Tandridge Buzz

East Surrey MP Sam Gyimah was on hand to unveil a new ultrasound machine at Oxted Health Centre last week (2 March).

The new Voluson E8 Expert ultrasound machine has been donated by the Friends of the Oxted Health Centre and Community.

It is the latest of many donations made by the group – totalling over £400,000 – since the closure of Oxted Hospital.

“Thanks must go to The Friends of the Oxted Health Centre for this donation as well as their on-going and committed support of the health centre, which makes a real difference to people’s lives – we are incredibly fortunate to have their support,” said Gyimah.

“Community-led treatment is the future of local healthcare, so it’s great to see local GPs, Caterham Dene Hospital and Oxted Health Centre all taking the lead to deliver this.”

East Surrey MP Sam Gyimah has ducked a challenge to live on benefits of £65 for a week in Salford.

The Tory MP was taking part in a live debate on BBC Radio5 when a member of the audience challenged him.

“In the North West thousands of local authority workers will be thrown on the scrap heap because of your Government in the next six weeks,” the man said.

“And do you know that those figures would be over four million if in fact they registered the number of part-time workers.

“I would like to challenge you to live on unemployment benefits in Salford for one week.

“I’ll organise it to live in a house for one week. Yes or no, will you accept the challenge?”

Heckles

After much heckling, Gyimah responded: “If there is anyone to blame it is the previous Government that racked up so many debts that we have to pay back.”

The man responded: “You perpetuated it and made it worse, so I’ll meet you in Salford on Monday and you are living  there for a week.”

East Surrey MP Sam Gyimah has called for a committed and creative solution to the “profound problem” of the high volume of heavy trucks using the A25.

The Tory attended a meeting between Surrey County Council and the Traffic Action Group A25 to discuss the issue.

The A25 runs through Oxted, Godstone, Bletchingley and Nutfield.

The campaign group says that lorries are rattling houses, creating driving hazards and posing a danger to pedestrians on the route.

“The damage inflicted by HGVs along the A25 cannot be measured in movement statistics alone,” Gyimah told the BBC.

“Together we need to produce some committed and creative solutions in order to relieve the biggest pressure points along the A25 and enhance people’s quality of life that live around the A25.”

Time is running out to nominate someone as Tandridge Citizen of the Year.

Chairman of the Council, Councillor Brian Perkins and Vice-Chairman Councillor Sakina Bradbury, are looking for selfless service to a voluntary body or the community, or someone whose service brings distinction and quality to everyday life in Tandridge District.

But nominations must be in by 31 December.

“If you know someone who has made a significant or outstanding contribution to the community, give them the recognition they deserve and nominate them for the Tandridge Citizen of the Year Awards,” said chairman of the Council, Councillor Brian Perkins.

East Surrey MP Sam Gyimah said: “I am delighted to support these awards, which recognise those people who selflessly give their time to the local community.”

There is no age barrier, but the person nominated must live within the Tandridge District.

How to nominate

• Nominations should be made in writing to: The Chairman of Tandridge District Council, Council Offices, Station Road East, Oxted RH8 0BT, e-mail chiefexecutive’soffice@tandridge.gov.uk.

• The closing date for entries is 31 December 2011. The awards will be presented by the Chairman at the Civic Reception being held on Thursday 23 February 2012 at Surrey National Golf Club, Chaldon.

• For more details please contact Lesley Ayers on 01883 732701, e-mail chiefexecutive’soffice@tandridge.gov.uk

East Surrey MP Sam Gyimah was not one of the 81 Conservative rebels to vote in favour of a referendum on whether Britain should stay in the EU.

The motion was defeated by 483 votes to 111 in the Commons. However, Gyimah voted along party lines.

He admits that Europe in its current form is not working for us but believes being inside the EU is the best place for Britain to enact reform of the system.

“Regulations that hinder our growth have not only been adopted but gold-plated, and with the Lisbon Treaty we are saddled with a constitution that no-one wanted and no-one voted for,” he wrote in a blog for The Spectator.

“Our national interest lies in reforming the EU so that it becomes a help rather than a hindrance to addressing our economic challenges at home.

“But to secure positive change, the Prime Minister needs maximum strategic flexibility. No-one wins a game of poker by revealing their hand at the start.

“The eurozone itself is entering unchartered territory, having been forced to contemplate closer fiscal union to address the failings of the single currency. Germany has suggested opening negotiations for a new treaty as early as this December.

