A new Epsom and Ewell Borough Council will be elected on the 4th May. All 35 seats in all 14 wards are open to the competition. Epsom and Ewell Times is providing every candidate standing the opportunity to have published on these pages details of their candidacy and a short statement why they are standing.

The candidates are listed strictly in order of receipt of their details.

CLICK HERE for the Epsom and Ewell Times guide to all candidates – as it stands today.

When nominations close and the official list of candidates is published our list will be verified. We are not responsible if any candidate chooses not to provide details but we will endeavour to include the names and parties represented of all candidates after the official lists are published.

Candidates can supply their details via Form of entry for candidates.

You may find useful this EEBC official map of the Wards. You should have posted to you a polling card stating in which ward you live and are eligible to vote for.

The new ward of Horton and the three most closely contested wards in the last election of 2019 will each have a hustings organised by Epsom and Ewell Times as follows:

Wednesday 26th April:

3rd Scout Hall, Epsom Methodist Church, Ashley Road. Epsom, KT18 5AQ

6.15pm Stamford Ward

7.15pm Court Ward

8.15pm College Ward

Tuesday 2nd May at 7pm:

Southfield Park Primary School, Long Grove Rd, Epsom KT19 8TF, one hustings will be held for the new ward of Horton.

Related reports:

Register to vote deadline for elections

4th May Surrey goes to the polls

Turn up to turn downturn in turnout!

Worrying about voter ID law

No photo – no vote!

COUNCIL ELECTIONS

4th May Surrey goes to the polls

6 April 2023

Election day in Surrey takes place on May 4 this year but because of the way the county is broken up, not every poll will be the same. Surrey operates … READ MORE

COUNCIL ELECTIONS

Register to vote deadline for elections

5 April 2023

The deadline to register to vote in May’s local elections is approaching. Those who need to register, including those who have recently moved house, need to do so before midnight … READ MORE

COMMUNITY LOCAL HISTORY VOLUNTEERS

A Valentine unloved for over 125 years, till now

4 April 2023

Another short and tragic life buried in an unmarked grave in Epsom’s abandoned Horton Cemetery is brought to life by one of the volunteer team of researchers. The full story … READ MORE

EDUCATION HEALTH NEWS

Surrey sleep specialists supported

3 April 2023

The University of Surrey has been awarded £1.7 million to further research into the sleep and circadian rhythms of people living with dementia.   Disturbed sleep is a common symptom for … READ MORE

ARTS CULTURE

Passion in the heart of Epsom

2 April 2023

Epsom Chamber Choir performed “Music for Passiontide” in Epsom’s St Martin’s Church on Saturday 25th March in a varied programme of singing and playing. Passiontide is a name for the … READ MORE

COUNCIL ELECTIONS NEWS

Turn up to turn downturn in turnout!

2 April 2023

In an exclusive for Epsom and Ewell Times we report on voter turnout in the last four Epsom and Ewell Borough Council Elections. 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019. The May … READ MORE

COUNCIL ELECTIONS

Worrying about voter ID law

2 April 2023

Voter disenfranchisement and how to overcome it was discussed at Reigate and Banstead Borough Council Thursday 30th March as the authority wound up its business ahead of the May 4 … READ MORE

CRIME NEWS

Jail for prolific Epsom burglar who preyed on vulnerable women

31 March 2023

Thanks to the determination of Surrey officers, a prolific burglar from Epsom has found himself sentenced to over three years behind bars. Frank Smith, 27, from Rutland Close was sentenced … READ MORE

HEALTH NEWS

A different kind of cutting in Surrey’s NHS?

31 March 2023

Robots will be performing more operations, including general surgery and gynaecology at a Surrey NHS hospital trust seeking to introduce “significant savings”, a board meeting heard. The Surrey and Sussex … READ MORE

COMMUNITY HEALTH

Surrey’s leader’s life pledge for brain tumour research

31 March 2023

Surrey County Council’s leader said his focus “for the rest of his life” will be fulfilling a promise made to his daughter before she died to fundraise for brain tumour research. … READ MORE

FOOTBALL SPORTS

Goalless draw a relief from 4 goal defeats for both sides.

30 March 2023

Mile Oak 0-0 Epsom & Ewell. Southern Combination League – Division One. Wednesday 29th March. On Wednesday evening two teams came together, both low on confidence and nursing 5-1 defeats … READ MORE

COUNCIL NEWS TRANSPORT AND ENVIRONMENT

Pothole payouts and repairs penalise Councillor projects?

