By Martin Giles A legal opinion obtained by Surrey County Council gives the all clear to a West Surrey Councillor whose eligibility as a candidate in the recent election has been questioned. The eligibility of Cllr Jo Shaw (Lib Dem, Guildford East) had been challenged because she…

New Government Debt Controls Welcomed by Woking Councillors

Chris Caulfield local democracy reporter New powers aimed at cutting the excessive risky borrowing that left taxpayers footing billion pound debts has been welcomed by Woking Borough Council. Woking famously went bust with debts of over £2 billion on the back of its failed investment plans. Its…

Assault in Primark, Woman Punched in Face, Police Seek Witnesses

A woman is said to have been punched in the face during an altercation in Primark, in the Friary Centre, on Saturday (May 30). Police were made aware of an incident that took place between 4.50pm and 5.05pm, during which there was an argument between two individuals,…

Our Programme of Upgrades Will Be Good For Passengers, Says Network Rail

Trains are running through to Portsmouth Harbour again after Network Rail and South Western Railway completed the latest phase of upgrade work on the Portsmouth Direct Line. Work to upgrade signalling in the Havant and Portsmouth area began in March, replacing ageing equipment that is said to…

‘Huge Yellow Horror’ Spoils Guildford’s Surrey View

By Isabelle Trubshaw Guildford residents are protesting about the unexpected instalment of a large gantry on Pewley Hill reservoir, which they say is polluting the panoramic views over Surrey. Erected over the last few days by Thames Water, the structure – described as a “huge yellow horror”…

Comment: A Storm In a Teacup? No, Rules on Candidacy Should Be Re-examined

By Martin Giles Our story about the eligibility of a Surrey County Council employee (Questions Raised About Successful West Surrey Candidate’s Eligibility) who stood as a candidate in the recent local election has caused a stir. And so it should. Compliance with electoral law underpins our democracy.…

Plans To Build a Further 65 Homes in West Horsley Have Been Deferred

By Chris Caulfield local democracy reporter Charles Church Developments hoped to receive planning permission for 65 homes in West Horsley after the company’s proposals, which also include a children’s play area and pond, had been recommended for approval. However, Guildford Borough Council’s planning committee meeting on Wednesday,…

Plans for 234 Homes That ‘Could Overload Road and Water Networks’ Refused

By Chris Caulfield local democracy reporter Plans for 234 homes that would have “sprawled into the essential boundary between Godalming, Milford and Eashing” have been rejected despite warnings that Guildford Borough Council could lose a costly appeal. Developers Ashill Land had hoped to build the new development,…

£300,000 of Parking Fines Liable for Refunds

By Chris Caulfield local democracy reporter Thousands of people wrongly given more than £300,000 worth of parking fines in Surrey can…

Birdwatcher’s Diary No.350

By Malcolm Fincham The cooler than average days of the first weeks of May were soon forgotten as we moved into…

Dragon Review: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at G-Live

By Isabelle Trubshaw We commonly attribute emotions to music, often experiencing a poignant progressive journey throughout a piece. The Royal Philharmonic…

Variety of Volunteer Roles at Phyllis Tuckwell’s New Charity Shop in Artington

Hospice care charity Phyllis Tuckwell is looking for volunteers to help at its new charity shop and donation centre at Pew…