Latest from the cornerHOUSE
The APRIL 2011 edition of the CornerHOUSE newsletter is here. Just click on the link and do support Surbiton Hill’s own local theatre, whenever you can.
Latest Surbiton Neighbourhood Matters.
from Gemma Gallant of RBK by email.
Please find attached a copy of the latest edition of Surbiton Neighbourhood Matters. Please feel free to pass this on to any of your contacts.
While writing, I would like to also draw your attention to Energyshare, a new initiative which gives you the opportunity to be involved in sourcing, using and -if you’re ready- even generating your own renewable energy. Energyshare is a community which brings people together in person and online, to challenge the status quo and get more control over
- Where your energy comes from
- How much you use
- · How much you pay for it
The Energyshare fund is open now, with £500k available in the first round.
For more information, please see www.energyshare.com
We hope you find the bulletin of interest and welcome your comments.
New temporary classrooms for Tolworth
I went on Tuesday evening to the ‘drop-in’ session to look at plans for two new temporary classrooms at Tolworth Infants School. During discussion with the excellent team of officers on hand I asked why these might be needed, given that planning permission had just been given for the super-large new school on the hospital site at Surbiton.
The answer was interesting. It was to the effect that parents whose children are admitted to these temporary classrooms at Tolworth will need to accept that their children will be transferred to the new school in Oakhill once it’s ready.
In the immortal words of Mr. Spock ‘Fascinating!’
Referendum leaflet
Readers may have received, or be about to receive, a leaflet from the Electoral Commission entitled ‘Local elections and Referendum’.
Hopes may be rising that there will be local elections in Kingston on May 5th, as the cover of the leaflet suggests.
Sorry to be the bearer of sad tidings: there are no local elections in Kingston until 2014.
Unless, of course, the councillor for Surbiton Hill who has moved to Elmbridge decides to resign!
Still benchless it seems
PJ seated on bench. Get the idea?
It seems the meeting of the Neighbourhood Committee last Wednesday was more dramatic than most expected, at least if the report on the Comet website is to be believed. Could it be that someone has taken it into their heads to whip up fear of this simple and socially helpful proposition.
Whatever! In the interests of sanity and good neighbourliness we offer the following thoughts:-
- The bench requested by EBRRA would replace an earlier bench removed some years ago because of its decrepitude and restore the amenity of the wayside garden to local residents.
- Most such gardens in the Surbiton area have a bench facility, e.g. the one at the junction of Langley Avenue and Ashcombe Avenue. It would also be consistent with the reprovision of other benches in the area at Victoria Road and Oakhill, which was carried out without fuss by the Neighbourhood Officer at the request of residents through the then Councillors for Surbiton Hill.
- The allegations of ASB associated with this bench are unsubstantiated. The people who made them are unable to adduce a single shred of evidence that any such problem ever occurred in the past. The Report to the Committee states “The SNT has been consulted and advised the Council on 23rd February 2011 that there have been no reports of ASB over the last year. They have raised no objections to the provision of a bench at this location.” This is born out by the testimony of former councillors who represented the area for the preceding 12 years. Yet the decision of the Committee was largely based on this flawed allegation.
It seems that the whole issue has now been referred to a special working party for further consideration. This is better than outright rejection but it means yet more delay – and this has taken since September 2009 already! As Cllr. Richard Hudson (Con) pointed out, ‘the community loses out again!’
Finally, may we give the ward councillors a piece of advice. Don’t get a reputation for setting one group of your constituents against others (eg. hospital site campaign). The ward you represent contains many different interest groups which we aimed to reconcile. We suggest you start following our example. Listen to them all, then tell them honestly what you think.
Neighbourhood Committee meeting.
The next meeting of the Surbiton Neighbourhood Committee will be on Wednesday 30th March at 7.30 pm in Dysart School.
Agenda items of interest are:-
2. REQUEST FOR THE PROVISION OF BENCH IN WAYSIDE
GARDEN, DITTON ROAD/ELLERTON ROAD, SURBITON
Appendix B
3. DETAILED BUDGET MONITORING 2010/2011 Appendix C
4. QUEEN’S DIAMOND JUBILEE FIELDS CHALLENGE Appendix D
5. CAR CLUB PARKING BAYS TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT ORDER Appendix E
The issue of replacing a former bench at the Triangle at the junction of Ellerton Road and Ditton Road with a new one has been dragging on for some time. A year ago Nick and I thought we had the matter sorted out in line with other bench replacements I had arranged with RBK officers elsewhere in the ward. The change of councillors seems to have contributed somewhat to the delay. Let us hope that the members on Wednesday will let the replacement take place!
Surbiton Forum 