Agenda item

The Chairman to respond to any questions received from members of the public for which notice has been given in accordance with Procedure Rule 10.

The deadline for receipt of questions is 5pm on Tuesday 30 April 2024.

The Executive received the following question(s) in accordance with Procedure Rule 10:

From Councillor Catherine Powell of Surrey County Council:

“Please can the Portfolio Holder explain why the Waverley Borough Council Executive is proposing to endorse the Waverley Borough Councils officers proposed modifications to the Farnham LCWIP, which have not been reviewed by the councillors at Waverley, Surrey County Council and Farnham Town Council and do not align with the earlier discussions or address the previously raised concerns specifically on the inclusion of additional core walking zones which do not address all the previously raised issues associated with Farnham Hospital. If there is to be an update, surely it should address all the previously raised issues relating to core walking zones particularly as the core walking zones associated with Farnham Hospital should be a consideration for the Hawthorns Development.

A revised set of cycling routes in and around Farnham Park all of which are already in the Farnham LCWIP or were agreed in the 17 October meeting and therefore already part of the annex being prepared and in the case of the Castle Hill realignment do not address the concerns that were raised in the public consultation meetings int the summer and Autumn of 2023 and will instead cause further confusion. Cycle route 3 which I attach the map was reviewed during the summer public engagement sessions and the route along Old Park Lane was preferred to the route along Folly Hill and adjacent to the Castle. The Old Park Lane route was included as a priority route; Waverley Borough Council officers have argued that the Castle Hill realignment addresses the concerns raised regarding the impacts on archaeology and ecology associated with that route please can the portfolio holder advise why it is not possible to proceed wit the adoption of the Waverley LCWIP and leave the addendum of the Farnham LCWIP to be reviewed separately.”

Response from Cllr Steve Williams, Executive Portfolio Holder for Environment and Sustainability:

“I would like to thank Cllr Powell for her question and appreciate the concerns that she has raised in relation to specific elements of the Farnham LCWIP. In answer to the third part of her question the issue is quite clear. The two LCWIP documents for Waverley give us a network map of potential routes to provide an appropriate cycling and walking infrastructure across the borough. Specific routes are included to facilitate active travel and facilitate the kind of modal shift in transport that is needed going forward. However none of these represent firm proposals until such time as funding is available and further feasibility work takes place with further consultation. With regard to the issue of  core walking zones. The  Farnham LCWIP maintenance update provides Surrey County Councillors with the opportunity to propose a new core walking zone for Farnham Hospital. Waverley has identified Farnham Hospital as a key destination with hub and spoke priority walking routes. The two Waverley LCWIP consist of indicative cycling and walking network routes with some more detailed measures suggested for priority areas.