Stoneleigh and Auriol Residents' Association 

Founded in 1933

In our 77th year and still looking after the needs of all the residents in Stoneleigh  

An introduction and welcome to

Stoneleigh and Auriol Residents’ Association (SARA) 

from the Chairman, Bill Slaughter:


Dear Visitor
I am delighted to welcome you to the website of Stoneleigh and Auriol Residents’ Association (SARA). The website is now updated every day, to ensure that the latest SARA news is always available as soon as it happens.

On Saturday 19th June, nearly 130 residents joined SARA's public protest against the RA councillor's decision to order the permanent closure of the  Council-operated toilets in Stoneleigh Broadway from 24th June 2010. On behalf of SARA's principal officers and the whole General Committee, I extend our most sincere thanks to all who attended the public protest and signed SARA's petition against the closure of the Stoneleigh toilets.

Photos from the public protest appear below - just scroll down to SARA's STOP Campaign - Latest News. The full story behind the RA Councillors secret decision to close the toilets without any consultation with SARA can be viewed by clicking here > Stoneleigh Toilets Closure.

Despite the strength of feeling clearly demonstrated at the public protest, the order for closure of the toilets, which had been authorised by RA Councillor Jean Smith (Chairman of Epsom and Ewell Borough Council's Environment Committee), was put into effect on 24th June.

At the public protest I renewed SARA's pledge, made unanimously by the General Committee, that we will continue to fight on behalf of all Stoneleigh residents until RA councillors have the grace to accept that they made a wrong decision to close the Stoneleigh toilets and the courage to reverse the closure order.

The public protest was organised by SARA because, quite incredibly - and totally without foundation in fact - RA councillors have actually been saying that there is, ''little or no local support for keeping the toilets open". This just goes to show how out of touch with public opinion these 'independent' RA councillors (who voted unanimously to close all the council-operated toilets in the borough!) are. Worse still, they continue to treat strong local opposition to the Stoneleigh toilet closure with contempt.

We are still receiving many letters of support, for which we thank all those who have written to us. Because we have received so many letters and e-mails protesting against the toilets closure, we have had to reproduce a selection of them in a separate link. To read some of the letters and e-mails we have received, click here > Stoneleigh Toilets Closure.

To view all other SARA news, continue to scroll down to Latest SARA News, where the most recent items appear in blue type.

With more than 2,500 member households in Stoneleigh Ward and Auriol Ward, SARA is the largest of all the RA's in Epsom and Ewell. It is also widely regarded as being the most active. SARA (formerly Stoneleigh Residents' Association) is one of the longest established residents' associations in the borough and celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2008.

If you live in Stoneleigh, you can become a member of SARA for just £2.00 per year per household. In addition to all the usual member benefits you will also receive a copy of SARA’s quarterly magazine ‘The Resident’ – generally acknowledged as the best RA magazine in the whole borough. To join, simply contact the Joint Registrar for your ward click here > How to join SARA. To read more about the Association, click here > About SARA. To contact SARA by e-mail, please use this e-mail address: chairman@stoneleighandauriol.co.uk If you would like to advertise in our magazine, please click here > 'The Resident' Magazine for our Advertising Manager’s contact details. Our website also includes all the latest local news from Surrey Police - click here >  News from Surrey Police.

We still currently have a small number of vacancies for Zone Representatives (the current vacant zones are listed in 'The Resident' magazine). Zone Representatives play a vital part in the smooth running of the Association and we are always glad to welcome on board any of our residents who feel able to contribute to it by taking up one of the vacant posts. If you are a member of the Association and would like to discuss becoming a Zone Representative, please phone Ken Shute on 020 8224 2796 if you live in Stoneleigh Ward or Natalie Rogers on 020 8393 6968 if you live in Auriol Ward.
 

You can read a brief history of Stoneleigh by clicking here > History of Stoneleigh.   

SARA continues to go from strength to strength and we go forward in the knowledge that the best interest of all our residents in Stoneleigh is at the heart of everything the Association does.

Yours sincerely

Bill Slaughter

Chairman, Stoneleigh and Auriol Residents’ Association (SARA).

SARA'S STOP Campaign - Latest News:
FROM THE LETTERS PAGE, EPSOM GUARDIAN, 22nd JULY 2010:

STONELEIGH WARD SARA COUNCILLOR SANDY SANGER ABSTAINS FROM 'BLUE BADGE' VOTE:
Councillor Sandy Sanger, one of SARA's three Stoneleigh Ward RA councillors, was the ONLY Residents' Association councillor present at last Tuesday's meeting of Epsom & Ewell Borough Council who did not vote for the RA's proposal to introduce the Traffic Order which would bring into effect the widely-condemned charging of Blue Badge holders for using the Council's car parks. Cllr Sanger abstained when the vote was taken at the Epsom & Ewell Borough Council meeting on Tuesday 20th July.
All the other RA councillors present - except Councillor Alan Winkworth (Stoneleigh Ward) and Councillor Clive Woodbridge (Ewell Ward) - voted in favour of confirming the Traffic Order to charge the disabled for parking and the RA councillors narrowly won their motion by 16-14 votes. (Councillors Winkworth and Woodbridge had left the council chamber prior to the Blue Badge debate and vote, having each declared a personal interest due to family members holding Blue Badges).

Cllr Sanger (pictured left) also abstained in a second vote, along with Cllr Pamela Bradley (Ewell Village RA), on an amendment motion calling on the Council not to introduce charges to Blue Badge holders at the Council-run Ashley Centre car park until planned improved access for disabled users is started and completed. RA councillors just managed to defeat the amendment, this time by the narrowest possible voting margin of 16-15.
In a strong message of support and thanks to Cllr Sanger, SARA's Chairman, Bill Slaughter, wrote to Sandy, saying,
"I send you my sincere thanks for having had the courage to vote in accordance with your conscience. I know that you are a strong supporter of those less well off in body than we are. I think it was a vote, with the exception of your honourable abstention, which cast a cloud of shame on all the RA councillors who lacked the compassion to deal sympathetically with the less fortunate in our society."

