Good News of the Policing Front: The following press release from Surrey Police makes clear their committment to visible Policing on Tandridge's streets:
TWO hundred more visible police constables could be policing Surrey’s streets as part of plans being developed by the Chief Constable to meet the demands of local people. They will be used to increase the local neighbourhood policing teams and add further numbers to the Operation Shield campaign, keeping London criminals out of Surrey by fighting organised crime gangs who operate across Force boundaries.
This is part of wide-ranging radical plans being drawn up to make big cuts in senior officers and bureaucracy, and to have a simpler approach to policing with many more officers on the frontline. Surrey Police Authority, who has encouraged the Chief Constable to be radical because of the financial challenges faced by the Force, will be asked to agree interim plans on December 10 before more detailed planning takes place.The proposals include reducing the number of senior officers within the Force, simplifying the structure and cutting bureaucracy. These changes will enable Surrey Police to invest in 200 extra frontline police officers, and to ensure the Force remains financially sustainable, making the best possible use of tax-payers money.
This innovation builds on the forces determination to focus on the wishes of local people above national targets and bureaucracy.The Force is exploring, with councils, opportunities to locate local policing teams within borough and district council offices to provide a better service to the public in tackling local problems. This approach has been piloted in Woking and Addlestone, and has reaped rewards in ensuring joined up partnership activity on local issues. The Force is also looking at providing a greater range of more accessible places for the public to meet neighbourhood policing teams, such as within libraries, shopping centres and any other busy focal points in communities.
This would replace some old and expensive police buildings with even more accessible ways for the public to engage with us. Many police buildings are little-used by members of the public but there will be no changes to police stations until better locations for meeting neighbourhood teams have been put in place. Replacing old stations with better ways to meet the public will cut the cost of running our old buildings by millions of pounds and help pay for the 200 extra police constables on the frontline.Chief Constable Mark Rowley said: “We are determined to put the Surrey Public First and give them the increases in visible policing they demand - even in a recession. We have difficult choices to make. We can either refuse to change, be forced to cut officer numbers and carry on with a complicated policing structure, lots of managers and bureaucracy and numerous inaccessible old, expensive police buildings - or have 200 more visible police constables working out of buildings in more accessible locations tackling issues that matter most to people. This can be paid for by the changes we are about to present to the Police Authority.“This review is necessary to find ways to continue delivering this excellent service against an overall reducing budget from Government for policing. We want to fix our funding issues and at the same time we want to deliver more police officers on the streets than we have ever had before. We believe this is the best way of spending taxpayers money and giving the public what they have been asking for. “These emerging proposals are at a very early stage. The Police Authority is interested in our plans and we need to take more details to them before a final decision can be made. We also need to have discussions with councils across the county to review opportunities for us to work closer together.”
Friday 20 November 2009
Wednesday 18 November 2009
Warning Rogue Traders About
Local police have reported that between the 14th and 16th November a resident of Limpsfield Chart was approached by persons claiming to be able to fix damage to their roof. They have asked for payment in advance to pay for materials before looking at the roof and suggesting it needed replacing entirely. No work was carried out or even necessary and the persons have left with the money.
So be warned and please contact Surrey Police on 0845 125 2222 if anyone tries it on with you.
So be warned and please contact Surrey Police on 0845 125 2222 if anyone tries it on with you.
Monday 16 November 2009
Criminal Damage in Hurst Green - message from the Police
The area of Hurst Green over the past 2 months has suffered an increase in criminal damage, the majority of these cases have involved vehicles being damaged both in the driveway and on the road.
On Friday 13th November there was a significant increase in the amount of damages caused during the evening, again with the majority of offences involving vehicles being damaged. Police believe that these damages have been caused by an individual firing pebbles and bolts from a catapult within a vehicle and driving off.
Police believe that none of the victims have been targeted and that their property has been selected at random by these offenders.Police are urging anyone with information about these offences to come forward. You can pass us information by going to a Police Station, speaking to Officers whilst they are out on patrol, by sending an email or by giving them a call. (3672@surrey.pnn.police.uk or 0845 125 2222)
Police have currently increased their patrols around the Hurst Green area in an attempt to prevent further offences from occurring and to find the individuals responsible. Criminals be warned... if you are found in possession of a catapult you will be arrested.
