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 in a creative subject is no longer just about following your passion – it’s a sound career choice” says Julian Henry, UCA’s Head of Student Recruitment.

“If you’re looking at courses in Clearing, choosing a creative degree, can help you develop the skills that employers of the future are looking for – innovation, problem-solving and collaboration. You might also be surprised by the types of creative courses on offer, such digital art, games design or even business degrees focused on creative thinking.”

For students thinking beyond a traditional degree and looking for a course that will let their imagination run free, the University for the Creative Arts (UCA) in Epsom offers its top tips for Clearing.

1. Don’t panic – just breathe! Take the time to think about what you want from your course and what you want to get from your university experience.
2. Focus on your strengths. Think about what you’re passionate aboutand the skills you have that are often undervalued in traditional subjects, like imagination, curiosity and open-mindedness.  
3. Keep an open mind and think outside the box. Want to pursue a creative career – then think creatively about what you study – you might be surprised by the range of creative courses on offer.
4. It’s not all about grades. It’s fine to change your mind about your what you want to study but do think about whether your qualifications and personal statement are still relevant. At UCA we consider more than just grades – we want to know about your creative potential.
5. Check out your options. Don’t wait until Clearing Day to start looking at universities and courses, ask questions online or sign-up to online events to find out more.
6. Think about what you need. Universities come in all shapes and sizes. At UCA we are focused on creating a personal, supportive and close-knitted communities.
7. Contact someone and ask questions. If you’re curious about a course, contact the university and ask questions. There’s no commitment and you might just learn something from the way they respond.

“When you choose to study a creative degree, you’ll be stepping into more than a games design studio, film set or architecture workshop – you’ll be stepping into a lifetime of learning, creating, and opportunities.”

A recent graduate from UCA Alex Rahneva enthuses.

“UCA gave me the opportunity to become more independent through self-work and be able to adapt to different circumstances. I think the key skill I’ve learnt for my future is the resilience to create independent work.
And the advice I would give to students would be, believe in your work and trust your talent. It might be very daunting to put yourself out there but at the end of the day, making connections is all about showcasing your work, your skills, and your creative ability to innovate. Industry experts recognise and value this above all else!

I’ve had plenty of opportunities at UCA to meet and network with people from the creative industries, including amazing networking opportunities with industry experts at Graduate Fashion Week. As well as opportunities to meet and network with companies like Meta/Facebook and USP (Unique Style Platform), having won awards sponsored by them at UCA’s Business School for the Creative Industries Industry Awards 2022. Both experiences have been eye-opening and gave me experience and guidance on how to make my way into the fast-paced and global creative industry.”

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.”

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 quality mark for parks and green spaces.

This is the 16^th year that Epsom Common Local Nature Reserve has received this award.

Over the last few years, borough parks and nature reserves have been vital places for people to relax, exercise and meet friends and family safely.

Councillor John Beckett of the Environment and Safe Communities Committee said: “We have some fantastic parks and green spaces in the borough. The news that Epsom Common Local Nature Reserve has achieved the Green Flag Award for the 16th year in a row is a testament to our teams and volunteers whose hard work all year-round ensures it is well maintained.  We are also reminding everyone to be fire aware and not to light any BBQs in our green spaces as there is currently such a high risk of fires spreading in this dry spell.”

Commenting on the news Epsom Common Local Nature Reserve has met the Green Flag Award standard, Keep Britain Tidy’s Accreditation Manager Paul Todd said: “I would like to congratulate everyone involved in making Epsom Common Local Nature Reserve worthy of a Green Flag Award.

“Epsom Common Local Nature Reserve is a vital green space for the local community. This award is testament to all the hard work of staff and volunteers, who do so much to ensure that it maintains the high standards demanded by the Green Flag Award.”

The Green Flag Award scheme, managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy under licence from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for the management of green spaces across the United Kingdom and around the world.

A full list of Green Flag Award-winning parks and green spaces is available at https://www.keepbritaintidy.org/sites/default/files/2022%20GFA%20UK%20winners%20list.pdf.

