1. education
2. school

SPRING 2015 NEWSLETTER
WOODCOTE (EPSOM) RESIDENTS’ SOCIETY
Local People Looking after Local Interests
www.keithcharles.co.uk
Hear the latest hospital update
from
Daniel Elkeles, the new Chief Executive of
Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust
guest speaker at
The Society’s AGM - Monday 9th March at 8pm
Venue: St Martin’s C of E Junior School
Ashley Road, Epsom
Visit our new website:
www.woodcoteepsomresidentssociety.org
Committee for 2014/15
Officers
Chairman
Teresa Cass
Hon Treasurer
Cherrill Auton
Committee Members
Tim Akers
4a Grosvenor Road, Langley Vale
279282
[email protected]
1 Saddlers Way, Langley Vale, KT18 6HQ
278892
[email protected]
4a Grosvenor Road, Langley Vale
279282
[email protected]
Rekha Bansil
28 Hambledon Hill, KT18 7BZ
745301
[email protected]
Chris Frost
Oak View, 8 Warren Hill, KT18 7BX
720430
[email protected]
Steven McCormick
14 Jackson Close, Epsom
739727
[email protected]
Fred Mowbray
3 St. Margaret Drive KT18 7LB
802522
[email protected]
Hon Auditor
C J Bevis FCA
19 Wilmerhatch Lane, KT18 7EQ
Our Woodcote Ward RA Borough Councillors
Ben Cahill-Sawford
14 Hambledon Hill, Epsom, Surrey KT18 7BZ
07956 382857 [email protected]
Paul Dallen
77 Hazon Way, Epsom, Surrey KT19 8HG
745226
[email protected]
Liz Frost
Oak View, 8 Warren Hill, KT18 7BX
727276
[email protected]
@LizFrost21
The publishing of an advertisement in this newsletter does not constitute an
endorsement of the advertisers. Please also note that the content of articles contained
within are not necessarily the opinion of the General Committee.
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Dear Resident
A Happy New Year to you all.
I would like to welcome our new committee member Cherril Auton. Cherrill has
lived in Langley Vale for 14 years. She retired in 2012 and fulfilled an ambition to
travel around the world. Now her feet are firmly back in Epsom she wanted to
become more involved with the local community and felt the role of treasurer was
something she could assist us with.
We also have a new website – www.woodcoteepsomresidentssociety.org. We will
be building this site over the coming months and welcome your comments as to what
you would like us to include. Please email me if you have any ideas; [email protected].
Our AGM is on Monday 9thMarch. Our guest speaker will be Daniel Elkeles, the
new chief executive of Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust
I do hope you will come along to meet him and if time permits, ask questions.
We have the local borough council elections on May 7th. I know many people are
disillusioned by politics at the moment, but we are very fortunate to live in a democracy
and using your vote is so important especially at a local level. Your elected councillors
really do make a difference and I would urge you to consider each candidate on their
individual merit and track history within the community. As a former councillor
myself I know how important it is that we have people on the borough council who
care about their local area and want to do the best for their local community. (See
the separate article in the newsletter regarding the Borough Election)
As this is the last newsletter before the election I would like to thank our councillors
Liz Frost, Ben Cahill-Sawford and Paul Dallen, for all their hard work and all they
have done over the past four years within Council committees and directly for
Woodcote residents.
Please do contact the society if you have any queries or can help us in any way.
Teresa Cass, Chairman
Woodcote Residents’ Society
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Councillor Report
I am starting to write this during the Christmas break. So far we have been
fortunate that it has not been too cold, although somewhat damp and
miserable. Hopefully when you read this the days will be lengthening and
the signs of spring well advanced. This morning I was out litter clearing
on the Woodcote Millennium Green (behind the hospital) and some of the
clumps of daffodil leaves were a good 6" high – presumably spurred on by
the mild weather. I hope they are will survive the rest of the winter.
