Archive for category: Parish Council

Dear Villagers,

Summer is upon us, somewhat early as I write this, but certainly when you read it. We are experiencing something of a drought environmentally, but the deluge of government work continues: Local Government Reorganisation, planning, pursuit of parish assets, VE day, planning for community events, Speedwatch and more.

Planning.

Planning applications came in at a slightly slower pace in April and the pace for May was average. We still await feedback on the long ago submitted 75+ housing development proposed at the Chalkpit Quarry in the midst of land designated as protected National Landscape. As a reminder, this was submitted to Surrey County Council because the County is responsible for the minerals license for the quarry and they consider the development a variance of the license. The decision on the proposed quarry development has been continuously pushed back, apparently largely due to resource problems at Surrey County Council. We understand nothing will be determined before July, and it may be delayed further.

Speedwatch.

Speedwatch continues and, as ever, is looking for more volunteers. Speedwatch leader Jeremy Wormington reports for April: “April was a quiet month due to Easter but we still managed nearly ten sessions, while the offending rate has stabilised at just under 10%, in line with the previous months this year, they are half of what they were a year ago.” Speeding in the village is regularly identified as a key concern and it is great to see that the Speedwatch team is having a measurable impact on speeding on our roads. If you think you might have some time to volunteer, please let our Clerk Karen Newman know at parish.clerk@woldingham.com.

Local Government Reorganisation.

The proposed local government reorganisation draws nearer. As a reminder, the Government decreed that all County and District (and Borough) governments across England must reorganise. 71% of the country has reorganised over the last 25 years, moving from “two tiers” (County and District/Borough) to one tier of government holding all powers of the former County and District Governments. 71% of the country’s population is now managed by one tier, known Unitary Authorities, because they unified the powers of County and District Authorities. The Government has decreed that the other 29% of the country must complete reorganisation by 2029. So, while it took 25 years to reorganise 71% of the country, we have 4 years to reorganise the other 29%. And Surrey is on the fasted timeline of anywhere in the country. Surrey was challenged to submit all proposals for reorganisation in under three months. The final proposals were submitted on the 9th of May and Government is expected to decide our new structure sometime in the autumn.

Meanwhile, the Government’s White Paper on community level government (addressing town and parish councils and governance of non-parished areas) is long delayed and still awaited, with no word when it will be issued. This should give us insight into the new relationship the government has said Unitary Authorities should build with local communities.

Annual Parish Meeting.

We held our Annual Parish Meeting on the 9th of May. Our guest speaker was Tandridge District Council Leader Catherine Sayer. Councillor Sayer spoke in detail about Local Government Reorganisation in Surrey and the detailed proposals made by the District and County Councils to the Government. There was a lengthy Q&A session afterwards. Vice-Chair Carole North and I then presented the highlights of your Parish Council’s activities and finances. The presentations from us all are available on the website.

New website and email addresses.

Our website is changing, as are our emails. We are required to move to a secure “gov.uk” URL and we will shortly be moving Woldingham.com to woldinghamparishcouncil.gov.uk and our email addresses will also be moving to this address. If you go to Woldingham.com you will be redirected and you will find our new email addresses listed on the website. We will meanwhile have forwarding set up on our old email addresses so you will be able to reach us no matter what.

SAVE THE DATE:

Summer Starts Here Festival 7th June from noon on the Glebe; History Walk 28th June.

Woldingham Parish Assets.

The Parish Council continues to work with Tandridge District Council (TDC) on the proposed transfer of local assets from the District to the Parish Council. The programme began over a year ago at TDC, to reduce operating costs and divest assets that made sense to be managed by the local parish councils. The Woldingham Parish Council (WPC) voted to take possession of assets that TDC controls in Woldingham, which in any event we often spend money on in the interests of the community.

The WPC hopes to take possession of The (village) Green, the land at The Crescent and land known as Saxonwold, off Church Road. It is also in discussions about the viability of the car park on Station Road. The process may take 6 months, but the local government reorganisation process may disrupt this intention.

Bunds on The Green.

The bunds are complete, the concrete blocks gone! The access gate bas been installed on Park View Road. And by the time you read this the meadow mat pre-seeded with flowers should have been planted on the bunds. The long saga now complete, The Green should look ever better.

Monthly Council meetings.

