Agenda item

The Chairman to respond to any questions received from Members in accordance with Procedure Rule 11.

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

Councillor Spence, Hindhead & Beacon Hill Ward gave due notice of the following question to the Executive:

‘In December you made an Executive decision to enter a twelve month interim arrangement with Surrey County Council to keep The Edge in Hazelmere open. We are now five months into that twelve month period and a lot of local residents are asking where are we now. Is it possible to give an update on the status of a permanent solution that will allow the community to return to plan ahead with some certainty? It is urgent that these groups also obtain some certainty over the future availability of the edge.’

Councillor Kika Mirylees, Portfolio Holder for Community Services, Leisure and EDI responded as follows:

‘‘The Edge Sports Hall opened for public use again in mid-January and is being operated on a day to day basis by Woolmer Hill Sports Association under an agreement managed by Waverley with Surrey County Council the freeholder. The site is being well used by clubs since then, this is in conjunction with the usage of the new 3g pitch and the artificial training pitch in Waverley’s ownership. Waverley representatives are in regular contact with Surrey officers and a meeting is scheduled next week to look at the future options beyond the year arrangement. In accordance with the Leaders decision after six months a review will be carried out which is July looking at the performance and giving options for a way forward of a more permanent nature. Waverley is keen to provide assurance over the future of the sports hall and will work closely Surrey County Council to achieve this.

At the invitation of the Leader, Councillor Steve Williams, Portfolio Holder for Environment and Sustainability read out a question of behalf of Cllr Nicholson:

‘There are two proposals which I and local borough colleagues would vigorously oppose. The first being to form a cycle lane in Lion Lane by removing all car parking from the western side of the lane. The parking situation is already reaching saturation point with parking on two sides of the road. A restriction would almost certainly end car ownership for some. There is actually a better solution by upgrading the eastern footpath to a dual cycle walking path. Secondly the strong hint of putting traffic lights at Haslemere Fosters railway bridge to accommodate a single only road lane plus a cycling lane will cause severe traffic. If these proposals were actioned and there would be severe reputational damage to the council. Finally my question is will the Executive agree to a full consultation of any proposals with Borough Cllrs, Town Parish Cllrs and the local community for other funding.

Cllr Williams responded by stating:

The Waverley LCWIP consists of indicative cycling and walking network routes with some more detailed suggested for priority areas. These suggested measures are indicative and not hard proposals. In order to progress any of the proposals for routes, funding will need to be secured and currently the likely source of funding is from the community infrastructure levy. Waverley has already held a consultation on the two LCWIPs covering the Borough. While I acknowledge that it is inevitable that individuals may disagree with particular elements of the Farnham and the wider Waverley LCWIP; the standard procedure followed by Surrey County Council means that no highways proposal for a particular route will go to the implantation stage without further consultation. The second detailed design stage of LCWIP development includes a public in addition to a members stakeholder consultation. Having an LCWIP in place is a necessary precursor towards moving forward with the active travel agenda from both the planning perspective and a funding perspective. The sooner we have in place  a plan for local cycling and walking infrastructure covering the entirety of the Borough the better.