Following a strike of mail workers and a picket at Epsom’s East Street Sorting Office CWU workers picket the telephone exchange on the other side of the street. See our report on postal strike HERE.
The dispute, which involves more than 40,000 CWU members working for BT and Openreach, was triggered by BT’s imposition of real-terms pay cuts for all CWU-represented grades, claim the Trade Union.
CWU claim that instead of following normal negotiating protocols – under which a draft deal that is fair and acceptable to both sides is arrived at through discussions, and then recommended by the union to its membership for their ratification – this year BT abruptly terminated the talks after just six short meetings. Firm proposals had only been tabled by management in the latter two of those meetings.
BT claims the flat-rate settlement of £1,500 equates to between 3.8% and 8% dependent on where individuals sit on the pay scale.
The CWU therefore calculates that even the biggest beneficiaries of this year’s imposed flat rate pay award have only received around 5% – with the vast majority of CWU-represented grades receiving only a little over 4% and some below 3%. That compares with spiralling inflation that saw the Government’s preferred (typically lower) CPI measure hit 10.1% in July (RPI 12.3%) and even the Bank of England predicting CPI will top 13% within months.
In 2021 members received no consolidated pay rise at all, and even the agreed settlement in 2020 was slightly below inflation. In fact, since 2020, BT pay for CWU grades has increased by just 6.6% (including the £1,500 imposed award for 2022). Without any improvement to the imposed £1,500 award, this represents a real-terms pay cut since 2020 of 6.9% based on RPI, and 2.8% based on CPI. This is despite BT’s declaration of a £1.3bn annual profit, a £761 million dividend payout for shareholders and a 32% pay increase for the CEO.
The CWU conducted its first company-wide industrial action ballot in BT Group since 1987 in June. In Openreach, where 28,425 CWU members were entitled to vote, participants recorded 95.8% ‘yes’ vote for industrial action on a 74.8% turnout. In BT, where 10,353 were issued with a ‘yes’ vote of 91.5% was recorded on a 58.2% turnout.
As a result, the first national industrial action in BT Group for three and a half decades took place on July 29 and August 1 and again on Tuesday August 30 and Wednesday August 31.
1st September 2022
Dear Subscribers,
Welcome to our resumed weekly and fortnightly service after a brief August break. 28 new reports since 4th August. Back issues are always accessible via the top of the page editions menu.
Surrey libraries are the second most visited in the country according to the latest UK Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) data, with the figures showing the libraries … READ MORE
Oakwood 0-5 Epsom & Ewell, Southern Combination League – Division One, Monday 29th August 2022. Report Source: www.eefconline.co.uk. Reporter: Richard Lambert. Any disappointment felt in the FA Vase defeat at … READ MORE
Salts battle hard but Lobsters progress in the Vase. Redhill 2-1 Epsom & Ewell. Isuzu F.A. Vase – First Qualifying Round. Saturday 27th August 2022. Report Source: www.eefconline.co.uk Reporter: Richard … READ MORE
Epsom & Ewell Borough Council signs the Anti-Social Behaviour Pledge. Councillor Clive Woodbridge, Mayor of Epsom & Ewell Borough Council has signed an Anti-Social Behaviour Pledge which commits the council to … READ MORE
Baroness Sheila Hollins has joined Freemen of the Borough, the local MP and others in their Patronage of The Friends of Horton Cemetery. Baroness Hollins is a leading figure nationally … READ MORE
Epsom Posties go on strike. Photo above: Local workers and Labour Party activists outside Epsom’s East Street Royal Mail sorting office today. The biggest strike of summer so far will … READ MORE
The University for the Creative Arts (UCA) Epsom welcomes the return of its in person postgraduate shows with work created by our master’s students 2022. For one week only, UCA … READ MORE
Gillian Nichols of Epsom and Ewell Foodbank writes: What price do you put on mental health? Among the people that visit foodbanks, many have severe mental health issues due to … READ MORE
Mavericks receive a repeat dose of the Salts. Worthing United 0-3 Epsom & Ewell – Southern Combination League – Division One – Saturday 20th August 2022. Report Source: www.eefconline.co.uk Reporter: … READ MORE
Epsom & Ewell 5-2 Forest Row Southern Combination League – Division One. Wednesday 17th August 2022. Report Source: www.eefconline.co.uk. Reporter: Richard Lambert. On Wednesday night at Fetcham Grove we thoroughly … READ MORE
A Tadworth man who stole empty CoVid vaccination vials and sold them on Ebay gets a suspended prison sentence. What do you do when you get given one of those … READ MORE
Surrey Police have issued witness and information appeals for two serious stabbings by knives both taking place on 16th August 2022. The first in Horley at about 10.20pm and the … READ MORE