Remember that WPC meetings are always open to the public. Agendas are published at least 5 days in advance on our website and on our noticeboard. The public are welcome to speak at the start of the meeting. We meet monthly at 7:30pm on the last Wednesday of every month in the Village Hall (and in the Peace Hall in July), except December and August. There are occasional ad hoc meetings, also published in advance on the website and noticeboard on the Crescent (please check carefully for venue of ad hoc meetings). If you would like to speak on any topic, please advise our clerk Karen at parish.clerk@woldingham.com.

Wishing you all the best,
Chairman Deborah Sherry

Financial Review 2024-25

I am pleased to report that our core costs for the financial year just ended were below budget which together with substantial funding from developments in the village has meant that we have been able to increase the level of support we have given to our village community.
Cost savings were derived from lower than anticipated election costs, and office administration costs. Although the early part of the winter was cold resulting in some early gritting the relatively mild remainder of the month meant less cost in snow clearance than expected. Also, the sum earmarked for our response to the planning application for new house building on the Chalk Pit quarry site was not needed as the application process was delayed.

We were able to assist the residents of Croft Rd in effecting needed repairs to their road. This was in recognition of the fact that the road is subject to extensive use by others to gain access to the Glebe, the church and Woodlea School. Additionally ,we supported the Village Hall with part of the cost of the new fire alarm system, The Glebe with the maintenance of Madeira Walk, Woodlea school for environmental projects, the 123 club, the Horticultural society, St Agatha’s churchyard, the local Citizens Advice Bureau and the Kent, Surrey and Sussex air ambulance.

We received a substantial grant from Surrey County Council to provide a series of local history boards to be located in various parts of the village to highlight the rich heritage of our community. These will be installed during the coming months.

So, the overall picture is one of financial stability to enable us to continue to serve our community. As I said in my review of the budget for the new financial year, we face considerable uncertainties surrounding the ongoing restructuring of local government in Surrey, the outcome of which remains uncertain. It is likely to involve passing down to us assets and services currently managed by others. All of which will have cost implications. We believe we have the financial strength to weather these with only the modest increase in our precept for 2024/25.

Councillor Peter Hutchinson

Bringing the village together

It’s been a busy month planning events for the village with VE-Day celebrations and plans afoot for a huge community event (Summer Starts Here) on 7th June and the launch of the Woldingham Heritage Walk on 28th June.

VE-DAY – 8th May

On the day, the whole nation celebrated the 80th Anniversary of VE Day, which marked the end of the war in Europe and WWII as a whole on 8th May 1945, Woldingham Parish organised a series of events to bring the community together.

Just before 9am, villagers arrived on the Green to watch Derek Harris raise the special VE Day 80 Flag (kindly donated by the Woldingham Association). This was followed by Year 6 from Woodlea School singing ‘We’ll meet again’ and ‘Run Rabbit Run!’. The latter including a lovely dance created by the pupils, which we all enjoyed tremendously.

At 5pm, the Village Club opened and served some delicious BBQ food and at 6.30pm, the peals of St Paul’s church bells rang out alongside other church bells across the country. At 9.15 residents started to arrive on the village Green to hear the welcome from Cllr Deborah Sherry, Chair of Woldingham Parish Council. The beacon was lit at 9.30pm and this was followed by Rev. Catherine Dowland-Pillinger reading the Tribute. Woldingham School choir joined the celebrations singing I vow to thee my country.

It was a very moving day and huge thanks go to everyone who contributed to the occasion.

Summer Starts Here – 7th June

Summer really does start here at the community event Woldingham Parish Council has organised for all villagers. Taking place on the Craigmyle Glebe, Woodlea School will also be holding their Mad Hatters Tea Party themed summer fete, bringing multiple stalls with games, craft activities, face painting, raffles, a photo booth, inflatables, hot drinks and lots of other stalls.

With a beer and wine bar being provided by The Glebe Trustees, food vans, giant games including Limbo, Connex 4, Twister and chequers, the sound track will be provided by Danny Mann and Parallel Sky. the event starts at 12 noon and ends at 7pm.

The schedule of activities for the day is:
11am: Craigmyle Glebe hosts a guided walk around Madeira Walk. Meet at St Paul’s Church
12 noon: Welcome from Cllr Deborah Sherry and Chris Higson on the Glebe
1.15pm: Fun Dog Show – 6 classes including dog with the waggiest tail, golden oldie (over 7),
cutest puppy (under 18-month), most talented dog, best groomed dog, owner who
looks most like their dog
2.15pm: Children’s tug-of war
2.30pm: Adult tug-of-war
3pm: Mad Hatter’s tea party – prizes for the best fancy dress
4pm: Line dancing in the marquee
5pm: Music
5.30pm: Line dancing in the marquee

There will be lots for both children and adults so do put the date in your diary.

