HGV lorries could be thundering through Molesey is recycling plant goes ahead in Hersham

PLANS for a food waste treatment plant just outside Molesey could result in a large increase in lorries passing through our town.
A company called Clean Power Properties is asking Surrey County Council for planning permission to build an ‘anaerobic digestion centre’ on the former Weylands sewage farm up by Hersham railway station.
If it goes ahead it is expected that 195,000 tonnes of rubbish would be delivered to the site each year, all of it via local roads.
Anerobic digestion involves large amounts of biodegradible waste being packed into a small confined space and broken down over several stages into a gas, which in turn can be used to generate electricity.
Whilst Molesey Conservatives support such innovation in our energy supply and waste disposal - increasingly important issues in the country - the traffic implications mustn’t be allowed to damage Molesey’s quality of life.
Conservative councillor Andrew Kelly, who has been campaigning as part of the Weylands No Way group, told the Molesey News: “There is no doubt the extra HGVs would make their presence felt across Elmbridge. And we won’t just have more HGVs, they would be bigger as well. I urge as many residents as possible to make sure Surrey County Council know that our area just can’t cope with the effects of the application.”
Some 2,500 residents have signed a petition against the plant. Their view, which is shared by Molesey Conservatives, is that a built-up residential area is a poor choice of location for a facility of this nature.
Elmbridge borough councillors were consulted over the proposals and raised a number of objections; among them was that the digestion plant would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt and that insufficient information had been provided on the potential impact of emissions on surrounding residential areas.
The applicant insists its plant will be less noisy, dusty or smelly than the existing recycling activity on the Weylands site.
Surrey County Council’s planning committee will make a decision on the proposals on February 26 next year. To find out more about the No Way campaign and to register your support, go to www.facebook.com/WeylandsNoWay

Public meeting held over charity's plans to house homeless at Radnor House

RADNOR House, the former home for the elderly, in East Molesey could become a homeless shelter over the winter.
The Surrey charity Transform Housing and Support is asking Elmbridge Council for a temporary change of use, for the building to accommodate up to eight vulnerable people overnight from January to March next year.
But local residents, including in Hansler Grove (where Radnor House is located), are worried it could lead to drug addicts or ex-offenders descending on the area.
Since hearing of the plans I have been in contact with Conservative colleagues at the Elmbridge Council to press for more detail and to feedback Molesey’s concerns. The housing portfolio holder, Councillor James Browne, told me: “The intention is to provide shelter for vulnerable people who would otherwise be sleeping rough during the coldest time of the year. There would be up to eight individuals staying overnight at Radnor House, from 5.30pm until 8am - and two staff on site the whole time.”
Cllr Browne said the shelter would not continue beyond March as the council’s intention is to sell Radnor House as affordable housing.
Further assurances were offered to the community by council and Transform charity representatives at a packed public meeting in Molesey on November 25th, which I attended.
Key points which emerged were: that this is a pilot scheme with a view to setting up a permanent service away from Molesey; that the entrance in Walton Road would be used instead of the one opposite The Orchard School; that boarders would have to be referred to Radnor House and will not be able to turn-up unannounced; that they will not be able to come and go in the night; and there would be a bar on ‘certain types of offenders’ staying.
Andrea Cannon of Transform said: “Homelessness is an increasing problem in Elmbridge because people can’t pay their rents, or can’t find work so they lose their homes through no fault of their own.”
Elmbridge councillors are expected to decide in December whether Radnor House can be used as a temporary shelter. The Molesey News will continue to monitor this issue and keep residents updated.

