Could you be a Whyteleafe Village Councillor?

3 May 2012 is the date when Whyteleafe electors choose 7 people to represent them as Village Councillors for the next 4 years. Nomination packs are available from Tandridge District Council from 1 March and nominations must be submitted by Wednesday 4 April. A list of nominees will be published 10 April.

By becoming a councillor you can:

• Deal with local issues
• Represent the views of residents
• Have an impact on local decision-making
• Have a say on how money is spent in the community 

The Village Council has now agreed budget and spending priorities for the year from 1 April.

Major new projects to be planned are:

• celebrating the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in June
• improvements to Whyteleafe roundabout
• winter gritting
• general environmental enhancements identified via the recent village questionnaire.

The Council reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining the Community Garden, supporting local voluntary groups with grants, providing Christmas lights ( but will be less than 2011) and summer hanging baskets.

Savings will be achieved in certain areas. There will be no winter hanging baskets this year. Creation of the website has been completed and therefore only minor running costs will be incurred in 2012-3. Equipment purchased for the village fete will be used again and it is expected the fete will be self-funding in 2012.

The Council has set a budget of £39006 for 2012-3. However, due to accumulation of reserves in previous years, it has been able to set a lower precept (amount of council tax collected by Tandridge District Council for distribution to the parish/village) of £25000. This is the equivalent of 28p per week per household in Band D.

The council has recently supported the relocation and preservation of coal post no. 171 situated outside 376 Godstone Road. Better weather is now awaited to enable the repainting of the post in its correct colours to show the Corporation of London badge and  identification marks. The 2 photos show the new location, out of harm's way, but within a very short distance of its earlier position, and the large amount of post which is normally below the surface.

This post was originally erected under the London Coal and Wine Duties Continuance Act 1861, but the history goes back to mediaeval times when the City of London had the right of "metage" (measuring) of coal and other goods. These rights were confirmed by Charters of King James I in the early 1600s and most notably taxes raised contributed towards the rebuilding of London after the Great Fire in 1666. The City was permitted to erect " a Boundary stone or some other permanent Mark where any turnpike road, public highway, railway or canal entered the District." The purpose was to show at what point the goods would become liable for tax as they travelled towards London, although no tax inspectors were stationed at the post!