Please note, parking around the Glebe is very limited. Please be considerate to other residents by walking to the event where possible. The Glebe car park will be restricted to disabled parking only.

Woldingham Heritage Walk – 28th June

This new circular walk will be launched on 28th June. Do come along to the Green and join the team who have worked so hard to share Woldingham’s rich history. Refreshments will be served from 2pm – 4pm. More detailed information about this project can be found further on in the magazine.

Vice-Chair Carole North

Cleaning Products

Let’s talk cleaning products – why is it so hard to choose which ones have least environmental impact? Many companies are guilty of greenwashing and it’s a challenge to even know what we should be looking for in a product when terms like “eco-friendly”, “green”, and “natural” are bandied around so freely. There’s very little regulation of this marketing language, and there’s often not much guarantee the products you’re using are any better for the planet. However, cleaning products are one of the most common sources of pollutants in our water systems, and it feels like the responsible thing to try and limit our role in this.

The most important thing is that you are giving some thought to the products you use and are open to trying alternatives rather than just defaulting to the big-name brands! Fortunately, many of the toxic substances in most cleaning products are not necessary, and there are equally effective alternatives.

– Read labels carefully, check the list of ingredients, and prioritise products with certifications such as Ecolabel or Green Seal, as these reflect adherence to certain environmental and ethical standards. Some of the especially nasty ingredients to avoid include phosphates, phthalates, ammonia, chlorine bleaches, and synthetic fragrances. Favour plant-based ingredients where possible.

– Think about the packaging and prioritise recyclable, compostable, or reusable packaging. Many products contain more than 90% water which means a greater volume of liquid is being packaged and transported – this in turn means more single-use plastic and more transportation emissions. Refillable systems reduce plastic waste and emissions.

– Try home-made cleaning products! Make your own using ingredients such as white vinegar, bicarbonate of soda, shop-bought citric acid, or lemon juice, which all have impressive natural cleaning qualities such as breaking down stains, deodorising, killing bacteria, and dissolving limescale.

– Most kitchen or bathroom sponges are made from plastics that can take hundreds of years to decompose, so try to choose products that are biodegradable and made from sustainable materials. such as cellulose instead. Prioritise reusable instead of single-use products (i.e. microfibre instead of kitchen roll or wet wipes) and washable rather than disposable mop-heads.

Finally – remember there’s a good chance that any products you use will ultimately end up in our waterways. Many are not fully biodegradable, and sewage treatment does not remove all the chemicals. So, when “treated” wastewater is discharged into rivers, lakes, and seas, so too are the toxic remnants of our cleaning products, and the impact on aquatic life and nature is significant. Knowing this, I can’t help but feel that taking the time to find more sustainable and less toxic products is a small price to pay.

Councillor Cat Neave

Letter from the Chairman

Dear Villagers,

As I write this, we are thawing from the second early January snow. Although the year has barely begun, change is writ large and the news is coming fast and furiously. Local government is about to have a massive restructure. The revisions to the National Planning Policy Framework were launched just before Christmas as was the Government’s White Paper on Local Government. A lot is changing. And many of those changes will impact us directly.

Chalkpit quarry housing estate application. This application drags on. You may recall that technical application updates kicked off an additional consultation that was due to close on the 21st of December. That consultation was extended until January and a response will go in shortly. As a reminder, this is an application to vary the minerals licence in order to build a large housing estate in the AONB. The updates to the National Planning Policy Framework that launched before Christmas did not make changes to protections for AONB or National Landscapes (as this area is), however it did expand the definition of grey belt. This application is one we opposed primarily because of the harms to the AONB, amongst other reasons, and we will continue to track it closely. The next steps and timing of the application process are as yet unclear.

National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). After consultation last year, just before Christmas, the government launched the updated NPPF, which is the body of policy that governs all planning in country. Some of the key changes include:

– Housing targets calculations change, and the Tandridge target increases to 843 new homes per year.
– Refusals based on the sustainability of a development must now have a strong rather than clear reason for approval. Strong has not yet been defined and will be subject to judgment and precedent.
– Greater weight will be given to applications for infrastructure, especially digital infrastructure.
– Substantial weight will be given to using brownfield land within settlements.
– Where an authority cannot meet its identified need for homes, commercial or other development through other means, authorities should review Green Belt boundaries and alter them unless to do so would undermine the rest of the Green Belt.
-In the greenbelt, applications on land that is Grey Belt would not be considered inappropriate development. Grey Belt land may be previously developed land, or any land that does not contribute to the purposed of the Green Belt. But such development should not create urban sprawl, nor cause neighbouring towns to merge into one another or harm the setting and special character of historic towns.
– New developments should not create flood risk.

