This message on bus shelters in the town encourages residents to get out and about in Farnham’s green spaces – but you better be quick – because they are disappearing fast!

And… not just here but all over the borough of Waverley!

Developed Cottage That Divided A Village To Be Demolished.

A long-running planning dispute, which divided a village community, has come to a head recently as   the Court of Appeal ruled that a house on the edge of Blackheath, near Shamley Green –   must be demolished.

Owners Craig and Gaynor Arnold’s development to their property  left only a few walls of their  ‘Arts and Crafts’-style cottage standing.

 Other than a 1952 extension, the cottage remained largely as first built, that is until 2009, when the owners obtained planning consent for a very large house, under permitted development rules, that applied at the time.

Building work commenced but not in accordance with the permission granted and the re-build came to the attention of  Guildford Borough Council’s enforcement officers. 

Despite this, more and more of the original vernacular cottage  leaving only a few walls of the original structure resulting in  a building  regarded as  harmful to the character and appearance of the area.

Now a planning inspector has ruled  that the original Blackheath Cottage no longer exists and the couple’s construction has resulted in a “new” house with “fundamental design flaws.” 

 He  said it was  a “fundamentally different design” to the original, complete with a “jarring” expanse of glazing, “odd truncated roofs” and a “slate finish” out of keeping with the area. Now The Court of Appeal has confirmed th Inspector’s decision saying the cottage  must be demolished within nine months.

Although the house had “no harmful visual impact” and would not interfere with local views, it was “harmful by definition” to the green belt. It was “inappropriate development” in the green belt and there were no “very special” reasons why it should not be demolished.

The inspector said he had “some sympathy with the predicament Mr and Mrs Arnold find themselves in”, but added that it was “primarily of their own making”.

Meanwhile, several planning applications for a suitable replacement have been made and the latest, lodged in 2016, is of a more overall contemporary design, much reduced in height and bulk with a flat green ‘living’ roof.

This is what our former Waverley and Surrey County Councillor has written on his new blog as Surrey’s Police and Crime Commissioner….

 

To mark LGBT History Month, the APCC lead for Equalities, David Munro PCC, sets out what Police and Crime Commissioners are doing to help reduce inequality and promote safety amongst our diverse communities.

He says:

Celebrating our differences in policing is an area very close to my heart so I was delighted to be recently appointed as the national PCC lead for Equalities, Diversity and Human Rights (EDHR). This portfolio covers a range of issues including officer and staff diversity and hate crime. I therefore want to be the champion for these issues not just in Surrey but for PCCs across the country.

Taking on this role has given me a huge sense of pride and purpose and I believe we must do our part in policing to reduce inequality and promote safety amongst our diverse communities.

With this in mind, February has particular importance for me in recognising Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender (LGBT) History Month. This is an annual event but this year in particular marks the 50th anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of male homosexuality in England and Wales. You can find out more here: http://lgbthistorymonth.org.uk/

Society has come a long way in terms of acceptance and understanding of the LGBT community, yet there is still some way to go. In today’s day and age, no one should ever have to feel frightened or embarrassed to fully commit to who they are yet LGBT groups often still sadly experience prejudicial behaviour in their everyday lives.

We know that hate crimes are currently under-reported and policing needs to do more to encourage victims to feel safe to come forward. We must combat all hate crimes head on, be it on the grounds of sexuality, gender, race or religion. I am keen to work with my fellow PCCs across the country to expand support networks and find other ways that our diverse communities can feel safe and included.

Part of this is encouraging people from these communities to pursue a career in policing – in order to achieve this we must work at presenting a clear demonstration of our commitment to inclusivity within the police service.

I was encouraged to see a total of 18 police forces recognised in this year’s Stonewall Workplace Equality Index which was announced last month. The index looks at LGBT+ representation across the workplace and recognises those organisations demonstrating inclusivity.

Six of those Forces made it into the Top 100 and it would be fantastic to see even more added to the Index next year. We will look at what distinguishes those top employers and share that best practice with colleagues.

My deputy for the EDHR portfolio is Hardyal Dhindsa, the PCC for Derbyshire. Hardyal has been working proactively to promote LGBT issues in Derbyshire, seeking a representative workforce and personally supporting the LGBT networks in the community. We will be inviting discussions with the rest of our PCC colleagues to explore ways we can tackle some of these issues together.

David Munro is a former Waverley Borough and Surrey County Councillor and was firmly behind  the Blightwells/East Street development.

 

In just a few days time the voting fodder of Surrey will pick up their polling cards and walk…

This will be their opportunity to get more of the same old, same old – or, perhaps, just perhaps, the politicians fodder will actually choose to vote for a candidate and not for the political party he/she represents.

Let’s just pose a few basic questions about ‘Our Surrey’ and how it has managed our county over  the past four years?