Bus drivers strike affecting the people of Epsom and Ewell. There are planned bus driver strikes during the 19th till the 20th of August. Passengers from west and south west … READ MORE
Ro Stretton from Epsom has signed up to the Baylis & Harding Free Recycling Programme offered by recycling experts TerraCycle. By sending waste to TerraCycle, Ro also raises money for … READ MORE
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 … READ MORE
Seaford Town 1-2 Epsom & Ewell FC Southern Combination League – Division One Saturday 13th August 2022 Report Source: www.eefconline.co.uk Reporter: Richard Lambert. With one swish of the left foot … READ MORE
An online auction of a collection of 15 hats created for the Platinum Jubilee by some of the UK’s leading milliners has raised close to £9,000 for Brain Tumour Research. … READ MORE
Epsom’s University for the Creative Arts (UCA) offers advice to degree seeking ‘A’ Level students. “With over two million jobs in the Creative Industries across the UK, choosing a degree … READ MORE
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 … READ MORE
Epsom and Ewell Borough Council is pleased to have received a Green Flag Award for Epsom Common Local Nature Reserve, one of 2208 UK winners. The award is the international … READ MORE
A Tadworth childminder who did not tell Ofsted about changes to the adults living in her house has been given an inadequate rating. Inspectors said the childminder had breached requirements … READ MORE
28th July David King and Cynthea Blunden of the Epsom Common Association (ECA) represented Epsom & Ewell at the Green Flag Award ceremony in Lambeth Community Hall. This marked the … READ MORE
The new civic car leased by the Borough of Epsom and Ewell will be a plug-in hybrid vehicle, according to a recent decision by the Council’s Strategy and Resources Committee. … READ MORE
By Emily Coady Stemp Local Democracy Reporter: London’s proposed Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) expansion would mean drivers trying to get to some popular landmarks in the capital’s border with … READ MORE
Southern Combination League – Division One. Saturday 6th August 2022. Report Source: www.eefconline.co.uk Reporter: Richard Lambert. On Saturday we suffered our third straight 3-0 defeat when visiting Middle Road, home … READ MORE
Surrey County Council is to take back control of verges and on-street parking enforcement from Epsom and Ewell Borough Council and all other County districts. In a bid to streamline … READ MORE
Epsom and St Helier NHS Trust bucks the national trend in maintaining its level of recruitment of UK qualified medical staff between 2015 and 2021. Nationally the picture is different. … READ MORE
Leatherhead 3-0 Epsom & Ewell Pre-season Friendly – Stella Lamont Trophy Wednesday 3rd August 2022. Report Source: www.eefconline.co.uk Reporter: Richard Lambert Tanners ease to victory. In five days we have … READ MORE
What an erudite lot we are.
Surrey libraries are the second most visited in the country according to the latest UK Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) data, with the figures showing the libraries attracted over 550,000 visits last year.
CIPFA surveyed residents as part of the findings, with questions ranging from the overall customer experience, satisfaction with the quality of book stock, and the role libraries play in combating loneliness and isolation.
97% of respondents said they received good or very good standard of care when visiting Surrey’s libraries, whilst 83% felt the choice of books on offer was either good or very good (with a further 93% happy with the physical condition of the books).
The results also reinforced the important role libraries play in their communities, with 62% of those surveyed who felt lonely saying libraries help to reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation.
The findings from the CIPFA survey reflect the broadening appeal of Surrey’s libraries and emphasise that modern libraries provide more to residents than just books. They have become a place for performances, workshops and exhibition spaces and offer a myriad of services including free digital access for those without access to a computer.
Below are some examples of what libraries have been providing over and above their core service offerings:
A year-long partnership with Farnham Maltings has resulted in libraries being a space for some exciting creative events to be staged, exhibited and performed, extending the reach and accessibility of cultural experiences.
Ensuring that no one is left behind libraries have been the backbone of delivering Surrey’s Period Dignity campaign with period products available to be collected for free or donated at all 52 libraries.
Libraries are there for all people in the community and have been welcoming families from the Ukraine ensuring books in Ukrainian and Russian are available on their shelves. Young Ukrainians have been able to take part in this year’s Summer Reading Challenge thanks to translated materials provided in Ukrainian and Russian.
