The next WSVA meeting will be on Monday, 10th February starting at 8pm via Zoom.

WOOD  STREET  VILLAGE  ASSOCIATION 

Monday 10^h February 2025

Agenda

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83802868253?pwd=pZM3a2umGvF98PNTQaqjp5vgq9Eo1x.1

Meeting ID: 838 0286 8253   Passcode: 836824

1. Welcome

 

2. Apologies for Absence

 

3. Minutes from 9^th December Meeting

 

4. Matters arising / Chair’s report

 

1. Carol Singing on the Green
2. Fly tipping
3. Damage to village green and cricket ground from quad bikes and horses
4. VE Day 80^th anniversary event
5. Village pubs
6. Hester’s Yard
7. Welcome pack for newcomers to WSV
8. AGM date for WSVA – Tuesday 8^th April is proposed
9. Village Show planning (19^th July 2025)

 

5. Treasurer’s report

 

6. Church update

 

7. Local Authority Reports

Surrey CC

Guildford BC

Worplesdon PC

 

8. Other Business

 

9. Future meeting dates

WSVA  MEETING 9^th December 2024

 

Present at the meeting: Alex Waugh, Caroline Mankelow, Helen Bell, Nuala Crampin, Belinda Baker, Terry Wright, Honor Brooker, Philip Brooker, Robert Grimmond, Chris Webb, Richard Trinick and David Grey.

 

Apologies: Keith Witham, Janet Sutton, Bob McShee, Ali Johnson, Nicky and Martin Parsons.

 

Alex congratulated the Horticultural Society on organising a most enjoyable Christmas Party on Saturday.

 

MATTERS ARISING

There were no matters arising.

 

CHAIRPERSON’S REPORT

The appeal regarding Hester’s Yard was rejected by the Planning Inspectorate on 14^th November so the current proposal has failed mainly due to encroachment of the Green Belt. Alex attended the first day and felt that all issues for and against the proposal were covered in a fair, balanced way.

Children at the Infant School have made cards as part of their National Volunteering Day and will deliver to the elderly at the Parish Lunch on Tuesday.

The new residents’ Welcome Pack is now completed so just needs to be printed and circulated to any new residents in the village. Alex will investigate how Compton (which produces a similar welcome letter) distributes the pack.

Flooding has been a problem on two occasions since the last WSVA meeting, affecting not only the end of Frog Grove Lane but also the pond and the bottom of Oakhill. A Flood Awareness Event will be held in February. Terry said there is no quick solution to the problem of flooding at the end of Frog Grove Lane.

Chris Webb has contacted SCC & GBC about the ditch clearance down Frog Grove Lane and as part of this has made a submission to the GBC Planning Enforcement Team that the SANG owner has failed to fully comply with the approved planning application regarding their duty to properly clear the ditches. The GBC Team are now investigating compliance with planning requirements. In addition, the WPC is looking to fund some of the work (up to £4,000) because of the impasse between the SANG owner, GBC and SCC.

Thanks to Richard for producing the newsletter. A copy of the newsletter has been put on Facebook and the Wood Street website by Steve Jones and a copy has been sent to the advertisers. Caroline will send a copy out to all those on her distribution list.

Thanks to WPC for the lovely Christmas Tree on the Green in Wood Street.

 

CAROL SINGING

Carol Singing will take place on the Green on Saturday, 14^th December. Catherine Antcliffe has offered to play the keyboard and will need a gazebo. Steve has bought the mulled wine and mince pies. The brazier will need to be collected from Nuala’s stable. Alison will contact Patrick Overy about collecting the brazier and the gas.

 

PARISH NEWS

The Parish Lunch will take place on Tuesday and the numbers are up to 38 now.

The shortlisting of candidates for the new rector did not take place as there were only two applicants and it was felt that they would not be right for the parish. The post will therefore be advertised again.

Last Friday, the Church Youth Group met and there were 20 young people there.

