This year’s Ashford “Have Your Say event” organized by Spelthorne Borough Council is on Thursday 17th June
Venue: Thomas Knyvett College, Stanwell Road, Ashford, TW15 3DU Time 7pm – 9pm
There will be opportunities to meet with local councillors, chat with partner agencies at their stands in the marketplace and hear presentations on a variety of topics. These will include the Police Restructure; a Fire Service presentation; an update from Ashford & St Peter’s Hospitals; information around local regeneration projects including Stanwell New Start; planning matters; Strong Leader vs Mayor consultation as well as an open forum question and answer session.
Please come along and support this event, thank you
Wednesday, 12 May 2010
Tuesday, 27 April 2010
The EU and Local Government
Local councils and councillors operate within a framework of law made by central government and the European Union.
Local councillors' ability to make changes for the communities that elect them is often constrained by rules which originate from EU directives and which are frequently goldplated by central government civil servants in Whitehall.
The following are just some of the EU directives in force in the UK which affect local government, and shows how EU law now permeates many aspects of the work of local councils.
Waste and Recycling Costs: The Recycling of Hazardous Waste Directive 91/689/EEC is resulting in the need for massive investments in new recycling technologies. This, together with the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive 2003/108/EC, is leading to higher disposal costs which are being passed on to council taxpayers. The Landfill Directive 99/31/EC means that local councils must reduce landfill waste by half of 1995 levels by 2013 or face fines of up to £180 million per year, leading some councils to move to fortnightly bin collections. The Audit Commission estimates EU waste law could add £30 to each council tax bill. The European Commission recently suggested reducing landfill waste through building more incinerators despite local concerns over their cost and damage to the environment.
Local councillors' ability to make changes for the communities that elect them is often constrained by rules which originate from EU directives and which are frequently goldplated by central government civil servants in Whitehall.
The following are just some of the EU directives in force in the UK which affect local government, and shows how EU law now permeates many aspects of the work of local councils.
Waste and Recycling Costs: The Recycling of Hazardous Waste Directive 91/689/EEC is resulting in the need for massive investments in new recycling technologies. This, together with the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive 2003/108/EC, is leading to higher disposal costs which are being passed on to council taxpayers. The Landfill Directive 99/31/EC means that local councils must reduce landfill waste by half of 1995 levels by 2013 or face fines of up to £180 million per year, leading some councils to move to fortnightly bin collections. The Audit Commission estimates EU waste law could add £30 to each council tax bill. The European Commission recently suggested reducing landfill waste through building more incinerators despite local concerns over their cost and damage to the environment.
Monday, 26 April 2010
Surrey Green Steps
To help Surrey businesses become legally compliant in dealing with business waste., the county council has developed a new online environmental toolkit, Surrey Green Steps, which has just gone live. click here. Green Steps aims to help businesses take steps towards becoming greener and smarter about dealing with their waste and improving environmental credentials. It includes databases to search for recycling sites and collection services, as well as case studies of businesses who have seen improvements from adopting greener practices and a link to a carbon footprinter. There is also the option for businesses to create their own individual Environmental Management System (EMS) to improve their company’s green credentials through an online training tool. The url for the toolkit is www.surreygreensteps.com
The Environment Agency will also offer businesses in the county a postcard giving details on Green Steps when they visit them.
The Environment Agency will also offer businesses in the county a postcard giving details on Green Steps when they visit them.
Sunday, 18 April 2010
May Sugery
The May councillor surgery in Ashford Library will be on Saturday 1st May from 11am to 12noon. Borough Councillor George Trussler will attend with me.
Wednesday, 17 March 2010
Transport for Surrey Conference
Help shape the future of transport for Surrey.
Date Thursday 25 March 2010Venue County Hall, Kingston
Time 9.15-15.40 Registration starts at 9.15 and the first session at 10.00 sharp
With keynote address by SIR DAVID ROWLANDS
Other speakers and workshops include
BAA, Allan Gregory, Director of Surface Access
Transport for London, Mike Keegan, Transport Strategy Manager
Freight Transport Association, Gordon Telling, Head of Policy for London, SE and East of England
Government Office for the South East (GOSE), David Cooper: Where’s the money coming from?
South West Trains, Phil Dominey: Adopt A Station
Stagecoach, Andrew Dyer: Goldline’s first birthday, does quality work?