This summer during the Jubilee weekend there were 85 Jubilee events and 46 Big Lunches hosted in Surrey libraries as an opportunity for communities to come together and celebrate – to ensure everyone had an opportunity join up and join in with their community.
Sue Wills MBE Assistant Director Art, Culture, Heritage and Libraries said “This is just the tip of the iceberg! We’ve come a long way in terms of the diversity of services that libraries can offer. This is an exciting period of transformation for our much-loved Surrey Libraries where spaces are re-imagined to deliver a place where social, educational, economic, and cultural activities can be made accessible to all in the community, often free of charge. It’s not the physical building that changes it’s what’s happening inside at the heart of the building that changes.”
Epsom & Ewell Borough Council signs the Anti-Social Behaviour Pledge.
Councillor Clive Woodbridge, Mayor of Epsom & Ewell Borough Council has signed an Anti-Social Behaviour Pledge which commits the council to supporting victims of anti-social behaviour.
The pledge is a set of principles put forward by the victims’ charity ASB Help. ASB Help have previously assisted the Community Safety Partnership on complex community trigger applications.
A community trigger can be activated if an incident has been reported three or more times within a six month period and not received a satisfactory response. This gives the victim the right to demand that agencies deal with persistent anti-social behaviour.
The pledge’s aims are as follows:
Promote awareness – Actively encourage the use of the community trigger to residents and partner agencies
Legality – Confirm an organisation is legally compliant and embracing the spirit of the community trigger
Ensure accessibility – Publicise the community trigger so the most vulnerable know what it is and how to invoke it
Develop the process – Embrace the full potential of the community trigger by continually reviewing and learning from best practice
Generate inclusivity – Use community trigger review meetings to work collaboratively and strategically, formulating solutions to end the anti- social behaviour
Establish a precedent of using the community trigger to put victims first and deter perpetrators
Councillor John Beckett, Chair of the Environment and Safe Communities Committee, said “Anti-Social behaviour is not welcome in Epsom & Ewell and we work hard with partner agencies to both reduce and prevent it. Anti-social behaviour can be anything from neighbourhood issues and noise nuisance to tall vegetation, bonfires, flytipping and inconsiderate parking.
“I would like to reassure victims of any sort of anti-social behaviour that we are there to support them. Signing this pledge is a reminder for us as a council and for our partners in the Community Safety Partnership to work more closely with ASB Help and ensure victims are effectively assisted.”
Baroness Sheila Hollins has joined Freemen of the Borough, the local MP and others in their Patronage of The Friends of Horton Cemetery. Baroness Hollins is a leading figure nationally and worldwide in the field of psychiatry. A former President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the British Medical Association, she is an adviser to The Pope on the protection of minors and is a cross-bench member of the House of Lords.
The Charity’s 50+ strong research team leader, Kevin McDonnell, said “We are truly honoured that the charity’s objects have Baroness Hollin’s endorsement. Especially as on 6th September we launch our project “Out of Sight, Out of Mind“, supported by Historic England and Kings College London. The story of the Cemetery and the Stories of the lives of those buried there are becoming significant locally, nationally and internationally. We have researchers and followers here, across the United Kingdom and overseas. An extraordinary heritage putting Epsom on the world map.”
Dr Alana Harris, Director of Kings College’s Liberal Arts Department said “The project aims to restore dignity to the 9000 patients buried beside Epsom’s Hook Road, in Europe’s largest asylum cemetery. Our project seeks to recapture these stories and to create a crowd-sourced memorial, overcoming historical amnesia, neglect, and inaction. We are seeking volunteers (who will be trained, and work in pairs) to lead public engagement ‘chat and craft’ workshops, which will discuss the history of the ‘Epsom Asylum’ cluster and its cemetery.”
You can find out more at an information session on Tuesday 6th September 4pm-6pm at St. Barnabas Church, Temple Road, Epsom KT19 8HA and you can contact the Project via www.hortoncemetery.org
“You’ve NOT got mail”
Epsom Posties go on strike. Photo above: Local workers and Labour Party activists outside Epsom’s East Street Royal Mail sorting office today. The biggest strike of summer so far will began today as 115,000 postal workers came out for a “dignified, proper pay rise”. Members of the Communication Workers Union – which represents Royal Mail Group workers – have started a series of national strike action .
This will be followed by further strike action on Wednesday 31st August, Thursday 8th September and Friday 9th September.
The decision follows the union’s recent ballot for strike action over pay, which saw members vote by 97.6% on a 77% turnout to take action.
The union is demanding that Royal Mail Group make an adequate pay award that covers the current cost of living increases for our members.
