waverley

by

Hambledon’s 503 bus reprieved

Hambledon’s only bus service, the 503, is set to be reprieved by Surrey County Council, reversing a decision to scrap the route as a cost-cutting measure.

This is a victory for the campaign mounted by Hambledon Parish Council and local residents to save the service.

Following the SCC Local Transport Review earlier this year, aimed at finding savings on council-subsidised rural routes, the 503 was one of a number of services to be scrapped, subject to public consultation.

The parish council vociferously opposed the proposal and many villagers raised objections during the consultation process.  SCC has listened, and at a meeting of its Cabinet on May 24th, members are expected to endorse the review team’s recommendation that the 503 continue.

The parish council argued that it was wrong to withdraw the only bus route serving the village, leaving residents without any public transport. The 503 is a lifeline for a number of elderly or infirm residents who rely on the bus to get to shops, supermarkets, banks and surgeries in Milford, Godalming and beyond.

village bus

Agenda documents for the May 24th meeting, available on the Surrey County Council website, state that the council recognises “the important role that bus services play for our residents”, adding: “To address some of the concerns expressed during the public consultation exercise it has proven possible to recommend some enhancements to the original proposals.”

These include reversing the decision to scrap the 503. The 523 Milford hospital service from Godalming has also been reprieved.

Currently the 503 operates on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays, twice in each direction, beginning and ending at Lane End. The recommendation is for the service to continue on at least Wednesdays and Fridays and possibly on another day to be determined.

The parish council has asked to meet with SCC planners to discuss ways of increasing passenger numbers, perhaps re-routing the service to take in new areas of development. In the documents the council states that it is “working to stimulate patronage on bus services and reduce the need for council funding.”

The 503 is operated by Stagecoach but subsidised by Surrey County Council. The transport review examined services across the county. Faced with cuts in Central Government funding, SCC is looking save £2 million on its transport budget by next year.

The recommendation to be voted on on May 24th will enable SCC to achieve the required savings needed from the review, documents state.

 

 

by

Parish Assembly – Ideas for new Parish Plan

The annual Parish Assembly, held on Thursday evening at the village hall, was well attended and produced a number of ideas to be included in the proposed new Parish Plan.

The Parish Plan is a formal document taken into account by public authorities such as Waverley Borough Council when considering issues that involve Hambledon, especially planning and highways. It is also a point of reference for Hambledon Parish Council in its work to help fulfill the aims and ambitions of village residents.

Following a report of the parish council’s activities over the past year as well as those of various village organisations, the assembly heard ideas from residents on what they would like to be included in the new Parish Plan.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

High on the list was a request, led by Hambletots, for a small play area for children, ideally somewhere close to the village shop.  This idea had a lot of support.  It was pointed out that play equipment need not be made of intrusive coloured plastics and could be made of wood to suit the rural environment of the shop, pond and cricket green.

Other suggestions included improved drainage for the cricket pitch, a public toilet for the use of visitors to the shop and its cafe and provision of a bike rack, as the shop is regularly used by cyclists. On the issue of cycling, it was pointed out that the village was on the route of many organised cycle events. The poor state of road edges presented a danger. It was suggested that, given the number of events, maybe external funding could be found to carry out improvements.

There was also support for the retention of the 503 bus service, currently under threat (see earlier news items) and concern that car parks at the two nearest railway stations, Witley and Milford, were now at capacity. It was recognised that any new development at the Dunsfold Aerodrome site would only add to the problem, along with associated traffic problems on the narrow, rural village roads.

The Parish Council is currently gathering ideas for the new Parish Plan. It is likely that a steering group made up of councillors and villagers will be established to take the plan forward.

Tomorrow (Saturday) is the annual village clean-up, this year tied in with Clean For The Queen in recognition of Her Majesty’s 90th birthday. Villagers are asked to gather any litter and bring it to a collection point at the shop where, starting at around midday, a free barbecue will be held for volunteer litter pickers.

 Village clean-up 2011 4

In the afternoon a jumble sale will be held at the Village Hall to raise funds for its maintenance.

 

 

 

by

MORE HOMES…NO BUSES?

new bus stops 003 - Copy

Hambledon residents have until this weekend to write in support of the village’s threatened bus service, the 503. The consultation period ends on Monday (March 14th) at 9am.

