March/April 2004                                       No 90 

Council tax – lowest increase in Surrey

The new Conservative administration at Guildford Borough Council has slashed the rate of increase in council tax.  After years of soaring council tax under the Liberal Democrats, this year’s increase will be only just over inflation at 3.4% - fulfilling yet another Conservative manifesto pledge of keeping council tax under control.

 

By contrast, the Liberal Democrats gave Guildford an inflation –busting 31% over the past three years.

 

This has been achieved at the same time as spending more money on your priorities which include: safety  - funding additional PCSOs – recycling  - weekly collections – collecting more – mixed paper.

Planning successes

An application to demolish five town houses at Lindfield Gardens, London Road and replace them with 14 flats was rejected by the Council.  A revised application to remodel the town houses was later submitted and approved – thus retaining a lower density.

 

Planning concerns

There are an increasing number of applications to build flats and more flats in the ward. They are invariably not welcomed by the local residents, and yet the government insist on increasing the density. The Council is putting out to consultation a proposed Supplementary Planning Guidance on residential design.  Residents groups are already aware of the importance of this new guidance.  Your views will be important and welcome.  This will be a significant document for the Borough, and Christchurch Ward in particular, when it comes to future

 

Planning disappointments

More planning applications refused by Guildford Council have been overturned on appeal –

 Tangier Road  Nos 35 –37.  Application for 14 dwellings refused by the Council – allowed on appeal.

Tangier Road – No16.  Three houses to replace one – refused by the Council – allowed on appeal.

 These appeal decisions are regrettable in a ward such as Christchurch where good-sized gardens are a feature. Decisions like this are going against the wishes of the majority of residents, and set precedents, and it will become increasingly difficult for the Council to resist.  Andrew Hodges, however, will continue to fight for what residents repeatedly have said they want. Please remember, however, the forces working against us – i.e. the government planning guidance which wants higher density , and the Government Office of the South East which can call in decisions, also the refused applications granted on appeal.

Planning surprises

Many of you will have read in the local newspaper of an application to build an 8000 capacity football stadium on Stoke Park (Council owned land) adjacent to Spectrum.  This application was submitted without any prior consultation with the Council officers or members.  If you were going to submit such an extensive application, would you not let the landowner know in advance?

 

The applicant who put forward the  proposal for a hotel in London Road, which was refused, has missed the deadline for an appeal. We shall wait to see if a new application follows.

 
            Double your recycling

Andrew Hodges and David Hunter

 continue to support recycyling 

Guildford’s Conservative Council has given a much-needed boost to recycling in Guildford with the issue of a second recycling box – this time purple.  These have gone to most residents in the borough, and together with the green boxes are collected weekly.    The purple box will take newspapers, cardboard, directories and glossy paper. The green box is now for glass and cans.

 

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