Lower Kingswood Residents Association Chairman: David Patel Secretary: Bob Brown Treasurer: Faye Miles VILLAGE NEWS www.lowerkingswood.org.uk Autumn Edition 2010 Chairman's Report to Residents Welcome to our Summer 2010 issue of Village News it for “fly-tipping”. If you see evidence of this and we would like to extend a warm welcome to all please initially notify the Borough Council (on 01737 those new residents who have moved into the village -276000) or report it on-line via their website so that over the past few months. Please remember that all the waste can be removed. residents of Lower Kingswood are members of the At the same time we would like to remind those Residents‟ Association, if you have any concerns residents out walking their dogs should ensure that about the Village, the Residents‟ Association any mess that may be left – particularly in the Committee is here to try and help you and represent Recreation Ground – is cleared up at the time; there your interests. are bins available for this very purpose. September 2010 Unlike most other local Residents‟ Associations there MIND HOW YOU GO is no annual subscription payable – our running costs Inside this issue: are met from the revenue of advertisements in our We have learnt of a couple of recent instances of Borough Council reports 2 newsletter. So please help support our local attacks & robberies on residents of the village; also businesses and advertisers. Please remember that, some reports of car vandalism. If you see any such Surrey Police report 3 without the continuing support of local residents, our instances or suspicious activity please report them to LK Village Fête 4 local businesses – both old and new – may find it the Police. difficult to survive. Kingswood Primary School 5 YOUR LOCAL BUSINESSES NEED YOU CAMPAIGNING FOR ROAD SAFETY The impact of the economic recession seems to Wisdom of God Church; 6 Church Hall In previous issues we included a form for residents to show no signs of abating in the near future and this sign to seek a reduction in the speed limit on the obviously has a knock-on effect on spending - Evangelical Church; 7 A217/Brighton Road. We have taken this a stage particularly in the retail sector. The new coalition CAMEO Club; LK further and an article appeared in the Surrey Mirror Government have announced that they are going to Strollers at the end of April featuring our campaign. have to take tough decisions about cuts in public LK Bowls Club 8 expenditure and increases in taxation - with further However, if we are to be able to take this further details be revealed in October - to try and correct forward it is clear that we need to attract more Scout Group 9 the dire economic situation inherited from the support that than already gained. If you have not previous administration . It is very important that Parent & Toddler Group; 10 already signed up for a safer Lower Kingswood please Lower Kingswood residents continue to support Brownies complete the form on page 17 of this newsletter and OUR local businesses and services (both established forward it to our Chairman at Kingswood News. Gardening „Hints & Tips‟; 11 and new ventures) otherwise we could find that the Village Hall Fund CONGRATULATIONS remaining ones will not survive. Banstead History Centre 12 To all our younger residents on their successes in their VILLAGE NEWS Horticultural Society 13 various end of term examinations. Whether they are Once again thank you to all who have contributed changing from primary to secondary schools, or are articles and helped with both the production and celebrating GCSE „O‟ level results and moving on to distribution of this newsletter. Village News is 6th Forms, or are celebrating „A‟ level results and are distributed free to all households in (and around) moving on to University we wish them all the very Lower Kingswood, and this is only possible because We very much appreci- best for the future and ultimately into whatever career of the assistance given by volunteers in its ate the support of our path they choose. advertisers but their ap- production, printing and distribution. If you can pearance in our newslet- COUNCILLORS’ & POLICE SURGERY spare the time to help – particularly with distribution – please contact our Chairman. ter and/or our website A date for your diaries! does not constitute a Don’t forget - if you use the services of one of The next Councillors‟ & Police Surgery will be held in recommendation. our advertisers, please mention that you saw the Church Hall, Buckland Road on SATURDAY their advertisement in Village News. 13th NOVEMBER from 11:00am to 12 noon. This will provide residents with an opportunity to have We would also like to acknowledge the continuing “one to one” conversations