Work on the borough’s other ’open spaces’ has continued. I was pleased to join many local
residents and volunteers from further afield at the Langley Vale Wood planting day organised
by the Woodland Trust on December 13th. The weather was kind to us and the day a great
success, it was a real family occasion and well organised. The places for trees had been
marked out with paint and light weight spades were available, together with stakes, tree
protectors and saplings. We can look forward to seeing the fruits of our labour in future
years.
While in Langley Vale earlier this year I was walking through the alley way beside the Vale
School and was sorry to see the state of the path. One part was like an obstacle course
where there was a very large tree root which was making it difficult, particularly in the dark;
for small children; when pushing buggies etc. I am pleased to say that I worked to arrange
for the root to be removed and so the path is now much safer and more easily navigable.
It is good to hear that people make use of the Downs, especially if they are able to take
advantage of some healthy exercise to walk to school. However, not much fun if the paths
are in a poor and muddy state. Thank you to the resident who pointed this out to me – I
passed the concerns on to the Council who have made improvements.
In Rosebery Park the railings around the pond have been replaced. The old ones were
definitely showing their age, and the new ones cover a slightly larger area. Improvements
have also been made to the fountain and that appears to have been a success. The Friends
of Rosebery Park do a great job in keeping an eye on what goes on in the park, highlighting
any issues and working with the Council on improvements and developments in the Park.
Still planned is an improvement to the pond, to ensure the water is better oxygenated.
I have visited The Vale School and seen their new facilities. One of the conditions for the
expansion was that a travel plan was produced. This has been done and it is on their website
(www.vale.surrey.sch.uk)
On a more sombre note, the Borough Council has now been given the Government’s
provisional grant figures for the next financial year starting in April. The basic grant will be
£405,000 less than the previous year. This sort of reduction had been expected, and so our
financial planning has been based around this figure. The grant proposed includes the sum
of £130,000 to compensate for the 2011/2012 council tax freeze. This ongoing payment
could, of course, be stopped at any time. In addition to the basic grant, local borough and
district authorities also receive a ‘New Homes Bonus’. The amount of this is directly related
4
to the number of new homes built in the area. Next year we expect to receive just over £1.9m.
This is very welcome, but it is not an annual grant that we can rely on for the funding of our
ongoing council services. Our current building programme on the old hospital cluster sites
is now virtually complete and we do not have the land available to continue to build at this
level. This money is therefore used mainly for ‘spend to save’ projects, such as improvements
to make our buildings more energy efficient. We have also bought a building in Epsom for
use as temporary accommodation. The borough council has a statutory duty to house
many with an association with the borough who have become unintentionally homeless. In
the current financial climate, we have a large number of people who are in need of this
service. Initially, many of these people have to be put into bed and breakfast accommodation,
which may be out of this borough – causing them additional problems which could include
being away from their support network and having a long and expensive journey to schools
or to get to work. It is also very expensive for the Council, so additional temporary
accommodation should prove to be very good use of resources.
I chair the Health Liaison Pane (HLP), and attend Epsom Hospital’s Local Representative’s
Panel. It is good to hear that the hospital continues to do well on virtually all targets, and
still expects to break even this financial year. Most services from the Sutton Hospital site
have now been moved to the Epsom and St Helier sites, and I understand that the development
of the new Ophthalmology unit at Epsom is well on target.
Our local health services are commissioned by the Surrey Downs Clinical Commissioning
Group (SDCCG), and they provide updates on plans and services to the HLP. The government
funding for the majority of our healthcare is provided via the CCGs. SDCCG has recently
had a £4.7m cut from its budget. There has been a huge increase in demand for elective
procedures, such as knee or hip replacements. Locally our services have been meeting the
government targets times from a person being referred to them being treated. This is excellent
for residents in need of surgery, but it has resulted in much greater costs and so SDCCG is
now predicting a large deficit, which may have a knock-on effect on Epsom Hospital.
The planning application for the proposed re-development of the Atkins site at Woodcote
Grove has now been determined. I spoke at the planning meeting, highlighting residents’
concerns that the position of the proposed new building would have a negative visual
impact on the surrounding conservation area. The application was approved, but I am
pleased to report that there is an additional condition to include the planting of more trees to
screen the views of the building. I will be working with the council on the details of the trees.
