to point out that MARINT are very big in the World, to which our Chinese salvage colleagues nodded vigorously. We welcomed them warmly to Thames Ditton, which, they noted, is very pretty.
Woodman, spare that tree31 March 2008
An application (numbered 2008/0756) has been submitted to fell the Holm Oak in the garden of 3 Harvest Lane. The tree is subject to a preservation order. It was the object of unsuccessful applications to fell it in 1994 and 1995, and permissions were instead given then and in 2000 to lop lower branches and reduce the crown. One sympathises with the owners of the house shaded by the tree except for a period of an hour or so during the morning where sunlight reaches the windows. On the other hand, it is a fine tree that has been there for a very long time and was a known entity when Harvest Lane was developed and when the house changed hands.
The Holm Oak, quercus ilex, an evergreen oak with holly-like leaves, was native to the Mediterranean region but has been cultivated in England since the 16th century. It was beloved by the Victorians. Well suited to the climate in Southern England, and well adapted to the direction of climate change, it is a drought-tolerant species that the RHS recommends as an option for gardeners. The one pictured here has almost certainly reached its maximum size of around 60 feet and may be over 150 years old. It has been well-preserved and despite a ring of iron to keep its three trunks stable, which restricts its cambial layer to some extent, its head of foliage looks to be in very good health.
Many creatures like its majestic crown as a roosting site, because its dense evergreen foliage makes a relatively dry, wind-free and warm habitat. Birds like long-tailed and other tits, woodpeckers, nuthatches and goldcrests profit from the Holm Oak and many eat its catkins and immature acorns. If this tree is felled, then the timber of Holm Oak is said to be even harder than common oak, just as durable, and more flexible. This makes it an ideal wood for mallet heads and stocks of tools. When cut green, the wood is heavier than water.
This particular Holm Oak has formed an attractive part of the view from the High Street for well over a century. If residents wish it to be preserved (and perhaps thinned instead of felled) they may decide to make their views known to Elmbridge's Planning Service.
Martin Bell to speak for Residents in Elmbridge31 March 2008
Martin Bell, the well-known broadcaster and former independent MP elected on an anti-sleaze ticket, will address a Residents' Group public Election Forum at St.Andrew's United Reformed Church Hall, Hersham Road, Walton, on Thursday 10th April at 7.30pm on the need to have an independent voice in local and national government. Residents' Group candidates will be there en masse to answer questions on local issues.
If you want truly responsive democracy to prevail over vested political interests, why not come along?
Well-documented distrust of the national political parties has caused understandable public ennui and a worrying detachment from the election process. Disengagement of ordinary people leaves the field more vulnerable to political zealotry. Locally there is widening concern over the impact of policy decisions made by the current Elmbridge Administration - an Administration that now seeks absolute power with an absolute majority. To have someone of Martin Bell's impeccable standing reinforce the need for councillors independent of party politics, rooted in their local communities and answerable solely to them, is a splendid fillip for Elmbridge.
Martin Bell, the "man in the white suit", had a distinguished career as a foreign affairs correspondent for the BBC, reporting from 80 countries including Bosnia where he was wounded while recording a report. He was appointed OBE in 1992 and is author of "An Accidental MP" and other books. In 1997 he stood for Parliament as an Independent, and overturned one of the largest Conservative majorities in Tatton at a time when, not for the first time and certainly not for the last time, the Government was embroiled in sleaze allegations. Since then he has promoted "clean" politics and works to support independent candidates in local and national elections. He is an ambassador for UNICEF and in April this year he travelled to report on the humanitarian disaster in Somalia.
New High Street Deli opens22 March 2008
If you saw lights on in the new deli at three o'clock on the morning of 22 March, it was Sharon scrambling to put the finishing touches before opening the Lime Tree for business later that Saturday. Your reporting staff - and we should say in advance that they paid for everything themselves to ensure reporting credibility and freedom - were delighted to see some gorgeous and succulent foodie items being served by equally gorgeous damsels of the locality, clad in clean and simple black and white to go with the bright, scrubbed decor.
