SPRING 2010 Published Quarterly Since Spring 1970
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57800_ISFC.qxd:SPRING inside Cover 2005 19/2/10 10:08 Page 1 Fishmongers Now Open at 39 Bridge Road, Hampton Court, East Molesey, KT8 9ER... ... and a free local home delivery service is still available. Fishman Direct, Alan the Fishman from the village, has recently opened a fishmongers in East Molesey. Opening hours are Mon to Sat, 9am to 6pm with late night opening on Thurs and early opening on Sat. Alan hopes he can continue bringing a selection of fresh seafood to Thames Ditton on Saturday mornings. We wish you all a merry Christmas and a happy New Year and we look forward to your continued support. Call 020 8127 0252 or 01372 461 741 Visit www.fishmandirect.co.uk 57800.qxd:Thames Ditton SPRING 2005 2/3/10 12:23 Page 3 The Magazine of the Thames Ditton and Weston Green Residents’ Association SPRING 2010 Published quarterly since Spring 1970 Editor In this Issue: Keith Evetts 6 Church Walk News from the Residents' Association…………………… 7 Thames Ditton KT7 0NW 020 8398 7320 [email protected] Policing the Neighbourhood …………………………… 13 Magazine Design Why Residents' Association Councillors? ……………… 17 Guy Holman 24 Angel Road, Thames Ditton Felicia Browne, Weston Green's Revolutionary ………… 21 020 8398 1770 Your Residents' Association in Action 2009/10 ………… 24 Distribution George Cammack What Community Hospital?! …………………………… 29 19 Riversdale Road, Thames Ditton 020 8398 8727 Margaret Briggs, Writer ………………………………… 33 Advertisement Manager Curtain Up at the Vera Fletcher Hall …………………… 35 Verity Park 20 Portsmouth Avenue The Theatre in the Village ……………………………… 39 Thames Ditton KT7 0RT 020 8398 5926 Spring Crossword………………………………………… 41 Contributors You are welcome to submit Solution to Winter Crossword …………………………… 43 articles or images. Please contact the Editor in advance. Next deadline 7 May. Services, Groups, Clubs and Societies…………………… 44 Advertisers By Hook or Crook ……………………………………… 46 Thames Ditton Today is delivered to an influential 4000 households throughout Cover photo: Spring bursts out in a local garden – Editor Thames Ditton and Weston Green. Call for rates for full page, half and quarter page advertising. www.residents-association.com Officers and staff of the Association are volunteers, but we must fund costs of this magazine, administrative and election expenses, and other expenses such as spring bulb-planting and the village Christmas tree. The subscription is only £3 per household. If you can contribute more, please do so. Subscriptions (in an envelope please) may be left at Boots Chemist, 14 High Street, or Thorkill Road Pharmacy, 94 Thorkill Road, Thames Ditton. Or mail to Membership Secretary Peter Haynes at 6 Onslow Gardens, Thames Ditton KT7 0JJ. Thank you. 3 57800.qxd:Thames Ditton SPRING 2005 2/3/10 12:23 Page 4 29 High Street, Thames Ditton Surrey KT7 0SD T: 020 8398 2500 F: 020 8398 9990 E: [email protected] Just a click away Buying or selling a home in South West London or Surrey? Then what are you waiting for? Not only does our constantly updated website feature media presentations of all our properties, including slide shows and floorplans, but so do ALL of these top property sites! This means that Hawes & Co really can boast more coverage than any other agent in the area. remember – we really are just a click away. www.hawesandco.co.uk 4 57800.qxd:Thames Ditton SPRING 2005 2/3/10 12:23 Page 5 Thames Ditton & Weston Green Residents’ Association Annual General Meeting Thames Ditton Councillors David Lowe, 8.00 pm on 16 March 2010, 8 Embercourt Road, Thames Ditton 020 8398 4957 at Vera Fletcher Hall Ruth Lyon, Agenda: 11 Riversdale Road, Thames Ditton 020 8398 3396 Karen Randolph, Deepfield, Giggs Hill Road, 1. MINUTES of the 2009 Annual General Thames Ditton 020 8398 5005 Meeting and matters arising therefrom. Weston Green Councillors 2. CHAIRMAN’S ANNUAL REPORT: to Lorraine Sharp, receive, discuss and adopt the Annual Report 168 Ember Lane, Esher 07970 874 925 for 2009-2010. Tannia Shipley, ‘Clinton House’ 3. ACCOUNTS: to receive the Accounts for 27 Lower Green Road, Esher 020 8398 2484 the year ended 31 December 2009. Surrey County Councillor: 4. APPOINTMENTS: to receive nominations Peter Hickman, Little Lodge, and appoint officers and an Auditor: Watts Road, Thames Ditton 020 8339 0931 President Vice President Officers: Chairman Vice Chairmen Chairman: Libby MacIntyre, Hon Secretary Hon Treasurer Auditor 24, High Street, Thames Ditton 020 8398 5534 Vice-Chairman: Martin Wilberforce, 5. ELECTIONS: to adopt a candidate to 7 River Avenue, Thames Ditton 020 8398 4732 stand at the Elmbridge Borough Council Hon. Treasurer: Bob Huxster, Elections on 6 May 2010 5 Station Rd, Thames Ditton 020 8398 3489 6. RESOLUTIONS: to consider any Hon. Secretary: Tricia Bland, resolutions submitted in writing to the 29 Station Rd., Thames Ditton 020 8339 0485 Secretary by 2 March 