By the time you read this, although there will still be several months to go, I suspect that the
General Election campaign will have really taken off. However that will not be the only
election taking place that day. There will also be the Epsom and Ewell Borough Council
Elections. So, in addition to your general election ballot paper for one candidate for Parliament,
you will receive a ballot paper giving you the opportunity to vote for three Borough
Councillors for Woodcote Ward. I, naturally, hope that you will vote for the three Residents’
Association candidates – but more about that elsewhere.
Liz Frost
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We have just launched a new website...
www.woodcoteepsomresidentssociety.org
....which we will be adding to over the coming months.
We would welcome your ideas of what information you
would like to see on your Residents’ Society site.
Please [email protected]
Get the latest on Epsom Hospital
Come and hear our guest speaker
Daniel Elkeles, Chief Executive
Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust
at our AGM - Monday 9th March
STOP PRESS * STOP PRESS * STOP PRESS * STOP PRESS
Epsom Hospital
You may have heard that the Surrey Downs Clinical Commissioning Group
(SDCCG), who pay for many of the services at Epsom Hospital, has to save
a significant sum of money from its budget. Liz Frost recently attended a
meeting at the hospital, to hear presentations from the CCG. At this meeting
the hospital’s new Chief Executive, Daniel Elkeles, said that the future of the
hospital was in no doubt, and commented that he very much hoped that no
political party or other group would start a campaign to ‘save’ the hospital in
the run up to the elections in May.
See back page for Epsom Downs Racecourse update
and information about free tickets for local residents.
6
Friends of Rosebery Park – Spring 2015 update
We have some good news on the refurbishment and enhancement of the pond and
neighbouring wildlife area. Work began in late 2014, with new and extended railings installed
to help protect the wildlife area. Further improvements are in the pipeline for 2015.
The old and scruffy painted iron railings were replaced in December with like-for-like
galvanized and powder-coated metal bow-in-bow rails, together with adding a new end
section. Single hoop railings now completely surround the wildlife area, finished with attractive
fan-shaped finials which both look attractive and meet safety requirements. Some paving
slabs in this area have been removed to facilitate the movement of creatures great and small
between land and water.
Rosebery Park is scheduled to be one of the first parks in the Borough to receive not one but
two information boards, based on examples currently in place in Nonsuch Park.
We have been lobbying for just such information boards since the Friends was formed in
2012 and are delighted with this news - and our ability to influence the siting and content.
Park history, maps and the new wildlife reserve are just three of the topics under consideration.
In other news, we have been lucky to have two new lime trees join us in the park recently,
both of which came from local stock. A handkerchief tree and willow tree are to be planted
in March, which we look forward to receiving.
A walk about with our council colleagues was held in December, to help identify areas of
work and improvements in the park. I’m very pleased to say that a number of these identified
items are already progressing well and will be detailed in future articles.
The Friends are planning an awareness day for the 18th July 2015, including various activities
to encourage the public to join in:
We hope to have a number of related and interested parties on hand in the park between
11am and 3pm, to answer questions and encourage members of the public to take an active
interest in the park. Our aim is to cover interests of park users, including pedestrians, dog
walkers, cyclists, families and others.
A tree walk is planned with explorer sheets being made available for young and old to
investigate the numerous interesting pieces in the park in a treasure hunt style.
We also aim to raise awareness and education in areas such as the pond, duck feeding, dog
waste and cyclists who use the park. Duck seed and doggy poo bags will be available on the
day.
The Friends will be on hand to talk to people about the plans for the park and how to become
more involved.
7
Speeding Update
A few months ago I wrote to residents on the Woodcote Estate to ask if they were worried
about speeding traffic on the estate, and if so, how to resolve it. This followed a resident
raising her concerns with me. For those of you not familiar with the estate, there are no
pavements, so cars, vans, lorries, adults, children, horses and cyclists all share the road.
Chris & Liz Frost have been collecting the responses.
