Congratulations for FINALLY meeting a Council Leader Jeremy! Even if he was a friendly Conservative, dropping in to your Constituency office for a cosy cup of tea. And between you you’ve agreed to get all the Stakeholders together for a Masterplan. EH?? Eh??
Isn’t that what you have been promising Farnham ay EVERY ELECTION since 2005 young man? Here’s your leaflet from – wait for it – wait for it…
Aha! let’s look at No. 6 – “A Traffic Plan for Farnham:” Jeremy is working closely with local councillors and campaigners to develop a pedestrianisation plan for Farnham that is practical and viable.”
And 14 very painful and lung congested years later, that’s the best plan you can come up with – again!
And lets politely ignore the ‘Success’ you claimed for fighting Dunsfold New Town at No.3!
Dunsfold Garden Villge Coming soon – but thanks to Jeremy Three years later than planned. And then only after shedloads of money down Waverley’s drain. – Due to his intervention – 600/700 fewer homes built on the brownfield site- which now threatens the borough’s 5-year land supply and the loss of yet more countryside! Thanks Jeremy.
Trustees are dropping off the CVHT radar faster than branches from local trees. Not Cranleigh Village Hospital Trust now of course, but the Cranleigh Village ‘Health’ Trust.
This time it’s Mr Cranleahy, who has resigned from his charitable aims to spend more time with his developer aims. The Rudgwick man, has thrown in the shovel, following in the clog-steps of his developer mate Nick Vrijland, who resigned shortly before Christmas. Remember him, the one who once grew lettuces to feed the nation. Now along with his CVHT running-mate now grows houses – because they want to make Cranleigh a better place.
Here’s the reason above why they are regularly biting the dust! The Trustees who are working to find the most effective way forward of how best to use public land and the public’s money are mentioned below?Here’s a list of the Trustees left on the Board.
So sick of developers queuing up to concrete over their village on the Surrey/Sussex borders – that its residents are writing to the cash and carry on brigade to hear their impassioned please.
Denise Wordworth comments on the latest screening opinion by another developer who wants to build 80 homes on agricultural land with direct access onto the A281 Horsham/ Guildford Road adjacent to the Crossways Petrol Station.
She says: “Please do not waste Tax payers money on this. We already have more than enough Planning applications for the Village of Alfold. And if we have to pay for Planners to review this application I will request a FOI into the costs relating to this Application.
The developer claims:
2.5 The Site is highly accessible by car, and an approximate 5 minute walk to the centre of Alfold Crossways. The nearest bus stop is approximately 650 metres to the north of the Site serving the 42 bus route between Guildford and Cranleigh.
I challenge officers to walk this footpath – we do it daily with our dog – It is hazardous, WET, Noisy and scary with a young dog let alone children. I would also like to know what the centre of Alfold Crossways is, apart from our lovely Sports & Social club and playing fields?
2.6 The nearest settlement is Alfold Crossways which provides a few local services and amenities including the Alfold Crossways Village Hall, Alfold Sports Council Social Club, small-scale retail,
There is a M&S Simply Food and the garden centre (CLOSED) located approximately 60 metres to the north of the Site. The Wildwood Country Club and golf course (CLOSED – subject to planning) is located immediately to the north-west of the site on the opposite side of Horsham Road. 2.7 There are further amenities and services, including a Post Office (CLOSED from 1pm Week days),Veterinary Surgery and St Nicholas Church within the village of Alfold, located approximately 820 metres to the south-west of the Site. The nearest educational and medical facilities are located in Loxwood, located approximately 3 kilometres to the south of the Site.
A GP site under pressure and a school which is FULL! Children from Alfold are transported to oversubscribed, and dilapidated schools in Cranleigh – or beyond to Billingshurst in West Sussex.It is quite obvious that this, along with other applications already the subject of Appeals, are being lodged by Developers in the hope that at least one or two will slip thorough the Appeal process.
This Village is Not Sustainable as it stands and until Government spends money improving local facilities for Alfold’s existing and new residents this size of development is not sustainable and developers should not be forcing our council into wasting our money.
With all of the accumulated developments in the area and outside the area in Horsham – the A281 is taking on more traffic then it was ever expected or constructed to accommodate. The fact that Surrey County Council doesn’t seem to recognise this as an issue is laughable.
It seems to me these developers are presuming that the former Wyevale Garden Centre Application HAS been approved as this Diagram shows – making it look as though this proposed development is adjoing another. Please explain??
There is no reason for Alfold to take any further development as we have already exceeded our Minimum number of 125. This is a waste of money and should be thrown out despite the heavy tactics of the developers. It is not in the interests of the local residents nor the wider Borough to exceed the numbers agreed in LPP1 and I am sure LPP2 will confirm this
These two Waverley Tory MP’s bagged their seats at Westminster. Now it is time they start working for the people who put them there because Waverley is joining other local authorities in lambasting the Tory Government. They now have to earn those votes and may find themselves needing those tin hats! The borough needs more than just those Smarties around your neck Angela – they want fair and decent funding restored.