with local representatives. support of Fidelity International. KEEP LOWER KINGSWOOD TIDY Finally, if YOU feel that you have something to offer the local community, why not contact our Although we have the benefit of our local “recycling Chairman and offer to become a member of YOUR centre” in Stubbs Lane, it is clear that some people Residents‟ Association Committee? (hopefully not residents of the village) periodically use Reigate & Banstead Borough Council reports The Council has been very busy since the May elections; Ros is I look forward to any comments from now Portfolio holder for Communities, and I remain as Leader. residents, l am still only a phone call - or email - away. We have been looking at how we can do more for less, and that regrettably means changing the way we do things. We plan to Julie Tomlinson maintain the standards that we now have and work differently. Ward Councillor for Kingswood, Lower One of our Directors has decided to move on, and we shall not Kingswood & Burgh Heath appoint a replacement. Service managers will take on different Email: cllr.Tomlinson@reigate- roles and expand their knowledge. The housing manager has banstead.gov.uk also moved on, and his work has been taken up by other officers Telephone: 01737-831471 and will be supervised by another director. We are most anxious to retain and improve the enormous pool of talent that exists already in the Town Hall, and will continue to train and encour- Residents’ Association age more junior staff to increase their knowledge. We are getting together a plan for this winter, and will advise you Committee meeting report when it is complete. A Meeting of the Committee took place on Tuesday 19th July. The Horley Leisure centre is starting very soon, and Doyn- In addition to Committee members, Councillors Joan Spiers ings will be completed this year. (Reigate & Banstead Borough Council) and Michael Gosling The budget scrutiny begins in September. each Portfolio holder (Surrey County Council) were in attendance and Surrey Police being questioned with their Senior manager about the depart- were represented PC Ed Ferris. In addition to formal matters: ment and the staffing levels. PC Ferris reported that: Please remember that Ros and I are always available to all resi- There had been a spate of motorists filling their vehicles dents when ever you need us. We attend your Residents‟ Asso- ciation meetings and surgeries. We can be contacted by e.mail or with fuel and driving away without paying. Warning No- by telephone; both Ros and I work, so an e mail is the best con- tices had been attached to BP pumps in an effort to dis- tact. suade people from committing this offence and the staff had been instructed to take additional measures to stop it happening. Councillor Joan Spiers Motorcycle “scrambling” was taking place at weekends at Leader of the Council Grub Wood and this was causing annoyance to residents. Email: cllr.Spiers@reigate- Intelligence Operations were being undertaken by the banstead.gov.uk Police in relation to the activities of drug users and sup- pliers Telephone: 01737-833590 Mr. Kaye reported that the Petition supporting the reduction of the A217 speed limit to 30mph now had over 150 signatures and his hope was that it would increase to 200 or 300. Motorists were continuing to slow down for the Speed Camera but were Councillor Ros Mill accelerating through the rest of the village. Holly Lodge resi- Executive Member for Partnership & dents found it almost impossible to cross the road and the bar- Communities rier at the pedestrian crossing had still not been repaired. Email: [email protected] Councillor Spiers reported that : Telephone: 01737-833705 She was aware of the parking problems at The Grange in Babylon Lane and Council Officers and the Police would be making an inspection. Thanks to all that have taken the matter of parking on grass Steps were being taken by the Council to reduce spend- verges to heart which seems to be less of an issue in some areas ing and consideration was being given to outsourcing and of Lower Kingswood; but this is not to be said of Babylon Lane, the reduction of staff. which l understand is being looked into. Councillor Gosling reported that: I also am concerned with the amount of rubbish from cans, plas- The County Council was concerned over future funding tic bottles etc. and even McDonald packaging that is a constant nightmare along the A217. Whilst much of the problem may The current Highways contract would come to an end in originate from passing traffic, can l stress that you all take your April and seven contractors were in the process of sub- rubbish home with you and not use the A217 as dumping place. mitting tenders. Beechen Lane was being resurfaced.