Amongst those who responded the majority felt that there is an issue with speeding on the
estate and that this is dangerous. Particular ‘black spots’ have been highlighted. There
have been several suggestions about different or increased signs and regular notices to
remind residents to drive slowly and courteously. There have been several other suggestions,
including requests for, and opposition to, traffic calming and speed cameras, and some
maintenance to the roads and trees.
Liz has asked for a meeting with the estate management and will provide more information to
W(E)RS when she has it.
In the meantime, if you live on the estate and wanted to comment, but did not do so, email
your thoughts to councillor Liz Frost.
Teresa Cass
The Vale Primary School
The Vale Primary School was delighted to achieve the strong ‘good’ judgement in its Ofsted
inspection in July 2014, which was as a result of all the hard work by the whole school
community. We have also recently achieved Healthy Schools Accreditation, silver status of
the Anti-Bullying Mark and are close to achieving the Green Flag in Eco-Schools.
We are delighted to support the Woodlands Trust new site in the village, and our children
were the first to plant new trees on site. We are keen to work more closely with our local
community and welcome visitors to our school at a mutually convenient time. We have a
supportive PTA who organise social and fundraising events, to which the local community
are warmly invited. We work closely with Epsom Downs Playgroup and St Stephen’s Church,
which is to the benefit of all our children.
We are continually seeking ways to encourage our families to walk to school where they can
and educate parents re parking and using our designated safe place to cross. There is an
unwritten rule that local residents may use the school car park at weekends; please remember
this is in constant use during the school day.
Claire Regnard and Sarah Leyland
Co-Headteachers
8
Abelea Green Management Company (Epsom) Ltd
All interested parties, EEBC and Surrey CC officers and councillors, the Diocese,
the school, the church, Woodcote (Epsom) Residents’ Society and Abelea Green
residents met on 27 November 2014. The meeting proved to be inconclusive.
Although St Joseph’s Primary School did say it would consider informing the parents
that their School Travel Plan has removed all reference to St Margaret Drive and
access to the school is via Rosebank.
There was an Abelea Green resident’s meeting on the 19th January 2015 to discuss
the problem of St Joseph’s School’s parents accessing the school via the private
road to the church. The residents were very keen that this issue be resolved quickly
and asked the directors of Abelea Green Management Company Limited to approach
the Diocese and explore a proposal to resolve this ongoing disagreement about the
interpretation of the Deed of Grant of Easement. This being the legal agreement
between the Diocese and AGMCL which governs the use of the Private Road.
Do you belong to a club or group that meets in Woodcote Ward?
We would love to hear from you so we can include your details in
future newsletters and on our new website.
Woodcote Millennium Green
Annual General Meeting
Notice is hereby given that the Annual general Meeting of the
WOODCOTE MILLENNIUM GREEN TRUST (Registered Charity
Number 1075872) will be held at the Epsom Sports Club, Woodcote
Road, Epsom, on Wednesday 4th March at 8.00 p.m.
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Woodcote (Epsom) Residents’ Society
Please join us at our Annual General Meeting
on
th
Monday 9 March 2015 at 8pm
St Martin’s C of E Junior School
Ashley Road, Epsom
AGENDA
1.
Opening remarks
2.
Our guest speaker
Daniel Elkeles, the new chief executive of
Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust
3.
Apologies for absence
4.
Approval of the minutes of the AGM held on Wednesday 26th March 2014*
5.
Approval of the adoption of the accounts for the year ending 31st December
2014**
6.
Election of the committee and Honorary Auditor***
7.
Reports from councillors
8.
Any other business
*The minutes can be found on the website: www.woodcoteepsomresidentssociety.org or
we can send you a copy if you contact us.
** Copies of the accounts will be provided at the meeting
*** If you would like to stand for the committee, please obtain a nomination form from the
chairman, Teresa Cass. Completed nomination forms should be returned by 2nd March 2015.
