Autumn 2007 issue

News from the Residents' Association

Thames Ditton spared from floods

A dismal wet summer, but the storm waters draining out of Oxfordshire rose no higher here than the decking at The Swan. Our efforts to get Surrey to unblock some of the drains in these villages meant that there was less standing water than previously around the village roads - but more work is needed. We are not alone: nationally, insurers have highlighted to Government the costs and risks of shortcomings in surface water drainage.

Parking Survey

Surrey County Council Highways Department have digested the results of their initial survey. A summary is available on our website. A substantial majority of the 505 respondents agreed that action was needed. For the High Street there was majority support for residents' parking permits (with businesses provided with permits for critical operational vehicles) and a 1hr waiting time for temporary visitors. A majority endorsed additional restrictions in Watts Road. Around the Station, the proposed restrictions were supported although opinion was divided on the extent of 'curfew' times. The overall response rate was 43% and it is assumed that those who did not trouble to respond can live with the proposals.

Surrey Highways will now work up detailed plans, which they aim to expose to public view (possibly in the Library) for some weeks prior to carrying out their final obligatory survey to take your decision. When the plans are to hand, your Residents' Association proposes to hold another Special Open Meeting. Dates depend on Surrey's progress. Please keep an eye on our website and notice-boards, and/or ensure that Membership Secretary Peter Haynes has your email address.

'Dittons in Bloom'

Our website feature on 'Dittons in Bloom' was prompted by the failure of Surrey Highways to keep down weeds, which have grown large and numerous. This is not just a problem of the current rainy season - Council contractors Carillion have been dilatory for two years or more, as the size of some weeds testifies. Peter Hickman, our patient and persistent RA County Councillor, met with a number of excuses from officials: such as the contractors 'forgot' to carry out the first of two annual scheduled weedkills, and then that they had been 'heavily engaged with Cobham in Bloom.' A year after heated debate in this Conservative-run Council on shortcomings in highways maintenance, Highways have had an increase in budget; they have restructured into two departments with the appointment of another senior executive; and they have created and recruited for four posts to liaise with local communities in areas of Surrey. Many glowing PR statements have been issued. But the situation on the ground does not appear to have changed.

'Dittons in Bloom' was replayed by the BBC online regional news and in the local press. Subsequently the contractors began clearing the weeds. Peter will continue to press, until they fully discharge the responsibilities for which we pay Council Tax.

Planning

Planning issues continue to occasion much hard work by the Association's officers and councillors. We supported residents' objections to enlarged offices at 79 High Street with the removal of two car park spaces, contrary to the original planning approval for the site, accessed through Harvest Lane. The Planning Committee turned down the application but a Conservative councillor from Oxshott referred it to full Council, where Conservative and Liberal Democrat councillors conspired to approve it, against the Council's own policies and against the recommendations of the local Residents' councillors and the wishes of the residents themselves. Party politics do not bring good administration.

Following an appeal against the Council's refusal of the application to build a terrace of 6 houses in Queens Drive, the developer has now submitted a fresh application for 5 houses. In support of residents we have made representations for both the appeal and the revised application, which seek to build an out of character development. A number of applications have been made and withdrawn for more development in the High Street. We supported the Planning Officer's objections to applications to develop both 29 and 31 High Street for a number of reasons, but notably because the proposed development would have reduced the office and retail accommodation. We have latterly seen numerous planning applications that propose reductions in retail space in favour of residential accommodation, making retail units less viable commercially. The vital Bakery at 31 High Street is the latest example and we were pleased to see the application withdrawn. We expect to see fresh applications for development in the High Street.

It is good to note that Elmbridge's Planning Officers have resisted developers' attempts to 'chip away' at retail and commercial premises. Those who want to see the High Street and its shops survive should take the trouble to make representations when planning applications are submitted that put these facilities in jeopardy. If members wish to be alerted by occasional email to urgent issues such as these, please ensure that the Membership Secretary has your email address. Major planning developments are also headlined on our website, together with the Elmbridge Planning reference number which you may use to view full details of both plans and individual objection on the Council's excellent website at /www.elmbridge.gov.uk - follow the links to Planning Services.

