A small gathering of villagers took part in the tolling of the bell at St Peter’s Church at noon on Saturday, followed by a period of silence and then prayers in memory of the late Queen Elizabeth II.

Dudley Hilton, Derek Miller and Arthur Blackman are photographed (below) alongside Rev Simon Willetts shortly before the three of them shared in the ringing of the bell 96 times, one for each year of the Queen’s life.

The bell at St Peter’s, our village church, will toll at midday today as a mark of solemn respect following the passing of HM The Queen yesterday afternoon

It will toll 96 times, once for every year of the Queen’s life. She reigned as our Monarch for 70 years, the longest in British history. Cathedrals and churches around the country will all be tolling bells at this time in tribute, including Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s and at Windsor Castle.

Buckingham Palace has announced that Queen Elizabeth II died peacefully this afternoon at her Balmoral residence.

New steps have been taken to drive forward the initiative to prevent large and unsuitable heavy goods vehicles from using Salt and Markwick Lanes.

Kevin Deanus, Hambledon’s Surrey County Council Ward member, has given an undertaking that action will be taken in an attempt to resolve the problem.

The inappropriate use of Station Lane, Hydestile Crossroads, Salt Lane and Markwick Lane by heavy goods vehicles has become a growing menace. This narrow country route is used as a cut-through between the A3 at Milford and the A281 Guildford to Horsham Road near Cranleigh. It is classified as a “D” road and therefore not designated or suitable for HGV use.

Nevertheless, lorries use this route on a daily basis, causing damage to trees, verges and banks, and causing congestion, as in many sections there is insufficient room for large vehicles to pass in opposite directions. There are signs stating the road is unsuitable for HGVs, but these are routinely ignored and are only advisory, and not enforceable in law.

A Hambledon resident has been pressing Surrey County Council, as the highways authority responsible, to take action and has gathered much evidence in support of measures to stop this menace. He has been supported by Hambledon Parish Council and other neighbouring parishes.

He has proposed red signs, enforceable in law, barring HGV from using these lanes, but SCC has resisted. The subject did make it on to the agenda of the Waverley/SCC Local Committee and a “destination survey” was carried out to seek data on whether lorries were making local deliveries or mainly using the route as a cut-through. The evidence showed the latter was the case.

Catherine Russell, Hambledon Parish Council’s newly-appointed Clerk, started in her job this week.

Those who attended the annual Parish Assembly last week at the Village Hall had the chance to meet and chat with her before her formal start date on May 1st.

She will attend her first monthly council meeting on May 10^th, which is something of a baptism of fire as it is the AGM. Catherine, who has not been a clerk before, will take the chair at the start, as chairman and vice chairman must stand down for a vote on whether they are to be re-elected.

It is also the meeting at which the council has to make its annual financial return to be approved by an external auditor, and review its policies on such matters as standing orders, financial regulations and code of conduct. The Agenda for this meeting can be found in the Parish Council section of this website.

A well-attended and entertaining village Assembly provided an opportunity to welcome the newly-appointed parish council clerk Catherine Russell and an endorsement to further challenge an unwelcome outcome to the Waverley Borough Ward Boundaries review.

(Please scroll to the end of this article to see a selection of photographs of the evening. And follow this link to the Parish Council pages on this website for a full account of the evening, including the various reports from village organisations – https://www.hambledonsurrey.co.uk/?page_id=3799 Please look under Parish Assembly Agendas and Minutes)

Important – and unwelcome – changes are planned for the way Hambledon is represented by our Waverley Borough ward councillors. This will have an impact on all villagers. If you would like to hear more please come along to the Annual Parish Assembly at the Village Hall tomorrow evening.

Your Parish Council, which hosts the event, has objected to a Boundary Commission review which proposes removing Hambledon from shared representation with neighbouring Witley and Milford, and placing us with Bramley and Wonersh, despite objection from Hambledon Parish Council.

The council, in the consultation period, put forward a robust case to remain with Witley as it is there that its residents go for many services not available in our small, rural village, including schools, surgeries and shops. This was ignored and the outcome was not even one we were originally consulted on.

Our MP and village resident, Jeremy Hunt, has offered his support in our campaign to overturn this decision, which requires Parliamentary approval. This issue – and other issues affecting Hambledon – will be covered in the council’s chairman’s report tomorrow night.