10
Surrey County Council Notes
Council Tax
The Conservatives at SCC have announced that they will be increasing council tax
by 1.99% when the full Council meets on Tuesday 10th February:-76% of your council
tax goes to SCC (13% to Surrey Police and just 11% to Epsom and Ewell Borough
Council). This latest increase means that at band D residents will be paying £1,219.68
towards SCC services.
£2.7 Million Funding Bid for Epsom Town Centre
Details have been announced of SCC’s £2.7million scheme and funding bid to improve
the flow of traffic through the town centre alongside creating safer pedestrian links
and the creation of a high quality attractive, safe and uncluttered street scene.
SCC, in partnership with Epsom and Ewell Borough Council, are seeking £2.1 million
of government funding to add to funds already pledged by the two Councils. If the
funding is agreed work on the scheme will start later this year and will deliver what
residents wanted when consulted on the original plans during the statutory consultation
stage.
Included in the proposals are:-changes to traffic flow, including two-way in South
Street, thereby reducing the amount of vehicles driving through the town centre;
reduced journey times in and around the town; improved and new safe pedestrian
routes; and reconfiguration of the market and other areas to create a high quality
attractive, safe and uncluttered street scene.
Doing your bit to get potholes fixed - this January’s ‘pendulum’ weather, which
goes from freeze to thaw, is likely to cause a breakout of potholes on Surrey’s
heavily used roads. SCC’s pothole campaign highlights how residents can report and
get them fixed by going to www.surreycc.gov.uk/highwaysinfoonline. Other problems
can be reported here too, from broken streetlights to cracks or ridges in the road and
pavement.
Increase in primary applications:- enough to fill new school – The increase in
the number of applications for primary school places in Surrey adds up to enough
pupils for a multi-million pound school. Surrey County Council has received 466
more primary applications for next September than a year ago. That is the equivalent
of filling a new two-form entry primary that would cost at least £6 million to build.
More than 13,600 applications for places were submitted by last week’s closing
date.
11
Epsom and Ewell Borough Council Elections – May 2015
Epsom and Ewell Borough Council Elections take place in May when
you will have the opportunity to vote for Woodcote Ward’s three
Residents’ Association Candidates to represent you on Epsom and
Ewell Borough Council. The Borough Council has been run
successfully by Residents’ Association Councillors for the past
seventy six years.
This year the Borough Council elections are taking place on the same
day as the General Election and that could mean that important facts
about the Borough Council get lost in all publicity and ‘noise’ of the general election
debate. It will certainly mean that, locally, those representing the national political parties
will make claims and allegations about what they have been doing. So we feel it is
important that, before the national debate begins in earnest, you know the facts about the
work and successes of your Residents’ Association Councillors in running the Borough
Council, so that when you cast your votes in May you are well informed.
Importantly in the last four years, and during difficult economic times, with huge cuts to the
Government grants we receive, your Residents’ Association led Borough Council has not
cut any service; has not borrowed money to pay for services and remains debt free; has
made huge efficiency savings and continues to have one of the lowest council tax rates in
Surrey.
Only 11% of your council tax bill goes to the Borough Council – 76% goes to Surrey County
Council and 13% to Surrey Police. The average council tax payer in Epsom and Ewell
pays just £3.30p per week for all Borough Council Services. These include recycling,
waste collection, street cleansing, managing our parks and open spaces, social centres,
housing support, Ewell Court House, Bourne Hall, the Epsom Playhouse, allotments,
sports and leisure developments, graffiti removal and Environmental Health. Additional
services for the elderly include a Handyman service, Meals on Wheels, Route Call and
Community Alarms. Many of these services have not only been maintained but enhanced,
despite the economic recession.
The Government’s changes to licensing policy could have an adverse affect on residents.
The RA led council has therefore introduced a new Licencing Policy, including zones in the
town centre, to reduce the impact.
We have a growing local economy, Nuffield Health set up their Head Office here in 2014
and we have welcomed Metrobank and other shops and restaurants to the area, bringing
over 450 jobs to the area. To support our town centre we have set up a Shop Front
Improvement Fund providing grants to businesses upgrading their premises. To further
encourage the use of our Town Centre facilities, free parking has been introduced in the
Borough’s town centre car parks in the five Sundays running up to Christmas.