To reduce the likelihood of becoming a victim of this crime there are some simple steps you can take;(1) If you have a garage park your car in there.(2) If you have a drive park your car on it.(3) Leave your car somewhere with good lighting, if the area is well lit it reduces the chance of your car becoming a target as the offenders know that they are more likely to be caught.(4) Leave your car where there is good CCTV.
Local Police are happy to speak to anyone who needs crime prevention advice, they are even happy to visit your home address to offer such advice.
On Friday 13th November there was a significant increase in the amount of damages caused during the evening, again with the majority of offences involving vehicles being damaged. Police believe that these damages have been caused by an individual firing pebbles and bolts from a catapult within a vehicle and driving off.
Police believe that none of the victims have been targeted and that their property has been selected at random by these offenders.Police are urging anyone with information about these offences to come forward. You can pass us information by going to a Police Station, speaking to Officers whilst they are out on patrol, by sending an email or by giving them a call. (3672@surrey.pnn.police.uk or 0845 125 2222)
Police have currently increased their patrols around the Hurst Green area in an attempt to prevent further offences from occurring and to find the individuals responsible. Criminals be warned... if you are found in possession of a catapult you will be arrested.
To reduce the likelihood of becoming a victim of this crime there are some simple steps you can take;(1) If you have a garage park your car in there.(2) If you have a drive park your car on it.(3) Leave your car somewhere with good lighting, if the area is well lit it reduces the chance of your car becoming a target as the offenders know that they are more likely to be caught.(4) Leave your car where there is good CCTV.
Local Police are happy to speak to anyone who needs crime prevention advice, they are even happy to visit your home address to offer such advice.
Saturday 14 November 2009
Bus Stops and Budgets
I spent a wet Wednesday morning trialling around Holland and Hurst Green looking a sites for new permanent bus stops. Southdown PSV have taken over from Metrobus as the local operator and have changed the service to ensure a regular half hourly service to Oxted and Redhill six days per week. According to both the operator and local taxi drivers (who have been be-moaning their loss of business) this has been a total success. I hope we managed the tricky balance of bus passengers, other road users and residents who have a bus stop outside their homes. I am sure I will hear if we didn't!
As a council we are starting to put together our budget for the next financial year. It is going to be a tough one. The Labour Government having indebted British taxpayers money on a colossal scale have no money for underfunded Councils like Tandridge and we are very aware that local residents suffering from lower incomes, the threat or reality of redundancy are not able to support a large increase in council tax. But with a large fall in our income from other sources the difficulty will be to protect the front line services which are so highly valued by those who use them.
Tandridge is a safe place, but our position near London, Kent Sussex and the M25 means that we sometimes get the odd case of serious criminality - such as the attempted armed robbery on the Londis shop and attacks on the One-Stop and two weeks ago an attempted attack on a girl in the middle of Oxted in broad daylight on a Sunday. Fortunately the girl managed to get away, but these acts demonstrate the need for a partnership between a properly funded and democratically accountable Police force and local people who keep an eye on their neighbourhood and report all criminal and anti-social acts.
As a council we are starting to put together our budget for the next financial year. It is going to be a tough one. The Labour Government having indebted British taxpayers money on a colossal scale have no money for underfunded Councils like Tandridge and we are very aware that local residents suffering from lower incomes, the threat or reality of redundancy are not able to support a large increase in council tax. But with a large fall in our income from other sources the difficulty will be to protect the front line services which are so highly valued by those who use them.
Tandridge is a safe place, but our position near London, Kent Sussex and the M25 means that we sometimes get the odd case of serious criminality - such as the attempted armed robbery on the Londis shop and attacks on the One-Stop and two weeks ago an attempted attack on a girl in the middle of Oxted in broad daylight on a Sunday. Fortunately the girl managed to get away, but these acts demonstrate the need for a partnership between a properly funded and democratically accountable Police force and local people who keep an eye on their neighbourhood and report all criminal and anti-social acts.
Tuesday 14 April 2009
Shed Burglaries
Police have warned that there have been a number of break-ins to sheds and outbuildings in the Oxted area. Residents are warned to be on their guard.
Wednesday 8 April 2009
County Promise Fewer Potholes
Surrey County Council has budgeted to spend an extra £2.3million on the county's highways in the coming year. The council has agreed a budget of £53.9million, 4% more than the £51.6million allocated for 2008/09.
