The Tandridge Care and Repair Agency helps older and disabled people remain in their own homes.
For a reasonable cost council handymen carry out small repairs and minor alterations to Council and private homes in the district. Things like gutter clearing, outting up shelves or assembling flat pack furniture that most of us take for granted. Last year 962 handyman jobs were carried out.
This is an example of where a local unbureaucractic initiative manages to make a difference to the lives of hundreds of people every year at a very reasonable cost.
Friday 26 September 2008
Thursday 18 September 2008
Madness of the Government Minister
A small point, but in the Secretary of State's overruling of her expert panel's response to the Regional Assembly (which at least has some democratically elected representatives serving on it), in massively increasing the number of houses some areas (including Reigate and Banstead) will have to allow she appears to have ignored the natural world. I'll elaborate; there if a finite amount of water in the underground chalk aquifer that serves much of East Surrey, including Redhill and Tandridge. By nearly doubling the number of homes needed to be be built in Redhill, she appears to believe that she can apportion some of the water to flow to where it goes now to Tandridge to prevent development in Redhill from causing existing homes to run dry. This appears to ignore the laws of physics. Or maybe she believes that she can direct the natural elements in the same way she directs councils.
Financial Markets and Banks
I am not going to comment much on the current turmoil going on, many others will do that much better than me. But I really feel for those people, whose jobs are disappearing overnight.
More details on the Core Strategy
Having now had a chance to read the inspectors full report, his conclusions are pleasing.
One of the most critical issues the Inspector had to deal with was whether the Council’s strategy for ensuring enough housing is provided while protecting the Green Belt was the right one.He thought it was which is great news for the Green Belt.
A particular additional success was his support for the policy to curtail the activities for garden grabbers which will allow TDC to refuse planning permission for housing schemes of five houses and over on residential garden land, where there is an oversupply of housing.
The Inspector also supported the policies on character, design and density. The Inspector strengthened the policy on town centres by including a reference to the former Rose & Young site in Croydon Road, Caterham and the Oxted gasholder site, because of the importance the Council attaches to the redevelopment of these.
The Inspector has asked the Council to carry out an early review of two particular policies; affordable housing. and the infilling of the villages designated as Green Belt Settlements. But otherwise, apart from some minor criticism of the drafting the Policy was supported.
The Council will now be in a much better position to defend the district against unsuitable development.
One of the most critical issues the Inspector had to deal with was whether the Council’s strategy for ensuring enough housing is provided while protecting the Green Belt was the right one.He thought it was which is great news for the Green Belt.
A particular additional success was his support for the policy to curtail the activities for garden grabbers which will allow TDC to refuse planning permission for housing schemes of five houses and over on residential garden land, where there is an oversupply of housing.
The Inspector also supported the policies on character, design and density. The Inspector strengthened the policy on town centres by including a reference to the former Rose & Young site in Croydon Road, Caterham and the Oxted gasholder site, because of the importance the Council attaches to the redevelopment of these.
The Inspector has asked the Council to carry out an early review of two particular policies; affordable housing. and the infilling of the villages designated as Green Belt Settlements. But otherwise, apart from some minor criticism of the drafting the Policy was supported.
The Council will now be in a much better position to defend the district against unsuitable development.
Sunday 14 September 2008
Planning and Environment Committee
The first Planning and Environment Committee meeting after the summer break took place on Thursday night.
It started with the Leader of the Liberal Democrat Opposition tabling an motion commending the officers on the successful adoption of the Core Strategy. This was unanimously approved. Although we do not yet know what changes the Planning Inspector made, we know that to get it approved in any form is much better than most authorities in England have yet achieved.
Much of the remainder of the evening was spent discussing how best to protect the green belt in Tandridge against unauthorised Traveller encampments and how to deal with any urgent need for Gypsy and traveller need while an East-Surrey wide strategy was agreed. Councillors were made very aware of the need to provide for minorities while balancing the interests of the majority of their constituents. In so far as unauthorised encampments go, we all agreed that while Council should support law abiding land owners against what can be a very distressing invasion of their land, land owners also have a duty to protect themselves.
We also discussed the Governments response to the South East Plan - this is deserving of a post of its own!
It started with the Leader of the Liberal Democrat Opposition tabling an motion commending the officers on the successful adoption of the Core Strategy. This was unanimously approved. Although we do not yet know what changes the Planning Inspector made, we know that to get it approved in any form is much better than most authorities in England have yet achieved.
Much of the remainder of the evening was spent discussing how best to protect the green belt in Tandridge against unauthorised Traveller encampments and how to deal with any urgent need for Gypsy and traveller need while an East-Surrey wide strategy was agreed. Councillors were made very aware of the need to provide for minorities while balancing the interests of the majority of their constituents. In so far as unauthorised encampments go, we all agreed that while Council should support law abiding land owners against what can be a very distressing invasion of their land, land owners also have a duty to protect themselves.
We also discussed the Governments response to the South East Plan - this is deserving of a post of its own!
Police Roadshow to hit Oxted
SURREY Police is inviting the public to its ‘Right Up Your Street’ road show, promoting the fact that every neighbourhood in Surrey has its own Safer Neighbourhood policing team, which comes to Oxted next week as part of a month-long campaign being run by Surrey Police.
