News From Millmead

Published on: 25 Feb, 2020
Updated on: 25 Feb, 2020

Latest news from Guildford Borough Council

Community Fridge now open at the Park Barn Centre

Guildford’s Community Fridge is now open for everyone to use!

The council’s aim is to help address food waste and food poverty in the borough and encourage people to support each other with donations of fresh food.

Guildford Borough Councillor Julia McShane pictured by the new Community Fridge at the Park Barn Centre, off Park Barn Drive.

Salads, fruit and vegetables, dairy products and much more will be available for anyone to collect, free of charge.

The project has been set up by Guildford Borough Council’s Community Wellbeing Team, the Co-op’s Food Share initiative, Marks & Spencer and the town’s Cheesman Brothers Ltd.

Students from Kings College will be help the Wellbeing team with the fridge operation.

Cllr Julia McShane (Lib Dem, Westborough), lead for community health, support and wellbeing, said: “When we looked at food poverty in the borough last year, we identified a clear need for more fresh food. We are open Monday to Friday from 9am to 4.30pm. We also welcome donations.”

Continuing valuable financial support for community and voluntary organisations

The council’s Executive has backed an extra £220,000 in funding for homeless charities and health projects.

Despite ongoing government funding cuts, the value in supporting community groups that carry out such vital work in the borough is recognised and supported by the council.

Guildford Action will get £90,000 of that to continue to provide a day service to people at risk of homelessness.

Jo Tester, CEO of Guildford Action said: “Because Guildford is seen as an affluent, privileged town it is easy for people to assume homelessness isn’t a problem here, but the people who use our services dispel that myth.”

Guildford Walking for Health, which runs seven different walks in the area every, will receive £2,085.

In total, 25 organisations will benefit. The grant process is annual.

Full list of grants awarded. Click to enlarge.

Council meetings to go paperless

All Guildford Borough Council meetings will become paperless from April 2020, after a resolution passed by the Executive on February 18, as part of the council’s drive to become a carbon neutral borough by 2030.

Council leader Caroline Reeves (Lib Dem, Friary & St Nicolas) said: “Going paperless is one way the council can continue to lead by example and … we are committed to reducing carbon emissions within the council to make our lives in Guildford more environmentally sustainable.”

From April 7, all agendas, minutes, order papers and information sheets will be distributed via email, except one printed agenda which will be available to view at the reception of the council offices on Millmead and six copies available for public viewing at each meeting.

The decision will be reviewed in six months.

Annual savings of approximately £18,300 are estimated in reduced paper, printing and postage.

Printing of agendas since April 2016 is said to have produced approximately 13,220lbs of CO2, so the energy saved on producing printed papers can reduce the council’s carbon footprint.