We did not have occasion to try everything, but can report that Lime Tree has excellent Finnuchiona salami, Brie and Stinking Bishop cheeses along with other enticing cheese and sausage; terrific figgy balls that were a new delight to palates jaded by years of dining in exotic foreign restaurants; and - yes! - the Best Lime Pickle In The World and other top Indie sauces and pickles, made by Anila of Walton on Thames who is justly getting a cracking good planetary reputation.
Let's hope this becomes a success story among our local retail shops that work hard to make the most of thinnish trading circumstances. We wish Sharon and her cheerful team good luck.
Opening hours
Hands across the sea18 March 2008
Out of the blue we've just received this heartwarming message from the Isle of Man, where the residents of Ballasalla have a beautiful village to nurture, an active Residents' Association to defend it, and a pretty and informative website that you may like to visit as the rain pours down Surrey office windows. We've added it to our links page. Any Manxmen / Manxwomen here? Write and tell us.
"We are Ballasalla & District Residents Association in the Isle Of Man, and we are looking to be added to links of other residents associations, as being here in the Irish Sea we are a little isolated. Please have a look at our website. Also possible is that there may be ex Manx people or their relatives living in your area. By the way - love your site."
Of course we can't resist that last bit!
Lime Tree grows where Five Rivers ran17 March 2008
In a remarkably short space of time for refitting, the new Lime Tree delicatessen opens on Saturday 22 March in Thames Ditton's High Street. Local gourmets - of whom there are plenty - are looking forward to it.
Proprietor Sharon Evans, a resident well-known around the village, tells us that she will retain the combination of deli and cafe and the centrally-placed Lime Tree should be one of the hubs of the village welcoming one and all. Coffee, fresh juice and smoothies will be sold and there'll continue to be a selection of quality deli items both fresh and on the shelves, including freshly prepared dishes and home made cakes. Sharon and her son, who runs another deli elsewhere, combine to secure excellent cheese and have a renowned Italian supplier of charcuterie. As well as eat in / take away sandwiches and lunch dishes, Sharon intends to offer supper and dinner party dishes, desserts, cheeseboards and business lunch platters.
Sharon adds: "I'm also looking for additional members of staff who are enthusiatic about food and interested in regular part-time work." Contact her on 07737 555610.
We wish our new addition to the High Street every good fortune. During Easter Lime Tree will be open:
Saturday 22 March, 9 – 4
Sunday 23 March and Monday 24 March, 10 – 1
...and thereafter normal opening hours will be Monday – Friday 8.30 – 5, Saturday 9 – 4 and Sunday (for early-rising residents) 10 - 1.
Enjoy!
Wine Rack on the rack17 March 2008
Worryingly for local imbibers, Wine Rack / Threshers in Thames Ditton is sporting a 'Lease for Sale' sign. We gather that it is one of over 200 branches that the chain is considering selling. These are hard times, and the repeated robberies at the off-licence in the quiet High Street have not helped. There is no imminent threat of closure pending sale of the lease, though - and we must hope that the attractions of an off-licence in drawing village shoppers to the High Street are not lost.
BAA, Government officials reportedly finagle report on Heathrow expansion9 March 2008
We apologise for quoting extensively from the quality weeklies here, but according to important articles in the Sunday Times of 9 March, the airports operator BAA colluded with government officials to "fix" the evidence in favour of a new third runway at Heathrow. And an advance sighting of an Environment Agency report revealed to Sunday Times reporters that the Agency "has now criticised the Department for Transport (DfT) consultation document into the third runway as flawed and incomplete.... The agency criticises the lack of work on the impact on air quality, describing it as potentially 'a very significant omission', adding that there are 'substantive uncertainties' over whether an expanded Heathrow could meet European Union pollution limits. It also warns that the document fails to consider the impact on public health of pollution from emissions such as nitrogen dioxide and particulates. There was the potential for 'increased morbidity and mortality over a dense local population', it says."
Expanding on these discoveries, a further article headed "Evidence fix led to third runway being approved -
In the effort to push through the third runway, the government and BAA have bent the facts to fit the case," the Sunday Times investigators conclude that "senior executives from the airports operator were given unrivalled access to Whitehall so they could select alternate input data for the environmental predictions until they got the right results." They point out that "Tom Kelly, Tony Blair’s former Downing Street spokesman, is now BAA’s director of public affairs; several senior Labour figures have lobbied or worked for the airports operator."
