Nearly 150 families have been left “in limbo” and facing additional stress without school transport as Surrey County Council deals with more than 500 applications. The authority said “urgent” steps were being taken to deal with the backlog, described by one councillor as a “tsunami” of cases.

Image: Aimee James and her son Isaac.

One single mum on Universal Credit is paying around £10 a day to take her son to school by public transport, and claims she has not had it confirmed by the council when she will be reimbursed. Aimee James’s son, Isaac, is in his first year at Gosden House School for children with learning and additional needs.

She told the LDRS she had transport approved by the county council in June for Isaac, but before the August bank holiday, just days before the start of the school year, received an email to say it would not be available for the start of the school year but with hopes it might be by the end of October.

While she said the school have been understanding about the difficulties she faces, having to drop her other child at school in Woking and then come back to Guildford to get a bus to the school, Isaac is still doing shorter days because she “can’t be in two places at once”.

No confirmation of when reimbursement will come Miss James said she only has a couple of hours in the middle of the day before she has to turn around and do the journey again for pick up. She added: “It’s really stressful because I’m a single parent, and I don’t drive. I’m also on Universal Credit, so trying to get him to school is a real pain.” Her son, who has autistic traits, is “not brilliant” on public transport and Miss James said the transition has not been an easy one for him.

While the council has confirmed it will reimburse those who are out of pocket while waiting for transport to be arranged, Miss James said she hasn’t had confirmation of when this money will come in. She added: “At the minute, life on Universal Credit isn’t brilliant anyway. Because I’ve got to spend out before they reimburse me, I’m sort of skint before they give me my money back.”

A spokesperson for the county council said “complex and significant challenges” and a 20 per cent increase in the number of applications for transport on last year were leading to the delays. They said staffing resources had been increased and temporary financial allowances were being given to allow families to make alternative arrangements where possible.

‘I’ve never seen it like this before’ Councillor Nick Darby, Residents’ Association and Independent Group Leader on the county council, said he’d heard of several cases from residents and also from other councillors. He described it as like a “tsunami” of cases, and said he had never seen it like this before. He’d heard of children who simply couldn’t go to school, others whose parents had taken most of the day out of their jobs to do school runs, and children who were “hugely stressed” at the lack of routine.

He called for better communication from the council with parents and councillors, saying because many of these cases related to children with additional needs, it was “very difficult and challenging” for the parents concerned.
Cllr Darby said the council was “just not delivering what we should”, and of the lack of communication with families, said: “Just ignoring it doesn’t do us any good.”  ‘I’m crying a lot, because I’m so emotional’
Another parent who has been juggling multiple school runs is Claire Nash, whose daughter Justice is currently attending a mainstream school but awaiting a place at a specialist school.

Her school taxi was cancelled last school year but Ms Nash said it should have then been extended until July 2023, because of the circumstances she faces in trying to get her four children, three of them with additional needs, to school.

Having emailed the council on September 6, she is yet to hear back at the time of writing, and is currently getting her daughter to school late every day after taking her eldest two children to school and then waiting for a mini bus to take her son to his school. She said: “I’m so stressed out, my life is very stressful anyway, but I’ve lost sleep over it.  “I’m crying a lot, because I’m so emotional. It’s extra stuff I just don’t need. My life’s already hard and I have to fight for the things that should just be easy to get considering my circumstances.”

A Surrey County Council spokesperson confirmed that as of September 20, there were 529 school transport applications being processed, of which 196 were received before the start of the academic year.
There were 149 families who had had their eligibility confirmed but had not yet had transport scheduled.
These families had been offered temporary financial allowances in order to make alternative arrangements.
As well as this, there are currently 141 families going through an appeal process for school transport, which the spokesperson said the independent appeal team were working through at an increased rate in order to process them as quickly as possible.

The spokesperson said they could not comment on any individual children, but the council “would like to sincerely apologise to anyone experiencing delays” with their applications.  They added: “As with many services nationally we are dealing with complex and significant challenges, particularly with driver shortages in some areas.  “We are concerned about the delays some families are facing and are taking urgent steps to address this by increasing staffing resources and offering temporary financial allowances to enable families to make alternative arrangements, where possible.  We are determined to do everything we can to support children and young people that need us most. We know how important it is for children and young people to have access to their education setting and we are working tirelessly to manage increased demand and address issues.”

