myKnaphillPolicing Your Community Event
Surrey Police and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey are teaming up to hold a series of public engagement events in every borough and district across the county.
The ‘Policing Your Community’ events are an opportunity for residents to come and speak to Surrey Police’s Temporary Chief Constable Gavin Stephens and Police and Crime Commissioner David Munro as well as hear from their local Borough Commander.
The Chief Constable will give an update on the current challenges for policing and future plans for the service in Surrey whilst local Borough Commanders will update on the policing priorities and community issues in your area.
This is your chance to ask questions, hear about, and comment on, the future of policing in Surrey including an outline of plans for the 100 extra officers, operational staff and Police Community Support Officers to come from additional council tax funding.
T/Chief Constable Gavin Stephens said: “We want to deliver the best possible policing service in Surrey and it is extremely important our residents are involved in understanding and shaping how we do this. These events are a great opportunity to get those conversations going and we really want to talk to as many people as possible so please do register for your local event and come along to see us.”
PCC David Munro said: “Residents regularly tell me how much they value policing in their local area and it is really important to me that we involve the Surrey public in our plans for the future through events like this. This year’s council tax increase has given Surrey Police the opportunity to employ an extra 100 officers and operational staff and I look forward to hearing the views of our local communities on the proposals for their deployment.”
Woking’s event will take place on 14th May, 6.30pm, at Bishop David Brown School, Albert Drive, Woking.
Tickets are free but you do need to reserve a place by clicking here.
Volunteer Information to Help Syrian Refugees
Woking Borough Council is looking for a number of committed individuals to assist with the integration of Syrian refugee families into Woking. Moving to the UK has been a huge adjustment with many challenges for them and volunteer support can make this transition easier.
We are looking for:
1. Volunteers to run a Conversation Café (Mondays 1:30pm-2:30pm) where they have discussions on set topics, helping the families feel confident about their communication skills. (Weekly Commitment)
2. ESOL trained volunteers to visit a family in their home and provide further 1-1 English support. (Weekly Commitment)
3. Volunteers to provide transport or accompany families on public transport to and from hospital appointments and show them how they can get involved with events and the community in Woking. (Ad-Hoc Basis)
For further information please contact Hina Ashraf, Volunteer Co-ordinator (Refugees), on hina.ashraf@woking.gov.uk or 01483 743819.
Recycle Pens & Crisp Packets
Calling all crisp lovers and pen users!
Empty crisp packets, of any brand, can now be taken to Knaphill News on the high street, and used pens to Knaphill Library, so that they can be recycled rather than end up in land-fill.
An added incentive is that the Knaphill schools will get a small amount of money for each item.
February Committee Meeting
Click here to download the minutes from our monthly KRA committee meeting in February.
Brand New Magazine
Our quarterly magazine is out now, and it’s had a complete redesign! Our brand new editor, Rebecca Ward, together with local designer, Tim Burdett, have given the magazine a fresh new look, as well as a new name! Your copy of myKnaphill will be winging it’s way to you very soon, courtesy of our incredibly helpful team of volunteer deliverers. Or click here to download a PDF copy now.
Check out the new sections on businesses, the arts, family and community, as well as all the usual features on sports, planning and village news.
We think it looks great and we are so proud to have committed and enthusiastic volunteers like Rebecca, part of our team. If you have any feedback or would like to get involved by writing an article, submitting a photo, or would like something added in the next issue, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch with Rebecca here.
Meeting Regarding Anti Social Behaviour Around Knaphill
UPDATE: If you were unable to attend this meeting, the minutes are now available on the Knaphill Baptist Church website. Click here.
On Monday 4th March, the KRA are hosting a public meeting to discuss anti-social behaviour around Knaphill, and everyone is welcome to attend to participate or simply listen.
Those in attendance;
- David Munro, Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey
- Inspector Andy Greaves
- Cllr Melanie Whitehand
- Cllr Debbie Harlow
- Cllr Saj Hussain
The KRA feel there has been an increase in reported incidents and resident concerns, so we asked Cllr Melanie Whitehand to invite Surrey Police representatives to a public meeting.
This meeting allows local residents and businesses to raise those concerns directly to the David Munro, Andy Greaves and local Councillors.
The meeting will be held at The Knaphill Baptist Church, opposite White House dental surgery.
