What’s the point of having a Civic society? Well your small group of representatives have attended many meetings and raised queries on your behalf – and as busy volunteers we share what we can. What is clear is that some topics are making people cross, but also the same questions go round in circles on social media, so it’s important to try to be measured and truthful too. Do watch out for misinformation…
IS CRANLEIGH A VILLAGE? Cranleigh Village is proud to remain a village in feel and look. Cranleigh is one of about 13 villages that are as large as “large towns” in population and is not the largest. Cranleigh Society would love to help to maintain this sense of popping to the village for great local shopping and friendly socialising venues. (It seems that holding a regular market is more of a Town credential.) As a village there is a Parish Council, a Village Green and a Common. People proudly support local clubs, arts and businesses, and say hello and smile too.
WHEN IS CRANLEIGH A LARGE TOWN? Because Cranleigh has a large population that is growing, when Cranleigh enters Britain in Bloom competitions they put Cranleigh into the Large Town category! Sad but true. However it’s exciting too as the results of the competition were published as SILVER GILT! CONGRATULATIONS ARE DUE ALL ROUND. It’s the first time that Cranleigh has entered the whole of England awards, as well as the South and South East awards.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF BEING A LARGE TOWN? IF ANY! When Cranleigh grows in population and boundary it will eventually “benefit” from more representation at Waverley Borough Council. Might be a good thing? However Waverley’s other towns will always be larger.
IS IT A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE A NON POLITICAL SOCIETY? Cranleigh Society was started up with the express purpose of fighting planning permissions – to try to preserve life as we know it, and in that regard there have only been small tweaks made. This may feel like failure but the story continues. You might be content for Councillors and Parish Clerk to keep the good fight going on everyone’s behalf? You might prefer to not really know how they and Waverley Officers and Councillors have to comply with laws and settle on actions people find very difficult to tolerate? Maybe Councillors’ (they are volunteers) work is of no interest to you?
IS IT BEST TO LEAVE EVERYTHING TO OTHERS? There are three main ‘towns’ in Waverley Borough – they all have strong Societies – perhaps Cranleigh Village residents would like to look at the other Societies’ web sites and think about our Village as a place worth working together for. There are so many great things in Cranleigh such as the services we do receive at the Village Hospital, The Arts Centre and Charity Groups such as the Lions and Rotary clubs. There are about 200 groups including the U3A and the HIstory society. But a Civic Society can be there to work for and celebrate with all. Cranleigh Civic Society needs more people within it who will do research, attend meetings and report findings. Your current representatives are doing their best – can you help?
If you have something you want to work on such as investigating planning applications and recommending comments, fighting to get policies changed and observed such as about preserving trees etc. Cranleigh Society has the framework, it needs good people to speak within it – truthfully and with excellent research behind it. It can also be a forum to celebrate what’s great about our town. We need people other than councillors to work and fight for us all….. just saying…
Goldaming here
Farnham here
Haslemere here
NEXT SOCIAL = WEDNESDAY 13th NOVEMBER, FROM 6:30, AT THE THREE HORSESHOES PUB, come and air your views, and even offer written information for publication?