“For the first time since the European project, we are in a unique position to help shape how the Eurozone operates, and to repatriate powers that should never have been relinquished.

“Now is not the time to surrender our influence. Having a referendum on the table at this moment can only weaken our hand; for what incentive is there for the rest of Europe to listen to our views if they think we are going to leave anyway?”

East Surrey MP Sam Gyimah has paid tribute to the emergency teams who battled against the explosion and fire at the Hobbs Industrial Estate in Newchapel yesterday.

A total of eight people were injured — four seriously — following the blast. Over 60 firefighters battled with the blaze and progress was slow and difficult due to the presence of bulk liquid petroleum gas and liquid petroleum gas cylinders.

The Ambulance Service ensured those injured were swiftly evacuated while the Environment Agency also played its part in helping limit the damage to the surrounding environment. Gyimah had been at the Conservative Party Conference when he heard about the explosion and headed straight back.

“The scale of the destruction at the Hobbs Industrial Estate last night was truly terrifying,” he said.

“By the time I arrived from Manchester where Party Conference is currently underway, the Fire and Rescue Services had got the fire under control and secured the area.

“Sadly, it seems that eight people are injured, four seriously, and my thoughts are with them and their families.

“The emergency response from all of the teams was fantastic and I have nothing but the utmost praise for their efforts. Once the investigation into the cause of the fire is complete, life in Newchapel can begin to recover.”

Meanwhile, Tandridge District Council has warned that rubbish and recycling collections are delayed today because of the incident.

There must be a better way to drive economic growth without putting the greenbelt at risk — that will be the message from East Surrey MP Sam Gyimah to Planning Minister Greg Clark.

Gyimah has persuaded Planning Minister Greg Clark to meet with residents groups and Tandridge District Council representatives to discuss the Government’s Planning Policy Framework.

The new planning proposals have sparked controversy over fears that it may bring about a planning free-for-all in green belt areas.

The proposals will introduce a “presumption in favour of sustainable development” but opponents believe the definition is so poorly defined, most developments would pass the test.

The Daily Telegraph recently launched its own Hands off Our Land campaign, urging a rethink on the proposals, which are at a consultation stage.

There has also been speculation that the new rules could lead to around 300,000 new homes being built on the green fields.

Gyimah said that while he welcomed the Government’s intention to simplify planning laws, he is committed about safeguarding the environment and described the issue as “extremely important” for East Surrey.

“Many constituents have contacted me concerned about the preservation of the green belt and green fields,” he said.

“They believe, as I do, that there must be a better way of achieving economic growth without putting the green belt at risk.

“I especially understand this concern as East Surrey is 94% green belt and has extensive Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty such as the wonderful North Down Hills which look across Titsey, striking at the heart of the meridian and areas such as the extensive woodland that runs throughout Tandridge.

“This is why I have contacted the Planning Minister and persuaded him to meet with residents’ groups and representatives from Tandridge District Council, to put forward our case.”

The Prime Minister recently reassured the National Trust that he was committed to preserving the countryside.

• The deadline for written submissions to the consultation ends Monday 17 October. You can find it here.

The breakdown of the family unit is to blame for the riots sweeping across Britain and not cuts to services.

That’s the view of East Surrey Conservative MP Sam Gyimah who condemned the riots, which have engulfed parts of London, Croydon, Manchester and Birmingham, as “sheer criminality”.

“The breakdown of the family unit must be considered a major contributing factor,” he said ahead of a recall to Parliament for a debate on Thursday (11 August).

“So when your 14 year old returns home at 2am, clutching four pairs of Adidas trainers and reeking of adrenaline, what discussions are families having?

“Whilst leading politicians and Police Commissioners were imploring parents to call their children home it became apparent that in some parts of society this was not an option.

“There appears to be a fundamental chasm between the powers we believe parents have and the ones they actually have.

“I would go further by stating that in some parts of society, values are fundamentally not being transferred to their children.

“These thugs are irresponsible, ill-disciplined and without aspiration. I thus refuse to believe that the cuts have triggered this outbreak — to put it bluntly, how socioeconomically aware do you think the average looting eleven year old is?”

Outsource parenting

Gyimah paid tribute to the police, fire brigade and said he had been “inspired” by stories of local communities coming together to condemn the rioters.

He added: “We cannot outsource parenting to the State.

“The State can support and propagate values of responsibility and aspiration but it cannot foster them; this must begin at home.