Surrey Police chiefs have revealed the “nervy” moments they had ahead of the Queen’s funeral passing through the county. While the operation “went very well” from the force’s perspective, those high up did admit to underestimating just how many people would show up along the streets as the coffin passed through on its way to Windsor.
Superintendent Graham Barnett, the silver commander for the operation in Surrey, said in a press briefing today (September 20) this was one of “the very few events that has never happened” on this scale and in our lifetimes.
He said contingency resources and several partners all working together were important on the day, from Surrey Fire and Rescue, Surrey County Council, as well as the borough and district authorities and the National Trust way finder volunteers around Runnymede.
The coffin passed through 6.2 miles of roads in Surrey on its journey to Windsor, on a route that was planned “with the public in mind” to allow as many people to bid farewell to the monarch as possible.
Supt Barnett said his most “nervy” moment was when the procession passed Town Lane on its way into Staines, when people wanted to get forward and see the coffin.
He added: “I was under no illusion that Staines was going to be busy, that the A308 was going to be busy, Runnymede meadows of course can cater for huge numbers of people.
“So we were aware. Even I underestimated quite how many people would come out to show their respects, and I will be the first to put my hand up and say there was a couple of nervous moments for me as people increased.”
He said all contingency resources were “pushed in” to support the lining of the route.
Supt Barnett added: “The reality is, we were always expecting large numbers. But I was surprised at quite how large and what a fantastic turnout we had from the public of Surrey, and further afield of course, to see Her Majesty off.”
He confirmed there were no reported anti-monarchy protests in Surrey, with all public engagement being “very supportive” both towards officers and in terms of taking “one last chance to be involved in something so historic”.
The “clear steer” given to Supt Barnett from Chief Superintendent Jerry Westerman was that giving resources for the event could not affect “business as usual” for the force.
He said officers worked longer days and cancelled days off to play their part and that resources were only allocated after ensuring the usual needs of the public could be met, and then increasing that by ten per cent.
Chief Supt Westerman confirmed no national debrief had as yet taken place, only a “hot debrief” which looks at immediate issues after the event.
He added: “This operation, from our perspective, went very well. But we can always learn lessons and improve.
“And where it goes well, it’s equally important that we make sure that in future events, it goes well.”
He added that there would always be some form of “Operation Bridge” in place,  the name given to arrangements made for funerals of the Royal Family, and so a debrief with other partners was important to make sure they were always ready for the next one.
The force’s Chief Constable Gavin Stephens had taken on the role of the Commander of the Civil Services Contingent and so was pulled away from his usual policing duties in Surrey to be part of the central London ceremonies.
He said he had to “put his faith” in the “brilliant” team in Surrey as he went “off-grid” as the force lead.
Chief Constable Stephens said the events on the day were all about “discipline and following instructions”, with all participants knowing what their role was and sticking to it, whether lining the route, in the middle of a procession or monitoring crowds.
He added: “It’s the combination of everybody following their individual instruction that makes it look like such a spectacle.”

A £10million mental health unit which will allow young people to be treated nearer to home is under construction in Charlwood. The new facility will have 12 beds for young people aged people between 12 and 18 years old, providing in patient care for those with acute mental health needs.

Funding for the unit has come in the form of around £6m from NHS England as part of a national programme to make sure specialist services are available for the needs of local populations, and £4m from private company Elysium Healthcare.

The mental health unit will prioritise young people in Surrey and, where possible, across other south east regions. It will be built and managed in a partnership between Elysium Healthcare and Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, a provider of mental health, learning disability and drug and alcohol services for people of all ages across Surrey, Hampshire, Croydon and Sussex.

