Is Alfold Parish Council falling apart at the seams?

Is the village dubbed “Poor old Alfold” by Waverley Planners and good old ARFOLD by developers and Government Inspectors in crisis?

Here’s what a villager has just written in pure exasperation to The “hardworking Clerk.” and councillors. – One of whom resigned on the night due to ill-health.

Oh! And we mustn’t forget the leader of Protect Our Waverley, who has spent a lifetime resisting anything and everything at Dunsfold Park because he lives on the perimeter and wants to become the next Chairman!!

Chairman! We hear you cry! Head honcho for the very same village on which he has helped to inflict serious harm?

Dear All,

First of all, I apologise for not including all members of the APC; I could not find Email addresses on either the parish or borough council’s Websites, apart from Julie, our hardworking Clerk. If I have missed something, do let me know?

In this age of digital communication, surely we should have this information? As I said at the meeting on Thursday –  the lack of updates for the meeting (Agenda/Minutes) by Thursday 10^th Feb was rather disappointing – I only found out about the meeting as a friend asked if I was going  – as she couldn’t. So I attended but felt I was on the backfoot as I had no advance notice of the agenda until Julie emailed it to me just before 6 pm on the day of the meeting. At the meeting, I was the ONLY attendee – but that is hardly surprising when it wasn’t public knowledge that it was taking place. I was told l should have read the notice boards – I do not walk near them often, and when I do – I rarely have my reading glasses with me, so I rely on updates on   Alfold Village Network Facebook, a brilliant tool for keeping the village updated. I do not think that is unreasonable these days –  is it?

We have to get better at keeping the village informed of APC Meetings Minutes and the Alfold Neighbourhood Plan meetings. The Last minutes for this are Neighbourhood Plan Minutes 26_04_21 –

This was noted at the Horsham Road Appeal (for another 86 Homes on Wednesday by the BP station next to the Garden Centre) Development by the Inspector! Yes, another 86 homes!

The last minutes for the APC are

Whilst we all understand that APC is overwhelmed with the volume of work that appears to be singularly shouldered by the Parish Clerk – with little support from elsewhere?

As promised during my rather abrasive meeting on Thursday. I want to help APC, so I have read the 80 Pages of the AECOM report (A Housing Assessment study). Whilst detailed to the extreme, it is worth having the Information for reference, but I feel the Conclusions bring things back into perspective for the layman (Me!)

So I have re-typed them under my name (and tried just to put the salient points down 80 Pages is enough to make anyone lose the will!!!) – In case I have made any errors, and I do hope they help for anyone that has a life and doesn’t want to plough through 80 pages of the full report. It is fairly obvious the road we need to take to protect our village. 

We need to get on with it. We are losing Appeals partially because of this

APC AECOM Summary 2022 DW

 The AONB survey – but bearing in mind this has been going on since the  Dunsfold Park application in 2014 – I fail to see how any weight can be accorded to it –  until it happens. Whilst Dunsfold Park is mainly within the Parish of Alfold – It is considered a NEW SETTLEMENT by WBC and the Government. So bears no relation to OUR planning numbers. Nor do any applications on the site to continue the business part of the site. – Why wouldn’t they want to continue to operate as a business? If the new owners finally pull their finger out .. and either follow the existing Outline Plan (unlikely) or come up with a New Plan for this site, we will have to see – but as this was ALWAYS considered OUTSIDE ALFOLD as a NEW Settlement – Then it should have NO BEARING ON APCs Neighbourhood Plan.

Water/Sewage issues seem to mean nothing as all the statutory consultants say they require conditions (that are often ignored) but have no objection.

SCC pretty much always say the A281 and surrounding roads can cope, and there are no serious issues – they are happy to take the CIL or S106 Funds to fill its coffers. Very little ever seems to make it to OUR VILLAGE – which is currently taking such a hugely disproportionate amount of the Housing Need for Waverley. I would love to know how much revenue has been allocated via CIL/S106 to this village?

Either APC need to ask for assistance or we bury our heads in the sand and allow so many new applications in the village that we continue to lose on Appeal. Just look at the Figures – How many of our Local resident’s young families can afford to live in Alfold and be close to family and friends? – Unless you earn in excess of £42K annual Income for Shared Ownership (25% equity) or Affordable First Homes at £60K/Annum Income??? We will end up being a village with people outside Alfold wishing to move to the area because it is cheaper than some of the other London Suburbs (ie Weybridge) that can afford these lovely big homes. Or we will become a village that is just filled with old people – Like ME!!

I am afraid we need to engage MORE with the village and bring them on board as if they don’t know what is happening. 

Denise

Address provided.