Stoughton Rec – Councillor Offers To Meet Residents Over Maintenance Issues

Published on: 1 Aug, 2016
Updated on: 2 Aug, 2016

A letter to The Guildford Dragon NEWS has led to a county councillor offering to meet any constituents concerned with issues at Stoughton Recreation Ground.

Dragon reader Brian Holt complained in his letter that certain areas seemed to be in a “no man’s land” between the council wards of Stoughton and Westborough, causing problems to be ignored by councillors. In particular, he cited the condition of the play area in Stoughton Rec.

Cllr Fiona White

County Cllr Fiona White (Lib Dem, Guildford West) quickly responded writing: “I am sorry that Brian feels that some of his councillors don’t know where the Rec is.

“I can assure him that Cllr Julia McShane (Lib Dem, Westborough), one of the three ward councillors for Westborough (whose husband chairs the Community Association) and I, as the local county councillor, not only know where the Rec is but have visited it on many occasions.”

Now Cllr White has gone a step further by offering to meet any concerned constituents in Stoughton or Westborough about their issues.

She said: “I will come to Stoughton Rec at 7.30pm on Thursday evening, 4th August, and will be happy to meet and talk with any residents who come along. I will wait at the Northway entrance so that you can find me.

“Although the Rec is run by Guildford Borough Council and I am a county councillor, I will do whatever I can to help get a better plan from the Parks Department for the running of the Rec.”

Cllr Pauline Searle

Later fellow Lib Dem Pauline Searle commented: “I agree with all that Fiona White has said and can I add, as Stoughton councillor for 17 years and County Councillor for Guildford North, I know every inch of my ward and division and I am passionate about my area and take an interest in everything that happens in it.

“It was the Boundary Commission who decided the changes to ward boundaries, it was not a decision of local councillors. At that time I was very involved in planning the last update of the play area and ball park which has been a well used asset to the community, but I do agree it is certainly time for the park to be improved.”

Responses to Stoughton Rec – Councillor Offers To Meet Residents Over Maintenance Issues

George Dokimakis Reply

August 1, 2016 at 10:50 am

My sceptical mind does query that Cllr White, who hasn’t been seen much, if at all, in the ward, suddenly makes an appearance and starts engaging the electorate in time for the county council elections in 2017.

Also, the article above should be updated to reflect that the Liberal Democrats do not exist anymore in Surrey County Council having formed a new political party the “Surrey Opposition Forum”.

George Dokimakis is the vice chair of Guildford Labour.
Julia McShane Reply

August 1, 2016 at 12:01 pm

George Dokimakis obviously has no idea how much time Fiona White spends in her division or her active involvement as a governor at King’s College and in her dedicated support of local residents and groups. Perhaps he should remember that for four years residents in Westborough were completely let down by his labour colleague Cllr Christian Gilliam who immediately having been elected, insulted Westborough residents in his self promoting Hidden Guildford report and then disappeared without trace never to show his face in the ward again!

Julia McShane is a Lib Dem ward councillor for Westborough.
Bernard Parke Reply

August 1, 2016 at 1:18 pm

I am very sad to read the comments made about our two lady councillors who have always been of great help, not only to me, but the public at large.

I write as a person who has not a political drum to beat as I gave up the murky world of party politics some years ago now.
Fiona White Reply

August 1, 2016 at 3:44 pm

I am not going to get involved in a slanging match with George Dokimakis. He should know that my county division is very big, stretching as it does from Guildford Cathedral, Surrey University and the Royal Surrey County Hospital taking in Ashdenden Estate into parts of Stoughton Ward in Rydes Hill. I spend a lot of time across all of it and am heavily involved in a lot of groups and organisations across the area.

I would like to correct his impression that Lib Dems don’t exist at Surrey County Council. We have joined with the Green councillor to make up a group known as the Surrey Opposition Forum but we still all remain members of our two political parties. With such a big Conservative group at Surrey, effective opposition is essential.
Linda Jackson Reply

August 2, 2016 at 5:28 pm

Thank you for highlighting Stoughton rec. We, like many other families use this park and it could be better. The baby and toddler play area is looking shabby and there is no toilet block.

It is wonderful to see young families and children out and about in the fresh air but some of our parks are just not the best.
Brian Holt Reply

August 2, 2016 at 10:36 pm

The local community now need to keep the pressure on the Guildford Borough Council (GBC) parks department, to do something about Stoughton Rec playground.

They can find money for all the other Parks in the borough, sometimes spending on the same ones again and again. There are six councillors in this area covering Stoughton and Westborough wards, so please lobby them about this poor and dirty playground in our local park.

It would be nice to have support on Thursday evening, 4th August at 7.30pm, when Cllr Fiona White will meet us, at Northway entrance to Stoughton Recreation ground, to discuss this issue.
George Dokimakis Reply

August 3, 2016 at 9:32 am

I take heart in Mr Parke’s comments that he has indeed witnessed local involvement.

As someone who is living on that side of Westborough ward, near the border with Stoughton ward, I had no idea who the county councillor was until such time I got involved in local politics and I have been living in this ward for six years now. I am not alone in this. Numerous neighbours are in the same position as I was.

Being an elected official carries responsibilities and it is not “slanging match” to criticise how one carries out such responsibilities.

If there is a problem that forces someone to offer to engage with the local public then it is too late. If a situation requires intervention, then someone somewhere have failed in their duty of care.

George Dokimakis is the vice chair of Guildford Labour.
Brian Holt Reply

August 3, 2016 at 8:14 pm

I would like to reply to George Dokimakis above comment. It has been many years now since a Labour candidate visited this part of Stoughton, even at election times.

It seems to me that his party are not interested in this area, and it’s no wonder they get so few votes.
He is a fine person to criticise councillors from the other parties when his own Labour party are no better.

He lives close to Stoughton Rec, yet he has never bothered about the state of the playground area.
Brian Holt Reply

August 4, 2016 at 11:36 pm

I would like to say thank you to the Lib Dem councillors Fiona White and Pauline Searle, for coming and meeting local residents at Stoughton Rec tonight [Aug 4], to see the appalling state of the children’s playground.

I would also like to say thank you to The Dragon NEWS for publishing our letters on Stoughton Rec, which resulted in two councillors getting involved.
Fiona White Reply

August 5, 2016 at 1:44 pm

I am very grateful to the residents who came out to talk to me and Cllr Pauline Searle at Stoughton Rec last night. They showed us the things which are causing them concern. I will be writing to the Head of Parks & Countryside at Guildford Borough Council with that list and asking the council to take some action.

In fairness, what residents are worried about are not hugely expensive items. For example, Pauline and I were shown a light which is on all day and night and another lamp post which is unsafe. One thing I particularly noticed was the fact that a seat and picnic table are underneath a large tree which means they are covered in bird droppings. Although the equipment is sturdy and usable, it is tired and could do with some repainting.

I know that Guildford have said they inspect the Rec regularly but some of these problems have been missed and need to be attended to. I hope that we can find a way of resolving them.