Meanwhile we welcome Financial Advisers Knight, James to 6 Station Road. The new building, when weathered, will be a substantial improvement on Annie's Sandwich Bar. Owner Paul Basson thoughtfully wishes to thank residents for putting up with the building works. His own financial planning needs grew acutely a couple of years ago when he fathered triplets. His wife, Vanessa, is a pilates and fitness instructor at Colets.

Weston Green Tile Heist

In the dawn light of 25 July alert residents spotted men in a white van, reg. no. S573 UMY, uprooting attractive antique red tiles from the pavement in the Woodlands area. They drove off when challenged. The police, promptly informed, were unable to attend. The vehicle apparently has no current registered keeper. Residents in the area greatly value the distinctive tiled pavements and our RA Councillors were horrified when Surrey County Council instructed its contractors, Carillion, to lay a 'temporary repair' in black asphalt. Following strong representations by RA Cllr. Maureen Sheldrick, SCC agreed to hold off while our tireless councillors called on residents in the area and managed to source sufficient tiles locally to replace those stolen: with instinctive forethought, residents had retained the tiles when drives were created across the pavements. Surrey Highways promised Maureen that they would use these tiles for the replacement but their contractors laid a short, incomplete stretch of black asphalt on 20 August. A resident who challenged them was told that this was on the instructions of SCC and that Carillion told them to use the end of their load even if they did not have sufficient to finish the job. The telephone lines grew hot again. As we go to press, SCC have assured Maureen that the asphalt laid 'in error' will come up to be replaced by the correct tiles.

One Big Headache

Residents around Sandown Park were sorely tried by twelve continuous hours of penetrating rock and rap during "One Big Saturday Concert" on 18 August. Many telephoned, and our RA councillors for Weston Green spent much of the day trying to resolve the issue. Reportedly, Sandown Park were technically within the guidelines for maximum sound at any one time. But to have music at such amplifications booming through your windows for many continuous hours on a summer's weekend is clearly unacceptable, and should never be repeated. We are sure that follow-up negotiations with Sandown Park's Events team will meet with understanding on their part that this kind of marathon earbashing is going to detract from the good standing within the community that they cultivate.

Street cleaning

Many of you have pointed to streets where gutters are not cleaned. The root cause is often parked cars and it requires a major effort to ensure they are removed on cleaning days. The street cleaning schedule is posted on our website. Either cars are removed on the day, or cleaning is not carried out. RA Cllr David Lowe has suggested to Elmbridge, who have this particular responsibility, that in streets where parking is a perennial problem it might be better to have, within budget, an effective manual clean less frequently than a notional monthly machine clean that is ineffective in practice. We are pleased to report that Elmbridge is responsive on such issues: less than a week after David drew the issue again to attention, Elmbridge contractors carried out what one High Street resident described as a 'full-on clean.' If your road is not being thoroughly cleaned, please tell your councillors.

Hedging and ditching

While chasing official bodies on their responsibilities, we should also remind householders that they are responsible for keeping clear any culverts and drains on their properties, and for trimming back their vegetation that overhangs the public way. If the Council has to clear it, the householder will be billed. Please take a look at hedges and edges on your property and let's do our bit to keep these villages trim.

