Surrey Matters Magazine, Autumn 2011

2011·3.7 MB·English

by  Surrey County Council

Surrey
matters
www.surreycc.gov.uk
Autumn 2011
In the
spotlight
Surrey families who are
making a difference
Plus!
Cycle race l Improving roads l Smarter dwrwivwi.nsugrre lyc cP.groev.upka/sruirnregym faottre rws i n1 ter
Have you got what it takes
to foster for Surrey?
Call 08000 96 96 26 Visit www.surreycc.gov.uk/fostering
www.surreycc.gov.uk
2 www.surreycc.gov.uk/surreymatters
Making Surrey a better place
Parents Pages mag A4 ad. May 2011.indd 1 18/05/2011 14:45
Have you got what it takes
Inside Welcome
to foster for Surrey?
3 Welcome from the council leader Over the past six months, we have come a long way in
transforming services and putting value for money at the
Call 08000 96 96 26 Visit www.surreycc.gov.uk/fostering 4 News from across the county heart of everything we do.
6 Turning the spotlight on This is helping us to find the savings we need to make
Surrey residents by 2015, but we still have a long way to go and working
with you is key to our success. You can read about the
7 Preparing for 2012 with the challenges we face in setting the budget on page 10.
London-Surrey Cycle Classic
I would like to pay tribute to all those who already
8 Top tips on how to waste less food do so much selfless work and make a difference
to communities in Surrey. Whether you’re a school
10 A look at the budget and what needs governor, part of the
to be done to make more savings many speedwatch groups
throughout the county, or
11 On the road with the council’s you deliver meals to elderly
new contractor or ill residents, you help make
Surrey what it is.
13 Driving SMART on Surrey’s roads
We realise that many of you
14 Get ready for winter with our tips don’t have a lot of spare time,
to cope with the cold but helping out in any way
you can is something that
16 Find out who’s volunteering and we pledge to help
how it makes a difference and support.
17 Visit Oxted, a village that mixes Take a look at the At a glance…
past with present volunteering article on page
Over the last few months
16 to find out how you are
I have:
16 What’s on in the lead up to Christmas already making a difference.
Presented the King of the
across Surrey
Mountains award to top
I’m always happy to hear
cyclist Kristian House after the
17 Tell us what you think about your ideas about how we
London-Surrey Cycle Classic,
Surrey Matters can continue to improve.
the test event for the Olympic
Email me at andrew.
cycling road race.
Email us: [email protected]. [email protected]
Write to us: Surrey Matters, Communications Team, G29,
or follow me on Twitter Provided £45,000 to
Surrey County Council, Freepost, KT1 2EA.
@SCCleader. Connect 2 Innovation – a not
Follow us: www.facebook.com/surreymatters
for profit organisation that
and @surrey_matters on Twitter.
Sign up to the monthly e-newsletter by emailing helps businesses grow.

[email protected].
Attended the opening of the
Call us on: Dr Andrew Povey
Telephone: [phone] £371m Hindhead Tunnel at
Leader,
Overseas: [phone] the Devil’s Punch Bowl in July.
Surrey County Council
Lines open: Monday to Friday
8am until 6pm
Fax: [phone]
Produced by Surrey County Council Communications Team and printed on 100% recycled
Minicom: 020 8541 9698 paper. Please recycle this magazine. 08/11/NW/CS2044.
Every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of information in this magazine, but Surrey
Visit us online: www.surreycc.gov.uk/surreymatters.
County Council cannot accept responsibility for mistakes or omissions.
If you didn’t receive your own copy of Surrey Matters, or you Surrey County Council also does not accept responsibility for any goods or services offered
by advertisers. Publication does not imply recommendation.
would like this magazine in large print, on tape or in another
www.surreycc.gov.uk
language, please contact us. A pdf version is available on
www.surreycc.gov.uk/surreymatters. www.surreycc.gov.uk/surreymatters 3
Making Surrey a better place
Parents Pages mag A4 ad. May 2011.indd 1 18/05/2011 14:45
News
Eco Park moves forward
Plans for an Eco Park in Surrey, which will divert waste from landfill and generate
green electricity, recently took a significant step forward when the planning
application was approved by the County Planning Authority.