30 March 2023

Surrey County Council has spent more than £800,000 in pothole compensation payouts in the last five years but it hopes front-loading the road maintenance budget will help end the broken-road scourge. … READ MORE

BUSINESS NEWS TRANSPORT AND ENVIRONMENT

The Hills Are Alive With the Sound of Drilling… ?

30 March 2023

The owners of a Surrey oil field have signed an agreement to “deliver increased production and revenues” that will allow it to focus on its Dunsfold site. Environmental campaigners, however, … READ MORE

COUNCIL PLANNING

Surrey County’s Cathedral citadel conserved…

30 March 2023

The “fundamental specialness” of Guildford and its cathedral have been preserved after plans to build 124 homes next to the historic site were refused. Guildford Borough Council’s planning committee met … READ MORE

Another short and tragic life buried in an unmarked grave in Epsom’s abandoned Horton Cemetery is brought to life by one of the volunteer team of researchers. The full story can be read on www.hortoncemetery.org

The story of Valentine Ridley: At just 6 years old, in 1897, we find Valentine and his sister Elizabeth in the Greenwich Union Poor School. Their father George is “in house”, that is, living in the workhouse. There is no mention of Valentine’s mother or his younger sisters. Later in October Elizabeth is released ‘c/o Father’.

In May 1898 Valentine and all three of his sisters were admitted, along with their father, to the Greenwich Union Work House, their address is given as Snead Street, New Cross which is shown on Booth’s Maps as “comfortable” two storey houses, with bay windows, usually shared by two families.  Sadly, by August of that year Valentine was in the Brighton Road, School, Sutton.  His father is now shown as ‘out of house on leave’. In June of this year Valentine’s youngest sister, Florence,  was transferred to the Work House Infirmary where she died in October 1898, having lived a short sad life, so possibly George’s ‘leave’ was due to this event.

Periods of leave were granted to look for work, deal with family problems or celebrations.  Someone like Valentine’s father George, became known as an “in and out” as they spent their lives in and out of the workhouse/infirmary.

The 1901 Census, taken on 31^st March, shows all three children in the Banstead Road School, Sutton, but on 23^rd Dec 1901 Valentine, Elizabeth and Mildred are discharged from the Brighton Rd School and returned to the Workhouse again. These two schools were run by the same authority and seem almost interchangeable.

on 18th November 1909 he is admitted to the Ewell Epileptic Colony where he lived for the next 7 years. According to the 1911 Census he developed Epilepsy when he was 16 years old, just one year prior to being admitted. With no family to care for him we can assume that the Greenwich Union was happy to pass his care to the Epileptic Colony in Ewell.

Valentine died on 21^st February 1916 and was buried in the Horton Estate Cemetery on 25^th February in plot number 2014a, he was just 23yrs old.

The ‘Epsom Colony’, part of the Epsom Cluster of five mental hospitals’ had been opened in 1903 to care for “the Epileptic insane of the Metropolis”. This new approach housed patients in a collection of villas, avoiding the stigma of living in a mental asylum.  The treatment consisted of a specially regulated diet and doses of potassium bromide, the first effective treatment for controlling epilepsy.  The patients were expected to contribute to their costs by working on the hospital farm or in the kitchens, laundry or bakery, all of which supported the Epsom cluster of hospitals.

Lesley Lee

Copyright: The Friends of Horton Cemetery

The University of Surrey has been awarded £1.7 million to further research into the sleep and circadian rhythms of people living with dementia.  

Disturbed sleep is a common symptom for people living with dementia, but it is not known how and to what extent sleep disturbance exacerbates the disease. 

Led by Professor Derk-Jan Dijk, the team at Surrey will expand their innovative programme of research that is using new technologies to non-invasively monitor and improve the sleep of dementia sufferers. The research is conducted in close collaboration with Imperial College London and the Surrey and Borders Partnership Trust, as part of the UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI). 

Professor Derk-Jan Dijk, Director of Surrey Sleep Research Centre (SSRC), said:  

“People living with dementia often have issues with sleep and, often, their memory is seemingly worse after a bad night. Good quality sleep is integral to our cognitive health, and now we need to test whether improving the sleep of those living with dementia will slow down the progression of the condition and preserve an individual’s memory for longer. To assist with this, we have the opportunity to use new technologies to both monitor and potentially improve the sleep of dementia sufferers over an extended period, in a way that is non-intrusive and supportive to people living with dementia and their carers.  