Despite some opposition to parts of the new Administration’s first Budget, Waverley Towers experienced a phenomenon seldom witnessed there.
UNITY IN BLAMING THE TORY GOVERNMENT FOR THE COUNCIL’S PARLOUS STATE!
Following in the wake of Storm Dennis – the annual Budget setting meeting was predicted to be of similar turbulant proportions. Instead it resulted in a show of togetherness of the never to be forgotten variety! United – the whole council rounded on the Tory Government – and its local MP’s.
The Government received an all round bashing for the unfair treatment meted out to councils in the South of England.
The Tory Group offered to join forces with the new Rainbow Coalition to demand fairness from Westminster. Watch out Jeremy – you could be facing the wrath of your Tory colleagues, and as for the Honourable Angela – she may need a tin hat to weather the storm heading her way. Some are even considering marching on Westminster! So shocked was the WW, we almost fell off our web!
As the clock ticks on ‘Your Waverley’s’ worsening financial crisis – the drama was played out at Tuesday’s Budget setting round in the Council Chamber that may soon find itself sporting a ‘For Sale’ sign.
As well as collecting council tax to support its own budget, by law Waverley has to collect council tax for Surrey County Council (SCC), Surrey Police and the borough’s town and parish councils and this money is paid over to other organisations.
Surrey County Council is increasing Council Tax by 3.99%. Surrey Police by 3.85% and some parish town and councils in Waverley by a considerable amount
For 2020/21, this is equivalent to around 7p a week on a Band D property;
How did it achieve this? By slashing its operating costs by £700,000.
Said Surrey County Council Leader Tim Oliver.
However, cash- strapped Surrey County Council is considering issuing an invite to the wealthiest in the county to dig even deeper and send over even more as voluntary contributions. Really, honestly, we kid you not! The county’s begging bowl is out, all donations gratefully received!
Waverley keeps a measly 10p in every pound of council tax collected to fund its services, and also the Government has a strangle-hold over councils by restricting the amount that council tax can be increased each year. ‘Your Waverley’ collects business rates from all non-domestic premises in the Borough. Most of this money is paid to the Government with a relatively small amount being retained by Waverley…
…Just 5p from every pound collected! Stingy Government blighters!
The Government also sets the rateable value and rates chargeable for all business premises.
Waverley’s Revenue Support Grant from the government is now ZERO. There has been a dramatic reduction over the last 6 years from £6m in 2010/11.
There was however a noticeable absence of unity between the newbies and the Tories over…
The newbies are not impressed that the Tories promised the burgeoning New Town a spanking new Leisure Centre shortly before receiving the order of the boot at the 2019 May polls. A promise announced in the full knowledge that the cupboard was bare!
“Very naughty”
Said the new Leader John Ward.
Now the newbies are left holding the babies and the poolwater! Acutely aware that the centre is falling apart at the seams and must either be refurbished or replaced – with money the authority doesn’t have. If you didn’t already know Cranleigh – you were duped by the scurrilous Tory bunch to buy your vote! The Tories threw the blame back on the newbies, and claim its “dithering and delay” has cost Farnham a “climbing wall.”
But never fear – the newbies on the block are promising to do all they can to get Cranleigh up and swimming. But keep holding your breath, because it won’t be soon. Just keep watching those HGV’s rolling along your country roads, building ever-higher platforms for all those flood-prone new properties coming your way – without the fringe benefits – hey ho!
Waverley was persuaded to keep some, under-used car parking charges lower in Cranleigh. However as charges around the borough haven’t increased for 3/4 years, small increases here and there generates £145k of badly-needed additional income.
An independent review of charges was commissioned to take effect in 2020/21. Of the additional income generated, some £100k, is earmarked to pay for the ongoing costs of delivering Waverley’s climate change emergency action plan. Altogether £300,000 has been earmarked to tackle the climate emergency and the growing chasm of inequality in our borough. A figure that Tory Cllr Trevor Sadler described as – “paltry.”
Although council tenants face a 2.7% increase, there has been no change to their rents for the past 4 years – because yes, you guessed, due to Government intervention yet again!!
Fees and charges have been reviewed too, Some are statutory but for those determined by Waverley some inflationary increases are proposed for 2020/21 where appropriate. Many charges have been increased in line with estimated inflation. The administration considered increasing Green Waste subscription charges by £5 to a total charge of £70 to generate an additional £70k per year as past increases had not led to a reduction in the number of subscribers. However it decided that such an increase would not be in the spirit of the council’s declared Climate Change Emergency Strategy.
There were a few skimishes before the Budget was passed. Elstead’s Aunty Elsey waxed lyrical about retaining grants to the Voluntary Sector in the full knowledge that the Tories have been effectively cutting their grants in real terms for a decade. And aware that a Residents Consultation survey, conducted by Waverley, has placed them as a low priority. The Deputy Leader Paul Follows said – despite the Tory Government’s wilful neglect, he pledged the new Administration would do “the very best it could for the residents of Waverley, of all ages.”
