Hersham Residents Association Blog

HRA Autumn Newsletter 2015 – already distributed to members – now posted here for subsequent wider circulation.

Update note:  (The quiz on 29 Nov) was won again by HERSHAM!

Hersham V Walton Quiz

– Sunday 29 November 2015 Ashley Park 8.00–10.00   Please note – all are welcome (note there is a small fee to enter the quiz which helps pay for the prizes)

For the second time, by popular demand   

Don’t miss HRA / Ashley Park event!

Hersham were the winners last time – can they do it again?

See the following link for further details Poster for the 29th November Quiz at the Ashley

(A tall story?) Hersham’s Sunflower Competition

Hersham’s Sunflower Competition has been a great success, with sunflowers grown in gardens all across Hersham. Over twenty of these were put forward for judging and each had to be carefully measured and assessed. The winner of the tallest category went to Mildred Zhanje from West Grove who clinched the £25 cash prize with her impressive 3.32 metres sunflower. Gary Mott of Burwood Road was a close runner up at 2 metres 97.

The competition was designed to help brighten up Hersham, and that’s why some of the prize categories focused on flowers which were visible form the street. Burwood Road (the crescent part facing the play park) won the prize for the street with the most number of visible sunflowers, one of those, Rebecca Varley got the prize for the best front garden display.

There was also a prize that growers of short sunflowers could win; the prize for the nearest to a randomly selected height decided on the day before judging, went to Lorraine Thomson also of Burwood Road for her 60 cm plant.

The prize vouchers and the seeds for the competition were generously donated by Squires Garden Centre in Hersham; and Flowers and Things in Hersham helped support and promote the competition, especially around seed planting time. The HRA) organised the competition, and were very pleased that many said that it created a bit of community spirt and plenty of discussion between neighbours.

The HRA exists to help promote Hersham and its community, and has run various competitions over the last few years with that in mind. If you have any thoughts or ideas a community competition for 2016, or would like support the work of the HRA they’d be pleased to hear from you at info@hershamresidents.info.

UPDATE NOTE (ON THE POST BELOW) – THE LG Boundary Commission announcement has been delayed until January

See HRA’s response on Boundaries

Further to the consultation and discussion (see below if you haven’t followed all of this) – please see HRA’s Response to the Local Government Boundary Commission consultation.

The next stage is for the Commission to make its final recommedation in December.  If you have any views before then – please let us know at info@hershamresidents.info

Boundary changes – how might this affect Hersham?

The HRA has produced some information to help raise awareness about the proposed boundary changes and how these could have a significant effect on Hersham (please also see the post below this one).

A one side quick guide flyer: HRA short flyer about boundary changes pdf (try ‘opening in a new tab’ – if you have trouble with this link.)

A longer guide and explaination which starts to set out possible areas for HRA’s response to the Boundary Commission – and questions where we would like feedback: WHAT NEXT FOR HERSHAM boundary change information (try ‘opening in a new tab’ – if you have trouble with this link.)

WHAT NEXT FOR HERSHAM????

The Local Government Boundary Commission has published its recommendations today (30 June) and has invited comments.

A self-explanatory map which details the new proposals for the future shape and boundaries of Hersham is available here – Elmbridge draft recommendations map (PDF File).

An explanatory letter from the commission to EBC can be accessed here.

An one side HRA flyer about the changes can be accessed here: HRA short flyer about boundary changes pdf.  This has been designed as a quick summary which you can print/ circulate and forward to your friends and neigbours to raise awareness about the consultation.

HRA Summary of the issues

(Following an initial consideration of the proposals at our 30th June committee meeting).

The new plan addresses many of the points and objections raised by the HRA in its letter dated 27 03 15 (see 27 03 15 RA response to the Boundary Commission consultation about Elmbridge B Council re-warding).

Compared to the previous proposals there is a lot to recommend the newly re-drawn ward boundaries:

• It puts Hersham Green back in the centre of Hersham
• Hersham Station, Baptist Church and Youth Club are back in Hersham
• Mayfield Rd area, and the Rydens area, previously out of Hersham, is back in.

Not so positive:

The following long established Hersham areas would no longer be in Hersham wards:

• Whitley Village – would become part of Weybridge St Georges
• The area near 7 Hills Rd – would become part of Weybridge St Georges
• Burhill area – would become part of Weybridge St Georges
• The Longmore Estate – would become part of Esher

The HRA will be responding to this consultation – if you have any comments, please send them to info@hershamresidents.info by 19^th August to give us time to take account of your views (before the commission’s deadline of 24^th August).