Surrey Hills Boundary Review. You may recall that the Surrey Hills Area of National Beauty ( AONB, now renamed as National Landscape), has had a Boundary review. There are many additions suggested for the area, including the whole of Woldingham. The final consultation closed in December. With a few hundred more response to go through, the final draft proposal of the new boundaries will soon go to the Natural England Board, who will likely approve it as recommended and then send it to the Minister for approval. There is no specific timeline for Ministerial approval, but if done timely, this could happen by the end of this year. Hopefully the minister will not delay reviewing or approving.

Local Government Reorganisation. The Government’s white paper on local government was also released before Christmas. It proposes to reduce the levels of local government across the country. In Surrey, this would mean the District/Borough and County Councils would be dissolved and Surrey would instead become what is known as Unitary Authority, as either one unit or split into two or three units, with a Mayor above them. The planning process for reorganisation has begun.

The County is responsible for submitting plans to the Government but as yet does not appear to have developed any plan of engagement with the Parish Councils. In this new world order, there would effectively be the Parish Council, our new Unitary Authority, and Parliament. It simplifies layers but moves decision making on most matters (including planning) very far from us. Watch this space, Facebook, newsletters, WhatsApp groups and the noticeboards for more information about this once in a lifetime restructuring of local government.

I remain concerned about our ability to access the new Authority and have any influence. Surrey County Council wish to be in the first tranche of reorganisation and have submitted a letter to the Government accordingly. They plan to cancel the 2025 County elections with a view to being selected in this first wave, with a target of defining the new structure and boundaries of local government in time for May 2026 elections for the new authority and May 2028 Mayoral elections.

Gritting.

Please remember to make every effort to keep roads free of parked cars (where possible) when snow and icy conditions are predicted, especially roads with no outlet. The tractor and gritter need access and turning access. As of early January, we have not had to grit a number of times. Surrey Highways grits publicly owned roads. Based on forecasts, they grit Priority 1 routes (that carry 8000+ vehicles per day), Priority 1 and Priority 2 routes (that carry 4000+ vehicles per day) and on rare occasion priority 3 routes (routes with access to primary schools). Also, on occasion (depending on forecast). Highways ensures the High Routes, which are high altitude roads in the East of the County, are gritted. Surrey never grits residential roads.

You Parish Council contracts for a local farmer (Church Farm Services) to grit all our residential roads. A small team comprised of myself (your Chairman), Vice Chairman Carole North and Head of Finance Peter Hutchinson, look at the weather and the Surrey gritting scheme every day throughout the winter, confer with each other and then as needed instruct our gritter to cover the roads.

Monthly Council meetings.

Your Parish Council meets monthly at 7:30pm on the last Wednesday of every month in the Village Hall (and in in the Peace Hall in July), except December and August. The public are always welcome. If you would like to speak on any topic, please advise our clerk Karen at parish.clerk@woldingham.com and you will be invited to speak at the beginning of the meeting. Agendas are published at least 5 days in advance on the website and the noticeboard but please do advise us if there is anything that you would like the Council to address.

Wishing you all the best,

Chairman Deborah Sherry

Biggin Hill Update

Councillors Holbrook and McEwan attended the latest ARNAF Forum (Airport Residents Noise Action Forum) on December 3rd.

The Forum exists to:

• Be an effective medium for constructive dialogue and interaction between
London Biggin Hill Airport (LBHA) and local residents associations.

• Enable understanding of, examination of, and, where possible, improvement
of steps taken by LBHA to minimise disruption caused to the local
communities by LBHA business. This is specifically in relation to, but not
limited to, the Noise Action Plan.

• Act as a critical friend to the airport, at all times looking at constructive ways
to move towards making positive enhancements for the benefit of all.

• Provide an effective conduit for the transmission of outcomes and residents’
concerns to the BHACC (including through the NSSC as appropriate).

Our membership is by invitation only from the airport and we will continue to monitor and where possible suggest any changes to noise and flight paths through the forum.

