If you have never listened to a Waverley Borough Council debate before, you must listen to this.

The brutal timetable dictated by Surrey County Council’s race to be among the first to reorganise local Government could mean that Waverley and other local authorities are forced to manage the debt of other profligate and reckless councils. Surrey County Council has opted to split the county into two, but individual councillors were not given a vote!

Will Surrey County Council get what it wants?

Local Government certainly doesn’t look like it will be local any more.

One councillor said the government is imposing this decision on Waverley, a well-run and debt-free council.

Most believe this will weaken democracy, increase council tax, reduce services, and reduce accountability. As for future planning functions and the future of parish and town councils,  the Jury is out.

The debt issue in Surrey has overshadowed the whole process though the Government has  recently recognised that Woking’s debt must be managed somehow.

Everyone, include Surrey County Council, believe  writing off Woking’s £2.1b debt, is the only viable option going forward for LGR to work. (A report says the council has a core spending power of £16.9m a year but servicing its £2.1bn debt was costing £1.3m a week in interest alone.)

Cllr Peter Martin said : ” three or not to three – that is the question.” and he opted for two.

Cllr Carole Cockburn said she had never been a supporter of unitary authorities. But claimed

“what we say won’t make a jot of difference what I think what you think or what anyone else thinks it’s what the The Government decides. We could sit here until midnight won’t make a jot of difference. Secretary of State Jim McMahon  will make. and it will be about savings. Cetainly not for our sakes. Towns and parish councils must be treasured. They are the experts in the field. That is the vital bit.I am going to vote for two – but I don’t think it will make any difference.”

Cllr Maxine Gale. said residents are angry they haven’t been asked to give their two pennorth.

Cllr Kevin Deanus said Both Surrey and Waverley agreed that   Woking’s debt is unsustainable. ~he wants two unitary authorities East and West – where they will match the Police and Health Authority areas.

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Waverley Councillors voted by majority to seek a Three Unitary Option.

RIP Waverley Borough Council.

Today marks 80 years since VE (Victory in Europe) Day, when the Second World War ended in Europe.

This special anniversary is an important opportunity for communities to come together to honour the bravery and sacrifice of the wartime generation.

Waverley  Council stands in solid remembrance of this pivotal day and will pay tribute to all those who served, sacrificed and supported the war at home and abroad.

Today, the Mayor of Waverley, Councillor John Ward, will attend events in Farnham. He will also attend the Guildford Cathedral Service on Sunday, 11 May, along with the Mayoress, for their VE Day civic service.

Councillor Ward said:

“On VE Day, we pause to remember the courage and sacrifice of those who fought for freedom. Their resilience and unity shaped the future we enjoy today, and their dedication remains a source of inspiration to the current generation of Armed Forces personnel, many of whom live, work and serve in or near our borough. As a community, we honour their legacy by coming together to celebrate peace, democracy, and the enduring strength of our nation.

“I would also like to take the opportunity to reaffirm the borough’s enduring commitment to the Armed Forces Community. Our Armed Forces Covenant is a solid promise to those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces, and their families, that they will be treated with fairness, respect and gratitude in the communities they call home.”

The council also recognises the vital contributions of veterans, reservists, cadet force adult volunteers, and Armed Forces families, valued members of Waverley’s social fabric.

If you want to participate in celebrations in the borough, there are several events across Waverley which you might like to attend. These include:

Churt – On 9 and 10 May, Churt will celebrate VE Day by hosting a nostalgic ‘Street Party’ themed event, featuring tributes to Dame Vera Lynn, Flanagan & Allen, and the Andrews Sisters at Churt Village Hall. Tickets £20/£15 available from Miscellanea and Ticketsource/CADS and include a three-course supper. All proceeds to the Royal British Legion.

Cranleigh—On 8 May, the Parish Council is holding a special, free, evening event from 7.30 to 9.35 pm. Dance to 40s-style music, listen to the Horsham Band, and enjoy a Cranleigh Dance and Theatre Arts performance and a Cadets Parade with bagpipes. There will also be a beacon lighting at 9.30 pm and more.

Ewhurst – On 10 May, a concert will commemorate VE Day on Ewhurst Recreation Ground. There will be a short service at the war memorial on the recreation ground preceding the free concert from 7.30 pm. There will also be a bar and BBQ.