The Eco Park will be the first of its kind in the UK and will include state of
the art facilities to treat Surrey’s food waste and waste that can’t be recycled,
alongside an existing community recycling centre. It will help eliminate the use
of landfill in the county, which costs Surrey residents £600,000 a month in taxes
and is damaging to the environment, while also generating enough electricity
to power the site and thousands of homes.
As a routine requirement, the planning approval has now been referred to
the Secretary of State to decide if he wants to review the decision.
Dial 101 ChInA COMeS tO WOkIng
Showcased for the first time outside of China, a fascinating collection
of ceramics will be on display this autumn in Woking.
If your car is stolen,
For two months, the Lightbox Gallery and Museum will be home to
your property has been
ceramics from Zibo Ceramics Museum. Zibo is a region of China that
damaged or you want to is one of the five major ceramic producing areas in the country.
speak to your local police The exhibition charts the historical development of
officer, you can now call ceramics in China and offers an insight into the
immense skill that goes into ceramic manufacture,
101, which is available 24
with daily demonstrations given by Chinese
hours a day, 7 days a week.
ceramicists from Zibo.
In an emergency always
The exhibition is at the Lightbox Gallery and Museum
call 999. For other ways to in Woking from Tuesday 11 October to Sunday 11
contact Surrey Police visit December and is free. To find out more please visit www.
www.surrey.police.uk. thelightbox.org.uk or call 01483 737800.
Apply online
Is your child due to start school or transfer to
junior or secondary school in September 2012?
If so, it’s fast and easy to apply online. You’ll get
an email to confirm your application and a second
email to confirm the outcome once school places
have been offered.
For a place at secondary school, apply by
Monday 31 October 2011. For a reception or
junior place, applications need to be in by Sunday
15 January 2012.
Applying on time will give your child the best
chance of getting a place at one of your preferred
schools. Visit www.surreycc.gov.uk/admissions
to find out more.
4 www.surreycc.gov.uk/surreymatters
Superfast
broadband
Surrey County Council has
been awarded £1.3 million to
help every household in the
county get access to superfast
broadband by 2013.
‘Life-saving’
The council has now
produced two surveys -
one for residents and one for show returns
businesses - to gauge current
broadband access and The free award-winning road safety show described
what demand there is for by Formula One World Champion, Damon Hill as
faster speeds. “literally a life saver”, opens to the public again
in November.
To take part in the surveys,
‘Safe Drive, Stay Alive’ is a hard-hitting interactive
visit www.surreycc.gov.uk/
show that tells the story of a road traffic collision.
superfastbroadband or call
A video reconstruction is shown along with
03456 009 009. testimonies from serving members of the
emergency services.
A parent also tells how their child lost their life in
PUTTInG A STOP TO
UTnhfea irC oTrnasduimnge rR Pergoutleactitoionns f2r0o0m8 a road traffic collision and a man shares his story
DOOrSTEP TrADErS WARNING about an accident with a young driver which
left him disabled.
We do not deal with
Free door stickers will soon be available uninvited traders The show is at Dorking Halls on Thursday 17
to stop doorstep traders. The ConsuPmeLr PEroAtecStioEn f rLomE AVE November 2011 at 7.30pm and anyone aged 15
Unfair Trading RegulaAtionNs 2D00 8 or over is invited to attend. Contact Surrey Fire
residents are being invited to pick up a WADRO NNOITN REGTU RN and Rescue Service on 01737 242444 or email
free Surrey Trading Standards sticker pack Failure to do so is a [email protected].
from their local council office, library or We do noctr imdienaal lo fwfenitceh
uninvited traders
police station from Monday 17 October, PLEASESu TrrLraedyEi nCgoA uSntatVyn dCEaorud ns c il Watts Gallery
Surrey Police
as part of a new anti cold-calling AND
trader campaign. DO NStOick Tth isR ouEtsiTdeU yoRur fNront door
is a big success
The initiative aims to tackle the rising Sticker.indd 1Facilruimrei ntaol dooff esno cies a 15/03/2011 13:06
number of doorstep traders who prey on
Surrey County Council
vulnerable residents and carry out shoddy Trading Standards Crowds of people have already been to see
Surrey Police
some of George Frederic Watts’s finest work
work, often at extortionate prices.
