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BRA Newsletter - June 2023

Please note due to an unforeseen circumstance with our arrangements for this year's AGM we are having to reschedule to the 9th August. This means the date in the print version of this Newsletter of 19th July is incorrect, Our apologies.The June 2023 Newsletter has just been published and the print edition is being circulated to all households in Great and Little Bookham.Our great team of volunteers will be delivering the Newsletter and in some roads collecting annual subscriptions of £5.00...

BRA installs Coronation Tree Bench at Lower Shott

6th May 2023 will go down in history as the day King Charles III was crowned. To mark this great occasion we have installed a Coronation Tree Bench around a hawthorn tree at Lower Shott, near the Bookham sign. We do hope that you will enjoy sitting on it!Mole Valley District Council funded the bench from a special Coronation Fund available to all Parishes and Residents Associations in Mole Valley....

MVDC Newsletter

Latest News from Mole Valley District Council. (external link)...

Revised SWR Timetable from 21st May in the Mole Valley area

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Update: Even more good news! £2.00 bus fare cap on 479 and 408 routes extended again

Update: 17th May: The Government has extend the £2.00 single fare price cap to 30th October 2023 and then capped at £2.50 until November 2024Falcon Buses,who run the 479 and 408 services, are part of the three month fare cap subsidy from Government announced on 19th December to operate from January to March 2023. Fares are capped at £2.00 per journey.The bookable on demand Mole Valley Connect service has recently increased its service area to the whole of the Mole Valley. Also introduced is a...

A sad day for Bookham

Today, Friday 12th May, Frances Fancourt our Tree Warden, presented a bouquet of flowers to Mr and Mrs Casselden as a thank you for their long service to Bookham's feet, and to thank them for caring for the hanging baskets and planters in Church Road. They retire at the end of June after over 50 years of service.Also on Friday morning it was the funeral of Mrs Brackenbury. Mrs Brackenbury,  long time former owner and shopkeeper of Brackenbury's of one of Bookham's best loved shops...

First Sunday in the month Litter Pick

On the first Sunday in the month Bookham residents meet at Lower Shott car park at 11.00 am to give Bookham a tidy up. Under the direction of BRA Litter Pick Co-ordinators, Margaret Lawson and Michael Hebert, the team spread out and spend on average 90 minutes litter picking. The Litter Pick was initiated by Margaret in 2016 as part of the Clean for the Queen campaign and has been running ever since.If you would like to help, you would be very welcome. All safety equipment, tools and bags are pr...

Watering guidelines for newly planted trees around the village

Frances Fancourt: Environment and BRA Tree WardenIn Bookham the BRA Tree Wardens were busy during the 2022-2023 tree planting season. These young trees now need watering and if a tree has been planted in your verge recently please can you spend a few minutes watering.Each newly planted tree should be given 5-10 litres (1-2 watering cans) of water twice a week, or every other day during a dry spell/drought All trees should be kept weed/grass free If there has been at least one day of he...

Admissions to the Howard of Effingham School - Good News!

The BRA is pleased to advise our residents that after many years of campaigning against the current tie break of  "those living closest to the nearest alternative school (regardless of available places)" that from September 2024 the tie break for admissions to the Howard of Effingham will be based on those living closest to the school rather than the current model.BRA would like to thank the team of residents who campaigned, since 2008, for fairer admissions criteria for the Bookhams' child...

Local Plan - Statement from MVDC

I want to take this opportunity to provide an update on the progress of our Local Plan, Future Mole Valley.Following our request to remove green belt sites from our draft Plan, the Inspector has contacted us today (Friday 17 February) and her response can be found in full on our Future Mole Valley website. (Or via the link below). As the timing of this news comes just prior to the publication of my statement, we will be in a position to set out our plans in more detail once officers and Members ...

MVDC Pause Local Plan Process

The BRA has been advised by Mole Valley District Council (MVDC) that following announcements from the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on changes to the national planning system and Green Belt that MVDC have decided to pause the examination of the Local Plan. When we have any further information we will circulate it to residents. For the full briefing from MVDC and the Government, please see below. Peter Seaward BRA Chairman...

Howard of Effingham admissions criteria - proposed change for entry in September 2024

Consultation period Friday 25th November 2022 to Friday13th January 2023 It is being proposed in the consultation that the Howard of Effingham Admissions criteria in relation to the “within catchment” tie break should there be oversubscription of places be changed from “priority will be given to children who live furthest from their nearest alternative school, regardless of whether or not a place could have been gained at that school” to “priority will be given to children who live clo...

BRA and Surrey County Council teams have been hard at work!

Planted on the 22nd November, this lovely avenue of nine flowering cherry trees by the Lower Road Rec! These, along with the five planted in Spring, will look beautiful next year and every year after! Well done to Frances Fancourt and her Tree Warden team and for SCC for funding and for making this happen - a great result! The avenue was originally visualised as a QEII Jubilee avenue, but now it could be as a QEII memorial. Read more: Bookham Blue Hearts Wildflower Verges ...