Our earlier summary on Heathrow expansion is to be found here.
Surrey Highways blacken Thistledene7 March 2008
Thistledene residents are indignant that Surrey Highways Department has upped and blackened their nice warm red pavements with a poor overlay of black tarmac. You can see from Ben Ellis' photo what kind of a job they are making.... Up in arms, residents got RA councillors David Lowe and Peter Hickman to see the mess. On being challenged by Peter, Surrey Highways said that they have consulted (we can find no evidence of this - if you are a resident of Thistledene and have been consulted, please let us know) and that all red pavements will eventually disappear.
The member of the Surrey County Council's ruling Executive responsible for Highways is David Munro (Conservative, Farnham South). Latterly, apropos replacing paving slabs with black tarmac in Egham he said: "This is one of the many small things the council does to improve the look of the pavement across Surrey." Mr. Munro also claims in PR statements that "Overall the highways service is getting better and better."
So now you know. Are you giddy from the spin?!
Local Education authorities give residents the runaround over school allocations6 March 2008
In common with other parts of the country, where more parents even than last year are distraught about nonsensical situations in the allocation of state school places to their children, we are hearing stories such as young children from the
Portsmouth Road area being assigned to Grovelands in Walton.
Much of the present situation has to do with 'principles' of social engineering imposed by the Government. However, we are hearing that the admissions department at Conservative-controlled Surrey County Council, which has local responsibility for the decisions and the manner of their communication to parents, are being singularly unhelpful. No doubt they are hard-pressed at having to defend an indefensible situation where nearly one in five children have been denied a place at the school of their choice, many of them sent to schools far away even though their siblings are at the nearby school they chose.
The contact person at Surrey is Angela Bridgman who is the Manager of the Schools admission service at Room 122 in
County Hall.
Meanwhile you may read SCC's press release on their website. They maintain that "More than nine out of 10 parents have been successful in gaining places at one of their preferred secondary schools in Surrey for September 2008." Lower down, the press release notes that "nearly eight of 10 parents have been allocated their first preference secondary school." Andrew Crisp (Conservative, Woking South), Surrey County Council's Executive Member for Schools, Children and Youth Services, said: "This demonstrates that we have worked very hard to find a fair and practical policy." He may be contacted via email or telephone 01483 750353.
It's the policy of the Residents' Group throughout Elmbridge to lobby, through the county councillors that we have in Surrey, for greater transparency, consistency and commonsense in the allocation of school places to residents in their local catchment area. To this end we should welcome matter-of-fact details from residents on specific cases, by email via the webmaster or by telephone to your RA Councillors. See contacts page for details. We can't guarantee results but we can lend our support to those to who have good cause.
Motor Neurone Dad raises six grand for charity4 March 2008
Congratulations to Steve Evans from Thames Ditton who with two friends has raised over £6,000 for the Motor Neurone Disease Association in a towpath cycle ride from Wimbledon to Godalming. Steve, in his forties, was found to have MND late last year. To help them reach their target of £10,000 you may wish to sponsor online here
Five Rivers Deli changes hands2 March 2008
The Five Rivers Deli has changed hands as a going concern. Thames Ditton resident Sharon Evans, the new proprietor, is refitting and hopes to reopen shortly under the name 'Lime Tree.' We wish her well and hope that villagers will continue to support our local shops.
Former owner of Five Rivers, Taj, built the deli up from small beginnings by relying on sheer taste and quality and it has become recognised beyond the limits of these villages as a fine place for foodies. Domesticity beckons: Taj is about to produce another baby, and we wish her every good fortune.
World Swimming Champions of Thames Ditton14 February 2008
Cyril and Yvonne, two of our fit magazine distributors, at the RA distributors' party on 8 February.
While the rest of us shivered in last weekend's bright and frosty mornings, Thistledene residents Yvonne and Cyril Wood, among the hardier distributors of Thames Ditton Today, were competing in the World Winter Swimming Championships at the open-air Tooting Bec Lido, the largest swimming pool in the UK. The annual national winter championships take place there, but this was the first occasion that the UK had hosted the World Championships. 670 competitors took part, including a strong contingent from .... Finland where, one assumes, they enjoy a training advantage!