And nearly £6million of that will be spent on smaller repairs. Each year the council deals with roughly 40,000 minor defects and 10,000 emergency call-outs.
I hope this will continue the recent trend of potholes being fixed quickly, rather than being left to get worse. However, I also hope the County will look at ways to make more lasting repairs to areas which are subject of repeated potholes. The roads around Greenhurst Lane/Hurstlands and Wolfs Row are good examples where the same holes keep reappearing.
And nearly £6million of that will be spent on smaller repairs. Each year the council deals with roughly 40,000 minor defects and 10,000 emergency call-outs.
I hope this will continue the recent trend of potholes being fixed quickly, rather than being left to get worse. However, I also hope the County will look at ways to make more lasting repairs to areas which are subject of repeated potholes. The roads around Greenhurst Lane/Hurstlands and Wolfs Row are good examples where the same holes keep reappearing.
Monday 23 March 2009
Liberals try to get you pay to receive party political propaganda
The Lib Dems have just posted their County Council campaign literature through the door. Well I say their, but the title of the paper is 'East Surrey Journal'. I will let residents make up their own mind about the content, but I must say I was amused by the fact that they have put a '40p where sold' price indication in what is a slightly strange attempt at portraying it as an authentic newspaper - either that or they really think someone will pay 40p for a 4 page piece of political propaganda.
Tuesday 17 March 2009
Role of a Councillor
Councillors have a number of different roles, ward representative, decision taker even social worker but the most important is case worker.
We are the elected face of the council in our patch and it is our role to deal with problems or issues that relate to the Council, the services it provides and the decisions it takes. It is this element that takes up the most time and rightly so.
The majority of issues I deal with (after roads which are actually a County responsibility) are related to planning.
This can be tricky - balancing the needs of different residents is not always straight forward. But I have never got to a point until now where half a road has contacted me to complain about a development. Their complaints are all very reasonable ensuring that at least for once I am very clear of what the right outcome should be.
We are the elected face of the council in our patch and it is our role to deal with problems or issues that relate to the Council, the services it provides and the decisions it takes. It is this element that takes up the most time and rightly so.
The majority of issues I deal with (after roads which are actually a County responsibility) are related to planning.
This can be tricky - balancing the needs of different residents is not always straight forward. But I have never got to a point until now where half a road has contacted me to complain about a development. Their complaints are all very reasonable ensuring that at least for once I am very clear of what the right outcome should be.
Monday 16 March 2009
Parking Congestion
Last week I met with Surrey Highways to discuss parking issues in Oxted South. While I am a district councillor and Highways are a county council issue, many local residents contact me rather than our county councillor to deal with problems that arise.
And the issue of the moment is the consequence of the new parking restrictions on Mill Lane and Hallsland Way. The route cause of the problem is that there is not enough commuter parking for Hurst Green station and once the car park gets full the cars have to go somewhere. The problem is where! Mill lane was very dangerous as drivers could not see anything approaching (people or cars) and for the schoolchildren at Moorhouse school and other pedestrians walking on the road meant taking your life in your hands. So moving it anywhere else had to be an improvement.
However, where they have moved to is no better. So various solutions are being considered (against the backdrop of very little money to doing anything at all). I hope something can be put in place by the autumn,but what we really need to do is improve the infrastructure so we are not just dealing with symptoms but the cause and that unfortunately is likely to take much much longer to solve.I yearn for the day where local people will have the power (including the say over how their money is spent) to drive this type of prioity, but until then we will have to fight against the tide to get something in place.
And the issue of the moment is the consequence of the new parking restrictions on Mill Lane and Hallsland Way. The route cause of the problem is that there is not enough commuter parking for Hurst Green station and once the car park gets full the cars have to go somewhere. The problem is where! Mill lane was very dangerous as drivers could not see anything approaching (people or cars) and for the schoolchildren at Moorhouse school and other pedestrians walking on the road meant taking your life in your hands. So moving it anywhere else had to be an improvement.
However, where they have moved to is no better. So various solutions are being considered (against the backdrop of very little money to doing anything at all). I hope something can be put in place by the autumn,but what we really need to do is improve the infrastructure so we are not just dealing with symptoms but the cause and that unfortunately is likely to take much much longer to solve.I yearn for the day where local people will have the power (including the say over how their money is spent) to drive this type of prioity, but until then we will have to fight against the tide to get something in place.