2010. Membership Secretary: Peter Haynes 6 Onslow Gardens, Thames Ditton 020 8398 6019 7. GUEST SPEAKERS: Illustrated talk by Guest Speakers Joan Harlow and Paul Langton Conveners of Sub-Committees: of Esher Local History Society: “The Health and Community: Fascinating History of Thames Ditton” Karen Randolph (see above for details) Planning: Graham Cooke President: Ann Levick 23 Ashley Road, Thames Ditton 020 8398 8509 Vice-President: Edward Rowe, Highways, Drainage: Andrew Roberts, Vice-President: Maureen Sheldrick 1 Boyle Farm Road, Thames Ditton 020 8786 6882 the next residents’ association open meetings are TUESDAY 16 MARCH (AGM) AND TUESDAY 27 APRIL, AT 8.00PM AT THE VERA FLETCHER HALL, 4 EMBERCOURT ROAD, THAMES DITTON ALL WHO LIVE OR WORK IN THAMES DITTON AND WESTON GREEN ARE WELCOME 5 57800.qxd:Thames Ditton SPRING 2005 2/3/10 12:23 Page 6 BIRCH RIDDLE & CO. LTD. Chartered Accountants A personal local practice in Weston Green offering friendly service at competitive rates * Tax Returns * Accounts Preparation * Tax Advice * Company Formations & Accounts * Executorship * Payroll * VAT Returns * Budgets & Cash Flow Please call Brian Riddle or Graham Birch with no obligation for a free first interview on 020 8398 3122 or 020 8398 6303 or visit our website at www.birchriddle.co.uk Regulated for a range of investment business activities by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. 6 57800.qxd:Thames Ditton SPRING 2005 2/3/10 12:23 Page 7 News From the Residents’ Association 18 November to 17 February After another successful Christmas Fair the holiday period was quiet. Shop closures continue with Lottie and Thomas departing the High Street for the Web. Criminal activity seems to have picked up in February with some episodes of burglary and anti-social behaviour and a lamentable smash-and-grab raid on Assimi: the shop was closed at the time and fortunately owner Bernard Leon, a craftsman of the highest quality, was not hurt in the raid. His shop was soon back up and running. Parking Surrey Highways officers have drawn up the proposed parking scheme for Thames Ditton. Detailed plans are on our website. The scheme has taken into account previous consultations: in view of intractably conflicting opinions a much reduced scheme is proposed, limited to smash and grab raid at Assimi 5 February the area of the High Street and close to via our website and the RA notice board. the Station. It will free critical road The results of the consultation will be junctions from obstruction, provide collated and the authority for any changes curfew parking in Basingfield Road, and is to be delegated to the Head of Parking limited short term parking for shoppers in Services, the Chairman of the Area Local the High Street and Summer Road. Committee and the local County The scheme will be presented to the Councillor (Peter Hickman). The final Local Area Committee for approval prior scheme for implementation will take into to the official consultation period of account the results of this consultation. If 28 days to begin in April. Surrey will diverse opinions are expressed then a notify residents by an advertisement in the consensus view will be taken. local press and by the posting of notices Meanwhile we continue to press for a on lamp posts. The scheme will be on the constructive approach to charging in Ashley SCC website in due course. As news is Road car park. Usage dropped following received, we will keep residents informed the imposition of punitive charges for half a 7 57800.qxd:Thames Ditton SPRING 2005 2/3/10 12:23 Page 8 day and longer, and the council’s revenue from the car park is significantly down. This makes no sense. On 12 February all the traders and businesses wrote to Elmbridge Council to reject a proposal for a separate annual season ticket for businesses and to ask the Council to reconsider. The current £4 per day charge for all users is killing the High Street, increasing congestion and traders’ staff, some of whom are part time, cannot afford the increase. The ruling faction’s policy is clearly that if borough car parks do not make a profit they should be sold off. Residents’ policy is that the car parks are community assets with a purpose: we want them to be well used and to unclog neighbouring streets. Only when they are pothole nightmare continues nearly full should charges be raised. Highways Surrey has acquired new powers under the Traffic Management Act to act on Winter ice made the pothole double parking and obstructive parking. nightmare even worse. Insurance claims The task is being devolved to borough across Surrey rose to around 40 per day. councils, and Elmbridge subcontract Our Highways Convenor Andrew Roberts enforcement to NSL (formerly NCP) whose again compiled a list of “qualifying ten to a dozen Civil Enforcement Officers potholes” in Thames Ditton and Weston are for the most part concerned only with Green to help press Surrey Highways to Elmbridge’s car parks.