In water temperatures of 40Celsius Cyril and Yvonne each won the gold medal for the over-80s breastroke races, with Yvonne also beating all but one youngster from the over-70 category in the process.
Hats off in admiration!
RA continues battle to resolve Esher Station floods7 February 2008
A dry moment...
Carol Walker of SCC Highways, wearing gumboots; Clare Day and Dean Hall of Network Rail get down to the problem with our Councillors Tannia Shipley and Peter Hickman on 6 February.
During the past year, RA councillor for Weston Green Tannia Shipley has tenaciously ensured that Network Rail cleared the existing two-mile chain of culverts, ditches and pipes that carry surface water away from the area of Esher Station railway bridge where frequent flooding in heavy rain has caused insupportable problems to local commuters and residents alike for over seventy years, worsening as climate change brings more unstable weather to our country. The water now clears more rapidly - but nowhere near rapidly enough to prevent flooding occurring in the first place.
The task is compounded by different areas of responsibility and latterly our efforts have focused on Surrey County Council's obligations, some of which officials have disputed. RA County Councillor Peter Hickman has lent additional leverage on Council Highways officials. Part of the problem seems to be the pipe under the road, where there is permanent standing water. Tannia managed to obtain from Network Rail a copy of the DVD containing the results of their CCTV survey of the drains. Some footage shows that fish are thriving in the pipe! Our Councillors convened a meeting at the site of Network Rail and Surrey Highways officials on 6 February to push for further urgent action.
In a three hour inspection, SCC consultant Wally Howe, who as a Senior Highways Engineer for Surrey County Council tackled this problem for 25 years and knows it well, opined that even when totally unobstructed, the network of drains, siphons and levels might be insufficient to carry water away quickly and completely. In which case additional works may be necessary to supplement drainage. We will continue to press for effective action.
Background here...
RA planning successes in High Street7 February 2008
Thank you to all residents who supported RA Councillors Karen Randolph and Ruth Lyon at Elmbridge Council's Planning Sub-Committee on Monday 4th February, when plans to halve the size of the Old Bakery were rejected. If they had been approved the shop would not be viable and the High Street would have lost another shop.
At the same meeting the committee also rejected plans to build 5 flats over Hawes estate agents, as this would be over-development, out of keeping with the character of the Conservation Area and would produce problems for highway and pedestrian safety.
Another unblocking attempt..6 February 2008
RA County Cllr. Peter Hickman reports that persistent pressure on Surrey County Council Highways led them to make another attempt at unblocking the surface water drains along Station Road, Thames Ditton, some ten days ago, using their heavyweight 'combo' drain sucker that (we think) can also blow. We await the next hard rains to see whether this has been any more successful than previous attempts - which resulted in some drains working, others showing slight improvement; still others, none. If not, it may be that expensive infrastructural repairs are needed...
Council Tax: Tories hit your wallet6 February 2008
On 5 February the Conservatives who dominate Surrey and Elmbridge Councils voted in Surrey for a Council Tax rise twice the rate of inflation - yet again. Residents' councillors voted for a lower figure.
Those voting in favour of a 4.8% tax hike included the Leader of Elmbridge Council, Roy Taylor, a politician who failed convincingly in his bid last year to replace his colleague Nick Skellett as leader of the County Council.
Residents Group policy is to keep Council Tax increases to a minimum consistent with delivering and improving services. Within Elmbridge, we recall that last November in a recorded vote only Conservative councillors voted against a draft proposal for the Top Priority for Elmbridge to be: "Delivering high quality services while keeping the Council Tax as low as
possible." See below. Last year also saw the local Tories headlining zero increases in Council Tax while quietly looking for other ways to hit your wallets through greatly increased charges for essential council services and through car park charges. We are sceptical that the issue of revenues can be glossed over by political 'spin.'
Light dawns for tennis club5 February 2008
This situation happily averted..!
We are pleased to report that Elmbridge Council has now given the go-ahead for lighting three tennis courts at Thames Ditton Tennis Club. This will give the 100-year-old club a new lease of life. The matter had been of concern to nearby residents who wished neither to have their bedrooms floodlit nor to have their natural light reduced by barriers.