Parking Congestion
Last week I met with Surrey Highways to discuss parking issues in Oxted South. While I am a district councillor and Highways are a county council issue, many local residents contact me rather than our county councillor to deal with problems that arise.
And the issue of the moment is the consequence of the new parking restrictions on Mill Lane and Hallsland Way. The route cause of the problem is that there is not enough commuter parking for Hurst Green station and once the car park gets full the cars have to go somewhere. The problem is where! Mill lane was very dangerous as drivers could not see anything approaching (people or cars) and for the schoolchildren at Moorhouse school and other pedestrians walking on the road meant taking your life in your hands. So moving it anywhere else had to be an improvement.
However, where they have moved to is no better. So various solutions are being considered (against the backdrop of very little money to doing anything at all). I hope something can be put in place by the autumn,but what we really need to do is improve the infrastructure so we are not just dealing with symptoms but the cause and that unfortunately is likely to take much much longer to solve.I yearn for the day where local people will have the power (including the say over how their money is spent) to drive this type of prioity, but until then we will have to fight against the tide to get something in place.
And the issue of the moment is the consequence of the new parking restrictions on Mill Lane and Hallsland Way. The route cause of the problem is that there is not enough commuter parking for Hurst Green station and once the car park gets full the cars have to go somewhere. The problem is where! Mill lane was very dangerous as drivers could not see anything approaching (people or cars) and for the schoolchildren at Moorhouse school and other pedestrians walking on the road meant taking your life in your hands. So moving it anywhere else had to be an improvement.
However, where they have moved to is no better. So various solutions are being considered (against the backdrop of very little money to doing anything at all). I hope something can be put in place by the autumn,but what we really need to do is improve the infrastructure so we are not just dealing with symptoms but the cause and that unfortunately is likely to take much much longer to solve.I yearn for the day where local people will have the power (including the say over how their money is spent) to drive this type of prioity, but until then we will have to fight against the tide to get something in place.
Saturday 7 March 2009
Labour U Turn on Housing Rents
Yet another example of the dreadfully confused state this Labour Government has got itself into by not thinking through the consequences of it actions:
The government has just announced (http://www.communities.gov.uk/news/corporate/1167420) that it is going to halve its average guideline rent increases for next year from 6.2% to 3.1%. While this is potentially good news for council tenants, Tandridge District Council is waiting to find out more about the proposal. In particular how the government is going to make the funding available to support the Council to make the changes. It is not yet clear if the Council will receive sufficient subsidy to cover actual costs.
While (apparently) it is good news that the government is reducing the impact of rent increases, we must remember that if it didn't tax TDC tenants, the council would be able to keep rents even lower. It is only giving back a small part of the 'negative subsidy' that this Council has to deal with.
The government has just announced (http://www.communities.gov.uk/news/corporate/1167420) that it is going to halve its average guideline rent increases for next year from 6.2% to 3.1%. While this is potentially good news for council tenants, Tandridge District Council is waiting to find out more about the proposal. In particular how the government is going to make the funding available to support the Council to make the changes. It is not yet clear if the Council will receive sufficient subsidy to cover actual costs.
While (apparently) it is good news that the government is reducing the impact of rent increases, we must remember that if it didn't tax TDC tenants, the council would be able to keep rents even lower. It is only giving back a small part of the 'negative subsidy' that this Council has to deal with.
Green Belt Concerns Allayed
On Thursday night the Planning Policy committee met as part of its normal quarterly cycle. Normally we don't get many (any) members of the public turning up. However the public gallery on this occasion if not packed was definitely busier than normal. Their interest had been sparked by the agenda item concerning the Council's proposal to carry out a Strategical Housing Land Availability Assessment or SHLAA (pronounced Shlar). This piece of work, mandated by central government, is necessary to see whether we need to identify sites for housing development, and if so to hep inform the assessment as to where. The catch is that it is a consultative process and allows developers to suggest sites too.
Understandably there was concern that having fought off Developers attempt to develop Green Belt land in the Core Strategy they might be able to get back in the game via this process. However, the discussion at the meeting provided much in way of reassurance. The Director of Planning confirmed that we would be able to resist attempts to build on strategic gaps between settlements (the whole raison d'etre of the green belt) and on isolated plots. It is also appeared clear that should we need to allocated specific sites, then it is highly likely there would be more than enough brownfield plots available to meet the long term allocation of the District.
