Need for less speed

December 8, 2009 — admin

On Monday evening, I hosted Horsell Village Horsell Trustees and this clashed with both the Conservative group meeting and the Christmas panel meeting for Horsell of Surrey Police. I did however pop along to the first 25 minutes of the latter before dashing back home for HVH because I think it is important to know what the policing issues are.

The panel consists of PC Josh Parish, our excellent neighbourhood officer, PSCO Kimberley Muir who I don’t know that well but I have seen out patrolling in the village quite a lot and Kate Wilson, Woking Borough Council’s neighbourhood officer. Josh spoke a bit about problems of parking near the C of E school around rush hour and about how he and Kimberley had been moving inconsiderately parking vehicles on – to mixed reaction. Plans are afoot to strengthen this measure.

He also mentioned the anti-burglary operation that Surrey Police has been carrying out, the reason that he knocked on my door a few weeks ago. Questions from the floor were almost exclusively about speeding, whether it be along Chobham Road, Brewery Road or down side streets. It certainly seems to be a problem and on Brewery Road I know of at least one recent incident where damage was caused by an accident.

The Speedwatch programme is an excellent scheme but not to everyone’s taste. I guess it depends on your views on speeding – my view is that communities have to take responsibility and that training them up to issue warnings to speeding drivers is a natural application of this principle. Drivers don’t have the right to speed just because they think that they can handle it – while it is annoying to be picked up for doing just over the speed limit, unfortunately for many dangerous drivers speed is a key identifier.

I would train up for the scheme but cannot see how I would have the time to participate at the moment. We need less speeding in Horsell because of the busy and crammed nature of our village. There are too many people around, a lot of them children, to take risks. Horsell can easily be bypassed for those trying to get elsewhere in a hurry – there is no excuse for them to coming racing through the village.

Posted in Community, Horsell West campaign, Police. Tags: , , , , . No Comments »

What you make it

December 6, 2009 — admin

Another furiously busy long weekend. I spent most of Friday working on campaign items, followed by a branch meeting of Horsell and Woodham in the evening. Yesterday, my other half and I spent most of the day in the kitchen – more of which later – followed by helping out and attending the Carol Concert at Horsell Village Hall. Today, we have presented the fruits of our kitchen labours at the Horsell and Woodham Conservatives Christmas Lunch, which as fundraising and membership vice-chairman, I have organised.

So another wonderfully “Horselly” weekend. The Mosaic Choir was absolutely fantastic yesterday evening and sung with great competence and wit. A number of their pieces were modern alternatives to traditional favourites and the version of 12 Days of Christmas was very funny. The event raised a great deal of money for Woking Lions and Horsell Village Hall and we have to recognise the efforts of Dorothy Smith, Penny Kramer and Roger Chamberlain from the HVH side, along with Janice Worgan.

Party events are perhaps slightly less worthy from a general point of view but raise funds for the political process, which however cynical one may be about it is at least better than no political process at all. My other half and I spent yesterday making various desserts to cater for the 35 people who turned up to support us today. Cllrs Anne Murray and Mike Smith provided the main course and Jonathan Lord attended a Horsell event yet again, showing his continuing commitment to support activists at every level as they support him. I’ve said before that I’m lucky to have a great branch behind my campaign – it can’t be overstated.

There isn’t a particular point to this post other than to note what a great pleasure it is to have such a full diary and meet so many good people who support these events – both political and non-political. Where you live is what you make it, something it is heartening that so people in Horsell understand.

Posted in Community, Conservatives. Tags: , , , , , , , . No Comments »

Coffee in Horsell

November 21, 2009 — admin
Fighting for Horsell West - the Conservative team

Fighting for Horsell West - the Conservative team

It’s been a busy day – I was down at Horsell Village Hall at 9am to clear leaves from around the vicinity. Luckily, the strong winds had taken a few of them away but there were still eight bags that we took to compost. The hall is lucky to have a very good team of volunteers and I am by no means foremost among them – we all take pride in making sure the place is as presentable and pleasant as we can possibly make it. A lot of people probably suppose that the trustees hire in gardeners to tend the grounds and sweep the leaves. Not so, we like to spend what money we have on improvements for users and ensuring the hall remains fit for purpose for many years to come.

Then on to the home of Diane and Gary Shepherd for a very successful and well-attended coffee morning for Horsell and Woodham Conservatives. It was superb to see all the Horsell borough and county members there and once again to be in the company of Jonathan Lord, who far from dashing off was pretty much the last person to leave. He gave another upbeat but pragmatic speech on the times ahead before unexpectedly asking me to say a few words.

I’ve never given a proper speech to activists before and probably fell somewhat short of that but for a piece of rhetoric made up on the hoof I was pleased with what I said. I can’t match Jonathan’s eloquence but got a round of applause anyway, although I suspect that was more sympathy than agreement. Inevitably one ends up thinking of several things one should have said after the event; but that it the beauty of learning and I’ll know for next time.