SARA'S STOP CAMPAIGN WINS SUPPORT FROM THE LEADER OF THE CONSERVATIVE GROUP ON EPSOM & EWELL BOROUGH COUNCIL:
The leader of the Conservative group of Epsom & Ewell Borough councillors, Councillor Sean Sullivan (pictured left, at SARA's recent public protest against the Stoneleigh toilets closure), has backed SARA's STOP Campaign to persuade RA councillors to reverse their highly unpopular decision to close Stoneleigh's only public convenience. Cllr Sullivan submitted a supportive motion for discussion at the Council meeting on Tuesday 20th July but it was rejected by the Mayor, RA Cllr Clive Smitheram, on the hotly-disputed grounds that it would breach the six-month rule before an issue previously determined by Council can be brought back for reconsideration.

The motion Cllr Sullivan attempted to get onto the order paper was: "This council requires officers to meet with representatives of Stoneleigh and Auriol Residents' Association and present to this council any options that derive from that meeting that seek to keep the Stoneleigh public toilets open to the public."

After "advice from officers" the Mayor made an extraordinary decision to rule the motion out of order on the basis of no reconsideration of a decision within 6 months.

Cllr Sullivan, who intends to raise a point of order on the refusal to accept his motion at Tuesday's Council meeting, wrote to SARA saying, "
I have argued with them that the decision recently made was to remove the council's funding for public toilets, a consequence of which is that they will close. My motion does not, on the face of it, ask them to reconsider committing that money and therefore should have been allowed. They are still refusing to let it be discussed."

SARA Chairman, Bill Slaughter, thanked Cllr Sullivan for his support and said, "Cllr Sullivan's support is most welcome but it has to be said that it is in stark contrast to yet another refusal by the RA group of councillors, at their meeting on Monday 12th July, to reverse the unwelcome and unconsulted decision they took to close the Stoneleigh toilets.

Their refusal, at the third time of our asking, was all the more unfathomable after Stoneleigh Ward RA Councillor Sandy Sanger (pictured left) again put forward a strong case - supported by fellow-Stoneleigh Ward RA Councillor Ruby Smith - for the closure decision to be reversed."

 

EPSOM GUARDIAN'S FRONT PAGE LEAD PHOTO, 24TH JUNE 2010:

AND THE ARTICLE ON PAGE 4:

SOME OF THE PLACARDS:

PICTURES FROM SARA'S PUBLIC PROTEST ON SATURDAY 19TH OF JUNE AGAINST THE RA COUNCILLOR'S DECISION TO CLOSE STONELEIGH'S ONLY PUBLIC CONVENIENCE PERMANENTLY FROM 24TH JUNE:

Residents begin to gather at SARA's Public Protest

SARA's Chairman, Bill Slaughter, greets Norman Bradbury

Conservative Councillor Sean Sullivan signs SARA's petition

And Town Ward RA's Chairman, Michael Guest, adds his signature too

Lib-Dem Councillor, Julie Morris, joins the "paparazzi"!

Protestors assemble in front of the Stoneleigh toilets

Town Ward RA Chairman Michael Guest shows his support for SARA's STOP Campaign

The protestors line up for the press photos
SARA's Chairman, Bill Slaughter, is called on to speak to the protestors
And the SARA Chairman thanks everyone for coming
The men queue up to "use" the Gents....
And the ladies form an orderly queue on the other side!

SARA Vice Chairman, Mrs Barabara Shute, makes her point very well indeed!

Bill Slaughter thanks Epsom Guardian's reporter, Thais Portilho-Shrimpton, for her excellent coverage of the controversy

FROM THE EPSOM GUARDIAN, 17-06-10:

IMPORTANT NOTE: Many of the letters and e-mails received earlier can be viewed by clicking here > Stoneleigh Toilets Closure

LETTER FROM SARA's SECRETARY, MIKE SAMPSON,  IN THE EPSOM GUARDIAN, 10th JUNE:

Latest SARA News:

GOVERNMENT LAUNCHES A REVIEW OF WASTE POLICY:
Reducing the amount of rubbish thrown away from homes needs to be made "as easy as possible", Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman has said as she launched a Government review of waste policy.

Among the areas the review will look at is ways to cut the number of wheelie bins and containers people have to deal with to sort their waste and recycling. In some areas, householders can be left struggling with several wheelie bins or boxes for rubbish, recycling, food waste and garden waste - which they may not have room for in their driveway or front garden.

And in a move which could see a reversal in the trend towards fortnightly bin rounds, brought in as part of efforts to boost recycling, the review will also look at how Government can work with councils to increase the frequency and quality of collections.

Mrs Spelman believes most people try to do the right thing when it comes to recycling and disposing of their rubbish, and it is important to make it as easy as possible for them to do so. As well as looking at how household and business rubbish is collected, sorted and recycled, the examination of waste policies will also consider ways to encourage businesses to reduce packaging of products such as toys.

It will examine how best to encourage householders, companies and communities to produce less waste and boost recycling - with a focus on encouraging people with incentives rather than penalties and "coercion". The review will also look at future infrastructure needs, including producing energy from waste and from a biological process known as anaerobic digestion.

Mrs Spelman said the review was an opportunity to look at how to increase recycling, reduce landfill - which costs councils in landfill tax - and unlock the economic value of items which people no longer want. For example, throwing aluminium cans away costs money in landfill tax and loses more money because the used metal fetches hundreds of pounds a tonne, while manufacturing new cans from raw materials takes 20 times more energy than using recycled aluminium.
Courtesy of: Press Association

BOURNE HALL CELEBRATES 40TH BIRTHDAY:
Set in the heart of historic Ewell Village, Bourne Hall is celebrating its 40th Birthday this year. Since the modern building first opened its doors to the public in 1970, many have enjoyed the diverse range of services available, from the library, museum and exhibition space to its unique rooms and a vibrant café.

