Mary Reid

I really should have blogged earlier about last Wednesday's South of the Borough Neighbourhood Meeting, especially as it was the first one I'd chaired.

A number of people who live in Tedder Close, Gibson Close and Mansfield Road wanted to tell us about problems they've been having with uneven pavements, blocked drains and refuse collections. We were able to tell them that Tedder and Gibson had been put on the schedule for pavement replacement at the previous week's meeting, so that was one good outcome. We asked the officers to look into the other problems and get back in touch with them directly, keeping the councillors in the loop.

It struck me that this was exactly why we have Neighbourhood Committees - to give citizens a space where they can voice their opinions and identify problems to the Council. I wrote about 'What are Neighbourhoods for?' only last month.

Most of the agenda was taken up with planning applications. The extension to the Premier Travel Inn was permitted, and the proposed development on the site of The Harrow was refused. The application for 21 houses to be built on 44-56 Leatherhead Road turned out to be quite controversial. Residents in Sussex Gardens, whose homes back on to the site, were very concerned about the flooding they have endured in the past and whether this development would make the problems worse. We decided to defer the application and asked for further reports on drainage.

The Neighbourhood was also asked to pass comments on two applications which will be heard by Development Control Committee. One was for some sensible changes to the original plans for access to the new Chessington Community College. The other was for a depot for Quadron, the Council's Parks contractor, at the back of the bowling club on King George's Field.