ISSUE 77 Vision for the future Keeping you informed... Epsom & Ewell A local Estate Agent with local knowledge we are The Local Agent For a free valuation and the best rates around, call us on: 01372 253 252 [email protected] 2003 – The Local Agent A4 Full page Insight Magazine June 2019.indd 1 05/06/2019 13:09 Contact us Mayor’s Borough Insight is published by Epsom & Ewell message Borough Council for residents and delivered free of charge to households in the borough. Councillor John Beckett If you have any queries on its contents please Over the past few months, contact: The Editor, Borough Insight, Epsom & the Mayoress and I have Ewell Borough Council, Town Hall, The Parade, undertaken numerous Epsom, Surrey KT18 5BY events in Epsom and Phone: 01372 732000 Ewell and represented Email: [email protected] the borough at activities throughout Surrey. Designed and printed by: The PPL Group, Global House, 1 Ashley Avenue, Epsom, Surrey KT18 5AD On Christmas Day, we visited the three emergency services Tel: 01372 743377 in Epsom and attended two ‘Together at Christmas’ Email: [email protected] community events. We joined the St Mary’s Morris Men in Ewell on Boxing Day who danced to raise money to support Borough Insight is printed on paper from sustainable my three chosen charities. Although the weather was wet sources. Please read and recycle this copy. and grey, we had a fantastic time and I took part in their annual Mummers’ Play. I have hosted a number of school and scouting troop visits to the council chamber which involved conducting mock Advertising opportunities in Borough Insight council meetings. These resulted in a number of interesting debates and questions. We also attended several school Would you like the opportunity to promote prize givings, to celebrate the successes of the borough’s your business to 32,000 households? Epsom & young people, as well as important anniversaries of local Ewell Borough Council offers advertising space at organisations, such as the 90th anniversary of the Second competitive rates in Borough Insight magazine. Ewell Scouts. For further information contact The PPL Group Throughout my time as Mayor, I have come to recognise the on 01372 8478 89 or significant role the charity and voluntary sector plays within email [email protected] our community. Currently, Epsom and Ewell is home to over Epsom & Ewell Borough Council does not accept 250 charitable organisations. responsibility for, sponsor or endorse any products One of my Mayoral highlights was hosting receptions to or services offered by advertisers in this magazine. celebrate the contribution of our Active Citizens and some e-Borough Insight of the many volunteers whose positive impact upon the For the latest events, community information and borough, the county and the country is immeasurable. Their lots more delivered straight to your inbox each willingness to selflessly provide help to others speaks of both month, subscribe to e-Borough Insight at an individual’s strength and the quality of their character. https://insight.epsom-ewell.gov.uk/subscribe When you volunteer, you are making a commitment to share that most precious of resources – your time, to make life Social media better for those who are in need. I would like to personally For the latest borough council news and thank the volunteers within Epsom and Ewell and highlight information, alerts and updates, why not visit how much your dedication is appreciated. It is important for our website www.epsom-ewell.gov.uk you to know that what you are doing is making a difference. I would like to thank all of the organisations that have Find us @EpsomEwellBC on: supported me over the last nine months and a huge thank you to my Charity Committee and especially the Chair, Barbara Warwick. They have helped raise awareness and valuable funds for my three charities - the Alzheimer’s Society, Motor Neurone Disease Association and Epsom PHAB. For more information visit www.mayorscharitiesepsom.org.uk 223 Our planet matters Climate change is now accepted by most scientists and governments as the most serious environmental challenge facing society. There is clear scientific evidence that the activities of people and organisations have been having a What can you do? significant detrimental impact on the climate, the environment and biological life. The climate crisis is not something that any of us are insulated from. While major national governments We have adopted an ambitious plan to address the and international organisations can plan for how we negative impact on the environment from activities meet this challenge head on, action is incumbent undertaken within the borough by us and others in on us all, as communities, organisations and as the local community. individuals. The action plan was created and developed by a • On your bike; increase your fitness, enjoy mental working group comprising of members from all health benefits and tackle climate change by four of the local political