At the Executive Meeting of Surrey Heath Borough Council, held on Tuesday 18th October 2022, several significant decisions were made including a project to install electric vehicle charging points in council owned and managed car parks, funding for a playground refurbishment, and support for a local community charity project.
The current Leadership and Executive are committed to making Surrey Heath Borough Council (SHBC) carbon neutral by 2030, in line with the pledge made in 2019. Part of this involves transforming the current stock of vehicles owned by SHBC to electric, and supporting residents' ownership of electric vehicles (EV) through the Environment Priority in our Five-Year Plan. Work is currently being undertaken to assess the suitability for new EV charging points in across SHBC owned carparks.
This comes after a consultation was held with resident that highlighted how access to charging facilities, particularly overnight charging, was a particular issue for residents that did not have access to off-street parking. So far, seven potential sites have been identified, these being:
- Bagshot Car Park, The Square, Bagshot
- Chobham Car Park, Chobham
- Burrell Road Car Park, Frimley
- Watchetts Road Car Park, Camberley
- Yorktown Car Park, Camberley
- Portesbery Road Residents Car Park, Camberley
- Martindale Avenue Car Park, Heatherside
In addition, work is underway to other sites for EV charging points, including the multi-storey car parks in Camberley town centre; Knoll Road and Main Square.
The Executive approved these plans, and a contractor is to be appointed in due course for the delivery of the project and an application is to be made to the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles, for the Onstreet Residential Chargepoint Scheme.
Commenting, Cllr Colin Dougan, Portfolio Holder for Environment and Health said:
“As more and more of our residents make the switch to electric vehicles it is important we have the local infrastructure in place to support charging these vehicles - these new charging points help to provide this.
“More work will be done going forwards to identify further charging points in the borough.”
As part of the Council's aims to improve community facilities, the Executive agreed a bid for funding from the Local Community Improvement Fund for £15,000 to be awarded to Parkside ward for the replacement of a goal, basketball unit and safety surfacing of the play area at Southcote Park in Parkside Ward.
Cllr Rebecca Jennings-Evans, Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Culture and Community said:
“Our parks and green spaces in the borough are so important for our wellbeing and exercise. These refurbishments at Southcote Park will enable people of all ages to enjoy playing sport and also increase the safety in the play area for children.”
The Executive also agreed that the Council enters into a lease arrangement with @TheOldDeanRec registered charity group, in order to apply a community rent subsidy, to support establishing and delivering its services.
This agreed proposal will involve the charity using the currently unused rooms at the Old Dean Pavilion to provide a small locally run junior library and community facility offering soft drinks and toilet facilities, called ‘@TheOldDeanRec’, which will be accessible to all residents of the Old Dean. This would be run by a team of volunteers, and the ambitions are for this facility to be available on weekdays after school hours, at weekends and during school holidays.
