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| Response to concerns over power failures and winter snow disruption |
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Many villagers were angry at the disruption to power supplies and roads following the heavy snow falls in January. The Parish Council asked for your comments on the forum on this website and wrote to Southern Electric and Surrey County Council Highways Department. Jane Woolley, parish clerk, gives details of their replies below. It is likely that many will be disappointed by the response from Southern Electric. Please continue to express your opinions on the forum dedicated to this matter found in the Forums section of this website.
"Following the chaos caused by January’s snowfall, the Parish Council contacted Surrey County Council about non-clearance of roads and eventually established that there is a policy whereby local farmers, contractors and the like are employed to supplement the limited amount of road and pavement clearance which SCC itself can undertake. Peter Knight at Burgate Farm and Richard Field, who has his contractor’s yard in Vann Lane, have both told the Parish Council that they would be willing to get involved and this information has been passed back to SCC. Richard has now been included on the list of those who can help with pavement clearing and, providing SCC is happy that Peter has the right sort of tractor, he will be given a reserve snow plough. So, with a bit of luck, Hambledon should be able to stay on the move when the next snowstorm hits the village. The Parish Council also contacted Southern Electric about power failures – and not just during the recent snow. The letter pointed out that a lot of properties do not have mains gas (and are therefore dependent on electricity to power central heating systems); and that, despite being located in a highly wooded area, the village is almost entirely served by overhead power lines. Southern Electric was therefore asked about planned maintenance programmes to ensure that overhead lines remained operational and what plans, if any, existed for putting more lines underground. The response was not particularly encouraging: maintenance and improvements are all subject to available funding and not much of that appears to be coming Hambledon’s way – though it should benefit from a recent-up-grade to a switching station at Enton Mill. However, the fact that Hambledon is a largely gas-less village did generate interest and has been noted because, in the event of prolonged power cuts, vulnerable people could be put at risk."
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