• Are we impressed with the closure of all the county’s old people’s residential homes – particularly those who, with amazing passion and care, worked  with those suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia?
• Do we believe they have spent the £11.8m that was raised from last year’s council tax hike on improving adult social care? In fact – are we sure it was  spent entirely on ASC?
• Do we believe it did the right thing by deciding it would no longer fund the Meals on Wheels Service?A service aimed at enabling older people to remain independent in their own homes!
• Are we confident that it was acting responsibly by shutting down/or proposing to shut down all the Alzheimer’s Centres in the county?
• Are we all happy to see the lights turned off from midnight until 6.a.m. – except of course in you live in Spelthorne where they kick up a fuss!
• Do we back its  decision to invest £30m of our money in Farnham’s toxic East Street development, which was shunned by commercial investors.
• Are we concerned about  travelling around Surrey trying to find somewhere to pay to dump our rubbish at reduced opening hours. 
• As the pot holes deepen and HGV’s smash-up our  pavements as they mount them – do we feel safe, cycling, walking or driving any more?
• Do the £2m cut in bus services concern us? Particularly in the rural areas
• What about the serious funding issues in our schools?
• Or the crass decision to suggest one of Surrey’s most amazing beauty spots – at Newlands Corner becomes ‘Your Surrey’s” answer to a sort of moneymaking theme park?

We could go on…and on…

 

But the   just has to be the total cock-up when Bodger Hodge did a ‘not so’ secret deal with the Government and someone had the guts to film it and send it to the BBC. Otherwise – once again behind closed doors!

Pour yourself a stiff drink and listen to this – and then go down to the local polling station and VOTE … but remember – we get the Governments we deserve!

Surrey County Council takes star role in Radio 4’s ‘Councils in Crisis’ documentary

Remember – ‘All politics is local” and voters need to know they can influence decisions and not be ignored.

Here’s what one resident said in the amazing Guildford Dragon – the town’s on-line newspaper about the Shalford Tory candidate who has been helicoptered in! Can hardly wait cover his contributions at’ Your Surrey?’

AGAIN!

‘Your Waverley’s’ doors were slammed shut in the face of the man who has become a thorn in Waverley’s side. The borough’s very own  – Mungo Jerrie  Hyman – who gets more like for T.S Eliot’s favourite feline  Mungojerrie from the Musical,  Cats – every day.

We at the Waverley Web wonder when the Farnham Residents’ hell raiser is going to get his claws clipped? Taskmaster Taylor and Batty Bainbridge, must be gearing up to nail him – surely?  You never contact us Mungo? Have you forgotten our email contact@waverleyweb.org Many of your colleagues haven’t! So don’t be shy – let us know when the Stazi move in on you?

 Because you really do need to understand some basic rules.

• councillors can’t question officers,
• councillors must ignore officers,
• officers are always right and must be thanked for doing the jobs they are paid for at least 100 times at every meeting.
• Questioning them, particularly on their ability to spell correctly, including  the confusion of incorrect  page numbers, or not including information ISNT ALLOWED  MUNGO !
• Shut up or  put up, if you want to say something do it in private and  behind closed doors!

 Cratus Communications who carried out ‘YW’ recent  strategic review suggested there should be a – change of culture at YW. We here at the WW are well-known for our cynicism at times, but change a culture that is buried deeper than the Great Train robbers’ stolen dosh! NEVER! 

Burn the ballot box, save councillors expenses, save a shed load of money and let’s   adopt – ROBERT’S RULE! Well that is once ‘Wenham-I-leaving’ trousers his final salary pension and buggers off to Bognor!

STOP THE WORLD AND LET US GET OFF?

Councillor Hyman’s efforts to give the people of Cranleigh an opportunity to learn of the fate of the centre – they built and paid for- was denied at the Full Council because he was told – the decision was CONFIDENTIAL – and it had BEEN MADE and due to its ‘commercial sensitivity’ was private and would remain so…

LATEST UPDATE ON : THE GRAB A LEASE SCANDAL. The tail is about to wag the dog again – In Secret – behind Waverley’s closed doors to prise an asset away from the town councillors have dubbed, “poor old Cranleigh’?

So chaps – there you are – the man did his best to shine a light on  the whole rotten grab -a-lease scandal just another underhand deal done in the name of ‘Your Waverley’? Which was aided and abetted by Councillor Patricia Ellis and the Rowleys Chairman Brenda Hobson (sorry we wrongly referred to  her Hodgson in our last report so we heard from the eastern locals, or yokels as they are called by ‘Your Waverley’)  –  and who resides in Midhurst, West Sussex. Far away from the local flack!

Bet you people over there in the East are feeling really pleased that you stumped up £250,000 to build the place, and which, when ‘Your Waverley’ decides its days are up, – as they surely will be, you know who to blame – and it won’t be Mungo!

We have received comments from the locals that they are recommending that in future villagers keep their hands firmly in their pockets when asked to contribute to local fund-raising ventures.

The  grab-a-lease scandal combined with the grab-a-land and grab-an-access road onto the  Snoxhall playing fields for a private nursing home – not a hospital – has been described as  a national disgrace!

Bit like the grab-a- Memorial Hall/  Memorial playing fields/Blightwells/Gostrey Centre over here in Farnham.!

If it doesn’t move – grab it quick!