Hi Everyone,

Topics this month:-

1. PNF 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY
2. PYRFORD VILLAGE HALL NCIL APPLICATION WAS SUCCESSFUL
3. REPORT ON FORUM AGM
4. FORUM FACEBOOK PAGE RE-LAUNCHED
5. PYRFORD FORUM CALENDARS  FOR SALE
6. OLD WOKING ROAD AVERAGE SPEED CAMERA
7. FOOTPATH 422 & PYRFORD LOOP
8. COOP FUNDING FOR ELIZABETH MEMORIAL GARDEN
9. RHS CLOSURE 24 & 25^th FEBRUARY 2024
10. STEVE DORSETT AS LONG JOHN SILVER IN PLT PANTOMIME

 

1. PYRFORD FORUM CELEBRATES 10 YEARS

 
Pyrford Forum is 10 years old this February. 
 
Pyrford Forum was formally designated by Woking Borough Council on 13^th February 2014, though the preparatory work actually started in early 2013.
 
The idea was floated at the Pyrford & Wisley Flower Show in July 2013. This was followed by a series of public meetings, the formation of a committee chaired by Martin Doyle, creation of a constitution, agreement of a Pyrford Neighbourhood Area and distribution of leaflet to all Pyrford Households.
 
A brief history is being produced.
 
Much has been achieved in the ten years since, but the most important achievement has to be the adoption of the Pyrford Neighbourhood Plan on 9^th February 2017, due to the extremely hard work of a core group of around 20 residents of Pyrford. Further details can be found here on the Forum web site.
 
The current Neighbourhood Plan expires on 31^st March 2027, and as the process, from start to finish, took just over three years, the work for the next Plan has to start now.
 
If you are interested in helping the Forum produce the next Plan, please contact the Chair by emailing Chair@pyrfordforum.org
 
  

2. NEIGHBOURHOOD COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE LEVY (NCIL) DEBACLE

 
Last time I wrote about the problems of Woking Borough Council impacting the availability of NCIL in Pyrford.
 
I wrote:-
 
“ As a result, the decision made in April 2023 to support the use of some of the funds to assist a Pyrford Village War Memorial Hall project to the value of just under £10,000 is no longer possible”
 
I am delighted to report that matters have changed, and the application from Pyrford Village War Memorial Hall for part of the costs of external cladding was approved at the December meeting of the CIL Task Group in December 2023. The Village Hall now awaits the receipt of the funds.

So far £22,000 of NCIL has been allocated to maintain local community buildings.
  
 
C) REPORT ON AGM HELD NOVEMBER 2023
 
The Forum held its AGM on 27 November 2023.
 
At the meeting, attended by around 50 residents, the annual accounts were approved, the new Committee appointed, and the constitution amended to hold AGM’s as close to June as possible, to reflect the change in year end from 30th September to 31st March.
 
The Forum is delighted to welcome a new Committee Member - Gillian McCalden but sad that Ruth Heywood has decided to stand down. The Forum is incredibly grateful for Ruth’s invaluable support over the years.
 
There were three presentations - the Chairman’s report on the year just ended, an update on the progress on the Heritage Conservation Assessment by Geoff Geaves and “A celebration of Pyrford Wildlife “ by Mike Tibbotts.
 
All the documents and presentations can be found here on the Forum web site.
 
 

4. FORUM RELAUNCHES FACEBOOK PAGE

With the assistance of Gillian McCalden, Pyrford Forum is pleased to announce the re-invigoration of its Facebook Group at www.facebook.com/PyrfordForum
 
Why not follow the page.
 
Recent pots include February Nature Notes and details of our latest nest boxes for sale.
 
 

5. PYRFORD FORUM CALENDAR

 
The Forum has a few 2024 calendars left for sale at a reduced price of £6:00.
If you would like one, please contact Clifford Bolton at cliff.bolton@gmail.com


 

 F) OLD WOKING ROAD AVERAGE SPEED CAMERA 

The Forum is pleased to see that the infrastructure for the Average Speed Camera along the Old Woking Road between Woodlands Road and Pyrford Common Road has started to be installed.
 

 

7. FOOTPATH 422 – BEHIND ARBOR TO PYRFORD COMMON

 
Surey County Council have informed the Forum that footpath 422 is about to be opened but it has been a seven year plus journey.


 
Carole Gale, a founding member of the Pyrford Forum had a vision to create “The Pyrford Loop” – a 10 kilometre walk inside the Pyrford Neighbourhood Area.



The loop was a vision included in the Pyrford Forum Plan approved in December 2016 and this section was  described as “a traditional footpath in use in the area, running from Pyrford Common to Coldharbour Rd, emerging at the back of the Arbor Centre building, which would, if formalised, improve pedestrian access and add amenity value”.

The then Footpath Officer of the Residents’ Association took up the case and submitted all the necessary paperwork to Surrey County Council (SCC) on 4th July 2016.

Following a meeting of the Woking Joint Committee a footpath order was made on 6 November 2019, by SCC. This needed to be confirmed but the landowner Burhill Estates objected  to the order. The next step was a public hearing which has not happened due to the pandemic. SCC have just informed me that the landowner has withdrawn its objection.

The Footpath Order will now be confirmed. But, given that the path is completely overgrown and has in parts become a wildlife habitat, SCC need to arrange clearance works before SCC can publish the confirmation order which formally confirms the path as a public right of way footpath.

No one should try to walk the path just yet. When this is possible, it will be advertised on the SCC website and here on the Forum web site.
 
 

8. PYRFORD VILLAGE QUEEN ELIZABETH MEMORIAL GARDEN (SPACE BETWEEN COLDHARBOUR LANE & HACKETTS LANE)

 
Work continues.

Two small Blue Hearts signs have been erected

The Forum was delighted that the trees were lit up as part of the Pyrford Christmas Village lights.
Pyrford Forum was grateful to receive £1,900 from the COOP Local Community Fund in November 2023.




A big thank you to all those Coop members who supported the Forum and to Cllr Peter Graves who started the process.
 
 

1. RHS GARDENS CLOSURE

 
RHS Garden Wisley has announced an upcoming weekend closure.
 
“On Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 February 2024 RHS Garden Wisley and the Garden Centre will be closed to all visitors due to the A3 weekend closure, as part of the ongoing M25 junction 10/A3 Wisley interchange roadworks.
 
National Highways is closing part of the A3 in both directions, from 9pm Friday 23 February to 5.30am Monday 26 February, between the M25 and the A247/B2215 south of Ripley. Because of this road closure, it is not possible to welcome our members and visitors to the garden that weekend.
 
We are sorry for any inconvenience this closure may cause you and we look forward to welcoming you back to RHS Garden Wisley soon.”
For more information visit their website by clicking here .
 
 

10. PYRFORD LITTLE THEATRE (PLT)  PANTOMIME

If you went along to PLT’s recent pantomime, you would have seen another side of our local Councillor Steve Dorsett being Long John Silver.
 


                                                                     


Regards, 

Pyrford Forum Committee 

Visit our website at www.pyrfordforum.org

Contact us at info@pyrfordforum.org with your views