“This award is invaluable in helping us to continue our work and I am grateful to the UK DRI, the Medical Research Council, Alzheimer’s Research UK and Alzheimer’s Society for making this possible.” 

To learn more and ultimately improve the sleep of those living with dementia, researchers are applying digital health technologies that can sense movements and physiological signals of individuals whilst they sleep. This combined with mathematical modelling, machine learning, video analysis of sleep behaviour and molecular biomarker approaches, will yield a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between sleep, circadian rhythms, symptoms and disease progression in people living with dementia.  

Professor Dijk added:  

“A major advantage of the novel digital technologies we’re working with, many of which are contactless, is that they pose very little burden on the participant and can be used to monitor sleep and circadian rhythms in the home environment for weeks, months and years.” 

The Surrey team will also continue to test new interventions to improve sleep. Interventions to be tested include changing brain oscillations through delivery of precisely targeted auditory stimulation during REM sleep (a sleep stage thought to be particular important for brain function) or improving the light environment to boost circadian rhythms. 

Professor Paul Townsend, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean of the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences at the University of Surrey, said:  

“Congratulations to Professor Dijk and the team of researchers from across the University in securing this fantastic award. This is testament to their hard work and dedication in this field.  

“This year marks 20 years of the Surrey Sleep Research Centre which continues to go from strength to strength and cements our position as a global leader of sleep research.”  

Fiona Carragher, Director of Research and Influencing at Alzheimer’s Society and a Surrey alumni, said:  

“As a founding partner and funder of the UK DRI, we are very proud of what the Institute has achieved since its launch in 2017. We congratulate everyone involved in placing it on the map as a global leader in dementia research and for the great impact it has had so far. This has included critical research into developing new diagnostic tools to ensure people living with dementia receive an early and accurate diagnosis, potentially giving them access to one of the disease-modifying treatments we hope to see emerging from the clinical trials pipeline in the coming years.” 

Surrey University Press Office

Epsom Chamber Choir performed “Music for Passiontide” in Epsom’s St Martin’s Church on Saturday 25th March in a varied programme of singing and playing. Passiontide is a name for the last two weeks of Lent, and the repertoire for the concert, which was directed by guest conductor Jack Apperley, had been carefully chosen to reflect the emotions and suffering of this time.

The central work was Dieterich Buxtehude’s Membra Jesu Nostri, a Passion-meditation for Holy Week, which consists of a series of seven cantatas. On this occasion, the cantatas were performed over the course of the evening, interspersed with other a cappella anthems and motets.

For the Buxtehude, the choir was joined by the Chamberlain Ensemble, an early music group of 9 members, including violins, a violone (a large viol), viols, theorbo and organ, along with four excellent soloists (Lily Platts – soprano, Pete Dockrill – alto, Dominic Edwards – tenor, and Fionn Ó hAlmhain – bass). I was particularly moved by Lily’s aria in the third cantata, “Ad manus” (to the hands) and I very much enjoyed the well blended trios with alto, tenor and bass in the later cantatas.

The accompaniment by the Chamberlain Ensemble enhanced the variety of moods, often reflective and sombre but sometimes uplifting, and the sound became even more intense when 5 viols joined in the sixth cantata for orchestra and soloists alone. Each member of the ensemble added to the texture and brought out the beauty and
sensitivity in the music. An extra special mention needs to be made here to one of the viol players, Helen Williams, who is also a long-standing member of the Chamber Choir.

The anthems and motets were all unaccompanied and ranged from the 16th to the 21st centuries. I had two particular favourites. To begin the second half of the concert, the choir processed to the back of the church, formed a semi-circle using the full width of the building, and sang Antonio Lotti’s 8-part Crucifixus (written around 1718). The sound was fuller in this configuration, as if surround sound had been switched on… The
suspensions were spine tingling, and the emotional intensity exceptionally powerful representing the agonies of the Crucifixion. You could have heard a pin drop at the end.

My other favourite was Crux Fidelis, (Faithful Cross) with music by Sarah MacDonald (born in 1968) and set to words written by Emilia Lanier (1569 – 1645) and Emily Dickinson (1830-1886). The piece is not as complex from a musical point of view as some of the others we heard, but you could tell that the choir were fully engaged in
delivering its message, with the meditative refrain of “Crux Fidelis” underpinning the excellent storytelling.

Jack Apperley, the Guest Conductor for this concert was in fine form, giving clear direction throughout. His energy, his explanations of the music in between items, and his obvious enjoyment of the performances, completed the experience for everyone.

