Spring 2002Spring 2002The last year has seen an almost continuous program of work on the main road through our village . First it was reconstruction of the part from the M25 to the roundabout by Mole Valley Council, then the section from the roundabout to the Daneshill rise by Elmbridge.
At the time of writing (22nd February) the final section of resurfacing, from the top of the Daneshill rise to just beyond the junction with Steel's Lane is scheduled to be carried out overnight (from 8pm to 6am) on the 4 to 5 nights commencing 18th March . Elmbridge would have liked to complete this during the daytime in the summer holidays but it has not worked out this way.
The work has been somewhat delayed by the need to co-ordinate with Mole Valley who are currently installing drainage pipes and a footpath on Oaklawn road . Simultaneous closure of the A244 and Oaklawn road would have made diversions even more difficult.
So hopefully by the time this magazine is delivered renewal of the road surface on the A244 should be complete.
Last year 8 lamp posts were converted to provide an external power supply and supplied with Christmas lights at a cost of £155.00 per lamp post. Oxshott Traders contributed generously with the remaining cost being borne by FEDORA.
FEDORA was considering and obtained quotes for an enhanced display this year, similar to Esher, but there were problems with power supplies and replacement of defective bulbs last year and Traders did not feel inclined to contribute this time around . The same lights were therefore put up in the High Street for the festive season this year and then taken down and stored at a cost to FEDORA of £50 per lamp post for these 8 lamp posts.
There were some problems with the Elmbridge Council contractor again this year . Only 7 of the 8 lamp posts were decorated, no failed bulbs were replaced, and the fuse for the electricity supply to the village clock was blown when the lights were taken down.
FEDORA would like to thank Oxshott residents and traders for the generosity of their contributions which has made Christmas decorations possible, but would like to canvas opinion at the AGM as to whether residents would like FEDORA to continue to pay £400 per year for the existing display or indeed enhance it in future years.
We were privileged at our annual meeting on 20th November to welcome John de Breaux, the new Chief Executive of the Epsom and St Helier NHS Trust, and hear his address on the theme "Epsom and St Helier Trust - Your National Health Service".
Those attending will remember his approachable style and determination to improve our Health Service, and his point that his hospitals are only the back half of the NHS system, the front half being the network of General Practitioner surgeries.
John was a civil engineer by background, who had been responsible for major structural improvements to hospitals . He foresaw open wards being converted into smaller wards with a maximum of 6 beds . He also saw the service becoming more patient friendly with better reception and routing procedures, and the comeback of the matron . Some services are being, and would continue to be, contracted out to private hospitals.
The Epsom hospital was seen as having a small catchment area of 190,000 compared with a target 500,000, whilst St Helier, as an old building, was difficult to convert to the desired new ward layout.
Funding was not seen as a particular problem, especially as the low NHS grading of our NHS Trust would obviously signify that money would have to be spent to bring it up to an acceptable standard.
John is currently on a provisional one year appointment. Let us hope that this will be extended so that he can carry through some of his improvements.
The site has now been targeted at families, rather than teenagers who have been encouraged to go to Thorpe Park instead . As a result attendances at CWA in 2001 have declined by 199,000 to some 1.2m (from a peak of 1.7m) whilst those at Thorpe Park have increased by a similar amount.
Management are currently conducting a review of activities with a view to improving financial performance.
CWA have recently applied for permission to use the southern access point on Fairoak Lane for entry as well as previously granted permission for exit, and this was not opposed by FEDORA. They would also like to tarmac the southern car parks, which are currently grassed.
CWA continue to offer local residents preferential rates for one off-peak visit per year.
Reeds School wish to divert the public footpath from Oxshott station to Esher Common, which for about 200 - 300 hundred metres passes between the main school buildings and the gymnasium and swimming pool.
There have been problems for the school from members of the public, including a flasher, attempted arson of a school building and thefts from changing rooms, not to mention a potential drug problem.
A school's security is deemed to be one of the few legitimate reasons for diverting a public footpath. FEDORA and its constituent Heathside Residents Association have met with school officials and have found a mutually acceptable diversion route. The school will now have to submit its plans to the relevant authorities for approval, and it is anticipated that these will be approved after a lengthy delay.
There is some concern about application 2001/2315 to build 2 detached 4 bedroom houses on Green Belt land and ancient woodland at Littleheath Farm. This would seem to set an unfortunate precedent for the preservation of the Green Belt which is enshrined in Elmbridge's Planning Policies.
FEDORA asked Roger Whittaker, the Elmbridge Councillor for Oxshott on the Planning Sub-Committee, to oppose this application. The application went to the full Council on 20th February and was decisively rejected. The developer may now appeal, but is not expected to succeed.
The decision was not as simple
as might appear at first sight. One dwelling had already been
approved at this location and there were various other motley
'temporary' buildings, caravans and businesses on the site. Approval
of housing would have resulted in eviction and removal of all
these other buildings and activities, and a general clear-up of
the area.