According to the trust’s website, when completed the unit will provide, for the first time in more than ten years, inpatient care in Surrey for young people with acute mental health needs, closer to their home and community.
On the site of April Cottage, Farmfield Drive, which was previously owned by Surrey and Borders, the facility will have 12 inpatient beds for young people as well as communal living and outdoor spaces to encourage socialising and independence.

There will also be an on-site school for the young people to continue with their schooling during treatment.
Graham Wareham, chief executive of Surrey and Borders, said the trust was please to be partnering with Elysium Healthcare to “transform the care experience for young people needing inpatient services in Surrey.”
He added: “Young people need to be cared for close to home when they are at their most vulnerable with acute mental health needs. The opening of this new unit will help us provide care and treatment for many young people, so they get the support they need without having to travel far from their families, carers, and friends.”
Joy Chamberlain, chief executive officer of Elysium Healthcare, said the project would “create a new benchmark for the future”. She added: “I am delighted that Elysium and Surrey and Borders Partnership are collaborating on this joint venture. We are bringing together expert knowledge, clinical acumen, innovation, and capital to deliver the best care for the young people of Surrey.”

The facility is due to open at the end of 2023.

Keeping with our current focus on planning matters. Woking Borough Council contain the container problem of a posh hotel. Read Local Democracy Reporter Emily Coady-Stemp’s report here.

A Surrey mansion hotel has been given three months to remove from its land two shipping containers being used for storage. Gorse Hill Hotel, near Woking, applied for a lawful development certificate for the containers in January but the application was refused.

Image: Gorse Hill Hotel. Credit: Darren Pepe

The containers, which according to council documents are being used to store tables, chairs and other hotel equipment, have been in place for more than three years.

A meeting of Woking Borough Council’s planning committee on Tuesday (September 6) voted to issue an enforcement notice saying the containers must be removed.

The hotel and conference centre, in Hook Heath Road, is described on its website as “an elegant mansion house hotel [in a] peaceful location, surrounded by expansive manicured gardens”. The Grade II listed building, which was once private house, was built in 1910 and has since been extended. Bed and breakfast at the hotel starts at £124 per night.

The borough council first received a complaint about the two containers in December 2021. Both the neighbour complaining and the hotel’s own subsequent application for the containers said they have been in place since May 2019. Each of the two storage containers measures 6m long x 2.4m wide x 2.5m tall.

According to council documents, in its application for the containers in January, the hotel said they did not amount to development, because they were “ancillary to the site’s use”, did not comprise a “building” operation or constitute a material change in use of the land.

The application was rejected by the council because the “degree of permanence” of the containers, along with their size and each being fixed to the ground through their own weight, meant they counted as buildings according to planning legislation, and therefore planning permission was required.

The council’s senior planning enforcement officer visited the hotel on May 16, when the containers were still being used and had not been moved.

Gorse Hill Hotel has not responded to a request for comment at the time of publication.

Full agenda: 

Epsom and Ewell Times has reported recently on planning dilemmas for our Borough. We are not alone in facing pressure on Green Belt land. 2 miles away from the edge of the Borough, Elmbridge Borough Council decided on a Green Belt development. Emily Coady-Stemp reports:

Studios for business start-ups and three new homes have been given the green light at the “gateway to Elmbridge” despite fears for the future of a golf club.

Image: Waffrons proposed development of studios area. From design and access statement.

One councillor claimed others “aren’t concerned” about the borough’s local welfare or green belt as the application was approved.

The application, submitted by the family who have lived at The Waffrons, in Chessington South, for 30 years, will see the current stables on the land demolished.

Surbiton Golf Club objected to the plans due to fears that potential additional traffic to the site, which is accessed through the course, would affect play on its first, fifth and eighth holes.

Elmbridge Borough Council’s planning committee voted for the plans on Tuesday (September 6), having rejected a motion to refuse them that was put forward by Councillor Janet Turner (Hinchley Wood Residents’ Association, Hinchley Wood and Weston Green). She was talked into putting forward the motion to refuse the plans by Claygate Councillor Alex Coomes (Liberal Democrats) who said she should do it “for completeness and for democratic reasons”. Cllr Turner had previously said that listening to the debate she though there was “very little point” in her putting forward reasons for refusal for a vote. She added: “It’s fairly obvious to me that people aren’t concerned about our local welfare or our green belt, so that disturbs me quite a lot.”