Stick this outside your front door
in Compton’s newly restored Watts gallery.
Kay Hammond, Surrey County Council’s
Cabinet Member for Community Safety saiSdticker:.in d“d Y1 ou should never fee15/03l/2 011 13:06 Alongside Watts’s famed paintings, the
gallery displays many of his sculptures.
pressured into making a decision on your doorstep and the best
the restoration project is the result of
advice is to always say ‘no’ to cold-calling traders. If you are in need of
county and nationwide fundraising of £11
a reliable and trustworthy trader, we recommend residents use the
million. Surrey County Council funded part
list of vetted businesses from our ‘Buy With Confidence’ scheme.”
of the restoration work on condition the
To find out where you can pick up your free sticker pack and
gallery continues to provide apprenticeship
for more details about the scheme, visit www.surreycc.gov.uk/
schemes, maintains
stopcoldcallers or call 03456 009 009.
support from its
200 volunteers and
offers discounted
entry for looked
after children.
For more
information, visit
www.wattsgallery.
org.uk.
www.surreycc.gov.uk/surreymatters 5
In THE
spotlight
Surrey Matters turns the spotlight
on a group of Surrey residents
who got together to help young
people in the county.
Dan Curtis is Deputy Director of the
Halow Project – a charity and social
enterprise, which has been running for
just over two years, offering services to young
people, aged 16-35, with learning disabilities.
Five families set up Halow in 2006 because
they wanted an organisation that offered
support for young people with learning
disabilities once they leave school. They formed the
charity and named it after their children – Harriet,
Amber, Laura, Oliver and William.
The charity’s patron is Damon Hill, dad of Oliver
and is supported by up and coming
racing driver, Sam Bird.
It offers young people trips and days out
like bowling, theme parks and performing
arts classes as well as advice and support
on a range of services, including housing,
benefits and personalised budgets. A course
called ‘Building Futures’ is also available,
where the young people can
develop their skills.
The social enterprise part of the
organisation is known as Halow Care and
provides paid-for one-to-one support to
young people who are often referred by
Surrey Social Care Service and other agencies.
The funds raised from this service help to
cover the costs of the charity, so there is less
reliance on grant funding.
Dan believes Halow is an example of how Big Society
could work. He said: “We are innovative in the way we fund
the work we do and being a young organisation, we have a
modern perspective, so can respond to need quickly.
“We have a Youth Committee, that shapes activities and
feeds back on the services and support we provide. This
has really helped ensure we are doing something that
people want.”
Around 60 volunteers currently help Halow by carrying
out social activities and taking part in fundraising events.
Dan added: “We wouldn’t be able to do what we do
without them. They help us in so many ways and in
return we make sure they have opportunities to develop,
provide training and make them feel part of the team.”
To find out more about Halow and the support it
offers, visit www.halowproject.org.uk, email
[email protected] or call 01483 447 960.
6 www.surreycc.gov.uk/surreymatters
SuRRey GeTS
prepared
Find out more
Visit www.gosurrey.info/cycling,
call 0300 200 1018 or email olympic.
[email protected] for more
OlyFmOR THpe ics
information. You can also follow us at
www.facebook.com/gosurrey to get
all the latest information
on the london 2012 games
in surrey.
Thousands of people lined the and Paralympic Games) has carried out
streets of Surrey to catch a glimpse and involved the biggest number of
of nearly 150 of the world’s most road closures London has ever seen.
elite cyclists in the dress rehearsal for the The aim was to test the race before
Olympic cycling road race. next year and we certainly have learned
Spectators came out in force to a lot to prepare us for the real thing.
support the riders of the London-Surrey
Cycle Classic in August, where Britain’s Why did the roads have to be closed
top cyclist Mark Cavendish stole a win in for so long before and after the race?
