Autumn 2018 Hon

Weybridge Society Your community association working for Weybridge Autumn 2018 Hon. Patron – Michael Aspel OBE WEYBRIDGE RISKS LOSING THE PLOT PROPOSED SALE OF CENTRAL ALLOTMENT LAND Weybridge risks losing some of its prized running through to Molyneux Road in allotment plots through an unpublicised central Weybridge, has been community plan to sell off key land in the town centre property since 1811. The custody and that would then be developed privately control of the land ownership is vested in for housing of an unspecified type, the the Weybridge Poor’s Land Charity, now Weybridge Society has learned. known as Weybridge Charity, specifically for the purpose of providing allotments and disbursements of excess revenue for the poor of Weybridge. But a section of allotments known as ‘The Triangle’ is now at risk of being sold off, as the Charity states it needs additional funds to carry out its charitable work and maintain allotments. Currently IN THIS ISSUE The Society was informed of the Back to School, Back to Work, possible plan over the summer by a Back to the History Books! number of Churchfields allotment holders Welcome to this autumn issue full of useful and local residents, who first organised news and fascinating local history! themselves within the Curzon Residents Association (CRA) to investigate the 04 TRAVELLERS IN WEYBRIDGE matter and later became the Friends 11 HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO ST. JAMES’ of Churchfields (FoC) action group to CHURCH counter any such possible land sale. 15 WHERE IN THE WORLD IS WEYBRIDGE? As local politicians are involved, events are now moving quickly, despite 19 A FUTURE US PRESIDENT’S VISIT TO WEYBRIDGE perceptions that the land seemed safe from change because of its clear 20 REMEMBERING “THE MEN OF WEYBRIDGE” OF WWI designation for allotment use. The area of allotments known as Churchfields, 23 PHOTO COMPETITION RESULTS adjacent to St James’ Church and 26 WEYBRIDGE SOCIETY SUMMER PARTY Weybridge Society Newsletter – Autumn 2018 the Charity has an investment and cash whether the Weybridge Charity was portfolio with a market worth in excess of considering plans to sell a portion of £2.1 million, according to investigations the allotments to generate additional by the FoC. For the past five years capital. At the meeting, Mr Winton said the Charity has disbursed annually the Charity had no firm plans to sell any around £39,000, typically in the form of part of Churchfields, nor would he identify Christmas gifts to around 300 people who the amount or reasons for the supposedly apply for grants of up to £200 at year’s necessary additional funding. The CRA end. Accounts show that each year the says that it was indicated at that meeting Charity’s expenses average £28,000 that Trustees would not be making any – meaning that for every £1 the Charity decision on the future of Churchfields spends on grants it spends 72 pence on until at least November 2018. costs, the FoC argues. However, only about a week later, By comparison with similar allotment residents following the issue noticed charities, the FoC says the Weybridge highly unusual information in the annual Charity does not appear to have report of the Charity for 2017, filed with considered other opportunities to find the the Charities Commission and accessible kind of income it supposedly needs and online on the Charity Commission says the Charity’s targets are arbitrary website. The report stated that despite and costs are far too high. efforts to encourage first time gardeners, “Once a community site is sold, that many plots remained vacant, and site is lost forever,” said Murray Law, consequently the site was too large for Chairman of the Curzon Residents the local demand. Additionally, the report Association (CRA) speaking on 2 July at a said on site facilities needed updating and public meeting. “Churchfields has a value layout improvements were required to use to the community considerably greater the area more effectively and to provide than the money value paid by a transient additional habitats for wildlife. The report property developer with no commitment indicated that to generate the additional to the community’s needs.” resources “necessary” to address these Residents first became aware of the problems, the trustees intend to seek a possibility of the allotments sale a few change of use for part of the Churchfields weeks before the May 3rd local elections allotment site. when a Liberal Democrat political party A few weeks after the report appeared, leaflet indicated that “Social Housing” Winton wrote to Churchfields Allotment was proposed on part of the Churchfield Holders advising them of the intention of allotments. This was quickly identified the Charity to sell the part of Churchfields by the Liberal Democrats as an error, known affectionately as “The Triangle.” and they said publicly that they had Following the 15 May meeting, CRA no