Crime, vandalism and policing

Overall crime levels in the two wards remain stable since our last issue, indeed slightly reduced. On 7 July a robber at a Thames Ditton betting shop on Hampton Court Way sprayed a substance from a syringe into the face of an assistant, who pressed the panic alarm and the man ran off. A similar attempt netted several hundred pounds from the bookie's on Portsmouth Road. Domino's Pizza on Hampton Court Way was also robbed. Police linked these events and when on 16 July a bookmakers in West Molesey was robbed, police arrested a 27-year-old man of Farm Road Esher and a 17 year old boy: they have been charged with the offences and are on bail. A car adapted for a disabled passenger was stolen from the Woodlands, leaving the disabled lady without transport, and later found written off in Oxted. Two girls were sexually assaulted on Hampton Court Way. Meanwhile a 34-year-old flasher living in Woodfield Road who was caught on two occasions in an alleyway next to Tiffin Girls' School has been sentenced to attend a sexual offenders' programme and to pay £70 costs; his name was also put on the sexual offenders' register. A Lexus convertible was torched in Marney's Inn car park overnight, apart from which vandalism in the area seems to have been minor during the summer although groups of disorderly youths congregating in recreation areas have been an annoyance.

The coroner's report on Charles Courtier-Dutton, of Cobham, whose body was found in his car boot in Ashley Road carpark after December's Christmas Fayre, concluded that there was no third party involvement. The accidental death was by asphyxiation although it is unclear how and why he got into the car boot but, the coroner said, "There is nothing to suggest he intended taking his own life."

Surrey Police hold a neighbourhood "panel meeting" for all residents at the start of our Residents' Association Open Meetings before RA business gets under way, where you can raise concerns. Please take advantage of their presence.

Congratulations:

• To RA Councillor Ruth Lyon, who in addition to many other community activities has been appointed Chairman of Thames Landscape Strategy, the body that watches over our lovely stretch of the river and of which she has been a member since its inception.
• To Justin Lavender, operatic tenor featured in our Summer issue, on being appointed Professor of Vocal Studies at the Royal College of Music
• To Dr. David Matthews of Giggs Hill Surgery for again raising over £650 for the British Heart Foundation in the London-Brighton cycle race, and to Clive Lewis who collected a further £100 for the BHF from neighbours in Church Walk and Old School Square. Residents might note that Giggs Hill Surgery has bought an automatic defibrillator this year in case of cardiac arrests in or near the Surgery.
• To over 450 participants in the Harry Hawkes 8 on 1 July who braved inclement weather to raise funds for the Cricket Club and local charities; thanks are due to sponsors including HJC Estates and Colets.
• To Ted Woolley, gardener at the Home of Compassion, who again planted (but has seldom had to water!) the troughs on the Fountain Roundabout this summer.
• To local newsagents Dave & Sheila Seargeant on their retirement after serving the Thorkhill Road area for 17 years.

Ember Centre

The Centre continues to be very well attended by the over 50s and recent events have included a display of Chinese song and dance, and a very good piano and song recital. A warm welcome to new Manager Sanjay Gulati, who replaces Harry Livesey for whose excellent past services gratitude is due.

Dates for your Diary

This year's Residents' Association Christmas Party will take place on Saturday 15th December at the Vera Fletcher Hall. A fine occasion with a three course dinner and your favourite music for £27 a ticket: phone Lorraine Sharp 0208 873 3676.

The Christmas Fayre on Wednesday 12th December 6.00-9.30pm will see another festive evening with many seasonal activities. Contact Stitchery on 8398 5550 for more information.

Membership and subscriptions

All who live and/or work in Thames Ditton and Weston Green wards are welcome to join the Residents' Association. Subscriptions also enable this magazine to continue. Our thanks to those who have paid subscriptions and contributions for 2007. For others, you can print a subscription form from the Association's website or contact the Membership Secretary: see pages 3 and 5. When you subscribe, please include your e-mail address. If you've already subscribed, email Peter Haynes at membership@residents-association.com. Email is used sparingly and only for matters of direct concern to residents.

Cover photo

Exceptionally coarse fishermen can spoil things for others, but angling is by and large a peaceful pastime that keeps many a lad off the streets and many a husband out of the kitchen. The photo shows Albany Reach, for centuries a noted spot for large Thames barbel. They are occasionally caught! Contemplation of such a beautiful Autumn scene can meanwhile ennoble the soul.