Anne Ridge

30th March 2023 print edition

Magazine edition

COUNCIL PLANNING

County resists nimbies against children’s home

30 March 2023

Resident objections to a new children’s home and apartments for care leavers have been labelled “petty” as councillors approved the plans. The former Adult Education Centre in Dene Street, Dorking can now … READ MORE

COUNCIL NEWS

Middling rate for Epsom and Ewell Council Tax

29 March 2023

Epsom and Ewell Borough Council is slap in the middle of the 11 Surrey boroughs table of band D council tax charges for 2023/2024. The difference between the highest and … READ MORE

COUNCIL EDUCATION

How to cut the County’s cake?

29 March 2023

A Surrey MP challenges the cuts the County makes to supporting children with special educational and disability needs (SEND), in a classic how to cut the County Council’s cake dilemma. … READ MORE

COUNCIL ELECTIONS

No photo – no vote!

27 March 2023

You need photo ID to vote in person at the upcoming 4th May local elections. In an important announcement from Epsom and Ewell Borough Council the new Government rules are … READ MORE

FOOTBALL NEWS SPORTS

Salts give Mullets taste for big victory

26 March 2023

Arundel FC 5-1 Epsom & Ewell FC. Saturday 25th March. Arundel, nicknamed the Mullets, secured their first ever competitive victory over us in comprehensive circumstances at Mill Road on Saturday … READ MORE

COUNCIL NEWS

Spelthorne’s thorny property problems spelt out

24 March 2023

Following the report on Woking’s woes we have Emily Coady-Stemp from LDRS report on another sister Surrey borough’s woes over property investments: Spelthorne’s former leader says “hand on heart” he … READ MORE

COUNCIL NEWS

Waking to Woking’s woeful debt

24 March 2023

Epsom and Ewell Times has followed the finances at this sister Surrey borough. We all should perhaps be concerned and learn lessons from a County borough that can get in … READ MORE

ARTS CULTURE

Legally Blonde at Epsom Playhouse

23 March 2023

The Epsom Players performance at the Epsom Playhouse on Tuesday 21st March is reviewed by Nigel Dams for Sardines and reprinted with permission. It runs till Saturday. Tickets from Epsom … READ MORE

COUNCIL NEWS TRANSPORT AND ENVIRONMENT

Surrey lands largest EV charging contract in UK

23 March 2023

Surrey County Council and Connected Kerb have agreed a contract to support the rollout of thousands of electric vehicle chargepoints across the county in the coming years. The contract, the … READ MORE

The Epsom Players performance at the Epsom Playhouse on Tuesday 21st March is reviewed by Nigel Dams for Sardines and reprinted with permission. It runs till Saturday. Tickets from Epsom Playhouse box office

---

Until I spoke with one of the cast members (the leading cast member actually, the glorious Lydia May Whiteside) after the show, I thought this was a professional production.

When the curtain went up, I thought, hang on, amateurs can’t afford a set like this. And then when the dancing began, I thought, hang on, amateurs can’t afford dancers like this. Same with the singing.

So I decided they must be pros, and settled back to be more and more entertained as the evening went on.

Let me get the minor niggles out of the way first. I couldn’t always make out the words the singers were putting across. This was sometimes because the band, especially the horns, were just a shade too loud, sometimes because the lead was not cutting through the chorus, and sometimes because the vocal frequencies blended too much with the band’s. But this was only in the beginning, really, and got better as the show progressed.

Also, when the stage crew flew in various bits of scenery, they sometimes hung suspended and swinging an inch above the boards, which was pretty distracting. It seemed to me that another inch would have grounded them, and eliminated that.

But the rest was great, and kept getting better and better.

Right from the opening number I kept thinking how sharp the choreography was – kudos to Della Bhujoo – and how fit and well-drilled the dancers were. I have great respect for people who can do intense cardio and sing at the same time. They were singing very well too, all of them. Harmonies were crisp and close, high notes and belt notes all well struck, all very impressive. I must make special mention of the eye-popping opening number in Act 2. The entire troupe were skipping (sorry, jumping rope) in time to the music, with great vigour, while singing, led by Millie Shields as Brooke. Max respect. Especially because Ms Shields had to speak shortly afterward and you could barely tell she’d been working out.

It seems unfair to single anyone out from the cast, because they were all excellent, but I must mention Imogen Smart-Steele as Paulette (excellent accent, great singer), Akhil Gowrinath likewise and Ms Whiteside, who led the whole show, playing an enormous part with total confidence, swagger and beguiling blondness. Oh, and the two dogs who were obviously classmates at RADA.