Management imposed a 2% pay rise on employees, who were classified as key workers throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, through executive action earlier this summer.
In an economic climate where inflation looks set to soar to 18% by January 2023, the imposition would lead to a dramatic reduction in workers’ living standards.
CWU General Secretary Dave Ward said: “On Friday, we will see a tremendous outpouring of workers’ unity in villages, towns and cities across the country. There can be no doubt that postal workers are completely united in their determination to secure the dignified, proper pay rise they deserve. We can’t keep on living in a country where bosses rake in billions in profit while their employees are forced to use food banks.
“When Royal Mail bosses are raking in £758 million in profit and shareholders pocketing in excess of £400 million, our members won’t accept pleads of poverty from the company. Postal workers won’t meekly accept their living standards being hammered by greedy business leaders who are completely out of touch with modern Britain.
“They are sick of corporate failure getting rewarded again and again. Royal Mail’s leadership have lost the dressing room – and unless they make efforts to get real on discussing a pay rise that postal workers deserve, serious disruption will continue.”
CWU Deputy General Secretary Terry Pullinger said: “Our members worked miracles during the pandemic and know full well what they are worth. They are fighting for a no strings, real-terms pay rise – something they are fully entitled to. Those managing Royal Mail Group are treating our members with contempt by imposing such a minimal amount. Royal Mail Group have failed to recognise the strength of feeling and have clearly lost the dressing room on pay, so they have left us with no choice but to fight. Our members deserve a pay rise that rewards their fantastic achievements in keeping the country connected during the pandemic, but also helps them keep up during this current economic crisis. We won’t be backing down until we get just that.”
Royal Mail has responded according to the Financial Times: “The CWU had rejected a pay award worth up to 5.5 per cent, which would have added about £230mn to Royal Mail’s annual “people costs” at a time when the business was already lossmaking. This decision by the CWU is an abdication of responsibility for the long-term job security of its members. In more than three months of talks, CWU has failed to engage meaningfully on the business changes required.
“We’re really sorry for the disruption that this strike action is likely to cause to you. We want to reassure you we will do everything we can to minimise disruption and get our services back to normal as quickly as possible.
Royal Mail has well-developed contingency plans, but they cannot fully replace the daily efforts of its frontline workforce. We will be doing what we can to keep services running, but customers should expect significant disruption.
On days when strike action is taking place:
We will deliver as many Special Delivery and Tracked24 parcels as possible
We will prioritise the delivery of COVID test kits and medical prescriptions wherever possible
We will not be delivering letters (with the exception of Special Delivery)
What you can do:
Post your items as early as possible in advance of the strike dates
Continue to post your items at Postboxes or Post Offices, however collections will be less frequent on days when strike action is taking place”
UCA Epsom MA Graduation Show 2022
The University for the Creative Arts (UCA) Epsom welcomes the return of its in person postgraduate shows with work created by our master’s students 2022.
For one week only, UCA Epsom will be displaying innovative work by Epsom MA Graphic Design students as they take the next step in their careers and begin to shape their futures in the creative industries.
Foodbank feeding thoughts…
Gillian Nichols of Epsom and Ewell Foodbank writes: What price do you put on mental health? Among the people that visit foodbanks, many have severe mental health issues due to traumatic experiences, poor circumstances, and often unaddressed medical issues they’ve faced in their lives. At Epsom Foodbank we have a higher motive than simply feeding the people who need us.
We want to help reduce the need for our Foodbank services through addressing the cause of the problem, not just the problem itself. And we are already doing this very successfully. Our outstanding counselling service has been sitting alongside the foodbank, working with clients to help them move on from their problems towards independence and work. It’s hard for many of us to understand the plight of the people we help. It is best described in their own words which you can read at the end of this letter. To have a qualified Counsellor available at our Foodbank is a huge asset which has changed lives. We really want to do more of this. But we need funding in order to do it. And it doesn’t take a huge amount. In fact, just £50 per month would make all the difference. A partnership or donation from your company can enable our Counsellor to keep working with people, building their confidence, and helping them escape from dependence by listening, offering therapy services, and having them know someone is there and looking out for them. Everyone knows the importance of mental health, and how poor mental health lies at the root of so many social issues. If you can help support this incredible life-changing service, contact gillianaudreynichols@gmail.com
No immunity for CoVid vaccination thief
A Tadworth man who stole empty CoVid vaccination vials and sold them on Ebay gets a suspended prison sentence. What do you do when you get given one of those proof of postage receipts in your local post office? Crumple it up and stuff it in the bottom of your bag? Pop it in the recycling pile by the back door when you get home? Diligently file it away somewhere safe?