Please come along for light refreshments at 7.30. The meeting starts at 8pm and will include short reports from all of the village’s many activities and organisations, including the community shop, church, nursery school, cricket and football clubs, almshouses, pub and village hall.

Copies of the Agenda and other documents will be available on a shared basis in the hall. But if you would like to see the Agenda and current financial statement, these can be found on the Parish Council page of this website in the document library. https://www.hambledonsurrey.co.uk/?page_id=160

Hambledon Parish Council has been advised that Surrey Highways engineers are returning to Rock Hill to further investigate the long-term water leak, and this may result in the road being closed for parts of the day.

Although the flow of surface water has been much reduced there is further work required to unblock a drainage pipe under the road, involving the use of root cutting equipment.

Surrey Highways maintenance officer Steve Lindsey-Clark said: “We have a road closure scheduled for Monday 4th April. We have one section of pipe opposite the nursery school that needs root cutting equipment. We couldn’t do this on our last visit due to the width of the road and this is the first opportunity to carry out this work without conflicting with other road works in the area. This will resolve the problem.”

Access to the nursery school and the Merry Harriers will have to be from the Hydestile end of the village during any closure. The closure is expected to involve just the steep, narrow section of the road between the pub and Church Lane.

The annual Parish Assembly will be held at the Village Hall on Thursday April 21st, and all are welcome to come along to hear from our local clubs, organisations and activities as they review the last 12 months.

Whether you are involved in one or more of the many community ventures, or simply want to be updated on life in our village, this is the ideal opportunity. It is an informal occasion, starting with refreshments and the chance to mingle with friends and neighbours at 7.30, followed by short briefings from representatives starting at 8pm.

The closing date for applications for the vacant position of Hambledon Parish Council Clerk is this coming Friday, March 18th.

This is a part-time, salaried, position. The Clerk works alongside the seven elected parish councillors and undertakes a role that is crucial to the operation of the council and is an important function in our community.

If you are interested in applying, please do so before 6pm this Friday. You can find out more about what the job involves, and how to apply, by following the link below to an earlier post on this website.

https://www.hambledonsurrey.co.uk/?p=15666

(Please note that the application deadline was extended from the end of February to March 18th to allow more time for the vacancy to be advertised)

A New Clerk For Hambledon – Could it be You?

The following news release from Waverley Borough Council may be of interest to Hambledon residents living on low incomes in hard-to-heat homes.

Waverley residents urged to claim green home funding

Householders in Waverley are being urged to act quickly to claim up to £10,000 which is being made available to improve home energy efficiency – one of the simplest ways of saving energy and combatting rising energy prices.

More funding has been made available as part of the central government scheme which will provide grants to eligible homeowners to improve energy efficiency in their homes, cut heating costs and help the environment.

The grant project is being run by Action Surrey on behalf of all Surrey local authorities and provides funds for cavity wall insulation, loft insulation and solar renewable technology.

Funding is available on a first-come, first-serve basis to those living in a hard-to-heat home and on a low income*. The deadline for applications is 31 March 2022, with installations completing by 30 June 2022.

To check if you are eligible, call Action Surrey for free on 0800 783 2503 or visit www.actionsurrey.org for more information and to submit an online enquiry.

Councillor Steve Williams, Waverley Borough Council Portfolio Holder for Environment and Sustainability, said: “The uncontrolled rise in energy prices hits the poorest in our community the hardest. If you are a resident struggling with your energy bills, this scheme can help you make your home much more energy efficient.  I do urge lower-income households to take advantage of this opportunity to make their homes warmer, greener and cheaper to run.”

Waverley Borough Council is working hard to cut back on its own carbon emissions and supporting the move towards being net-zero carbon by 2030.  To take a look at Waverley Borough Council’s Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan, please go to our sustainability and conservation webpage. 

* Grants are available to those who meet the criteria and currently living within Surrey County. Action Surrey are the only organisation able to verify eligibility for the scheme.

* Action Surrey is an impartial energy advice service and has a network of trusted installers to deliver the installations. Action Surrey is managed by ThamesWey Sustainable Communities, a company wholly owned by Woking Borough Council

A busy time is approaching, and Hambledon and its parish council needs volunteer help for a range of activities including celebrations around the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and assisting at our community shop.