“The causes of the recent violence are obviously a complex issue, but we cannot move forward without a sensible discussion about responsibility.”

Click here to listen to Sam Gyimah on Radio 4′s Today programme.

What do you think? Is Gyimah right or have cuts played a leading role? Post your comments below.

East Surrey MP Sam Gyimah is to kick-start a consultation on creating alternatives to bank lending for small businesses.

The Tory MP will host a meeting on bank lending in partnership with the Daily Telegraph and innovation Think Tank Nesta on 19 July.

“Currently, the banks claim there are not enough good businesses to lend to,” said Gyimah. “And yet scores of good businesses find the banks reluctant to lend, processes too long and fees too high.

“This is why we need real innovation to change the lending landscape to get businesses the finance they need to grow and create jobs.

“The post war era spawned 3i and the early 1990s recession spawned AIM. We need to find new solutions for a post-credit crunch environment, in which small businesses have one of only five major banks to choose from.

“And the purpose of this consultation is to develop policy proposals and contribute to that wider discussion, starting with the views of the entrepreneurs and business owners at the coalface.”

You can join the experts for an 8.30am breakfast meeting on 19 July by clicking here.

By Sam Gyimah

As some of you may have heard, we have successfully managed to fight the parking charges that Surrey County Council were planning to force on Tandridge.

Unfortunately it looks like Horley will still be included in the proposals.

I was especially glad that Surrey County Council recognised Tandridge’s unique character as an area — small towns dotted among rolling countryside — and are now willing to root the process firmly in local opinion.

Tandridge is a different case to the rest of Surrey because it benefits from a great deal of free parking already, and indeed this has been an active strategy by Tandridge District Council to support our town centres.

But the parking charges were a real threat to businesses: 88% of local businesses who responded to a survey by the local Chamber of Commerce said that parking charges would be a threat to the future of their own business, with over a third of businesses considering relocating out of Oxted if the proposals went ahead.

It was crucial that we managed to find another way.

The team effort that occurred to achieve this change in policy was enormous — from my initial discussions with the local Chambers of Commerce about their Business Impact Assessment and with Gordon Keymer at Tandridge District Council, to crucial interventions by Councillors Nick Skellett and David Hodge — the local input was fantastic and really helped to make a strong case for supporting our local businesses and changing the policy as it then stood.

Thank you to all who were involved; it was a great effort all round and one which has meant the right result was achieved at the end.

Controversial pay and display parking plans have been defeated in Tandridge.

Oxted, Warlingham, Caterham and Whyteleafe will no longer be included in plans to introduce pay and display parking by Surrey County Council.

Tandridge District Council had voted against the proposals to charge shoppers £1 for an hour of parking with strong support from East Surrey MP Sam Gyimah but the County Council had forged ahead with plans until a u-turn this afternoon.

Surrey County Council has decided not to introduce on-street pay and display, but will review commuter parking in the area. A public consultation will be carried out later this year.

In a letter to Oxted Chamber of Commerce and Oxted & Limpsfield Residents Group (OLRG), Surrey County Council’s deputy leader David Hodge said: “I am pleased to make clear that all of Tandridge district has been withdrawn from the public consultation on ‘on street parking charges’. The matter is now closed.

“The current parking restrictions throughout Tandridge will continue to be enforced but parking will not be paid for.”

The consultation will review commuter parking in residential roads but Hodge said: “I see no reason why OLRG should presume that ‘Oxted’s residential roads are now being targeted for pay and display’ as this issue is now firmly concluded.”

Tremendous battle

Paul Dashwood of Oxted Chamber of Commerce said: “It’s been a tremendous battle but well worth it as this U-turn means that free parking will continue and the attempt to bring in parking meters here is now at an end.

“We hope this remains the case and will keep an eye on developments.”

He added: “We’re also delighted to be told there’s no reason to think that the public consultation regarding commuter parking areas means that residential roads are now being targeted for parking meters instead of shopping areas.”

Tandridge District Council leader Councillor Gordon Keymer said: “We are pleased Surrey has listened to the community and to the council and realised that pay and display would not work in this area, particularly as our own car parks are free.

“The district led the wave of opposition across the county to these proposals and this is an excellent example of the council, MP, local traders and residents pulling together on an issue of great local importance.”

Today (14 April) is the last day Tandridge District residents can register to vote in the local elections to be held on 5 May.

