Spring 2011 Issue Fifteen

FROM THE CHAIRMAN Welcome to the first increase in our Precept and were newsletter of the year from able to dip into our reserves to Parish Council. make up any shortfall to cover any As you are already aware, Local rise in the cost of services. Borough and County This year we will be Councils have been using reserves again but asked to reduce their in order to restrict this, spending for 2011/12 maintain services and, and this has a knock on for example, make effect on Parish Councils. grants to local For instance, the organisations, we have Compensatory Grant which we proposed a small increase for receive from the Borough to 2011/12. This equates to a rise per maintain our open spaces has been household of £1.19 per annum.The cut and will probably be cut again actual cost per household for your next year.This means that we must Parish Council is £38.85 (less than also tighten our belts so that we can 75p per week) based on the Band D maintain the high standards you properties. expect from Witley Parish Council. However, dipping into reserves can The consequence of these cuts has only continue for a short time as we meant some long budget meetings are legally bound to keep a certain during the latter part of 2010 and I amount of reserves to maintain the am sure you will be pleased to know commitments of the Parish Council. that we will not be cutting any of our I hope you will think your services.We will however have to contribution to the local community shelve or think carefully about any is worthwhile.With your money we new projects for the coming year. maintain thirteen open spaces which For 2010/11, we only had a 1% continued on page 2 . . . PAGE 2 UPDATE SPRING 2011

continued from page 1 . . . Lastly, on 5th May this year we are all accessible to the general have a Parish Election.Witley Parish public for recreation, this includes Council needs 16 Councillors and two football pitches, two cricket we always struggle to meet this pitches, ponds, woodlands, children’s figure. If you are interested in play areas and two cemeteries. Not becoming a Parish Councillor, please forgetting, of course, the two drop into the Parish Office or email allotment areas. our Clerk for more information. If you are interested in your local We are unpaid volunteers, but the community and would like to know rewards of knowing that you are more about what we do, come along helping your community are priceless. to our meetings. Full Council meets About 12 years ago I went to a Parish once a month on the last Thursday Council meeting and got hooked, so if of the month and we would be you think you could spare a couple of delighted to see you there. evenings a month in your busy Remember that before every council schedules, come and join us. meeting there is a 10 minute slot for you to voice any concerns or queries Maxine Gale, Chairman to Councillors. Witley Parish Council

The Local Development Framework From 24 January to 7 March The Local Development 2011,Waverley Borough Framework (LDF) is the name for Council is carrying out a the suite of documents that will Consultation on the Local shape and guide how development Development Frame-work takes place in the towns, villages Core Strategy Preferred and countryside of Waverley. Options and Draft Policies. The documents of the LDF and the Regional Spatial Strategy (South East Plan) will over time replace the existing Local Plan and Structure Plan. Sitting at the heart of the LDF is the Core Strategy.The Core Full details are on their website at Strategy will set out a spatial vision www.waverley.gov.uk/ldf continued on page 3 . . . PAGE 3 UPDATE SPRING 2011

for Waverley over the next 15 to employment opportunities in a 20 years. It aims to tackle the big sustainable manner. issues that Waverley is likely to face over this time such as providing Steve Dale, Chairman, appropriate housing and Planning Committee

HIGHWAYS The Highways Sub Committee side roads, junctions, footpaths etc. is always busy as roads affect all Unfortunately, SCC Highways our Parishioners across the thought the problems in Combe board, whether it is speeding, Lane were more serious than Brook parking, pedestrian access or Road and proposed a Yellow Lining pot holes. programme, which was advertised Some of you may be aware that and budgeted for.When the scheme one of the priorities was advertised SCC at WPC during the received a number past two years has of objections from been trying to local residents who alleviate the problems felt the proposals did with cars parking not go far enough. inconsiderately in The consequence of Brook Road and this is that the whole Combe Lane around Bollards on Combe Lane scheme had to be Witley Station.This situation is dropped and will not now be ongoing as when we met with discussed until later this year. relevant bodies to discuss the The situation therefore continues options, a white lining programme in and has become so serious in some both these roads was discussed and cases that cars have been damaged, taken on board by County the police have had to issue parking Council (SCC) Highways but sadly tickets and the bus stop on Combe has not come to complete fruition. Lane is on some occasions unusable The white lines were put down in due to parked cars. Brook Road and this has eased the We have had meetings with South problems greatly.White lines are West Trains (SWT) regarding the designed as a ’reminder’ to drivers cost of parking at the station and this that certain areas should be kept has resulted in a slight reduction at clear for safe access and egress to continued on page 4 . . . PAGE 4 UPDATE SPRING 2011