a nail-biting sprint to the finish. Some people have compared this race
Denise Saliagopoulos, Surrey to the Tour de France, but the route is
County Council’s Cabinet Member for actually a lot longer. It involved nearly
Community Services and the 2012 1,000 roads being closed, 350 of which
Games, said: “The race was spectacular were in Surrey.
and was made even more so by We had to start work on the roads
the backdrop of our breathtaking early to put signs, cones and barriers in
countryside and cheering crowds.” place, remove cars, remove highways
infrastructure, such as islands and to
Your questions answered
clean and check the route before the
you have been asking lots of questions race started.
about the London-Surrey Cycle Classic These all needed to be cleared and
so Surrey Matters has spoken to Surrey infrastructure put back in place before
County Council’s 2012 team to get we could safely open the roads up again.
the answers.
Why were so many support vehicles
how did the race go from the council’s driving alongside the cyclists?
point of view? It’s very important that the police have
Overall, we were pleased with how a strong presence at these events, as we
it went. We were overwhelmed by need to be prepared for all situations.
the support from residents and the Other support cars included
hundreds of spectators who came out breakdown and recovery vans,
to watch on the roadside. This was by ambulances and medical support.
far the largest and most complicated each team also had its own car,
test event LOCOG (the London which carried spare bikes, wheels
Organising Committee of the Olympic and equipment that riders may need.
What you said
Here are just some of the hundreds of tweets from the day of the race.
@wasteisbad: “Watched London-Surrey Cycle Classic today on hairpin
bend by Surrey Downs. Those guys are legends.”
@buttonjon: “I watched the race go past at Walton Bridge, can’t wait
for the Olympic races next year.”
@kaijalarke: “@Markcavendish Congratulations! Awesome win and
Race winner Mark
great to see you all charging through Surrey.”
Cavendish powering
@jo365: “Had a fantastic day watching #cycleclassic on Box Hill.” through Surrey.
www.surreycc.gov.uk/surreymatters 7
What a
waste
One in five bags of food shopping are thrown away.
That’s not good for your pocket or the planet.
Statistics show that most families “We understand that there are lots of on the environment, save them money
waste up to £50 a month throwing reasons why food can end up going to and help reduce the disposal bill.”
away uneaten food*. In Surrey that waste,” explained Dr Lynne Hack, Surrey The Love Food Surrey campaign will be
adds up to a staggering 83,000 tonnes of County Council’s Cabinet Member for the running countywide over the next few
food and drink being binned every year. Environment. “But the cost of disposing of months raising awareness of the issue and
So Surrey County Council is urging food waste is around £7.6 million per year offering helpful tips and advice on how to
residents to try to make some small and we have to tackle it. reduce food waste. The website
changes to their shopping, storage and “If every resident took just a couple of www.lovefoodsurrey.com is packed
cooking habits, that could make small steps to cut down on their food with ideas to help and
a big difference. waste it would have a big positive effect inspire people.
Here are some tips
Perfect
to help you reduce portions
your waste.
Savvy storage Weighing and
measuring food is the
guaranteed way to
Knowing how to cook perfect portions:
store foods could l A mug (300ml) is Know
mean it lasting extra handy for measuring your dates
It pays to plan days, weeks and even uncooked rice. 1 adult
months: portion = 1/4 mug;
l Keep the fridge at a (as sizes of mugs vary, There’s lots of
Planning what you cool 1 - 5°C and chilled use this measure as a confusion about what
buy and cook is food will stay fresh for guide to work out your the dates on food Lovely
the best start to longer. own perfect portions). actually mean: leftovers
reducing your food l If use by dates are l A tablespoon is l Use by – this date
waste: approaching put the good for measuring is for safety and must
l Before you do your food in the freezer to out portions of rice be followed correctly. If you’ve cooked too
next big shop, check eat later. and beans. 1 adult Don’t use any food much, try to use
what you already l Keep the foods with portion = 4 spoonfuls; after the end of the the leftovers for
have and make a the shortest dates at 1 child portion = 2½ use by date, even if it another meal:
meal planner for the the front of the fridge spoonfuls. looks and smells fine. l Keep staples in the
week so you only and cupboards so they l By using a spaghetti Eating it after this date cupboard, which can
buy what you need. get eaten first. measurer, you just pick could put your health be added to leftovers
l Involve the kids to l Freeze as much as the amount of people at risk. to make a new meal.