In the past, many villagers have stepped up to keep village life going, reopening the shop and turning the former junior school into a thriving nursery school. The church, the cricket and football clubs, the fete and festival committee, village hall, alms houses, community fund, parish magazine, heritage society, community speed-watch and this village website have all benefited from village-led initiatives and volunteer help.

Much of our common land is cared for by a single village landowner.

The seven parish councillors are unpaid and, like many others, give up their time to attend meetings and represent the village and act in its best interests.

Sadly, many of the generation who were faced with closures and cuts to the detriment of village life, and who responded by seizing the initiative to ensure Hambledon remained a vibrant and caring community, are passing on or are elderly and infirm.

Increasingly organisations such as the shop are having to rely on a dwindling number of volunteers. Hambledon needs a new generation of helpers. Could it be you? In all cases hours can be flexible and could suit those who may have busy jobs, but can still find a little spare time to volunteer.

It is often remarked upon that Hambledon is a lovely place to live with a palpable community spirit. So much of this is down to people giving up their time to make it so.

Currently the Hambledon Community Fund is in need of a new coordinator, the shop and speed-watch require more volunteers, the parish council needs a new Clerk and the Heritage Society needs some new blood.

And, as the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee approaches, the parish council is looking for a small band of people to promote and organise a village celebration over the extended Bank Holiday weekend of June 2^nd to 5^th. Ideas include participating in the nation-wide Big Jubilee Lunch on Sunday June 5^th, an open-air gathering where everyone brings their own picnic. Street parties, a beacon and maybe a commemorative bench or a telescope for the Hambledon Viewpoint are other ideas that have been put forward.

More information can be found here: https://platinumjubilee.gov.uk/get-involved-with-the-platinum-jubilee/ and in the March parish magazine.

The Festival Committee will be busy at this time arranging the Midsummer Festival just two weeks later, hence the need for a separate band of helpers.

If you can help, or have ideas on how we should celebrate, please contact Mary Grove, deputy chair of the parish council by phone on 01483 415815 or email at [email protected]. Please also speak to Mary if you are interested in joining the speed-watch team.

If you would like to volunteer at the shop, please pop in and have a chat with Gill Darbyshire or a member of her team.

If you are interested in becoming the Community Fund co-ordinator, please contact Mary Burrows at [email protected] or Jane Woolley at [email protected]  This would not be a time consuming position but an interesting one, co-ordinating the distribution of donated funds to worthwhile enterprises around the village.

More details here: https://www.hambledonsurrey.co.uk/?page_id=30

The job of Parish Clerk is a responsible but rewarding position, salaried but part-time, currently ten-hours a week. Full training can be provided. The council has interim measures in place but is keen to appoint a Clerk as soon as possible. A deadline for applications has been extended beyond the original February 28^th, so please give it some thought. The Clerk is a crucial role in active and effective village administration.

More details can be found here: https://www.hambledonsurrey.co.uk/?p=15666

If you are interested, or require more information, please contact Stewart Payne, council chairman, on 07831 393561 or by email at [email protected]

Finally, the council said farewell to its last Clerk, Julie Flenley, who left at the end of the February meeting. She was thanked for her service to Hambledon, given best wishes for her new job at Chiddingfold Parish Council and presented with flowers by the chairman.

The council’s next meeting is next Tuesday, March 1^st, at 8pm at Hambledon Village Hall. Each meeting begins with an allocated 15 minutes at the start so that villagers can raise or discuss issues and the whole meeting is open to the public. If you want to discover more about your parish council, please come along.

Volunteers from around the village have been hard at work clearing fallen trees brought down during Storm Eunice and in the gusty winds that followed, blocking roads, bridleways and footpaths.

This means that the church field car park is now accessible for those attending Cynthia Miller’s funeral tomorrow (Thurs Feb 24th) at 1pm. However, attendance is expected to be high and those villagers who are able to walk are asked to do so.

The same applies to the service for Chris Harrison on Wednesday March 9th at noon, where parking may also be at a premium.

Rev Simon Willetts, associate vicar for Hambledon, has expressed his appreciation to Jon Petersen, Deeg Gorrod, Gavin Clutterbuck, Ged Hockridge and Mike Parry in particular for clearing access to St Peter’s car park.

