An Evening with Vince

My evening with Vince Cable

I was delighted to be one of over 70 Liberal Democrats and guests who welcomed Dr Vince Cable to Woking last Saturday. 

Vince told us about departmental achievements including the growing number of apprentices, the setting up of the Green Investment bank and businesses working in partnership with the government. 

Looking forward Vince told us about seeking to make progress on zero hours contracts and the decline in the real value of the minimum wage.

Vince was dismissive of the green credentials of his Conservative coalition partners saying “Cameron now seems to be turning a rather pale shade of green”.  Vince believes that dropping green energy tariffs, which help to fund energy efficiency measures to those who need help to insulate their homes, would be “short-sighted and foolish”.

After taking a wide range of questions Vince was asked what he would do if he wasn't an MP and he had a range of ways to spend his time including dancing, teaching and spending more time with his wife.

It was great to have Vince Cable with us for the evening to hear about some positive achievements on the economy and the environment of Lib Dems in government.

Getting on your bike in Woking

Lots of people get on their bikes on Woking

Figures released recently by the Department of Transport show that 23% of Woking residents get on their bike at least once a month.  This is above the average for both Surrey (20%) and nationally (15%).

Surrey County Council is now offering local companies funding to provide cycle parking and an agreement to match fund any money raised for changing facilities such as showers and lockers at the workplace.

All good stuff but a few road improvements wouldn't go amiss.  I'm still waiting for a re-paint of the white lines that denote a cycle lane that isn't meant to be a cycle lane on Brewery Road in Horsell

Taking the Lead

Cllr.Ann-Marie Barker and Cllr. Will Forster
 Leader & Deputy of Woking Council Lib Dems

I am delighted to have been elected as Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Woking Borough Council.  I will now lead the 15 strong group for the next year.  My Deputy is Will Forster who I know will provide great support throughout the year.

I have worked with Will and other colleagues to put together the team which will provide clear and constructive opposition to our local Conservative run Council.

We will not oppose merely for the sake of it but we will scrutinise council decisions and provide an alternative to the Conservative view.

My first task this week is to propose my colleague Cllr. Anne Roberts as the next Mayor of Woking.

Lower Bedser Bridge opening seals residents' victory

The long wait is finally over.  Almost a year since the old bridge over the Basingstoke Canal in Horsell closed (23 April 2012) the Bedser Bridge is open.  

There was general delight among residents of Horsell as a lower bridge that fits its environment was opened.  "This seals the residents' victory won when 2000 people responded to a consultation on the bridge" said Cllr. Ann-Marie Barker.

Initial reactions to news the bridge had opened:

Cllr Ann-Marie Barker is delighted the lower bridge
that fits its environment is finally open over the canal

"That shortens my walk to the station in the morning"

"It looks impressive"

"Woo"

"That's good"

Waiting for the opening

We were promised our new bridge in "early 2013" and indeed i had heard it was hoped to complete the work by late 2012.  January came and went and there was no sign of the new bridge or any updated information.  I chased up the opening date with Woking Council but their answer to me and residents who enquired was seemingly stuck in the groove of "early 2013".

In late March I heard the bridge was likely to open soon after Easter, then checks called for a few corrections and the opening was going to be a week or so ago. Finally the magic date of Monday 15 April emerged.  I updated residents of this possibility at the Residents Association AGM last Friday and was promptly chastised by a Conservative councillor for informing people that the opening of the bridge was imminent.

History of the Bedser Bridge

The opening of the Bedser Bridge seals a series of events that began back in September 2011.  As I blogged at the time I had a shock when I returned from holiday in early September and settled down to read my latest Council papers.  For the first time I saw a visual of the bridge planned to cross the canal.  It was high up in the air, 5 feet higher than the old bridge; access was via a very long ramp that ran most of the length of the car park site or many stairs and it looked like a motorway bridge.  

I set about gathering the views of others across Horsell and beyond.  There was general dissatisfaction and a petition was set up to ask the Council to think again.  Under the weight of dissent the Conservative run Council gave way and held a consultation on changing the bridge design.  Over 2000 responses later they agreed to get the bridge redesigned.  My blog post on this victory for residents was posted in December 2011.

Shock at Conservatives

I was rather shocked at the sheer brass neck of our local Conservatives when I saw their party website today.  They give a very partial view of the history of this bridge.  I've picked out a few choice lines:

"... Horsell councillors Beryl Hunwicks and Tony Branagan were among the first people to get a look at the new bridge ..."