So all in all, while this process is important, it is highly unlikely that any green-belt land will be impacted.
Understandably there was concern that having fought off Developers attempt to develop Green Belt land in the Core Strategy they might be able to get back in the game via this process. However, the discussion at the meeting provided much in way of reassurance. The Director of Planning confirmed that we would be able to resist attempts to build on strategic gaps between settlements (the whole raison d'etre of the green belt) and on isolated plots. It is also appeared clear that should we need to allocated specific sites, then it is highly likely there would be more than enough brownfield plots available to meet the long term allocation of the District.
So all in all, while this process is important, it is highly unlikely that any green-belt land will be impacted.
Monday 2 March 2009
Schools' Are Out
Like many other parents in Surrey we waited up (or rather went to bed and then got up again) until 1159pm on Friday night order to find out what infant school my eldest daughter will be starting at in September. We were fortunate - schools in Tandridge are all good but we managed to get into our first choice. The state education system is still one of the last vestiges of post war central planning and the fact that allocation is done by a central bureaucracy rather than in response to demand is one of its drawbacks - something a Conservative government would change - and in my view for the better. However there is an irony for me here was that one of the main attractions of the school my daughter got into was its small size. It us clear that the biggest challenge for successful schools as they expand will be to make sure that they don't lose their winning formulas.
Sunday 22 February 2009
Tax and Services
On 19 Feb we set a council tax rate of 4,7% for Tandridge or an increase of 16p a week for an average taxpayer. This gives a Band D Council Tax level of £188.93. However once the increases by Surrey County Council and Surrey Police were taken into account it resulted in an overall Band D Council Tax level of £1,475.21 for the district, an increase of just 3.4%. When you consider that this is despite an increase in government grant of just 0.5% (from an already very low base) and when the negative housing subsidy (or more accurately central government's tax on council house tenants) is taken into account Tandridge actually subsidises Whitehall rather than the other way around; that our income from fees and investments is likely to fall significantly that we are not cutting services nor sacking employees (and thus helping keep the local economy afloat while protecting the most vulnerable who disproportionately make use of our services); in fact we have even managed to enhance them by extending our popular weekly recycling service to the whole area, introducing a new garden waste service and keeping a free car parking for shoppers to encourage our shop locally initiative and support local businesses during the current economic downturn then I hope local residents will agree that this settlement is the right one. What's more, next year is likely to be even more of a challenge and I believe that the budget agreed will put us in the best place possible to meet those challenges too.
Holidays and Snow
I have been on holiday - hence why zero posts in February up until now.
The night before I left, I spent most of the night stranded on the A22 Caterham Bypass, due to the heavy snowfalls. I as therefrom around 8.30pm to nearly 3am the folowing morning. The lack of gritting and roadclearing of what is a major road inthe County really puts us to shame. I know that this was a once in 20 year event and the severity caught us all unawares (especially me), but even so sonw was forecast and the time it took to get back up and running normally was unacceptable.
The night before I left, I spent most of the night stranded on the A22 Caterham Bypass, due to the heavy snowfalls. I as therefrom around 8.30pm to nearly 3am the folowing morning. The lack of gritting and roadclearing of what is a major road inthe County really puts us to shame. I know that this was a once in 20 year event and the severity caught us all unawares (especially me), but even so sonw was forecast and the time it took to get back up and running normally was unacceptable.
Monday 26 January 2009
Pavement and Parking Restrictions on Mill Lane
Today, I met with Surrey County Council officers outside Moorhouse School on Mill Lane in Hurst Green for a site meeting to discuss a new pavement and parking restrictions.
At the moment commuter parking and a lack of pavement makes it very dangerous for pedestrians to walk from Hurst Green road onto Mill Lane and towards Mill Shaw. After a number of years of campaigning on behalf of local residents by Oxted South Conservatives the County Council are shortly to build a new footpath to connect the School to the pavement that starts by Mill Shaw and new 'curfew' parking restrictions will help curb commuter parking, without impacting too much on local residents to make walking (and driving) at the junction a lot safer. The pavement should be installed at half term and the yellow line could come even sooner than that.
