Chessington & District Residents Association

 

AGENDA

 

For the meeting to be held on Monday 6th November

 

at St Pauls Church Rooms at 8pm

 

PLEASE NOTE CHANGE OF MEETING DATE

 

1.     MINUTES OF LAST MEETING

2.     VISTING MEMBERS QUESTIONS

3.     MATTERS ARISING

4.     NEW ISSUES

5.     PLANNING APPLICATIONS

6.     ANY OTHER BUSINESS

7.     DATE OF NEXT MEETING

 

 

MINUTES

 

Of the meeting held on the 5TH October 2006.

 

PRESENT

 

Jim Taylor, Chairman

Francis Brannan, Peter Alexander, Ray Kelsey,

  W.G. Child,  Brian Gay, Richard Heath, Steve Heil, Ted Farmer

 

 

APOLOGIES

 

 Les Davis, June Kitchener, Colin Suckling, Amanda Birch,

Jeremy Naylor, Alex Martin

 

VISITORS

 

Councillor Patricia Bamford. Councillor Ian Reid, David Tippett-Wilson,

 Grace Locke, P. Locke, J. Bennett, John Hayball

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING

 

The minutes of the last meeting were agreed with two amendments.  The Malden Rushett Residents Association were instrumental in initiating the Residents meeting held at the Malden Rushett Crossroads. Oyster cards may be purchased from the newsagent on the Bridge Road roundabout which is in Chessington South ward.

 

2. VISITING MEMBERS QUESTIONS

 

There were no specific questions.

 

 

3. MATTERS ARISING

 

(a) Oyster cards – At the KATA meeting Jim spoke to the representative from London United Buses.   He said that he would investigate the oyster card sales situation and report back.

 

Councillor Bamford advised the meeting that it was important to register your oyster card to protect you in case of theft.  Cards are automatically registered if bought on line, otherwise telephone the helpline number on the back of your oyster card.

 

(b) Hook Community Centre – Councillor Reid gave an update on the building progress.  The project has been delayed as the window contracting company went into liquidation and a new supplier had to be arranged. This and other issues will delay the opening of the centre to the new year.  The cause of delays to the project will be examined by the South of the Borough Neighbourhood Committee at a special meeting on the 15th November at Southborough School.

 

Councillor Reid reported that the new Community Centre will be a magnificent venue,he said it is like a tardis with an impressive range of facilities inside.

 

There has been no reply yet from RBK to our letter regarding the equipment cabins built on the roof of the community centre. 

 

The public consultation on parking arrangements for the community centre and Hook parade will be completed and the result published before the community centre opens.

 

( c ) Wind Turbines at Chessington Community College – Further work has been done by RBK to investigate the technical specification for the proposed helical turbines and an alternative technology has been identified in case of problems.

 

 

 

(d) Medical Issues – Councillor Reid gave a comprehensive summary of the complex changes taking place in Kingston across the range of health care services.  There is a fundamental issue of our PCT having to make savings of  £15 million pounds.  Councillor Bamford reported that the Councils Health Scrutiny Panel had a lively meeting with the PCT at the Guildhall but that local meetings for residents had been poorly attended. She said that there are currently two separate consultations. There are also rumours that the NHS might be planning to close a hospital offering acute services in South West London.  She suggested that the Association should be aware of this possibility, consider the issues and prepare accordingly.

 

(e) The Cricketers Public House – An appeal against the granting of longer opening hours is expected to be held in November.  It is thought that there may be a change of ownership of the pub.

 

(f) Police Attendances at Disturbances on Buses -  At the last Safer Neighbourhood Police Meeting Sergeant Ellis confirmed that the Police will attend disturbances on buses.  The degree of seriousness of these disturbances was graphically described by Peter Alexander who witnessed a drunken 15 year old girl who was removed from a bus by the Police and Fire Brigade.

 

(g) RBK’s Wasteful Postage – Councillor Bamford has spoken to authorities at the Guildhall to ensure staff are made aware of the changes to postal rates.  Councillor Reid confirmed that economic use of postage by RBK staff will be encouraged.

 

(h) Chessington Chat – The cost of placing an advertisement is £37 for a half page and £59 for a full page with an 18% discount offered for three consecutive entries.  The magazine is to have a bumper distribution in December.  Councillor Bamford suggested that we ask the magazine to run a community feature article and we will have a half page advertisement printed adjacent to the article in the December issue.

