In this edition
Please check out important news in this newsletter about the recent elections, VE Day, Horley in Bloom competitions and updates on several events.
Local Elections
Members of the Town Council were declared on 8th May 2015. All election results are available on the Reigate and Banstead Borough Council web site. Town Councillors’ contact details will shortly appear on the Council section of this website. Elections for the posts of Chairman and Vice Chairman will take place at the Annual Meeting of the Town Council on 19 May 2015. At the same meeting members will decide who will sit on each of the three main committees and outside bodies.
Vacancy for a Town Councillor
Could you be interested in becoming a Horley Town Councillor? We have a vacancy in the Horley North Ward following the recent local elections.
Please check out the Town Council pages on our web site www.horleysurrey-tc.gov.uk for information about all that Horley Town Council does. For instance you can look at our latest Annual Report to see the kind of things we are involved in. This will give you an idea of the responsibilities of being a Horley Town Councillor. Or you can simply pop in to the offices and collect some of our publications and talk the matter over with council staff <read more>
Coppicing for wildlife
On Sunday April 19th volunteers from the Horley Conservation Group, Catherine Baart, Dave Hampson, Marriott Perrett, Judith Walker, Robert Egli, Lucas Young, Ian Preddy and Jan Spratt joined Kevin Lerwill for another ‘bite’ at the willows in the balancing pond off Wheatfield Way where work had started a month earlier.
Because the water had recently drained out, the group managed to coppice an area in the centre of the pond (see photos) which will increase light levels into the pond and allow marginal vegetation to grow around the edges, which in turn, will increase bio-diversity. The aim is to return to this task again in about a years time. Thanks again to Thames Water for allowing the work to be done.
Although March is traditionally when the coppicing season ends until the Autumn again, it was decided that we should undertake another session here again as the water had completely drained from the pond in recent days allowing access to the willows in the centre of the pond without getting wet. I had checked the area a few days beforehand for any nesting birds, but luckily none were found.
By doing this, we have greatly increased the amount of sunlight reaching into the remaining trees and this will not only encourage the marginal plants to spread around the edges, but it will also open up the canopy to make the pond more visible from the air for birds (such as Moorhens) and bats, which <read more>
Horley Carnival
With the Gatwick Airport as our neighbour and many of our residents working there we thought that this year’s theme of ‘Around the World’ would be very appropriate.
Taking place in the A23 Horley Recreation Ground, on Saturday 20th June, it will again be free to enter, thanks to the very generous support from our County and Borough Councillors, Gatwick Airport Ltd and Horley Town Council, and will run from 12pm to 5pm.
A great attraction will be the parade which sets off from the Victoria Rd car park at 12.30pm. In the parade will be a number of floats from local organisations and schools. Music will be provided by the Caledonian Pipe Band, Crawley drum and Bugle Corps and the Bloco Do Sul Samba Band. There will be a competition for the best floats. The parade will route along Massetts Rd. Russells Crescent, Victoria Rd, the A23 and then into the Recreation Ground.
Following the arrival of the parade there will be a children’s fancy dress competition for groups and individual entries. There is no need to be pre-book to enter. Judging of the fancy dress and the carnival floats will be carried out by the Mayors of Reigate and Banstead and Horley. There will be a full programme of arena events starting at 12.00 pm <read more>
War Graves
Cllr David Powell is pictured carrying out improvements to some of the WW2 war grave in the St Barts New Churchyard. There are a total of 23 war graves in the cemetery. St Barts Church has 11 WWI graves in the Old Churchyard and 12 WW2 graves in the old part of the New Cemetery. The graves plots had fallen into a bad state with a number of collapses needing refurbishment. One grave, that of Sgt Skinner of the Army Pay Corps (before it received the prefix Royal), needed half a metre of refill which came from Redstone Cemetery - good recycling. Sixteen graves have been restored and returfed and there are two to go. The Borough Council's grounds team are going to do some earthworks and they will be finished off with some nice garden centre top soil and new turf etc.
Langshott Allotments update
Plots are being let out to those who have been waiting patiently on our waiting list. Each plot will be of an area of 62.5 sq m and will cost £45 per plot pa plus an initial registration fee of £15. There are a few plots still available so, if interested, please contact the town council offices.
There are 78 plots on the land which have been transferred from Barratt Homes under a s106 Planning Agreement.
Football Season 2015/16
There is extra availability for any local Football Clubs interested in playing regular adult or junior league fixtures at Court Lodge Playing Fields, Thornton Close, Horley, on Saturdays and/or Sundays, during the new season 2015/16.
Please contact the Town Council office direct for further information and to apply for a Football Booking Contract.
VE Day 70th anniversary
The 70th anniversary of VE Day (Victory in Europe Day) was on Friday 8 May 2015 which marked 70 years since the end of the second world war in Europe.
The occasion was commemorated with a memorial service at the War Memorial to remember the sacrifices made by our armed forces. The event was organised by the Royal British Legion, Horley Branch
The following organisations laid wreaths:-
The Royal British Legion
The Women’s Section of The Royal British Legion
The Royal Naval Association
The Royal Artillery Association
The Royal Air Force Association
Horley Town Council
Reigate & Banstead Borough Council
Surrey Army Cadet Force
Horley in Bloom Competition Launched
The Horley in Bloom Organising Committee has launched this year’s competition. Categories are as follows:
Residential Front Garden
Residential Back Garden
Residential Flat
Community
Street (New for 2015)
Schools
Hanging Basket / Planter
Allotments
Public Houses
Commercial (includes guesthouses)
There will as usual be awards for the best newcomer to the competition and for the entry deemed by the judges to be the best example of a “Cottage Garden”. We are delighted that Court Lodge Residents Association and Horley Flower Club are once again arranging their separate competitions as part of Horley in Bloom.
The Horley in Bloom Committee is keen to maintain the progress of the competition, now in its 21st year, and we are delighted that the Photographic Competition, sponsored by Barratt Homes, will be taking place for the third year. There are categories for both children and adults with attractive cash prizes for the winners <read more>.
Dates for your diary
Please check out our online "what's on" calendar for information on forthcoming events. Did you know you can submit your own organisation's event? Just follow the instructions on our website.
Forthcoming events are:
18- 20 May Circus at Court Lodge
20 June Horley Carnival
Next Council Meetings
19 May Annual Meeting of Council
26 May Planning Committee
2 June Leisure Committee
16 June Finance Committee
  
|
