Incompetence or Corruption?

The events of recent days have shown this current Government to clearly be incompetant, but much more worryingly the appearence of what may be corrupt practices within the Labour party really must undermine everything the Prime Minister claimed he stands for. Following on from the cash for honours scandal it appears that a Labour government that promised to be whiter than white is now both morally and politically bankrupt. With no vision for the future and lacking the competence to govern, surely Mr Brown is now regretting his decision not to go to the country when he had a fighting chance of winning.
I think that therefore the country is in for a period of drift and mismanagement while the government turns in on itself.

Housing Cock-up or Conspiracy

Is the Government trying to complete kill the housing market? Because it seems to be. The imposition of HIPS on all properties by the year end is just thing to stop all activity. Things are slow enough as it is but without people being willing to sell flats and small houses (for which HIPS will be a proportionately greater cost) then there will be fewer buyers for other properties. With 67% of agents already reporting a fall of properties coming onto the market, it is appears likely that the market will be near stagnant before Christmas.

Resign!

Tonight following a terrible error of judgement and the poor performance of those working for him, there will be a call for the resignation of a public figure - Steve McClaren the England Football manager. He might not go tonight, but following England's failure to qualify for the European Championship, following a very poor performance, it is inconceivable that he will still be in place for the next major competition.

This should be a lesson for all those in public life - those in positions of responsibility must in the end be accountable for their actions and those who work for them. When they get it very wrong they have to go. In the week that the Government has lost the confidential details of millions of people perhaps the Chancellor and Prime Minister should be considering their positions rather than pinning the blame squarely on the actions of a junior employee (who has now himself resigned).

Labour Free Zone

Last week, Caterham Valley Councillor Peter Longhurst resigned from the Labour Party. He cited personal differences with national policies covering Health, Education, Iraq, Local Government, Housing and Planning as the reason behind his decision.

To those of us who serve with him on the council Councillor Longhurst's decision isn't too surprising as he has been an especially vocal critic of the Government's approach especially on Planning and Housing matters.

Councillor Longhurst's move means that the Labour Party no longer has any councillors in Tandridge.

Rumours of Sexual Assult in Hurst Green

Local residents may be interested in the following from Surrey Police:

'PC Dave Every, PCSO Lisa Cobby and PCSO Stephen Winch are aware of rumours circulating throughout Hurst Green regarding alleged sexual assaults. These rumours are obviously causing some concern for local residents. However these rumours of Sexual assaults appear to be fictitious. Investigations by PC Every and the PCSOs has so far identified one victim of an assault that was not sexual. Surrey Police has no information to suggest that these kinds of offences has taken place in Hurst Green or Oxted and records show no offence has been reported to Police. However if you have been the victim of a sexual assault or any other crime please report it to Surrey Police immediately. Oxted and Hurst Green still remains a very safe Police to live and Surrey Police will take all reports of this nature extremely seriously. Anyone with information that can assist Surrey Police is urged to contact myself, PC Dave Every, or Surrey Police on 0845 125 2222, or Crime stoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111'

Tandridge voted into top 40 by Residents

The results of a recent government survey show Tandridge District Council residents continue to be among the most satisfied in England.

Every three years, all councils have to carry out satisfaction surveys.The key result of the general survey shows the percentage of respondents expressing overall satisfaction with the Council is 62%, which keeps Tandridge in the top 40 of all councils in England for the past six years. And even better, 82% of residents satisfied with the area as a place to live and 84% of council tenants are satisfied with their accommodation.

It is good to know that by and large people are happy with both Tandridge and the Council, but that is no reason to rest on our laurels and so we will continue to try to improve both the services the Council provides and the environement in which we live.

In Touch

Oxted South Conservatives regularly produce an 'In Touch' newsletter, distributed to every house in the ward. The Winter 2007 edition can be accessed via this link.

Council Report

At the quarterly meeting of the full Council last Thursday the two overriding messages should have been 1. unity at how well the Council (and especially its officers) does at meeting the needs of local residents given the financial constraints put upon it by central government; and 2. a common protest at the interference by unelected government inspectors in overturning the democratic decisions of elected councillors on planning matters which have been taken in accordance with plans already approved by the government!

I say should have been, as while many fellow councillors made with the points outlined above it was a shame that not everyone united to vote for a stand to be taken against the current centralising, Gordon Brown knows best, government.

That said, there was general appreciation expressed all round about the success in extending weekly recycling, including for plastics to Oxted South.

Queens Speech - Plannning Reform

One of the key measures annouced in Tuesday's Queen's Speech was a Planing Reform Bill. The main purpose is to 'streamline' the procedures for gaining planning permission for major infrastucture projects (Motorways, Nuclear Power Plants etc). While it is clear that the current system can lead to a very long and drawn out process which the Government are right to target for reform, it does unfortunately appear that the role of local communities in making planning decisions will be further diminished, with Central Government taking an even tighter grip over the decisions that impact our lives.

Oxted Station Access.

As Oxted residents (and those travelling to Oxted by train) will be very aware, the southbound platforms are currently only accessible via a steep set of steps making it impossible for the disabled, and those pushing buggies (not to mention anyone with a lot of luggage) to manage.

It is therefore very good news that Network Rail are to install lift access next summer. It will make the lives of many just that little bit easier and hopefully help reduce car journeys too.

Ajax approved

At last Thursday night's Development Control Committee, Tandridge Councillors approved the plans to redevelop the Ajax site on the Holland Road to provide a nursing home, medical centre, light industrial units and some office space.

While most councillors present were concerned what that would mean for traffic movements along Woodhurst Lane, Hurst Green and Holland Road (and also for parking on the highway outside the site) the general feeling was that this was as good a proposal as were likely to get, combining job opportunities, a vital contribution to local infrastructure and a traffic volumes some 76% lower than they might otherwise have been.