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News from Ockham Parish Council February 2022

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  • Taylor Wimpey have an Appeal lodged with the Planning Inspectorate regarding the non-determination of Application 20/P/01708. Via OHRA mailing list, we will share the letter Ockham Parish Council have submitted requesting that the Appeal is dismissed. We will also share some notes about the case so you can write direct if you wish. If you do not receive this information, please contact jamieson@ockhamparishcouncil.gov.uk  All representations regarding this case must be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate by 24th February 2022.
  • The Parish Council are looking for a couple of volunteers to erect one of our new village signs please. The posts are in situ already and the sign, which depicts the unusual 7 lancet window of All Saints’ Ockham, needs to be screwed to the posts. It’s a two person job as the sign is heavy. If you can help, please let our Clerk know – details at the bottom of the page.
  • In February we shared with you that OPC and OHRA had recently met with the Police at the Ockham Bites Carpark. We have had some positive feedback from the Police regarding action they are taking to make the location a safe, clean space for all to enjoy. Please share your observations – good or bad – with us or report them direct – details of how to do this in February’s update.
  • We want to create a Memorial Garden adjacent to the War Memorial and have some funding to do this work. If you would like to get involved with this exciting project, we would be very pleased to hear from you. Contact Alyson our Clerk for further details.
  • Villages Against Wisley New Town have arranged a walk in support of the Green Fields Campaign on Sunday 13th February. Meet at the Ponds Car Park on Old Lane or at Ockham Cricket Club on Ockham Lane at 2 pm. All welcome! Dress accordingly. Mud anticipated!

Please contact the Parish Clerk with enquiries

Mrs Alyson Blackwell  – email: clerk@ockhamparishcouncil.gov.uk

News from Ockham Parish Council January 2022

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  • The Parish Council together with OHRA recently met with the Police at Ockham Bites car park. At our request, the police have agreed to become more actively involved in ‘making the location a safe, clean space for all to enjoy’. Please help by reporting allanti social behaviour you notice on the commons – including litter which is not put safely into the rubbish bins provided. The most efficient way to place a report is online using this link: https://www.surrey.police.uk/ro/report/asb/asb/report-antisocial-behaviour/report-the-behaviour-of-someone/?lid=0161b8a4-b9ba-48a2-a492-6207836bc4fd

Alternatively, you can report via facebook: please click the message button on the Surrey Police Facebook page.

The more active we all are about reporting anti social behaviour, the more the police will be able to do.

Obviously do not put yourself in danger at any time.

  • Ockham Parish Council have a new website. https://ockhamparishcouncil.gov.uk/

Please note the councillors’ new email addresses.

  • Ockham Parish Council are looking for a new parish councillor. For further details please look at the OPC website.
  • GBC are running a consultation – Local Plan: Development Management Policies. OPC will be submitting in due course and you may want to submit a comment yourself: https://guildford.inconsult.uk/LPDMP21/consultationHome
  • Natural England are conducting a boundary review for the AONB. Deadline 31stJanuary 2022. OHRA will be sending out information shortly on behalf of OPC on how you can participate. We would welcome your involvement please.

 

Please contact the Parish Clerk with enquiries

Mrs Alyson Blackwell  – email: clerk@ockhamparishcouncil.gov.uk

Anti-social behaviour at Ockham Bites car park

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The Parish Council together with OHRA recently met with the Police at Ockham Bites car park. At our request, the police have agreed to become more actively involved in ‘making the location a safe, clean space for all to enjoy’.  Please help by reporting all anti social behaviour you notice on the commons – including litter which is not put safely into the rubbish bins provided.

The most efficient way to place a report is online using this link: https://www.surrey.police.uk/ro/report/asb/asb/report-antisocial-behaviour/report-the-behaviour-of-someone/?lid=0161b8a4-b9ba-48a2-a492-6207836bc4fd

Alternatively, you can report via facebook: please click the message button on the Surrey Police Facebook page.

The more active we all are about reporting anti social behaviour, the more the police will be able to do.

Obviously do not put yourself in danger at any time.

William of Ockham

December – news update

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This is a quick summary of what’s been going on with the council…we’ll be providing these updates monthly in future.

  • The Parish Council are actively encouraging Councillor Colin Cross to maintain the pressure on Guildford Borough Council to progress with their review of the Adopted Local Plan. We will keep you advised.
  • Vehicles moving in excess of the 30 mph speed restriction in Ockham are a concern for us all.  The speed awareness signs purchased by the Parish Council earlier this year are an excellent reminder to drivers to slow down.
  • We are liaising with Councillor Colin Cross and Surrey County Council (SCC) about the pavements in Ockham and have asked for these to be cleared of vegetation so they are easier for pedestrians to use safely.
  • Ockham has been offered some young trees by SCC and will be taking delivery of them early in the New Year. If you are interested in helping to plant the trees, please let us know.
  • Many of you will know that the Taylor Wimpey application for a stub road and roundabout (21/P/01582) was refused at Planning Committee earlier this month. We had sent in a detailed objection letter against the application and spoke at the Planning Committee meeting. Guildford Borough Councillors voted unanimously against this proposal.
  • Please take a moment to google Surrey County Council LCWIP (Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans) and complete their online form about cycling in and around Ockham. We are aware that local roads are narrow and dangerous for cyclists and so providing feedback will be useful.
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Flooding issues in Ockham

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Residents are asked to send any concerns by email about flooding issues in Ockham to clerk@ockhamparishcouncil.gov.uk Photos to show the problem would be helpful in reporting concerns.