Full address of the church is:
88 High Street
Knaphill
Woking
Surrey
GU21 2PZ
Please arrive in time to start at 7pm. There is obviously limited parking so we ask residents to walk where possible or if you are driving, leave the area directly outside the church free for those less able to walk. Thank you
KRA Committee Meeting Minutes – January 2019
The KRA committee met on Wednesday 16th January. Here are the minutes from our meeting.
Road Changes: Redding Way/Broadway
UPDATE (29th January 2019): Unfortunately, we have been unsuccessful in our request for SCC to install a zebra crossing as part of these road changes. It seems that once the changes are made we will then need to decide how significant an error it was, and we can then apply for changes through the SCC and WBC Joint Committee. Extra time, money and paperwork for a project that has already been going on for years. Well done SCC!
UPDATE (23rd January 2019): Cllrs Harlow and Whitehand and the KRA are pushing for inclusion of a zebra crossing in these plans, and so far these requests are being met with resistance on the part of SCC. It seems they would rather see a demonstrable need for the crossing first before spending the money (ie. let’s let someone get knocked down before we address the issue, rather than do something to prevent that from happening in the first place!). We will keep you updated as we know more. In the meantime, the contact details to get in touch with SCC on this matter are below.
Surrey County Council and Woking Borough Council have published detailed plans for changes to the Vyne car park and the roundabout on Redding Way, at the junction with Broadway, next to the Vyne community centre. The plans for the SCC changes to the roads can be viewed at the Knaphill library and the residents have until the end of January to comment. Comments should be directed to:
Jason Russell, Executive Director of Highways, Transport & Environment, Traffic Regulation Orders Team, Surrey County Council, Hazel House, Merrow Lane, Guildford, Surrey, GU4 7BQ, or 0300 200 1003
The first task is for WBC to make changes to the Vyne car park and this should commence in February this year. The work will include closure of the existing car park entrance in Redding Way (we assume this means the entrance on Broadway), and the merger of the two separate sections of the car park, rearrangement of the parking bays as well as the introduction of speed humps and signage. This will require the car park to be renamed Alexandra Gardens Car Park as the only vehicular entrance and exit will be via Alexandra gardens. Pedestrian access will be maintained from the car park to the Vyne Centre.
The second phase is work to be carried out by Surrey County Council, basically to remove the old bollards and open the road up for all traffic. There will be a weight limit on vehicles of 7.5 tonnes. Some land currently included in the grounds of the Vyne will be used to widened the entrance to the roundabout so that buses can enter the roundabout without crossing the opposite lane. SCC will also fit a road table which will extend across the full width of the road where the Broadway meets the roundabout.
The KRA have responded to Cllr Melanie Whitehand to say that we are in favour of these plans on proviso that a pedestrian crossing is added between the Vyne car park and the Vyne centre, as we believe this is absolutely essential. The plans state that there will be a pedestrian entrance to the car park but there is a need for a pedestrian crossing given the age and mobility of many of those who use the Vyne.
Planning Updates November 2018
A roundup of some of the latest planning activities in our village:
- The Anchor pub was scheduled to close on 24 November but the new owners have informed the management team currently running the pub that they can continue with the pub for a further six months.
- Stef’s (next to the library) in the the process of changing owners.
- The planning application for the changes to Homebase has now been published, PLAN/2018/0973. It reads Extension and sub-division of existing A1 retail store and garden centre to provide 3 retail units with mezzanine floors and minor alterations to car park to provide 7 additional spaces.
- Robin Hood pub is closed and according to local newspapers the site has been bought. The first planning application for the site has been published PLAN/2018/0974 and it states that the new owners are seeking permission to erect a 2.4 m high hoarding around perimeter of site.
- Earlier in the year there was a planning application to build a two storey detached house on land to the south of Ivydene, PLAN/2018/0736. There was strong local opposition, the planning application has been refused.
- There was a planning application (PLAN/2017/1309) to build 4 x 3 bed terraced houses to the rear of the Co-op, last year, it was rejected, then appealed, and the appeal has now also been rejected by the Planning Inspector as well.
For more details on these take a look around our website, and visit the WBC planning portal here.
November 2018 Committee Meeting Minutes
If you’ve not got time to pop along to one of our monthly meetings, then you can click here to take a look at what was discussed. If you can spare and hour a month, then please do pop along! We are a very friendly bunch and always welcome new faces.
