Goldsworth News 2008 : 011 County Report

County Report by Diana Smith, County Councillor for Knaphill and Goldsworth West

Getting into Schools

After the big changes to Admissions procedures last year, it looks a pretty sure bet that for Woking schools there will be no changes to the criteria used this year, though hopefully the process will run more smoothly. The exception is for the Hermitage and Oaktree schools, which are recommended to get partner / feeder school status.

The schools asked for this, on the basis that although they are separate entities they are on the same site, and now have the same `Published Admission Number´. It means parents choosing the Oaktree school will have the same assurance that at the end of Year 2 their child will be able to go on into Key Stage 2 with the rest of their class as they would in a through primary school such as Beaufort or Sythwood.

The final, formal decisions will be made by Full Council at the start of March.

Youth Service

The Youth Service recruitment freeze has been lifted. It´s hard to tell how much frost-bite the service has suffered.

At Lakers the part-time youth worker in charge left before Christmas. This has left newly-recruited sessional workers, now ready to start, with no team leader. For the moment they will probably work elsewhere, with other members of the Woking team. A new Team Leader will be recruited as soon as possible.

Daytime work with schools, and the regular use of the buildings by e.g. Tumble Tots, continues. Goldsworth Park is also getting some outreach work. Two Youth Workers with the Surrey Together Project have been here with the police two nights a week.

Woking Local Committee

Surrey´s Local Committee consists of the seven County Councillors for Woking matched by an equal number of Woking Borough Councillors. It mainly deals with roads and transport. One of the discussion items this February was `Transport for Woking´

This is a smaller sibling for the proposed `Transport for Surrey´, both of them looking to act as advisory bodies drawing in a range of interests: local authorities, bus and train companies, transport users and community organisations. Despite the name, neither will have the clout or cash of `Transport for London´.

Nevertheless it is a very good idea, because Woking is a transport and planning hub and in great need of better co-ordination and improved transport. One of the first priorities is not just a proper bus station but an `all modes interchange - the development of bus station, taxi, pedestrian and cycling facilities serving the railway station.´

There were also several bits of information about roads around Goldsworth Park. Littlewick Road is a happy example. Last June Bronwyn Vine and Sue Lewis brought a petition asking for improvements to the crossing place at Littlewick Road from Goldsworth Park to the group of houses which includes the Peter Pan Nursery. Although there is an official footpath, it doesn´t look like one, and drivers go down that straight stretch of road at considerable speed.

Unfortunately there´s no room for a pedestrian refuge, but the crossing point does need much clearer marking. Some signs went up, but I have been pressing for more to be done. I asked what the current position was, and got the answer that `as the crossing point is not up to standard on the Goldsworth Park side and the crossing as such is not particularly visible from a drivers perspective, dropped kerbs and reflective posts will be installed by the end of March 2008 together with the repositioning of the warning signs to better highlight this crossing facility.´

By the end of March! Three cheers for the end of the financial year, and the need to avoid under-spends!

If you want any more ...

I now have a Website, www.dianasmith.mycouncillor.org.uk

It is supplied by the Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors, which makes the technical side easy, but means the party affiliation is obvious. Nevertheless I try (though not as hard as with this column) to avoid party political point-scoring. There´s more news on it from the Local Committee, including progress on other road issues in my Division.

Diana Smith can be contacted on 01483 871909,

e-mail diana.smith@surreycc.gov.uk