Productive meeting with Waverley leaders

Cranleigh Society representatives met with Waverley council leaders – Councillors and officers –  for the second time on behalf of Cranleigh’s residents.

We pursued many of your worries and were given the councillors’ and officers’ replies.  Due to the number of topics covered there will be more than one post on this website.

n.b. Waverley Borough Council employs Officers to carry out the Strategic plans of the Senior Officers plus our Councillors. Many plans take years, even decades to be carried forward by which time we the public are sometimes somewhat surprised!

WORKING TOGETHER

CCS asked the Council to make an annual presentation to all residents groups (e.g. in December) to explain current Objectives for the next Fiscal year with stated expenditure plans. 

In reply, WBC asks that all the residents’ groups contact each other and work together as well as working with our local Cranleigh Parish Councillors.

We pressed for a more active role, along with our councillors, in the early stages of thinking.

The council says that they are doing a total review regarding improving information to all residents.  They will re-activate email Newsletters on the website.  (You can search many newsletters at  https://www.waverley.gov.uk/site/)

DRINKING WATER PIPES

CCS asked WBC to challenge Thames Water. We believe all the old asbestos cement pipes (as much as 29% of our pipes)  should be replaced urgently.   They burst very often and are made of fibres that might cause health problems in the future.

WBC officer replied that he had an extensive conversation with Thames Water recently and in such circumstances they undertake a risk assessment process. Thames Water will prioritise in the areas where the system is failing but works are aligned to their budget.

WBC stated that they had sought legal advice that confirmed that WBC was complying with its legal responsibilities. The Parish Council’s recent letter to the Secretary of State was welcomed.

ACTION – Cranleigh Civic Society and members could lobby their MP Anne Milton on this issue. 

WBC’s position is that whilst there is no evidence that deteriorating water mains pipes cause harm WBC cannot “require” TW to act.  BUT WBC agree that the disruption caused by so many bursts plus all the new housing is very inefficient.

CRANLEIGH RESIDENTS SUFFERED FROM NO WATER RECENTLY DURING A LONG HOT DROUGHT

WBC officer provided an update: Recently, demand outstripped supply. An electric pump that fed the reservoir failed and Thames Water supplied tankers to top up the reservoir. (n.b. Thames Water’s contract as a provider is with the government and not WBC. OFWAT is the regulator in England and Wales.)

WBC help where they can and have responsibility only for knowing and ensuring that the water is safe to drink.

Meanwhile in Cranleigh a pipe burst, and  TW did supply bottled water, eventually. However they weren’t able to co-ordinate with the community affected well.

ACTIONS – CCS & Cranleigh Parish Council need to help put a plan in place to help residents.    WBC Officer to contact TW and suggest they develop their own database of vulnerable people in the area.

Also Residents can contact Thames Water   https://www.thameswater.co.uk/Help-and-Advice/Customer-Commitment/Priority-services   

SEWERAGE ISSUES

CCS asked WBC about the capacity of the sewerage works and the problems with the treated outflow into Cranleigh Water; our sometimes dry  “river”  which is said to be too high in phosphates

CCS asked: why has planning permissions been granted when the water and sewerage issues have not been resolved?

CCS said that there was yet to be a full discussion with regard to the sewage treatment and we have a copy of a letter  written in both 2017 and 2018 to which there has been no response.

CCS asked whether the permit issued in 2009 was still in use?  CCS believes that there could be a contravention of the Water Common Framework Directive if Thames Water’s actions and inactions knowingly led to a “class reduction” in river water quality status.

WBC have told us they will meet with TW soon to discuss, and therefore were unable to provide us with comment on the above at this stage.

CRANLEIGH LEISURE CENTRE

Waverley have an outside expert consultants’ report (2017) advising on the best way to improve and maintain all the leisure centres in Waverley.  Their remit  includes pleasing the public and making a profit for the partner.  A recommendation is that Cranleigh Leisure Centre will benefit from a rebuild; CCS is aware that the “plant” the pool, the roof and the air conditioning are all past their replace by dates.  How, when, where and at what cost has yet to be decided.  The amount of money from current Section 106 receipts has been decided and Cranleigh will benefit.

We have been informed there will be a consultation “soon”.

ACTIONS   look out for consultation and engage with the process.

That’s the end of our first set of topics, please feel free to comment. The next instalment will be shared here soon.

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Denise Wordsworth
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Denise Wordsworth
6 years ago

I wish so much I could feel positive about this as I know how hard CCS work for the village – But reading this makes me feel that we are just on the same old – same old Thames Water say they are doing what they can but restricted by their Budgets – Sorry NOT ENOUGH
SCC do NOTHING – Again Budget restrictions and I am not going to say anything nice about them – They are lazy and so entrenched in their own mire they simply are ineffectual.
I wish I had been there – and maybe then I would have been positive about this – But alas being on Hols – I wasn’t.
I am a newbie of only 4 years here – But I have seen these platitudes so often about the sewerage problems, the flooding the rubbish roads at Wildwood Lane and Alfold and Elmbridge road and nothing Happens…I watch the Planning meetings and Cranleigh HAS BEEN SHAFTED!
Cranleigh has been subjected to the Biggest Housing Development of any of the towns in the Borough with No Infrastructure improvements planned now or in the future – I simply do not understand why more of Cranleigh aren’t up in arms about this? Affordable Housing in Cranleigh is a joke – Unless you have a tidy half to three quarters of a Million to spend… Really?

Sorry I support you but reading this today made my blood boil – I have been reading the responses from SCC/ WBC for so long now I am just disappointed that this is the best they can do. It is simply not enough.. -The Village deserves more – The People of Cranleigh Deserve more – But maybe they just have to shout a little louder… My concern from looking at your Neighborhood Plan is that many living there are Retired and so many of the questions are N/A – Well they would be if you don’t have to commute or take your Kids (of which I have None) to school etc…People don’t currently want to Sell in Cranleigh so again lots of those questions were N/A – But once the 1700 New homes and Dunsfold Park kick in Maybe they will and maybe then – some of the folk in Cranleigh will realise the Mess they are in – when it hits the bottom Line and they realise the assets they thought they had are no longer worth the money they thought.
Sorry to be negative – What you do is great – But somewhere along the line Cranleigh are going to have to realise they have been taken for a ride – as the Part of the Borough with Least representation on WBC / JPC – You have been shafted as have we in Alfold/Dunsfold
There will be NO TRAINS – But you can cycle to Guildford
N/A
Best
Denise