Farnham – On 8 May, a Beacon Lighting event will occur from 8 pm – 9.45 pm in Gostrey Meadow with live music, a VE Day Tribute, and refreshments. The event will feature:  Alder Valley Brass Band, Winston Churchill’s Victory broadcast, Victoria Cluskey performing popular songs from the 1940s, VE Day Tribute to be read by Deputy Lieutenant Bill Biddell and Beacon Lighting with the High Sheriff, Peter Cluff. Light refreshments will be available, and a licensed bar will serve locally brewed beer.

Godalming – Besides funding a series of engaging workshops and drama performances in local schools under the theme “Homing in on the Home Front”, Godalming Town Council will host an exceptional remembrance service at the War Memorial at 9 am on 8 May. The service will include: a reading of the VE Day Proclamation by the Mayor of Godalming; a short commemorative service hosted by Godalming Minster; lowering of the Union Flag; laying of wreaths; and the playing of the Last Post.  The bells at Godalming Minster Church of St Peter & St Paul will ring out between 1830 and 1930.

Haslemere – An exciting free event on 10 May at Lion Green, filled with live music, delicious food stalls, military vehicles, themed stalls and fascinating history. Step back in time with historians sharing incredible stories and insights. Indulge in a variety of tasty treats from a local food stall. Dance and sing along to live performances that will transport you to the past. From 3 pm-9.30 pm.

Witley – Residents of Witley & Milford Parish are invited to attend their Annual Parish Meeting at 8 pm on 8 May at Burton Pavilion, Milford, to be followed by the lighting of a Beacon outside the pavilion, on Milford Heath at 9.30 pm, to commemorate the 80^th anniversary of VE Day.  This will be accompanied by songs led by the All Saints Church choir.

 Some Waverley residents claim that Dunsfold, the largest brownfield site in the borough of Waverley, with consent for 2,600 homes, should remain a redundant airfield. 

In the meantime, more countryside is proposed for housing development

An outline application at Ruffold Farm, Guildford Road for 70 homes – 21 of which will be “affordable” has been lodged with Waverley ~planners. WA/2025/00805 2025  

Godalming-based Planit Consulting has lodged outline plans with all matters reserved except for access and layout for erecting up to 70 residential units (including 21 affordable units) with a widened vehicle access point, associated parking, cycle storage, open space, and landscaping. With some modifications, the highway authority has supported the access off the Guildford Road, pictured below. A 40 mph limit exists on the Guildford Road.

The estate of 70 dwellings consists of 12 four-bedroom dwellings, 24 three-bedroom units, 22 two-bedroom units and 12 one-bedroom units. • 146 parking spaces and associated cycle storage spaces • Internal roads, communal open space, courtyards and parking areas. • Attenuation pond, pocket park and area for play, all in the south east corner

Ruffold Farm Cranleigh document 9276162

Objections have begun rolling in, with one saying:

The development suggested is completely out of character for the site, the Grade II-listed property, and the surrounding area as a whole. The site is on the village’s rural fringes, which have no other large-scale housing developments, reflecting its rural nature and providing a natural boundary with the hamlet of Rowly.

The biodiversity checklist is incomplete and in some cases incorrect. Specifically on point 2.7, where it states the site will not affect any flower-rich meadows adjacent to the site. The site is next to the common, which is left to grow wild for parts of the year and therefore provides important habitats for all types of animals and plants. This would be severely impacted by a development of this scale.

The Thames Water report stating that the current sewerage infrastructure would cope with the proposed development is frankly wrong and laughable. The system in place cannot cope now, and there are constant overflows and leaks along Guildford Road. As I type this, there are two sets of traffic.

What it really, really wants.

This week, SCC will ask the Government to approve its Two-Unitary Proposal

Tory-controlled Surrey raced ahead in the devolution stakes to avoid a county council election last week, which could have ended in a similar Tory bloodbath which occurred elsewhere in the country.

The proposal to divide Surrey into two unitary authorities as part of the local Government reorganisation will now be winging its way to the government, despite opposition from most of the 10 borough and district councils, including Guildford and Waverley.

Surrey CC has been fast-tracked for reorganisation, including the postponement of elections, without a clear plan for dealing with its debt. 

Julia McShane, Lib Dem group leader at GBC and council leader, said: “The Conservatives at Surrey County Council denied residents their democratic right to vote on 1 May so they could retain power and avoid the Conservative losses across the County.

“They have no mandate to put forward any proposal for devolution, let alone the two-unitary model they are supporting.

“Districts and boroughs have agreed on a three-unitary proposal which puts people and communities first. It creates financial savings and retains local decision-making and democratic representation. Residents across Surrey gave their views in a survey and overwhelmingly supported the three-unitary option, as do we in Guildford.

