Posted on

Betrayal and Bullying

The more one considers the attitude of SCC to their countryside estate and the long overdue SCC/SWT business plan (which I can still find no trace of) the more it smacks of betrayal and bullying.

Betrayal of the intent of past councillors and the landowners who drove the expansion of the public estate. Bullying of a county wildlife trust who were only guilty of naively trusting SCC in the first instance.

No matter that circumstances have changed from when the estate was acquired, abrogating responsibility for contributing towards the cost of managing a publicly owned asset is simply wrong.

I have challenged SCC before and I will say it again, if you don’t want responsibility then hand over the estate, complete with properties, to SWT in a way that at least gives them and the community of Surrey an opportunity to secure a long term for the countryside of Surrey. Yes its complicated and yes it would take time but the current situation is not sustainable in the near future without further cuts and further reduction in positive management.

Car park charges are not the product of a golden goose.

 

Posted on

Nightjars and Parking

A heady mix! Last night was the annual Nightjar survey on Chobham Common and though not perfect weather, cool and windy, I am struck again with the need to tell anybody who hasn’t gone for a walk to listen to Nightjars (and hopefully see them) that they are missing one of those special experiences that Surrey has hidden up its sleeve. If you have been in years past GO AGAIN! It can be an evening of wonder and an almost mystical experience . Don’t spoil the experience by looking and listening on the internet either go out with an organised group with SWT or local RSPB or be adventurous and look at a map of a heathland site like Chobham Common and go for a walk to be out in the middle of a heath by sunset when the birds usually start to sing (moot point calling it singing!). If last night was anything to go by it does look like Nightjars numbers are fairly stable unlike some of the other birds that used to be common on Surrey Heaths, Linnets, Yellow Hammer, Willow Warblers, Tree Pipits………..the list is becoming alarmingly long.

I remain angry and bewildered with prospect of car park charging in most of the car parks and not a little confused with some of the intentions. No overnight car parking, well that has always been technically a prohibition, but how does that become you cannot park after 9.00pm and before 7.00am? Nightjar watchers and dog walkers are just a few who look like they are going to be unnecessarily penalised. Over complicated systems involving permits wont solve what is a bad idea.

Posted on

Muddled thinking

Increasingly concerned with the muddled thinking of Surrey County Council as regards funding of the management of the countryside and Rights of Way. To my way of thinking if land is owned by SCC and clearly subject to full access by us, the public then money spent on the management of that land is taxation whether gathered via Council tax or car parking charges in countryside car parks. There is however a huge difference in the two sources of funding as to their efficiency. To replace £1 of funding from Council Tax how much indirect tax will have to be paid via car park charging?

Please don’t misunderstand, I am not against car parking charges per se (they can be a useful tool to manage the numbers of visitors to vulnerable sites) but where the justification is muddled with poor planning, perceived public rights and a simple lack of logic I remain bewildered!