This is only a flavour of the way that your Residents’ Association led Borough Council has
looked after your interests. We hope that you feel that they are doing a good job despite
the huge cuts in Central Government funding and difficult financial climate, and will vote
for your Residents’ Association (RA) candidates in May.
12
Be aware In past elections, in some parts of our Borough, residents have received a last
minute leaflet from one of our national political party opponents, usually delivered
on the eve of polling day. These have claimed that a future RA led council has
plans for various unpopular actions, e.g. making cuts to services, which will not be
disclosed until after the election. Such claims have not had any basis in fact, but
simply seek to mislead you in the hope that you will vote for their Party’s candidates.
If you receive such a leaflet this year please ignore it.
Borough Election Reminder
To maintain your unique and
Independent Council
Support your RA councillors on
Thursday 7th May 2015
If you are unable to get to the polling station or know that you will be away on the
7/5, please register for a postal vote.
If you would like to register for a postal vote:

email [email protected]

call EEBC on 01372 732000
Do you want to make a difference?
At the time of writing, we are still interested to hear from residents who
may be interested in becoming a Residents’Association candidate for the
Woodcote Ward at the election in May.
Please contact Teresa Cass or Cllr Liz Frost for more information.
More information about being a councillor can be found at
www.beacouncillor.org.uk
13
Woodland Trust Update
Community Planting Days
On December 12th and 13th we held our first planting events at the site and planted
our first tree for the new wood. Over the two days we planted 8,000 trees with the
help of just over 1,000 people from the local area, including the whole of Vale Primary
School who came along en masse on the Friday to help us plant. The events were a
huge success and we received some wonderful feedback from people who attended.
We are hoping to have more planting events in the autumn, but we don’t yet have
any dates.
Coppicing Days
Also in December we held our first two days of coppicing with volunteers from the
local area and Lower Mole Countryside Project. The task was to open up some of
the paths in Little Hurst Wood to let in more light, which will help to enhance the
wildlife along these paths, including for wildflowers, butterflies and birds. The
volunteers did an amazing job and coppiced a huge area, really opening the area up
which will be transformed come the spring and summer. More coppicing days will
be held next winter, so please let us know if you’d like to come along and help.
Planning
We are currently working with all the relevant local authorities and Surrey County
Council to put together plans for the car park and hard surface paths at the site. The
car park will be located on Headley Road, close to the junction with Langley Vale
Road and we are hoping to be in a position to submit a planning application in the
next couple of months. All being well, we may be able to have the car park completed
by the autumn.
Contacting Us
If anyone would like to take part in the planting or coppicing events, or would just
like to know more about the project then please contact Simon Bateman
[email protected]
14
History article - Epsom Cricket Club
Local residents will be familiar with the
home of Epsom Cricket Club at the
Schnadhorst Memorial Ground off
Woodcote Road, but how many people
know about the earlier history of the game
in this town? There was a time when Epsom
batted above its weight in cricket circles.
In 1815 the town took on the Gentlemen
of Middlesex and won (by one innings and
358 runs). This was one of seven first-class
matches played between 1814 to 1819.
Success was largely due to Felix Ladbroke
of Westgate House, who scored the highest
number of runs at 116 – one of the first
centuries recorded in the history of the
game. He also represented the town in
matches with Eton, where, as a nostalgic
old boy recalled, ‘it was a pleasure to see
the tall, handsome figures of Budd, Ward,
or Ladbroke, for instance, come forth
from the tent in white kerseymere shorts
and silk stockings, with a light sock rolled on the ankles, as much for
appearance as for protection’. Those were the days of underarm bowling,
short stumps and no bails.
Ladbroke was the second son of a banker, and inherited £10,000 on his father’s
death in 1814. He lived in Epsom for the next three years, working for the family
firm but evidently with a great deal of leisure, most of it devoted to the Marylebone
Cricket Club. This meant that he could arrange fixtures for the Epsom gentlemen’s
club with first-class players from outside the area.
