Great news about Weybridge Hall

Posted on 21/09/2022 by Cllr Ashley Tilling

At last Wednesday’s Elmbridge Cabinet meeting, approval was given to selling Weybridge Hall to Swift Entertainment for its use as a Theatre and Arts Centre. Your ward councillors are really pleased that their continual pressing for the Hall to continue as an entertainment venue, either as a cinema or theatre, is set to come to fruition and will give a boost to the night-time economy of Weybridge. This landmark building at the centre of the town will now be reopened as a venue for the community run by a proven operator – Swift recently refurbished and now successfully run Esher Theatre.

Swift will invest £1.5 million on refurbishments and installations to make it a state-of-the-art facility: a theatre on the ground floor with recording, dance and art studios on the upper floors.Architects drawing of the proposed Floor Plan

Outdoor play

Posted on 16/09/2022 by Cllr Ashley Tilling

The RA/LibDem administration want to ensure a sustainable and thriving Elmbridge will always provide opportunities for outdoor play in our hundreds of parks, recreation grounds and open spaces we provide and maintain across the borough.

Among the sandpits, natural play equipment, the swings, slides, zip wires and skateparks we have two paddling pools, both in Weybridge and built in the 1950s, one in Churchfields park and one in Oatlands park. However, they are costly both financially and environmentally: they need filling with fresh water and emptying every day which requires someone on site for up to eleven hours. The third wet-play facility in the Borough is the Hersham splash-pad which was converted from a similar paddling pool; it reduces the need for lengthy filling and emptying and is therefore opened for a much longer period over the summer than the paddling pools.

The first step to reviewing how the pools fit into Elmbridge’s sustainable future will be a public consultation over the next few weeks to understand what residents feel is their preferred way forward for play provision across the Borough.

Health Campus gets priority

Posted on 23/06/2022 by Charles Lauber

Ever since the fire burnt down the Weybridge Community Hospital 5 years ago, residents have been asking what will be replacing this and when. Things are now finally moving forward with a commitment to faster progress on an affordable and achievable plan.

The recent public exhibition established that the new Health Campus on the old hospital site will get the primary focus, but the redevelopment of the library site is also expected to press ahead.

Weybetter Weybridge (a partnership of the key local organisations who are delivering the programme) estimate that the new health campus will be operational towards the end of 2025. Their vision is that the campus will provide:

Doctors, nurses and therapists working together to provide a one-stop shop for local health services
Access to ‘on the day’ urgent care provided by nurses, GPs and a range of health professionals
Ultrasound and advanced blood testing diagnostic services on site
A range of children’s services including a 0 to19 health visiting and school nursing hub, as well as speech and language and other therapy services

However, replacing the walk in centre is not in the plan (due to the creation of the Urgent Treatment Centre at St Peters) nor is an X-ray unit proposed (as the previous one was underused and there is good capacity in Walton).

The new library space will be designed to be flexible, enabling different types of activities and events to take place. It will include exhibition and performance space, alongside confidential rooms that can be used for workshops, classes or for groups to meet. There will be space throughout the building where people can use facilities including Wi-Fi, computers, printing and photocopying to support them to collaborate, work or study.

Weybetter Weybridge are proposing that part of the Churchfields Car Park will move from its existing position to Churchfields Bowling Green. This will allow for a large plaza as a multi-functional public space behind the new library. There is resident concern about this proposal.

LibDem Cllr Helgi Joensen will be participating in Weybetter Weybridge meetings. Do please add your own comments to this article.

There will of course be extensive public consultation in the months ahead. If you want to be kept up-to-date, submit your email address at https://tinyurl.com/jcfmtpnf. Further information is available at https://tinyurl.com/yswep5zp.

The EBC Environment portfolio

Posted on 10/04/2022 by Cllr Ashley Tilling

Elmbridge is to slash the carbon footprint of big CO2 emitter Xcel Leisure Centre as part of its commitment to fight climate change.

In July 2019 the Lib Dems on Elmbridge Borough Council initiated a local focus on the Climate emergency which was approved by full council and, following an audit, the council adopted its first Carbon Management and Reduction Plan in 2020.

In May last year I had the privilege of taking on responsibility for the Environment Portfolio and was keen to make speedier progress on implementing proposals in this plan. Working closely with officers and with the cross-party Climate Change Panel, we have secured sufficient money within the council budget to take forward a number of exciting carbon reduction measures. With nearly a million pounds allocated in the February budget, we are now in a position to move forward with projects including: installing solar panels on the Civic Centre and Community Centres; additional insulation at Community Centres and installing electric vehicle charging points at these locations. EV charging points will also be installed at Churchfields car park, Weybridge, over the next few weeks and later this year at Drewitts Court, Walton.

Significantly, we will be installing solar panels on the roof of the Xcel Leisure Centre – the Council’s biggest carbon emitter. We expect this will give an annual saving of around £50,000 and 77 tonnes of CO2 and expect to recoup the cost of the installation within six years. I have also been promoting the installation of a trial solar carport at the Civic Centre car park which will be a solar PV canopy over ten parking spaces and generate 26,000 kWh/yr to offset the building’s electricity consumption and save some £4,000 and 7 tonnes of CO2 per year.

With fuel prices going up, I am reassured that the Council has made sound decisions for both climate reduction and future cost savings.

Cllr Ashley Tilling

A new Local Plan for Elmbridge

Posted on 17/02/2022 by Cllr Ashley Tilling

The Lib Dems, who form the joint administration of Elmbridge Borough Council with the Residents Association group, have fought for a Local Plan which cherishes the character of the area we all love and safeguards our Green Belt.