The Christingle Service will take place on Sunday 15th December and the Nine Lessons and Carols will take place on Sunday 22^nd December at 5pm at St. Mary’s Church. The Crib Service will take place at St. Alban’s at 4pm on Christmas Eve and the Midnight Mass service will start at 11.30pm at St. Mary’s.

There will be a Christmas Tree Workshop on Saturday, 14^th December which is a chance for young people to come along and decorate the large tree at St. Mary’s.

 

TREASURER’S REPORT

Terry asked for any expenses or receipts to be submitted to him before the end of the month as it is the end of the financial year.

 

SURREY COUNTY COUNCIL

Keith was not present at the meeting but asked to draw attention to his report in his email from the 1^st December. Anybody who wishes to discuss anything on the report or who would like to receive Keith’s monthly emails can contact him at: keithwitham1@hotmail.co.uk

 

GUILDFORD BOROUGH COUNCIL

Honor gave the following report for GBC:

 

1.Hesters Yard appeal was dismissed by the planning inspector. We await their next move, but there is concern that with the new planning targets being imposed by the new government on all local authorities, the end result may not be more beneficial to the residents of Wood St.

2.The cost / benefit analysis recommended by the SOLAS Report  being carried out on the Waverley / Guildford collaboration, has twice been delayed and is now due for publication in early 2025.

3.Worplesdon Parish Council held its flood forum on 17^th October. Since then, there have been at least two serious flooding incidents and the problem is gaining traction. WPC have agreed to clear some of the SANG ditch at their cost. This will be discussed at their meeting on 12^th December. The next flood forum will be held on 14^th March with an interim flood awareness event in February.

4.At full council on 3^rd December, the following was agreed:

• The SOLACE improvement 6 month update was approved and will now come to the Scrutiny Committee in January.
• The Medium Term Financial Plan was approved.
• The review of Councillors Allowances was approved.
• The Mayor and Deputy Mayor were selected for 2025 -2026 as Cllr Howard Smith (Mayor) and Cllr Jane Tyson (Deputy Mayor)

Note:

Response from GBC Ref Fly tipping:

This issue arises out of an ongoing fly tip location, used sporadically by persons unknown. The geography of the area as a whole attracts considerable fly tips at various set locations, the offenders are wise enough to Police their waste to deny possibilities of investigations.

This particular location is part of Worplesdon Parish council and for waste clearance, the responsibility of SCC Countryside’s to clear the waste, not GBC.

For Information of Cllrs.

• GBC have no obligations to clear waste at this site and rightly use GBC funds to do so would be wrong. Clearance of waste whether investigation is under way or not is the responsibility of WPC / SCC Countryside
• GBC Environmental Compliance team will investigate if appropriate, our boundaries are

“ anywhere open to the air” . Each fly tip is triaged and deployment subject to prioritising.

• GBC Environmental Enforcement has very little resources and placing of assets such as cameras is unlikely on land not managed by GBC. GBC would be taking the risk on behalf of other land managers.
• SCC Estates and Countryside Officers do not have Environmental Enforcement powers as the GBC Compliance team do have.

GBC Councillors will be at a Community Event being held at Fairlands Community Hall on 25^th January, starting at 10am. They will be there to answer any questions from the public. Other organisations will also be at the event.

WPC cleared the rubbish left near the Cricket Club and SCC now has to decide whether to prosecute the flytippers. Caroline will write to Keith to see if this was followed up.

 

 

 

 

WORPLESDON PARISH COUNCIL

Nuala presented the report on behalf of WPC:

 

1.Hesters Yard – Planning Inquiry – The planning inspector has dismissed the appeal.

 

2.Flooding issues – Wood Street Village – Horrendous flooding occurred 27 November 2024.  Worplesdon Parish Council is pushing the relevant authorities to take swift action to resolve the multiple issues that are contributing to the problem.
The Parish Council is hoping to organise a major Flood Awareness and Prevention Event in February 2025.  Further details to follow ASAP.

 

3.Christmas Tree – Wood Street Village Green – JDS Decorations Ltd have provided a beautifully shaped Christmas tree, which has been illuminated and is looking fabulous!