Built by Epsom & Ewell Borough Council in 1970 for £368,000, A G Sheppard Fidler & Associates were the architects for Bourne Hall, with local firm W S Atkins carrying out the construction. The man behind the design was Bob Loren. A skeleton of concrete ribs support the copper dome, with a ring of windows overlooking the park, while the dramatic outer lights were installed in 1999 by the BBC children’s programme Blue Peter.

Over the years, Bourne Hall has been home to rising rock stars, artists, authors and a resident cat. It has hosted conferences, festivals, parties and over 1,000 weddings. During July, Bourne Hall will host a number of events to celebrate its special 40 year anniversary. For more information contact Bourne Hall on 020 8393 9571, email bournehall@epsom-ewell.gov.uk or visit wwww.epsom-ewell.gov.uk.

CONSUMER MAGAZINE NAMES EPSOM AND ST HELIER HOSPITAL TRUST AS ONE OF THE FOUR WORST IN ENGLAND FOR HOSPITAL CAR PARKING:
Following 172 Freedom of Information Act requests, which brought 126 responses, ‘Which?’ magazine has named Epsom & St Helier Hospital Trust (Epsom Hospital, pictured left) as having one of the four worst hospital car parks in England for clamping, fining, charging and complaints.
The four worst car parks are:
• Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust, which clamped 1,671 cars in 2008-9 and made almost £1.9m profit from its car park operation;
• Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust's Leeds General Infirmary, whose 10,330 fines generated £142,000;
• Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust, which has the highest charge for two hours' parking – £4;
• Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust's Royal Derby Hospital, which received the most complaints – 82
When Which? surveyed 1,001 members of the public, they found that 70% of people have experienced problems with an NHS hospital car park.
Which? also found that for 49% of NHS hospital visitors the hospital car park had made their visit more stressful.
Ms Samantha Jones, the Trust’s Chief Executive, issued a statement on 9th June saying, “I have launched a review of our car parking today to ensure we are doing all we can to strike the balance between having well run car parks, whilst making sure we do not make it difficult for our staff to do their jobs, damage patients' access to services or stop friends and relatives visiting.”

THE FULL TEXT OF RA COUNTY COUNCILLOR EBER KINGTON'S LETTER TO EPSOM GUARDIAN:
In the week we learned that Surrey is the worst place in the country for potholes it was revealed that the Conservative Leader of the County Council has increased his own personal budget for “policy initiatives” by £1 million. I am not sure whether this huge increase of 200% (from £½ million) was achieved from cuts to the highways, adult social care or the education budget, but to take £1½ million out of the County Council’s annual budget just so that the Leader can be seen to be making grand gestures throughout the year is a disgrace.
Ordinary County Councillors like me have no power to scrutinise the spending of this money before it is allocated. No doubt we will learn how it is to be distributed through one of the many press releases that spin out of County Hall on a regular basis. However, we will also be reminded on a daily basis, as we bump over the latest pothole, just what the Leader’s £1½ million might do if it were spent on improving the dreadful state of our roads.
County Councillor Eber A Kington
RA, Epsom and Ewell North

Note: This is the FULL text of the letter from Eber Kington (pictured above) published in the Epsom Guardian on 18th March 2010, showing in brown type the text edited out by the newspaper.


CONCERN OVER ADULT SOCIAL SERVICES IN SURREY:
A Care Quality Commission report has named and shamed eight local councils over their care of vulnerable and elderly people. As many as 80,000 people are living in care homes or receiving services rated as only "poor" or "adequate", according to a government inspectorate.

The names of the local councils have been revealed by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). In its first detailed survey of the quality of adult social care in England, the commission told the eight councils – Bromley, Cornwall, Peterborough, Poole, Solihull, South Tyneside, Southwark and Conservative-controlled Surrey County Council – that they must make improvements as a priority.

Stephen Burke, of the charity Counsel and Care, said: "The report shows that despite some improvement overall, the standard of care experienced by many vulnerable older people living in care homes in England still remains completely inadequate. More work needs to be done by local councils and care providers to ensure that personalised services become a reality for all older people and carers regardless of whether they live at home or in a care home, including access to good information and advice."

SPEEDING AND RED LIGHT CAMERAS IN STONELEIGH:
More than 1,000 traffic-cameras used to catch drivers jumping red lights are to be converted so they can also trap speeders. In January the traffic light cameras at Stoneleigh Park Road, at its junction with the A240 Kingston Road (southbound) and the A240 Kingston Road, at its junction with Bradford Drive (northbound), were upgraded and will now be able to record both red light violations AND speeding motorists. They will become fully operational as soon as the necessary signage is in place.


The traffic light camera was originally used to measure red light offences. Nowadays the camera can also be used in combination with speed measurement, similar to that of a Gatso speed camera. So you could end up with a speeding offence as well as a traffic light offence, if you go through a red light camera.  

Points and Penalties: Being prosecuted in the UK by a traffic light camera can result in a minimum of 3 penalty points and a fine. The fine amount is currently under review by the government and may increase in the near future.


