Your Monthly update from your LibDem Borough Councillors - for January 2022

28 Jan 2022

Dear friends, here is our first monthly Update for 2022 covering events during January including some nice words about our local MP!

Borough Council updates:

Preliminary papers have been presented around the Council's budget for 2022/23 and the Council Tax. The final decision will be at the Council meeting in February but expect the EEBC component to go up by 2.5% and the much larger SCC component to go up by 5% (the allowable maximums without a referendum).
The Planning Committee on 13^th January rejected two versions of the proposed development at Clayhill Lodge (on West Hill) and approved the development of a block of flats on the site of Friars Garth on The Parade. It ran out of time to consider the proposed flats on the corner of East Street and Kiln Lane.
Still on Planning, we have two new senior members of the team. Let's hope this is the end of the revolving doors and the new management can improve the service to our residents. Meanwhile the backlog of applications is only reducing very very slowly, while a budget of up to £150k has been agreed to help contest developers' Appeals on recently rejected applications.
Some positive news is the agreed budget for an Arts & Culture post to help promote local initiatives.
Unfortunately, less progress has been made with the various actions set out in the Climate Change Action Plan originally agreed back in July 2019. We recognise that COVID has been extremely disruptive, but it is still disappointing to see, for example, that renewable energy sources were ruled out when assessing options to replace boilers at the Wellbeing Centre in Sefton Road, Longmead.

Other Borough news:

The Chalk Pit application due to be heard at SCC Planning Committee on 26^th January was withdrawn at the last minute. Great work by a dedicated group of residents has been showing how the evidence and process have serious flaws. Chris Grayling has been very helpful and indeed raised the issue in Parliament this week. Credit where credit is due (but see under National).
There is a consultation here to keep the access road to the Top Car park on the Downs shut until midday. The proposal dates back to the increased use of the Downs and the problems that caused during the lockdown. A meeting of the Conservators in July 2019 explains the background here. Personally, we think this is a draconian solution to an issue that did not appear to exist before COVID. But read the papers and have your say, The consultation ends on 3 February so be quick.
The long-awaited resurfacing of Rifle Butts Alley has finally started! We hope the work will increase people's enjoyment of the path.

County issues:

A proposal from the LibDem group to make it easier and cheaper to introduce 20mph limits in Surrey was rejected.
The LibDem group are also continuing to put pressure on South Western Trains to restore a more useful timetable. Our MP Sarah Olney secured a debate in the Commons on the issue.
Some startling figures on the SCC property portfolio are shown here showing a fall in value of some £50m and reduction in rental income.

National issues:

There would have been less need for Chris Grayling to help on the Chalk Pit fiasco if his Party and Government hadn't so drastically reduced the funding for the Environment Agency's protection work. An article here explains the issues. You get the public services you pay for.
And if you pay for luxury you get it, as we have paid for Liz Truss's £500,000 private jet flight to Australia!
Finally, please be aware of the various changes to the Highway Code that will come into force on 29th January, all set out here, including the interesting one about priority of road users and how to open your car door using the "Dutch Reach"(item 8 on the link).

Julie and David

Friday 28 January 2022