Effingham Eye: A Parish Council Meeting To Forget

Published on: 17 Aug, 2018
Updated on: 18 Aug, 2018

In this month’s Effingham Eye Chris Dick’s gives his personal report on: latest parish council snippets, a coffee bar closes, another expands outdoors, a historic book returns and a new academy opens…

Parish Council Meeting

After the departure of Guildford Borough Council leaders Paul Spooner and Matt Furniss the Effingham Parish Council (EPC) (see report here) Tuesday  in King George V (KGV) village hall. The July 31 (2018) meeting got underway.

Dull item on governance kicked off lackluster EPC meeting

Almost immediately the meeting got bogged down over whether the chairman might be given discretion to decide whether he distributed emails he received to the entire committee or answer some emails himself (see agenda extract above).

If the debate could have been distilled and bottled no one need suffer from insomnia again.

But forgetting we all had lives to lead, councillor after councillor offered up their own particular point of view. The truth was that nobody in the small audience seemed to care that much and probably thought that a good dollop of common sense would not go amiss.

Why the arcane debate was necessary was not made clear. However, judging some comments made, it seemed that one or more emails that should have been circulated had not been.

In the audience there was a mass breakout of Attention Deficit Disorder, well not really disorder, it was perfectly natural to have been bored to tears and few were paying much attention when, at long last, the council reached the obvious conclusion that the chairman should have some discretion.

On to other matters, at last, Chairman Ian Symes announced the resignation of Cllr David Martland. David was off oop North and had decided to resign that afternoon. Being the worst kept secret in the village there were few surprised by the news.

Martland was not the only absentee, beleaguered EPC vice chairman Cllr Paula Moss, who still has not commented on her unfulfilled promise to resign, was absent yet again.

Perhaps the reason why was given by EFFRA’s (Effingham Residents Association) Secretary, David King, who wanted to set a record straight. King told those present, in his usual quiet hushed tones, that contrary to what Cllr Moss had written in an email and then refused to withdraw, he had not asked her to circulate a press release (PR).

The PR had been about the lessons learnt during the formation of the Neighbourhood Plan (NP). Cllr Symes, saying while he could not speak for the absent councillor, there had been a misunderstanding. He did not elaborate.

Village Hall Rebuild

Effingham Village Recreational Trustee (EVRT) Chairman Chris Iles and Cllr Alison Mayell spoke about their joint-chaired EPC/EVRT working group (WG). They talked about the process by which Berkeley Homes would fund the village hall rebuild via the £2.64 million, Section 106 contribution.

They reported their intention to consider approaching architects to draw up new plans. Cllr Mayell said that she had again spoken to the architect who had designed the Cobham Curve Rugby Club building. One councillor questioned why another highly respected local architect had not yet been approached. No explanation was given.

It was good to hear Chris Iles talk about their intention to communicate more with residents but disappointing to hear that the EVRT Minutes of meetings would remain off limits to residents. No reason was given other than it was “too early”.

Equally disappointing was his mention of those early rushed plans, aimed at just replacing the sporting half of the KGV building. Those plans, although in the past rigorously defended by Liz Hogger ( borough councillor and Effingham parish councillor), had not been
well received. They had attracted little if any support from residents or local professionals.

The subdued and a rather dull meeting atmosphere continued. Cllr James Nicholls had decided, after the two GBC councillors had departed, he had also had enough and left with his sheepdog Sheba.

With three councillors down it was as though everyone was a bit too tired or just plain bored. There comes a time when it is best to bid a hasty retreat. Sheba had been right … it was time to go.

Coffee Bar in Effingham closes

The Coffee Bar in The Street, Effingham

Just six months after opening her new cafe Cassie Millard has had to close the business. On a note in the door Cassie thanked her customers saying: “Unfortunately we have had to close due to other work commitments.”

Contact details for anyone interested in taking on the business are on the door: gary@nationcarewindows.co.uk

The Vineries open new outdoor seating area

New outdoor seating area at the Vineries Garden Centre, Lower Road, Effingham

A large new outdoor seating area at the Vineries Garden Centre has been made available for customers wanting to eat and drink outside the main building. The wide range of foods continues to be popular and the outside area is sure to be a useful attraction.

Historic book returns to Effingham

A book from the former Effingham Parochial Library returns to Effingham

Following the discovery and return of the Miller Bible in 2016, (see Effingham Eye: A Bible, A ‘Pirate’ and Ritual Cannibalism) another ancient book published in 1643 has come to light.

Vice chairman of Effingham’s Local History Group Jeremy Palmer bought the book following internet research.

Mr Palmer, who has since donated the book to St Lawrence Church where it will go on display with the Miller Bible, told The Guildford Dragon: “Fairly soon, after the John Miller Bible was found and returned to Effingham, two more ex Effingham Parochial Library books appeared for sale. The first, a Greek bible proved beyond our means, but the second was acquired for the asking price. This was a collection, in Latin, of the writings of St Cyprian, bishop of Carthage.”

For those historians amongst us [which includes our over-worked editors], St Cyprian was born into a rich, pagan and Berber, Carthaginian family in the early third century. After a dissolute youth Cyprian was baptised around 245 AD. At some point between July 248 AD and April 249 AD he was elected bishop of Carthage, a popular choice among the poor if not the more senior members of the clergy.

Over the following ten years Cyprian survived various Roman persecutions of Christians but in 258 AD he was imprisoned on the orders of the new proconsul, Galerius Maximus, for refusing to sacrifice to pagan deities. The following day he was executed by beheading, the first Bishop of Carthage to be martyred.

Jeremy went on to explain that: “This book was published in Paris in 1643. Just over a century later, in 1747, a note on the title page indicates it had become the property of the Effingham Parochial Library. Since this was 23 years after John Miller’s death in November 1724, either the book was acquired by him and the note added by a later hand, or the book was acquired after his death.”

Effingham Rugby Academy

Effingham & Leatherhead RFC (Rugby Football Club) has created a new Academy for the development of junior players for the under 16 to under 18 year-olds.

Effingham Rugby Academy training underway

Director of Rugby Dominic Cornwell explained that the academy will be headed by former England international Chris Sheasby and supported by former Fiji captain Netani Telai, ex-Quins scrum-half Karl Dickson and a nutritionist Rachel Anne Hobbs.

Dominic said: “Their experiences from the professional game will be translated into a season-long development program unique within the local rugby environment.”

The Academy held its first day on Sunday, July 15 with over 40 players turning up on a very hot day. This was followed up with presentations on fitness and dietary plans by Rachel, whilst the boys enjoyed a barbecue.

The day was considered to have been a success and the training will continue throughout the summer on Tuesday’s and Thursday’s at the club, encouraging the boys to be fitter and stronger for the beginning of the season.

Speaking after the barbecue Dominic said “We are delighted to launch the Academy and see so many players involved. This is one leg of a new strategy by the club which also sees the launch of our Girls Section and our O2 Touch Rugby program. When combined with our existing Mini, Junior and Senior Sections we can now offer the opportunity for everyone to come down to KGV, [the] King George V playing fields, and get involved in their local rugby club”

The academy is open to new players to turn up and get involved in the pre-season academy training.

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