COUNCIL VOTES UNANIMOUSLY TO AWARD THE FREEDOM OF THE BOROUGH OF EPSOM & EWELL TO THE PRINCESS OF WALES'S ROYAL REGIMENT:
At a Special Meeting of Epsom & Ewell Borough Council held on Tuesday 5th January 2010, borough councillors voted unanimously to approve an amended resolution put forward by the Chairman of the Council's Strategy & Resources Committee, Cuddington Ward Residents' Association Councillor Keith Mann (pictured left), to award the Freedom of the Borough to the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment.
Councillor Mann's amended resolution read:
"In recognition of their service over the years and in the current conflict, the Borough Council of Epsom and Ewell confer the Freedom of the Borough on the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment and that The Chief Executive and Chairman of Strategy and Resources Committee, be delegated to prepare an address or casket containing an address at a cost not to exceed £2,000 for presentation to the Regiment by The Mayor on a date to be determined."
Commenting on the unanimous vote in favour of the amended resolution he had proposed, Councillor Mann said, "I am pleased to support this decision in recognition of this regiment and its established history. The Council honours all members of the armed forces and we will be making a presentation to the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment in due course."

A CLEAR MESSAGE FROM THE EPSOM GUARDIAN (12.11.09) TO SURREY COUNTY COUNCIL:


BBC SURREY HEADLINES RA CHAIRMEN'S COMPLAINT ON COMMUNITY GANGS RE-SCHEDULING:
The chairmen of all three residents’ associations in Surrey County Council’s Epsom & Ewell North Division have angrily condemned the County Council’s “appalling and disgraceful” re-scheduling of the Community Gangs - the County Council’s contracted workforce provided by Carrillion and Ringway which carries out a range of general highways repairs.

Neil Bevan (Cuddington RA), Bill Slaughter, Stoneleigh and Auriol RA (SARA) and Les Duplock (Ewell Court RA) pictured left to right, are furious that it has been more than three and a half months since the Community Gang last carried out any highway maintenance in their Division, which covers parts of Ewell, Stoneleigh and Worcester Park. The chairmen’s anger was increased when their Epsom & Ewell North Division Residents’ Association County Councillor, Eber Kington, informed them that he has now been advised that the Community Gang will not be in the area again until week commencing Monday 2nd November - some four months since the last visit.

Speaking on behalf of all three RA chairmen, SARA Chairman Bill Slaughter, said, “It is an appalling and disgraceful fact that the last time the Community Gang was in Epsom and Ewell North carrying out general highways repairs was in week beginning 13th July. They were due to be in the Division again in the week beginning Monday 31st August. That was postponed. Their next visit was scheduled for Monday 7th September, then re-scheduled for Monday 14th September, then re-scheduled again for Monday 21st September – at which point they were whisked off elsewhere to wash road signs!
The RA chairmen’s fury at the lack of attention to highway maintenance in the Epsom and Ewell North Division came in response to a self-congratulatory press release issued on 16th October by the beleaguered Conservative-controlled County Council – the only Conservative-controlled council in England and Wales to be given the lowest possible 1-star rating by the Audit Commission earlier this year – in which it was claimed that, ‘‘Street signs around the county have had a wash and brush-up as Surrey County Council’s community gangs devoted a week to cleaning them.’’
Defending removing the Community Gangs from their usual tasks, Tory County Councillor Ian Lake (the same councillor who tried unsuccessfully to arrange the secret sell-off of Nonsuch Mansion House!), the County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, was quoted in the press release as saying, “When road signs get dirty they are hard to read … cleaning up the signs improves the look of the neighbourhood, making it a place that residents can feel proud of.”

Bill Slaughter denounced Councillor Lake’s remarks saying, “The poor standard of repair work to our potholes and kerbstones might suggest that the average Ringway and Carillion worker probably does operate at the skill level of a road-sign washer. However, I think that it should have been possible to employ some temporary unskilled labour to wash road-signs whilst the Community Gangs got on with the jobs that our residents really want done – road repairs.

On Wednesday 4th November, BBC Surrey's Breakfast Show presenter Nick Wallace headlined the issue and featured an interview with SARA Chairman Bill Slaughter, which followed earlier comments on the show by Cllr Lake.

To listen to Nick Wallace's live interview with Bill Slaughter, click here > BBC Surrey, 4th November 2009.

SURREY COUNTY COUNCIL LOSES DATA ON “THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES”:
Local councils have an unfortunate knack of ending up in the headlines after suffering data loss incidents. Either because of their obligation to report such events or because some aspect of their operations results in an inordinate amount of risk, councils dominate the Information Commissioner’s Office’s guilty list. In the past year, Conservative-controlled Surrey County Council reported the loss of thousands of details of children and families on lost county council-owned laptops and BlackBerrys.
From: Information Age, 21st October 2009, by JJ Robinson. 

DAVID SMITH MADE AN HONORARY FREEMAN OF EPSOM & EWELL:
At a special meeting of Epsom & Ewell Borough Council on Wednesday 4th November 2009, Mr David Smith (pictured left), the Council’s long-serving former Chief Executive was made an Honorary Freeman of the Borough. David Smith, Chief Executive of Epsom & Ewell Borough Council, retired on 31st July 2009 after 23 years of service.

The decision to leave followed David’s continuing recovery from a stroke in October 2008. A solicitor with a career in local government, David Smith joined Epsom & Ewell Borough Council as Chief Executive in 1986.

In moving the motion to confer the title of Honorary Freeman on David Smith, RA Councillor Eber Kington (Ewell Court Ward) paid a glowing tribute to Mr Smith, saying that, "As the youngest Town Clerk and Chief Executive in Surrey, David had set about introducing more corporate ways of working, involving more junior officers in decision making and building a team that pulled together rather than spending time fighting the Chief Executive. However, that engagement with people was never about you personally.  For you it was about ensuring the reputation of this Council as a listening organisation, caring about the needs and aspirations of residents, partners and indeed members of staff within the organisation itself.  And it was also about getting the job done.  For you understood that engaging directly with individuals and organisations was crucial to ensuring that you carried people with you and that the change you felt was so necessary came about."

