Dear Member(s),

I hope this Bulletin finds you warm and in good (or reasonably good!) health.   I keep expecting to see a white lawn in the morning, but so far, so good!   

You will be aware of Gatwick Airport Limited’s (GAL) application to bring the existing emergency runway into regular use.  Mole Valley Council has submitted their views on this and has, therefore, secured their future involvement in this process.  There are wide ranging concerns about this proposal, and they will be addressed at a public examination likely to be held early next year.

Still on the Planning front, I have heard within the last week that it seems highly likely that the Planning Inspector will announce his decision in respect of the proposed residential development on Headley Road (east) by the end of this month.   Assuming that is the case, I will let you all know in the next Bulletin.

Another item of general interest is that of the Railway Ticket Offices.   I am pleased to report that, as a result of the public outcry, Train Operators have withdrawn their proposals to close all ticket offices across England and that would, of course, include Bookham, Ashtead, Dorking and Leatherhead.

Some Residents will be relieved to hear that the Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPO) have been extended for another three years.   These orders help to deal with low-level anti-social behaviour including alcohol consumption and dog fouling. 

I am also informed that our council has been making strong efforts to press Royal Mail to return postal service levels to normal for residents of Dorking and Leatherhead.    An answer is expected any day soon. Meanwhile, I would like to remind you of the seasonal entertainment available on our doorstep: Robin Hood is being staged in the Leatherhead Theatre and Snow White in Dorking Halls.   Appealing perhaps to a different audience, our local “Moodswingjazz” group has hired the Mezz Bar in the Leatherhead Theatre on Tuesday, 5th December and have a special guest, Stacey Dawson.  Stacey has played privately for Tony Blair, Barack Obama and Prince Charles.   His music degree was obtained at Guildford

and he plays in all the top London venues, including a regular slot at the Dorchester.   (Tickets are £10 which includes £1.50 towards the Theatre Restoration Fund).

Many of you will, I am sure, remember Mr. Bill King who came to talk to us last August about the very old Royal Arms painting hanging in St. Mary’s Church in Fetcham.   Efforts to raise funds for the cleaning of the painting (on wood) have now received a major boost.  The Surrey Churches Preservation Trust has given £2,000 towards the Appeal target of £10,000 which is the estimated cost of cleaning off years of dirt and varnish.  Local people have also donated around £1,700.   And for those who missed the talk, a little of the background history: This large picture of King Charles II’s Royal Arms is dated 1660, the year he was restored to the English throne after more than a decade of Commonwealth rule under Oliver Cromwell.  Sadly. no records have come to light to show exactly when it was acquired by the Church.   Many people have asked how rare the painting is.   After the Restoration, churches were required to display Charles’ royal arms as a symbol of supremacy over the Church of England.   But the practice died out as royal arms changed and only one or two similar pictures have been located.

Returning to the subject of the L.R.A. and our next meeting, I am pleased to be able to tell you that this will be on Monday, 15th January 2024 at 7.30pm, in the Leatherhead Methodist Church.   One of our new Directors, Tony Russell, has bravely offered to organise a quiz and there will be prizes!

So, with that I will now thank all my Directors – old and new – and wish you all a very happy Christmas. 

With all best wishes for next year,

Caroline Brown (Chairman).

*Further donations would be much appreciated.   “St. Mary’s Fetcham Parochial Church Council.”   Sort code:  20 29 90   A/c no. 00774715, and ref. “Royal Arms.”

is the LRA’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Monday 21 October 2024 at 7.30pm.  The meeting will take place at our usual venue, The Leatherhead Methodist Church on Church Road and non-members are welcome.  If you wish to join our Association, please see the Membership section on our website.

Read our August 2024 Bulletin

Dear Members,

It was good to see so many at our meeting on Monday, 16th October.  I do realise that sorting out the intricacies of a Limited Company are not compelling reading or listening, but the more care we take with our outward appearance, the more seriously we will be taken by the powers that be.

Two new Directors were voted in at the meeting:  Hilary Porter and Tony Russell.  Hilary will retain her interest in Health problems generally in our town, will continue with the Access Group and report back on any significant changes that she hears about.  She will also continue with designing her excellent posters and using the barrow in the Swan Centre prior to Open Meeting so as to alert both members and non-members.