The road show will be at Morrisons next Saturday, 20 September, from 11am to 4pm, where Oxted residents are invited to meet the local Safer Neighbourhood team (PCs David Every & Richard Smurthwaite and PCSOs Lisa Cobby and Stephen Winch) and and chat to them as they hand out information and run competitions.
If local residents have any questions for our hard working local police I suggest they head over next Saturday, or alternative attend the bi-monthly Police Panels in Hurst Green. The next one will be held at the Hurst Green Community Association on 22 October at 8pm.
The road show will be at Morrisons next Saturday, 20 September, from 11am to 4pm, where Oxted residents are invited to meet the local Safer Neighbourhood team (PCs David Every & Richard Smurthwaite and PCSOs Lisa Cobby and Stephen Winch) and and chat to them as they hand out information and run competitions.
If local residents have any questions for our hard working local police I suggest they head over next Saturday, or alternative attend the bi-monthly Police Panels in Hurst Green. The next one will be held at the Hurst Green Community Association on 22 October at 8pm.
Friday 12 September 2008
Blogging to resume shortly...
Apologies pressures of work have have stopped me from blogging this week.
When I get a moment I plan to say something about:
- the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government's mad response to the South East Regional Plan
- A Police roadshow to be held at Morrisons next Saturday
- and last night's Planning and Environment Committee meeting.
When I get a moment I plan to say something about:
- the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government's mad response to the South East Regional Plan
- A Police roadshow to be held at Morrisons next Saturday
- and last night's Planning and Environment Committee meeting.
Friday 5 September 2008
Core Strategy IS SOUND
The Planning Inspector has declared TDC's Core Strategy to be “sound”. This is only the second Core Strategy to be accepted in Surrey.
This is superb news for residents as it will now be easier to protect Tandridge from inappropriate development. And a superb result for the Council Officers, who worked so hard to convince the Inspector that the proposal from Tandridge's, supported by elected Councillors from all parties AND also local residents, should be adopted and not dismissed as some self-interested developers would have had it.
The Core Strategy is a blueprint for the future development of Tandridge District and was the subject of a public Examination by the Inspector in June and July 2008. The event caused a lot of public interest, including large crowds outside the Council Offices in Oxted.
Some developers and landowners objected to the Core Strategy because they felt it did not allow enough new development. The Council’s approach, based on restraint, has been supported by the Planning Inspector and he has declared the document is sound.
The Inspector’s report is currently being factually checked before it can be made available. Once published, it can be adopted and used to help decide planning applications.
This is superb news for residents as it will now be easier to protect Tandridge from inappropriate development. And a superb result for the Council Officers, who worked so hard to convince the Inspector that the proposal from Tandridge's, supported by elected Councillors from all parties AND also local residents, should be adopted and not dismissed as some self-interested developers would have had it.
The Core Strategy is a blueprint for the future development of Tandridge District and was the subject of a public Examination by the Inspector in June and July 2008. The event caused a lot of public interest, including large crowds outside the Council Offices in Oxted.
Some developers and landowners objected to the Core Strategy because they felt it did not allow enough new development. The Council’s approach, based on restraint, has been supported by the Planning Inspector and he has declared the document is sound.
The Inspector’s report is currently being factually checked before it can be made available. Once published, it can be adopted and used to help decide planning applications.
Tuesday 2 September 2008
07.35 Train to London Bridge CANCELLED
I am sitting on the train to London Bridge as I write this on my blackberry. Which is pretty apt as last week the Government annouced the names of the four bidders for the new South Central franchise (the area covered by Southern and Gatwick Express at the moment). It seems such a short period since Southern took over from Connex that it can't be time for another change but apparently it is.
I thought I ought to read what was being proposed and I must report to be dismayed that in about three years time they are going to cut the frequency of the Uckfield trains at peak times because of a lack of platform capacity at London Bridge station caused by the Thameslink 2000 project. This will impact on fellow rail paasengers down the whole of the Uckfield and East Grinstead lines as we struggle to get onto what are already overcrowded trains.
The double irony is that 1) The London Bridge works are aimed at increasing capacity on the Brighton main line, which is currently less over crowded that the Uckfield/East Grinstead Lines. 2) Cutting services from Uckfield will actually drive passengers back to the Brighton Line
A partial solution to the problem, suggested by London Travelwatch, would be the electricfication of the Uckfield Line - together with making it double track over its whole length. I hope this suggestion finds favour with those in power, otherwise those of us who commute to London regularly may face a miserable few years.
I thought I ought to read what was being proposed and I must report to be dismayed that in about three years time they are going to cut the frequency of the Uckfield trains at peak times because of a lack of platform capacity at London Bridge station caused by the Thameslink 2000 project. This will impact on fellow rail paasengers down the whole of the Uckfield and East Grinstead lines as we struggle to get onto what are already overcrowded trains.
The double irony is that 1) The London Bridge works are aimed at increasing capacity on the Brighton main line, which is currently less over crowded that the Uckfield/East Grinstead Lines. 2) Cutting services from Uckfield will actually drive passengers back to the Brighton Line
A partial solution to the problem, suggested by London Travelwatch, would be the electricfication of the Uckfield Line - together with making it double track over its whole length. I hope this suggestion finds favour with those in power, otherwise those of us who commute to London regularly may face a miserable few years.
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