Councillor Kington recalled David Smith's "phenomenal memory" and called it "a quality upon which councillors in particular came to rely", adding that, "We never ceased to be amazed by your ability to remember notes, memos and letters filed away several years previously; your ability to instantly recall Council and Committee decisions taken long ago, and crucially your ability to pronounce on the Council’s constitution – even while the next point of order was being shouted (politely) from the ranks of over-excited councillors in the chamber.  To be able to recall information, explain it clearly, and at a moments notice, is a rare skill and one that we came to appreciate and rely upon over the years."

Listing many of David Smith's outstanding achievements, Councillor Eber Kington singled out the massive part David Smith played in preventing Conservative-controlled Surrey County Council's secret planned sell-off of the Grade 2*-listed Nonsuch Mansion House in Nonsuch Park - a plot discovered and foiled at the time by SARA. Praising Mr Smith's long and arduous battle with the Tory-led County Council, Councillor Kington addressed David and said, "It was you and absolutely no one else who negotiated Surrey County Council into conceding that its plans for the commercial sale of the House were flawed and that the Nonsuch Park Joint Management Committee was the natural guardian of this local heritage site."

David Smith joins a distinguished list of Honorary Freemen of the Borough. The title has only been conferred 15 times in the 75-year history of the Borough Council.

CRONYISM CLAIMS “DIFFICULT TO REFUTE” SAY SCC’S AUDITORS:
Surrey County Council waived normal procurement procedures for Common Purpose contract. Surrey County Council's waiving of normal procurement procedures for a £41,000 contract with leadership training charity Common Purpose made it difficult to refute allegations of cronyism, the authority's auditors have found. 

The internal review, seen by Third Sector, says officials failed to set out the need to send four employees on a leadership course in 2008 or to assess alternative providers. The review says this made it hard for the authority to demonstrate that the courses, for which the council paid Common Purpose £41,000, were value for money. 

It also says that a number of senior council officers had previous dealings with Common Purpose, although there was no evidence that any had benefited personally from the Surrey contract. But it says their successful application to waive normal procedures had led to allegations of cronyism that "though false, are difficult to refute".
From: Third Sector, 27 October 2009, by Paul Jump.

SURREY COUNTY COUNCIL: HOW THEY SPEND YOUR COUNCIL TAX - ON THEMSELVES:
In the year 2007-8, the number of senior Surrey County Council officers paid in excess of £50k per annum leapt by the staggering figure of 250 - an increase of almost 60% from the previous year.

Remuneration paid to 674 senior officers of Conservative-controlled Surrey County Council during 2007-08 fell within the following bands:


Remuneration Band*:        Number of                           Cost to Council
                                                 senior officers*:                 Tax-payers in 2007-8:
                                                 2007-08:        (2006-7):

£50,000-59,999                     397                  (253)              £19.85million - £23.81million
£60,000-69,999                     154                    (87)                £9.24million - £10.77million
£70,000-79,999                       60                    (41)                   £4.2million - £4.79million
£80,000-89,999                       33                    (22)                 £2.64million - £2.9million
£90,000-99,999                       14                    (10)                 £1.26million - £1.39million
£100,000-109,999                     7                      (4)                       £700,000 - £769,993
£110,000-119,999                     2                      (2)                       £220,000 - £239,998
£130,000-139,999                     2                      (0)                       £260,000 - £279,998
£150,000-159,999                     1                      (3)                       £150,000 - £159,999
£160,000-169,999                     3                      (2)                       £480,000 - £509,997
£200,000-209,999                     1                      (0)                       £200,000 - £209,999

                               
TOTAL:     674                 (424)               £39.2million - £45.8million

674 senior officers were paid in excess of £50,000pa - a 58.96% increase from the previous year. (Amounts exclude pension costs, but include all payments, taxable allowances, the monetary value of other employee benefits, lump sum redundancy and pay in lieu of notice payments).
What did you get in return? The County Council with the lowest possible Audit Commission rating. The County Council given a 1-star rating (again, the lowest possible) by Ofsted. The County Council with arguably the worst record in England and Wales for repairing potholes. A County Council that is still refusing to implement the Children Act in full, despite damning reports by the Audit Commission, Ofsted  and its own outgoing Interim Chief Executive.
* Source: Surrey County Council Statement of Accounts 2007-08


BECOMING A BLOOD DONOR NOW COULD SAVE SOMEBODY’S LIFE!
The National Blood Service is an integral part of the National Health Service, and guarantees to deliver blood, blood components, blood products and tissues from 15 blood centres to anywhere in England and North Wales. National Blood Service ensures that the blood is properly screened and is safe for patients. Every year the National Blood Service collects, tests, processes, stores and issues 2.1 million blood donations. It depends entirely on voluntary donations from the general public, and tries to encourage existing donors to give three times a year (it's amazing what the promise of a free cup of tea and some biscuits will do!).

Please assist National Blood Service to maintain a healthy level of blood stocks. Blood stocks are under constant pressure and it is experiencing difficulties in encouraging new people to become blood donors (currently only 4% of the eligible population chooses to donate blood).

To donate blood at Bourne Hall, please check the dates and times of Blood Donor Sessions by looking under ‘Useful Local Information’ - click on the ‘Useful Local Information’ link in the left-hand column.

 

SCC INTERIM CHIEF EXECUTIVE'S "DAMNING" REPORT ON TORY-CONTROLLED COUNTY COUNCIL:
In what has been described by an Epsom & Ewell Residents' Association county councillor as "one of the most damning reports ever written about a county council by its own Chief Executive", Mr Michael Frater CBE (pictured left), the outgoing Interim Chief Executive of Conservative-controlled Surrey County Council delivered a 'Diagnostic and Stocktake' Handover Report to the County Council's Cabinet on the 14th July 2009. It is a shocking indictment of more than 20 years of misrule by Conservative councillors - and the senior officers employed by the Tory-controlled county council.
Mr Frater has 15 years of experience as a chief executive at four urban local authorities and has a strong track record of success in local government.
Mr Frater's key comments were:
"In January 2009 when I took up post of interim Chief Executive there was a significant degree of denial amongst key members and managers about the wider problems in the County Council..."