A final special mention to the whole cast for the ‘Gay or European?’ number, which was …. perfect, and very funny.

I have to say again, I can hardly believe that this show was done by amateurs (am I allowed to use that word any more?) it was so slick, so tight, so well done. My humble and sincere congratulations to Director Chris Malone, Musical Director Dan Francis and the entire cast, band and crew. Superb.

Nigel Dams

Reprinted courtesy of Sardines Magazine

Yesterday the full Council of Epsom and Ewell voted to pause the process of the Local Plan. Cllr Eber Kington (RA Ewell Court) proposed an emergency motion to delay the next stage for the Government’s latest position on housing targets to be clarified. Expected some time after the local elections on 4th May.

In an unusual intervention Cllr Alex Coley (RA Ruxley) described the proceedings of the Council meeting as a pantomime. He argued that the timetabling of the Local Plan process is one for managerial direction and that Councillors were playing politics. Fitting his description of the proceedings he then made a somewhat dramatic exit stage left in a bit of a huff.

Cllr Peter O’Donovan (RA Ewell Court) opposed his ward colleague. He stressed the need for a new Local Plan. Delay would mean the Borough’s resistance to inappropriate planning applications would be weakened.

All opposition Councillors (Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Labour) spoke for the motion. After Cllr Bernie Muir (Conservative Stamford) called for the ruling Residents Association to be “kicked out”, she and her Party were targetted in responses by RA Councillors. Firstly, Cllr Jan Mason (RA Ruxley) suggested Cllr Muir had not long lived in the borough “just five years”. On a dubious “point of order” Cllr Muir corrected this: “12 years actually”.

Cllr Mason struggled on to make her point. A journey into a time nearly 50 years ago when the Council bought Longrove hospital land, thus preventing a 5000 housing development from taking place. Cllr Muir would not have known that, she said. Cllr Mason relied on this 1974 purchase to prove that the RA ruled Council do care about the Green Belt.

This brief spat passed and it was Cllr Kington in his reply to the debate who said that the Conservative Government should be “kicked out”. This was because the Government insist on using 2014 figures to determine housing need when much lower numbers are yielded by a 2018 analysis.

Cllr Steve McCormick (RA Woodcote and Chair of the Licensing, Planning and Policy Committee) opposed the motion. He relied on the ability of the Council to respond to the public’s views and amend the draft during the next 5 of the processes’s 7 stages.

There were a significant number of empty chairs in the Council Chamber for this important meeting. Four Councillors voted against Cllr Kington’s motion. It was carried by a large majority.

The motion passed is HERE in FULL.

This confusion in large part arises from Michael Gove MP and Secretary for Housing Development etc signaling an end to compulsory and centrally set housing targets. First indicated as long ago as May 2022. Then unstated when the Government confirmed its targets remained and then reinstated just a few months later. But no regulations or legislation have been introduced that lift the compulsion of the targets from local government planning obligations.

Cynical observers suggest that Gove’s manoeuvres are a ruse to quell the flames of rebellion in the Tory shires and avoid defeats in upcoming local elections. Will we see actual legal change after 4th May?

In Epsom and Ewell was walk-out man Cllr Coley right to hint that the pre-election motion to delay is also for political gain?

A ruse within a ruse?

“That which we call a ruse by any other name would smell as bad.”

Time will tell if words are matched by action.

Online magazine edition

23rd March 2023 print version

COUNCIL NEWS PLANNING

Planning or pantomime? Councillors press pause on Plan.

23 March 2023

Epsom and Ewell council voted to “pause” its controversial Local Plan last night, with one Residents’Association (RA) councillor leaving the meeting after suggesting it was about “forthcoming electionsrather than planning … READ MORE

COUNCIL EDITORIAL PLANNING

Ruse within a ruse?

23 March 2023

Yesterday the full Council of Epsom and Ewell voted to pause the process of the Local Plan. Cllr Eber Kington (RA Ewell Court) proposed an emergency motion to delay the … READ MORE

LETTERS NEWS

Sudden hike in Council room charges threatens community groups

22 March 2023

Letter to the Editor from Peter Prowse. For the past year, Epsom and Ewell French Club has been hiring a room (The Studio) at Bourne Hall for its monthly meetings.  … READ MORE

COUNCIL EDUCATION NEWS

Education assessment delays making parents sick

22 March 2023

A mother claims Surrey County Council “makes her sick” as she says delays to assessing her son’s special educational needs are causing “a lot of stress”. At a protest held … READ MORE