Hardly surprising as no doubt they were told in advance exactly when the bridge would be open.  A service not afforded to opposition councillors or the general public   I got a call from a resident to tell me the bridge was open at 12.45 on Monday.  I got a press release from the Council 4 hours later!

"The bridge has also been designed to be free of steps, as specified by a motion made to Woking Borough Council by Conservative leader John Kingsbury last year."

Yes that motion was proposed by the Leader but only after I had made the public aware of what was being proposed and concerns were raised.  Our local Conservative councillors also seem to have missed the point that, until the WWF HQ is complete you can only get from the bridge to the towpath by means of several steps.

"I know that not everyone believed it would be open in early spring as we said ..."

No we expected it to be open "early in 2013" as you said and the public has been requesting updated information since the beginning of the year.  We were told the work would take 9 months or 40 weeks and it has been just a week short of 12 months.  Hardly on time.

But, the bridge is there and the long walk around is over.  Let's celebrate.

Good news for heritage in Woking

There was good news for heritage in Woking when Woking Palace recently secured Heritage Lottery Funding  The £306,000 achieved will allow for extra digs at the site in Old Woking, an exhbition at the Lightbox and educational work.

I have enjoyed taking part in two digs at the Palace which has connections to both Henry VII and VIII and Lady Margaret Beaufort (mother of Henry VII)  On my day at last year's dig I was pleased to see some young people visiting and to hear that local schools had been invited to take part in the dig.  Bringing history, especially local history to life in this way adds so much to classroom work.

Localising Council Tax - Government Shifts the Burden

Woking Council tonight approved its scheme to "localise" Council Tax.  Essentially this means the Council agreed which groups in the population who either have not previously paid Council Tax or have not paid full Council Tax will have to make at least a contribution to their Council Tax in future.

The Past
Until this year various groups in the population such as the unemployed, carers, those on low incomes and pensioners were entitled to council tax benefits.  These benefits were funded by the government who gave the money to local councils to run local services.

The Future
The Coalition government, in its wisdom, decreed that everyone of working age should pay something towards their Council Tax.  Pensioners were excluded from this latest wheeze and their Council Tax benefits remain unchanged.

Each Council has had to come up with a "Local Council Tax Support Scheme". The government offered a sample scheme and in Surrey the county worked with the boroughs to come up with a framework scheme.

Woking rejected the government scheme, even though if offered money to ease the scheme in for the first year, because of the wide ranging impact it would have had on those who would struggle to pay.

Woking has gone for its own variation of the Surrey framework.  The scheme has the following changes which will come into force from April 2013.

The second adult rebate scheme is removed
Currently if another adult lives with somebody who receives Pension Credit, Income Support, Income-based Job Seekers allowance or Income-related employment and support allowance or has a low income they can claim Council Tax benefit.  This is removed.  This affects 25 people living in Woking.

Benefit is limited to level of Band D Council Tax
Council Tax benefit will only be paid for the amount due on a Band D property.  So if a resident lives in a Band E property they would need to pay the difference between the two bands.  This affects 160 Woking residents.  The difference between Band D and Band E Council Tax was £346.20 in 2012/13.  I made the point at the Council meeting that this may impact those who happen to live in a more expensive area who would need to find several hundred pounds more per year when food, gas and electric prices are already rising.

Minimum weekly benefit payment of £5
if the Council Tax benefit due is less than £5 a week it will not be paid.  Doesn't sound too bad but as I said at tonight's meeting this could be £200 a year for someone on a low income who is already struggling.  This affects 275 Woking residents.

Saving limit of £10,000
The amount of savings residents can have and still qualify for Council Tax benefit is reduced to £10,000.  This affects 43 Woking residents.

There is a hardship fund to help those who cannot pay what is due under the new scheme.  I made the point at the Council meeting this evening that this smacks of deserving and undeserving poor with those unable to pay having to plead with the Council for help with their bill.

I'm not happy with this scheme but it is sadly something that had to be done.  I am satisfied it is the best of a bad job.  Council officers in Woking really did work hard to find a scheme that had least impact.  The logic of charging more to those who have least is totally beyond me.

Woking Council has partially been able to reduce the impact for those on benefits or low incomes by making "technical changes" to Council Tax.  I will cover those changes in another blog post.

Why would anyone do this to young children?

