DEBATE AND COMMENT ON LOCAL ISSUES
SURREY FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE
For free smoke alarms and home fire risk checks, call Surrey Fire and Rescue Service on 0800 085 0767, or visit www.surrey-fire.gov.uk/besmartbesafe.
ELMBRIDGE BOROUGH COUNCIL
ELMBRIDGE RESIDENTS GROUP
Hinchley Wood Residents Association is part of the Elmbridge Residents Group. The Group's website has information about the Group's purpose and aims, and links to the websites of the other residents associations which participate in the Group.
PHOTO GALLERY
See a selection of photographs of local scenes and events at www.flickr.com
Google Street View
Take a virtual tour of Hinchley Wood with Google Street View, starting at the Memorial Gardens.
HINCHLEY WOOD FROM OUTER SPACE
A satellite view of Hinchley Wood. Zoom in to see a close up of your house. Detailed enough to see the car on your drive!
Google maps image
FAMILY LINE SURREY
This registered and established charity provides a freephone helpline to families in Surrey who might be experiencing problems and need to talk them through with someone in confidence and without judgement. The freephone helpline number is 0808 800 5678. For more information please take a look at their website www.familyline.org.uk.
CHEER: Concern and Help for East Elmbridge Retired
A local charity based in the civic centre in Esher, which has been serving the retired community with advice, help and befriending for over 50 years. www.cheer-elmbridge.org.uk
KIVA
A non-profit organisation providing micro-credit to entrepreneurs in third-world countries. 
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NEW: e-bulletins from Hinchley Wood Residents Association. Keep informed about local issues, including significant planning applications and forthcoming events, by registering for our free e-mail bulletin service. See contact page for further details.
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WHAT'S HAPPENED TO THE WOOD CARVING THAT USED TO BE AT THE FIRE STATION?
It's been removed by order of managers at Surrey Fire and Rescue. Read Peter Almond's report of what happened here, and view a picture of the carving here.
Peter has suggested a number of ideas for what to do:
1. Press Surrey Fire Chief Russell Pearson to put it back – perhaps with some kind of plaque to dedicated firemen. If not on fire station property then perhaps just outside at the front. 2. As it is an artistic and unique marker post for Esher, can Elmbridge be persuaded to take it and perhaps place it next to the pond opposite the old 18th Century marker at the Café Rouge on Portsmouth Road, where Esher proper starts? 3. Kid’s competition for a school? 4. An open competition for the best idea of where to place it. If you would like to comment please do so on the Hinchley Wood Forum.
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MAJESTIC BRASS AND HINCHLEY WOOD BRASS BAND CONCERT
Thursday 2nd July 2009, 7.00 p.m. Hinchley Wood School, Claygate Lane. The Majestic Brass Quintet are professional players from The London Symphony Orchestra, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, London Brass and the Syd Lawrence Orchestra who are a resident ensemble at the school working on a number of projects encouraging music amongst the pupils. The quintet will perform with the school brass band, and the concert will be supported by the Hinchley Wood Singers and Community Choir.
Tickets £5.00 Concessions £3.00 Available from the school, Tel: 020 8398 7161.
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A3 ESHER BY-PASS ROADWORKS
Roadworks, starting some time after 15th June and lasting up to five months, are due to take place on the A3 between the A244 (Copsem Lane) junction and the Hook roundabout. There will be temporary 40 mph speed limits and night-time closures, during which traffic will be diverted via Copsem Lane, Esher High Street and the A309 through Hinchley Wood; the slip road onto the A3 will also be closed at these times and traffic will re-join the A3 at the Hook junction.
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GREEN BELT SURVEY: The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) is carrying out a survey of people's opinions about the potential uses of the Green Belt. This survey is taking place in Bristol, Liverpool and London, and is aimed both at city-dwellers and those living and working in the Green Belt. CPRE would like to use this survey to tell more people about the Green Belt and the answers will inform their future work on the Green Belt and their response to current Government investigations on the future uses of this area. If you would like to take part you can do so by visiting www.cpre.org.uk/campaigns/planning/green-belts.
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PROPOSED TAYLOR WIMPEY DEVELOPMENT AT FORMER GOVERNMENT OFFICES SITE, A309 KINGSTON BY PASS - APPEAL DECISION
Following the hearing held on 27th, 28th and 29th May at The Claygate Village Hall, the planning Inspector has turned down Taylor Wimpey’s appeal against the refusal of planning permission for their proposed development.
Residents had raised numerous issues with the scheme as submitted, including the height of buildings, overlooking of neighbouring properties in Claygate Lane, density, and access from the A309. The Inspector’s findings laid particular emphasis on the proposed scheme’s impact on the openness of the green belt.
The developers’ next move is awaited.
The Inspector’s report can be viewed in full on the Planning Inspectorate website.