continued from page 3 . . . Council, and Police have been spent certain times but people still park discussing this ever growing problem outside to avoid any payment. During area and we are hoping to have dis- our discussions with SWT we cussions with SCC to initiate a White explained that Witley is unlike other Lining programme in the road, or main line stations. People are travell- even a Bus Box so that some of the ing many miles to catch commuter problems can be addressed. trains and are unable to use other We are continuing to pressure forms of transport for their journey local authorities to look at speed to work.We really sympathise with reductions on our rural roads and those of you having to pay such a making our bus routes, Routes to high price and will continue to talk to Schools and mainline stations a SWT on the subject. priority one for gritting/salting during The view of our Sub Committee is adverse weather conditions. that a lot of man hours from both Maxine Gale, Chairman, Witley Parish Council, Surrey County Highways Sub Committee

News about Parish Council land We’re in the process of re- area by the bus stop clear of the evaluating how we manage our woodland, so we have focussed on land. It serves a range of purposes, those areas first. whether it is used for football, With the opening of the new cricket, allotments, children's play allotments we are in the area, a quiet place to sit, or a path to privileged position of being able to walk through. It’s easy to be just offer allotments very quickly. In reactive but we try to be pro-active many places, as you may know, the when we can. Our plan to improve waiting lists are years long. So we the biodiversity in the margins of are always happy to add your name Witley Recreation Ground is to the waiting list. Plots become progressing and you should begin to see the difference by the autumn. available throughout the year, so Something else we are working on please do not hesitate to ring the is trying to return the Pleck, the area Parish Office on 01483 422044 for of woodland in front of Rodborough further information. School, to its former glory.We have responded to requests from the Julie Grist, Chairman. Amenities and police to keep the footpath and the Environment Committee PAGE 5 UPDATE SPRING 2011 A New Lease of Life for the Witley Centre Following the closure in 2008 of the The intention is to transfer the National Trust Information Centre on existing team of National Trust as a result of an Rangers and their equipment, organisational review, currently based at exciting plans are now , to Witley under way to re-open Common once the building, should internal alterations to internal alterations to the building have been the Centre receive the completed. green light. As many visitors to Whilst educational the common will visits by local schools to the Common know the access route to the main continue throughout the closure, at car park at Witley has degraded over present the building remains closed to time and now requires costly repairs, the public. so improvements to car parking at Following the completion of the Witley are also planned and will A3 tunnel scheme at Hindhead, form part of the application which which will include removal of a has been submitted to Waverley section of the old A3, 2011 will Borough Council for consideration. hopefully see the Witley Centre reopen once more if planning Bill Westbroek, National Trust, consent is granted. Witley Centre Walk yourself fitter? Our new project ‘Walks on the web’ is now well under way, updated from the book we published in the millennium. The first six are on the website now to be downloaded at http://www.witley-pc.gov.uk/walks.php If you don't have access to the internet we will have printed copies of them available at all the public events we will be attending this year. PAGE 6 UPDATE SPRING 2011 Waverley hoppa Community Transport What is hoppa? Surrey County Hospital and all other Formed in 2002 as a result of a health facilities in the area. transport initiative by Waverley The Rangers – Transport links Borough Council and Surrey County between the four main towns and Council, hoppa is a registered charity villages for trips not covered by the and a non-profit organisation. hoppas. What does hoppa do? Group Travel – Group and Club It provides a low cost, door-to-door outings or regular contract runs, for transport service to the residents of up to 14 people per vehicle. Waverley.All the vehicles The hoppa will take you to provide accessibility for destinations such as those with mobility Town Centre & difficulties and shops/supermarkets, wheelchair users.The Health Centres,The service covers the main Clockhouse, Dental centres of population – Surgeries, Local Railway , , Stations, Garden Centres, or , and any other destination. surrounding villages, including Milford How do you become a and Witley. member of the hoppa club? Four types of door-to-door You must first register as a transport services are member of the hoppa club and provided, all of which are complete a membership wheelchair accessible. All the drivers registration form and return it by are fully trained, paid employees of Freepost or by Fax. hoppa. Services are provided Your journeys must be booked in Monday to Friday. advance through the Call Centre. The Godalming hoppa – Contact details Transport links from and within Phone 01428 681701, Waverley’s main towns and villages.. Fax 01428 681633 or Hospital hoppa – A dedicated Email: [email protected]. transport link from your home in (Monday to Friday - 8.30am Haslemere & Godalming and the to12.00pm and 1.00pm to 4.00pm) surrounding villages to The Royal Website: www.hoppa.org.uk PAGE 7 UPDATE SPRING 2011 Witley Parish Councillors Milford Ward Miss Maxine Gale Mr Donald Johnstone 01428 683055 (Chairman) 07833 616131 Mrs Julie Grist Mrs Catherine Maxwell-Miles (Chairman, Amenities and (Chairman, Finance and General Environment Committee) Purposes Committee) 01428 683448 01483 429311 Mr Nick Holder Mr Stephen Mills (Lead member for Brook) 01428 682414 01428 682402 Mrs Myra Newnes-Smith Mr Jack Lee 01483 423001 01428 684853 Mrs Joy Nye Mr Tony Longrigg 01483 414618 01428 684925 Mr Patrick Stewart 01428 681586 Mrs Gillian McCalden Witley Ward East 01428 682405 Mrs Christy Crouch Witley Ward West 01428 682181 Mr Stephen Dale Mr Claudio Del Giudice (Vice-Chairman; Chairman, Planning (Lead member for Wormley) Committee) 01428 682888 01428 681356

