Dear Villagers,

Welcome to my latest update of my web page on Grayshott.com, posted week beginning 28th. June. I'll post the next one during the week beginning 9th. August.

Bridle Close, Waggoners Estate

Many of you know that EHDC's decision to refuse planning permission for a wholly inappropriate development in Bridle Close, was overturned by a Government Planning Inspector on appeal. I must say I was amazed at the Inspector's decision because the original application was so obviously unsuitable. Many villagers who attend the Annual Parish Assembly know already of my increasing despair with the way this Government is allowing local government less and less decision making power and taking more of it into the centre. This is not a political point as it is a frustration shared by other Councillors of all political parties and most certainly the Liberal Democrat group on EHDC.

The Inspector's reasoning is flawed and I will be checking to see if the Council has grounds for appeal. However, as I found when we tried to appeal the Nursing Home decision, the rules are very restrictive indeed and are designed to prevent appeals succeeding.

Quite who the Government thinks it is helping with this decision, defeats me. Some residents feel my anti-development line can damage the chances of young folk setting up home here and risks skewing our age profile even more towards the older end of the scale. I've listened to this argument and I accept the need to adjust my views.

However, this application simply added one, very inappropriate and quite expensive new property to be built in a very attractive part of our village damaging the harmony of the design and density of the Waggoners Estate. Waggoners is rapidly acquiring the status of a classic modern housing development in the way that Kingswood Firs has done so already. I lobbied hard for Kingswood Firs to receive special protection, which is, in effect, adopted planning policy now and I am hoping to do something similar for Waggoners. I hope that this new development does not spoil the appearance of the estate too much.

Big Ugly White Truck in Rockdale

At the time of writing, the procedure is now at a stage where the owner has a time window to comply with the enforcement order served by the council. Some equipment has been removed from the truck. By the time I write again, we should be entering the active enforcement stage if the owner has not removed the truck voluntarily.

The A3 Debate

There are two very important dates coming up, both referred to on our excellent Grayshott.com website.

First, the District Council will re-debate the Hazel Grove issue, as I promised, on Wednesday, 14th. July at the Council's Full Council meeting at 18.30 at Penn's Place, Petersfield. Please make every effort to show your concerns by attending.

As I mentioned last time, I will be on holiday that day, but another Councillor, Geoffrey Whittle from Headley, has very kindly agreed to argue the case on my behalf.

Second and of great importance, our local M.P., the Rt. Hon. James Arbuthnot M.P. and the Conservative Party's prospective parliamentary candidate for South West Surrey, Jeremy Hunt, will host a Q&A session in the Village Hall on Friday 16th. July at 19.00. Posters and press releases are going out over the next week or so.

Astonishingly, the National Trust and the Highways Agency have declined to take part, even though, in the case of the Highways Agency, their new project office is 45 seconds walk from the Village Hall!! However, the main objective was for James and Jeremy to get themselves brought up to date, to hear the concerns of locals and to engage in a discussion about the key issues. I'm hoping that we will find some time for Pat Lyons to present his alternative scheme. It should be a good evening with lively debate, so do please try and come along.

Pedestrian Crossing in Grayshott

As promised, I have been discussing this matter with the County Council. Their attitude has been reasonable and understanding, whilst recognising that this is not a simple issue. One of the problems is that Headley Road is classified as a "B" Road and hence traffic has to be allowed reasonable opportunity to make good progress.

Nevertheless, they do understand the problems faced by less mobile local residents, whether disabled, aged, young with children, or who ever else has problems crossing that difficult road. As a result they are going to evaluate the traffic data that has been collected in the village by the subcontractors to the A3 Scheme, (you will have seen them in the village, on occasion, wearing prominent yellow reflective jackets).

If this does not provide a clear picture of the traffic volumes compared with the pedestrian crossing patterns, the County Council will carry out their own measurements. This will provide the data necessary for a review of the situation and the County will then let us know if there is a case for altering the road layout in any way to facilitate pedestrians crossing the road. To be clear, the senior officer I spoke to, at the County Council offices at Winchester, was cautious about the prospects of anything being done, but we should allow the proper evaluation to take place first, in my view.

Tesco

As you know by now, we could not get the trolley park removed, but Tesco did agree to make it a mobile park and to take it in at the end of each day. Thus far, we don't seem to have any problems with those trolleys, so hopefully the compromise will suit us all.

I know there is much annoyance about the huge lorries they use to deliver and the way they block the road. This is quite a disappointment to me because the planning application submitted by Tesco made it clear all deliveries would be made from around the back of Grove House and not from the roadside. I know that the Parish Council are pursuing this matter with the Store Manager.

Bottle Bank

Rather annoyingly, the issue over the location of the bottle bank has reared its ugly head again. I working on keeping it at Applegarth Farm and trying hard to stop the Council from upsetting the mutually beneficial arrangements we have with Mr. Benson. I'll keep you posted.

Fireworks

There has been a lot of discussion in the local and national press about the inconsiderate use of fireworks. I know several households like to have firework parties on Summer nights. Please remember that it causes many people and a lot of animals great distress, particularly when these parties are held after 11.00pm or use very loud aerial shells. I've made my point about the need for improved neighbourliness in Grayshott on this website before, so do please bear this in mind if you are planning such an event. Thank you.

Personal Notes

You will know by now that I was unsuccessful as a candidate in the European elections. I attended the Grayshott polling station all day on polling day, (13.5 hours straight!), except for about 25 minutes in the middle of the day. Thank you to those who supplied and offered refreshments and also thanks to those who hoped I would fail so that I would continue as District Councillor - very flattering, (I think)!!

For information, I counted the turnout in Grayshott as 38%, well above the averages recorded for the nation, the constituency and the district council. Our turnout for the 2003 district council election was a smidge under 40%, which was also above average. It's good to see us taking our responsibilities seriously in the village, but I'd love to see turnout above 50% one day.

Contact

Remember you can contact me via email on: Fcowper@aol.com or by 'phone on 01428-609858,

Ferris Cowper
EHDC Councillor for the ward of Grayshott