At the moment commuter parking and a lack of pavement makes it very dangerous for pedestrians to walk from Hurst Green road onto Mill Lane and towards Mill Shaw. After a number of years of campaigning on behalf of local residents by Oxted South Conservatives the County Council are shortly to build a new footpath to connect the School to the pavement that starts by Mill Shaw and new 'curfew' parking restrictions will help curb commuter parking, without impacting too much on local residents to make walking (and driving) at the junction a lot safer. The pavement should be installed at half term and the yellow line could come even sooner than that.
Housing
At Full-Council last week we debated and I strongly supported a Lib-Dem motion (credit where its due) requesting that the Government unfetter local councils on Housing, by giving local people the power to decide on how best to provide housing support in their local communities. We may disagree on which powers we might use or measures we would take, but it should be for local people to decide.
At the moment this Labour government via an unfair 'Negative Subsidy' (i.e. additional tax) regime take money away from TDC's Housing Department. Tandridge’s 2,686 tenants pay £10.3 million a year in rent, but £3.7 million of this is taken by the Government. This will rise to nearly £3.9 million in 2009/2010. A better funding system is needed to help local councils meet the national housing affordability crisis and to ensure homes are made decent.
Along with the the minimal grant given to TDC from Government it is just one more example of how poorly it treats people who live outside its heartlands - despite the fact that decent housing in the South-East is a lot more costly than in say the North East and people on low incomes.
The motion was passed unanimously.
At the moment this Labour government via an unfair 'Negative Subsidy' (i.e. additional tax) regime take money away from TDC's Housing Department. Tandridge’s 2,686 tenants pay £10.3 million a year in rent, but £3.7 million of this is taken by the Government. This will rise to nearly £3.9 million in 2009/2010. A better funding system is needed to help local councils meet the national housing affordability crisis and to ensure homes are made decent.
Along with the the minimal grant given to TDC from Government it is just one more example of how poorly it treats people who live outside its heartlands - despite the fact that decent housing in the South-East is a lot more costly than in say the North East and people on low incomes.
The motion was passed unanimously.
Weekly Recycling Now District-wide
Oxted South may have had it for well over a year, but now Tandridge's Weekly Recycling Services is to be rolled out to all households.
The change means another 19,000 households will start to get their recycling collected every week and be able to recycle plastic bottles. Residents in flats with communal recycling facilities and banks will continue with the current collection service.
Last year residents helped collect more recycling than ever before, increasing the amount of waste recycled to 29%. This included:
2,240 tonnes of glass.
6,660 tonnes of newspapers, other paper and card.
200 tonnes of food and drink cans.
50 tonnes of plastics drinks bottles - that’s around 1.5 million bottles.
All the materials are sent to companies in the UK for recycling.
Residents who want to order boxes and bags should contact Amenity Services on 01883 732988, via the 24 hour automated telephone information service on 08459 400 472, online at http://www.tandridge.gov.uk/ or by e-mail to amenityservices@tandridge.gov.uk.
This means that despite entering an economic downturn, Tandridge has been able to roll-out weekly recycling, alongside a weekly refuse collection to all residents.
The change means another 19,000 households will start to get their recycling collected every week and be able to recycle plastic bottles. Residents in flats with communal recycling facilities and banks will continue with the current collection service.
Last year residents helped collect more recycling than ever before, increasing the amount of waste recycled to 29%. This included:
2,240 tonnes of glass.
6,660 tonnes of newspapers, other paper and card.
200 tonnes of food and drink cans.
50 tonnes of plastics drinks bottles - that’s around 1.5 million bottles.
All the materials are sent to companies in the UK for recycling.
Residents who want to order boxes and bags should contact Amenity Services on 01883 732988, via the 24 hour automated telephone information service on 08459 400 472, online at http://www.tandridge.gov.uk/ or by e-mail to amenityservices@tandridge.gov.uk.
This means that despite entering an economic downturn, Tandridge has been able to roll-out weekly recycling, alongside a weekly refuse collection to all residents.
Thursday 22 January 2009
Crime in Tandridge
Two bits of news locally.
First, I heard last night about some recent attempts at breaking in to homes on Rockfield Road and Rockfield Close in Oxted. I believe Police think that there is gang attempting to steal cars by taking car keys from hallway tables and the like. Having a burgular alarm may not deter them, so keep keys out of sight and easy reach.
