To receive any announcements from the Leader.
Minutes:
The Leader made the following announcements:
It is with great sadness that I share the passing of former Ashford Common Councillor Bob Noble, who was a friendly, hardworking and dedicated councillor. On behalf of the council and councillors, I would like to send my heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.
I continue to meet with my fellow Leaders from Surrey's district and borough councils to review the findings from the ongoing work into local government reform in the county. Like Spelthorne, the majority of district and borough councils support a three-unitary model, agreeing a preferred geography of Spelthorne to join with Runnymede and Elmbridge.
This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reshape local government and results of a recent Surrey wide resident’s survey are expected to be published soon and will form part of the evidence in the proposal. Unfortunately, Surrey County Council continues to explore a two-unitary approach. Both the two and three-unitary options will be included in the final report, which will be submitted to government in May. Residents have made it clear: they want decisions made close to the people they impact and by councils that understand their communities.
I would like to reinforce the message that the Council has agreed to an important positive change which affects Houses of Multiple Occupation across the Borough. The Article 4 Direction for all wards in Spelthorne will come into effect in under a year, which means that smaller sized houses will require planning permission. Although for Staines Ashford North & Stanwell South, and Stanwell North wards, it will come into effect earlier, on 29 August. It will ensure that issues such as parking, noise, and impact on the character of the area are considered before a planning decision is made.
In responses to residents’ concerns about antisocial behaviour we are introducing a Public Space Protection Order, this will cover issues such as possession of catapults,use of face coverings such as masks and balaclavas and antisocial use of bicycles, e-bikes, skateboards and e-scooters. This PSPO will give the Council and Police more powers to tackle some of the behaviours that have become a problem in recent years. While not a complete solution, it will provide the Council and the police with more powers to address these challenges.
Earlier this month I had the honour in attending the Spelthorne Civic Awards, where we recognised 18 residents for their voluntary service in the Borough.Collectively they have contributed more than 200 years of service to the Borough and represent the best of our communities. I think we can all agree thatthe volunteers are an inspiring testament to the community spirit in Spelthorne and this recognition is well deserved.
We are also celebrating the outstanding work of two exceptional volunteer groups. The Spelthorne Litter Pickers were formally presented with their King’s Award by the Lord Lieutenant of Surrey last week. This Friday, the Revelaires, (a local music and entertainment group), will also be presented with their award at the Riverside Arts Centre. Our thanks and congratulations go to both groups for their efforts in supporting communities in the Borough and in making Spelthorne a cleaner and greener place to live.