Molesey Conservatives pay tribute to PC Andrew Duncan

Andrew Duncan in New York with police motorbike

THE funeral of PC Andrew Duncan in Molesey on October 11 was an event that will live long in the memory of our town.
Residents who lined the streets witnessed the spectacle of hundreds of police officers - including at the highest levels of the MET - arriving at St Mary’s Church to pay their respects.
So great were the numbers that the church could not accommodate all the mourners, and a marque had to be set-up in the car park close by.
Andrew tragically died as a result of doing the job he loved, when he was struck by a hit and run driver while on duty in Sutton. He was 47-years-old and leaves behind a wife and two children aged 17 and 14, whom he doted on.
Although the MET regarded Andrew as one of their own, he was first and foremost a son of Molesey, having grown up in Matham Road and attended The Orchard and St Lawrence schools. He continued to live here after he was married.
Andrew had a lifelong association with the scouts, and followed in the footsteps of his father John Duncan who has been a leader with the 1st Molesey Scouts on and off for 60 years. As a boy Andrew accompanied his parents to scout camps, before joining aged eight.
As a Sea Scout he found his passion for the water, while on land he was fond of motorbikes. He is pictured (above) on a family holiday to New York posing beside a police motorbike.
Andrew’s sister, Julia Williamson, told our newsletter The Molesey News: “Andrew’s fellow scout leaders talk about how he often gave up his own leave to help out whenever needed. He did not look for praise, he gave up his time selflessly. So many have benefited from the wealth of experience Andrew learnt through scouting.”
His dad John thinks the values of community and service which Andrew learned from the scouts probably persuaded him to join the police. He started on the beat in Battersea in 1990 and had served as a traffic officer since 2004.
His family will be launching a memorial fund in his name to raise money for local projects. They are assembling a team of Andrew’s family, friends and scouts to run the inaugural Hampton Court Half Marathon on 23 February 2014 and have a host of events planned.
Chief Superintendent Glyn Jones, who spoke at the funeral said: “Andrew made many notable arrests. On one occasion he managed to turn a stop in the street for an out of date tax disc into an arrest for a series of armed robberies. Andrew was exceptionally good at what he did.”
Commissioner, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, added: “PC Duncan willingly chose to serve his community through his work as a police officer, and his passion as a volunteer scout leader. He was widely respected and well liked.”
The Molesey Conservatives would like to extend our sincere condolences to Andrew’s family and friends.

Repairs planned for Molesey roads

RESIDENTS of some of Molesey’s most potholed and worn-out streets can have some good news at last.
Surrey County Council is spending £100 million to overhaul and repair the roads network, and has announced that Molesey is to receive substantial attention in this programme over the next two years.

As part of the ‘Operation Horizon’ project of road-works, Hurst Road, Hurst Lane, Bedster Gardens, Bridge Road and Seymour Road are being resurfaced in the current municipal year. This will be followed in 2014/15 by repairs to Grove Road, Kent Road, Palace Road and Wolsey Road in East Molesey, and also to Island Farm Road and Poole Road in West Molesey.

During the spring election campaign this year I had the opportunity to meet and talk with substantial numbers of the electorate whilst canvassing door-to-door, and many residents told me that the deteriorating condition of the roads was a priority for them.

Some Molesey streets like Island Farm Road in the West, and Grove Road in the East side of town are in a very shabby state and have been so for far too long a time. I have been lobbying at County Hall over this issue and am glad that it’s now being addressed seriously by the authority.The action from the Conservative administration at Surrey follows a study by the Automobile Association last year which concluded that several seasons of unusually adverse weather - involving a sustained battering from the elements in the form of heavy rains, floods, and snow - had left nearly a fifth of the country’s roads requiring urgent maintenance.

In Surrey 17% of roads are classified as ‘poor’ and in need of structural repair - a surprising fact in one of the nation’s wealthiest counties.

The administration took the difficult decision to increase council tax by just under 2% in April to raise the revenue over the next four years to finance road repairs and as other pressing problems such as expanding educational provision.

In Elmbridge, £9million will be spent on roads, with almost 30 miles being resurfaced in around 100 separate projects. The council’s contract with May Gurney plc also involves a 10-year warranty for its work, meaning that if potholes reappear in that time frame the company must bear the cost of their servicing, not the tax payer.

Other roads to be resurfaced this year include First Avenue, Molesey Avenue and Langton Road, plus Molesey Park Road, Poole Road and Molesey Road, next year, and Orchard Lane, Boleyn Drive, The Crescent, Berkley Drive and Buckingham Avenue & Gardens in 2015.

It’s a relief to see that this area of Molesey’s infrastructure is at last being attended to.

Any issue about the structural condition of Molesey streets can be reported by emailing Surrey County Council at improvemyroad@surreycc.gov.uk

Elmbridge Council doubles its investment in Mole Hall

I WELCOME Elmbridge Council’s decision to double the money it is investing in Mole Hall.

The council had planned to spend £200,000 to refurbish the hall in West Molesey’s Bishop Fox Way, as part of plans to relocate Molesey Day Centre and Meals on Wheels services there. But it has been able to secure an extra £60,000 from Surrey County Council, and will contribute more in turn from its own budgets to boost the total to £400,000.

Cllr Christine Elmer, Conservative cabinet member for social affairs, told me: “The extra money will allow us to install a suspended ceiling across the whole hall, remove the heating stacks, provide additional partitions and low level windows, and new lighting.

“This will be a high quality refurbishment. The work is due to begin in October with the centre being operational early next year.”

Christine confirmed that hall hirers have been personally consulted on the changes, and will continue to be. Molesey councillors have also been consulted via meetings with officers and cabinet members and the leader of the council.

Elmbridge Council is making the changes because Molesey Day Centre has outgrown its current home in School Road and needs to expand. At the same time Mole Hall was being hired only 27% of the time. But by combining the successful day centre & the hall it is believed the long term future can be secured of both.