At the Planning meeting on 4 February that decided the issue, RA Councillor Karen Randolph said that following the earlier Planning Inspector’s report, the Tennis Club had reduced the number of lights and had proposed conditions restricting the time to 9.00pm in the evening and would attach baffles to the lighting posts to minimise light spillage to the neighbours. RA Councillor Ruth Lyon said there needed to be a balance between the interests of residents and the Tennis Club. The local residents did not wish to see high hedges which would take the light from their gardens and she supported the new proposals.
The East Area Planning Committee unanimously supported the application with the new conditions.
Comment: Floodlighting has also been a matter of concern at Imber Court and having all learned from these local experiences we would urge any other establishments that may be considering floodlights to study these neighbourly ways of minimising their collateral effects.
England cricket hero Spurgeon comes home to Thames Ditton4 February 2008
Heathfield Harman Stephenson
In recognition of its 175th anniversary this year, Thames Ditton Cricket Club has received a copy from Melbourne Cricket Club of an engraving of Heathfield Harman Stephenson, captain of the first England side to tour Australia - in 1861/2. Former TDCC President Graham Ashton, saw the engraving during a guided tour of the Melbourne club before the Ashes Boxing Day Test in 2006:
"Towards the end of the tour our party was led through the pavilion , passing a large mural depicting many of the famous cricketers who had played on that ground. Heathfield Stephenson was the first player to be represented. I told our guide all about him and that he was also the uncle of another Thames Ditton and England cricketer, Maurice Read. He seemed suitably impressed. Photography was in its infancy in those days and we had no picture of Stephenson in our archives. As part of our 175th celebrations we're producing a history of the club. I subsequently contacted the museum at the Melbourne Club to see if they would help. Much to my delight I received an email from Peter Schmidt the MCG Museum Administrator with this and various other pictures of that time including two of the England team with Stephenson seated at the head."
Heathfield Stephenson was born locally in 1833 - the same year the Thames Ditton CC was formed. Known to his friends as 'Spurgeon', he played for Thames Ditton before going on to star for Surrey and England. He was a member of the first ever England touring side (to America) in 1859. He umpired in the inaugural Test match in England at The Oval in 1880 when W G Grace opened the batting for England and scored the country's first century.
Hat Trick
Stephenson is also reputed to be the first cricketer to be awarded a hat for taking three wickets in consecutive balls - hence the phase 'hat trick'. This auspicious occasion took place in Sheffield in 1858.
Thames Ditton Cricket Club has played on Giggs Hill Green since 1833 and the first recorded match was against Twickenham. The scorecard of that game is in the club's pavilion and a celebratory match will be played between the two teams this summer. Various other events are being planned starting with a Caribbean tour of the West Indies later this month, summer ball, past player's lunch as well as numerous other functions, details of which will be announced shortly.
European or not? Referendum or not?4 February 2008
In 2005, the last attempt to produce a constitution for all member states of the European Union was upskittled by referenda in France and the Netherlands that rejected it. Our Government promised then to give the British people a referendum on this issue but was saved from delivering on that promise by the reaction to the 'no' vote in those countries.
A second attempt to produce an EU constitution resulted in the Lisbon Treaty signed by leaders of member states, including our own, on 13 December 2007. The UK government has treated this as a separate exercise and does not regard itself bound by the promise of a referendum. During the negotiations, the UK set a number of 'red lines' that must not be crossed if the UK was to become a signatory. You may well speculate that the negotiating lever that our government used to enforce these 'red lines' was probably a promise in confidence to other EU leaders, that if they were not crossed there would be no referendum in the UK.
There are two issues here, not one. One is whether the EU constitution represents any significant change in sovereignty beyond that which was, before, ceded in the various treaties and agreements that governed the operation of the EU. You may wish to check out the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's account of myths and realities here
The second issue, and many would regard this as far more serious, is whether on an issue of sovereignty or constitution, of great importance to the people of this country, and when the Government (it happens to be Labour, but any Government) had promised the electorate a referendum, it is heinously undemocratic to proceed without consulting the people specifically on this issue. It suggests indeed that the Government has avoided the electorate's verdict because it does not believe its case is persuasive enough. On taking office, Gordon Brown promised that his government would be more open and democratic. So much for the statements of politicians.