• To register to vote click here
• Applications to vote by post must also be received today. Click here for more
• Applications to appoint a proxy must be received by 21 April. Click here for more
• For more on the referendum, click here

On 5 May, district and parish elections will be held along with a referendum on the Alternative Voting system.

East Surrey MP, Tory Sam Gyimah, is campaigning against the vote on Alternative Voting and recently appeared on ITV’s Late Debate. “No election system is perfect but what you do want to is a system where you can hire and fire a Government and First Past the Post does that pretty well,” argued Gyimah.

He went up against Liberal Democrat MEP Sarah Ludford on the show. “First Past the Post is a broken system and might have suited us in the 1950’s when nine out of 10 people voted for one of two parties but people now want more choice and power on what happens in politics,” she said.

“We have seen with the expenses scandal what happens when MPs get complacent their seat is safe.

“Most MPs elected don’t get half the vote (in their constituency), many only a third. I know one who got just 26%.”

East Surrey MP Sam Gyimah appeared on ITV’s Late Debate last night to argue against Alternative Voting (AV).

The debate was Gyimah’s first appearance on national TV where he fronted up against Liberal Democrat MEP Sarah Ludford with Alastair Stewart refereeing.

A referendum on the voting system will be held on 5 May, alongside local elections.

“No election system is perfect but what you do want to is a system where you can hire and fire a Government and First Past the Post does that pretty well,” argued Gyimah.

“What Sarah is saying is that by AV can somehow create a system where MPs get more than 50% of the vote sounds all well and good but that means someone’s 6th choice is worth as much as their 1st preference and I don’t think that is fair.

“We want each vote be of equal value.”

Ludford said: “First Past the Post is a broken system and might have suited us in the 1950’s when nine out of 10 people voted for one of two parties but people now want more choice and pwer on what happens in politics.

“We have seen with the expenses scandal what happens when MPs get complacent their seat is safe.

“Most MPs elected don’t get half the vote (in their constituency), many only a third. I know one who got just 26%.”

Gyimah is also taking part in an AV debate on Saturday 26 March in the Centenary Lounge of Horley Constitutional Lounge at 1pm.

• View the debate http://www.itv.com/london/the-late-debate43633/.

By Sam Gyimah

I believe Surrey County Council’s proposals to introduce car parking charges to be a serious threat to local businesses and the way of life of people in East Surrey.

I held a face-to-face meeting with Ian Lake from Surrey County Council when the initial decision was first announced back in January, and have subsequently written to the Council outlining my concerns with the proposed charges (set to be introduced in Caterham, Warlingham, Whyteleafe, Oxted and Horley in the coming months).

I have looked at these proposals in detail and feel that whilst Surrey County Council has said these charges are about the need to raise money in a difficult financial climate, they’ve completely failed to consider the local economic impact these charges will have. The extent to which there have been economic impact assessments appears limited, and they haven’t consulted with local businesses to discuss the likely impact on the local economy at all.

There is a real danger that shops in town centres all around the constituency will lose out to those out-of-town larger retailers who can afford to offer free parking. In Oxted – a vibrant town where people flock from far afield to shop – the charges would most definitely lessen the attractiveness of the town as a successful shopping destination. But it’s not just Tandridge which is under threat – these unfair charges are set to be introduced in Horley even sooner. Imposing these charges contradicts the desire of locals to see the regeneration of Horley Town Centre, something which Surrey County Council claim to be committed to.

Economic battle

All this comes at a time when businesses are battling with the broader economic climate and need all the help they can get. Surrey County Council haven’t considered the net economic effect, and haven’t considered how it would alter our local communities — perhaps irrevocably. Whether it’s popping into town for a newspaper and pint of milk, or spending some more time browsing the shops — the County Council have just made this more expensive.

A longer, more active consultation period would prove a useful way to engage with local residents and businesspeople. The perfunctory consultation process currently going on isn’t good enough, nor is dismissing local residents’ groups concerns out of hand. I’m meeting with the Chamber of Commerce and local residents groups face-to-face over the coming weeks to listen to their concerns and try to come up with some solutions – I hope Surrey County Council do the same. We need a solution that works for our area; an area which is a mixture of rural and urban landscape and has a distinct character which we do not want to lose.

Tandridge District Councillors are people who are used to making tough decisions in a difficult financial climate, and local residents groups understand the competing needs at play — but we are all united in agreement that there is a better way than to impose these charges. Surrey County Council really need to go away and think again — these proposals aren’t in the best interests of the people of East Surrey; they’re simply not good enough.