We are now half way through the consultation period for the Redhill Town Centre Action plan, which we highlighted in our previous article, and we thank all of you who have provided feedback to us and to the Council so far.

In response to requests from local residents, community groups and we as Councillors, the Council is organising two additional events to enable more people to have their say:

• An additional full day of a manned exhibition stand, in the Belfry, from 9am-5pm on Saturday 18th February – this will be manned by Council officers and Councillors, including the responsible Portfolio Holder, Cllr Natalie Bramhall.
• A workshop for local residents’ associations and other community groups – please contact us if you want to find out more.

Cllr Rois Amiah, ward councillor for Redhill East, commented:

We have received lots of useful comments, some positive, some critical, and it is our job to see that they are all considered properly.

“Although the outlook for the economy in general, and Redhill in particular, is uncertain, many respondents recognise that a balanced approach, between retail, leisure, housing and other uses in the town centre is a sensible one.

“One resident has even reminded us that the Council helped regenerate Reigate after its well publicised slump 20 years ago, by adopting a more flexible local planning regime, so we have some reason to be confident that we can do the same through this action plan.”

Please refer to our previous article for all of the details on how to respond to the consultation, and don’t hesitate to have your say – this is vitally important for the town.

As we regularly do, we want to highlight the help available to local residents and businesses to enable them to save energy and money:

Local residents

This year Reigate and Banstead Borough Council will be bolstering its usual awareness raising work using a £20,000 grant from the Department of Health via the Surrey Healthy Homes Partnership.

This money will be used to work with the charity Action Surrey to raise awareness amongst residents of the options available, which include free cavity wall and loft insulation.

For more information please visit www.actionsurrey.org.

Local businesses

Are you involved in a local business and interested in saving energy and money?  There are a number of ways you can do this – sign up to a local free event to find out more and meet relevant experts.

Energy efficiency breakfast

The Council is running a free energy efficiency breakfast in partnership with the Carbon Trust and Surrey Chambers of Commerce.

When: Thursday 9 February, 7.30am to 10.30am

Where: Hartsfield Manor, Sandy Lane, Betchworth, RH3 7AA

The event will allow you to:

• manage and monitor your organisation’s energy use
• identify and implement key energy reduction opportunities
• conduct a walk around survey to identify further opportunities
• implement actions identified within the session
• have a one-to-one consultation with our expert trainer
• network with other like-minded businesses in your area.

Free utility management workshop

Following on from the breakfast event, a free day-long workshop has been organised to help businesses decode their utility bills and find areas for savings. The day offers practical advice for reducing energy and water consumption as well as minimising waste. This event is supported by the UTILISE programme.

When: Wednesday 29 February, 9.30am to 4.30pm.

Where: Harlequin Theatre & Cinema, Warwick Quadrant, Redhill, RH1 1NN

To book your place for these events, visit the Council’s Free energy management training for businesses page.

Part of the overall strategy

Cllr Rois Amiah, Conservative Councillor for Redhill East, said:

As a local businessman myself I recommend that businesses take up these opportunities, which really can help you save energy and money.

“As a Council we have implemented lots of changes in recent years to improve our own energy efficiency, and the cash savings this has produced have helped us freeze Council tax as well.”

To find out more about the Council’s energy strategy, visit our Sustainable Energy Strategy page.

Last week the Planning Inspectorate released the outcome of a planning appeal against the Council’s decision to refuse permission for the Mercedes Garage site on Brighton Road, Redhill, to be converted to retail use.  The Council had argued that an expansion of retail space in that location would risk damage to the town centre shops, especially in the current economic environment, and the planning inspector agreed.  The inspector also agreed with the Council that it should not bear the costs of the appeal.

Details of the appeal decision can be found at the following link:

http://www.pcs.planningportal.gov.uk/pcsportal/fscdav/READONLY?OBJ=COO.2036.300.12.3911460&NAME=/2159303%20DECISION.pdf

Residents are being encouraged to make their voices heard on proposals to introduce new Dog Control Orders across the borough.

The Council is consulting on proposals to bring in the new Orders to replace the existing legislation relating to dog control enforcement.