groups represented on cycling or walking whenever possible, rather than the council (Residents Association, Labour, Liberal using the car. Democrats and Conservative) and approved unanimously by all councillors. • Use public transport; the average bus can accommodate 60 passengers, that’s up to 60 less The main aim of our climate change action plan is cars on the streets contributing to greenhouse to address this global issue at a local level. gases. The action plan addresses a wide range of subjects • Take the train, not the plane; flying is one from increasing the number of electric vehicle of the fastest growing sources of greenhouse charging points within our community to boosting emissions. Try holidaying in the UK or travelling biodiversity. We’re going to lead by example, by no- by rail. For business, consider video conferencing. longer having single-use plastics within our venues wherever possible, moving progressively to all- • Eat a climate-friendly diet; eat fewer or smaller electric council vehicles and ensuring our electricity portions of meat and dairy, buy seasonal food, comes from 100% renewable resources. We’re produced as locally as possible, to reduce food also going to work with others, such as the county miles and don’t waste food. council, to help improve public transport including • Save energy; okay, not the most original idea but promoting better walking and cycling routes. it’s as relevant as ever - saving energy not only As part of the action plan, we have adopted a saves you money, it also helps to cut emissions. 15 year target for the council to become net • Cut consumption; Everything we use as carbon neutral. consumers has a carbon footprint so avoid single- Our climate action plan is not a static document use items and fast fashion, and try not to buy and we continue to work on understanding and more than you need. confirming the individual costs within the plan and • Recycle more; in addition to what we can collect extent of carbon reduction the actions will achieve. in your recycling collections there are local Going forward, new technologies and new research opportunities for recycling various other items – will also lead to changes in what we can achieve. check out our website recycling pages. 4 www.epsom-ewell.gov.uk/climatechange A place unlike anywhere else Somewhere with the best that life has to offer, all available on your doorstep. The new vision, developed by local people, The new vision builds on the borough’s many recognises the borough’s extraordinary potential inherent strengths and characteristics: the beautiful as a creative and vibrant place. parks and nature reserves; top-performing schools and further and higher education centres; a All successful places have one thing in common. dedicated performing arts college, as well as home They all have a clear view about where they are to the only business school in the country for the going and what they want to achieve. Having a keen creative industries. eye on the future helps shape the actions we take today to make sure they really count. The future of any place is influenced and shaped by its past. Epsom and Ewell is fortunate to be steeped in a rich history; from its humble beginnings as a Saxon settlement to the location of choice for Henry VIII’s Nonsuch Palace, later becoming a fashionable Georgian Spa retreat, the home of the Derby (which continues to be one of the greatest sporting events in the world) and a thriving Market Town that we continue to enjoy today. The borough has long been a place renowned for commerce and opportunity, the exchange of ideas and learning, as well as a place of solace and wellbeing. The borough also enjoys a strong and growing economy, excellent connectivity to the Capital and beyond, as well as access to a diverse cultural offering, including a popular theatre, community spaces and award-winning leisure facilities. I want to be‘ in a place that knows where it’s ‘going and what future it wants www.future40.org 5 It is often said that the future is what you make of it, and in Epsom and Ewell we are fortunate that the future has been shaped by the people who live, work and study here. The new long-term vision for the borough has been drawn from the views of local people through the largest engagement exercise ever undertaken in Epsom and Ewell. This vision therefore reflects the hopes and aspirations of local people as well as the organisations working in the borough who all have a stake in its future success. The result of the extensive public consultation is five distinct themes; these come together to create the vision for Epsom and Ewell: where people care deeply a place that invests in a friendly and safe place about the environment, the future, a place of whatever the time of day, bio diversity and climate opportunity whatever where there’s a strong change, a place renowned your background, with community spirit and for its fantastic green thriving businesses support in always on tap.