Things
around the village
Potholes,
I would
think everyone is now thoroughly fed up with reading about potholes (and
hitting them)!
At long
last after much pressure being put on Surrey County Council the holes on the
A.264 have been filled.....well almost!
We are
still trying to get an answer as to why there are some holes that remain
unfilled. Contrary to what some people are saying that the contractors didn’t
do the job properly, it is more likely the case that the remaining holes were
not marked out by S.C.C in the first instance. Okay, it could be said that the
contractors should/could have filled them in whilst they were doing the others.
However, I suspect they are paid to do what is indicated and that is it.
We are
pressing our County Councillor to get the job well and truly finished.
Woodcock Hill
There have
recently been a series of multiple accidents on Woodcock Hill caused by black
ice on the road, caused by water running down and across the road and then
freezing. There has been much activity within the community on this subject.
Moira Cox our local accident reduction police officer has been working very
closely with the Parish Council, myself our County Councillor and the residents
to try and find a solution to the problems that exist on the hill. The water
problem seems to be caused by a natural spring, which will have to be dealt with
by Surrey County Council. I have put forward various proposals as to how to
overcome the problem. We now wait for a response from Surrey County Council. The
support and interest from all the residents on the hill is an excellent example
of what can be done when a community ‘comes together’. Many of those same people
attended the last Parish Council meeting and there was an open debate over the
whole issue which can only auger well for the future. If you want things to
change, it’s no good sitting at home complaining about it, you have to get out
and do it. That is exactly what is happening here, and I welcome it. A classic
case of the community working together.
When you’re out walking
Because we
live within the flight path for Gatwick Airport there is always going to be a
risk that an attack could occur on a landing aircraft from some group of
extremists using rockets or similar weapons. For that reason you may have
seen Gatwick Police patrol cars patrolling
the area, particularly down Mill Lane /Stub pond Lane areas. They frequently
stop for a few minutes down at Hedgecourt Lake. The officers are always willing
to chat to residents out walking. What they are looking for is
information/intelligence. In other word has anyone seen people/person acting
suspiciously in the area, any odd behaviour from people across the fields,
strange cars parked in odd places etc.
Whilst this information may add up to nothing, the police need and want to know.
To that end
I act as a conduit for information going to their intelligence gathering centre.
The anti-terrorist hotline number is 0800 789 321 and the Sussex non-emergency number is 0845 6070 999.
You can also click onto aviation.watch@sussex.pnn.police.uk This will
take you onto a webpage where you can pass on what you have seen and heard.
Every scrap
of information helps, and who knows it could be the missing piece in the jigsaw
puzzle which might prevent an incident.
A simple
example; whilst walking our dogs yesterday down at the lake, I noticed the
fencing had been torn down surrounding a secluded wooded area and there were
signs that the land beyond had been entered. Upon closer examination of the area,
I found a pair of brand new index plates hidden in the undergrowth. It has been
reported to the Gatwick Police.
Did you know
Up until
October 2008 Felbridge village was recognised as a Green Belt Settlement. In planning
terms that meant those within the settlement were afforded special privileges
when it came to building which are not available for areas of Green Belt.
When the
new Core Strategy (a new set of planning policies) was approved by the
Secretary of State, the Green Belt Settlement status was removed from the
village. That brought relief from the over development that had been occurring.
That
decision has now been overturned, and Felbridge has now been reinstated as a
Green Belt Settlement with all the associated privileges.
This could
have an impact on what further development which occurs within the village. This
does not only affect the large development companies but every house holder who
wants to ‘develop’ their own property i.e. extensions etc. There is to be a
review of the Green Belt Settlement status of the whole of Tandridge in 2011
which could see us return to being simply within the Green Belt.
Further
information can be got from the Tandridge Council website,