Tony will continue to let us know about serious traffic accidents and problems and will keep us abreast of any further changes in medical provision in our area.  This is very likely to involve the Ashlea Practice in Linden House, but we are unlikely to hear more until Transform Leatherhead makes its official appearance.  This same document is likely to include changes in our road layout and Tony will study it carefully and bring the results to our notice.

Talking of which, new Director Tony Russell has been looking into the unsafe situation in Forty Foot Road caused by the traffic going to and from the school but also from the Mid-Surrey Mencap.  He was shocked at what he saw which was a total disregard for normal rules regarding where and how to park.  It is hoped that by requesting a Fire Engine to attend as if to a fire, it could be shown that the road width is simply not enough for it to pass through unimpeded.

Now, an important item:  one of our members, Mrs. Julia Jarrett is organising a litter pick on Sunday, 29th October.  We, the LRA, have some equipment, and MV Waste Management Dept. is going to lend us some more.  The litter spot you personally would like to clear up needs to be decided upon now and you can then contact Julia to see when would be convenient for both of you to collect the picker, the jacket and the black plastic bag.   The equipment contains a small box of plastic gloves, but really I think that stout gardening gloves, if you have any, would be better.   Julia will be in the park between Randalls Road and Station Road between 2 pm and 4 pm on Sunday 29th October and has arranged for MV to collect the bags the next day. Mole Valley gives us £1 per (largish) black plastic bag, which in turn, enables us to sponsor other charitable events.

Julia is very anxious to know who will be supporting her efforts on the 29th. Please complete our contact form with your details and inform her whether you plan to do an “early” pick or an “on the day” pick.

Two further members have offered to help with running our LRA but not to become Directors. They are Anna Graham and Carol Webster.  Anna will keep a watchful eye on our local environment, including some roads, (a bit like Tony), but will include our Public Gardens.  She will concentrate on the “green” areas in Leatherhead, like the Mansion Gardens and other public areas.  Carol has nobly volunteered to overhaul our website and to get rid of inaccurate or outdated material.  She has already started with the Bulletins, putting them in chronological order.  I am hoping to meet up with her soon so as to get other areas sorted out.

This time last year, the hot topic was the new Local Plan.  But, as many of you will remember, this plan was halted in its progress by Mr. Gove announcing possible changes to the regulations as to how many houses councils must provide where this might involve encroaching into protected land, such as the Green Belt. This prompted MV to pause consideration of their draft Plan by the Inspector.  Unfortunately, Mr Gove has yet to confirm the anticipated changes and this has left MV without an up-to-date Plan, which makes MV an attractive proposition for speculative builders and developers.  The Appellants in the Headley Road Appeal fall into this category.   After a Hearing of two weeks in length, the Inspector has now left Pippbrook and will be considering all the evidence presented to him. We are unlikely to hear his decision before Christmas.

I do hope many of you will take advantage of the invitations being offered through the “Arts Alive” month of October.   One event particularly easy to access is the Exhibition put on by the Leatherhead Art Club in the old Chapel of St. John’s school.  This starts on 21st October and lasts until the 28th (10 am till 4 pm).  Conveniently, there is free admission and free parking.

And now for a small bit of really good news – just right to finish with:  one member has been complaining bitterly about the state of the pavements along Poplar Road and part of Forty Foot Road. The bushes alongside had become so overgrown that they covered the pavement, and one tree stump completely blocked any wheeled vehicle from using the pavement in that area.  Now both the Surrey Roads management team and NHS Property have looked into it.  The bushes are now cut back and revealed the fence in its state of disrepair which the NHS Property group plan to mend!

Finally, fans of Greggs donuts and sandwiches will be happy to learn that the whole of the current business is moving into the ground floor of Santander and will be opening up in the new year.

With best wishes to you all,

Caroline (Brown).

L.R.A. Bulletin for the end of June 2021

Dear Member(s),

I hope you are well (or reasonably so!) and I am sure you have your eyes firmly fixed on July 19^th in the hope that this does not prove to be another false dawn.