The Green Flag Award Scheme (http://greenflagaward.org/) is run by the environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, under licence from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, in partnership with Keep Scotland Beautiful, Keep Wales Tidy and Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful.

Keep Britain Tidy is a leading environmental charity. It sets the standard for the management of parks and beaches, inspires people to be litter-free, to waste less and live more sustainably. It runs campaigns and programmes including the Great British Spring Clean, Eco-Schools, Love Parks, Eco-Schools, the Green Flag Award for parks and green spaces and the Blue Flag/ Seaside Awards for beaches. To find out more about Keep Britain Tidy, its campaigns and programmes visit www.keepbritaintidy.org.

Any green space that is freely accessible to the public is eligible to enter for a Green Flag Award.  Awards are given on an annual basis and winners must apply each year to renew their Green Flag Award status.  A Green Flag Community Award recognises quality sites managed by voluntary and community groups. Green Heritage Site Accreditation is judged on the treatment of the site’s historic features and the standard of conservation. 

See yesterday’s report on Epsom Common Association

Flagging Up Epsom Common

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 resulting in “a significant impact on children’s safety and  overall welfare”.

The childminder’s details are not given in the report published this month by Ofsted.

Inspectors said suitability checks had not been completed on all household members because the regulator had not been informed of the changes to adults living there and therefore children were not safeguarded.

The report said: “Leadership and management are inadequate. The childminder has not identified breaches of the statutory requirements that have a significant impact on children’s safety and personal development.”

The inspection, which was carried out in February, rated the childminder inadequate overall and in the areas of “personal development” and “leadership and management”.

But the rating for “quality of education” and “behaviour and attitudes” were both good.

At the time of the inspection, there were six children on the roll.

Inspectors said the childminder was able to recognise the signs and symptoms of abuse and knew what steps to take to protect the children she cared for.

They said she refreshed her safeguarding knowledge regularly, had a secure understanding of wider safeguarding issues, and carried out regular risk assessments on her home.

The report said: “Children feel happy and are settled with the childminder, who takes the time to get to know them well.

“Children confidently move around the environment and show curiosity as they explore the resources and activities that have been set up for them.”

According to inspectors, the childminder focussed on supporting children’s emotional well-being, including looking at family photographs with the children to talk about what made them happy.

Inspectors said: “Parents are happy with the care and education that the childminder provides.

“They are complimentary about the care their children receive.”

At the previous inspection in 2015, the childminder met the standards required by inspectors.

Ofsted would not comment on individual inspections. The regulator reinspects inadequate providers within six months of the latest inspection.

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 sixteenth successive year that Epsom Common has received this award, which describes itself as “the international quality mark for parks and green spaces”.
Much of the Common is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England consider all of this land to be in “favourable” condition. Taken together, these points suggest that Epsom and Ewell Borough Council, which owns and manages the Common, is successfully balancing the various and sometimes conflicting demands of a recreational open space and a nationally important nature reserve. The new flag will be flying over Stamford Green just as soon as the flagpole that blew down last winter is replaced.

At 176 hectare, Epsom Common is the largest Local Nature Reserve in Surrey, with habitats including: rough grassland, woodland with veteran oak pollards, remnants of heath, and several ponds. Management is guided by the Council’s One Hundred Year Plan: 2016 to 2116, which has been approved by Natural England. Clearly woodland containing trees aged five hundred years or more takes some time to reach maturity, but even grassland, consisting of short lived plants, takes many years to fully develop its potential range of plants and animals. So planning for the long term is essential.

The ECA was founded by local residents in 1974 to fight a proposed road across the Common. In 1979, in partnership with the Council, the ECA completed the restoration of Great Pond dam, recreating the mediaeval pond that had been drained in the Victorian era. Nowadays the ECA has a membership of around five hundred households, and works closely with the Council’s Countryside Team and the Lower Mole Partnership to protect and improve the Common. After two years with activity limited by the pandemic, the usual programme of events has resumed.