"The difficult position in which the County Council finds itself is fundamentally a failure of leadership, culture and governance in its widest sense."

"... the County Council is also seen as remote by a number of partners and District and Borough Councils... this has contributed to, or been fed by a stance or style that is viewed as superior and arrogant. This is not a sound base on which to build a healthy culture, effective partnerships, or a customer focussed organisation."

"The organisation is widely viewed as lacking vision, direction and strategy and instead operates by a series of often disconnected short-term tactics."

"The most striking aspect of the management style in Surrey is how bureaucratic it has become as a result of an obsession with the control of inputs and resources since BDR
[Business Development Review] which is then mistaken for a focus on efficiency."

One consequence of the breakdown in trust (for which officers must take a significant share of responsibility) is that some senior members
[Conservative councillors] have increasingly seen their role as micromanaging services on a day to day operational basis."

"A particularly worrying feature of the management style frequently referred to by both backbench Members and managers is a ‘macho’ style, a blame culture and bullying which is carried out and experienced by both Members and officers. This must be challenged and action taken. It is wholly unacceptable."

"A further feature of the organisation’s management style which arises from arrogance and remoteness is a “not invented here” attitude. In other words there is a belief that a response to an issue developed in another local authority must be inferior because it was not developed in Surrey."

"... there is a belief by many that because a number of private sector approaches have been adopted that Surrey is automatically very efficient. It is not. There is considerable scope for much greater efficiency across much of the County Council. Even when adjusted for the ‘Surrey cost factor’ many unit costs are higher than in comparable County Councils."

"There are two absolutely critical, and related areas of low level functionality or lack of fitness for purpose. The first is medium term planning and budgeting. This is ill developed, and unsustainable. It is not based on a strategy, on priorities or on need. It is not corporate nor is it sustainable. "

"I have not seen an approach as unsophisticated as this in my entire career. Given the financial and economic challenges facing Surrey County Council over the next ten years this cannot be allowed to continue. This serious shortcoming almost certainly accounts for much of the inefficiency already referred to and is undoubtedly a contributory factor to the poor inspection results during 2008."

"The culture of the organisation is not healthy. There is a strong focus on processes, control and inputs which is not matched by that on delivery, outcomes and achievement. In other words much of the activity of the organisation is self-serving, difficult issues tend to be swept under the carpet and with the weaknesses in planning, budgeting and performance management this obsession with bureaucracy is rarely challenged."

"To illustrate this I have heard on a number of occasions that the term “Organisational Culture” had been banned because ‘there is no such thing, people will do as they are told’. If this is true the poor state of the organisation should not be a surprise. This approach shows a striking lack of sophistication to the management of a large and complex organisation and it is an approach that sustains a culture of blame and bullying. It would also explain the eventual fall from grace in terms of Ofsted, CSCI (CQC) and Audit
Commission assessments."

"The organisation is controlling not empowering which when allied to blaming and bullying leads to risk-averse behaviour."

"The County Council does not really provide very much community leadership at a strategic level."

"If the County Council is to improve its relationships with the various communities of Surrey it needs to do much more to recognise value and work with the Districts and Boroughs."

"There is a strong and widely held view amongst backbench members that both Local Committees and Select Committees need to be fundamentally reviewed."

"The blaming and bullying, the arrogance and remoteness, the ‘not invented here’ approach, the associated inability for the organisation to learn have in combination created a situation where it seems that almost everyone in the organisation could see what was wrong, but no one felt able, empowered or safe enough to articulate it."

"... what has become clear is that the culture of the organisation does not encourage difficult issues to be confronted and addressed, quite the opposite in fact. This results in fundamental problems being known by everyone but ignored by all. They are either swept under the carpet or remain as ‘the elephant in the room’."

Mr Frater's full report can be viewed by clicking here > Michael Frater's SCC Report.


FROM THE EPSOM GUARDIAN 27th AUGUST 2009:


A NEW SCC CHIEF EXECUTIVE - BUT THE MADNESS CONTINUES:
In a highly undistinguished start to his new career as the £200,000+ per year Chief Executive of Surrey County Council, Mr David McNulty (pictured left), has failed spectacularly to halt the out-of-control spending of council tax-payers' money on absurd job appointments. Following the recent advertisement for an 'Estates Manager' (a relatively junior role in an already top-heavy department) at a salary of almost £80,000p.a., the Conservative-controlled County Council is now recruiting a £46,000 pounds per year "Olympics co-ordinator" - even though it is not hosting ANY of the events at the 2012 games!

The Tory-run county council is looking to appoint the "Olympics Co-ordinator" on a three-year contract with the task of ensuring "the Surrey 2012 programme has maximum impact." A job advert says the council wants someone who will create an Olympic legacy for the county. The advert states, "We are looking for a skilled networker and influencer, who can inspire innovation and creativity in our partners."

Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said existing council officers can do the job. "Given that Surrey aren't even hosting any Olympic events in 2012, this job is unnecessary," he said. "If there are implications for transport, leisure or other services, then that falls well within the jobs of existing council officers who are already quite well paid enough to do the job. This smacks of gimmickry by the council, who seem more keen to demonstrate that they are in touch with current events than to deliver good value for money."

SARA's Chairman, Bill Slaughter, said, "Despite being criticised strongly in a 2008 Comprehensive Performance Assessment by OFSTED for failing to fully implement the Children Act 2004 and being given the lowest-possible 1-star rating for its Children's Services, the Council is still hell-bent on squandering taxpayer's money on useless appointments, rather than spending money on implementing the Act in full." The Audit Commission’s summary concluded that, “Surrey County Council is not improving adequately. Overall levels of improvement and service provision are variable. Services for vulnerable children and young people do not meet minimum requirements and safeguarding is inadequate.”