see what they’d like possible. you’re cooking for and l Best before - this is l Put leftover cooked
on the planner. fill the hole with dry about quality not food meals in the freezer,
l Make a list and try spaghetti. safety. Foods with which will be a quick
to stick to it and not l You can use a best before date and easy meal for
be tempted by offers weighing scales to should be safe to eat another day.
on foods you help manage meal after this date (except l Visit our website
might not portion sizes. for eggs), but they www.lovefood
end up may no longer be at surrey.com for lots of
eating. their best. leftover recipe ideas.
8 www.surreycc.gov.uk/surreymatters
Lots of food
gets thrown
away because of
confusion over
best before and 9)
use by dates. 0
0
2
er
b
m
Feeding the kids ve
o
N
P,
Love Food Surrey chef and mum of three Carmela Tomkins, has had RA
W
years of experience of feeding kids who aren’t always too keen on
K (
what they are given! She shares with us what worked for her. u
e
“Over the years, my kids have helped to prepare dinner which h
I’ve tried to make as fun as possible. n t
e i
“We’ve experimented with easy-to-follow recipes such as st
a
smoothies - a great way of using up leftover fruit, yogurt or juice. They’ve also W
k
chosen how much they want to eat before a meal is cooked, and suggested their n
favourite ingredients to add to a meal, like pizza toppings. Dri
d
“Another idea I’ve used is presenting food in creative ways, like cutting n
a
sandwiches, pancakes, waffles and pizza into various shapes using cookie cutters. d
o
o
“When my kids were toddlers, I dreaded meal times and the possibility of F
d
throwing away perfectly good food, but using these tricks made a big difference.” ol
h
For advice on planning your shopping, portion control, recipe ideas and more, e
s
visit www.lovefoodsurrey.com. ou
H
*
www.surreycc.gov.uk/surreymatters 9
Savings of over £80 million have been
identified by the council since 2009,
but in the tough economic climate,
a lot more needs to be done.
Facing the
financial challenge
The council needs to make savings of l Driving down supplier costs, like bringing needed to ensure we have the right pattern
at least £200 million over the next four in the new highways contractor, May and quality of services for Surrey people.
years . One of the ways these savings Gurney, which will save £20 million Mr Hodge explained: “More local control
are being made is through the Public over four years. and decision-making is vital to understand
Value review programme, which looks at l Building on partnerships, such as Surrey residents’ priorities and allow local people to
improving each council service and making be in the driving seat to transform services.
“There are lots of ways
them more efficient. So far, 16 services have “There are lots of ways Surrey people are
been reviewed, which has identified savings Surrey people are already already getting involved. For example, we
of up to £88 million by 2014/15. have received a number of community
getting involved.”
David Hodge, Deputy Leader of Surrey proposals to run 11 local libraries.”
County Council, said: “The savings we need If you’d like to understand more about
to make are the equivalent of a Surrey First – a project that is improving joint what the council budget covers, why not
household reducing their spending by working between Surrey County Council, try out our YouChoose budget calculator,
10%, but with costs continuing to go up, the 11 district and borough councils and which shows you the consequences
this is no easy task. Surrey Police, aiming to save 15% across of different budget decisions and the
“We have faced significant financial Surrey’s public services through challenges we face.
challenges over the last few years. The joined-up buying. For this and more information about
proactive approach we have taken has l Boosting the local economy, by giving the budget, visit www.surreycc.gov.uk/
meant that we have been able to reduce grants and guidance to Surrey businesses getinvolved. You can also tell us your
our costs while ensuring the services we and helping to secure more than £700 views on twitter @surrey_matters or on
provide are improving and focused on the million in Olympic-related contracts. www.facebook.com/surreymatters.
needs of residents.”
How you can help
The story so far The council will continue to look at its
The savings that have been identified services and identify more savings that can
so far, include: be made. However, community support is
10 www.surreycc.gov.uk/surreymatters