Spelthorne Borough Council, Sandy Muirhead: Help shape Surrey’s climate change strategy
Woking Borough Council & Surrey County Council, Ellie Guttridge & Paul Fishwick: Cycle Woking: A success story
Rural Transport Forum, Marcus Dodé: Buses for rural non mainstream users
Surrey's Transport Coordination Centre, Matthew Winnett: Coordinating transport needs in the community
Surrey County Council, Fiona Lowe: Surrey’s infrastructure facts and figures
Surrey Police, Rachel Tills, Drive Smart: Surrey’s antisocial driving campaign
Surrey Travel, Tim Brown & Abi Fielder, Surrey’s new traffic information website
Surrey County Council, Katie Dawkins: Travel planning training for young people and adults with special needs
Purpose of conference:
To raise awareness of current transport issues
To raise awareness of possible solutions, however radical
To challenge, and inspire debate
Share views, opinions, good ideas and success stories
To engage partners in Transport for Surrey Partnership decisions e.g. Surrey’s Transport Plan
Show success through partnership working
To raise awareness of current transport issues
To raise awareness of possible solutions, however radical
To challenge, and inspire debate
Share views, opinions, good ideas and success stories
To engage partners in Transport for Surrey Partnership decisions e.g. Surrey’s Transport Plan
Show success through partnership working
Conference topic areas:
We rely on our road and transport networks and have high expectations of them
We must reduce our carbon emissions
Money is scarce
How should we plan for Surrey's future transport?
How can we resolve conflicting issues?
Where will the money come from and how much of it will there be?
How radical will the solutions have to be?
What successes can we learn from and repeat?
What further opportunities for are there for partnership working?
Surrey's next Transport Plan is under development, help us get it right
Delegates
Include representatives of health, education, heritage, rail, bus, air and community transport, access groups, businesses, residents, voluntary sector, public utilities, rural interests, Police, local, regional and central Government
We rely on our road and transport networks and have high expectations of them
We must reduce our carbon emissions
Money is scarce
How should we plan for Surrey's future transport?
How can we resolve conflicting issues?
Where will the money come from and how much of it will there be?
How radical will the solutions have to be?
What successes can we learn from and repeat?
What further opportunities for are there for partnership working?
Surrey's next Transport Plan is under development, help us get it right
Delegates
Include representatives of health, education, heritage, rail, bus, air and community transport, access groups, businesses, residents, voluntary sector, public utilities, rural interests, Police, local, regional and central Government
To apply for a place email tfspartnership@surreycc.gov.uk
Business Continuity Awareness Week 2010 at Surrey County Council
The annual Business Continuity Awareness Week is taking place from 22nd-26th March 2010.
Business Continuity Awareness Week is led by the Business Continuity Institute; it aims to show the growing importance of Business Continuity Management (BCM) as an integral management tool and raise awareness amongst colleagues and customers.
Business Continuity Awareness Week is an opportunity for me to raise awareness about Surrey County Council’s business continuity programme and to promote the value of business continuity to business and voluntary organisations in the area.
As an elected Member, I have a very important role to play with regard to business continuity. Firstly, it is important that I hold Surrey County Council accountable for its business continuity planning to ensure that the council can continue to deliver essential services to the people of Surrey in the event of a disruptive incident.
Surrey County Council is a Category 1 responder under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 and as such has a statutory duty to have tried and tested business continuity plans in place.
Secondly, I can play a key role in encouraging local businesses and community or voluntary organisations to develop their own business continuity plan.
· Learn more about business continuity – visit the websites detailed below for further information
Surrey Continuity – http://www.surreycontinuity.org/
The Business Continuity Institute – http://www.thebci.org/
Continuity Central – http://www.continuitycentral.com/
Continuity Forum – http://www.continuityforum.org/
Or alternatively, email SCC on sccemt@surreycc.gov.uk
Business Continuity Awareness Week is led by the Business Continuity Institute; it aims to show the growing importance of Business Continuity Management (BCM) as an integral management tool and raise awareness amongst colleagues and customers.
Business Continuity Awareness Week is an opportunity for me to raise awareness about Surrey County Council’s business continuity programme and to promote the value of business continuity to business and voluntary organisations in the area.
As an elected Member, I have a very important role to play with regard to business continuity. Firstly, it is important that I hold Surrey County Council accountable for its business continuity planning to ensure that the council can continue to deliver essential services to the people of Surrey in the event of a disruptive incident.
Surrey County Council is a Category 1 responder under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 and as such has a statutory duty to have tried and tested business continuity plans in place.
Secondly, I can play a key role in encouraging local businesses and community or voluntary organisations to develop their own business continuity plan.
· Learn more about business continuity – visit the websites detailed below for further information
Surrey Continuity – http://www.surreycontinuity.org/
The Business Continuity Institute – http://www.thebci.org/
Continuity Central – http://www.continuitycentral.com/
Continuity Forum – http://www.continuityforum.org/
Or alternatively, email SCC on sccemt@surreycc.gov.uk
Sunday, 14 March 2010
Regular Surgery
The regular surgery in Ashford Library for April has had to be moved as it will be the Easter holiday weekend. It will now be on Saturday 1st May from 11 to 12 noon, and Borough Councilor George Trussler will be attending with me.
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