The meeting started with sharing data collected from complaints received. It was suggested that submission of complaints in one area could be channelled through one person. This will be discussed further at the next meeting. The whole process of compliant flight against what is viewed on Webtrack will be discussed at length in the new year. It was noted that all flights arriving at Biggin Hill from the south west (03 Runway) where they fly through an NSA (Noise Sensitive Area) will automatically be investigated at the Airport.

The new approach being planned for the 03 Runway is behind schedule due to slow communication with the CAA. Test runs will be implemented in the new year which could take up to six months to complete.

Some time was spent discussing the NSA around Keston who are most affected by incoming and outgoing flights on Runway 21. There was also a discussion on Helicopter flights and the paths they should follow as they tend to create the greatest noise. The next meeting will concentrate on how to understand the complaint from Webtrak information.

Altogether there were 14 members form various councils and residents associations present. Only two are allowed from any group so together with Woldingham Association and ourselves we feel we have good representation.

Councillor Peter Holbrook.

Letter from the Chairman

Dear Villagers,
As the cold rolls in, the season demonstrably changes. Autumn already feels like it is becoming winter. And with the short days, the rhythm of winter activities begins. And so it does at the Parish Council, as we being to prepare budgets for the new year and prepare for the Christmas season. As a reminder, November is the month in which we review the majority of grant applications and award community grants. And it is also when the Parish Council agrees the first cut of our budget for next year as well as the annual precept (tax). Our November meeting is on the last Wednesday of the month (the day of our regular monthly meeting) – the 27th of November. And the public are always welcome.

Councillor Remote Attendance.

A national consultation is taking place to consider whether Local Councillors should be allowed to attend Council meetings remotely. I note that during the pandemic years, the sitting government passed an act of Parliament allowing us to meet remotely at all levels of local government. This worked well for all of us and did not cause any issues. When this bill expired, despite much lobbying, the national government declined to extend it. In Wales however, all levels of local government have been able to attend remotely since 2021, to no detriment of the democratic process. At Tandridge District Council, Councillors may join remotely and comment, but the law still requires that to vote they must be in person.

As a Parish Council, we voted unanimously to comment in the consultation that full flexibility for remote attendance and voting should be granted We note that remote attendance would enable better participation when one must travel – whether for work or other reasons — and encourage more participation in local Councils. The consultation runs until the 19th of December and anyone may respond. If you have considered or would consider serving in local government (at any level) if remote attendance were possible, please add you voice to the consultation.

Councillor Roles.

I updated you in this column last month on Councillor roles. We have allocated the final role on the Council – Head of Safety and Security – to Councillor Peter Hutchinson. Councillor roles are as follows: Councillor Peter Holbrook – Head of Planning; Councillor Peter Hutchinson – Head of Finance and Head of Safety and Security. Head of Environment and also Head of Social Media – Councillor Cat Neave; Head of Events & Community – Councillor Carole North; Head of Speedwatch and Litter Pick – Councillor Alex Foulds; Head of Airports and Airspace – Councillors Peter Holbrook and Leanna McEwan.

Speedwatch.

Jeremy Wormington runs our Speedwatch team. Speedwatch is an effective means of reminding people to control their speed. Jeremy’s update for October follows:
“Speedwatch had a busy month in October with about a dozen sessions conducted, particularly focused on monitoring Station Road where we recorded about one in seven vehicles exceeding 35mph, with about half of those greater than 40mph as they exited the centre of the village near Southdowns Road. In one instance a vehicle was recorded doing 56mph, which leaves no margin of error should a resident on Station Road drive out from around a blind bend….They did not even slow down as they went past the Speedwatch team standing further down Station Road. In the early morning many of those caught speeding will be Woldingham residents on their commute, with a good number being tradesmen. There was also a vehicle caught exceeding 40mph twice during the same day, once after dropping off at the school and later after collecting their child. As the month progressed, we noticed a drop off of higher speeds although overall offenders were only slightly down. We are in the process of utilising more sites on Station Road so that it gets monitored from top to bottom.
Here is a summary of how Speedwatch works in case residents are wondering (summarised from the Speedwatch website). “Speedwatch, under the supervision of their local police, record details of speeding vehicles using approved detection devices. Registered keepers of vehicles exceeding the speed limit are contacted – initially with a letter explaining the potential risks and consequences of their dangerous behaviour. Repeat offenders will receive a visit from the local police. Beyond these friendly gestures, focused enforcement and criminal prosecution follow based on the collated evidence. Speedwatch activity is not about interfering with neighbours’ behaviour; it is a proactive solution to improve the safety and quality of life for everyone in their local community.”