After Ladbroke left, the club’s greatest days were over, but they continued to be a
force both on and off the pitch. W.G. Grace remembered that ‘the dinners played
no insignificant part at those gatherings, and many a good bottle of port was
15
cracked before the evening was over. It is related that the Kingscote club
nearly ruined itself by its hospitality to the Epsom club after a friendly match’.
In those days the game was mostly played on the Downs, although land was
made available for other players by the Lord of the Manor at Stamford Green.
The Cricketers pub, which seems to have been established in 1836, was their
preferred local.
By the 1850s, the Downs were becoming dominated by racing and it was necessary
to find a site nearer the town. Fortunately the Northey family of Woodcote House
owned land to the west of the town and were able to fence off some of it for a
cricket ground. Harry Primrose, the future 6th Earl of Rosebery, came to play from
his family home at the Durdans; he was also Captain of Surrey County Cricket
Club, and a hitter of notable power. George Challis, for many years an Epsom
postman, used to come and join in when he could. ‘One gentleman, F.L. Rawson,
used to encourage us lads to bowl him out at practice by putting a shilling on
the middle stump which was ours if we hit the wicket. He was a good defensive
bat so we did not get rich at his expense’.
By 1932, however, the club had fallen into serious financial difficulties.
Fortunately they were rescued by Ernest Schnadhorst, son of Francis
Schnadhorst of Birmingham, supporter and organiser of the Liberal Party.
Ernest formed a committee of club members and the Epsom Sports Club Ltd.
was formed as a non profit making company to take over the lease of the
ground. In 1935 he purchased the ground as a memorial to his father and to
his brother Frank Gladstone Schnadhorst. Frank had left Malvern College
to take part in the Boer War as one of Kitchener’s Fighting Scouts. He was
killed in action at Heilbron in 1901.
(More information on the history of cricket in Epsom can be found at the local
history site, http://www.epsomandewellhistoryexplorer.org.uk/
AnyoneForCricket.html).
16
Rubbish
One of the responsibilities of the Borough Council is disposing
of our rubbish. Over the years the type and quantity of ‘waste’
has changed - and so has what the Council does with it!
As you can imagine, the costs involved in waste collection are
high. We are also charged highly for any rubbish that has to
go to landfill sites.
The Borough Council is working hard to encourage residents
increase the amount of their rubbish that they recycle. This is
not only good for the environment but also our finances. Recycling is a rapidly
changing scene, with the value of different products sometimes rising or falling with
market conditions. But recycling always helps by either creating income or being
much cheaper than simply disposing of waste as rubbish.
There are often differences of opinion about what should be recycled, whether it
should be collected from households or whether people should take materials to
central collecting points, and how often household collections should take place.
When deciding on any scheme, very significant investment is required in suitable
bins and specifically designed vehicles – not to mention ensuring that there are
correct numbers of suitably trained people to operate the scheme.
For over ten years now, Epsom & Ewell Borough Council has focused on kerbside
collections, which are typically four times as effective as traditional ‘recycling banks’.
Over time, developing recycling technologies and markets have allowed us to expand
to a huge range of materials – paper; glass; cans; textiles, clothing and accessories;
household batteries; cardboard; cartons; plastics (of all types); food waste and, for
those who wish to subscribe, garden waste and leaf recycling too.
Recycling can be harder at flats, with sometimes limited space for bins. But we
have worked to improve this. Most flats in Woodcote Ward have now received
simpler, yet more comprehensive, recycling facilities, which we are now rolling out
to the rest of the Borough.
All this activity really counts. Traditional landfill is expensive and bad for the
environment, creating large quantities of methane, which is a greenhouse gas over
twenty times more powerful than carbon dioxide. But now we recycle nearly 50%
of our waste. Most of the rest goes to an electricity-from-waste plant in Kent
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(better for the environment than landfill although still much more expensive than
recycling). In fact, only 8% of Surrey’s waste now ends up in landfill.