Surrey County Council, which subsidises the 503 and other rural bus routes, wants to hear the views of villagers before making a final decision on the fate of the service. It is reviewing all bus routes in the county as it looks to make cuts to its budget.

Details of the Local Transport Review can be found at https://www.surreysays.co.uk/e-i-directorate-programme-group/ltr

Hambledon Parish Council strongly opposes the proposal to axe the 503. It is asking Surrey County Council to reconsider the issue and perhaps look to amalgamate the service with the 523 Milford Hospital service, which is also under threat. With more than 100 new homes being built beside the hospital, and a proposal to build affordable homes at Lane End, Hambledon, the council believes Surrey County Council should examine how to better integrate the service before making a final decision.

Here is Hambledon Parish Council’s submission to the Surrey County Council review.

Continue reading →

by

HAVE YOUR SAY ON HAMBLEDON’S THREATENED BUS SERVICE

Surrey County Council has arranged a public walk-in session in Godalming to discuss the proposed changes to local bus services, including its intention to axe the 503, Hambledon’s only bus service.

It will take place next Friday (February 26) at the Crown Court car park where representatives of SCC and the operators Stagecoach will be in attendance on a bus. Residents can drop in at anytime between 10 am and 12 noon to discuss the proposed changes and to express their views.

SCC, faced with budget cuts, is looking to further reduce the subsidy it pays to bus operators to keep rural routes operating.  Some areas will see alterations or reductions but Hambledon will be hit hard because it is proposed to withdraw the 503 altogether.

A final decision will be made after the current period of consultation ends on March 14.  Hambledon Parish Council is opposing the scrapping of the 503, which it regards as a vital link for many, especially the elderly, to reach shops, banks and surgeries.

Residents who wish the service to continue are urged to make their views known. They can do so online at www.surreycc.gov.uk/transportreview or by phoning 0300 200 1003 to request a copy of the questionnaire to be sent to their home. Copies can also be obtained from libraries and council offices.

  • If you know of someone who will be affected by the withdrawal of the 503 who is unlikely to read this online story, please contact them and pass on details of the drop-in session and the public consultation.

scan0012

by

Dunsfold redevelopment consultation deadline 5th Feb

Screen Shot 2016-01-05 at 15.31.53As announced earlier on this site, the new planning application for a new town on the Dunsfold Aerodrome is currently being considered by Waverley Council.  The deadline for residents to make comments to the planners is 5th February.   More information here: http://www.dunsfoldvillage.co.uk

Click here to go to Waverley Planning site: Planning Application Documents

by

Winter Weather Precautions for Hambledon

A major cut of trees close to power lines was completed this year by Scottish and Southern Energy in an effort to reduce the frequency of electricity supply disruption to Hambledon.

SSE has also upgraded and refurbished power lines into the village and promised better communications in the event of outages.

Nevertheless, it is wise to take precautions in a rural area that has suffered from extensive power failures in recent years, usually caused by trees and branches falling onto cables during high winds.

003SSE has provided the Parish Council with a quantity of telephones that do not require a power supply to work, wind-up radios, battery-operated magnetic lamps, safety lightsticks, compact foil blankets and heat packs for warming cold hands.

If you, or someone you know, would benefit from any of these items they are available free for collection from the village shop.

It is important to remember that many modern phones require power to operate so a stand-by phone that simply requires a connection to the telephone line is an essential.

Stock up on batteries for torches and radios.

In extreme weather electricity and telephone lines may fail as may mobile phone networks.  Snow or fallen trees can isolate the village. Although such an outcome is rare it has happened. The Parish Council has an emergency plan in place to help cope with such an event.

It is worth remembering that the phone kiosk at the village shop will continue to work in a power failure. The pay phone no longer accepts coins but you can dial 999 for free. You can also dial 100 for the operator to make reverse charge calls.

If you, or someone you know, may be considered vulnerable during a power cut, you can register with SSE’s Priority Services Register on 0800 294 3259. There is a leaflet in the shop explaining this service.

The following telephone numbers and addresses should be kept handy.

SSE – Scottish and Southern Energy (power cuts and emergencies): 0800 072 7282.