Her reasons included it being inappropriate development in the green belt, as well as traffic concerns along the single track lane. Cllr Turner described the site as “very important” because it was the “gateway to Elmbridge from Greater London” and a corridor of green land from Claygate and Hinchley Wood to Long Ditton.

Officers at the meeting said the bar was very high for assessing “harm” in green belt land that was previously developed, as this had been. The three planned houses on the site would all be detached bungalows, with an applicant’s representative stating one of the homes was for the daughter of the family currently living there.

The 11 studios would be from 10 to 19 square metres each, with a communal area around a courtyard. The current use of the land for horses would stop, with commercial livery being replaced by it only being used for the private enjoyment of the new homes. BabyBarn, a shop for baby equipment currently on the site, would stay, with part of the stables being redeveloped for storage.

Keith Blake, chairman of Surbiton Golf Club, spoke at the meeting to object to the plans, which he called the “biggest threat to the future of the club and course”. The club, which has been in existence since 1895, has around 700 members and membership fees of £1,900. Mr Blake said the club did not object to some development of homes on the site, but saw the commercial element as “perhaps a step too far” and that traffic needed to be reduced or limited. He added: “Otherwise, I see the members walking and joining other clubs. “If we lose 20 per cent of our membership, the club will not be in existence for the community in the future.”

An officer’s report into the application said the plans were not “considered to adversely impact upon Surbiton Golf Club to warrant a refusal reason”. Conditions had been put on traffic entering the site both during the construction phases and once in use.

Many councillors were in favour of the small business units, saying they were in demand in Elmbridge and would be even more so when 60 offices in Weybridge were lost as part of a Regus site redevelopment.

Councillor Bruce McDonald (Liberal Democrat, Claygate) said he had “great sympathy” with the golf club and concerns around traffic on the road but like others saw no information to conclude there would be more traffic than currently on the site. He added: “I would have artisan studios everywhere, I think it’s what we need. I think it’d be great for Elmbridge.”

Councillor Rachael Lake (Conservative, Walton North) asked councillors to raise their hands if they had ever heard of a golf course going out of business or bankrupt, because she had not. She added: “I sympathise because it’s all perception. “It’s the fear of going to the dentist, when you get there, it’s nowhere near as bad as you think.”

Full agenda

Epsom and St Helier hospital staff will be encouraged to get their flu jab after a “terrible” Australian flu season which can be a sign of things to come in the UK.

Among concerns that covid is now “old news” staff will also be encouraged to take their coronavirus booster in a campaign to encourage take-up in front-line staff.

A board meeting of the Epsom and St Helier hospital trust on Friday (September 2) heard that Jacqueline Totterdell, group chief executive of the St George’s and Epsom and St Helier hospitals group, had “nearly died” when she was admitted to hospital with flu a couple of years ago.

She said this experience gave her “a real passion” for making sure people took up the jab.

The chief executive added: “We always look towards Australia for what sort of flu season they’ve had, and they’ve had a pretty terrible one.

“That, for me, is a real driver about how we can encourage more of our staff to have the flu jab.”

Non-executive director Peter Kane raised a concern that coronavirus may be “yesterday’s news” and asked about how staff at the trust would be reminded of the importance of the coronavirus booster and the flu vaccination, which can be given at the same time.

Arlene Wellman, group chief nursing officer, said communications would begin going out to staff and that the best practices would be pulled from both St George’s and Epsom and St Helier trusts.

The two trusts formed a hospital group last year with the aim of sharing and working together on services.

According to the NHS, more people are likely to get flu this winter as fewer people will have built up natural immunity to it during the pandemic.

It can be life-threatening for some people, particularly those with certain health conditions.

The chief executive also confirmed the next board meeting in November would be updated on the trusts’ winter resilience programme, which is already being planned, and included looking at having the capacity to vaccinate all staff.

The coronavirus booster will be offered to certain groups including residents and staff in care homes and front line health and social care workers.