We are grateful for the work Jeremy and all the volunteers are doing to help make Woldingham roads safer.

Carols in the Crescent, 7th of December, 6:00pm.

Every year the Parish Council run this well attended event, with the North Downs Consort and others providing choral music. Printed lyrics are handed out for all to join in. We serve mulled wine for the adults and hot chocolate (for adults and kids) and glow sticks for the kids. Rain or shine, our gazebo is up and our voices resound.

I look forward to seeing many of you at Carols in the Crescent on the 7th of December!
All the best,
Chairman Deborah Sherry

Surrey Police Briefing

On October 29, I attended a meeting at The Arc in Caterham on the Hill. It was part of a series of meetings being held over the autumn where members of the public can attend and hear first-hand from Surrey Police about their performance and to ask questions on relevant topics. Each meeting focusses on a particular borough, in this case Tandridge.

The meeting was hosted by Police and Crime Commissioner, Lisa Townsend, Deputy Chief Constable, Nev Kemp and Tandridge Borough Commander, Lyndsey Whatley. There were about 40 people attending, a mix of Parish Council representatives and members of the public.
At the equivalent meeting last year, it was recognised that public trust in the police had dropped over time and that the Surrey Police team were focussed on regaining the respect that had been lost. This year they wanted to give us an update on how they thought they were performing

They advised that Surrey is one of the safest counties in the South of England in terms of crimes committed with also one of the highest proportions of crimes solved. There is a virtuous circle there, that the better the solve rate to more criminals will tend to go elsewhere thus reducing the number of crimes in the future. Of course, this only works if the public play a role in reporting crime, and they will only do that if they feel that the police are following up on reports.

Call response times to 999 emergencies and 101 non-emergencies are some of the fastest in the country but of course there are only limited resources available to deploy and those are by necessity prioritised to the most urgent issues. However, this shouldn’t be a reason to not report as the police can only investigate things they know about.

Local communities were thanked for their support of initiatives like the Number Plate Recognition cameras, Neighbourhood Watch and Parish Council sponsored events to raise awareness of issues and how to prevent crime in the first place. The most dangerous place is the home, break ins and scam incidents- either by direct attempts in person or by phone or email. So, it is important that communities ensure that the latest tricks of the scammers are publicised so people are aware of what they might have to deal with. In this regard the most vulnerable are the elderly and special attention to this group should be part of any information communications.

Car crime and shop lifting were areas where they have been very active in targeting resource to try to reduce the number of incidents and improve conviction rates. They believe that this is beginning to have an impact, but more work needs to be done.

The police also highlighted their portal for reporting suspicious behaviour. Here members of the public can upload cctv/video footage etc of anything strange and it can then be viewed to see if there is something that can be followed up on or used as a way of mapping a pattern of behaviour. Go to the Surrey Police website and search for “Suspicious Activity Portal” you can then select the borough where the activity took place an upload any relevant footage.

Various members of the public raised specific issues, but several were about matters still under investigation, so it wasn’t possible to respond fully in a public meeting.

The question of resources came up. Surrey has to make savings in costs and therefore have to work on smarter policing rather than less policing. For example, they have been working with NHS to ensure that the right resource is deployed to a particular situation to avoid police time being taken up dealing with metal health incidents when a mental health specialist is what is actually needed.

They reported that the Reigate site was closed due RAAC. A new centre was under development and the intention was to sell off the Reigate site for redevelopment. Quizzed about the Caterham Police Station they advised that the current building wasn’t fit for purpose and would be phased out in the foreseeable future. They were however committed to retaining a presence in Caterham but just not in the current location.

The meeting lasted about 2 hrs and an update next year was suggested.
Councillor Peter Hutchinson

Greening Up for Christmas

And, just like that, the festive season is upon us! If you celebrate Christmas – and maybe even if you don’t – it is intended to be a time for family, love, hope, and joy. It’s also unfortunately a time of excess, waste, and huge environmental impact. But with a bit of thought and effort we can help make Christmas a little greener whilst still enjoying the best this time of year has to offer. You may even save some money, too…

First things first – the tree! Between 7-8 million Christmas trees are felled each year and dumped after use. Like all trees, conifers help reduce the carbon dioxide in our atmosphere and produce oxygen. However, once they die much of the CO2 they’ve absorbed is released back into the atmosphere – they also release toxic gases such as methane as they rot. So instead of killing off a tree, why not buy a potted one and re-use it each year? Or if you’d rather not hold on to it, consider hiring one! Companies such as Green Elf Trees and London Christmas Tree Rental offer free delivery/collection or local pick-ups. They have a whole range of sizes and will look after your tree for the rest of the year as it happily churns out oxygen and absorbs CO2. Artificial trees are of course a great alternative if you already have one, but they are very hard to recycle so usually end up in landfill and take their environmental toll: a 2m artificial tree produces 40kg of greenhouse gases.

