Tattenham Corner
Those shops that have remained open during lockdown have proved to be a vital lifeline for us all. We have been working hard to improve the area for a couple of years and as we move out of the pandemic we have more plans in the pipeline to lift the area’s appearance and to improve the vitality of our local shopping parade. The car park recycling centre “bring site” also needs attention to stop illegal flytipping and reduce overfilling.
Roads
We are proud that over the past 8 years more than 45 projects have been delivered and now most of the main through roads have been tackled. We have turned our attention to smaller residential roads with Chapel Grove, Merland Green, Shelley Close, Tangier Wood, Tattenham Grove and The Brindles all having had much needed work done. As well we are very much aware that many of our pavements need improving.
Planning & Development
The Residents Association continues to vigorously scrutinise planning applications to maintain the character of our area and work hard to minimise intensive and detrimental development. We promote the local environment and oppose un-neighbourly cramped schemes with inadequate parking and loss of trees. We have had some notable successes.
Acting with other parties we have successfully opposed incursions into the Green Belt, and are very concerned by Government proposals to remove constraints on developers, limiting the ability of residents and local councillors to challenge planning applications. We will continue to lobby to ensure the local view is heard.
We supported the Council’s initiative for new starter homes on the derelict industrial site in Waterfield. We voted through an updated Local Plan to avoid significant increases in housing targets proposed by Government.
The north of the borough has taken more than its share with the developments on the de Burgh School and old leisure centre sites plus many in-fill cul de sacs.
Council Tax & Services
The Government has failed the residents of Surrey. Our grants, already the lowest in England, have been withdrawn completely. The main pressure is in social care – two-thirds of county expenditure. Instead of providing the funding for our most vulnerable, to meet the gap the government has encouraged council tax to go up by 14% above inflation over the last five years.
Both councils must be more effective than ever in using our money. This is why we scrutinise budgets in detail – exposing excess spending and highlighting ways to obtain better value. We spoke out about the County Council’s disastrous foray into property investment. In a scattergun approach to acquire assets all around the country, the County has lost £60 million in value
Improving the Environment
The Tattenham & Preston Residents Association councillors are encouraging moves and sponsoring funding to improve the environment in the Burgh Heath woods, including Lonesome Ponds.
New wooden fence at Merton, Chetwode Road.
Cllr Bob Harper was instrumental in persuading Raven Housing Trust to organise the removal of seven unsightly and largely unused storage containers from the Long Walk garages site located near Chetwode Road.
Clearing and upgrading Lonesome Ponds
Council Tax – Round Up for the Year
Last year the Government provided extra funding to both Surrey and Reigate & Banstead to support much of the income drop and extra expense of dealing with covid. The government also used the councils to pass through grants to vulnerable groups, businesses and individuals. This extra support looks to be ending in June, so what about the rest of the year?
Reigate & Banstead Borough Council
The Borough put up its council tax by 1.99%. It is impacted by coronavirus perhaps more than the County because of the loss of income from parking, theatres and leisure centres. The council has budgeted that it will need to dip into reserves to balance the books.
Surrey County Council
Surrey takes the lion’s share of the council tax – about 75% – and their council tax take went up by the “standard maximum” of 1.99% plus a levy of 0.5% for adult social care. The funding of social care has been under debate for many years, and no government has grasped the long-term issue of a sensible national funding arrangement, preferring to “allow”(effectively “require”) councils to charge an extra levy.
Residents Association councillors did not support the rise for a number of reasons – noting that the number of employees earning over £100,000 (the “100 Club”) has tripled since 2018. Key amongst the concerns is the continued inadequate funding of mental health for adults and children – the need for these services has shot up, but the Council’s cynical response is to “treat through work spreading” whichcan only mean “ignore as long as possible”.
Chavecroft Proposal
Raven Housing Trust are proposing to redevelop the Chavecroft Housing site at Long Walk and Broad Walk and a Planning Application has been lodged. See here.
Your Residents Association councillors are concerned about traffic, the lack of car parking spaces and access for refuse collection. They have recently secured improvements on the car parking issue. We are still pressing Raven Housing on these matters.
