Woman hurt in Tolworth Broadway accident
See the Surrey Comet website (link in right hand column) for details of the latest news about the Broadway.
While we can’t definitely say that this accident was attributable to the current ‘Greenway’ project, concerns about safety aspects have been raised by us since the first suggestion of the scheme four years ago and local Alexandra ward Councillor Richard Hudson has raised a petition supported by hundreds of people on papre and on line to draw attention to possible hazards.
Please read the Comet article and also the concerns raised in another item about the possible impact on disabled people of the scheme.
Petition on Meldone Close: please support
Chris Hayes writes:
We are supporting residents at Meldone Close to petition the council to take action and either keep its recycling centre properly maintained, or to close it.
We have just over 50 paper signatures – electronic signatures gratefully received at:
http://epetition.kingston.public-i.tv/epetition_core/view/meldonecloserecycling
October at the Corner House
Highlights for October :
Fri 4 October : Monthly social
Tu 8 October : Art gala
Thu 10 October : Comedy from Outside The Box
Sun 13 October : Two full comedy shows direct from this years Edinburgh festival
Sat 19 October : Crafty Afty
… plus film club screenings
Details :
Monthly social :
Friday 4 October
The weekend starts here. Sup a drink, look at our new art exhibition, and browse through our book, DVD and CD exchange at the cornerHOUSE bar night
Convivial company and inexpensive drinks are a big draw at the arts centre in Douglas Road, Surbiton.
It all starts at 7pm.
Visual arts :
Tuesday October 8
Gala night for Sue Monteath’s latest exhibition. Sue, who won the Molesey Art Society’s 2010 Robert A Lindsay award for the most accomplished painting, works mainly in oils but occasionally acrylics and has recently undertaken a number of commissions. Still life, coastal scenes from around England and Scotland, birds and portraits all feature in an exhibition which runs from Sunday, September 29 until Friday, November 1. Sue’s paintings are for sale. Prices range from £40 to £250. Come and meet the artist, and discuss her work at the gala on the 8th.
Comedy :
Thursday 10 October
OTB are back with another laughter packed evening on As ever there will be a great bill of established and emerging stars from the best of the UK comedy circuit. The bill has yet to be announced but regulars will know that there is always a chance of a drop-in by the biggest of names; previous OTB bills at the cornerHOUSE have included Omid Djalili, Russell Kane, Andy Parsons, Lee Mack to name but a few. But also expect to be delighted by newly emerging acts you have not yet heard of; Angelos Epithemiou made one of his first public appearances here, as did Stephen Merchant when starting out in stand-up. And then there are wonderful shows like the Raymond and Mr Timkins Review, and eccentrics like Edward Aczel, which have astounded us.
The bill will be revealed on www.outsidetheboxcomedy.co.uk
Information line is 07791 439363
Possible adult themes and strong language mean that this event is only suitable for over 16’s
Sunday, October 13
Following a sell-out show at the cornerHOUSE in April, comedian John Williams returns with My Son’s Not Rainman
The comedian and single dad tells the audience what it is like to live with an autistic son in this hilarious and moving show.
“By the end of the hour, you’re invested in their life together, and want to hear more. Well crafted, funny and full of heart,” said one review.
Also on the bill is The Lost Letters of Cathy G by Paul Harry Allen.
This is a heartfelt and funny tale about a wad of forgotten letters from the 1960s, discovered in a junk shop. “Dating from 1963-69, they span across America, France and Edgware and give a fantastic insight into how 60s teenagers got their kicks, from miserable French exchange visits to screaming at a Monkees concert,” said Paul. “Having managed to find some of these hopeful groupies and first loves, with a mixture of stand-up and storytelling, I will share my quest to find out what happened after the letters stopped.”
Both shows are fresh from this summer’s Edinburgh Festival and gained four-star reviews. The comedy evening is a special fund-raising event for Express CIC which supports young people with autism and their families in the borough of Kingston.
Tickets are £12 on the door or £10 in advance via www.wegottickets.com/event/240494
Crafts :
Sat 19 October :
Rapidly becoming the established place to make things, the third “Crafty Afty”.
Nothing too organised – just an opportunity to come and spend a few hours in the company of like-minded creative grown ups. Bring whatever project you’re working on, or want to start. All forms of artistry welcome, whether it’s papier mache, patchwork, photography, drawing, jewellery-making, knitting, painting, cards making – anything. If you need space to spread out there’s lots .