Local Government Boundary Commission - Complaint - MVDC Boundary Review

Following on from our request to Sir Paul Beresford, our MP, and his response to raise an Early Day Motion, the BRA has written to Lynn Ingram, Director of Finance & Resources of the Local Boundary Commission for England and Wales,(LGBC) with a formal complaint about proposals for the Mole Valley District Council Boundary Review.  Our complaint is based on the LGBC's proposals not meeting its statutory requirements, and we request appropriate remedial action by the LGBC You m...

Support Available for Households Struggling with Rising Cost of Living

Councillor Bridget Kendrick, Deputy Leader for Mole Valley District Council (MVDC) and Cabinet Member for Finance said: “The Chancellor unveiled the autumn budget and confirmed the UK is officially in a recession on Thursday 17 November. It is clear, given the level of measures outlined, that the squeeze on household budgets will be getting tighter still for the foreseeable future. We know that many of our residents are worried about the rising prices and the cost of living crisis, but there a...

Local Government Boundary Commission - Early Day Motion

You may have read in the BRA Autumn 2022 Newsletter, that has been/is being delivered to all households in Bookham, about our concerns regarding the bizarre proposals by the Local Government Boundary Commission (LGBC) following its review of Mole Valley's ward boundaries. The BRA has raised this issue with our MP, Sir Paul Beresford, who has agreed with our concerns. The parliamentary process restricts what can be done, but Sir Paul has agreed to put down an Early Day Motion asking that the Ord...

BRA Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) applications

The BRA has submitted the following applications to MVDC for Community Infrastructure Funding: Project Status Power to St Nicolas Church lych-gate for public events  Completed Planters for Bookham High St and associated planting Completed Safety netting - Chrystie Recreation Ground In progress Replacement of skate park with BMX track at Lower Road Recreation Ground In progress Out door gym at Lower Road Recreation Ground In progress ...

Shopping areas get a green uplift!

Frances Fancourt On 11th October a number of new plants arrived in our central shopping areas. These include a planter each at Lower Shott and Church Road, four planters in the High Street, plus renovated beds along the A246 and in the High Street. It is many years since the beds beside the benches in the High Street were planted up. Organized by the Bookham Residents’ Association and in a new collaboration with the Bookham Butterflies WI, these beds have been replanted and will be maintained ...

£11.9m to Help Surrey Residents Cut their Energy Bills

People living in hard-to-heat homes and on lower incomes could receive grants between £10,000 and £25,000 to improve insulation and install renewable technology; helping to save energy, reduce emissions and combat rising energy prices. Improvement measures include loft insulation, cavity and external wall insulation, underfloor insulation and renewables, such as solar electricity panels. Funding totalling £11.9m has been awarded through central Government to Surrey County Council (SCC), leadi...

Horsley, Bookham & Leatherhead Riding for the Disabled

Horsley, Bookham & Leatherhead RDA (reg charity number 1170049) are delighted to announce the opening of our new fully accessible, all weather riding centre at Badgers Farm, Effingham. Over the past two years we have been fundraising so we could ‘Raise the Roof’ and create our new home. On the 9th August 2021 we broke ground and the first digger was on site. Over the next 8 months we watched as the amazing builders from FORMA slowly excavated the ground, dug huge foundations, poured ple...

A History of the Bookhams

A history of the Bookhams produced by Ali Kelman of the Leatherhead and District History Society....

Local Government Boundary Commission Report

The Local Government Boundary Commission (LGBC) has published its final recommendations report for Mole Valley District Council. The full recommendations may be read in the report below. Bookham and Fetcham are covered on page 13 and 14 of the report. Both Bookhams Residents' Assocation and Fetch Residents' Association, our local Councillors and a number of residents, following the BRA's request, submitted comments to the LGBC and in the report LGBC's reponse to these are noted.  Bookham wi...

Hanging Baskets in the High Street

Peter Seaward - BRA ChairmanMany may have noticed that the hanging baskets in the High Street could be in better condition. Of course, the weather has not helped but we (BRA) had problems with the watering. We think this is now resolved thanks to many of the Traders stepping up to use the watering system we provided.  The baskets in Church Road with the planter look excellent thanks to Mrs Casselden who waters and cares for these as does the basket in Lower Shott which Mr Jefferys look...

Electric Vehicle Charging Points in Bookham Car Parks

Les Huett BRA Communications A recent enquiry has been received on the capacity of electric vehicle charging points that are due to be installed in Bookham car parks. We raised the question with Cllr Clayton Wellman, Cabinet Member for Sustainable Economy and Security, and he gave us this reply: "They will be chargers that should deliver an 80% + charge within 3 hours. The time limit on the bays will be 3 hrs (as per our standard short stay bays). An hour with what is proposed for Boo...

Noticeboard Administrator Needed

We have five noticeboards to be updated with new village notices and typically this will be weekly.  The boards are all around the village so an element of walking is required between the sites. It would suit two people working together and you can even take your dog for a walk! If you're interested, please get in touch via our contact page below or call us on 0300 030 9890....