‘Worried of Wonersh’ aka Michael Goodridge warned officers he intends to take them to task alleging they are not adhering to the Council’s Constitution!
Another Tory accused the Executive of making too many decisions behind closed doors. Because of course, they had never dreamed of doing such a thing?!? Perish the thought!
Despite the sniping the Budget was passed – with the Tories voting for almost everything. Funny though, with all that experience gained over a decade in power by all those Tory councillors … and yet NOTHING in response either verbally or in terms of ideas for getting ‘Your Waverley’ out of the financial hole that they, and the Tory Government, has dug for our borough?
Cranleigh residents say NO, so does Cranleigh Parish Council, Waverley Borough Council, School Governors and teachers to new schools being built in one of the most congested areas of Cranleigh.
Surrey County Council (SCC) want to build a Nursery School, a Primary School and the former C of E Middle School to join Glebelands Comprehensive in Parsonage Road, All near to an old people’s day centre, a Waverley housing development at Sarus Place, and the Glebe Estate.
Yet another new development will surely follow soon with plans to build behind David Manns Department Store?
The former school sites will also provide 91 new homes, bringing in even more traffic, while at the same time filling up the county council’s coffers.
However Waverley Planners refused SCC’s housing application on the grounds that the density was too high – and without parking bays – would cause a danger to motorists and pedestrians, in particular young children. No problem there – then? No doubt the county honchos will get around that little minor local difficulty?
The proposed new schools, the existing St Cuthbert Mayne RC School, and the new homes together with existing homes and businesses will all access onto two main roads in the immediate area. St Nicolas Avenue onto Ewhurst Road and Rowland Road. But if Surrey County Council decides what locals say is an “ugly building” is going ahead in the countryside then what it says goes! Everyone can shut-up and put-up – because the County Planners can do just what the hell they like. Even without having yet granted itself planning consent, it put two fingers up to Natural England and environmental best practice this week and sent in contractors to scrub out an ancient hedge.
Yes you guessed in flood-torn Cranleigh! During the nesting season, which due to the warm winter has arrived early. So s*d the birds says Surrey?
The new school that even before it is actually built is too small. It cannot house a full school assembly and there will have to be three seprate lunchtime sittings.
The long established and well-loved Cranleigh Sports & Social Club adjacent is “fuming” that its long-standing premises and bowling green will now be totially exposed.
The parish council backed by residents has made its opposition widely known. It fears for childrens safety as there will be no layby’s or drop-off points.
However, the numpty know-alls at County Hall believe that little problem can be easily overcome by paying staff/ teachers to corall the kids up – and get them to their parents’ waiting cars – or school coaches!
Another poor use of public money? Still we guess better use than stumping up almost £60m to provide new shops and restaurants here in Farnham? In the middle of a retail downturn?
REMEMBER EVERYONE THERE IS A SCC ELECTION NEXT YEAR!
The Cranleigh Society is asking parents?
The Society has looked carefully at the new building plans and beleives the scheme to tuck a new school for more children from Nursery Age to 11 behind the Social Club is fraught with problems.
But say something really must be done as soon as possible. All we can do is lobby to get the current sites upgraded or a much better plan – ideas?
SCC has promised to rebuild or refurbished the existing schools for over 20 years – now their roofs are leaking and pupils forced to sit with buckets to collect water pouring through ceilings. Rising 5’s are using facilities over 70 years old. Facilities used by their grandparents, we are told by our Cranleigh followers!
Apparently the stream at the top of the fields are too soggy for sport, but this has never been dealt with and the schools don’t use them because they flood.
The Assembly hall is small: it cannot accommodate assembly for the whole school & there will have to be 3 sittings for lunch
The new site will have AstroTurf not grass play areas.
There is no area for parents to gather at drop-off and pick-up
The access is limited to school vehicles.
No parking close by for pick-up & drop-off
The school will have to pay staff extra to walk children to & from the bus parking.
It is urging Cranleigh people to stand up and contribute to the debate. Warning – if you don’t, then those who have the power to make decision on your behalf won’t know what you think and want.
Write to Surrey County Council at mwcd@surreycc.gov.uk and our Surrey County Councillor Andrew Poveyandrew.f.povey@surreycc.gov.uk
Write to our planning authority -Waverley Borough Council, in Godalming – have a look – here WA/2018/2044
SCC has declared declard a climate emergency. Wouldn’t be better for SCC to examine all aspects of this projects now, and rebuild on the current site, and make the school carbon neutral – a new primary just opened in Sutton says this – “The school will be Zero Carbon and Passivhaus certified”. see more details here
Cranleigh Society says is there to help Cranleigh maintain its special feel by examining planning applications and infrastructure, and letting our Councils know how the public feel about proposed changes. Please contribute by contacting us and also your councillors.. and the links we send you. You can join the mailing list on our website for free. You can also complete the membership request found on our web page.