Into a single coffee morning goes the work of many people – the hosts, the organisers, the bakers of cakes, the collectors of raffle and ticket money, the helpers and those who simply turn up to show their support. Thanks to all of them – they are the people who can win the election for me; I am only able to lose it. Without the support of a great team, a candidate is merely a legal requirement.  

I am very flattered that they have seen fit to advance me as their candidate – I only hope I can  justify the faith placed in me.

Posted in Conservatives, Horsell West campaign, Woking Borough Council. Tags: , , , . No Comments »

Quiz ego

November 7, 2009 — admin

I’ve had a really enjoyable evening at the Horsell Village Quiz, which has raised around £1,000 for Horsell Village Hall through tickets and raffle. In particular, two of my fellow trustees of the hall, Dorothy Smith and Penny Kramer, worked extremely hard to organise the evening and I know their efforts were appreciated by everyone in the hall tonight – just shy of 100 people.

The quiz was compiled and presided over by Andrew Crisp, a former county councillor and someone who is still in my opinion set for a top-rate political career if he should wish to have one. Every year his questions get better and better and tonight was no exception. Without him, the village quiz wouldn’t be the same animal.

I’m delighted to say that for the second year running, we were the winning team – although this year it was a bit close for comfort as we won by just two points. I’m afraid that I get very competitive about quiz nights, as fellow team members who have to suffer my out-aloud calculations about various scoring permutations will attest. I just have to win these things, otherwise I can get a bit grumpy. Not an altogether attractive trait, admittedly, but perhaps a one that can be turned to an advantage.

Anyway, a superb evening out and another reminder that fewer sights are more heartening than a community turning out to support itself and its institutions. It’s just one reason that Horsell is such a great place to live.

Posted in Community. Tags: , , , . No Comments »

Candidate for Horsell West

November 7, 2009 — admin
Jonathan and I this morning in the Red Lion car park

Jonathan and I this morning in the Red Lion car park

Last night, I had the honour of being selected as the Conservative candidate for Horsell West at the next local elections, broadly expected to be on the same day as the general election.

Ever since I was a reporter sitting in the council chamber I have felt that being a part of the democratic process was something that I wanted to do and my employment during the past year has left me free to pursue political involvement. Last night, the Horsell and Woodham branch voted to give me that chance and I won’t forget their support – nor the fact that a team, rather than an individual candidate, wins elections.

So what would I bring to the council chamber if elected? I like to think that I have a good working knowledge of local government having reported on and worked for local authorities. I like to think that I understand Horsell’s and Woking’s issues and am able to work logically around possible solutions. I have strong connections with Horsell, having lived here for five years and am a former editor of The Resident, sit on the Horsell Residents’ Association management committee and am in my second term as a trustee of Horsell Village Hall. I also believe I can bring a fresh and young approach to council work to maintain a balance of youth and experience within the organisation as well as use my relationships within the council and community to deliver results.

I’d like to see council tax kept to a minimum to help those who have seen their household incomes drop and costs rise. I am concerned that in the new Local Development Framework there should be scope to maintain the character of villages such as Horsell and protect them from inappropriate development. I would like to see measures introduced to kerb speeding on many of Horsell’s roads, particularly those off the High Street. And I want to work with the police to ensure that they are given the best possible support in dealing with anti-social behaviour in the village and its outskirts. In addition, I favour scoping options for investment in Horsell’s community infrastructure to provide the best possible village facilities for young people and adults alike.

Nationally, I am a liberal Conservative who cares passionately about education, opportunity and social mobility both in Woking and across the country. I believe in the ability the of the free market to deliver prosperity but also in a market that is regulated to ensure it remains a competitive, ethical and reasonable force. You could describe me fairly accurately as a Cameron Conservative.

But in a sense what I think isn’t the point; I’m not the kind of politician who believes that election is merely a mandate to enter a democratic forum and put their personal views forward. Be assured that I have views of my own – don’t we all? – but I would happily put the views of residents first; the job of an elected representative is to represent their electors and their community, not themselves. In other councils, I have experienced the disconnect between local authorities and the people they serve. All to often, members are forced to chose between professional relationships with officers and the views of their electors. Where they choose to go is entirely their own business – but I know where my loyalties would lie.

Finally, I’m not under any illusion about the task ahead. Horsell West is a ferociously marginal seat and whoever the opposition is, it will be very hard work and victory is ultimately in the hands of the voters. I know that I’ve got a great team in the Horsell and Woodham branch behind me and I look forward to working with them to try and convince the voters of Horsell West that am a worthy proposition to represent them in council.