Mole Valley District Council has informed me of several initiatives, some of which I feel may be of interest to you:

1. Tickets are now on sale (via internet or phone) for The Mole Valley Community Lottery.   This weekly online lottery raises money for good causes and green initiatives in the District.     Players have a chance of winning a £25,000 jackpot each week.    Tickets start at £1 and the draw is held weekly on a Saturday evening, starting Saturday, 24 July.   Other prizes include a Dorking Halls Family&Friends Membership and a Surrey Hills Enterprises shopping voucher.    Half of the ticket money goes to a good cause of the player’s choice and 10% goes to a fund run by the Council which benefits climate change initiatives and the Environment Fund.   To view the various “good causes” asking for help, and for further details about the Lottery, visit www.molevalleylottery.co.uk or phone 01306 310016

2. The District Council’s  “Walk for Health” group walks have resumed across our District.    This is a programme of fun, free and accessible weekly walks ideal for anyone looking to become more active and meet new people.    It can also, if advised by a doctor, assist with recovery from the long-term effects of Covid.   The walks last from 30 to 90 minutes, ideal for a wide variety of ability levels.    There are weekly walks in Leatherhead, Dorking, North Holmwood, Buckland, Brockham and Bookham.   The group is always looking for new volunteer Walk Leaders, so please get in touch if you are interested.   Training, support and equipment is provided and walks can take place anywhere in the district. during the day or evening.     For more information on the walks or to find out how to become a walk leader, visit www.molevalley.gov.uk/walkforhealth  or email wellbeing@molevalley.gov.uk or call 01306 885001

3. Mole Valley Climate Emergency’s Hub is going ahead, and in Leatherhead this will be at the former Book Potato shop, in the Swan Centre in September and October.   In a nutshell, this will be:

• A drop-in information centre for passers-by and interested people to relax, chat and find out more about what is happening in our world.
• Lasting for 9 weeks throughout September and October, 10-5 pm (or later, if evening meetings).   Potentially a longer term presence.
• Each Thursday, Friday and Saturday
• And it will have displays,  a workshop/talk area with coffee and biscuits etc.

Each week will have a theme with linked workshops, talks and activities such as plastic pollution, biodiversity, travel etc.    This is also an opportunity for you to enlarge the membership of your own group and to publicise your aims and campaigns.

And now for other news concerned with Leatherhead:

1. The application for a very tall mobile phone mast on “The Circus” roundabout off By-Pass Road, has been turned down.   We shall have to wait and see if an Appeal is submitted.

2. I am sure you will be pleased to know that the LRA made a donation to The North Leatherhead Community Hub.

3. We are organising a Litter Pick in Leatherhead on Sunday 25 July, starting at 2 p.m. and finishing in the Red House Gardens at 5.00 pm.   At the end, there will be refreshments and a chance to meet up with old friends and acquaintances.    Perhaps our regular Pickers could let me know which area they, personally, would intend to cover  and also offer a couple of suggestions as to other littered areas which new volunteers could deal with.   Our long-standing member, Dorothy Stapleton, has kindly agreed to organise the details of this, where to work and so on.

Finally, concerning the wooden planters in the High Street, some may be interested to know  that I have written to the relevant person in the District Council for some indication of their budget for the upkeep and re-planting of the planters..    So far, I have learned only that Surrey Council was responsible for the installation, but someone also needs to actually carry out their proper maintenance

Following up on my email requests to lapsed members to renew their membership, we have had some success, but there still remain many who have not renewed.   Could I, therefore, make another plea to those people to renew?   It is easily done via the LRA website by entering www.leatherheadresidents.org.uk/contact

Finally, a reminder that our next Open Meeting will be on Monday, 2^nd August at 7.30 in the Methodist Church in Church Road.   Jenny Moore of B@titude and also of The Hub in North Leatherhead has kindly agreed to give us all an update on developments and hope in that area.    Should the meeting prove impossible , due to continued restrictions, I will let you know well beforehand.

With all best wishes,

Caroline Brown (Chairman) 30:6:21

Telephone:  01372 813013    email: info@leatherheadresidents.org.uk

Registered Office: Fewston, St Nicholas Hill Leatherhead

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LRA Bulletin for the end of March 2021

Dear Member(s),

1. I am sure you will all be delighted to know that I had a truly excellent response to the request I made in early March for people to write in with their personal evaluation of the 7 Local Green spaces in Leatherhead.    Although it was not specifically asked for, I am sure it can have done no harm for our Councillors to hear (again) that we do not want these and one or two other sites developed and that we have not “forgotten” about them.    Unfortunately, we are unlikely to hear the result of our lobbying until July.