COUNCIL NEWS TRANSPORT AND ENVIRONMENT

Surrey Council’s ULEZ talks ongoing with TfL

22 March 2023

Surrey councillors have confirmed written communications are ongoing with Transport for London over the impact of the ULEZ expansion. Surrey County Councillor Robert Evans (Labour, Stanwell and Stanwell Moor) asked cabinet … READ MORE

COMMUNITY COUNCIL HEALTH

Life savers installed across the Borough

20 March 2023

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council have worked in partnership with national charity Community Heartbeat Trust to install 12 new 24/7 defibrillators across the borough. The project was delivered with funding … READ MORE

COMMUNITY EDUCATION

We can help your school reunite.

20 March 2023

Follow the example of a 50 year reunion for Ewell County Secondary School reported here. Epsom and Ewell Times can help your school reunion by putting the word out in … READ MORE

HELEN MAGUIRE WESTMINSTER

Epsom politician backs UK nuclear deterrent

20 March 2023

Epsom & Ewell’s LibDem prospective Parliamentary candidate and former Army Captain Helen Maguire supports a permanent at sea UK nuclear deterrent. Making a Party conference maiden speech in York she … READ MORE

COMMUNITY LETTERS

This is “offensive”.

18 March 2023

In our letters page today a Ewell resident rightly fulminates against the selfish habit of leaving dog poo bags for others to remove. “To the person who tied a Dog … READ MORE

ARTS COMMUNITY

Ashtead Choral Society celebrated Surrey’s Vaughan Williams.

17 March 2023

Andrew Storey conducts the Ashtead Choral Society with enthusiasm and vigour, presenting them at theirbest in this delightful programme, showing off a range of music by Ralph Vaughan Williams in … READ MORE

NEWS TRANSPORT AND ENVIRONMENT

On the Hunt for pothole repairs

17 March 2023

The Government will give an additional £3.7m for pothole repairs in Surrey. But one Surrey councillor is calling for ministers to “go further” and change the way road funding is … READ MORE

COUNCIL OPINIONS PLANNING

Cllr McCormick’s own answers on Local Plan

17 March 2023

Cllr Steven McCormick (RA Woodcote Ward) Chair of Epsom and Ewell Borough Council’s Licensing, Planning and Policy Committee writes for the Epsom and Ewell Times to answer many of the … READ MORE

COMMUNITY COUNCIL PLANNING

Public meeting on Local Plan dominated by greenbelters.

17 March 2023

Monday 13th March 243 members of the public attended a packed meeting to debate the draft Local Plan issued by Epsom and Ewell Borough Council. 85 more logged in online. … READ MORE

COMMUNITY COUNCIL HEALTH

Dementia Hub serving Epsom and Ewell

16 March 2023

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council have renamed their Dementia Daycare Service the Dementia Hub – and are using the opportunity to remind those living locally about the fantastic servicethe Hub … READ MORE

The motion passed by an extraordinary meeting of the Epsom and Ewell Borough Council on 22nd March 2023:

Proposer Cllr Eber Kington
Seconder Cllr Christine Howells

This Council notes that:

1. Extensive green areas, especially the green belt, and the absence of high-level development in our urban areas makes Epsom and Ewell a distinctive, green and an excellent place to live.
2. Under the existing legislation Local Planning Authorities are being required to draft Local Plans on the basis of out of date, 2014, data that does not reflect Epsom and Ewell’s housing need, as shown in more recently available 2018 data.
3. The Government’s recently proposed legislative changes to the planning process, whilst welcome in several aspects, are not yet enacted and the current legal position has not changed.
   These factors suggest that a pause in progressing the Draft Local Plan in its current form would provide an opportunity to assess the Government’s draft proposals as well as the 2018 data on housing need in the borough.
   This Council therefore agrees that:
   i. Other than for the purpose of analysing the responses of the public consultation to capture residents’ views and any new information, the Local Plan process be paused to enable:
   a) further work on brown field sites, including information arising out of the Regulation 18 consultation
   b) further options to be considered that do not include green belt sites
   c) an analysis of Epsom and Ewell’s required future housing numbers based on 2018 data
   d) a clearer understanding of the Government’s legislative intentions in regard to protections for the green belt and the current mandatory target for housing numbers.

ii. Write to the MP for Epsom and Ewell calling on in him to use his influence to get the Government to abandon its use of 2014 data to calculate housing need and accept that all planning and housing policies must reflect the latest data if they are to be effective as well command the respect of the people they affect.