Second there was a raid on a Cash-In-Transit deliver to Tesco in Caterham, yesterday morning. Police said they believe the same men carried out a robbery outside NatWest at The Green, Warlingham, on Tuesday. Apparently two guards were injured and a large amount of money was stolen.
If, as I think it is highly likely, that either or both of these gangs were from outside of the area this just illustrates why Surrey Police needs to be treated differently from a rural Force when it comes to funding.
First, I heard last night about some recent attempts at breaking in to homes on Rockfield Road and Rockfield Close in Oxted. I believe Police think that there is gang attempting to steal cars by taking car keys from hallway tables and the like. Having a burgular alarm may not deter them, so keep keys out of sight and easy reach.
Second there was a raid on a Cash-In-Transit deliver to Tesco in Caterham, yesterday morning. Police said they believe the same men carried out a robbery outside NatWest at The Green, Warlingham, on Tuesday. Apparently two guards were injured and a large amount of money was stolen.
If, as I think it is highly likely, that either or both of these gangs were from outside of the area this just illustrates why Surrey Police needs to be treated differently from a rural Force when it comes to funding.
Thursday 15 January 2009
Highways and Street Lighting
I met with Surrey Highways yesterday (along with a fellow councillors, District, County and Parish).
On a positive note a lot of progress has been made in repairing pot holes across Oxted South and was report that the broken paving slabs outside the Londis shop on the Hurst Green road will be replaced with tarmac.
The most interesting aspect (although deeply depressing) was that the County Council have absolutely no leverage over EDF Energy in connecting and repairing electrical connections for street lights. If EDF refuse to act, there are no sanctions that can be taken against them. And this situation is enshrined in legislation. We are all therefore at the mercy of EDF for our street lighting.... The lack of lights on the footbridge connecting Nunnappleton way and Pollards Oak road will unfortunately carry on for some time.
On a positive note a lot of progress has been made in repairing pot holes across Oxted South and was report that the broken paving slabs outside the Londis shop on the Hurst Green road will be replaced with tarmac.
The most interesting aspect (although deeply depressing) was that the County Council have absolutely no leverage over EDF Energy in connecting and repairing electrical connections for street lights. If EDF refuse to act, there are no sanctions that can be taken against them. And this situation is enshrined in legislation. We are all therefore at the mercy of EDF for our street lighting.... The lack of lights on the footbridge connecting Nunnappleton way and Pollards Oak road will unfortunately carry on for some time.
More Social Housing
Tonight the Development Control Committee will be discussing an application to build social housing on some dilapidated garages and unused council land at the back of the Pollards Oak Road shops.
This application was first proposed last year and whilst a great idea in principle had the major drawback that it would have blocked off a well used footpath connecting the railway station with the iron footbridge connecting Pollards Oak Road Shops with Nunappleton Way. Because of this I strongly opposed the application and it was withdrawn. I am happy to say that an application has now been submitted which retains the pathway. I very much hope (and expect) it will now be approved.
This application was first proposed last year and whilst a great idea in principle had the major drawback that it would have blocked off a well used footpath connecting the railway station with the iron footbridge connecting Pollards Oak Road Shops with Nunappleton Way. Because of this I strongly opposed the application and it was withdrawn. I am happy to say that an application has now been submitted which retains the pathway. I very much hope (and expect) it will now be approved.
Policeman Impresses
Last Thursday night, the 'Temporary' Chief Constable of Surrey came to address the Council.
He explained why the the funding settlement for the Force is so unfair. No other force has so much of its crime originating from outside its borders - nearly 50% of crime is imported from London, Kent, Hampshire or the Thames Valley. Surrey has the UK's two largest airports on its borders, M25, M23 and M3 running through it and faces a very real terrorist threat, but is still funded like a rural county constabulary.
What was so refreshing though was his response to Whitehall diktats. He has decided to throw out the targets imposed by the Home Office, but instead concentrating on making Surrey residents feel more secure and tackle the major crimes (not the ones that might allow a swift rise up the league tables). Surrey Police are also gathering intelligence about criminals operating outside of the county in order to be prepared wen they come in.
This appeared to me as Policing as it should be and a very refreshing contrast to the attitude taken in London, where the Met has become the enforcement arm of New Labour. I very much hope our Temporary Chief Constable becomes a permanent one.