The meeting also heard about staff at St Helier “doing their absolute best” in a hospital building that was often not fit for purpose, with leaking roofs and lifts that were not big enough to fit hospital beds.

In July it was announced that a planned new hospital in Sutton has been delayed to 2027 at the earliest.

Board papers: https://www.epsom-sthelier.nhs.uk/board-papers-and-agendas

Buildings “Absolutely not fit for purpose”, a meeting has heard as staff at St Helier hospital are trying to provide care. NHS bosses were told about a labour ward with a leaking roof, an intensive care ward where temperatures reached 35 degrees and lifts that were too small for hospital beds.

There are also corridors “cluttered” with equipment and staff “doing their absolute best in circumstances they should probably shouldn’t be asked to work in”. The board meeting of the NHS trust which runs the site took place on Friday (September 2) after members had done a walk around of the hospital to inspect first-hand.

It followed the announcement that a new planned hospital in Sutton, which would see the Epsom and St Helier sites’ services downgraded, will now not be ready until at least 2027. The trust formed a hospital group with St George’s hospital last year, which it was stressed in the meeting was not a merger between the trusts but a way of working together on services.

Jacqueline Totterdell, group chief executive of the St George’s and Epsom and St Helier hospitals group, had been on a visit to the St Helier site’s gynaecology and maternity wards, including pre- and post-natal and labour wards. The hospital leader said that staff based at the site a pre-fabricated building staff “do pretty well”, despite a lift that is 50 years old, regularly breaks down and “is a real risk”.

Ms Totterdell added: “When it really rains they have buckets and pads down because it rains and there’s not much else we can do with that roof.” While she said there were some issues around staffing, and around sick leave, annual leave and maternity leave, those she spoke to said they worked in good teams and generally enjoyed working. She added: “That’s just the context that they work in.”

Phil Wilbraham, an associate non-executive director on the board, called the hospital’s intensive therapy unit (ITU): “The good, the bad and the ugly”. He said going from the old unit where the beds were too close together and there was little air conditioning and exchange of air was a “massive contrast” to the new area, completed in 2020. Mr Wilbraham said: “When you go to the new ITU, you see how it should be.”

He also said he’d heard about patients being brought into the unit and put in rooms where it was 35 degrees in August, and said in this environment patients couldn’t be expected to recover as quickly as they should. He added: “I would say the staff seemed to be extremely calm, organised and professional. It’s the classic of people doing their absolute best in circumstances they should probably shouldn’t be asked to work in.”

The meeting also heard about “clutter” in corridors and the demands of trying to balance bed space with break rooms for staff and storage at the site. Group chairman Gillian Norton highlighted a lot of the “clutter” was actually essential equipment. She said: “The whole discussion just illustrated why we need our new hospital at St Helier. We’re trying to provide outstanding care, which we largely do, but in buildings that absolutely are not fit for purpose.”

The board also heard from Derek Macallan, a non-executive director, about a patient who had been in the hospital for six months and not yet been able to be discharged because he was waiting to get his home situation sorted out. Mr Macallan said as well as patients in the renal department not being able to be discharged because they did not have the necessary social care available on release, he too noticed the poor state of the buildings.

In reply, he heard that when discharging patients the hospital trust could be dealing with up to 17 separate district and borough councils because patients extend out into Hampshire and Berkshire.

On the paediatrics ward, Andrew Grimshaw, group chief finance officer, saw that specific beds had to be bought to get in the lift, because the generic hospital beds didn’t fit. He said he’d heard from staff that the planned Specialist Emergency Care Hospital in Sutton would solve a lot of those problems and challenges.

Managing director at the trust, James Blythe, told a Sutton Council meeting in July the trust was still “waiting for feedback” on the next steps and funding of the project from central government.

Spelthorne councillors are “not behind” the authority’s plans for 9,000 homes in the borough, according to a neighbouring council.

An Elmbridge Borough Council response to Spelthorne’s draft local plan also raised concerns surrounding the wording of the plan, which was introduced as making Spelthorne “a less attractive place to live”.