When it comes to decorations, try to think sustainably. There are so many beautiful and environmentally friendly options nowadays, often made from glass or natural materials. If they must be plastic, buy quality decorations that will last. Avoid glitter unless you know it is biodegradable (normal glitter is a type of microplastic, which get literally everywhere – core samples from Arctic ice to whales’ stomachs. They’re in the rain. Humans are estimated to ingest roughly 5 grams of them every week). Check any crackers you buy to minimise single use plastics and avoid any containing filler gifts that will inevitably end up in landfill. Fortunately, most Christmas lights nowadays are LED, which use less energy and last longer – if you can remember, switch them off at night or when not needed. Cheaper AND better for the environment!

Where possible, avoid any wrapping paper or Christmas cards with non-biodegradable glitter, foil, or plastics as these cannot be recycled either. Consider reusing old wrapping paper, or using newspaper or cloth – both of which, especially when combined with real ribbons and some imagination, can look very striking. Avoid plastic ribbons and tape where possible, and save any wrapping paper, ribbons, gift bags, and cards you receive to be repurposed next year. Think about how many Christmas cards you actually need to send… can you or your children make cards instead? Or how about letting your friends and family know you’ve made a charitable donation instead of sending cards this year?

Speaking of charity donations – why not ask for donations to a charity of your choice instead of presents you won’t ever use? Or make a charitable donation in a loved one’s name? Many charities provide cards and certificates in return. Gifting an experience and a chance to make memories can be a great present option for someone who has everything – hot air ballooning, massage vouchers, plush cinema tickets, maybe? And if material presents are the way to go, try to think strategically. One thoughtful present outweighs many less relevant gifts. Research shows recipients value quality over quantity, and of course quality is not necessarily defined by cost. It’s also worth checking on second-hand forums for presents, especially for young children.

And finally… for many of us, Christmas lunch is the highlight of the day! But did you know that food production is the biggest cause of tropical deforestation, and a whopping 4.5million tonnes of food waste is generated in the UK over the Christmas period? Plan ahead for how much food you’ll actually need. Use Tupperware or old takeaway containers, and wax cloth covers instead of clingfilm (which has health implications as well as environmental ones). The livestock industry generates almost 15% of all man-made greenhouse gas emissions, so think about cooking less meat and introducing more vegetables to your festive meals, too. Where possible, buy locally and organic, and buy seasonal produce instead of those that have been flown thousands of miles to get to you.

If everyone in Woldingham put even one or two of these ideas into practice, it would make a difference. Simply planning ahead, shopping thoughtfully, avoiding plastics wherever possible, and minimising the landfill load, will help our environment and give your Christmas a greener, brighter, glow.
Councillor Cat Neave

Autumn Village Litter Pick

There was a great turn out for the Autumn litter pick, with around 60 people, of all ages, turning up at the Glebe to lend a hand. There has to be a special mention for taxi driver Craig, who had driven up from Wiltshire, and dropped into the litter pick to help us whilst waiting for his return run home. Until today Craig had no contact with Woldingham but he contacted the Glebe overnight to see if he could get involved. Thank you, Craig. That said, equally amazing are scouts, cubs and other families who regularly attend every litter pick. Between us we covered almost all the roads in the village and collected the normal large pile of rubbish. It’s an event that generated mixed emotions; everyone is brimming with positivity and smiles knowing they are really making a difference, and at the same time it’s also slightly demoralising to see how much litter and other rubbish there is out there. Still, everyone comes back to base for cakes and hot drinks, so it ends well! Special thanks to Lucia and Jill for the home-made cakes.

I would also like to say thank you to all the villagers who regularly undertake litter picks, week in week out, several of whom contact me to let me know what roads they have done. Thanks, in particular to Hazel and to Phil.