 

( i)  A243 Malden Rushett – Tony Arbour has commented after the public meeting that TfL are anxious to get the redesign of the junction correct and a variety of technical solutions will be examined including specific filter traffic lights for traffic turning right.  Councillor Bamford reported that Councillors have recommended to TfL that the land be purchased in advance of the completion of the study.

 

4. NEW ISSUES       

 

(a ) Publicity for C&DRA – The discussion about the advertisement to be placed in Chessington Chat led to further discussion about publicity.  Sergeant Ellis will be asked to put a notice in the pack given to new residents by the Estate Agents that will give details of the local Residents Association’s. 

 

 

 

We will write to RBK asking for a public notice board to be erected at the new Community Centre which would allow the local Residents Association’s and the Safer Neighbourhood Police team to post their current newsletters or meeting minutes for the public to read.

 

(b) Pollution on the A3 and A243 – A report in the Surrey Comet stated that air pollution on these roads exceeds E.U. regulation limits.  Councillor Reid described how in the past efforts to alleviate the traffic flows , for example by building a rail connection to the Epsom cluster, had not been successful because the relevant authorities had not been prepared to engage and consider the requirements.  The Association will ask a question on these issues at the next Neighbourhood Committee meeting.

 

( c ) Clayton Road Nurseries -  We understand that this business is on the market again.

 

( d ) Youth Anti Social Behaviour -  This has been reported as occurring near

 198, Leatherhead Road.  We will check with the SN Police team to ensure this has been reported and will request their attention to the matter this coming weekend.

 

( e )  Leas Close  and Gilders Road Garages – John Hayball reported that the state of the garages is terrible, there is no road surface remaining on the access ramp which is a danger and that residents are not motivated to keep the garages clean and tidy.  Many are badly run down, cars are regularly dumped there and there are regular graffiti   problems which the council are refusing to remove.

 

Councillor Bamford has made a site visit.  She said that the amount of support that RBK can give is limited as the garages are privately owned.  She has spoken to the Police SN team and asked them to keep their eye on the site.  She suggested to John that local residents establish their own mini Residents Association which could then apply to the Council for a small grant.  This could be sufficient to pay for the resurfacing of the access ramp and  may kick start the residents into refurbishing the garages.

 

(f) The Footpath descending from Green Lane  -  John reported that this footpath, which passes behind Leas close, has again had it’s surface washed away by flooding from heavy rain.  The Council’s previous attempts to repair the footpath, which have mainly been  putting down gravel, are inadequate as the slope of the hill and the channel like profile of the footpath ensure that the floodwater easily washes away such treatments.  Councillor Reid asked John to contact Bob Smart, the Head of RBK’s Environment Services to advise him of this problem.

 

(g) Flooding in Somerset Avenue -  The periodical nature of the flooding was discussed and reports from residents suggested that blocked gulley’s were probably the cause.  Councillor Reid said that this was not the responsibility of Thames Water and gave the residents details of who to contact at RBK.  We will keep this issue under observation to ensure that gulley cleaning resolves the problem.

 

(h)  Tesco Development at Tolworth – Details were given of the location and date of the public exhibition of the proposed development which will be held in a shop in Tolworth in early October.

 

 

5. PLANNING APPLICATIONS

 

Planning Applications Decided

 

There were no significant planning applications decided in September.

 

 

New Planning Applications in September

 

(a)   Café at 3, North Parade -  They have requested permission to open between 9am and 4pm on Sunday.  We agree.

(b)  Chesssington Community College Telecom Mast – An application has been lodged for a new 6 metre high mast with 3 antennae, shrouds and equipment cabins.  We have noted this application but will take no further action.

(c)  Barwell Court Farm Telecom Mast – An application has been lodged for a new mast with 3 antennae, shrouds and equipment cabins.  We have noted this application but will take no further action.

(d)  CWA South Car Park – An application has been lodged detailing surface and drainage specifications.  We will advise relevant Malden Rushett residents and MRRA but will take no further action.

(e)   Concrete & Aggregate Distribution Centre, Tolworth Railway sidings – A new planning application has been lodged, details are not yet available. 

     This will be discussed at our next meeting.

 

 

PLANNING NEWS

 

·        Leatherhead Road Kebab Shop – The Public Appeal against the enforcement order to close the business is to be held on the 18th October.

 

·        Green Lane Gypsy Incursion – This matter has now gone to court for an enforcement order to get the site vacated.

 

 

 

There  was no other business.

 

The date of the meeting will be held on Monday 6th November.