As well as their conservation work, by the end of this year ECA will have: distributed three newsletters; held two public meetings with guest speakers; and arranged several expert led guided walks, looking at birds, butterflies, etc. Every few years they also hold an “Epsom Common Day” on Stamford Green, most recently in 2019.

On Tuesday evenings in summer (until the end of August) the volunteers hand-pull bracken for a couple of
hours, to prevent selected areas of heath or grassland being smothered. Their labours are relieved by a break for homemade sparkling elderflower drink and chocolate brownies. During the autumn ECA will hold the three remaining conservation tasks of the year’s programme of eight. Each task runs for two days, usually the third Sunday of the month and the following Monday. The task programme is guided by the One Hundred Year Plan and agreed with the Council’s Countryside Team. The work typically involves removing scrub and small trees to maintain and improve areas of grass and heath; they have also planted a hazel coppice.

Why is all this management work desirable? Old photographs show that before the Second World War much of the Common was open, with small areas of woodland and some old trees, many of which are still alive. Much of the open land was ploughed for agriculture during and immediately after the war. This ceased around 1955, and most of the Common was then essentially left alone. By the 1980s the previously ploughed area had become an almost impenetrable mass of young trees. This uniformity of age, along with the absence of the animals such as: aurochs (the extinct large wild ancestor of domestic cattle), wild boar, beaver, etc., that once shaped woodland and kept it more open, resulted in a habitat that was neither particularly natural nor rich in variety of
plants or animals. On the Common, grassland and lowland heath were probably manmade habitats, arising from a combination of tree felling and grazing, but they support species not found in woodland. By careful management a mixture of grassland, heath, ponds and varied woodland, can be created and maintained, leading to a much greater range of plants and animals.

During the summer, three areas of the Common are grazed by cattle, this year a total of fourteen animals. The cattle graze the grass and heathland in a way that cannot be replicated by mowing. In recent years the Great Pasture has been extended to include an area of woodland, a habitat in which the cattle’s ancestors would have been at home. Today’s Belted Galloways and Dexters also appear happy to forage amongst the trees, particularly during hot weather. For their health the cattle must be checked every day, as are the fence lines and water troughs. Each week the ECA provides four of the daily checks; without their contribution it is unlikely that grazing could be continued.

Finally, ECA make excellent hardwood charcoal from logs harvested during conservation work. Last year, thanks to a grant from the Council’s Community Infrastructure Levy, they were able to take delivery of a modern charcoal retort. Compared with the conventional ring kilns used previously, the retort greatly reduces the smoke and increases the yield. The charcoal sales help finance ECA’s activities. Volunteers are not paid, but of course they do have to pay for tools, fuel, insurance, etc.

If you would like to find out more about ECA’s efforts to keep the Common special, please visit their
website: epsomcommon.org.uk or our Facebook page:
www.facebook.com/EpsomCommonAssociation

They welcome new members, whether you wish to take part in conservation tasks or simply support their efforts through your membership.

See also press release from Epsom and Ewell Borough Council issued 12th August

Council Pride in Not Uncommon Green Flag

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.

The current vehicle, a black 5-door 1.4 TSI Skoda Superb, is to be replaced with its hybrid version at an annual cost of £3,760, as the 5-year lease agreed in 2017 expired at the end of July and could not be extended. 

The option was welcomed unanimously by the members of the Committee, who discussed the choice in a brief debate, chaired by Cllr. Neil Dallen (RA Town Ward), before casting their vote.

The price for the new car will be covered adequately after the previous budget of £3,060 was uplifted by £700 in line with Consumer Price Index inflationary increases. The fresh sum, however, would not secure the lease of a full electric car that meets all the requirements of the Council.

Electric vehicles “are very expensive,” said EBBC’s Head of Corporate Assurance, who outlined the different available options to Councillors. “What we could afford is quite a small electric car”, which would not be comfortable for those sitting in the back seats.