Posted in Horsell West campaign, Woking Borough Council, elections. Tags: , , , , , , . No Comments »

The thinnest of motions

October 16, 2009 — admin
The Ypod, part of Cllr Well's "poor" youth service provision

The Ypod, part of Cllr Well's "poor" youth service provision

I don’t think there’s anyone who’s going to argue that ensuring good youth provision across Woking isn’t important. It is clearly in everyone’s interest that outside of schools hours there should be enough capacity to cater for any young people who want to become involved in structured activities.

But the executive took a very dim view of Cllr Olly Wells’s motion last night, which seemed to be about a different borough to the one I live in and as Cllr Beryl Hunwicks said, employed a scattergun approach to addressing the issues surrounding youth provision. His first sentence demonstrated again his mastery of the misplaced assumption:

“[The] poor level of youth service provision in the borough”

When asked to justify this sweeping statement, Cllr Wells told the executive he “was not aware that he was here to be cross-examined on the felicity of my opinions“, indicating that these statements, which he wants to form the basis of council policy, were clearly just that. He went on to note:

“The increasing lack of anti-social behaviour seen in our communities”

This flies in the face of the evidence gathered by our neighbourhood policing teams, who report that they are very pleased with the decline in instances of anti-social behaviour. This has been achieved by their integration into communities and engagement with young people at risk of offending. There will, obviously, always be incidents but let’s not confuse that with a rise in incidents. The third assumption we had in the motion was:

“The lack of structured activities for young people in the evening outside of uniformed services and church groups”

What a kick in the teeth for people who run groups after school for young people. At Horsell Village Hall, we have the Karen Clarke Theatre Company, which provides activity for many girls throughout the week. As portfolio holder Cllr David Bittleston pointed out, there are more than 100 groups from sporting to social for young people to get involved with if they so wish. Either Cllr Wells hasn’t done even the faintest bit of research on this – or he’s chosen to ignore the overwhelming evidence. Which is surprising given that he seems eager in other circumstances to take credit for one such organisation in his ward, the Knaphill Youth Cafe.

I can understand his wish to see youth provision improved – particularly for those who are in the “hard to reach” category. But his mistake is to believe that recreational youth provision within clubs etc is the same thing as specialised outreach work to engage with young people who are vulnerable or likely to make poor life choices unless engaged by the youth system. They are completely different things – I agree with him that the latter requires proper discussion and investment - whereas like the executive, I take exception to his comments on the former.

Interestingly, Cllr Wells’s suggested solution is a very similar one to his idea over public transport - he wants Woking and Surrey County Council to run the youth service jointly. Never mind the fact that the council tax collected to run the youth service goes to the county council – we in Woking should have to pick up the bill as well!

Typical Liberal Democrat policy - a thin motion funded by thin air.

Posted in Community, Woking Borough Council, county council. Tags: , , , , , , . No Comments »

Marjorie Richardson dilemma

August 28, 2009 — simonashall

The News and Mail leads this week with a “fears are growing for the…” story on the Marjorie Richardson centre, which has understandably caused alarm. There is a paper on this going to the executive on September 3 that asks members to consider whether to re-instate funding to the centre on the basis of its current grant, £15,285 rather than the £20,000 it wanted.

There are, it has to be said, a couple of things that the story omitted, which is understandable because the newspaper needs to focus on the people rather than the background.

At Horsell Village Hall, we don’t rely on the council for funding, although it’s nice when it comes along. We have to do our own fundraising, balance our lettings books and seek grant funding from elsewhere. There is nothing preventing the centre from doing the same thing, so by turning down funding, the council is not “closing” the centre, it is merely saying that it cannot provide the funds it has done in the past.

The centre has now submitted a business plan – and not before time. Any operating model that relied so heavily on one source of income (WBC) is clearly in need of review. The plan shows that the centre is making £20k a year on sales as well as a £15k WBC grant but is spending more than £25k on management! This I would suggest, not WBC’s meanness, is the real problem – it’s a pity no-one at the News and Mail bothered to look it up.

In addition, the story tells us that 45-55 people each day use the centre – which is slightly at odds with the 433 a week in the grant application. However, if we multiply 50 by 5 and then 52 to get a rough yearly figure, it’s around 13,000. This seems to imply that with 15,500 visits for the year in 2007/8 (not people using the centre as the newspaper implies), we have roughly the same 50 people using the centre each day with a few extra here and there.

£20k, or for that matter £15k, is quite a bit of money to spend on – let’s be generous – 150-odd active individuals out of 92,000 residents in Woking. No-one likes to see the axe fall anywhere and taking funding away from community groups is not what Conservatism is about. But if you think that Horsell Village Hall received £3,500 for its 2,000 individual users, it does seem to introduce some perspective here.

My understanding is that the Marjorie Richardson Centre could be given time to make the new arrangements – ie a proper rather than pie-in-the-sky business plan – work. But users and staff blaming the council for the state it’s in, aiding by some unquestioning journalism, doesn’t paint it in the most favourable light.

Posted in Community, Woking Borough Council, Woking News and Mail, news. Tags: , , , , , . No Comments »