At an individual cabinet member decision making – planning and environmental health meeting on Thursday (September 1), portfolio holder Councillor Karen Randolph agreed the wording of a letter to be sent to Spelthorne Borough Council regarding its local plan, which is currently going through public consultation.

The neighbouring councils have a duty to co-operate on each other’s plans for homes, with Elmbridge focussing its response on the areas of the plan which could have cross-boundary implications for the borough.

Cllr Randolph’s letter said that Elmbridge appreciated there was a “balance to be struck” when preparing a local plan, and that, like Elmbridge’s the Spelthorne plan “centred around place-making and responding to the climate change emergency”.

She added: “However, it would appear that Spelthorne councillors are not behind the draft local plan and have been led by a continued over-emphasis on the perceived requirement that its housing need must be met in full.”

The letter went on to quote Spelthorne’s local plan, for 9,270 new homes in the borough, which said: “Whilst it is appealing to consider producing a plan that does not meet our need in full, this will not be a sound strategy and would be rejected by the Planning Inspector.”

Elmbridge’s local plan went through its regulation 19 representation stage up until the end of July, and will now be sent to the planning inspector for feedback.

A spokesperson for Spelthorne said since June 2020, a ‘collective team’ of officers and councillors from every ward had spent more then 100 hours in task group meetings, and debated the plan at cabinet and environment and sustainability committee meetings.

They said this was to ensure the draft local plan and draft Staines development framework were “the best, most robust and most defensible they can be”.

The letter from Elmbridge said the authority would query how Spelthorne’s approach to meeting its housing requirement was consistent with central government policy, and how, overall, it had been “positively prepared”.

The letter said the plan outlined that development within the town centres would consist of “sterile, high-rise blocks”, something, according to the letter, “that no Councillor wants to support”.

Catriona Riddell was brought in last September by the then leadership at Spelthorne to do three workshops with councillors on developing a shared vision around not just the local plan but working with local communities.

The document she had worked on with councillors was not voted through for inclusion in local plan documents at a full council meeting on December 9, 2021.

Speaking before this week’s Elmbridge meeting, she said in terms of a council’s local plan being “positively prepared”, this would include community responses to consultations, the plan’s approach to growth and its “overall vision for a place”.

She added: “It’s very much about when a local council gets to an examination, they’re sitting there saying: ‘This is the plan we want, this is our plan.

“This is going to make a difference to the local area in a positive way. And it’s ours.’”

The plan releases around 0.7 per cent of the borough’s green belt for development.

The Elmbridge response said none of these were on the boundary of the two authorities, and highlighted Spelthorne considered this to allow the building of family homes with gardens, and lower building heights in Staines.

The response also questioned the release of green belt in Land to the west of Long Lane and South of Blackburn Trading Estate for the building of 200 homes, over sites such as Land to the South and West of Stratton Road, Sunbury and Land off Worple Road, Staines.

The other sites could take 260 and 256 homes respectively, according to the response, which queried that they had been discounted because they may “not aid distribution of development across the borough” and because of negative feedback at a previous preferred options stage.

Cllr Randolph’s letter said: “The approach taken appears inconsistent and that these sites have been discounted on the basis of the reception of the community.”

The Spelthorne spokesperson said: “Between them, the [draft local plan and draft Staines development framework] have been considered by councillors at either cabinet or committee on six different occasions to ensure that members were comfortable with the direction of travel and the progress being made at every stage.

On May 19, 25 of the 33 councillors at the authority’s full council meeting voted to send the plan to public consultation.

The council spokesperson added: “The local plan strategy proposed seeks to meet Spelthorne’s housing needs in full and is considered to be a measured approach that takes into account the views of stakeholders and the evidence developed through the local plan process.”

Public consultation on the plan has been extended up to September 19.

Spelthorne local plan: 

Elmbridge meeting agenda: 

Spelthorne December meeting: https://democracy.spelthorne.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=133&MId=3470

A Surrey Police officer who “deliberately concealed” her friend’s criminal damage to a car has been barred from policing. The officer told her friend she had put her in “an awkward position”, and an accelerated hearing at the force’s Mount Browne headquarters heard she would be dismissed without notice.

