In 2016 the late Brian Ellis, former Waverley and Cranleigh Parish Councillor declared a pecuniary interest in a Cranleigh Planning Application and left the meeting. All on the advice of the, then monitoring officer.

Probably in the days when the MO was up to the job?

A couple of weeks later Cllr Ellis,  changed his mind. He said that he wished to have the minutes of the previous meeting amended to declare a non-pecuniary interest instead. and he gives his reasons for doing so as you will witness in the video below.

A couple of other Cranleigh councillors, Stuart and Jeannette Stennett also declared a pecuniary interest at that same meeting and thought it wiser not to show up.

The late husband of Cllr Patricia Ellis gave, among his reasons for the declaration, that he had worked with the applicant to negotiate a land deal between Cranleigh Parish Council and  Cranleigh Village Hospital Trust.  Land valued at £250,000 and sold for £1. Mrs Ellis was also a member of the parish council when the deal was done, and the covenant on the land deal was agreed, and then subsequently changed.

At the previous meeting, Mr Nick Vrijland the owner of the Knowle Park Initiative had gained planning permission to build 265 homes – on either side of Alfold Road near the former West Cranleigh Nurseries. 

On Wednesday 27 November his widow – Cranleigh councillor ~Patricia Ellis – has called in a planning application, against some advice, for an application by Mr Vrijland and his fellow Trustees of a charity called Cranleigh Village Hospital Trust, to be considered by the Joint Planning Committee (JPC).

Although she is not a member of the JPC, as the ward member, she is permitted to call in an application that would otherwise have been refused under officers’ delegated powers, and speak for up for it. However, it is believed, that her call-in was out of time and that there was a departure from the normal delegation planning process.  The Waverley Web cannot help wondering – WHY?

 The application is for an £18m three-storey 60-bed Private Care Home, residential accommodation, and 20 community beds on a site in Knowle Lane, Cranleigh and on land formerly owned by Cranleigh Parish Council.

A scheme that is being strongly opposed by more than four and half thousand residents of the eastern villages by petition and letter.  villages. Many of whom donated cash for a hospital and day hospital and not a commercial enterprise.

Oh and if you wondered why-officers are recommending refusal. Here’s just a starter for ten. But, of course – no objection from the county highway authority, that threw away its rule book years ago.

Here are the comments of Waverley Borough Council Officers when recommending refusal for the conversion of an old railway gatehouse in Knowle Lane, Cranleigh into a group of flats. Just a hop, skip and jump away from the Care Home site and opposite the £55m Berkeley Homes scheme for 425 homes.

Such hypocrisy?

Or perhaps more to the point former MP for SW Surrey Jeremy Hunt’s ‘In Touch.’ Because the latest leaflet  has very little to do with Tory achievements in ‘Your Waverley.’

Just a bit of trumpet blowing for ~Our Jeremy – or what?

But there is something very worrying going on here.

Because he knows, and we know, the police know and more important the residents of Farncombe and Godalming know who was behind the campaign against the spate of anti-social behaviour that has hit the area.

You know full well that it was the frustrated residents of Farncombe & Godalming that prompted a public meeting which was hosted by Cllr Penny Rivers and Cllr Paul Follows. They hosted a session for 220 people held in Farncombe, to which you were invited, and to which you didn’t attend. You can read all about that September meeting here. It was held at a time you were ‘spending more time with your family.’ And twittering to Boris Johnson saying you hoped he was having as much fun being PM as you were having not doing it. The fightback​ has begun to deal with anti-social behaviour – “and make Farncombe great again.”

Waverley  Cllr Rosoman and Cllr Paul Follows pledged to follow up on all the actions suggested by the public and subsequently, together they convened a meeting of the council, police, schools and youth groups partnership committee to deal with the serious issues and are implementing their actions.

Mr Hunt, you put out a survey which might as well have asked if people want free money. 91% support for more visible policing…of course people want that.

