Local Area Committee

Thursday 15th October

The local committee is a forum which is designed to engage local residents and stakeholders with issues of concern and can influence the County Council on local needs. Comprising Surrey County Councillors with divisions in Surrey Heath, together with Surrey Heath Borough Councillors, it is an opportunity to see your local councillors making a difference in your community.

Thursday evening saw the meeting of the Surrey Heath Local Area Committee (LAC), at the St John's Link, Windlesham where some of the topics on the agenda included speed limits, Fire & Rescue reports and the alteration of the status of a public highway, which were analysed, discussed and agreed. The meeting was preceded by a lively 'Open Public Question Time' when a number of non agenda issues were able to be raised by residents. Of particular relevance to this part of the world were the concerns of speeding in Lightwater; a resident of The Avenue identifed some regular anti-social behaviour, which I am now due to bring to the attention of our local neighbourhood Police sergeant.

This is how it works. And while I'm not actually courting a plethora of even more phone calls & email contacts, the team and I can only attend to these local issues if they are brought to our attention.

Member Allocations were also discussed and agreed, which is an area I would like more calls on.
In short, there are a number of ways in which local community projects can procure funding, and the Member Allocations are just one way. Each County Councillor has a small fund designed to be dispensed to support such one-off community projects and so far this year I've been able to support a boiler for a community facility and equipment for a local community sports field. I'm due to dispense funds to assist the Bagshot Village Society with the Design Statement Report funding, but I've now been advised to 'hurry up'!
So - if any of you have a one off local community project, then you now know where to call...