Plus ça change …… will this openness last?
East Surrey’s open cabinet: a new culture or a honeymoon? There is something refreshing about a council cabinet meeting at which the outcome does not appear to have been settled … Read More
Category: Editorial
Dallen’s Dilemma
Cllr Neil Dallen has a decision to make. How much more public money should be spent deciding whether another councillor was sufficiently respectful towards him during an argument about public … Read More
How two became one became three – how “unitary” means “trinity”.
The central promise of local government reorganisation was easy to understand. Surrey’s confusing two-tier system would be swept away. Surrey County Council and the county’s 11 borough and district councils … Read More
Why procedure matters, even in little old Epsom and Ewell
Nobody seriously disputes that developing Hook Road Arena as a centre for community sport, supported where necessary by housing, deserves proper investigation. The proposal enjoyed overwhelming support. Had almost any … Read More
Power changes. Our duty does not.
One of the easier occupations in local journalism is to be a cheerleader. Another is to be a partisan attack dog. Epsom and Ewell Times intends to be neither. Our … Read More
East Surrey Council, an election that calls for distinction?
As voters in Epsom and Ewell prepare to elect representatives to the new East Surrey Unitary Council on 7th May, two unfolding controversies raise a broader question: how should voters … Read More
Epsom and the Perils of Instant Judgement
Epsom has, in recent days, found itself at the centre of a story that has travelled far beyond the town. What began as a serious and distressing report rapidly became … Read More
Devolution or dilution? And who decides?
Surrey’s proposal to form a Foundation Strategic Authority is framed as a step forward — aligning transport, housing and economic planning across the county and bringing decision-making closer to local … Read More
Process matters — but so does the balance sheet
Epsom & Ewell Times has recently published a run of stories raising concerns about process, openness and transparency at Epsom & Ewell Borough Council (EEBC). Those issues matter. A council … Read More
Parish power, democratic ideals — and the Residents’ Association dilemma
EDITORIAL For nearly ninety years, since the creation by Charter of Epsom and Ewell Borough Council in 1937, the Residents’ Associations have held political control of the council. Their defining … Read More
Do Epsom and Ewell Borough’s allotments need their own elected Councils?
Epsom and Ewell Borough Councillors will meet on Tuesday 9 December to decide whether to progress the next stage of creating two new parish councils for the borough before the … Read More
Local government reform or just more layers?
EDITORIAL When Whitehall speaks of “streamlining” local government, most people imagine fewer tiers of decision-making, simpler accountability, and a shorter distance between citizen and power. Yet, as the picture for … Read More
Keep Epsom and Ewell Times alive – donate now
Many many thanks to those readers who have responded to our appeal for a small donation to keep our service going. Some of you have been very generous and we … Read More
What might local government reorganisation mean for Epsom and Ewell?
As Surrey faces a significant overhaul of its local government structure, residents of Epsom and Ewell are rightfully concerned about the potential financial repercussions. The proposed reorganisation may lead to … Read More