Can we do more? Certainly. Even now, many easily-recyclable materials are still
simply being thrown away in rubbish bins, including around 3,000 tonnes of food
waste. Yet you’ll be amazed how easy it is to recycle food waste every week – ask
the Council today for a food recycling bin and handy kitchen caddy to get you
started if you haven’t got them. And what will happen to that food waste? It will
end up on a commercial farm in Bedfordshire as a wonderfully powerful,
environmentally-friendly and cost-effective fertiliser for crops grown to produce a
major breakfast cereal.
Go to www.epsom-ewell.gov.uk/recycling for more details or to request recycling
bins or information. It’s easy, it works and every little thing you recycle will make a
difference.
Remembrance Celebrations
The Autumn of 2014 really did highlight our debt of gratitude to those who were
part of past conflicts. It is in no small part thanks to them that we are able to live
in a well ordered and free society. I’m sure that many of you went to see the
poppy field at the Tower of London. Working part time in London, I was able to
visit early in the morning before the crowds arrived – what a moving sight.
We also had our acts of Remembrance here. The borough’s principle civic
Remembrance Sunday service is held at St Mary’s Church, Ewell. However
the Deputy Mayor attends the service at St. Martin of Tours Church here in
Epsom, and so this year Chris and I (as the Deputy Mayor’s consort) represented
the Borough at the St. Martin’s service.
Tuesday 11 th November saw us take part in the Market Square act of
Remembrance. We are fortunate to have 135 Geographic Squadron Royal
Engineers based in Ewell. They have been granted Freedom of the Borough,
and take part in our Armistice Day act of Remembrance. The British Legion
and Burma Star Association are also represented. This year we were also
pleased that the 3 winners of the children’s Remembrance Day poetry competition
read their pieces as part of the ceremony. A good crowd joined us to share in
our reflections and remembrance.
Liz Frost
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Epsom Downs Racecourse looks ahead to another exciting year and is offering
free admission exclusively to local residents, to its first fixture, the Investec
Spring Meeting.
2015 is set to be another big year at Epsom Downs with some of the world’s
best racing on offer along with a host of other fun events. It all begins with the
Investec Spring Meeting on Wednesday April 22nd, where you can gain free
entrance into the racecourse as a local resident (read on for details of how to
claim your free tickets). This is a fun day out for all and the perfect introduction to
the thoroughbred racing world. Bask in the ambiance of the historical track, view
the Investec Derby and Oaks trophies on display and indulge in some top class
racing. The feature race, the Investec Derby Trial, is just one of many prestigious
races on the day, with the winner of the race gaining an automatic entry into the
famous Investec Derby and moving one step closer to sporting glory.
A weekend of classic racing and Royalty comes next at Epsom. Embrace the
intensity of what is arguably Britain’s biggest weekend of racing and highlight of
the summer sporting and social calendar. Friday 5th June is all about the ladies,
both on and off the track. The Investec Oaks is not the only valuable prize up for
grabs. Ladies compete for the highly coveted ‘Best Dressed Lady’ with some
fantastic prizes to be won. A full day of glamour and elegance, it is sure to bring
out your inner fashionista.
On Saturday 6th June 2015 the Investec Derby will take place, the greatest flat
race in the world. Previously won by racing heroes such as Galileo, Sea The
Stars and Australia to name just a few, the famous race has a highly valuable
prize with winnings of over £1.3 million, one of the highest prizes in UK racing.
Fame and glory will come to its victor and the winner will join the role of honour
consisting of racing’s elite. The Derby truly is the pinnacle of UK racing, a race
of champions and a real crowd stopper.
Music fans are in for a treat with this summer’s Epsom Live ‘An Evening at the
Races. Plans are underway for themed evening fixtures over the summer which
will be announced soon.
This is just a glimpse what is to come, for more information on all fixtures
including the world famous Investec Derby Festival visit www.epsomderby.co.uk
or call 01372 726 311. To claim up to four free tickets to the Investec Spring
Meeting on 22nd April simply quote the promotional code EDRISM15 when booking
tickets in advance of the day at www.epsomderby.co.uk.
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