2. And now another item which I think will become more desirable, if not essential, as the years go by and more housing is squeezed in at the expense of our existing trees.    The company known as CGI , who occupy offices on Springfield Drive, have offered to provide, completely free of charge, a number of native trees for us (Residents of Leatherhead) to plant or have planted wherever we like, providing, of course, that their siting does not cause  a nuisance.    This, sadly, is the case with trees planted on verges as all manner of lines (telephone, electricity, computer) are located just below the surface.   I was thinking more of some spots in the 7 Local Green Spaces and on some of our school grounds. It might also be possible to put some in gardens belonging to flats, albeit they would have to be visible by the Public and  hence of benefit to the Community .    I do have the list of offered trees, but I would like to hear from some of you about where you think additional trees would look nice.   CGI offered to help with the planting, but would also expect some of us to lend a hand.

3. As I think we all know, litter has become a major problem since the start of Covid-19.    I find it difficult to believe that those dashing outside to run or walk in order to avoid putting on weight are those very same who take out cans of calorie-rich drink and bars of chocolate!   I put the blame firmly on waste bins that get too full, open topped rubbish lorries (not the Suez ones) and general sloth on the part of a minority !   One of our members has told me that he had spent three hours clearing a small patch at the end of his road!   We have had Litter Picks twice this year, but I am looking forward to the ones where we can all meet  to collect rubbish together – such a satisfactory sight – and where we finish with tea and biscuits and a chat.      Perhaps we should be grateful that none of our parks has been used for a huge and rowdy public gathering!

4. As seems to be generally well known, our revised  draft Local Plan , will be revealed in July.     We have to hope that the heaviest of the burden,  proposed in the previous draft and falling on Poors Allotments and the adjoining land (550 dwellings),  and the Red House Gardens (450) , can be substantially mitigated.    Also, according to outline documents recently made public, Bull Hill, (the road between Kingston Road, and Leret Way) remains intact and there are no plans for shops in the Red House  Gardens.   While comments on the new draft will be sought, these will merely be forwarded to the Inspector along with the Draft.    Alterations to the Draft will only be made if they are based on a legal flaw in the Draft, or are the result of the Traffic Survey.

5. At a recent meeting I attended with MV, we were told that the Council has plenty of CIL money but has not yet decided how to spend it!    (C.I.L = Community Infrastructure Levy paid by developers and intended for use by the Council to improve the quality of life around the new houses etc.)

6. A Boundary review for MV is being considered.    This would be likely to impact on the number of Councillors representing us and could result in the dead “Purdah” period only occurring every fourth year instead of yearly as at present.

7. The window boxes outside the NatWest are definitely past their prime and were not helped by that section of the pavement being closed off.     I am prepared to collect them and return them, but urgently need someone to do the job of replenishing them with something bright and cheerful.    Planting expenses are, of course, re-payable.

8. A member has complained to me about the unpredictability of some cyclists using the Swan Centre and, I would add, the High Street, too.   They seem to ride in both directions and, unfortunately, are not audible.    I did spot one notice saying that cycling in the Swan Centre was not allowed, but it was not very visible and no one enforces it.    If anyone else has a problem like this, do contact the Centre Manager, Mr. Richard Keele, or write to me.     However, I shall take a week or more to see how many people write to me before passing on any complaints.

9. Finally, and it seems a long way ahead at the moment, I am trying to collect articles for a proper Newsletter to come out in about August or September.    If you have any little story, funny or sad,  about Leatherhead (with a picture if possible), do let me have it  so it can be stored away until about July when we will start the drafting process .

10. In case you have forgotten, subscription renewals were due on 1^st January (for all 1 year members and those 3 year members whose membership expired at the end of 2020)    You can pay online via our website https://leatherheadresidents.org.uk   Look under “Membership.”        (1yr. = £2.50;  3 yr. = £6)

Meanwhile, I wish you all a Happy Easter and hope that it wont be quite as cold as the forecasters are predicting!

With very best wishes,

Caroline Brown, (Chairman )

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