The Dog Control Orders aim to address the nuisance of dog fouling in the borough, as well as proposals to make sure people put their pets on a lead when walking them in certain areas; limiting the number of dogs walked at any one time to six and excluding dogs from specific areas, such as children’s playgrounds.

Anyone found to be breaking an Order could be issued with a £50 Fixed Penalty Notice or prosecuted.

Councillor Steve Farrer, Executive Member for Safer Communities, said:

“Most dog owners are responsible, however a small number of people continue to allow their dogs to stray and foul.

“As a dog owner myself, I fully understand that we need places to exercise dogs. We also need to consider the interests of people who are affected by the activities of dogs and the need for dog free areas. We want to try and strike the right balance.

“Over the years our parks and open spaces have altered in size and we have added more ball courts and multi use games areas. Our existing byelaws can no longer be updated or amended and the Dog Control Orders would replace them.”

After the consultation, a report will be bought back to the Council’s Executive for a decision on whether to adopt the Orders.

The proposed Orders are as follows:

• The Fouling of Land by Dogs Order – this will apply borough wide. It will be an offence to fail to remove dog faeces deposited by a dog under your control.
• The Dogs Exclusion Order – it will be an offence to allow a dog under your control to enter an area designated as a dog exclusion area e.g. children’s play area.  A full list of the proposed designated areas can be read here:  Draft Dogs Exclusion Order
• The Dogs on Leads Order – it will be an offence not to keep a dog under your control on a lead in an area designated as a dogs on leads area.  A full list of the proposed designated areas can be read here:  Draft Dogs on Leads Order
• The Dogs on Leads by Direction Order – this will apply borough wide and requires a dog owner to put a dog on a lead when requested to do so by an authorised officer. It will be an offence not to comply with such a request.
• The Maximum Number of Dogs Permitted to be Walked Order – this will apply borough wide and means it will be an offence to have more than six dogs under your control at any one time.

The Council is also proposing to make three sites dog exclusion areas:

· Lakers Rise, Woodmansterne (informal children’s kickabout area)

· Ifold Road Play Area, Earlswood (informal children’s kickabout area)

· Frenches Ponds, Redhill (amenity area with wildfowl)

Tell the Council what you think

The consultation runs until Wednesday 1 March 2012. Fill in a questionnaire by visiting https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/dogcontrolorders and see maps of the dog exclusion and dogs on leads areas at www.reigate-banstead.gov.uk/dogcontrol.

Information leaflets are being distributed across the borough. The maps and copies of the proposed Orders are also available in Help Shops.

Notes

Dog Fouling in the borough is currently controlled with use of the Dogs (Fouling of Land) Act 1996. Failure to clear up fouling is an offence.

Existing byelaws cover the exclusion of dogs from specific areas – mainly children’s playgrounds and dogs on leads in Priory Park’s formal areas, Reigate Cemetery, the Castle Grounds in Reigate and Memorial Park in Redhill.

These controls continue to have effect until replaced by Dog Control Orders, but they can no longer be updated or amended. Offenders can get a £50 Fixed Penalty Notice.

The Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 extends the Council’s powers to better control nuisance dogs. The Orders can be applied to all land in the open air to which the public are entitled/permitted to access.

Over the past 18 months, since our original article on the subject, much work has been going into identifying a site for the school and checking on its feasibility.  As outlined in the following article from the Surrey Mirror, it seems that the Council is on the verge of securing a site at Battlebridge.

Find the Surrey Mirror article at the following link:  http://www.thisissurreytoday.co.uk/Merstham-primary-school-open-2014/story-14985742-detail/story.html

This half term, Reigate & Banstead Borough Council has organised a fun programme of activity for seven to 15 year-olds, taking place between Monday 13 and Friday 17 February.

There is trampolining at Donyngs Recreation Centre, Redhill, introduction to parkour, a new exciting gymnastic sport at the Phoenix Centre, Tadworth. See how high you can go with indoor rock climbing at the High Sport Indoor Climbing Centre, Salfords. Or why not try singing, dancing and acting with Show for a Day at the Merstham Youth Centre, Merstham.

Executive Member for Healthy Communities, Councillor Adam De Save, said:

“Our youth holiday activity programme gives young people the opportunity to learn a new skill, make new friends and have fun during the school break.