Luckily for our investigators convicted thief and fraudster Steven Flint took the last approach, but unluckily for him, his neat and tidy admin was eventually his downfall.
Flint was working as a contract security guard at three vaccination sites in the county during the peak of the Covid vaccination roll-out in January and February 2021 when he stole a large quantity of empty Covid vaccine vials to sell them on eBay.
Investigators initially used Post Office CCTV footage and eBay account details to connect Flint to the crimes and he was arrested on suspicion of theft and fraud at one of the sites he worked at in February 2021. Flint had completed 13 shifts before he was arrested.
During a subsequent search of his house, police officers found empty vaccine vials and multiple receipts for packages posted to Flint’s eBay buyers.
Surrey Police detectives also discovered that Flint had fraudulently used the details of an acquaintance to set up a new eBay account to cover his tracks.
Steven Flint, 34 of Bidhams Crescent, Tadworth was found guilty of theft on 19 July at Staines Magistrates Court. He had previously pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation. He was sentenced to one year imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, at Staines Magistrates Court on Wednesday, 17 August.
Flint was also ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work.
Detective Inspector Paul Gordon from Surrey Police’s proactive investigation team said: “Covid vaccine vials remain the property of the NHS. Due to their sensitive medical nature, this ownership is maintained before, during and after the vials are used. Taking these items could only have been theft.
“Flint’s crimes took place when the very successful national vaccine programme was in its infancy and any actions which jeopardised public confidence in the vaccine roll-out were treated with the utmost seriousness. We, along with our health service partners and the vaccine manufacturers, reacted extremely quickly to the situation, working together to identify and arrest Flint.”
Lorna Hart, Surrey Heartlands Covid Vaccination Programme Director said: “The NHS will never charge for a Covid-19 vaccination and patients should only ever accept a vaccine from an NHS vaccination service.
“Thanks to the success of our NHS vaccination programme, frontline teams have done an incredible job, delivering over 2.2 million Covid-19 vaccines to people across Surrey Heartlands.
“As part of the autumn booster programme many people, including everyone aged 50 and over, will be offered a Covid-19 booster, as well as a flu jab, to help increase people’s protection against respiratory viruses ahead of winter so we would encourage anyone who is invited to get vaccinated. We also continue to offer the Covid-19 vaccine to anyone who is eligible.”
Written by Karen Parker of Surrey Police
Two Surrey Stabbings in One Day
Surrey Police have issued witness and information appeals for two serious stabbings by knives both taking place on 16th August 2022. The first in Horley at about 10.20pm and the second in Leatherhead at about 11.10pm. Epsom and Ewell Times reprints the Police appeals below:
Surrey Police.
We are appealing for witnesses after a man was stabbed in the chest in Horley last night (16 August).
Police were called after the victim, a man in his 20s, was found with a single stab wound on a grassed area near Roffey Close around 10.20pm.
The man was approached from behind and thrown from his bike to the ground by two men wearing balaclavas. He was then believed to have been dragged along the ground before being stabbed.
Two men were seen making off from the scene towards the recreation area near Sangers Walk shortly afterwards.
The victim was taken to hospital where he remains in a serious but stable condition.
Enquiries are underway and we are appealing to anyone who witnessed the attack, or who has any dashcam or doorbell camera footage or any other information, to come forward.
Detective Sergeant Lee Marks said: “We would like to reassure local residents that we are doing everything we can to identify those responsible and ensure they face the consequences of their actions.”
If you can help, please contact us straightaway quoting reference PR/45220087990 via contacts below
………………………….
We’re appealing for witnesses following a stabbing in Leatherhead yesterday (16 August).
Last night officers received a report that someone had been stabbed on Kingston Road, near to the junction with Cleeve Road and the footpath leading to Leatherhead train station. This assault occurred between 11pm and 11.15pm. The victim was taken to hospital with stab wounds to his hand and arm.
Officers cordoned off the area last night to conduct enquiries and this was taken down at 10.30am this morning.
Sergeant Elliott Hartley, of Mole Valley Specialist Neighbourhood Team, said: “I know that many local residents will have been concerned this morning after seeing the police scene on Kingston Road. We’re continuing to work hard to establish what happened last night and we’re asking anyone who was walking home from the train station around the time of the assault to please get in touch. The victim has been discharged from hospital and is recovering at home.”
If you witnessed this assault, or have any information which could help our investigation, please contact us quoting PR/45220088010 via