 

4.Interpretation Board – Roman Farm Road

 

– This board has been replaced due to wear and tear.

5.Fly-tip in Pound Lane

– This was reported to Guildford Borough Council and has subsequently

been removed.

 

May we take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year!

 

The Parish Council was thanked for offering to put £4,000 towards the ditch clearance along Frog Grove Lane but will need to get 3 quotes from different contractors before starting the work. It was agreed that this sum of money would probably only cover clearing the ditch from the corner by the lane up to the Cricket Club to the SANG entrance. It was suggested that residents could potentially help with the clearance but would need to work with the PC on this. Chris will write a flyer to be printed and distributed along Frog Grove Lane so residents are aware of what’s happening.

 

AOB

Belinda mentioned damage to the green which has been done recently by horse owners and joyriders. The damage can be repaired by people pushing back the soil but this can only be done once the weather is better and the Green is not so wet. Caroline could email out a request for people to come and form a working party once a date is decided upon.

 

The meeting finished at 8.49pm.

 

Alex is away for the next WSVA meeting so it was agreed that there would be no meeting in January and that the next meeting would therefore be on Monday, 10^th February at 8pm and will be using Zoom.

 

GBC Report for WSVA 10^th January 2025

1. The cost / benefit analysis recommended by the SOLAS Report being carried out on the Waverley / Guildford collaboration, has now been published and discussed in full council. It found that each council had saved £101K per year on direct costs but did not report on consequential costs. It concluded with “Ultimately, it is impossible to state with certainty that the overall position of GBC and WBC is better or worse as a result of the collaboration”
2. Worplesdon Parish Council has recently announced that as most of the statutory authorities responsible for flooding are disinclined to attend the flood forum meetings, the meeting due on 14^th March is likely to be postponed and will be discussed at full WPC meeting on 27^th
3. At full council on 22^nd January 2025, the report into HRA “Senior Staff “ investigation was made public. Essentially it concluded what the SOLACE report had already indicated, that there were huge failings in all areas of governance and that there were sufficient “red flags” that should have been more closely questioned by senior staff.
4. At Full Council on 5^th February 2025, the budget was passed including:

• A 2.99% council tax increase for band “D” properties.
• An increase of 2.7% rents for council properties
• Most other fees and charges being increased by around 5%.

5. The Government has announced its plans for Local Governance in Surrey. Essentially, we will:

• be part of the first wave of authorities to undergo local government reorganisation and devolution.
• Interim Business Case: To be developed and submitted to the government in March.
• Full Business Case: Likely to be submitted in May.
• postpone SCC local elections in May until 2026 and at the same time hold Guildford’s Unitary Election.

 

WORPLESDON PARISH COUNCIL REPORT TO THE WSVA – FEBRUARY 2025

1. Memorial bench on Wood Street Village Green destroyed in road traffic accident – The replacement bench has been installed. 

2. Hesters Yard – Bewley Homes to provide an update to Worplesdon Parish Council at the Full Council meeting to be held 27.2.2025.

3. Flood Awareness and Resilience Event – This event is being held at the Fairlands Community Centre on Tuesday 25 February 2025 between 2pm and 7pm. Anyone affected by flooding is welcome to attend this free event.

     4. Quad bike damage to Wood Street Village Green – Our Groundsman has carried out some repair work. The Green will fully recover, in time.

5. Peter Trevena’s Retirement – Peter has announced his retirement. His last working day will be    11 April 2025.  We will be advertising for a new member of Groundstaff in March.

6. Relocation of a bench beside Wood Street Village Green – We have had to relocate one of the benches away from a foul sewage manhole cover.

7. Tree stump to be removed – The tree stump near Graham Newbery’s memorial tree (on the Pond side of the Green) is shortly to be ground out.

8. Graham Newbery’s Memorial Tree – Unfortunately, vandals ripped out the supporting posts and pulled off the memorial plaque from the metal tree guard. Peter has replaced the plaque.  The posts will be replaced in the near future.