He explained why the the funding settlement for the Force is so unfair. No other force has so much of its crime originating from outside its borders - nearly 50% of crime is imported from London, Kent, Hampshire or the Thames Valley. Surrey has the UK's two largest airports on its borders, M25, M23 and M3 running through it and faces a very real terrorist threat, but is still funded like a rural county constabulary.
What was so refreshing though was his response to Whitehall diktats. He has decided to throw out the targets imposed by the Home Office, but instead concentrating on making Surrey residents feel more secure and tackle the major crimes (not the ones that might allow a swift rise up the league tables). Surrey Police are also gathering intelligence about criminals operating outside of the county in order to be prepared wen they come in.
This appeared to me as Policing as it should be and a very refreshing contrast to the attitude taken in London, where the Met has become the enforcement arm of New Labour. I very much hope our Temporary Chief Constable becomes a permanent one.
Wednesday 7 January 2009
Lib Dems Soft on those who refuse to pay Council Tax
The Liberal Democrats are apparently calling for Councils to let off people who don't pay their Council Tax. This I think is wrong. While Councils should (and in TDC's case do) try to work with and support residents who have got into financial difficulties to ensure that they can pay off any arrears in a manageable way, there has to be a sanction for the very small minority of taxpayers who refuse to pay or refuse to talk to the council or about why they cannot pay. It is not fair to the vast majority who pay in full and on time, not to chase up people who do not do so.
Tuesday 6 January 2009
Labour wants to tax rubbish collection
I have just become aware of yet another decision taken by this government that if implemented will further increase the tax burden on hard pressed residents, for no benefit. Eric Pickles, Shadow Communities and Local Government Secretary has said that 'This is just another cynical Labour attempt to tax families more by stealth, but with a thick coat of greenwash. The Government should be working instead with councils to help extend recycling collections, and make it easier for all households to go green'.
At the end of November, laws which allow the Government to impose new charges for household rubbish collections received Royal Assent. Ministers have confirmed that the Office of National Statistics will classify these new charges as a tax. Although bin taxes will be trialled in a series of so-called pilots, the small print of the legislation allows the Secretary of State to roll out and impose the taxes on all local authorities by Order, without any vote in Parliament.
Official technical documents reveal that the bin taxes will take one of four forms:
• Bin bag tax: Households must pay for special bin bags. Rubbish not placed in a paid-for bag will not be collected.
• Bin size tax: Households will be charged for the size of their bin; with families requiring a bigger bin paying the most.
• Weekly collection tax: Households needing a weekly rubbish collection will pay an extra charge.
• Bin chip tax: Households will receive a bill based on the weight of the contents of their bin, with microchips in the bin feeding through to a central billing database.
These taxes will increase taxes on families (who already tend to pay higher council taxes); will raise the overall tax burden due to the costs of levying and enforcing a new tax; and will harm the environment by fuelling fly-tipping and backyard burning.
Local Conservatives will fight these plans.
At the end of November, laws which allow the Government to impose new charges for household rubbish collections received Royal Assent. Ministers have confirmed that the Office of National Statistics will classify these new charges as a tax. Although bin taxes will be trialled in a series of so-called pilots, the small print of the legislation allows the Secretary of State to roll out and impose the taxes on all local authorities by Order, without any vote in Parliament.
Official technical documents reveal that the bin taxes will take one of four forms:
• Bin bag tax: Households must pay for special bin bags. Rubbish not placed in a paid-for bag will not be collected.
• Bin size tax: Households will be charged for the size of their bin; with families requiring a bigger bin paying the most.
• Weekly collection tax: Households needing a weekly rubbish collection will pay an extra charge.
• Bin chip tax: Households will receive a bill based on the weight of the contents of their bin, with microchips in the bin feeding through to a central billing database.
These taxes will increase taxes on families (who already tend to pay higher council taxes); will raise the overall tax burden due to the costs of levying and enforcing a new tax; and will harm the environment by fuelling fly-tipping and backyard burning.
Local Conservatives will fight these plans.
Thursday 1 January 2009
Happy New Year
I would like to wish all readers and especially those who live in Oxted, Hurst Green, Broadham Green and Merle Common a very Happy New Year.
There are some very big economic and political questions facing us all this year, nationally locally and in our every day lives. Hopefully the answers will become apparent during the year.
There are some very big economic and political questions facing us all this year, nationally locally and in our every day lives. Hopefully the answers will become apparent during the year.
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