By Chris Caulfield Local Democracy Reporting Service Every householder stung by Waverley Borough Council’s surprise planning charges should be offered a full review, with any repayments funded by the authority’s hoarded interest. That is one of five key recommendations by the council’s overview and scrutiny committee, which…

Guildford Plans Three-Day Celebration In a Festival of History And Culture

Venues and groups across Guildford borough are being invited to take part in a national celebration of heritage and culture this autumn. Heritage Open Days, run by the National Trust, will take place in September. Guildford will celebrate with a programme of events from Friday, September 12,…

Thousands of Year Six Pupils at Guildford Cathedral for a Special Send Off

Some 2,669 Year Six pupils from the 52 Church of England primary and junior schools in the Diocese of Guildford attended farewell services at Guildford Cathedral, as they get ready to begin secondary school in September. Celebrating and reflecting on the end of their primary education, the…

New Surrey Research to Find Solutions to Local Challenges

By Esme Campbell A new Civic Lab at the University of Surrey will power research into identifying and combating challenges affecting local communities. The lab, launched at the university’s Institute for Sustainability, is a partnership with Guildford and Waverley Borough Councils, allowing researchers and council policymakers to…

‘Politics Is Not Always a Kind Place’ Says Dismissed Lead Councillor

By Martin Giles Councillors were only informed at 3.47pm this afternoon (Friday) about news that Dragon readers had learned about before 10am – that Cllr George Potter (Lib Dem, Burpham), who was the lead councillor for Climate Control at Guildford Borough Council, had announced that he had…

Merger Between Reigate & Banstead and Crawley Councils Ruled Out

By Chris Caulfield local democracy reporter Merging Reigate and Banstead Borough Council with its neighbour Crawley has been ruled out – in a decision that has left drivers behind the move “disappointed” with the Government. This week leaders from the 11 boroughs and districts, together with the…

Failure of Woking’s Over-ambitious Project Acknowledged

By Chris Caulfield local democracy reporter The failure of Woking Borough Council’s Victoria Arch project is complete after the bankrupt authority sold its stake in the Triangle Site. About half a hectare between Victoria Road and Guildford Road was bought up by the council during its regeneration…

Comment: What Can Be Done About Guildford’s Biggest Empty Shop?

By Martin Giles Empty shops on any High Street create an impression of decline and the continued closure of what was the pre-eminent department store in Guildford, House of Fraser, is certainly troubling. Guildford High Street remains a desirable and profitable location for many retailers so why…

A281 At Shalford Has Now Reopened Following Repairs to Damaged Roof

By Martin Giles June 19 – The A281 (The Street) in Shalford has now reopened. The road was shut between Church Close and the Seahorse pub on May 29 after a lorry hit the roof of a listed building. The closure caused up to 40 minutes in extra…

Plans For New Guildford Preschool Rejected On Road Safety Grounds

By Emily Dalton Local Democracy Reporting Service Highway safety fears have scuppered plans for a new Guildford preschool that parents say…

Expert in AI Is New Head of the University of Surrey

The University of Surrey has announced the appointment of Professor Stephen Jarvis as its new President and Vice-Chancellor. He will take…

From East Clandon to Paris – Charity Cyclists Complete Epic 24-hour Challenge

A team of cyclists is celebrating after completing the ride of their lives to raise money for Cherry Trees – the…

Updated: Local MPs Vote in Favour of Assisted Dying

By Martin Giles Three local MPs voted in favour of the controversial Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill , commonly…