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 Witley 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 Surrey 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 Witley Common as a result of an Rangers and their equipment, organisational review, currently based at exciting plans are now Hindhead, 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.