Since my last update, we have seen progress towards the delivery of the two constituency road safety schemes that we campaigned to secure. More on this - and our work to secure a new footbridge at Walton station - below.
Claygate residents and independent businesses expressed concern at Lib Dem-run Elmbridge Borough Council's proposals to build a new M&S in the village on the site of the Torrington Lodge car park. We want to hear from affected residents and hold the council to account. Have your say below.
There are two important deadlines for Esher and Walton constituents coming up next week: The deadline to apply for 30 hours free childcare under the government's childcare entitlement, and the consultation deadline for South Western Railway's ticket office proposals. Read on to learn more.
Parliament is in recess and returns on Monday 04 September.
As ever, if you are a constituent in need of my assistance, please do not hesitate to get in touch using the details at the end of this email.
Yours sincerely,
Dominic
In this week's newsletter:
Have your say: Proposals to build a new M&S in Claygate.
Walton Station footbridge project enters next phase.
Two road safety schemes progressed in the constituency - Dennis Road and Walton Oak Primary School.
State of the Nation - An overview of the national policy picture and recent government announcements.
Have your say: Proposals to build a new M&S in Claygate
Back in July, I joined John Cope in Claygate to listen to Claygate residents and businesses, who expressed concern about the lack of consultation from Lib Dem run Elmbridge Borough Council over the plan for a new M&S, and fear for the future of independent retailers.
It is crucial that the design of any development reinforces independent retailers and the identity of Claygate village, and that the views of Claygate residents and businesses are taken into account.
Last week, John Cope launched a Claygate residents' survey to seek local views on the M&S development. If you live in Claygate, have your say on the future of your village below:
Walton Station footbridge project enters next phase
Work is currently underway to install a new footbridge with lifts at Walton Station, funded by the Government’s £390 million ‘Access for All’ scheme. I supported the bid for funding back in 2019.
The next milestone for the project – installation of the new footbridge – is planned from Saturday 2 September to Sunday 10 September.
There will be some unavoidable disruption over these two weekends whilst the bridge is being installed:
2 September – 4 September
20:00 Saturday – 06:00 Monday
Full closure of Mayfield Road
9 September – 10 September
07:30 Saturday – 20:00 Sunday
Station Avenue will have a lane closure and temporary traffic lights
A full diversion route has been set up over this period.
Don't miss out on 30 hours free childcare
Visiting a local nursery in Esher and Walton constituency.
There is less than a week left to claim the government's 30 hours free childcare entitlement for the start of the new term.
This entitlement forms part of the Conservative government's expansion of childcare by 2025. This includes:
Doubling investment from around £4 billion to around £8 billion each year.
Expanding the ages that are eligible for free childcare. Currently, eligible working parents of 3 and 4-year-olds can get 30 hours a week of free childcare. This is expanding to parents of 9-month-olds, up until when their children start school.
If your family is eligible, make sure to apply by 31 August 2023.
South Western Railway have proposed to change the way stations are manned across their network, including in Esher and Walton constituency.
I am in regular contact with South Western Railway on this issue. They have advised me that the consultation is being run centrally by London TravelWatch, the statutory transport body for London and the surrounding areas.
I have been clear that any changes to the way our stations are operated must not come at the cost of station accessibility and consumer choice. I will continue to represent your views to South Western Railway, and will monitor any developments closely.
I would encourage everyone who has concerns to respond to the consultation formally, which you can do at the link below by 01 September 2023. You can do so using the button below:
Progress towards delivery of road safety schemes in the constituency
Following my joint campaign with parents and teachers at Walton Oak Primary School, I am delighted that works have now begun to improve road safety on Ambleside Avenue.
The road safety improvements include:
A Zebra crossing;
Removal of the existing priority give way measures.
Thank you to all the parents and teachers for their ongoing support for the campaign, and Surrey County Council for ensuring the required works take place.
This month also saw the completion of resurfacing works on Dennis Road, Molesey, following my joint campaign with Dennis Road residents to get the unsafe road surface fixed. I stopped by in late July to see the resurfacing works.
This is a good win for the residents. The condition of Dennis Road has been an ongoing concern.
Thank you to Councillor Kevin Deanus, the Cabinet Member for Highways, and Surrey County Council for getting the required works done.
As part of Our Plan for Esher and Walton constituency, we have been campaigning for safer roads outside local schools, and to get more potholes repaired. Read more below:
The government is supporting students to develop the cyber and tech skills they need to thrive in the modern economy.
Halving inflation. In July, inflation fell to 6.8 per cent, down from 10.1 per cent at the beginning of the year. The Prime Minister is continuing to take action on his pledge to halve inflation, helping to ease the cost of living for local families.
Levelling-up education and skills. This week, the government announced that 15 new free schools will open across England. Locally, I supported the founding of Cobham Free School in 2011 under Wave 2 of the Conservative Government’s Free Schools programme. Since 2011, the school has undergone multiple expansions and now caters for 1,064 local students.
More widely, the government is supporting students to develop the cyber and tech skills they will need to thrive in the modern economy. More than 50,000 students now receive free training to build cyber skills under the government's 'Cyber Explorers' programme. In June, I wrote a column for The Timesabout the UK's strong comparative advantage in tech. Major global tech firms, including Palantir and OpenAI, the makers of ChatGPT, recently selected the UK for their European headquarters - due in part to the excellent skills base the UK has to offer.