“The programme is always extremely popular. I would advise you to book your places as soon as possible as spaces are limited.”

Activities cost between £6 and £10 and all children must have a signed parental consent form. The deadline for completed application forms is 8 February 2012.

To sign up for activities and for more information, contact Sue Sergeant, Leisure Development Officer, on 01737 276700 or visit www.reigate-banstead.gov.uk

Firefighters are appealing for old cars to help them practice rescuing people from crashes.

Surrey Fire and Rescue Service needs scrap vehicles to practice how to deal with collisions on the road.

The service needs cars and is willing to arrange free collection from anywhere in Surrey or on its borders. Anyone with a scrap car they would like to donate should call Surrey Fire and Rescue Service Headquarters on 01737 242444.

Surrey Fire and Rescue Service does not offer payment for vehicles. Any adverts in newspapers or calls made from companies offering to pay for scrap vehicles on behalf of Surrey Fire and Rescue Service are not related to the service.

Please be aware of the below which has happened in Reigate & Banstead.

The problem is thus – the householder recieves a phone call. The caller purports to be from their bank – knows their name address and who they bank with. The try all sorts to obtain a PIN for the cards stating they are replacing old cards with new ones and other excuses. They then organise for a courier to collect the old cards and have the cards and PIN to withdraw money. Previously the courier has also been quite insistent and forceful and has managed to convince a neighbour to walk around the property with them (which makes them appear legitimate)

We wish to give the following advice:

• Banks will not ‘cold call’ you
• They will not ask for your PIN
• If they do ask for any personal information terminate the call immediately and telephone your bank on numbers you have for them to confirm if it is a genuine call

If you have mistakenly given out information don’t panic – contact your bank immediately and discuss what information you have divulged / cancel your cards. Contact police immediately afterwards on ’101′ and report the incident.

If a ‘courier’ is supposed to be on their way:

• Dial ’999′
• Do not open your door to anyone who knocks and that you suspect to be involved in suspicious activity

Surrey Police takes these matters very seriously and general crime prevention advice is available on the surrey police website

Do not open your door to unknown / unexpected callers without putting the chain on and asking for Identification – if you doubt the ID, call the company directly. The caller should have their contact number.

Remember – STOP CHAIN CHECK

If you do not have a chain on your door, they are easily fitted

• assess callers by looking through windows and if you need to speak to them, open upper windows or casement windows that cannot be used to gain access to your house
• speak to your telephone provider about ways to remove your telephone number from general circulation – caller preference service or ex directory for example

Also ask them about caller display – Fraudsters will withhold their numbers. Be wary of these calls even from Police and obtain officers FIN (force identifier number) and station and call back to the police on their switchboard number or via 101 with those details.

If you know a neighbour who may be prey to this kind of trick, speak to them about this warning and offer assistance if they’re not sure.

To speak to your local policing team (the ‘SNT’) dial 101 and tell the operator where you live.

Redhill residents, workers and visitors are being asked to give their views on vital plans which will shape how Redhill town centre will develop in future, as a consultation on the Redhill Town Centre Area Action Plan gets underway.

The Action Plan will be used to help guide the town’s physical regeneration, and will set the rules against which future planning applications, for shops, supermarkets, offices etc will be decided.

Cllr Natalie Bramhall, one of your Redhill councillors and Executive Member for Priority Places, said:

Area covered by the Action Plan

“Your Councillors are committed to regenerating Redhill town centre to become a thriving town centre which is a prominent commercial location, a competitive retail destination and great place to live.

“This plan is the culmination of several years’ background work and builds on feedback from previous consultations and updated research. Now is your chance to tell us whether you agree with our proposals.”

The Action Plan explains how the Council wants to improve the town centre, including proposals for redeveloping specific sites, like:

• new leisure uses and shops at Marketfield Way car park
• the redevelopment of Redhill Station to provide a new station building, hotel homes and shops
• improved open spaces at Memorial Park and in Station Road
• renewed community facilities at Colebrook and/or other sites
• expanding and improving the shops at the Warwick Quadrant
• a new supermarket, cafes and restaurants on Cromwell Road

Cllr Rois Amiah, another Redhill Councillor, said:

I know the Council asks residents for their views on many occasions, on lots of subjects, but this really is the most important consultation we have had in Redhill for many years, so please take some time and give us your thoughts.

