Oil exploration should halt immediately in Surrey earthquake zone – geologists
Another day at the rock face
It was the meeting of the Planning and Regulatory Committee – 10:30am on 8th August 2018.
The agenda alone was 253 pages in length! And there were many more pages to read from local residents about the proposal for:
MINERALS AND WASTE APPLICATION MO/2018/0444 – Brockham Wellsite, Felton’s Farm. The application is for retrospective and on-going permission to drill for oil and gas for three years.
As well as concerns about traffic, air and noise pollution and the industrialisation of the Green Belt, there are real worries about the recent cluster of earthquakes in Surrey. I am no geologist and accept that earthquakes have natural causes but the fact that 12 earthquakes have been recorded in 6 months while drilling was happening, while no earthquakes had been recorded in the previous two centuries, should make all of us ask searching questions about risk and safety. In my opinion, unless this company can prove that their works did not cause the earthquakes, then permission should be deferred.
Both Lib Dem councillors – Stephen Cooksey and I – voted to defer, two Tory councillors, Mary Angell and Edward Hawkins joining with us, but we were out-voted and permission was granted. The vote was 7:4 to grant permission (with conditions) to drill.
There are more applications pending to drill for gas in the Surrey Hills.
Statement from Cllr Chris Botten on Commissioners in Surrey
Reacting to the news that Government Commissioners will be overseeing Children’s Services in Surrey for 3 months, Cllr Chris Botten, Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Surrey County Council, said today:
“I welcome the decision for Commissioners to work in Surrey over the next 3 months. The County Council needs a laser-like focus in improving these vital services for the children of Surrey and the work of the Commissioners will aid this process. The Leader of the Council and the Cabinet Member have rightly spoken about the need for urgent change and I share their passion. But this most recent judgement from Ofsted means that my patience for change is at an end. The children of Surrey deserve the highest standard of services and Liberal Democrats councillors will play their part in holding the County Council, and its leadership, to account”.
NOTES
– A copy of the Ofsted Report can be found here:
Surrey Lib Dems highlight £196 MILLION Tory cuts plan at County Hall
May 1, 2018 12:02 PM
Liberal Democrat county councillors have expressed their concern after it was revealed that Surrey County Council is planning to reduce spending on services by nearly £200m by the end of 2019/20. The figures were released in a report to the Council’s Cabinet earlier this week, alongside the Conservative-administration’s decision to hire consultants, at an undisclosed sum, to assist with the County Council’s “programme management and change capacity” project.
Cllr Hazel Watson, Leader of Surrey County Council Liberal Democrats. said:
“I am deeply concerned about the adverse impact on vital council services that would result from a spending reduction of almost £200m over the next two years. Surrey residents rely on the County Council for well-maintained roads, recycling centres, libraries, children’s centres and youth services. These services are already underfunded and further cuts and spending reductions are on the way.
“The Conservative-administration failed to act upon the Chartered Institute of Public Finance & Accountancy (CIPFA) report “Financial Resilience Review – Surrey County Council (Dec 2016)”, which it commissioned, stating that the County Council lacked a “credible cost reduction plan” and highlighted the County Council’s “rapidly declining reserves”. The County Council’s belated realisation that it is facing a financial crisis means that even more drastic cuts are being proposed than would have otherwise been necessary, which will reduce essential services for Surrey residents.
“Consultants have been hired for an undisclosed sum by the Conservative-administration to assist with the County Council’s “programme management and change capacity” project. This is a sign of desperation by the Conservative-administration to help them solve the County Council’s severe financial problems but it remains to be seen whether this will be value for money.
“The Leader of the Council blames poor financial settlements from the government for the financial position of his administration, yet every Conservative MP in Surrey voted for the most recent settlement. Furthermore, the administration has wasted money on maintaining dozens of empty county council-owned buildings across the county, as well as spending hundreds of millions on investing in commercial properties outside of Surrey – money which could have been used to resurface Surrey’s crumbling roads and footways. Investing in road resurfacing would save money on expensive pot hole repairs and claims by residents for damaged vehicles.
“The County Council wasted over £1m on its deeply unpopular free “Surrey Matters” magazine over a number of years and still spends £2m a year on “communications”. It has failed to use new digital technology to transform services to improve efficiency, and instead finds itself raiding ever-dwindling reserves each year in order to balance the budget.
“I am calling for the Conservative-administration to protect services for Surrey residents by using, selling or renting its empty buildings, stopping spending millions of pounds on commercial properties outside Surrey and by improving the efficency of the Council through the use of IT and new digital technology.”
NOTES
A copy of the CIPFA report can be found here:
http://scc.lib.dm/d9Nk
The County Council’s latest budget report can be found here:
https://mycouncil.surreycc.gov.uk/documents/b19522/Supplementary%20Agenda%20-%20Budget%20Tuesday%2024-Apr-2018%2014.00%20Cabinet.pdf?T=9
PROPOSAL TO CLOSE GREEN OAK COFE PRIMARY SCHOOL AND NURSERY
It is recommended that:
- Statutory notices to close are not published.