Surrey County Council (for on-line updates and advice): www.surreycc.gov.uk/winter.

Latest travel information: https://twitter.com/SurreyTravel

Waverley Borough Council: For general information, refuse collections etc, go to www.waverley.gov.uk adding the word weather to the search bar if your inquiry relates to this issue. Also, for latest news and emergency updates from the borough go to www.twitter.com/waverleybc

Radio updates will be broadcast on BBC Surrey on 104.6FM and on Eagle on 96.4FM

Hambledon village website will also carry updates: www.hambledonsurrey.co.uk

In the village, the Hambledon Emergency Team is:

Stewart Payne – 07831 393561, Tim Coleman – 07838 763767, and Nick Watson – 07770 553686

In the event of severe disruption and communication failure the emergency team will be on hand around the village, centred at the village shop.

by

Hambledon Parish Council Election – Results

The result of the Hambledon Parish Council election has been announced. It is as follows, reproduced here from the Waverley Borough Council website.

Hambledon (7 seats), 73.6% turnout

Name Description Votes Elected?
ANDERSON John Huxley Fordyce   194 Elected
GROVE Mary   221 Elected
HALL David John Logan Independent 153  
JONES Karen Elizabeth   200 Elected
PARRY Mike   218 Elected
PATTINSON Paul George Murray   177 Elected
PAYNE Stewart Frank   224 Elected
STONELEY Colin Desmond   176  
UNDERWOOD Philip John   177 Elected

 

Nine villagers were seeking election for the seven places.  These included six members of the previous parish council – John Anderson, Karen Jones, Mike Parry, Paul Pattinson, Stewart Payne and Philip Underwood.  All have been re-elected.

Also seeking election were Mary Grove, David Hall and Colin Stoneley.  Mary Grove was elected and will be welcomed to Hambledon Parish Council at its next meeting on May 26.  The council has already expressed its gratitude to Peter Spall, who has stood down.

The parish council elections were held last Thursday (May 7), but the count did not take place until Saturday.

Waverley Borough Council elections were also held last Thursday, with the count taking place on Friday. The result for the Witley and Hambledon ward is as follows.

 

Borough Election result for Witley and Hambledon

2015 result 
Witley & Hambledon (2 vacancies)		 Turnout: 74.4%
EGAN Rosaleen UKIP 374  
HALL David John Logan Independent 515  
HOLDER Nick Conservative 1,414 Elected
JAMES Anna Catherine Conservative 1,204 Elected
MANNING Yvonne Wendy Labour 386  

Conservative hold

by

Hambledon Parish Council Nominations Announced

Screen Shot 2015-04-21 at 18.21.23Hambledon will have a contested parish council election for the first time since 2003.

Candidates for the seven places have been announced by the Returning Officer at Waverley Borough Council. Nine prospective councillors, including six members of the outgoing parish council, have been nominated.

The full list can be found here:

http://www.waverley.gov.uk/news/article/1074/town_and_parish_candidates_announced

Elections take place on May 7th, the same day as Parliamentary and Waverley Borough Council elections.  The Polling Station will be at the Village Hall.

Of the outgoing parish council, Peter Spall is standing down.  Outgoing chairman John Anderson, his deputy Philip Underwood, Stewart Payne, Paul Pattinson, Mike Parry and Karen Jones are seeking re-election.

David Hall, Mary Grove and Colin Stoneley are seeking election.

Electors can vote for up to seven candidates on Polling Day and the ballot form will list candidates in alphabetical order.

Robin Pellow, the Returning Officer for Waverley has also announced the candidates for the Borough Council and the South West Surrey Parliamentary constituency.

These can be found at:

http://www.waverley.gov.uk/news/article/1073/borough_candidates_announced

and

http://www.waverley.gov.uk/news/article/1072/parliamentary_election_candidates

Five candidates are seeking election to the two places on the Witley and Hambledon ward of Waverley Borough Council.

by

New Housing Target- Have your Say

Waverley Borough Council has been told by central goverment that it must find space to build 8,500 new homes between 2014 and 2031 and is seeking the views of local people.

The strategy and planning for this is known as a Local Plan and the borough is seeking the views of residents before submitting it.