Lib Dem Leader on the Council, Bruce McDonald, said:

“We are putting community back at the heart of our Local Plan. It will help make Elmbridge the place we all want it to be as we rebuild after the pandemic. We want to make sure that our area is thriving with sustainable communities and businesses. We also believe that is is crucial that the residents of Elmbridge are given a voice in shaping our future. That’s why we stand against the Conservative government’s unrealistic housing target for Elmbridge. It has to go. The pandemic has proved how important our green spaces are to health and well-being. We have to put a stop to a system which would trample over our green spaces and damage the character of our towns.”

Lib Dems also challenged the Conservative government last year when they proposed huge planning reforms which would silence the voices of local residents in planning applications. After huge public outcry, and the Lib Dem victory in Chesham and Amersham, the Tories were forced to U-Turn and scrap their unpopular plans.

Local resident and Lib Dem campaigner, Gill Smith: “Lib Dems want to see our glorious area protected, and we want to make sure that local residents get a say in what happens in their local community. So many people tell us on the doorstep that they’re fed up with being ignored by the government and want to see a local team stand up for the things they care about, like our green spaces.”

Applications for Local Infrastructure Funding

Posted on 17/02/2022 by Cllr Ashley Tilling

Elmbridge Borough Council will soon be accepting applications for the annual local Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funding. The application period is Monday 21 February to Sunday 3 April 2022 at midnight,with the applications being reviewed in June and early July.

CIL allows Elmbridge Borough Council to raise funds from developments in the borough to help pay for the physical infrastructure needed to mitigate the impacts of new development. As part of the process, EBC annually allocates a portion of CIL funds to be spent locally on smaller infrastructure schemes that are required in the communities where development took place.

Seven settlement area committees, known as ‘Local Spending Boards’, have been formed to cover the whole of Elmbridge; these consist of Ward Councillors serving in each of the areas who meet to decide how their local CIL funds will be allocated. Successful local CIL applications have included projects such as improvements to state schools to better enable them to meet the needs of an increasing school population, improvements to community facilities, footpath works and countryside access improvements.

It is anticipated that by the time the bids come before our Local Spending Board (Oatlands & Burwood Park, Weybridge Riverside & Weybridge St George’s Hill) in June there will be around £250,000 of CIL money to be allocated.

Find out more on the Council’s Community Infrastructure Levy webpages.

Churchfields Town Paths

Posted on 16/02/2022 by Cllr Ashley Tilling

At last there has been a positive decision from the Local Inquiry that was held on the 7th September last year. The Inquiry was ordered by the Secretary of State and it has determined that the town paths running through the heart of Weybridge, which were upgraded last year as part of the new link between the town centre and Brooklands Business Park, could be shared by cyclists and pedestrians.

The paths have been used by recreational, slow-moving cyclists and by school children attending Heathside School for many years as a convenient and safe way of travelling around the town. We realise that some people feel vulnerable on the paths and your councillors have worked with the Weybridge Society to promote a Share with Care campaign; signs that have been specially designed will now be placed along the paths with the aim of supporting the campaign to encourage all users to be considerate, careful and safe.

Town Path Local Inquiry

Posted on 29/07/2021 by Cllr Ashley Tilling

You will have noticed that the upgrading of the paths around Churchfields was completed in May. Not only were these busy paths widened to 3 metres wherever possible to make them safer for all users but the proposals put forward by Cllr Ashley Tilling (for lighting to be installed on the path between the playground and the allotments, to move the fences to provide a much safer s-bend next to the skate park, and for the route into town through the car park to be made good) were all agreed and implemented.

However, a Local Inquiry is to be held at 1000 on the 7th September (venue to be decided) to determine whether the paths should be shared for both cyclists and pedestrians. Written representations should be made by 10th August to Sarah.tudor@planninginspectorate.gov.uk, using the same address to register intentions to attend the inquiry.

To download the details of the Inquiry click on this link: Pre Inquiry noteDPIQ36302110 PIM Note 21 07 21

Helping our High Street

Posted on 01/05/2021 by Cllr Ashley Tilling

There has been a significant impact on local businesses over the last year due to closures imposed under covid-19 lockdown rules. This has accelerated an existing trend away from high street shopping to on-line purchasing (32.5% of sales are now on-line). Weybridge has 25 empty retail units and both Santander and Barclays banks have recently announced that they are closing their Weybridge branches.

Elmbridge Borough Council has been administering grants to businesses to cover the time they have been mandated to close. Discretionary grants have been paid to those not mandated to close but who have suffered a large downturn in trade and up to £9000 one-off payments were given in January to retail, leisure and hospitality businesses forced to close in the third lockdown.

The government’s Budget continued both the furlough scheme and the reduced rate of VAT for tourism and hospitality businesses until September, while extending the business rates holiday for three months.

As we emerge slowly from lockdown constraints, the Council will be looking to further support businesses from its own funds. £2000 per business will be available to improve shopfronts and signage and £1000 to support improved footfall or sustainability. Further support is available in the form of a grant of up to £2000 to bring shops that have been empty for over 3 months back into commercial use.

32 independent retailers in Elmbridge have already benefited from a grant of up to £1500 from the Elmbridge Digital High Street Fund to help them convert to selling on-line and 82 start-up awards have been made so far to provide £1000 to set up new businesses.

Further discretionary grants are in the pipeline. Currently there is no detail on these but the following links can be used to check on progress of these grants.

Weybridge Liberal Democrats

Working for Weybridge

Category Archives: Town Centre