St Peter's Church Centre - the blaze which thankfully
burnt out started in an outbuilding at the centre

I was totally horrified, and somewhat incredulous to read today of yet another act of arson affecting a community facility in Woking.  I wrote just over a week ago about the blazes that caused serious damage at Toad Hall nursery in Goldsworth Park and the village hall in Mayford.  I also mentioned the fire at Sayers Croft in Cranleigh, an educational facility used by Woking school children.

Thankfully the latest blaze,  at St Peter's Church Centre in Old Woking, did not do any serious damage.  However the intention of those who started the blaze would appear to have been destructive.  As the Surrey Advertiser reported this episode also involved a burglary, not a factor (as far as I am aware) in any of the other arson incidents.

In the last two cases, St Peter's Church Centre and Toad Hall, it must have been very evident that the premises catered for young children.  I just can't understand why anybody would want to deliberately damage facilities that provide care for young children.

The police did arrest two young men after the Toad Hall blaze.  They have been bailed until January.  I hope there is further progress on these cases and that all our local community facilities remain vigilant until this situation is resolved.

Starstruck Woking

It's been a starstruck few days for Woking.  On Saturday the annual panto kicked off at the New Victoria Theatre starring Stephen Mulhern and Pudsey the dog (winner of Britain's got Talent).  In the audience for Dick Whittington  was comedian, author and extreme charity fundraiser David Walliams.

David was very complimentary about our local panto.

"It's brilliant. Stephen is really funny and Ashleigh & Pudsey 

are so entertaining. Tonight Stephen even got me 

up on the stage. So much fun..!"

David doesn't seem to be alone in his praise for Dick Whittington.  I've seen lots of good reports on the show in its first few days.

But the excitement doesn't end there.  Today the Law and Order UK team were back recording in Woking and Bradley Walsh was spotted in the town centre.  Bradley or should I say DS Ronnie Brooks was on a seat in the vicinity of the Woking Martian.

A Bridge Too Far ... Away

The old canal bridge leaves the site

Earlier this year residents of Horsell and beyond were horrified to learn that the bridge over the Basingstoke Canal was to close for 9 months.  The old bridge has been removed and a new bridge is being built as part of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) building on the Brewery Road car park site.

I know residents will be even more upset to now learn it could be a whole year before the new bridge is in place.

I heard rumours just over a week ago about how far behind the project is running.  Quite understandable, given the heavy and persistent rain that delayed work over the summer and beyond.  A previous conversation with the site manager had told me there had been delays but they would be caught up over time.  The bridge wasn't mentioned.

I had to put a formal question to the last meeting of the full Council to get the facts.  The public information supplied tells us the bridge will be open "early in 2013".  i had taken this as January.  In fact at one point I had heard we may get a bridge back in December.  At the council meeting I was told that the bridge will be completed "early" in 2013 and that the contractor will finish within the contract period.  Further questioning then confirmed that the period defined in the contract is April 2013.  Hardly "early" in the year.  

This all makes rather a mockery of the statement posted on Woking Council's website when they listened to "people power" and changed the original bridge plans back in late 2011.

"Once development commences in early 2012, we will work closely with WWF-UK and its contractors to minimise disruption to local residents caused by the construction of the Bedser Bridge."

Hope McLaren Tax Windfall speeds up visitor centre

Tribunal judges have ruled that McLaren’s fine for a spying ‘controversy’ with Ferrari can be considered tax deductible.  McLaren can now claim a corporate tax deduction on the £32Milion fine.

This huge (and I would say seemingly disproportionate fine) was one reason given for McLaren not creating a visitor centre at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking.  A visitor facility was a requirement when McLaren were given planning permission for their new HQ more than a decade ago.

Woking Borough councillors made much of the failure to provide a visitor centre when McLaren applied for planning permission to build on the other side of the A320.  Permission for the development of the McLaren Applied Technology Centre was granted early in 2012.  In agreeing the application planners sought to work with McLaren to bring a visitor centre to a town centre location in Woking.

Let’s hope this tax windfall helps McLaren to fund a town centre presence sooner rather than later.

Looking Back at Lewis' McLaren Life in Horsell & Woking

As Lewis Hamilton announced his departure for Mercedes today it prompted me to look back at my memories of Lewis, McLaren and the motor racing team's home in Horsell, Woking.  It also raised the question is this a good move for the driver and his new team.

Soon after moving to Horsell I read in the local paper about a young go-kart champ signed by McLaren as a potential future F1 driver.  Lewis joined the McLaren development programme aged just 13.  I wondered then, back in 1998, if I would hear the name again.  That name, was of course,  Lewis Hamilton.  