Speaking to the Epsom Guardian, Residents' Association County Councillor Eber Kington (Epsom and Ewell North Division) - one of SARA's two RA county councillors - said the recruitment was “extraordinary” given the financial situation.
County Councillor Kington (pictured left) said: “The (county) council has already lost money in Icelandic banks and cut back £1million in road repairs. I think at a time when everything is being cut back it could use the money better."
"Do the residents feel that an Olympic legacy is their first priority right now? Surely street lighting, roads and crime prevention are more important. At the moment the message, after the interim report, is that the county council is inefficient. Local people are getting pretty fed up with their local authority.”

The Tory-controlled county council was recently described by the outgoing chief executive Michael Frater as “arrogant” and “bullying."


STONELEIGH RAILWAY STATION - BOOKING OFFICE REVISED OPENING TIMES:
Please note the revised opening hours as follows:
MON-FRI:  06.10h to 13.00h (instead of 06.30h to 13.30h)
SAT-SUN: 08.00h to 14.00h.

 

SURREY COUNTY COUNCIL ELECTION - ALL FOUR SEATS IN EPSOM & EWELL HELD BY RESIDENTS' ASSOCIATION COUNCILLORS RETAINED IN SUPERB ELECTION VICTORY:
In Epsom & Ewell North East Division, David Wood chalked up the biggest success of the day by defeating the Conservative candidate, Councillor Nigel Petrie (pictured right), who had defected to the Conservatives after failing to gain reselection as the Residents' Associations of Epsom and Ewell candidate. Electors in the division signalled their anger at Mr Petrie's defection to the Tories by voting David Wood in by almost two and a half times as many votes as former Councillor Petrie, giving David Wood the largest number of votes for any candidate in the whole borough and more votes in the Division than all the national political parties combined. David Wood not only received the highest number of votes for any candidate in Epsom & Ewell but he also increased the RA share of the vote in his Division, from the 42% gained in 2005 by former RA county councillor Petrie in 2005, to almost 59% - the highest percentage vote of any Division in the borough. Voters clearly dismissed a personal plea from the local Tory MP Chris Grayling - currently embroiled in the House of Commons expenses scandal - who urged electors to "vote for Nigel."  

In Epsom & Ewell North Division, Eber Kington secured more than 57% of the total votes cast, gaining more votes than all the national political party candidates in the Division put together. Eber Kington received almost three times the number of votes cast for the Tory candidate, David Collins.

Stoneleigh and Auriol Residents' Association's Chairman, Bill Slaughter (centre), pictured with SARA's victorious Residents Association of Epsom and Ewell candidates, Eber Kington (pictured left) and David Wood (pictured right). The four successful Residents' Associations candidates - from left to right; David Wood (Epsom & Ewell North East), Eber Kington (Epsom & Ewell North), Chris Frost (Epsom & Ewell South East) and Jan Mason (Epsom & Ewell West)

Surrey County Council Election held on 4th June 2009:
Epsom & Ewell North East Division (which includes Stoneleigh Ward):

DAVID WOOD - Residents Associations of Epsom and Ewell: 2,678 votes - ELECTED
PETRIE - Con: 1164

DAPRE - Lib Dem: 330

O'BRIEN - Green: 221

LENNON-NITSCHE - Lab: 174

Turnout: 40.49%                          
RA Majority:1514 votes    RA Share of Poll: 58.64%

Epsom & Ewell North Division (which includes Auriol Ward):
EBER KINGTON - Residents Associations of Epsom and Ewell: 2,572 votes - ELECTED
COLLINS - Con: 870
KEFFORD - UKIP: 397
DIXON - Lib Dem: 286

GELEIT - Lab: 203

FEWSTER - Green: 158

Turnout: 38.71%                       
RA Majority: 1702 votes    RA Share of Poll: 57.33%

Other Epsom & Ewell results:
Epsom & Ewell South East Division:
CHRIS FROST - Residents Associations of Epsom and Ewell 1,582 votes - ELECTED
MOUNTAIN - Con: 1416

COMAN - Lib Dem: 905

TAYLOR - UKIP: 279

GRINYER - Lab: 152
Turnout: 46.86%

Epsom & Ewell West Division:
JAN MASON - West Ewell and Ruxley Residents Association: 1,436 votes - ELECTED
PONTIN - Con: 1014

SMITH - UKIP: 421

CARLSON (S) - Lab: 346

DERRETT - Lib Dem: 300

PAYNE - Green: 150

Turnout: 34.11%

Epsom & Ewell South West Division:
Colin TAYLOR - Lib Dem: 1,671 votes - ELECTED

PETIT - Con: 1005

CHRISTINE LONG - Residents Associations of Epsom and Ewell: 828 votes
CANE - UKIP: 387

CARLSON (A) - Lab: 295

Turnout: 35.37%


SURREY COUNTY COUNCIL "STILL REFUSING" TO DISCLOSE FULL COSTS OF FAILED HIGH COURT APPLICATION FOR JUDICIAL REVIEW OF OFSTED RATING:
A disclosure obtained under the Freedom of Information Act has failed to force Surrey County Council to reveal the actual amount of money it spent in an abortive attempt to overturn Ofsted's 1-star rating of its Children's Services - which led to the Audit Commission rating the Conservative-controlled County Council as one of the four worst councils in the country. The Tory-led Council will only admit to having spent:
Counsel advice on the judicial review: £11,477 (inc VAT).
Costs awarded against the Council: £4,730.
Court application fee: £50.

Surrey County Council is claiming that it cannot provide the cost of officers' time preparing the case (which runs into tens of thousands of pounds), saying, "
If required, we can provide information from our time recording system as to the time spent by certain lawyers on this matter but this will not include the time spent by the Head of Legal Services or any other council officers as this is not recorded in this way."
A highly-placed source inside County Hall has told SARA that the total amount of tax-payer's money spent on the failed High Court application - with the cost of officer time included - is a figure, "well in excess of £50,000."

