By Hugh Coakley The Guildford Dragon NEWS has compiled profiles for all candidates for the West Surrey CC elections on May 7 based on questions we asked the candidates. How did the candidates in your area respond to the questions? We asked them to respond to the…

Councillors Disagree Over ‘Prison Block’ Premier Inn Planning Proposal

By Chris Caulfield local democracy reporter A “monolithic” four-storey block “akin to a prison block at Broadmoor” will tower over the gateway to Farnham, a councillor said, after plans for a hotel on the former Beefeater site were approved. In its place will stand a new 74-bed…

Witness Appeal Following Effingham Robbery

Surrey Police are appealing for witnesses following a robbery in Effingham.  Officers have been made aware of a report of a robbery that took place around 5.40pm on Wednesday, April 22, on Lower Road, Effingham. Three men in a white van approached the victim while they were…

Freedom of Worplesdon Bestowed on Parish Stalwart Mary Broughton

Worplesdon Parish Council has bestowed Mary Broughton with the honour of Freeman of Worplesdon. It being the highest honour the parish can bestow. The parish council says Mary gives a strong and continuing commitment to Worplesdon – by being a major contributor to parish life with her…

Can You Create a Jekyll-inspired, Prize-winning Scarecrow?

By Martin Giles If you can design a scarecrow that beats off the competition you could be in with a chance to win £100 in two free-to-enter competitions, one for adults and one for children. To mark Guildford Museum’s exhibition, Gertrude Jekyll in Surrey, Guildford in Bloom…

Leading Councillors To Step Down As New Unitaries Take Over

By Chris Caulfield local democracy reporter Some of the biggest figures in Surrey politics are not standing in next month’s once-in-a-generation elections. This year will see the creation of two new councils, East and West Surrey – replacing the county and the existing 11 boroughs and districts.…

Opinion: Can We Rely on Developer’ Promises of Affordable Homes?

By John Ferns When a developer offers “affordable housing” as part of a planning application for new homes how much can we rely on their promises? Should they be expected to demonstrate at the outset that those pledges have a credible delivery route? I would suggest that there…

War Graves Inspection Volunteers Reporting for Duty

Voluntary Action South West Surrey’s own volunteers have been busy again inspecting headstones and tidying up war graves in cemeteries in Farncombe and Guildford. This is with the Commonwealth War Graves’s Commission’s Eyes On, Hands On volunteering project in which volunteers check, twice a year, on what…

Dragon Interview: Graham Drage, Reform UK, West Surrey Council Election Candidate

Dragon editor Martin Giles invited leading representative candidates from all the political parties standing in the Guildford wards for the new…

Dragon Interview: Howard Smith, Labour, West Surrey Council Election Candidate

Dragon editor Martin Giles invited leading representative candidates from all the political parties standing in the Guildford wards for the new…

No Trifling Matter: Magpie Trapped in Godalming Sainsbury’s

By Daisy Edwards A magpie with a fondness for sausage rolls, ham and trifle has been trapped in the Sainsbury’s superstore…

Dragon Interview: Thom van Every, Conservative, West Surrey Council Election Candidate

Dragon editor Martin Giles invited leading representatives from all the political parties standing in the Guildford wards for the new West…