Officers conducted market research to present a comprehensive list of alternatives to be considered. Along with the recommended model, the current vehicle could be replaced with the same petrol version for an annual cost of £3,650. This possibility, seen as the most disadvantageous, would not be consistent with the Council’s environmental commitment and might burn finances through the current ballooning oil prices. 

A greener and cheaper solution seemed to come with the Hyundai Kona, a subcompact SUV that would cost £2,736 annually, later dismissed for practicality reasons.

Only two, full-electric models were available for leasing. The Nissan Leaf would be within budget, at £3,084 per year, but would not overcome the constraints of smaller cars. Conversely, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 would be a bigger choice, but above the Council’s spending plan.

Doubts on the favoured option were voiced during the meeting, with Cllr. Alan Williamson (RA West Ewell Ward) worried that a more expensive and non-full-electric vehicle might harm the public image of EEBC.

“Being seen to be doing the right thing is as important as actually doing the right thing,” he said. The plug-in hybrid Skoda Superb “seems to compare negatively to the Nissan Leaf,” which would rather draw “some favour from residents.”

The mileage averagely carried out to chauffeur the Mayor and his Deputy when undertaking official duties is estimated to be around 3,000 miles per annum. Although the vehicle agreed by the Committee would still be partially dependant on refuelling, the relatively short distances travelled would allow to save more than £400 on oil every year, while being climate-friendly, according to projections published by the Council.

Along with the new civic car, members were asked to endorse the installation of a reserved charging point. This would attract a one-off cost of approximately £1,500.

Traditionally, the vehicle is meant for the sole use of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor and would otherwise remain parked. Some wondered whether the car, and the charging point that is to be installed, could be employed as a common good at the community’s disposal.

“It does seem as a sort of asset” to use for other opportunities, said Cllr. Colin Keane (RA Nonsuch Ward). “Other people can use the charging point” once the Mayor’s car has moved away, echoed Cllr. David Gulland (Liberal Democrat College Ward), who showed disagreement with the recommendation of fitting the station within the garage.

McTaggart embraced Keane’s suggestion, but rejected the proposal coming from Gulland. “It is to do with the speed of how quickly this particular model has to be fully charged to then click into electric,” she said. “If someone was already using the charging point, you then could not recharge the vehicle.”

According to data published by Surrey County Council in 2017, the number of electric vehicles registered in the County topped 2,500. As the interest and awareness generated in recent years only raised, the current digit is certainly higher. 

As reported by Zap-Map, a leading platform for EV drivers throughout the UK, there are 14 charging stations available in Epsom and Ewell, but more spots might be needed in the area to satisfy the increasing demand.

In a recent consultation by Surrey County Council, residents were asked where they would like their charge points. An online map has been set up to pin favourite locations and leave a comment.

Ideally, charge points should be installed in zones where use would be high, where vehicles can be parked legally and safely, with enough pavement space, and where power supply can be easily accessed.

With the first 80 charge stations being put in place in Guildford, Spelthorne, Waverley and Woking boroughs, 52 spots have been already suggested within the area of Epsom and Ewell. 

Surrey County Council, which has just obtained £482,250 to fund the endeavour, will decide where to install a further 110 on-street points across six boroughs in the coming months.

“Surrey County Council has a role to ensure charge points are installed in the right locations so we can achieve a wide network that meets the needs of Surrey residents,” said Matt Furniss, Cabinet Member for Transport, Infrastructure and Economy.

Related article: Yet more on ULEZ….

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 Surrey would be liable for the £12.50 daily charge.

Transport for London’s (TfL) consultation on the extension of the area covered by the the ULEZ ended last month, and many Surrey councils have submitted their responses to the plans with hefty opposition.

The zone, which sees drivers of any vehicle not complying with minimum nitrogen dioxide emissions standards charged £12.50 per day to drive inside the area it covers, could be extended from August next year.

Elmbridge Borough Council called on TfL to delay the expansion to allow more analysis, while Tandridge District Council has asked that any scrappage scheme introduced for Londoners also be offered to Surrey residents.