Elsewhere, members of the parish council have been clearing footpaths and bridleways, including BW 131 that leads up from Hambledon Road from opposite Potter’s Hill through the fields in the direction of Hydons Ball. Fallen trees made this popular walking and riding route impassable just inside the woods between The Tolt and Feathercombe. It has now been cleared.

The parish council is also aware of a large tree blocking BW 190, running below the Greensand Way at Burgate Hangar, between the top of Upper Vann Lane and Markwick Lane but this cannot be accessed by vehicle on public land.

A large oak has come down on public footpath 162 through the centre of West Surrey Golf Club, between Station Road and Potter’s Hill. This will no doubt be cleared in due course by the club. In the meantime it is possible to scramble around it.

If you know of any other paths or bridleways blocked by fallen trees or branches, and that can be reached by four-wheel drive on public land or with owner’s permission, please leave a message using the link at the end of this news item.

Finally, Hambledon Nursery School was concerned by the tree debris just above its entrance on Rock Hill, which is limiting traffic flow at a dangerous location. Surrey County Council highways engineers have confirmed to the parish council that the bank from which the tree fell belongs to SCC and not the school. SCC is aware of the issue but reports that it may take a few days before it can be cleared, as its priority following Storm Eunice is A and B classified roads.

In some areas of Hambledon and Hydestile residents have experienced fly-tipping close to their homes, and the issue has been raised with Waverley Borough Council.

The following is a response from the council’s environmental office. Please use the Comment link to let Hambledon Parish Council know your opinions on warning posters being placed in the village, as requested below.

“I am sure you have been made aware of the fly tips that have been occurring in Hambledon over the last few weeks of building materials, we have had 2 in Clock Barn Lane, 2 in Feathercombe lane and one at Hill Top.

I was hoping you would be able to help in making the residents aware of this and ask if it is possible they could be vigilant in reporting any suspicious vehicles they see loitering in the area that have building materials or look like they could have items that could be fly tipped.

We are very concerned that this is happening in Hambledon and want to do everything possible to prevent this happening again. I am happy to put some temporary fly tipping posters around the area but am also concerned that this is an area of outstanding beauty and it may not be in keeping with the area to have posters around, however if residents are happy to go ahead then I will put some up around the fly tipping areas.

Please feel free to pass my email and phone number to any residents if they have any information they would like to share, also if you have a newsletter that you would be happy to put a feature then that would be great.

I appreciate your help with this matter and please feel free to contact me if needed.

Tel – 07769 280866

With Regards

Mandy Jack

Environmental Monitoring and Enforcement Officer

Waverley Borough Council

The Burys, Godalming, Surrey, GU7 1HR

Tel – 01483 523006

Email – [email protected]

Hambledon is facing a weekend of disruption – along with many other parts of the UK – following the high winds that swept across the country yesterday.

Some parts of the village were without power this morning, including Upper Vann and houses on Vann Lane in the direction of Pockford. Some households have power but are awaiting the energy supplier SSE to send teams to deal with trees leaning against power lines.

SSE reports that it is extremely hard pressed, having to deal with a huge number of outages, and it has been inundated with calls to its 105 emergency help line. An alternative contact is 0800 072 7282.

If you know of someone without power – and therefore may not have access to this website at present -please let them know of the above two contact methods, just in case there are unaware.

A glance at SSE’s Twitter feed indicates there are many customers frustrated at the lack of response from the supplier, but others full of praise for its engineers restoring their power. Patience will be required for many. If you know of someone without power, particularly if they are vulnerable or infirm, please call round and check how they are doing. 

Hambledon Parish Council can coordinate any local help that is needed and please contact Stewart Payne on 07831 393561 in the first instance.

Several local roads remained blocked by fallen trees, including Station Lane at Enton, between Hydestile and Milford level crossing.

The tree fell right across the road, taking a power line with it. Police were in attendance overnight to ensure public safety and a team of workmen arrived this morning to begin the clear-up. The road was expected to reopen this afternoon.

At Hambledon Church a tree fell across the entrance to the field parking area, blocking access. Vicar the Rev Simon Willetts is advising worshipers attending Sunday service to allow more time and to find alternative parking.

On all roads in and around Hambledon there is debris, branches and undergrowth protruding on to highways and trees in a dangerous condition, including one leaning low over Tuesley Lane. As gusty winds and rain are forecast for the remainder of the weekend, caution is required.