There’ll be home-made cake and tea available , too.
Plus the cornerHOUSE film club ….
Another screening in October each with a matinee and evening performance. Members will be receiving detailed information. To find out more details of the screenings before they happen you must be a member of the club ( currently free and with no commitments ); to join simply e-mail info@thecornerhouse.org now.
Help needed :
We are always keen to receive offers of assistance in running the cornerHOUSE, especially for front-of-house at the public events. Whether it is working in the box office, behind the bar or in the auditorium, your assistance would be invaluable to us.
If you can offer assistance in any way please let us know : e-mail us at info@thecornerhouse.org
Lib Dems costly bloomer on Raven’s Ait
This week’s Surrey Comet reports that Stewart Marine, the company owned by Olympic sailing medalist Ossie Stewart, which was handed a 50 year lease to Raven’s Ait island, has been bought in a deal rumoured to be worth £1.9m.
Lib Dem administered RBK Council turned down an offer of £3M for the island in favour of giving the lease to Mr Stewart’s company for just £20,000 a year and a year’s free rent and has been branded inept by all the opponents of the original deal.
Conservative Leader Cllr Howard Jones said ‘I recall we were very surprised at the rushed decision to sell the lease to Stewart Marine. The council was being pushed commercially because it was having to pay for security on the island after squatters moved in. It certainly did not go to the highest bidder, it wasn’t the most interesting use of the island, there was no public engagement and no proper bidding process. It seems the council was wedded to the idea that Stewart Marine, because it was local, was the best bet. It has backed the wrong horse from the looks of it, and has once again shown its ineptitude when it comes to making business deals.’
Teething troubles – or incompetence?
Our new website is simple to navigate, fully accessible and makes transactions quicker and easier to do online.’
This was the message on Kingston Council’s new website this week – However the new website is ‘riddled with errors’ days after its £275,000 relaunch. Missing pages on the supposedly mobile friendly website flash up ‘Sorry but we cannot find the page you are looking for.’
Just not good enough – the RBK website is the public face of the Council and our residents expect and deserve better than this fiasco from the Lib Dem run Council.
Councillor Andrea Craig, Conservative Cllr for Canbury Ward told the Surrey Comet that Councillors should have been involved. ‘It is an improvement but….we were not happy that, as usual members were not consulted properly about it. There are spelling errors on it and there wasn’t a small focus group of residents to canvass their opinions and input before implementation.’
Last week’s Comet reported that Kingston Council had reached an out of court settlement with a former employee who had claimed he was racially discriminated against. Criticism has been directed at the new Lib Dem Council Leader who said she did not know about the case or the subsequent settlement. Kingston Conservative Leader Cllr Howard Jones said ‘I would certainly want to know if somebody had left the employment of the council and was making allegations of racial discrimination against senior officers. I am surprised LizGreen didn’t know, and I shall be asking questions about that.’
Look after your bikes!
from our Safer Neighbourhood Team 
There has been an increase on the borough in the theft of pedal cycles from garages / sheds etc. Bicycles can be some of the easiest vehicles for thieves and vandals to target. Many people take a great deal of trouble securing their house and the property within it, whilst at the same time leaving valuable property in a shed which is either unlocked or so old and run down as to prove no obstacle whatsoever to a thief.
- If you leave one or more bicycles in your shed, padlock them to the fabric of the building or together to make them harder to steal. Buy a good quality D-lock or combination lock.
- Fit a good lock on the shed door. The fittings should be bolted through the door of the shed and reinforced at the back with a steel plate. The hasp should have concealed screws. Secure windows with internal diamond mesh grilles.
- Ensure that your garage is secure as possible. For garages with metal ‘up and over’ doors, purpose made locks can be fitted to either side about 300mm up from the floor, to reduce leverage. Wooden garage double doors can be secured with two substantial hasps and staples and closed shackle padlocks. An external floor mounted, solid steel locking ‘T’ bar with a closed shackle padlock, will offer a good visual deterrent and make it more difficult to open the door. Garage side and rear doors can be secured with BS36215-lever mortice locks and two internal mortice rack bolts, one near the top and one near the bottom.
- Consider getting your bike frame security marked.
Surbiton Forum 