So come on Jeremy, be honest,  it is hardly YOUR CAMPAIGN  is it really ?- So apologise to the residents of Farncombe and Godalming – for attempting to hijack THEIR campaign as your own.  Because the public isn’t stupid and they have ways and means of ensuring you understand that.

The Waverley Web has begun the process of ‘Fact-Checking’ some of the literature that has been dropping through your letterboxes in recent weeks.

Having carefully read through this one, it would appear the Lib Dems have forgotten one very big achievement. It hasn’t mentioned that for the first time fo years, residents can now watch a webcast without interruption. Councillors are sitting, and have been told when to switch on their microphones and the public can actually hear the debate.

It is also very noticeable that webcasts are put up almost immediately, during the previous administration it sometimes took almost a week!

The WW applauds you. But sincerely hope that the LD eye doesn’t come off the Waverley ball due to a General Election?

Two candidates who don’t give their addresses and the local boy who does.

Notice_of_Poll_Statement_of_Persons_Nominated_and_Situation_of_Polling_Stations___General_Election_12_December_2019

Cllr Townsend – Waverley Borough Councillor for Cranleigh and  Chairman of its  Parish Council has today announced her resignation from the Conservative Party.

Waverley Borough and Cranleigh Parish Cllr Liz Townsend is now hand-in-hand with former MP Anne Milton in their efforts to put ~an Independent MP for the Guildford & Villages into the seat at the General Election. 

It has been obvious to anyone who watches the Waverley Borough Council meetings on its webcast – sad souls that a handful of us residents are! That Cllr Elizabeth Townsend has become an increasingly independent thinker – and doer. 

Like many councillors before her – her politics came with a small p – but her Dogged Determination to serve Waverley, and in particular Cranleigh residents,  – came with a BIG D. Which sometimes took her out-of-step with Tory colleagues. Particularly with her concerns for the environment.

 Although seemingly overlooked and undervalued by some of her own Waverley Conservative colleagues, she is highly regarded by the public and her colleagues in all the other parties. Cast your minds back to a time when Tory-controlled Waverley refused to allow her to join the influential Joint Planning Committee.  A committee faced with major applications – including Dunsfold Park Garden Village a 2,600 home – development that would have a major impact on Cranleigh and its services.

So it came as no surprise to us, here at the Waverley Web that Cllr Liz Townsend has resigned to-day from the Guildford & Villages Con Assoc – to become, what perhaps she always has been – an INDEPENDENT. 

As Chairman of the parish council,  she single-handedly masterminded Cranleigh’s Neighbourhood Plan – a feat of enormous and time-consuming proportions, as it maps out Cranleigh’s future and underpins Waverley’s Local Plan.

She has fought tirelessly for the people of Cranleigh and beyond, cares passionately about the environment, and the effect development is having on the character of the countryside both on her own patch and on the areas of Godalming, Haslemere and ours here in Farnham. nobody shows more frustration at the loss of habitat, loss of ancient woodland, hedgerows, and TPO covered trees than Cllr Townsend. She has shown herself to represent our beleaguered town of Farnham with exactly the same fervour as her own area. There is nothing parochial in her fight for what is right for the people of Waverley. But faced with a choice of what is right for the country has prompted a once committed Tory to hand in her card.

So let’s all hope that the new Coalition Alliance that is now running ‘Your Waverley’ will recognise her immense skills, and reward her courageous stand – with more responsibility for shaping our borough over the next four years. Because there is little doubt, Waverley’s Tory Group has lost one of its best assets. We wonder what Cllr Potts will have to say now her ranks are being depleted further? Watch this space.

Councillor Paul Follows, Deputy Leader of Your Waverley said:

The cross-party administration of Waverley Borough Council is very pleased to welcome Cllr Towsend to join the governing group of (now) 35 councillors.

Cllr Townsend is known for being a hardworking, principled local councillor and will be, I am sure, an asset to the group in our ongoing work for the residents of Waverley.