There have been a few excitable rumours going around that Mole Hall could be sold for housing or even turned into pitches for travellers! Some of this uncertainty seems to a degree to have been got up irresponsibly by elements of the Molesey Residents Association, but it has not helped at the same time that the site featured on a list drawn up by civil servants of possible future development areas.

However, having lobbied on the matter I have received assurances that the future of Mole Hall is safe, and signficant investment of £400,000 should assuage any doubts (and gossip from certain green rosetted quarters) as to the councils’ commitment to the long-term future of Mole Hall, and am sure that it is here to stay.

I recently went around its exterior with a concerned resident and photographed broken gutters and the damaged fencing and having drawn them to the Council’s attention had it confirmed that this will be repaired with the refurbishment.

Conservatives support calls for a secondary school in Molesey

A CAMPAIGN for Molesey to have its own secondary school is gathering momentum in the town.

Some 443 people signed an online petition started by West Molesey mum Rebecca King and the issue made the front page of the Elmbridge Guardian paper in June.

Around 240 pupils currently leave Molesey’s four primary schools each year and have to travel to neighbouring Esher High or Rydens Academy in Walton (or further). This adds to the congestion on the roads whereas a school in Molesey would be in walking or cycling distance and be a healthier option.

This is also an issue about Molesey, a not insubstantial town, being able to ‘stand on its own two feet’ by providing for its own children rather than having to bus them out to neighbouring districts.

Rising birthrates have sent the demand for schools places soaring, and Surrey County Council is responding by spending at least £261million to expand provision.

I am of the view that it is time for a serious consideration of whether Molesey should have a high quality senior school again, after a 30 year gap since its last one was closed. The initial issues for debate are where a school might it be sited and how it would be funded.

I raised the matter with Cllr. Linda Kemeny, who is responsible for schools’ policy at Surrey County Council. She said the council is providing 870 places in four Elmbridge secondary schools. It forecasts the demand for places to reach a high point of 891 in 2015 but then fall to around 837 in 2019.

The official line from Surrey is that it believes it can address the demand by expanding existing schools and does “not feel there is a basic need for additional secondary school places in the Moleseys”.

So the way forward may be for local campaigners to appeal over the heads of Surrey, and seek funds from the government in order to open a free school. We will keep you updated, and you can find out more by searching for Secondary School for Molesey on Facebook.

Why you should cast your vote positively for Steve Bax today

This is it, Polling Day, the final day of the campaign and the most intense. I will be heading out to vote shortly and then going between the polling stations in East Molesey & Esher and meeting as many voters as I can.

If you are planning to vote today, thank you. I hope you will support me and can I assure you that no-one would work harder for this division if elected. My opponents put out a deeply cynical letter yesterday accusing the Conservative-led Surrey County Council of failing to invest in roads and schools - while knowing full well that only the Conservatives are pledged at this election to invest £100million in repairs and resurfacing over the next four years, and £261million to provide 12,000 additional school places - the biggest school building programme in Surrey's history.

Rather like the Labour party nationally, the Residents Association is full of criticism but offers no promises on what it would do if elected, other than bring an 'independent' approach. Remember these people -for all their protestations of not being political - are registered political parties and practice politics, only to claim to be above the process at election time. And they are no more or less local than any other candidate.

If you are thinking of voting for UKIP, perhaps out of frustration at one or more aspects of Government policy, please remember that today's election is about local issues - schools, libraries, roads, social services. UKIP's candidate has no record of local activity and has not put out a manifesto so we have no idea what he would or would not do for Surrey. We could end up with a councillor who knows he wants Britain out of Europe, but no plan about issues in Molesey, Esher or Surrey - nor much influence at County.

It looks like we're in for sunny weather so with any luck there will be a reasonable turn-out and if you are making the effort, I salute you!

Here's a quick reminder of where I stand:

• Surrey County Council under its current Conservative administration is firing on all cylinders, and has set out bold and ambitious plans for the next four years.
• These include a massive investment in our roads network to address potholes and surfacing problems, and responding to the acute need for classroom places in Surrey with the biggest school building programme in the county’s history.
• Conservatives are pledged to protect libraries, support the elderly, create apprenticeships and boost households and businesses by investing in superfast broadband.
• And we are cutting the cost of local government via efficiency initiatives that are on course to save £279million by 2016. 
• It is critical that the next county councillor for East Molesey is able to secure as much of this investment money as possible for our local roads, schools and services. A Conservative councillor can do this.
• The balance of power at Surrey is 56 Conservatives 13 Lib Dems and Residents Associations/others - RAs have an eighth of the seats and an eighth of the influence.
• A vote for Steve Bax on May 2nd is a vote for a councillor who lives in Molesey, who campaigns on local issues all year around and not just at election time, who keeps you informed through candid newsletters, who will work in partnership with our residents association councillors, but with the added dimension of greater influence at County Hall.