such plans. members had decided to establish Soon after the election, on 15 May, working groups to research the CRA held a meeting to which Graham background, performance and activities Winton, the Chairman of the Weybridge of the Charity and its Trustees, to better Charity, and longstanding local Liberal understand the effectiveness of the Democrat official, was invited to clarify Charity and its compliance with the 2 Weybridge Society Newsletter – Autumn 2018 purpose and intent of the Churchfields spouse of a Councillor. The remaining site and the Charity itself. Within weeks three Trustees are co-opted by the six CRA membership grew from 14 to 92 EBC-nominated Trustees. Many of the members and the action group became Trustees are long serving, and some have the Friends of Churchfields (FoC), been serving since the time the Charity a committee comprised of long-time sold the Pine Grove allotments in 2000. Weybridge residents who want to ensure The terms of four current Trustees expire the Churchfields site remains for the before April 2019. benefit of current and future generations. Residents say that three Trustees, including Miles Macleod, husband of recently elected EBC Riverside Ward Councillor Vicki Macleod, have declared their opposition to the proposal to sell of the Churchfields Triangle. The Charity maintains that it is independent of EBC and has an Agency arrangement with Weybridge Allotment Holders and Gardeners Association (WAHGA) to manage and operate the allotments with the attendant Countering the Charity’s contention modest administration arising from that the only way to improve the situation rent collections and plot allocations. is land sale, the FoC says it looked The Chair of WAHGA is also co-opted into Charity assets and sought out as a Trustee of the Charity. A Special cost reductions and untapped revenue General Meeting of WAHGA, called by generation opportunities, identifying a group of Plot holders unhappy with the more than 15 strategies for improving management of Churchfields, is to be Churchfields amenities, community held on 26 September. access and social engagement among The Weybridge Society also contacted plot holders and the wider community. Chairman Graham Winton for comments According to the FoC, the Charity has on the activities of the Charity, but on not significantly engaged in fundraising August 29 he replied that meetings on or promotion in the community, missing the issue were forthcoming and he did opportunities to receive bequests and not want ‘to enter into any discussion that promote allotment use. The FoC also says would prejudge any planning application it invited Charity Trustees to discuss the that the trustees would wish to make.’ need for the sale and other opportunities The Society believes the proposed for fund raising, but at the time of writing sale of allotments land is of significant these have been declined. interest to its members and the The Weybridge Charity is composed public and will continue to monitor of nine Trustees, six of whom are developments on this issue. To find appointed by Elmbridge Borough out more and the latest news on Council (EBC), who are either present this issue, please contact the FoC Councillors, past Councillors or the at [email protected] 3 Weybridge Society Newsletter – Autumn 2018 TRAVELLERS IN WEYBRIDGE What Happened and What Can Be Done? On the morning of Thursday 21 June, Magistrates Court in Guildford for a residents of Oatlands Park woke up to Removal Order under Section 78 of the find travellers had set up camp overnight, above Act. The case was heard on the parking some 50 vehicles inside Oatlands morning of Wednesday 27 June, whereby Recreation Ground, having gained judgement was given in favour of the access by angle grinding a padlock on the Council. The travellers left that afternoon. Oatlands Drive gate the day before. A great deal of rubbish and mess Many residents complained and was left behind, which the Council duly wondered why the encampment was not and efficiently cleared up the next day on considered an offence by the police and Thursday 28th June – but at a stated cost dealt with immediately, but with protocols to tax payers of some £17,000 for this one in place, the local council acted as quickly park alone! This sum included specialist as it could at the time. Unfortunately, the deep cleansing of the contaminated public disruptions lasted all summer across toilets, the children’s play area, paddling Elmbridge, as the travellers moved around pool and sandpit, all of which were of causing damage to public and private land particular concern. The disruption to the and enterprises. Total costs to the public Oatlands community lasted eight days, in purse ran to more than £160,000 – not line with the official process of removal, counting the costs to private businesses which on average takes about a week and landowners! to 10 days.

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