I'm not a huge sports fan.  Tennis is the game I am most likely to watch or play.  I've been to Wimbledon a few times and was delighted to secure tickets  for the Olympic tennis championship there this summer.  I came to motor racing through my better half who has been a fan for many years and even did his own stint at kart racing and as an engineer for a racing driver friend.  I used to leave the room when the noise of twenty highly tuned racing cars invaded my lounge but over time I suppose I got used to the noise and I stayed around, albeit engaged in another activity.  I got familiar with the drivers and the teams.  I started to root for home teams and drivers.  I have never yet sat through a whole race without wandering about to do other things, reading or working on the laptop but I do find the start exciting and enjoy the stops and overtaking maneouevres. By the time we arrived in Woking I was a little bit of an F1 fan and knew the team had a headquarters in our new home.  Feeling I was in at the beginning with Lewis I have been particularly keen to follow his progress in F1.

Another lasting memory of our early days in Woking is watching Mika Hakkinnen drive his McLaren around the town after securing the world championship in 1998.  We stood near the junction of Chobham Road and Victoria Way.  As Mika approached us he revved his engine, waking our sleeping baby who howled at the shock of the noise.  It was such a pity we couldn't do the same for Lewis when he won the title ten years later.

Is a move to Mercedes a good one for Lewis?  The press seem unsure but having read this piece on BBC Sport which charts Lewis' career one key factor stood out.  Ross Brawn, former technical director at McLaren but also a previous holder of this pivotal role at Benetton and Ferrari is at Mercedes.  Could the combination of Brawn and Hamilton take Mercedes to the F1 title in the next few years?  I wouldn't rule it out.

Woking Library Closure – opportunity to explore?

Woking Library is closed for two weeks as it moves to a temporary home in Wolsey Place.  This period includes half term week.

It strikes me that this could be an opportunity to explore other libraries in Woking Borough.  If you have access to a car, can afford the bus fare or fancy a cycle ride why not check out one, or both, of the other borough libraries.  Both are under threat of closure unless volunteers come forward to run them.  Extra patronage can only help their cause.

Byfleet Library

A recently refurbished library (why spend all that money on it and then threaten to close it!) with a good range of books and DVDs and a lovely children’s section.  Byfleet Library also has  a whole fascinating room devoted to the history of Byfleet. The Heritage Centre has lots of photographs of Byfleet in years gone by and very readable text on the history of the village.  Have a preview of Byfleet’s long history (it pre-dates West Byfleet) here 

Located at High Road, Byfleet, KT14 7QN – on the village green, opposite the Plough pub

Free parking behind the library or take 472 bus from Woking

Open 10-6 Tuesday 10-5 Friday and 9.30-4 Saturday

Knaphill Library

A virtually brand new library, fitted out just a few years ago, after the previous library had been closed for several years.  Light and airy with children’s and adult books.

Located at 4 Anchor Hill, Knaphill GU21 2PD – behind the Anchor pub

Open 10-6 Tuesday, 2-5 Wednesday, 10-5 Thursday, 10-5 Friday, 9.30-4 Saturday

Free parking behind the Co-op which is a short walk down the road or take 34 bus from Woking.

Before or after the library why not browse the Knaphill shops.  The pet shop just across the road from the library is always a favourite with my children.  Be warned you may get requests for hamsters, mice, rats, guinea pigs or rabbits after the trip!  We always stop to at least look in the window of the cake shop. They always have several amazing cakes on display.  Shop here for an incredible range of food colourings and fantastic cake decorations, order a cake to your own design or rent a character cake tin to make your own amazing creation.  Stock up on any school uniform requirements at Valentinos and check out their other items of clothing while you are there.  If a half term treat is in order why not stop for a break the Valentinos coffee shop before you head for home.

Sainsbury's Self Service Tills Encouraging Use of Plastic Bags?

I am growing increasingly frustrated with the operation of Sainsbury's self service tills which seems to be completely at odds with the store's policy to reduce plastic bag usage.

The tills give the option of using your own bag. Several times I have put down my bag, containing my purse, phone and other items in order to add a few purchases to the bag. The till refused to work, saying there was a problem with my bag and to ask staff for assistance. A member of staff then came over and pressed a few buttons and I was able to complete my purchases. At no time did a member of staff tell me the till didn't like me puttting a bag down that already contained other items. My husband pionted out the problem with other items in the bag so on my next visit I had an empty Sainsbury's reusable bag with one empty carrier inside. The till still refused to work.