“Decisions made now will affect the town for decades into the future.  We, as councillors, will not approve the plans unless we have residents’ approval of them; if this draft needs changing, please tell us how it needs to change and we will do so.”

How to make your views known

The Action Plan homepage, containing all of the materials and details of the consultation, is at:  www.reigate-banstead.gov.uk/redhilltcaap

The individual ways of having your say are as follows:

• An exhibition about the proposals will be on display in The Belfry shopping centre on Friday 20 and Saturday 21 January, where staff from the Council will be on hand to talk to visitors about the plans and answer questions.
• The exhibition will then move to the Harlequin Theatre from Monday 23 January to Friday 24 February.
• You can view a summary document here:  http://www.reigate-banstead.gov.uk/Images/Redhill%20A3%20flyer%20Dec2011_tcm9-46459.pdf
• You can view the full Action Plan document here:  http://www.reigate-banstead.gov.uk/Images/RedhillTownCentreAAP_tcm9-46452.pdf
• You can review the document and complete the consultation through the dedicated portal, at http://reigate-banstead-consult.objective.co.uk/.
• You can fill in a Word questionnaire and email it to LDF@reigate-banstead.gov.uk.
• You can pick up a feedback form from the exhibitions, Help Shops and libraries and send this back to the Town Hall.
• If you are part of a residents’ group or other community group, contact us and we will try to attend one of your meetings to hear your views direct.
• You can leave comments here, which we will take into account and reply to where we can.
• You can contact us direct, using the details from the links at the top of the page.

The formal consultation closes at 5pm on Friday 24 February 2012 – please try to get your comments back before then, although your Councillors will gladly receive comments for a short time after that date.

Following the consultation, feedback will be used to update the plan for a further consultation in the autumn before it is submitted to the Secretary of State. The Council will then take steps to adopt the documents which will require a public examination next spring (2013).

Twenty-one young people have been given a foot on the employment ladder as the Council launched its second Young Workers Scheme alongside Employment Minister, Chris Grayling MP.

Mr Grayling addressed local businesses and organisations at the event to speak about youth employment in today’s economic climate.

Since May, the Council has recruited 41 young workers and the scheme is now set to continue as a rolling opportunity.

The recession-busting scheme creates an opportunity for local 18 to 24 year olds who have been out of work for six months or more, by equipping them with the skills, confidence and experience needed for the jobs market.

The scheme offers a six month contract to work in a variety of Council departments including Human Resources, Housing, Environmental Health, Grounds Maintenance, Cemeteries, Refuse & Recycling, Streetscene, Parking, Building & Development, Customers, ICT, Legal, Policy & Regeneration and Property Services.

The new recruits are from a variety of backgrounds, including graduates to the long term unemployed.

Speaking on her first day, Katrina Bray, aged 23 from Merstham, is working with the Park’s Grounds Maintenance team:

“I’m nervous, but looking forward to meeting people and getting involved with the work. I did Habitat Management at Merrist Wood College and got experience at Horton Country Park so I want to put my skills into practice and work outdoors.”

Law graduate Glen Dhurowa, aged 23 from Redhill, is working with the Legal team:

“I want to fulfil my dream of becoming a solicitor. I’ve had experience at different solicitor firms and was unemployed for 18 months. It feels special to have this rare opportunity. This scheme gives people a window for their future.”

Some of the young people’s successes from the first scheme, which involved 20 young workers, include:

• starting a two year apprenticeship with the Council
• successfully applying for a job with the Council
• being offered a job opportunity with a local business through help from the Council
• starting a job with a local company
• having their contract extended
• returning to university.

Councillor Ros Mill, Executive Member for Strong Communities, said:

“At a time when other public sector organisations are making cuts, this Council is investing in helping local young people to succeed. We care and want to give them a spring board in life.

“Our Young Workers Scheme has proven to be a life changing opportunity for those who have taken part – one even said it has been the best experience of his life.

“We are encouraging other local employers to join us with similar schemes and offer opportunities to young people. We would like to support them to participate so that the benefits to the borough are even higher.

“I wish every one of the new recruits the very best of luck.”