Rose: Special Council Meeting
The special Council Meeting to consider the further funding of the Rose will take place next Tuesday, 23rd December at 7.30 in the Council Chamber at the Guildhall. It is understood that there will be a meeting of the Executive immediately afterwards.
The Rose: last night’s Scrutiny Panel
The Scrutiny Panel, which met last night, decided it could not endorse the Executive’s decision of last week to fund the Rose theatre to the tune of a further £600,000 a year plus foregoing interest on debts already owed to the Council simply on the say-so of seven Liberal Democrat councillors.
The Conservative group issued the following press release today:-
The Scrutiny Panel met last night to examine the decision by the Liberal Democratic Executive to fund the Rose Theatre to the tune of £1.8 million over the next three years. The Theatre Trust had offered services in exchange for the cash but there were serious doubts about the way in which the decision was reached. The Panel expressed concern about the lack of due diligence undertaken and the lack of alternative options being considered.
There are many services competing for money, which the council has a duty to consider before making what is hoped will be prudent financial decisions in the interests of the majority of the residents of the Borough.
Once again, the Lib Dems have put the Theatre at risk by not attacking this issue until the last minute, claiming that if the decision was not returned immediately to the Executive to rubber stamp the original decision that the Theatre would close in the New Year. The Conservatives have insisted that there is a full Council debate on the issue and in order to ensure this have called for such a debate to take place on Tuesday next week. The Panel wanted to ensure that before the Executive makes its mind up finally on this issue that there was an opportunity for all Councillors to have a say – in the interests of true democracy.
This expenditure will have an impact on funding for front line Council services over the next three years and the balance between spending on the theatre and other competing services such as old people’s welfare, street cleanliness, rubbish collection and education provision is a decision on which all Councillors should have the opportunity to contribute – not just the seven members of the Council’s Liberal Democrat Executive Committee.
Conservative Leader, Councillor Howard Jones said: “In difficult financial times, competing resource needs which require funding are some of the most difficult decisions that Councillors make. It is my belief that there are more deserving causes in the Borough that need this funding.”
Nick Kilby and Paul Johnston are both members of the Scrutiny Panel.
Funding the Rose: a quick poll
There’s a quick poll in the sidebar on the question of funding the Rose Theatre. Please let us know your views. It’s completely secret, but you can get the updated results immediately.
Mayfair Close is in Surbiton – Official!
Paul with protesting residents
The Executive this evening decided that Mayfair Close is in Surbiton after all.
We hope this triumph for common sense will please local residents. And it’s not a matter of ‘snobbery’ as one or two writers to local papers have suggested; it’s a matter of geography and long held tradition – you could say, of identity. There are other roads to which the same considerations will apply and I know the Executive doesn’t want to be bothered with each and every one as it arises. Sensibly it has decided that in future such matters should be determined by the Neighbourhood. They do get it right occasionally!
Hospital latest
A meeting of stakeholders this evening at Hollyfield Road heard some very promising suggestions from consultants about the future uses of the hospital site. There’s a long way to go but it seems pretty clear that we might well see our hopes for a 21st-century medical facility for Surbiton realised with additional facilities on site to those formerly available at the old hospital. These could include community facilities that are not strictly medical but of benefit to the well being of residents.
The meeting was chaired by MP Edward Davey. Interestingly no-one suggested the use of any part of the site for a new school – not even the chairman. However we had been given to understand he had told people in Berrylands he favoured such a future. If we were wrong, perhaps he’ll let us know………
School Lane Winter Fair a great success
- Nick Kilby helping at the Winter Fair
Nick Kilby was very happy to help out with the School Lane Winter Fair on Friday 5th December.
The fair was organised by members of the Residents’ Association in aid of improvements to the outdoor ball court. In particular it is hoped to raise the perimeter fence and provide a net covering to prevent balls from escaping when the court is in use.
We don’t yet know what the final financial outcome was.
Surbiton Forum 