Our next ‘Surgery’
We will hold our next advice surgery for Surbiton Hill and other residents at the Small Hall, Surbiton Library Hall on Saturday 17th March between 10 a.m. and 12 noon.
No appointment is needed but it might be helpful if people wishing to discuss specific problems let us know beforehand. Contact details are on the ‘About us’ page. See the link above.
Berrylands Trial begins: signs of things to come?
The attached photograph was taken outside a house in Raeburn Avenue this morning. It shows the multi-container waste collection system going into action, giving some idea of the street scene created by the need to put so many containers out. These will, of course, all be left behind when emptied, possibly for several hours if residents are out at work.
We are monitoring the Trial carefully as it is obviously the Executive’s intention to roll it out across the Borough sometime fairly soon.
Budget Council tomorrow
At the Guildhall at 7.30 tomorrow evening (28th February) the Council will set the Budget for the coming financial year. A further rise in Council Tax of about 4.99% is expected from the Liberal Democrat Administration.
Kingston will, thus, still have the highest Council Tax in London.
The suggestion is made in a recent ‘Focus’ leaflet that this is all the Government’s fault. It is certainly true that, since 1997, the Labour government has used Council Tax in places like Kingston as one of Gordon Brown’s ‘stealth taxes’. Our Lib Dem MP claims to be campaigning to get the Government to change its policy in this regard. Experience shows that there is no chance of that happening. To change the Government’s policy one will need to change the Government. We haven’t noticed much enthusiasm for a change of Government from his party since 1997.
Tesco thinks again
The Property Director for Tesco, Mr. Patrick Stones, has written to your councillors informing us that Tesco has withdrawn its application on the Toby Jug and MOD site at Tolworth.
He says, “..I was particularly struck by comments…….that we had not sufficiently engaged the local community in developing our proposals………….I have therefore decided that we should stop and give local people the opportunity to be more involved in the development of this important location.” He adds “Whilst Tesco will remain a prominent feature of the scheme, I am prepared to consider a redesign of our plans, with your help.
He gives an email address for people who wish to be involved: tolworthconsultation@fd.com. You can access it from here.
This is an important concession from such a large company and we would wish to give credit to the efforts of our colleagues in Alexandra Ward, Cllrs. Ian George and Richard Hudson and all the many local traders in Surbiton Hill, Alexandra and Tolworth & Hook Rise wards who helped collect collect signatures for their petition.
Estate wardens saved too!
At last evenings packed meeting of the Housing Consultative Committee (HCC), chaired by Cllr. Paul Johnston, it was announced that the threatened estate warden posts had been saved. This is in addition to the Dog Warden post for which HCC had lobbied and the saving of which was announced in ‘In Touch’ on this site. To view click IN TOUCH on the bar above.
Car crash in Ewell Road
This link to the Surrey Comet gives the story: 
We have been contacted by the owner of the wall. It’s on the Ewell Road side of the junction between Kingsdowne Road and Ewell Road. He tells us there have been four accidents there and has asked for a safety fence to be erected to protect pedestrians from danger, especially as on this occasion a woman was sufficiently hurt to have to be taken to hospital.
Paul Johnston has taken the matter up with the Highways Department and the neighbourhood Officers and Co-chairs.
Surbiton Forum 