FAIRVIEW NEW HOMES' REVISED PLANNING APPLICATION FOR DEVELOPMENT OF FORMER SCHOOL LAND IN CUDDINGTON AVENUE APPROVED BY COUNCIL'S PLANNING COMMITTEE:
On Thursday 16th April 2009, Epsom & Ewell Borough Council's Planning Committee unanimously approved the much-revised new planning application for development of the former school land in Cuddington Avenue.

The outcome heralds a successful conclusion to the nine month-long campaign on behalf of residents by the Cuddington Avenue Joint Advisory Group, set up jointly by Stoneleigh and Auriol Residents' Association (SARA) with Cuddington Residents' Association. 

Having successfully defeated the original widely-detested application last October, the Group worked closely over many months with the developer Fairview New Homes Ltd to produce a family-led housing scheme of considerably reduced density and far more in keeping with the visual characteristics of existing homes in the area.

More than one hundred residents from Cuddington and Auriol Wards had previously attended a meeting hosted by the Joint Advisory Group at Bourne Hall on Monday 12th January 2009, at which senior directors of  Fairview New Homes Ltd presented the new scheme. 

On a show of hands before the end of the Bourne Hall meeting (pictured below), considerably more than 90% of the residents present signalled their support for the newly-proposed scheme, which carries the endorsement of the Joint Advisory Group.  

SURREY COUNTY COUNCIL FAILS IN OFSTED LEGAL CHALLENGE:
Conservative-controlled Surrey County Council has lost its bid for a judicial review of Ofsted's "inadequate" rating for its children's services department. The council launched the legal move in February, claiming that the inspectorate's Annual Performance Assessment in December failed to take into account improvements the department had made since a damning Joint Area Review earlier in the year.

The judicial review was also seen as a bid to rescue the one-star Comprehensive Performance Assessment the authority received from the Audit Commission this year – which was directly related to its children's services rating. However Mr Justice Sales refused the council's application on the grounds that Ofsted had acted "well within the bounds of rationality" in considering Surrey's capacity to improve its children's services.

Mr Justice Sales concluded, "Ofsted properly considered that there were some indications of improvement, but considered that these were not sufficiently widespread or relevant to bring the claimant into the "adequate" category." He said, "The assessment of placement in the "adequate" as opposed to "inadequate" category does not turn upon whether there has been an absence of any track record of improvement whatsoever, in any area." He also awarded the inspectorate £4,730 in costs.

An Ofsted spokeswoman said  the organisation had believed all along that the review bid was "without merit". "We conduct all of our work with the utmost rigour and we are pleased at this outcome", she said. 
(Source: Local Government Chronicle).

SARA’s Chairman Bill Slaughter, issued the following statement after the High Court verdict was announced: “County council tax-payers in Surrey will be delighted that the High Court has refused Conservative-controlled Surrey County Council’s application for Judicial Review of Ofsted’s 1-star rating of its children’s services.

The county council has said that it will not seek leave to appeal against the ruling and I have no doubt whatsoever that the decision not to appeal was taken in the light of pressure brought to bear on the county council by Stoneleigh and Auriol Residents’ Association (SARA).

SARA's widespread publicity of the cynical and politically-motivated legal action taken by the Tory-led county council in the run-up to the county elections in June has forced the county council to abandon any further pointless legal challenges to Ofsted’s rating.”

The Audit Commission’s Corporate Performance Assessment 1-star rating now stands and Surrey County Council remains one of the four worst-performing councils in England and Wales – and the only one which is Conservative-controlled.

EPSOM & EWELL BOROUGH COUNCIL - GOOD NEWS!
Epsom & Ewell’s Residents’ Association-led borough council has scored massively well in the Audit Commission’s latest District Council Use of Resources ratings. This shows Epsom and Ewell Borough Council graded at level 3, “constantly above minimum requirements and performing well.” Only 13 out of 238 District Councils scored higher than E&EBC.

BLOOD DONOR SESSIONS AND NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICE PANEL MEETINGS:
Details of future dates for Blood Donor Sessions at Bourne Hall and Neighbourhood Police Panel meetings at The Baptist Church in Stoneleigh can be viewed by clicking here > Useful Local Information.

SARA's 75th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION DINNER - SATURDAY 25TH OCTOBER 2008: 
 

On Saturday 25th October, SARA marked its 75th Anniversary with a Celebration Dinner in the Banqueting Suite at Bourne Hall. The Dinner was preceded by a Sherry Reception. The Guests of Honour were the Mayor and Mayoress of Epsom & Ewell, Cllr Alan and Mrs Vanessa Winkworth. 

One of the many highlights of the evening was the cutting of the 75th Anniversary Celebration Cake by The Mayor, Councillor Alan Winkworth. The hand-made cake featuring the SARA logo was designed and created by Corteil and Barratt.

SARA President and Chairman, Mr Bill Slaughter,
invites The Mayor to cut the Celebration Cake.

FOR ALL THE PICTURES FROM THE ANNIVERSARY DINNER, CLICK HERE > SARA's 75th Anniversary Dinner photos

YOUR SARA COUNCILLORS:
All your elected Stoneleigh and Auriol Residents' Association borough and county councillors serve on a wide-ranging variety of council committees, panels and outside bodies. To view the complete list click here > Councillors. 

NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICE PANEL:
Neighbourhood Police Panel meetings are held on a quarterly basis and a new weekly police surgery is now being held at Stoneleigh Library. The surgery is designed to provide a weekly point of contact for the community and police. Victim Support Surrey is now offering a drop-in service at their Epsom office, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning, for people who have been the victim of a crime. For full details of all these services click here > Useful Local Information.