Meanwhile, on 21 January the Conservative MP for Esher and Walton, Ian Taylor, voted in favour of Labour's Bill to ratify the Lisbon treaty without a referendum. Representing your majority views??...
School crossing petition28 January 2008
Nathan Byatt, 2, with part of the petition aimed at safeguarding his future crossing safety
Time for another shove on the issue of the school (and commuter) crossing point on Station Road by Thames Ditton station. All regular users of the crossing know that its uncertainties create several dangerous moments each week, but Surrey County Council officials have taken a different view. There is no sign that a lollipop person will ever be recruited, and we must get SCC urgently to address other improvements that might be made to ensure safer crossing for the many children and parents especially, that rely on this crossing.
Melisa Byatt, a parent with a son at each school and the youngster pictured coming along soon, crosses there at least four times a day and has witnessed several near-misses. Melisa has organised a petition underlining the need for SCC to get moving. It attracted almost 400 signatures and was welcomed by RA Cllr. Peter Hickman when presented to him at 15.00 on 28 January. Peter has been trying to get meaningful action from officials for at least a year, and the weight of the petition will help this cause.
Our last report on the crossing is here, since when SCC Highways has freshened up the white markings (but has not added the promised new ones).
Yet again, during the ten minute photoshoot we saw at least one inattentive driver driving past the crossing while talking on a mobile phone... We have asked PCSOs to catch a few of these drivers.
Put your glass in the bluetop bin16 January 2008
From 14 January Elmbridge will not be collecting glass in separate crates. You should put bottles and jars in the bluetop wheelie bin. You can keep the green crate for other domestic uses. If you need a second bluetop bin call Elmbridge Borough Council.
Web site statistics2 January 2008
In 2007 this web site received 69,664 unique visits - for comparison, the Elmbridge Borough Council received 266,683 - and visits have stablised at an average of close to 200 per day. We estimate that most of the broadband-owning population of Thames Ditton and Weston Green now visit regularly. You visit more often during the working week than at weekends! Staff of local and regional TV and newspapers are also frequent visitors and occasionally glean material here for their own stories.
Thanks to those who have emailed snippets of news, stories, ideas, letters, useful links and photographs: we hope that readers continue to find the site useful, informative, amusing, lively and up to date. Keep those emails coming! And a happy 2008 to all of you.
Residents with LibDems get rejection of carpark price hikes; but the political parties railroad through huge pay increases against Residents' opposition7 December 2007
The Elmbridge Residents' Group reports:
Not many members of the public were present at the Elmbridge Council meeting last Wednesday. If they had been there, they would surely have been appalled at what went on. The Conservative Cabinet proposed huge increases in their own allowances - up by 32.3% - and for committee chairmen and vice-chairmen, while at the same time trying to increase charges for most car parking, for children's holiday activity schemes and for cemeteries, by amounts way above inflation, mostly over 30%. The allowance of the Conservative Leader of the Council will go up from £8,460 to £12,000, and in addition he receives over £10,000 in his other role as a Surrey County Councillor. Conservatives also voted to reduce the number of Cabinet meetings, so more money for less work!
To increase car parking charges before proper parking management schemes are in place is plain daft as the higher the charge the more parkers will use the nearby roads and leave the car parks half empty, thus increasing rather than reducing congestion. The Cabinet evidently sees car parks as a milch cow and they have clearly not talked to traders who rightly complain about the amateur way the Conservative administration is going about its policies.
Fortunately, their car park charging plan was rejected by a combination of Residents and Liberal Democrat councillors and the schemes will be reviewed. However, Liberal Democrats joined the Conservatives to vote in the huge increase in allowances- a move opposed by Residents councillors. No wonder the national political parties are no longer respected!
Council's Top Priority for 2008-9 in the making3 December 2007
It is not often that we get to learn how councillors vote on specific issues, unless one attends a meeting in the public area. However, the release of minutes put to Cabinet, on Elmbridge Borough Council's excellent website, gives us a rare example. The Special meeting of Community Affairs, Corporate Affairs and Environmental Affairs Overview and Scrutiny Committees on 6 November was considering the Top Priorities for EBC for 2008 - 2009. Liberal Democrat Cllr. T.C. Crowther moved an amendment so that the first Top Priority listed should read:
"Delivering high quality services while keeping the Council Tax as low as possible;"
Unexceptionable, no? But apparently some councillors objected to this wording. A recorded vote was requested, and the amendment was carried - our RA Councillors on these committees, amongst others, voted in favour and the motion was carried.