The aim of the zone is to reduce nitrogen dioxide by around 30 per cent across London, and it currently covers all areas within the North and South Circular Roads.

The border shift would cover all London boroughs, adjacent to large parts of Surrey, and could impact on some family days out for drivers of certain cars.

Hampton Court Bridge to Bushy Park and Chessington World of Adventures affected

For example, drivers of cars which don’t meet the emissions standards, and who drive over Hampton Court Bridge to Bushy Park will be eligible to pay the fee.

TfL’s website says any money received from the ULEZ will be reinvested into transport such as cycleways, buses and the tube, and go towards improving London’s air quality.

The planned extended zone would also go down the A243 as far as the junction with Fairoak Lane and Rushett Lane, meaning Chessington World of Adventures would be included as well.

Hospital appointments could also see drivers charged, with St Helier and Royal Marsden hospitals both falling within the planned zone.

In Epsom and Ewell, eight out of the 13 wards in the borough will border the ULEZ and be directly affected by it.

A meeting of the borough council on July 28 agreed to respond to TfL asking for a longer consultation period, an extension of the scrappage scheme, and exempt routes allowing access to essential places and roads such as the A3, M25, A240 and the existing St Helier hospital in Sutton.

Councillor John Beckett, chair of environment and safe communities  committee, said: “We support the move to reduce high levels of air pollution, which the ULEZ scheme aims to achieve.

“However, owing to the acute economic pressure households and business are facing at this time, the scheme needs to consider the economic, social and mental health needs of all communities affected by this scheme, not just London boroughs.”

TFL page on proposed expansion: https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/ultra-low-emission-zone/proposed-ulez-expansion-for-2023

Related articles:

More on Epsom and Ewell and Surrey and ULEZ

Council’s last minute opposition to ULEZ extension.

Driving to Sutton or Kingston in an old car could cost you £12.50 next year!

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 of Shoreham. Whilst the previous two losses contained many positives against opponents of a far higher standard, this latest performance came in the extremely important first League match of the season and was significantly poorer than any of our pre-season encounters. In fact this was our worst opening day result since losing 6-0 against Windsor & Eton in 1970!

Shoreham are a good team at this level and defeated us here in the League last season, so this was already expected to be one of our toughest challenges of the season at a time when our new Management team are just beginning to put a team together. However, if there has been an issue of concern this season it has been the sheer number of players we have had trying out for squad positions, which has probably meant that many haven’t had enough game time. Certainly it appeared at times as though some of the players had hardly met before and the nine debuts handed out in this match equalled our club record, set previously in 1945 and 1982.

We had the first half chance of the match when Athan Smith-Joseph opted to volley at goal from a very wide angle with the ball flying over the bar, but we then trailed in the 9th minute and it was a sorry story. An unnecessary back pass to Matt Walton hurried him into a clearance straight to an opponent and the ball was sent across to Harry Heath, who knocked the ball past our still retreating keeper from around eighteen yards. He got a hand to it but couldn’t keep it out.

The match was fairly even from that point for the remainder of the half. In fact, it could be argued that we were holding the balance of possession and Adam Grant’s shot at goal in the 28th minute would have tested Sam Marsden the home keeper, had it not taken a heavy deflection on the way which ensured that it dribbled into his arms instead. It is important to note that this was our only shot on target in the entire match.

A couple of efforts from new boys Jahobi Maher and Ryan “Butch” Smith cleared the bar as we tried to get a foothold in the match but in the 44th minute a back pass from another new boy Aaron Bogle caught Walton out and he was unable to keep the ball out of the net. It was a disastrous way to end the half.

We made a substitution at the half as Richard Pingling came on for Maher who had received a couple of knocks to his ankle and we thought we had found a way back in the 53rd minute when a deep delivery was headed into the danger area by Andy “Woody” Hall for Tiago Andrade to deftly knock the ball over the keeper, only to see the offside flag raised against him. Now this looked slightly harsh, and whilst I do not stand in the best position for these sort of things, you still get a feel for them after 40 years behind the goal and I reckon it must have been very close.