The hearing, in Guildford on August 1, heard that Special Constable 6846  Leigh Beams did not report her knowledge of the incident until several weeks later, when she was questioned by her supervisor.

SC Beams was present, though off duty, on April  13 2021, when a friend of hers committed criminal damage to a vehicle – but she did not take any proactive steps to notify police.

Despite being at an early stage of her career, Chief Constable Gavin Stephens said he did not believe such a “lack of judgement” was compatible with a continued policing career. He also noted she had “limited experience and basic training, and a previously unblemished record”.

“Ms A” has subsequently admitted this offence and received a conditional caution but the initial police investigation was closed due to insufficient evidence, most notably the identity of the offender.

Chief Constable Stephens said: “I consider it to be serious gross misconduct where personal interest was put before public interest, in such circumstances where it was obvious what the consequences would be for the victim.

“In short, the failure to act amounted to a deliberate concealment of relevant evidence.

“I do not believe that such a lack of judgement is compatible with a continued career, including a voluntary one, with policing.

“That is, to continue in policing would declare to others that it is possible to put friendships ahead of justice, and this is clearly not acceptable. You’ve put me in an awkward position”.

In his decision, Chief Constable Stephens said the officer’s culpability was “high” because as a “key witness” she made a conscious choice not to report the offence “over a protracted period”.

The hearing was told she had recalled a conversation with the offender immediately after the offence had taken place, in which SC Beams said: “I said to her: ‘What have you done? You’ve put me in an awkward position here.’”

Ms A’s response was said to be: “Oh don’t worry about it, it’s fine, no one will know.”

It was May 2 before SC Beams gave any account of the offence, and the hearing was told this only happened due to a complaint being made about her involvement.

SC Beams was not present at the hearing, and was not represented there but Chief Constable Stephens was satisfied the appropriate steps had been taken to give notice of the hearing and allow her to attend.

Chief Constable Stephens had considered a final written warning, given how early SC Beams was in her policing career, but said he did not think it would protect the force’s standards or public confidence.

He said: “I accept that the position was awkward for the friendship or relationship, but I do not accept that it was awkward for policing duties.

“That responsibility is very clear to any reasonable person, and I consider that if SC Beams’ conduct was known to the public then it would seriously undermine their confidence in the impartiality of policing. Failure to act was ‘wrong’”. He said that while SC Beams had some insight into her conduct and reflected afterwards that her actions were wrong, he also believed evidence showed SC Beams knew immediately after the offence that her failure to act was wrong.

He added that “she was more concerned about what the implications would be for her friend, who was the offender, and herself”.

In his decision, the Chief Constable said the “key aggravating factor” was that the officer “continued to conceal the wrongdoing, even after subsequent discussions on what had taken place”. He said SC Beams had recalled in interview a conversation which happened the following day with Ms B, who was also a witness, about how to report or seek advice.

Chief Constable Stephens added: “This continuing concealment is a fundamental lack of judgement required for public service.” The hearing judged that she had committed gross misconduct, should be dismissed without notice and would be placed on the College of Policing’s barred list.

Chief Constable Gavin Stephens said: “Such actions had the potential to deprive the victim in this crime of justice, and at the same time seriously undermine public confidence in the standards, impartiality, and effectiveness of policing in Surrey.”

As drought is declared in Surrey during the driest UK summer in 50 years, councils and services across the county have been taking measures to save water. The temperatures are forecast to remain high over the weekend, and measures such as hosepipe bans could on the cards from water companies.

From watering plants only from tanks which collect rainwater, suspending boat journeys on part of the Basingstoke Canal and no charity car washes for the Surrey Fire and Rescue Service, measures are being taken across the county to save water.

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council said it would follow guidance from the water companies in regard to watering plant, trees and bowling greens. A spokesperson said water fountains were still available, advised the public to take reusable water bottles to parks and open spaces.

The council’s general advice to the public was guided by Thames Water’s tips, including: swapping a garden hose for a watering can, taking shorter showers and fixing leaky loos and dripping taps among others.