The next litter pick will be in March – look out for details.
Councillor Alex Foulds

Letter from the Chairman

Dear Villagers,
With the changing season and the changing government, your Parish Council waits with bated breath for planning policy changes. And there are currently changes afoot.

NPPF Planning Consultation

The new government is seeking to amend the national policy that governs planning, known as the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). There is currently a consultation taking place which commenced on July 31, 2024. The consultation period runs until 11:45 PM on September 24, 2024. Anyone may respond. And the Woldingham Parish Council responded on behalf of Woldingham.

The proposed changes include a variety of proposals that either accept or reverse changes made to the December 2023 version of the NPPF as well as some additional changes. This consultation is important because some of the proposed changes would weaken protections in the Green Belt and therefore negate some of the protections in the District Council’s adopted Development Plan and our Woldingham Neighbourhood Plan, which were developed in alignment previous NPPF policies. Our comments on past consultations have supported continued protections for the Green Belt.

Surrey Hills AONB Boundary consultation

The Surrey Hills AONB boundaries (designated Areas of Natural Beauty) have not been reviewed or changed since their original designation in 1958. You may be aware that there has been an ongoing consultation to review the boundaries of the Surrey Hills AONB. Phase one of the consultation ran in 2023. A new map of AONB boundaries was proposed and comments invited. Subsequently additional areas in Surrey have been added to the proposed map and phase 2 of the consultation commences on the 16th of September, inviting commentary on the proposals, and will run for 12 weeks. All of Woldingham is proposed to be included in the AONB.

Following conclusion of the phase 2 consultation, the final proposed boundaries and a request for a draft legal order for the Secretary of State will be submitted for the approval of the Board of Natural England. Once approved, Natural England will submit the proposed order to the Secretary of State for the Department for Environmental Food & Rural Affairs. The Secretary of State may confirm the order, confirm the order with amendments, reject the order and / or call a public inquiry to assist in their decision making. No timeline is delineated for the Secretary of State to make his decision.

Biggin Hill Noise Action Plan

Woldingham Parish Councillors Peter Holbrook and Leanna McEwan are continuing to meet represent us at Biggin Hill Airport. Biggin Hill Airport have formed a Noise Action Group to address noise pollution and impacts on local communities. Councillors Holbrook and McEwan are part of this group and are working with Biggin Hill and Councillors from neighbouring Councils, to help progress the Noise Action Plan. The current plan is addressing the new airborne flight trial recently submitted to the CAA to Test and Validate an instrumented (automated) approach to runway 03. Trial approval has now been granted, allowing the airport to trial the new approach towards the end of the year. In the meantime, Councillors Holbrook and McEwan have been loaned for short periods highly sophisticated noise meters to assist Biggin Hill to monitor and evaluate a pattern of noise around and near the airport for all types of aircraft. They have a further meeting in September where they will be given any updates on the noise levels and potential abatement actions.

Speedwatch

Speedwatch needs you! We need more volunteers. The minimum age to participate is 18, the time commitment is light (and as you can). Speeding has been raised repeatedly as a concern in the village. However, all of our roads are too slow to qualify for speed cameras, therefore we must manage speeding with Speedwatch teams. We are grateful to Speedwatch leader Jeremy Wormington and all those that volunteer. But we still have too few volunteers. If you can spare one hour a week (most weeks, or even every other week), then please consider volunteering. Speedwatch monitoring is always in pairs. If you might be able to help, and wish to learn more, please email our Clerk, Karen, at parish.clerk@woldingham.com.

Litter Pick, 9th of November, 10am

The next community Litter Pick, orchestrated by Councillor Alex Foulds, will be on the morning of November 9th, commencing at the Glebe. All ages help and there are drinks and cakes afterward. Save the date!!

Carols in the Crescent, 7th of December, 6.30pm

Every year the Parish Council run this well attended event, usually with the North Downs Consort and others providing choral music, with mulled wine for the adults and hot chocolate and glow sticks for the kids. Save the date!!

Parish Council Meetings and Questions

Although the Parish Council occasionally holds ad hoc meetings, publicly on noticed on our website at least 5 days in advance, we also hold regular monthly meetings the last Wednesday of every month, except August and December. The public is always welcome. The venue is usually the Woldingham Village Hall, although occasionally the meetings are at the Peace Hall on Hilltop Walk in the Garden Village. Please see our village website, Woldingham.com, to check the venue.

And please remember to save the dates to help on the Litter Pick and raise your voices at Carols in the Crescent.
All the best,

Chairman Deborah Sherry