The next chance fell to the home side and Walton made a smart save. but we were extremely fortunate in the 67th minute when Ross Myers was free at the far post after a good move down the right and ball across which was smashed against the bar and over from fairly close range. Another shot just cleared our bar as Shoreham pushed for a third goal. Then another dangerous ball in was not gathered by Walton and there was panic in the six yard box, but fortunately the danger was cleared.

We had one further piece of club history when Owen Higgins came on for Grant in the 77th minute, as the new rules allow for five substitutes this year and as the first person to become an official fifth substitute, he joined an exclusive club along with the previous four; Reg Scott (1966), Tommy Tuite (1975), Steve Smith (1995), and James Moran (2008).

We had one final opportunity when Pingling struck the bar from around thirty yards, but in reality, the Shoreham defence, marshalled superbly by Dan Momah wearing the number five shirt, dealt with our threat fairly comfortably all day and insult was then added to injury in the 91st minute when the hosts scored a third goal, again created from the right wing and this time Myers couldn’t miss the tap in.

Of course this is only the opening fixture of the season and things will surely improve if the friendly performances are anything to go by, but this was a worrying way to start and with the trip to Seaford Town coming up next Saturday, we will need to get better in a hurry, especially as Seaford will also be keen to bounce back from their own heavy opening day defeat at Forest Row.

Epsom & Ewell: Matt Walton, Zach Powell, Andy “Woody” Hall, Ryan ‘Butch’ Smith, Aaron Bogle, Louis Chin, Gideon Acheampong, ©, Adam Grant, Athan Smith-Joseph, Tiago Andrade, Jahobi Maher

Subs: Richard Pingling for Maher (HT), Ben King for Andrade (57), Steve Springett for Powell (69), Brad Peters for Acheampong (69), Owen Higgins for Grant (77)

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 services, ensure consistency and improve biodiversity SCC will do the lot.

Surrey County Council is responsible for highway verge cutting and weed control, as well as on-street parking enforcement. It currently has agreements in place with eight of the eleven district and borough councils, including Epsom and Ewell, to manage the verges on the county council’s behalf, and all on-street parking enforcement is managed by the districts and boroughs.

From April 2023 the county council will manage both of these county-wide to ensure consistent approaches across Surrey.

Matt Furniss, Cabinet Member for Transport, Infrastructure and Economy, said: “We appreciate the hard work our district and borough teams have undertaken on our behalf. However, as we continue on our mission for a greener future, now is the right time to take verge cutting and weed control back in-house to enable us to focus our efforts on improving biodiversity consistently across the county. We will continue to regularly cut junctions and sightlines so it’s safe for residents.

“We also know how important parking is for residents and by managing on-street parking across the county, we can ensure it’s fair and consistent. We’ll also take a look at options to improve our systems and make processes as easy as possible for all Surrey residents.”

The county council aims to promote biodiversity by promoting wildflowering on appropriate highway verges and will continue to trial more sustainable approaches. Managing parking across the county will ensure a good service is offered throughout the county and offer good value for residents.

Nigel Collin, Chair of Surrey’s Wildflowering Project said “I welcome Surrey’s commitment to promote biodiversity by promoting wildflowering on appropriate highway verges. The County wide management of verge cutting from next April is also welcomed since this will ensure a uniform approach across all of the County’s Districts and Boroughs.”