“It’s wrong for the Conservatives at Surrey County Council to try and put all the debt into a West Surrey Unitary. Wrong because the debt was created by Conservative-run borough councils and SCC has £1 billion debt of its own. Woking’s residents are already feeling the negative impact of that Conservative legacy.

“The debt issue must be resolved as part of the ongoing negotiation with the government. The three unitary authorities must be financially viable to deliver the vital services our communities need. Guildford’s residents should not be shouldering the Conservatives’ debt burden, and as Lib Dems, we will fight to get a fair deal for them.”

Waverley’s Lib Dem Leader, Paul Follows, has echoed Cllr McShane’s sentiments, telling councillors last week that new unitary authorities cannot be set up to fail.

I personally will not support any proposals without a resolution or plan on this, or indeed without some assurances from the government about how services in general will be financially sustainable in the future.

Neither the Surrey CC plan for two nor the other plan for three councils can work without this being sorted.

Surrey’s local authorities collectively hold a significant debt burden, totalling around £5.5 billion. This includes a substantial debt of £2.6 billion from Woking Borough Council and over £1 billion from Spelthorne. This debt is a major factor in the ongoing debate about local government reorganisation in Surrey. 

Our followers believed it was time Aunty Angie stepped into the Dunsfold Garden Village controversy.

They were so incensed that the largest brownfield site in the borough, with consent for 1,800 homes now, more later, lies vacant that they sent her this. Is Aunty Angie planning to sort out Dunsfold?

And this: Is Dunsfold Garden Village Done For?

They also sent copies to the Bursar of Trinity College, Cambridge, and the Nationals. https://www.thetimes.com/article/fdd3e1a3-b878-46bd-bd33-29c384a9957a?shareToken=80b3af9d7d0c74b94874ef20094d8f3b

Now, residents across Waverley have joined the campaign urging Angela Rayner to force the ultra-wealthy Cambridge college attended by the King to build 2,600 new homes, as included in The Local Plan but now removed.

Trinity College has  “mothballed” the 12-year development of the former aerodrome. 

Campaigners have written to the housing secretary asking her to persuade Trinity, which has a £1.5 billion endowment, to kickstart the development at Dunsfold Park, one of the largest brownfield sites in the country. They have also set up a Facebook Page. Called, Build Dunsfold https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575066542391

 

One of the biggest opponents of the development has now jumped onto the Dunsfold bandwagon.  Yes, folks, you guessed none other than Sir Jeremy Hunt! Having helped to delay the development for years, appearing and objecting at a public inquiry and telling the public at pre-election hustings just a year ago that:

“I live in fear of the development at Dunsfold ever going ahead. The traffic will be using the rat run  past my home on their way to Milford Station.”

Now suddenly he turns onto the road to Dunsfold. Come on, Sir Jem, fess up and tell the public what you really, really want?

Simples. He and his colleagues are worried that Aunty Angie’s housing target for the borough will see almost every green field, perhaps even an allotment in Bramley, sporting thousands more homes soon.

In his latest newsletter, Jem told the world and his wife that he had visited Trinity’s Bursar to determine why development wasn’t happening. Here’s his take.  When the real reason Dunsfold lies unspoiled is? 

The real reason for the delay, folks. IS, yes, you guessed,  MONEY!

Not pollution, or a contractual dispute, the Cambridge outfit wants to sell the site unencumbered to the highest bidder, having fallen foul of the previous wannabe owner, Threadneedle. COLUMBIA THREDNEEDLE INVESTMENTS FAIL TO STITCH UP DUNSFOLD PARK

WHAT’S GOING ON LOCALLY, says Sir Jem.

THE FUTURE OF DUNSFOLD PARK is still uncertain, as explained in this fascinating but I suspect speculative piece in yesterday’s Sunday Times. The pausing of development has massively added to pressure to develop elsewhere. It seems to be the result of the need to remediate the site of potential pollution (which is expensive) alongside a contractual dispute between the owners and developers. I have met with both sides now to see if the issues can be resolved – including last week with the Bursar of owner Trinity College Cambridge. But even if the development does go ahead we are unlikely to meet Angela Rayners’s ridiculous doubling of local housing targets which is something I will continue to raise in parliament.

I actually emailed Jeremy Hunt on the subject a couple of weeks back following the WW article – he appreciates the situation with Waverley falling short on house build criteria and that it will result in development on inappropriate sites, but doubts the government has any intention of compulsory purchasing Dunsfold.

Waverley Web scores again. 

Wait until Aunty Angie hears that!

The idiom ” red rags to a bull” comes to mind.