Bookham Needs Reform – Vote Richard Granville 

Thursday 10th July – Bookham East and Eastwick Park

About Richard

I have lived locally for more than 30 years and understand the aims and aspirations of Bookham residents.

My goal is to create a better, safer community in which we can all flourish.

Much of my career has been in the areas of software development and software/systems safety assessment. I also have experience in Project Management that I could apply to local government. I currently work part-time as a freelance technical writer.

If elected I would be delighted to act as your council representative until MVDC is dissolved to become part of the East Surrey Unitary Authority.

I look forward to playing a supporting role in the transition process. For further details click on one of the links below.

Did you know that Mole Valley District Council won’t exist in two years time?

By then, MVDC will have been merged with other local authorities into a new East Surrey Unitary Authority, which will take on the current functions and responsibilities of MVDC and SCC.  If this transition is left to the LibDems and Conservatives, there is likely to be a re-run of all the usual waste and over-reach.  But now, there is a chance to elect Reform Councillors who will not go along with the status quo.

Recent examples of LibDem waste are the following:

• Refurbishment of Pippbrook Council Offices, costing £1.2m. What’s the point of proceeding with this when the offices will become redundant in less than 2 years time?
• Installing solar panels above Leatherhead Sports Centre at a cost of £700,000. How will this benefit users of the facility and other MVDC residents?

Looking further ahead, the transition from MVDC/SCC to East Surrey Unitary Authority is a complex undertaking.  MVDC services will need to be combined with those of other local authorities.  The same applies to support facilities such as supply chains and IT systems.  It would be wasteful to retain separate structures just because specific local authorities “have always done it this way”.

Click to read more about the change to a Unitary Authority

Elect a new broom to sweep clean! – Elect Richard Granville Reform UK!

I will encourage the setting up of Community Boards to facilitate communication between the new authority and its residents.

SCC are currently in favour of this approach, but have not yet provided full details.  I would support the setting up of a pilot Community Board (perhaps in Bookham) to see how it might work in practice.

In the meantime my main objectives are:

Minimise building on Green Belt land

From an environmental point of view, the best sites for new housing are brownfield sites, although there can be other drawbacks.  If no suitable brownfield sites exist, it’s better to use land outside the green belt.  If new housing is required within the green belt, the use of lower quality land (also known as “grey belt”) is preferable.  It is acknowledged that central government are mandating a certain number of new houses.

Support efforts to re-establish youth club facilities in Bookham

During the last few years there has been much talk and planning for improving youth club facilities in Bookham, but this has been hindered by unhelpful rivalry between SCC and MVDC.  Hopefully the new UA will be able to find a way forward.  In the meantime, I will try to “knock heads together” to progress this sooner rather than later.

End the war on motorists: no inappropriate 20 mph speed limits or pedestrianisation.

I accept that some 20 mph limits are appropriate.  For example, the 20 mph zone along a short stretch of Bell Lane (in Fetcham) is beneficial for motorists as well as pedestrians.  Others are not, such as Dorking High Street.  The main problem with 20 mph limits like this is their inflexibility.  During the day it’s often difficult to drive faster than this anyway, whereas in the late evening there are sufficiently few vehicles and pedestrians for a speed of 30 mph to be sufficiently safe.

I see no reason to close Bookham High Street to pedestrians – this will make it more difficult for motorists to cross between Lower Road and the A246.