It is clear that the Conservative party has in recent months shifted to the right and to a place where moderate, centrist, pro-remain and pro-environment Conservative councillors and supporters feel uncomfortable and ultimately that they have no home. Leaving a party of your own choice takes great courage and many of the group understand that position. There will always be a place for such people in the cross-party alliance whether they sit as a member of a party or as an Independent.

Welcome, Cllr Townsend. Paul Follows

I N V I T A T I ON

 At last, we have all been invited to view the unveiling of the Dunsfold Village Masterplan. 

Dunsfold Park Public Exhibition 13-19 November 2019

Sadly we have to decline – as of course – our team go everywhere incognito, and to turn up as Spiderman – or worse still as an arachnoid – would finally out us to the Flying Scot and his clansmen/women.

However, if any of our followers would like to go along and tell us all about your visit, we would be more than grateful. Tell it as it is, don’t be shy – we want to know what is proposed – warts and all. If possible, let us have pictures too?

After all, this is the biggest thing to hit the eastern villages for decades, and we can see Bramley’s By-Pass Byham and the Protect Our Waverley Group, winding themselves up for a showdown. After all, now all their High Court appearances have come to a sad end, they will need to get their fangs into something else, won’t they?

The Rutland Group held a preview for invited guests on the 12^th  and  public details on the exhibition next week are as follows:

The developer – Dunsfold Airport Limited – says its plans and vision for the redevelopment of Dunsfold Park the former BAe flight test and assembly centre, are now taking shape and it is at the stage where it can now present the evolved Masterplan for the site.

As part of a planned programme of community and stakeholder consultation, it is holding a Public Exhibition from 13-19 November at the following locations and times:

The developer says: You are welcome to attend any of the public days, however, if you would like to arrange an alternative time for your company to attend and talk to the team, or have any further queries, please do not hesitate to ask.

The Tories are showing themselves to be as disrespectful to the fallen – as they are to the voting public. But then it is all about politics and ego’s in ‘Your Waverley.’

You may be unable to spot all those Waverley Borough Councillors who lost their seats in the May elections, but thankfully we here at the Waverley Web can!

One ousted Tory Jim Edwards commented on this scurrilous blog that the Lib Dem candidate had dared to put up a poppy on his post. A post that was informing everyone that he had absolutely intention of campaigning during the Remembrance Day period!  What Humbug!

Pity he wasn’t watching and commenting on his former colleague, former Tory ‘bad boy’ Stefan Reynolds on his phone during the minute silence, along with former MP Jeremy Hunt! Respect? They don’t know the meaning of the word.

What a difference a day makes?

Was it just former Councillors invited? Or just Saga members?

However, he failed to mention that Angela Richardson the new Boris Babe surrounded herself and her NBF with… a wreath of the words…  ‘At the going down of the sun, and in the morning… how disgraceful was that?! Boris’s new babe!

Don’t worry Angela – once met never forgotten. And the WW only met you once! And, that was when you were asking us for money to help the Guildford & Villages Con Assoc – ensure Anne Milton was elected.

She’s not just Boris’s Babe though? She has even managed to persuade Matt Hancock the former Secretary of State for Health down to the old Cranleigh Village Hospital to-day for a photocall. Our Annie couldn’t manage that even though she was a Health Minister for years. But then, she didn’t buy her way into the Conservative Association – she earned her way in.

Though of course, Annie took her gun to health officials on numerous occasions while in Government – including those who closed Cranleigh’s community hospital.

They fought it here – they fought it there – the duo of objectors including POW – fought it just about everywhere. But how much did it actually cost US, Waverley’s taxpaying public, to save our Local Plan? The only means our borough planners have at its disposal to fight off unsustainable development.

It admits in the Haslemere Herald to “setting aside £300,000” of our council tax to fund the army of Rumpole’s employed to fight its corner against POW and its NBF – The Campaign For The Protection of Rural England. An outfit that nationally calls for the development of brownfield sites before sacrificing the countryside and then has the temerity to try and stop development on the only large brownfield site in the borough!

One outfit (POW’s) – only intention was to stop the development of Dunsfold Park, a hop-skip-and a jump away from their own backyards… It couldn’t give a damn for the rest of the borough.