******************************************************************** WARNING: FRAUD AT SHELL HINCHLEY WOOD GARAGE Surrey Police are investigating reports of a number of fraud incidents at the Shell Hinchley Wood garage. At the Police Panel meeting on 14th May, PC Grapsas reported that as many as 180 offences have been reported at the Shell station, and a number of residents confirmed that they had had their cards compromised following transactions there (purchases in the shop, not cash withdrawals from the ATM). Both debit and credit cards have been illegally used to make purchases and cash withdrawals in countries including Canada and the Far East.
The police are appealing for anyone who has experienced any problems with illegal transactions on their credit or debit cards to contact Detective Constable Clive Muspratt at Staines CID on 0845 125 2222, quoting reference EL/09/2548. (Note: because of the large number of reports being made, these may not all be individually acknowledged). Alternatively call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Such is the scale of this fraud that it has attracted national and even international attention - see for example this U.S. website: www.databreaches.net. ******************************************************************** A309/ HEATHSIDE JUNCTION A resident has raised concerns about the safety of the junction, particularly as used for U- turns on the by-pass. You can have your say at hinchleywood.blogspot.com.
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Newsletter No.1 of 2009 is now out, with news about: a proposed nursery and conference centre development at Hinchley Wood School; parking restrictions in Manor Drive and Meadow Close; the A309 former government offices site; the next Police Panel meeting; and action to improve the local enviroment. Coments are sought on the nursery proposal and on a possible task force to tidy up the neighbourhood. These can be registered at hinchleywood.blogspot.com. Newsletter No.3 of 2008 is still available to view, with news about: changes to planning regulations, as outlined by a representative of Elmbridge Council planning department at the Autumn general meeting; proposed changes to waste collection arrangements; and an update on the A309 government offices site.
Janet Turner has been seeking residents' views on the options for changes to waste collection. The administration favours a switch to fortnightly collection of general (non-recyclable) waste, and the introduction of food waste collections. Forty residents have responded to the consultation through the online survey, or by letter, telephone or e-mail. Of these: - 9 (23%) supported option 1 (fortnightly recycling collections and weekly food waste and general collections) - 29 (73%) supported option 2 (weekly food waste collection, other collections fortnightly) - 2 (5%) suggested other options. Their comments, and a number of others put forward by residents, can be seen on the Hinchley Wood Forum. *****************************************************************
HINCHLEY WOOD POLICE PANEL
The panel meets four times a year and attendance is open to all residents. It's your opportunity to meet the local police team and have your say about policing priorities in the local area. Discussion at the panel really does make a difference to local police activity, so it's well worth coming along if you can.
At the last meeting (14th May), there was considerable discussion about the incidence of credit card fraud at the Shell station - see above. PC Andy Grapsas also reported that there had been nine burglaries in the last three months, but with no common pattern. There have been a small number of other reported offences (theft from cars, minor assaults, shoplifting). A more serious incident occurred when a late-night traveller was assaulted and had items stolen near the railway station. Some residents are still forgetting to lock their cars outside their homes, making an easy target for opportunist thieves.
There was a warning to be alert to for objects (e.g. a single training shoe) left outside properties, which may be a device to ascertain whether the residents are around (i.e. if the object is left undisturbed) before a burglary is attempted
A new PCSO, Nigel Oates, will be joining the local team shortly.
The agreed priority for the coming period continues to be parking around the primary school.
Future meetings will be held in conjunction with HWRA road representatives meetings - see news & events page or check the local police page on the Surrey Police website.
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More volunteers are still needed to help with Hinchley Wood Care. If you can help please give Ken Hibberd a call on 020 8398 7979. For more information please see clubs, societies and voluntary organisations.
See also the News & Events page for more about issues of current local concern.
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This is the website of Hinchley Wood Residents Association. In conjunction with the weblog at hinchleywood.blogspot.com, it is intended as an interactive resource for the local community, where you can find information about local services, activities and events, and have your say on issues of current concern.
The site is regularly updated with local news, information and features, and we welcome comments on the site and suggestions for improvements and new features. Please send us your feedback here.
Local traders, services, clubs and groups are listed free of charge on the website. If your organisation has not been listed please let us know the details and we will add it to the site. Local organisations can use the site free of charge to advertise forthcoming events, such as jumble sales, fetes etc.
Please contact us here to arrange for your organisation or event to be listed on the site.
Our Residents Association Councillors hold regular surgeries at which you can discuss problems directly with them. Please check the News & Events page for details.
Site last updated 30th June 2009
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Did you know that the LWT series 'The Charmer' (1986), set in the 1930s and starring Nigel Havers, Rosemary Leach and Bernard Hepton, was partly filmed in Hinchley Wood? You can see some pictures of the filming here. It is also available on DVD from Amazon, but note that you will need a multi-region player.
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