The HRA response is likely to recognise the positive improvements on the previous proposals, but set out some comments and possible tweaks to the commission’s suggestions – for example;

• We are likely to comment that the Longmore Estate may not fit with the Esher ward and it seems odd that Hersham library would no longer be in Hersham.
• In the current proposal it seems rather odd that Turners Lane is not made the boundary down the whole of its length
• We might also suggest that the new westerly boundary to Hersham in the Turners Lane area be shifted westwards so as to include the Burhill area.
  (This area is sparely populated and would be unlikely to affect the population balance calculation in any significant way – At the same time re-establishing some territory which the residents of Hersham can identify with and help protect as part of the village.)

Any comments??!! – please get in touch info@hershamresidents.info – your thoughts count, comments are especially welcomed from those living in areas that would be directly affected by the changes.

Friends of Hersham Library Summer 2015 Activities – please take a look and support your local library!

Community Picnic on Vauxmead – another great success
The sun shone and 100s of people gathered on Vauxmead for a simple picnic

Report on the Hersham Big Lunch 2015

The Big Lunch is a nationally promoted annual event for communities to come together across the whole of the UK to have lunch with their neighbours and promote friendship and fun.

In Hersham on the 7th June it took the format of a simple ‘do-it-yourself’community picnic with some music and optional games for all ages to join in with or just spectate. There was a repeat of the Surrey paper plane championships, and there was a punch and Judy too for the younger ones.

We will probably do the same again next year – [the Big Lunch is always on the 1st Sunday of June – why not note that in your diary now!]

The 2015 AGM on 21 May went very well and we had a good number attending – the following gives a brief overview of the meeting.

Chairman’s Report: All agreed that one of the highlights from last year was the Christmas Hersham lights switch-on ‘spectacular’ attended by the Mayor. A repeat of this community event was agreed for 12^th December 2015. Other social / community events were reported including a Walton v Hersham pub quiz at the Ashley Park, and a successful Big Lunch event to be repeated this year on 7^th June 2015. This years Sunflower competition was also mentioned.

Routine meetings of the committee and newsletters / messages for members, were noted, and special attention was drawn to the creation of the Hersham Hub during the year and some HRA content now posted on it. Key HRA consultation responses on local issues during the year included one about EBC and Hersham boundary changes.

Donations to Hersham Food Bank; Hersham in Bloom and Friends of Hersham Library also were noted.

The following links to a full version of the AGM Chair’s Report on 21st May 2015 which explains the HRA’s activities during the year in more detail.

Speakers and discussion

The formal AGM business was followed by a public meeting to discuss Hersham boundary changes. John O’Reilly, Leader of EBC introduced the subject and explained that some ward boundary changes are a consequence of a reduction in the number of councillors to 48 across EBC as recommended by the Boundaries Commission. It was explained that each ward should contain roughly the same number of voters under the ‘election by thirds’ voting system which applies in EBC. It was understood that the Commission will make initial recommendations for boundary changes in June which will be subject to public consultation from June – August.  The HRA will keep its members informed about this. The final recommendations of the Commission won’t be known until December 2015.

Anthony Sheppard, until recently a long standing members of Claygate Parish Council then outlined what parish councils do and some of their advantages and disadvantages. The general consensus of HRA members at the meeting was that it was not the right time to consider the establishment of a Hersham Parish Council, given the current pending boundary changes.  However the matter might be revisited if the future Hersham boundaries indicates that a parish council might help secure a clear identify and sense of place which might otherwise be eroded.

Hersham Residents Association AGM and public meeting

HERSHAM DOWNGRADE?

Boundary changes – Hersham under threat?

Some suggest this is the most fundamental threat to the identity and status of our village for a generation

Please come to our public meeting – find out what’s happening – and decide for yourself – Thursday 21^st May 7.00 at the WI Hall Burhill Road Hersham (the green building just off Burwood Rd near the Church)

or HERSHAM UPGRADE?

ALSO hear the arguments about the – creation of a Hersham Village Council.

Speaker with longstanding experience as a member of Claygate Parish Council.  Who will talk about what Village / Parish Councils do? etc etc – drawing on experience from Claygate – (which has the only Parish Council in Elmbridge).  Would it help represent, protect and secure Hersham’s future as an independent community?

The Hersham Residents Association is not political and welcomes all Hersham Residents. You don’t have to join the HRA to attend – but if you like what you hear about the HRA’s work during the year you can join the HRA (or renew your membership) at the meeting.

See the Poster for the AGM 21 04 15 which you can print off to help us promote the meeting.  For further background – you might want to look at our recent response to the Boundary Commission