Your County and Borough Councillors Surrey County Council Cllr Elizabeth Cable Cllr Peter Martin (Witley and Hambledon) (Godalming South, Milford and 01428 682640 Witley) Cllr Adam Taylor-Smith 01483 426064 (Witley and Hambledon) Cllr David Harmer 01428 681783 (Waverley Western Villages) 01483 609792 Cllr Nick Holder ( and Waverley Borough Council – also covering Brook) Cllr John Sandy (Milford) 01428 682402 01483 429910 Cllr Bryn Morgan (Elstead and Cllr Keith Webster (Milford) Thursley – also covering Brook) 01428 644332 01252 790048 PAGE 8 UPDATE SPRING 2011 DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Annual Parish Meeting French Hill and Thursday April 21st Milhanger before 8pm at Burton Pavilion, Milford returning through the southern Heath, between Petworth Road section of Witley Common. and Haslemere Road National Trust Walk Sunday, May 22nd. Spring Walk Meet at 10.30 in Webb Road, by Sunday May 8th. the entrance road to the Witley Meet at 2pm Lea Centre.The walk will be led by Bill Coach Road car park (Witley Westbroek Common)The walk will be led by Brook Fair Tree Warden Peter Herring and will follow the edge of to Monday 30th May 2011 Council Meetings Meetings are open to the public. The building is accessible for Meetings of the Full Council are people with mobility problems. held in the Burton Pavilion, Residents wishing to raise any Milford Heath Road, Milford at matter with the Council are 8.00pm on the last Thursday of asked to notify the Council office each month except August and at least 5 days prior to the December. meeting.

Where to find us Council Office, Milford Village Hall, Road Milford, GU8 5DS Office hours: Monday to Friday 8.30am – 12.30pm. Tel:01483 422044 Clerk – Fiona Fox (email: [email protected]) Assistant Clerk – David Ralf (email: [email protected]) Web: http://www.witley-pc.gov.uk

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