They cost 11 – yes you heard – 11 parish councils, who dugs deep – yet again into the Council taxpayers’ pockets to hand over somewhere in the region of £100,000, into POW’s coffers. Did those parish councils ask their residents if they could use scarce resources in this way? 

Did they apologise for their profligacy with our money?  Did they hell!  Sod the money, Andy Smith, of CPRE’s only expression of ‘regret’ was the decision.  No apology to Waverley Council Tax payers, oh no.  As well as pile £300,000 of our money on Dunsfold village’s bonfire or down the pan of the public lavs!  Oh dear, never mind, at least the Council Taxpayer can console themselves with the noble reflection that CPRE were using them to fund the ‘[raising] of a key national issue.’  Oh well, that’s all right then!!!

Today.

Yesterday!

Getting up close and matey certainly worked for Boris’s new babe Angela Richardson.

Having schlepped around the country from Canterbury to Totnes – Ewhurst resident, Angela Richardson whose most important achievement to date has been to campaign to keep Cranleigh public lavatories open all hours is now flushed with her latest success.

Last night Thursday the New Zealander was endorsed by the Guildford & villages branch of the Conservative Party as the chosen-one to oppose her erstwhile colleague and former MP Anne Milton. Ms Milton announced this week she will stand as Independent.

You may read why here:

Its #Annes Still Standing.

The Tory activist who worked tirelessly clambering up the greasy pole, but slipped down a couple of rungs when she was rejected by Cranleigh villagers in the May Waverley borough council election, could soon achieve her long-held ambition to fill the Guildford & Villages seat at Westminster.

Boris’s new Best Buddy was voted in at the Harbour Hotel in Guildford?

Waverley Web Wonders who will fill her parish council stilettoes now? Or, was it as everyone believed, that Cranleigh Parish Council merely a stepping-stone onto bigger things.  With the Conservative vote now splitting in all directions – could Guildford find itself in Lib-Dem territory again. Because Zoe Franklin has been out and about long-since campaigning to turn Guildford a brighter shade of yellow. Could she now follow in the footsteps of the highly respected former Guildford MP Lib Dem Sue Doughty?

Didn’t Boris say recently that the price of party loyalty may be to loose Guildford?

And is this the woman who could snatch victory from the two warring Tory women?

Zoe, a former borough councillor and Guildford resident for nearly 20 years, won an impressive 24% of the vote for the Liberal Democrats in the 2017 snap General Election.

Ciaran Doran, chair of Guildford Liberal Democrats, said: “I am delighted that Zoe will continue as our parliamentary candidate. As well as being well-liked and respected by our members and residents, she is very hardworking and deeply committed to Guildford, Cranleigh and the Villages. She has real vision for the future of Guildford and villages and she is determined that our community deserves better than the present Conservative leadership we have at every local level.”

Zoe said: “I am committed to fighting for real and positive change in five key areas locally and nationally,” and summarised her campaign:

• I want the people of the UK to have the final say on Brexit through a People’s Vote;
• I am determined to help us build a future where everyone can fulfil their potential, regardless of background;
• I want a future where our NHS and social care services get the funding they need to properly meet the needs of local people;
• I want a future where we build the right homes in the right places with the right infrastructure while vigorously tackling the social housing crisis; and
• Finally, I want a future for us that is environmentally friendly, with greener energy and transport methods, while waging war on plastic waste and pushing for urgent action to reduce local air pollution.”

Zoe is supported by her colleague Paul Follows, Deputy Leader of Waverley Borough Council, Leader of Godalming Town Council, and the Lib Dem  Parliamentary Candidate for the SW Surrey seat – which includes parts of Waverley – formerly held by Jeremy Hunt.

Zoe said: “We have been let down again and again by our Conservative MP and Conservative-run councils and we deserve better. I believe we Liberal Democrats, working with and for the people of Guildford, Cranleigh and the Villages, can build a better, brighter and fairer future for everyone in our communities.”