- The proposal to close the school is halted whilst further options that have arisen during the informal consultation process are fully explored.
This is very encouraging news!
Let’s keep up the good work for Green Oak
FINAL DECISION will be made at the Cabinet Member for Education Decisions meeting on 8th May at 3:30pm.
Statement on Green Oak Church of England Primary and Nursery School
It is with regret that we have heard today of the public consultation into the future of Green Oak School. Our thoughts are with the children, parents and teachers affected at this difficult time.
Cllr Paul Follows and I are actively involved in discussions with the Diocese, Waverley Borough and Surrey County Councils and will continue to be so as the process moves forward.
We will seek to keep the community informed to the best of our abilities as this progresses and please do contact us if you would like to discuss.
We will both be in attendance at the meeting on Wednesday 14th March.
https://www.cofeguildford.org.uk/whats-on/news/detail/2018/03/05/statement-on-green-oak-church-of-england-primary-and-nursery-school
The new Farncombe Day Centre minibus
Kate Peters and I were pleased to be present for the launch of the new minibus for Farncombe Day Centre earlier today (1st March). Kate is Director of Grants and Impact for the Community Foundation for Surrey (Local Giving for Local Need) and I am one of the Trustees of the Thomas Trust which donated £10,000 to this worthwhile local project.
The Trustees of the Thomas Trust transferred the Trust’s capital to create a bespoke Community Foundation Fund in 2014 and we continue to award grants to care for elderly, disabled and blind people in the Godalming area.
Betty Thomas was a forthright lady and very determined that the Trust she intended to set up should be run professionally and fully exercise her wishes and stipulations. Her concerns for the elderly, blind and disabled demonstrated her kindness and desire to assist on a long-term basis.
Jo Swinson’s open letter to Charity Commission & President’s Club
There can be no place in 2018 for respectable fundraising events which objectify women and subject them to groping and harassment.
I don’t see our MP’s name on this open letter, but I would certainly have added mine.
https://www.libdems.org.uk/swinson-open-letter-to-charity-commission-presidents-club
The Council’s plans to sell off its properties is shrouded in secrecy
On Thursday 14 December 2017 the Conservative Cabinet of Surrey County Council is expected to agree to enter into a Joint Venture with an external company to redevelop the Council’s own land and buildings for housing for sale and rent.
Cllr Hazel Watson, Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Surrey County Council, said today:
“Although I welcome action being taken at long last to utilise County Council owned buildings and land which have been left vacant for many years, the proposed Joint Venture between the County Council and an external company fails to meet the needs of Surrey residents and is lacking in safeguards and is shrouded in secrecy. There is insufficient detail in the public domain to give an assurance that the Council’s property and finances will be adequately safeguarded and that the needs of Surrey residents will be met.
“The report is lacking in basic information to enable scrutiny of the proposals such as a list of County Council land and buildings together with their value that will be included in the Joint Venture. It does not contain sufficient safeguards to adequately protect publicly owned property and finances by ensuring clear accountability as there are no elected councillors on the Joint Venture Board, the County Council does not have a majority on the Board and it is unclear what the methodology will be to decide which properties are surplus to the Council’s requirements. There is also no mention of any consultation with local County Councillors about properties within the areas that they represent or any kind of engagement with Surrey residents.
“The report refers to Key Performance Indicators that will assess the performance of the Joint Venture but these are not stated. This is a major omission as Councillors and Surrey residents should know how the performance of the Joint Venture will be judged. “Termination options” are cited in the report but with no detail of what they are, what the financial implications would be or what penalty clauses could be invoked.
“With such high property prices in Surrey, genuinely affordable housing is desperately needed so that social workers, teachers and care workers can afford to live here. However, the proposal does not contain a commitment to provide above the minimum amount of affordable housing, which is simply not good enough. I am calling on the Conservative Cabinet to commit to a significantly higher proportion of housing that local people can genuinely afford.
“The Joint Venture proposal is a missed opportunity to help meet Surrey’s need for genuinely affordable housing and to meet other needs such as for special needs places for children and housing in the community for adults with learning disabilities. This deal is for selling off Council land and buildings for the maximum amount of money and income without adequately considering the public benefit.”
NOTES
The Cabinet report on the Joint Venture item can be found here:
Christmas Together in Godalming
Churches Together Town Day ended with the Blessing of the Crib in the Pepperpot and the Town Carol Service in St Peter and St Paul’s parish church. This year, school choirs came from Godalming Junior, St Hilary’s and Broadwater School (pictured). The Town Carol Service is for the whole community and thanks go to Town Mayor, Cllr Anne Bott, William Edwards (Chamber of Commerce), Ben Nicholls (Charterhouse), our MP Jeremy Hunt, and Phil Davies, Chairman of Citizens Advice for taking part.
I first organised this Carol Service in 2000 and many people and organisations have helped me and contributed to it every year since then. Thanks to them all. The collection this year raised £400 for children in Bethlehem and Rohingya refugees.