This systems seems to promote the use of Sainsbury's branded plastic carrier bags which are prominently placed on the tills whilst the reusable bags are further away, out of reach.

I have written to Sainsbury's and asked why the operation of the self service tills is so much at odds with their policy to reduce plastic bag usage.  Specifically I have asked the store:

1. Why can't I add a few purchases from Sainsbury's to my handbag?
2. What if I do some shopping at other stores then call into Sainsbury's for some bread or milk. Why can't I add these items to my bag?
3. Why don't staff tell customers what is causing the problem so they are at least forewarned for their next visit?

I will update this post with the reply I receive from the store.

A Gold Plated Bridge for Woking?

Woking Council expect to spend up to £1 million pounds on a new bridge between Brewery Road Car Park and the town centre.  This new bridge will replace the wooden bridge which is in a state of disrepair (in my view mainly down to a lack of maintenance by the Council).

Since we learnt that WWF hoped to build a new headquarters on Brewery Road car park questions have been asked about who would pay for a new bridge and how much it would cost.  I have asked on two previous ocassions about the cost of the bridge and received no figure.  Suddenly the Council has told us it will be up to a million pounds!  Do they plan to build a gold plated bridge?

We are told the reason for the high cost is because the bridge will carry services across the canal.  These services could include Combined Heat and Power (CHP) with the pipes to carry heat requiring to be of a signifgicant size. The interesting thing is that WWF are yet to commit to using the CHP service offered by Woking!

Finally - a response from WWF

I finally got an update from WWF in response to my request for information on the new HQ plans for those unable to attend the consultation events.  They have directed me to their website which gives the "vision" of the new offices they want to build on Brewery Road car park.  They have also sent me two pictures which don't seem to show much more than the ones I took on my phone at the consultation.

If you do have more questions on the new headquarters you can send them to WWF at newhq@wwf.org.uk or send them to me at cllrann-marie@woking.gov.uk  I will be happy to help you get further answers or information from other WWF or Woking Council.

"Mouse of Woking" goes for his maiden

As noted by the abrasive Quentin Letts in the Daily Mail this week our local MP has finally made his first speech in parliament. It has taken him five months to reach this momentous ocassion and he is the last of the 147 Tory MPs to break his duck. Mr Letts describes dear Jonty as the "mouse of Woking" and "Parliament's shyest flower".

As is customary the speech was non-controversial and about the constituency. Several points were rather amusing. He paid tribute to his predecessor Mr Malins and his sporting prowess (apparently he once played against the All Blacks). However golf is more his sport nowadays. Jonty seems to think our former MP will be back in Woking to play golf. I would have thought he is more likely to stay in the rather leafier Reigate, where he lived throughout his tenure as MP for Woking, to play his golf.

Jonty also referred to HG Wells who lived in Woking for several years and set his novel War of the Worlds in the town. He appears to miss the irony that Woking is destroyed by the invading Martians in the story. Continuing the Wells theme he refers to the Martian statue in the town centre. It is pretty obvious he is new to Woking, and still as far as I know, lives in Blackheath, south of Guildford. His Tory colleagues on the Council were none too happy about the expenditure on the Martian statue and used its commissioning as a stick with which to beat the Lib Dems several years ago.

Update 2 November

Just read an interesting item on maiden speeches by the 2010 intake over at epolitix.  It seems our local MP was the last of all 227 of new MPs to make his speech.  All but four of the new boys and girls spoke to the House for the first time before the summer recess.  Jonty spoke 156 days afer the first new MP made his maiden.

Judge a man by the company he keeps ....?

Is there any truth in this old saying?

It certainly rang alarm bells for me when I saw that the Tory Euro MP who called the NHS "a 60 year mistake" had been in Woking supporting the Tory candidate.

It seems to run counter to the Tory candidate's claims to support the NHS.

In election literature our 'local' Tory talks about his role on the Surrey Health Scrutiny Committee. He says that he has been working to secure the future of Woking Community Hospital. Sounds good doesn't it? Rather a shame then, that when he had an opportunity to vote against the loss of beds at Cranleigh Community Hospital (in his county council division), he sat on his hands. Only one person on the committee voted to save beds at Cranleigh Community Hospital - Rosie Sharpley, Liberal Democrat candidate for Woking.