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Ockham Gigabit – Openreach Application. Calling all Ockham Residents!

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Thank you to those of you that have signed up already (60 of us). If you haven’t yet …….please support our village application for a Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) project by pledging your interest and entering your address (residential or business) in the on-line form linked below.  Your data will then be collated and sent to Openreach to register your property and intent.

GU23 6 postcodes with broadband speeds of less than 100Mbps can use “vouchers” to support the cost of installing new gigabit-capable connections when part of a group scheme. Completing this form (which takes less than a minute) will allow us to claim the value of a virtual government-funded voucher to be offset against the cost of deploying Gigabit Fibre Broadband in Ockham.

https://forms.gle/cPggMVcXQuqCexCP8

What is Gigabit Fibre or FTTP?

Gigabit fibre or FTTP (fibre to the premise) is a fibre optic connection from the telephone exchange to your home. This is not to be confused with “BT fibre” which is in fact FTTC (fibre to the cabinet). This then uses the copper telephone lines from the cabinet to your home.  Of the properties registered in Ockham so far, current download speeds range from 16.5Mb/s to 80Mb/s (according to Openreach).  FTTP is much faster reaching speeds of 330Mb and in some cases even 1Gbps.

What is this voucher? 

Each of our properties can claim a virtual “voucher” that may be pledged towards improving broadband for a rural area. The voucher cannot be used anywhere else.  At this stage, it is just a commitment to show interest for ultrafast broadband in Ockham.

Do you run your business from home?

For any residents who also run their business from home, if you are eligible (see below), please register as a business property (not residential) to benefit from the higher value voucher. To qualify for a business voucher, you will be asked to self-certify that you meet the European Commission definition of an SME whereby your business has:

  • Up to 249 employees (in total in the organisation) and turnover no greater than €50m per annum, and/or A balance sheet of no more than €43m
  • You will also have to self-certify that you have received less than €200k in public grants in the last 3 years – the de minimis limit.
  • You will be asked to provide evidence of your status as a SME or sole trader.
  • Everyone – Why do I need Gigabit?You may think your current broadband speed is fine – but …There are numerous benefits to upgrading to FTTP; many home devices are now connected online and with live streaming services, working from home and increasing online education  – more so than ever, a reliable ultrafast connection is paramount. We believe that every property in Ockham should have the opportunity of being upgraded and having high speed broadband, like everywhere else. It is probably key to emphasise that this is a potential one-off program for our village as providers will not individually upgrade properties outside of the scheme.  Importantly, having Gigabit broadband has been shown to add approximately 2% value to your property and makes it much more marketable.
  • Timescales We need to act quickly to ensure our eligibility. Many of you will have heard already that East and West Horsley already have their Gigabit schemes approved – unfortunately we can’t piggyback onto their schemes as these projects were already well under way and costed out by the provider.
  • What Next? Please encourage your neighbours to sign up with you as the higher take-up will make the scheme more cost-effective and viable for Openreach and consequently better for us.We welcome any ideas for how to broaden the appeal for sign-up in Ockham.
  • Questions? Please send any questions regarding any of the above to me at tony.forrest@gmail.com
  • who has kindly agreed to update any further news.
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Guildford Borough Council Lovelace Neighbourhood Planning Referendum

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 I James Whiteman, being the Counting Officer at the Lovelace Neighbourhood Planning Referendum held on 6 May 2021, do hereby give notice that the result of the votes cast is as follows:

Question in ReferendumDo you want Guildford Borough Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for the Lovelace Neighbourhood Area to help decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?
Number cast in favour of Yes 671
Number of votes cast for No 132
The number of ballot papers rejected was as follows: Number of ballot papers
Want of an official mark 0
Voting for more answers than required 2
Writing or mark by which voter could be identified 0
Being unmarked or wholly void for uncertainty 10
Total 12

Electorate: 1952 Ballot Papers Issued: 815 Turnout: 41.75% 6th  May 2021 James Whiteman Counting Officer

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Elections Results

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Surrey County Council ELECTION OF A COUNTY COUNCILLOR FOR THE HORSLEYS DIVISION DECLARATION OF RESULT OF POLL, I James Whiteman, being the Deputy Returning Officer at the election held on Thursday 6th May 2021, DO HEREBY GIVE NOTICE that the number of votes cast for each candidate at the election is as follows:

Names of Candidates

Votes Recorded

(E): Elected

CROSS, COLIN GEORGE

Residents for Guildford and Villages

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2214 (E)

DALY, ELIZABETH

Liberal Democrat

536

HORITZ, PETER BOYD

Labour Party Candidate

149

ILES, JULIE DEBORAH

The Conservative Party Candidate

1735

The Number of Ballot Papers rejected was as follows:

  1. (a)  Want of Official Mark
  2. (b)  Voting for more candidates than the voter was entitled to
  3. (c)  Writing or mark by which the voter could be identified
  4. (d)  Being unmarked or wholly void for uncertainty
  5. (e)  Rejected in part

    TOTAL REJECTED VOTES

0 2 0 14 0

16

GRAND TOTAL

4650

AND I HEREBY DECLARE THAT COLIN GEORGE CROSS has been duly elected. % Turnout: 46.80%.

Guildford Borough Council Millmead House, Millmead, Guildford Surrey GU2 4BB. James Whiteman, Deputy Returning Officer