And who voted against this?
Councillors:
D.E. Palmer
B. White
M.J. Bennison
Mrs. C. Elmer
C.J. Elmer
Mrs. M. Odone
All are Conservative councillors.
The Priorities list was then submitted to the 100% Conservative-controlled cabinet and comes before full Council on 5 December. We shall be interested to see how this one emerges.
25 - 31 High Street and adjacent buildings13 September 2007 - 13 January 2008
Update 20 January:
The RA's Planning Convenor, Graham Cooke, has written to EBC's Head of Planning about the need to enforce proper implementation of what has been agreed with the developer. Text of letter here.
Meanwhile, developers have now submitted fresh applications on both no. 27(2007/3215) and no. 29(2007/3316). These applications appear to be much the same as the earlier applications that were withdrawn - most of the plans are identical. Those who objected to the previous (withdrawn) applications may wish to resubmit their comments to the planning staff. This can be done via the EBC website Planning Services if you wish.
Update 13 January:
Cllr David Lowe informs us that the Temporary Stop Order 25 - 31 High Street was served on the developer on 17th December, and
following the latter's discussion with Council Officers a written response was
submitted to the Council on 27th December. In the light of written commitments, and the fact that most of the materials and replacement front windows and doors were expected to be
delivered at the start of the New Year, it was decided that with certain provisos the Stop
Order could be lifted. However the work was to be limited to the front commercial building
and the courtyard NOT the rear residential units. The proposals for
the commercial building fronting the High Street should result in
almost all of the requested changes being implemented apart from the
style of brickwork (Flemish Bond will not be used and apart from the
front stucco implementation the brickwork will largely be unchanged)
and roofing materials (artificial slate is being permitted). Also
the existing window dimensions and positions will be unchanged
although the style and materials will change to something much more in
keeping with Conservation Area.
The stop order was not lifted on the rear residential buildings as the
ground floor windows were deemed to be totally unacceptable. The
developer was given two weeks to submit plans, drawings and window
specifications for a revised solution otherwise the Enforcement action
would be taken. If an acceptable solution is not received then the Council will start
the Enforcement Action which will result in a Charge being put on the
Title records at the Land Office stating that the building is illegal
and has not been built according to approved plans. That would
effectively make the development un-sellable.
Hopefully the developer has now "seen the light" and an acceptable
modification will be agreed and then implemented by early Spring
(agreeing timescales is also part of the process).
Update 11 December:
At its Special meeting on 10 December the Councillors attending the East Area Planning Committee unanimously agreed to a 'Temporary Stop Notice' being issued in respect of this development in the High Street. The order will be issued on 12 December 'to secure compliance with the planning permission because the works carried out to date do not fully comply and exhibit a disregard for the external appearance of the development to the standard for the Conservation Area'.
Once the stop notice is issued, carrying out work on the site will be in contravention of the order and be a criminal offence. The stop order will last for 28 days and if there is then no agreed plan of remedial work with the developer, a formal enforcement notice will be issued that will legally oblige the owners to comply fully with the specifications approved in the plans.
We hope for a speedy resolution so that works may be satisfactorily completed. Our Councillors are to be congratulated on stiffening officials to take the necessary enforcement action that so many villagers wanted to see.
Update 1 December: Elmbridge Borough Council wrote to the developer by recorded delivery, asking for a reply within 7 days of the delivery date (23 November). Hitherto, Council policy has been to try to resolve matters by agreement, but if no satisfactory reply was received within seven days - which expired yesterday 30 November without our being aware that any written reply had in fact been received - the Council officers would initiate formal action.
The Council in its letter referred inter alia to a lamentable disregard for the external appearance of the development, that would certainly not have been approved. It would be absolutely essential to resolve the issues of wrought iron porches on the mews houses and feature brick arches on the coach house; to treat the ground storey of the commercial building in accordance with the approved plans; to replace upvc doors and windows throughout the development by timber; and to correct the external sill levels to ground floor residential windows. A timetable with staged dates for the work is required.