Hambledon residents should by now have received a special edition of Waverley’s Making Waves publication which contains a feedback form. It should be completed and returned by Friday 17th October.

altWaverley is staging a mobile exhibition of its proposals and this can be seen between 10am and 4pm in The Burys car park, Godalming, on Saturday 4th October and in Haslemere High Street car park the following Saturday (11th) between the same hours.

Although no new housing in proposed for Hambledon itself, sizeable new developments in the region could have a major impact on the village – particularly in terms of increased traffic on local rural lanes and demands on local services such as trains, schools and surgeries.

Waverley has devised four potential housing “scenarios” – three of which envisage major development at Dunsfold Aerodrome, something that had previously been rejected.

All boroughs across the country have been told by central government that they must increase housing targets to meet expected demand for new homes and this will have an impact on the Green Belt and on protected Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The Local Plan, therefore, is likely to affect us all in some way, so it is important that you give your views.

 

by

Threat To Hambledon 503 Bus – Have Your Say

 ImageThe 503 bus which connects Hambledon with Milford, Godalming and Guildford could be scrapped next year.

The twice weekly service, operated by Stagecoach, is subsidised by Surrey County Council. The council is looking to make financial savings and the 503 is one of several rural routes facing the axe.

The county council is currently reviewing its options and details can be found at www.surreycc.gov.uk/busreview If you want to find out more or make a comment on the proposals please visit this website.

You can also make your feelings known at Godalming Library between 10am and 1pm next Tuesday (December 6th) where SCC transport officers are available to discuss the issue.

In addition the parish council is meeting with SCC later on the same day.  It has made details of the proposals available in the village shop and is asking for users of the 503 to make their views known.

If you use the bus please tell the parish council how important it is to you.

As many regular passengers are elderly it is likely they will not read this website. So if you know of someone in Hambledon who is a user of the 503 please draw their attention to the form in the shop, or comment on their behalf.

SCC is considering replacing the bus with an “on-demand” Hoppa-style minibus. More details will appear on the website and in the January edition of the parish magazine.

In the meantime, please make sure your views known to the parish council as well as giving your opinion to Surrey County Council – in person or on-line.

by

Waverley Planners Approve Brickworks Country Estate Development

ImageWaverley Borough Council has approved the scheme to build a country house estate on the site of the derelict Nutbourne Brickworks in Roundals Lane.

Members of the Central Area Planning Committe were unanimous in their approval when they met to consider the application by Millgate Homes on Wednesday (May 25th).

The developers had applied to build a mansion house, staff cottages, a gate house, stables and garages on the 220-acre site.   Nearby residents favoured the proposal and Hambledon Parish Council gave its support, but only after securing a covenant that safeguards the site from further development or change of use. Continue reading →

by

HGV Warnings Signs For Hambledon's Narrow Roads

ImageAdditional road signs warning heavy lorries not to use Hambledon’s narrow lanes are to be erected by Surrey County Council at Milford and Lane End.

The “Unsuitable for HGVs” signs will be placed at the entrance to Station Lane at its junction with Church Road and on the Petworth Road facing traffic approaching from both directions.

The decision to erect the signs follows pressure from Hambledon Parish Council, reflecting the concern of residents that HGVs were using the village as a cut-through.

The majority travel from Milford and, faced with existing HGV signs (pictured) at the Hydestile Crossroads in the Godalming direction, attempt to use Salt Lane or Hambledon Road.

At a site visit, parish councillors told SCC engineers that the existing signs gave the impression that Salt Lane and Hambledon Road were wide enough for HGVs when, in reality, both were as narrow as in the Godalming direction.

Continue reading →

by

Bands Play On At Merry Harriers

ImageLive music can continue at the Merry Harriers as long as measures are taken to restrict noise nuisance to a neighbour.

A meeting of Waverley Borough Council’s licencing sub committee decided not to remove Julie Stoneley from the pub’s premises licence, but has insisted on improved sound insulation and the use of a noise limiter when bands are performing inside.  The pub’s licence was reviewed after it was found to be in breach of an abatement order issued in April after a neighbour had complained of excessive noise audible inside his home.

The village pub has been hosting performances by live bands since Colin and Julie Stoneley took over and they have proved to be very popular.

Continue reading →