Parish Council Achievements

Represented Community Centre members at meetings with Elmbridge Borough Council (EBC) to secure its future following the unplanned closures.
Asked the Planning Inspectorate to recognise Claygate as a Local Centre—not s District Centre—in the Local Plan to protect Claygate from overdevelopment.
Drafted and distributed a 20-page Courier newsletter to all residents with delivery help from CVA volunteers.
Voted for a new Brian Rhodes Community Cup winner: John Bamford.
Awarded a new contract which arranged for maintenance of six Highway Garden Sites by Paul's Garden Services for the next three years.
Arranged and ran a very successful January Litter Pick.
Awarded grants to plant Claygate Pearmain apple trees in Claygate and provide funds towards new picnic tables at Treetops on the Recreation Ground.
Assisted the CVA by taking three vanloads of cuttings to the Leatherhead Recycling Centre following the removal of large quantities of over-growth along The Firs verge between Dalmore Avenue and Foley Road.
Paid for maintenance of the defibrillator at The Hare & Hounds.
Recruited a new Parish Clerk: Dawn Lacey.
Appointed a young adviser and listened to her ideas.

Liaised with EBC regarding Land North of Raleigh Drive to object to development on Green Belt Land—Planning Inspectorate Ref APP/K3605/W/23/33343391; Planning Application Reference 2023/0962.
Reviewed 41 Planning Applications in the last three months.
Objected to Station House development (2024/0118).
- Raised concerns about insufficient car parking and the proposal's compliance with the relevant spatial regulations.
Raised concerns with the Planning department about development at 11 Elm Gardens.
Raised a formal objection to the proposal at 11 Elm Gardens (2024/0223): concerns about the size of the dwelling proposed, it being out of out of place, both in size and appearance contrary to policy.

Carried out a very successful May Litter Pick, well attended by The Community, Guides, Brownies & Hub.
Onboarded four new councillors following their election.
Met with EBC representatives at the Claygate Centre to review progress towards re-opening four days a week & to make suggestions for joint activities between the two memberships.
Approved £10k grant for refurbishments to the Village Hall.
Approved £2k seed funding grant—50% matched by the Claygate Community Benefit Society Ltd (CCBS)—towards valuation and survey costs of The Winning Horse Project.
Approved £50,000 CIL grant to The Winning Horse Project, contingent on a grant of £890,000 from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
Onboarded & started to train the new Clerk & RFO.

Reviewed 22 planning applications in the past two months.
Represented Claygate at the enquiry at EBC by the Planning Inspectorate into the application to build on the Green Belt: Land North of Raleigh Drive (2023/0962).
Represented Claygate at the Local Plan review with the planning inspectorate at EBC.
Met with EBC to discuss local planning issues and particularly to lobby for Claygate to be reclassified as a Local Centre to protect it from overdevelopment.
Objected to the Station House HMO Development (2024/0118) at East Area planning committee, on the grounds of parking issues on The Parade. Unfortunately EBC voted for the development despite admitting at the Committee Meeting that there is a parking issue.

Anonymous