There is real anger locally and if action is not taken in a timely manner I feel we have no alternative than to refer the matter to the Local Government Ombudsman".
The Conservation Area Advisory Committee is also writing in similar vein. To underscore the depth of local opinion on the matter residents may like to make their views known in writing to Mr. Wiltshire.
Full text of Graham Cooke's letter may be viewed or downloaded here, and the direct link to planning enforcement on EBC's website is here: you may file your views conveniently via the 'online investigation complaint form' at the foot of Elmbridge's web page.
Update 5 November: On around 10 October a meeting was held between the Council officers and the developer, who is resident abroad. The developer is expected to make a formal reply during the coming week. In short, it appears that the specifications were not rigorous enough to reach definitive judgment on non-compliance, and compromise seems likely with the main area of improvement the face of the building that fronts on to the High Street. We shall see...
The issues raised have highlighted shortcomings in the procedures for specifying finish and materials, which EBC intends to tighten up by producing a more rigorous 'full management plan' governing future developments, in consultation with local Conservation Area Advisory Committees. EBC also point to staffing shortfalls and a need for reinforcement if implementation is to be properly monitored and enforced. Many readers may be sceptical about this typical bureacratic response to the problem although there seems to be some justification for the view that the planning compliance officers are overstretched borough-wide.
Update 3 October: Embridge Borough Council's (EBC) Planning Department received over one hundred representations from residents and businesses concerned about this case. The Head of Planning for EBC, Martin Parker, has replied to them confirming that 'alleged breaches of planning control' are being investigated and that the Council 'will endeavour to ensure' strict compliance, which 'may involve areas that require additional planning permission.' Full text of reply here.
EBC has written to the developer airing the concerns which have been raised by Residents, the Residents' Association and the Conservation Area Advisory Committee and a swift reply has been requested on how the developer intends to address them. It may be some time before the full outcome is known, and in the meantime our Ward Councillors will try to keep everybody informed on progress and to co-ordinate any further matters which might emerge. Several issues have been raised with wider implications for development in the conservation area than this site alone, and Councillors are engaged in discussing these with the Council's officers.
We will try to keep readers fully up to date here as things transpire. Meanwhile if you have direct concerns please contact the EBC Case Officer, (also Compliance Officer) Mr. S. Elliott on 10372 474836 (fax 474910) or email tplan@elmbridge.gov.uk quoting reference no. TP/SEL/INV/2007/0495. Please keep your Councillors informed.
13 September 2007: The new commercial development between 27 and 29 High Street (to the left of Hawes and Co) is apparently not being finished in accordance with the specifications approved in the plan. There is a risk that if there is insufficient objection, the inferior finishing may be approved contrary to the plans but after the fact. To help protect the Village centre from this kind of precedent, residents are urged to make their views known to Martin Parker, Head of Planning at Elmbridge Borough Council quoting the planning number 2001/1133.
For more detail, please see an informative letter from Stuart and Caroline James here together with a larger version of the photo at left.
Recently, the developer withdrew applications to build a substantial number of flats over no.29 and reduce the commercial space existing there and at no.31: we may expect further modified applications for those premises in the near future.
Update 16 September: Following initial representations, we are pleased to report that Elmbridge's Compliance Officer reacted very promptly and visited the site on 13 September to look at all points. He will now urgently arrange to discuss them with the developer's agent. Please continue to make your views known to the Planning Officer.
Earlier news items here and here.
New planning application in High Street10 March 2007
Update 20 April: the planning application below has just been withdrawn.
With works to build houses behind 29 High Street well under way, the owner has now applied for permission to convert the double-fronted building that currently houses Hawes Estate Agents to five flats on three floors, retaining just the front ground-floor rooms for office use. There is no provision for off-street parking, and on this aspect the design statement reads: "On-street parking is limited but available and there is a public car park directly behind the site"
Representation may be made in writing or on Elmbridge's excellent e-planning service by 19 March. The planning reference number is 2007/0583.
Update 15 March:
RA Planning Convenor, Graham Cooke's letter to the Planning Officer objecting strongly to the proposed development on behalf of the RA can be viewed here. A minimum of ten letters of objection would mean that this one has to go through the full planning process, so if you want to object to this proposal please act swiftly to file your representations.