Additional funding for Rights of Way maintenance

Due to an error by the Department of Communities and Local Government in failing to pay the full amount of the planning delivery grant in 2008/9, £78k will now be paid in 2009/10. This will support the development control function within planning, but it is considered that as a result, up to £30k could be spent on Rights of Way. This is in response to concerns from the Environment and Economy Committee members that the level of funding was inadequate to maintain the network, and also to concerns of Surrey residents. One only wonders what other errors government departments have made with our funding grants. A question that I will be putting to the council.

New Opening hours for Community Recycling Centres

At its meeting last Thursday, the Environment and Economy Committee of Surrey County Council, of which I have been the Vice Chairman for the last year, agreed to recommend that the Executive of Surrey County Council consider extending the opening hours of all of the county's community recycling centres. The proposed new summer opening hours would be from 8am to 7.30pm, and is in response to complaints about queuing and congestion, and fly tipping. An executive decision would be expected in July-September 2009, and then it would have to go to the County Planning committee. The new hours, if agreed, would then be implemented in April 2010. If you have any comments on this proposal, I would be happy to hear them.