This was echoed by SWP volunteer Kim Spickett who responded “As a borough, I think we have a good starting point – so many of us enjoy our wildlife! Flowering verges, along with our open spaces, parks and gardens, will be a win for biodiversity. Native plants come in all shapes, sizes and heights – there are examples to beautify every situation. White Clover and her relatives supply the grass with the nitrogen it needs, giving the verge the ability to stay green during dry spells. It looks pretty and suits verges that have to be kept short – and it feeds our insects!” Kim demonstrates the contribution verges can make to biodiversity with this photograph:

Residents Association County and Epsom and Ewell Borough Councillor Eber Kington expressed his doubts about the plan: “I have real concerns about these proposals. Given SCC’s track record on service delivery, ensuring “consistent approaches across Surrey” will very likely mean a poorer service for residents and a levelling down rather than an improvement in the quality of service. For example, SCC currently funds just four verge cuts a season across Surrey but the Borough Council, which undertakes the verge maintenance work in Epsom and Ewell, funds between 2 and 4 additional cuts. Unless SCC continues with this current level of service, the grass verges in our residential streets will see a fall in standards and complaints from residents will rise.

Reducing the established Borough Council service is a pattern of behaviour already established when Surrey Highways took back the maintenance of highway trees from the Borough Council. SCC will now only provide for the maintenance of a tree if it is diseased, dying, or dead. So pruning, clearing telephone wires and other maintenance work is no longer undertaken.
I also have a concern about SCC taking back on-street parking enforcement. In Epsom and Ewell, we have resisted pressure to introduced parking meters across the borough. My concern is that SCC’s “fair and consistent approach across Surrey” will be used to populate our streets with these parking charging devices as a way of funding SCC’s services and taking more from our residents.“

Cllr Julie Morris (LibDem College Ward Epsom) responded to the wider plan: “This sounds like another power grab , furthering SCC’s mission to abolish district and borough councils entirely.  Having the county council deal with on street parking enforcement will not work.  Centralisation means there is no local knowledge.  Our wardens respond really well to complaints, hot spots and are quick to resolve problems when these are reported.  As for wildflower planting, I’m happy to reserve judgement on that one as we’ve tried for a few years to get EEBC to leave verges uncut and introduce a wildflower bloom+cut regime and they’ve done nothing. “

Related stories

A Greener Future in Partial Sight As Verges To Be Left Unmown

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.

The share of homegrown doctors and nurses joining England’s NHS is at its lowest for seven years, BBC analysis of workforce data has found.

Some 58% of doctors joining the health service in 2021 came from the UK, with health bosses increasingly turning to international recruitment.

The British Medical Association told the BBC the NHS faced a “workforce crisis”. It “faced a challenge retaining staff from overseas, due to the “financial and bureaucratic barriers” they faced. Dr Amit Kochlar, its international committee deputy chair, said medical graduates were charged up to £2,400 to apply for indefinite leave to remain, with each of their dependents facing the same fee.

While overall numbers have been increasing, critics said declining domestic recruitment was unsustainable to keep pace with demand.

Patricia Marquis, Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Director for England, said ministers must do more to reduce the “disproportionate reliance” on international recruits. “We are seeing a sharp increase in people leaving nursing, with more of our members saying they are considering alternative careers,” she said.

Danny Mortimer, chief executive of NHS Employers, said it was “high time for the government to commit to a fully-funded, long-term workforce plan for the NHS” to tackle “chronic workforce shortages”. He said “relentless demand” was affecting staff due to vacancies which stood at around 110,000 – “gaps which cannot and should not be filled through international recruitment alone”.

 A recent report by the cross-party Commons health and social care select committee concluded the large number of unfilled NHS job vacancies was posing a serious risk to patient safety.

The BBC analysed workforce data provided by NHS Digital from 2015 to 2021, to investigate if trends it previously reported following the Brexit referendum in June 2016 continued. The share of UK doctors joining the health service had fallen from 69% in 2015 to 58% last year.  Over the same period, the share of new UK nurses fell from 74% to 61%. Recruitment of doctors from the Rest of the World rose from 18% to 34% over the same period, and that share of international nurses rose from 7% to 34%.

In the Epsom and St Helier Trust the level of UK recruitment remained even though there was a 13.7% reduction in EU recruitment and a corresponding 13.7% increase in worldwide recruitment during the period analyzed.

News and data provided by the Local Democracy Service of the BBC in which Epsom and Ewell Times is a partner. For the full in-depth report CLICK HERE