A Surrey County Council spokesperson said all the authority’s services were reviewing their water usage and monitoring the restrictions coming into force in the county.

Surrey Fire and Rescue Service, covered by the county council, had temporarily stopped hosting charity car washes and advised crews to be mindful where possible, such as performing dry drills.

The spokesperson said: “As a big user of water, we’re going to be taking reasonable steps to play our part in this, without affecting operations.”

The watering of new trees planted last autumn and plants at the county council’s main offices was being reviewed, as were low water levels on the Basingstoke Canal.

The spokesperson said: “We have suspended boat navigation between Aldershot and Brookwood to help address [low water levels].

“Canoeing and paddlesports are continuing but may need to be restricted if levels continue to fall.

“We’re also working with the Angling Association and Environment Agency to monitor fish welfare.”

Reigate and Banstead Borough Council

Reigate and Banstead Borough Council has two 20,000 litre tanks which collect rain water, which is used to water the plants and flowers in much of the borough during the summer months, and the authority using mains water for this only where necessary.

Morag Williams, head of neighbourhood operations at the borough council, said the authority would follow all advice from the water companies.

She added: “We are always looking for ways to be more sustainable and our Greenspaces team is investigating options for more drought resistant planting for future planting schemes, in addition to those we already have in place.

“We would advise residents to follow the advice of the water and fire authorities and we are helping to share their information through our channels.”

She said residents and businesses could find advice on reducing water consumption generally on the council’s website, and staff were also given advice on what they could do to help, including in their own homes.

Elmbridge Borough Council

An Elmbridge Borough Council spokesperson said they were waiting for details of restrictions from the three water companies covering the area: Thames Water, Affinity and SES.

They said the borough’s paddling pools, which were in “high demand at the moment to help children cool off in the heat” dated back to the 1950s and were not efficient in terms of water and energy use.

A public consultation is due to be launched into the Oatlands paddling pool, which takes 4 hours to fill, and Churchfields, which takes 5 hours.

The spokesperson said: “Our residents are aware that we will be talking to them in the weeks ahead about the future of the paddling pools and how Elmbridge can be best served with play equipment as we look to improve play facilities in the borough.”

They added that Centres for the Community were supporting our older and more vulnerable residents, making sure they know to hydrate and how to keep cool in their homes and that advice on heatwave and water saving could be found on the council’s website.

Mole Valley District Council

Mole Valley District Council had been in discussions with its grounds and maintenance contractors, Idverde, regarding not carrying out any extra watering if a hosepipe ban came into effect.

Councillor David Draper, cabinet member for leisure and tourism, said the authority would continue watering summer beds and newly-planted trees.

He said this used a “very limited” amount of water, around 4,000 litres per week, is equivalent to 20 bath tubs’ worth over the whole of Mole Valley.

Cllr Draper added: “We must continue to maintain the health and growth of flowers and trees during these periods of sustained hot weather, particularly the new trees, otherwise they risk perishing.”

Guildford Borough Council

Guildford Borough Council’s lead councillor for environment and regulation, Cllr James Steel, said the authority was “doing all it could” to reduce water usage without affecting service delivery.

He said: “If the dry period continues, we will re-evaluate what we are doing.

“We may have to limit our water usage further, if water companies struggle to supply water to homes within the borough.”

Cllr Steel said fresh treated water would be added to the council’s pools and sports pitches were watered to maintain a safe playing surface where appropriate.

He said shared community facilities, such as the recently resurfaced paddling pool could help to reduce domestic use, and that the parks department recycled water where possible.

He added: “When it comes to community services our main priority is to keep our most vulnerable residents healthy and safe.

“We encourage all residents to follow heat health messages in this hot weather.”

A Tandridge District Council

A Tandridge District Council spokesperson said the authority was careful with water usage year round and not just during a water shortage.

They said: “We will continue to water plants until the flowers are past their best and trees when watering is required.

“Our bowls green and croquet lawns will be watered in the early hours of the morning several times a week either using a pop up sprinkler system or a hose sprinkler.”