Community Update – May & June 2023
To get in touch with the BCA: Contact the secretary on secretary@burphamca.org.uk call 07513 366072 or visit the website at www.burphamca.org.uk
We represent the community of Burpham, Guildford
GBC Election Hustings
Elections for Guildford Borough Council will take place on 4th May 2023. This will be the first election where photo ID will be required to vote in person. It will also be the first election to include Abbots-wood, Ganghill and Boxgrove Avenue in Burpham ward. The next elections for Surrey County Council will be in 2025.
A Hustings for the GBC election was arranged by the BCA and held on March 23rd at the Village Hall. It was attended by all the candidates we know are standing in Burpham ward. These are, in alphabetical order, Conservative (Adam Heilbron and Christian Holliday), Labour (Ian Creese), Liberal Democrat (George Potter and Jane Tyson) and Residents for Guildford and Villages (Charles Wilce and Liz Hyland).
Candidates were given the opportunity to speak, reply and then answer questions from the audience. They were asked to stick to their vision for Burpham and Guildford and avoid national and party politics.
With the application of the Chair’s yellow card, some of the candidates followed these rules all the time and all the candidates followed them some of the time.
The Q & A session was lively and occasionally heated. Too many commitments and hopes were expressed to cover here, but all candidates did commit to holding regular ‘surgeries’ to enable residents to pass on questions, requests and opinions.
Sutherland Memorial Hall
The BCA is an active member of the group seeking to establish Burpham Community Hub as a legal entity to manage Sutherland Memorial Hall.
Following the rejection of our expression of interest, a constructive meeting was held with GBC and, by the time this is published a revised bid will have been submitted. We are very hopeful that this will be successful and the hall available for community use again within the next few months.
Coming Events
BCA Annual General Meeting
The AGM will be held on Thursday May 25th in the Village Hall, beginning at 7.30pm. The Chairman will present the Annual Report and the Treasurer will submit the Accounts for the year ending March 31st. The election of officers will also take place. Nominations for elections to named posts must be sent to the Secretary not later than seven days prior to the AGM and must have the approval of the person being proposed. If you wish to put forward a resolution other than those for election of officers please submit it to the Secretary not later than ten days before the date of the AGM. It would be helpful if you would let the Secretary know if you intend coming. Refreshments will be provided.
Summer Social Event
Come and join us to celebrate the BCA’s Golden Jubilee! This will be in the Village Hall on Saturday 24th June, starting at 7.30pm. We would love to hear from you if you have any local reminiscences from the last 50 years you would like to share – please contact the Secretary.
The main event will be a wine tasting to see if you can tell a Gewurztraminer from a Pinot Blanc or a Shiraz from a Merlot – or just want to enjoy them all! A viticultural quiz with prizes will also feature, and there will be a buffet. If you intend coming, would you please let the Secretary know so we have some idea of numbers.
Disabled Parking
You may have read some recent correspondence on Next Door (Burpham) concerning parking issues for disabled people using Parent and Child (PC) spaces; one such incident led to a disabled driver being verbally abused. Blue Badge (BB) holders should be aware that it is for on street parking; off street areas such as supermarkets are covered by separate rules and these need to be checked. Many do allow use of PC spaces by BB holders if all disabled spaces are occupied, Sainsburys for one. Unfortunately there are always those who abuse the system – an inquiry three years ago revealed that some 20% of badges were being used fraudulently, costing local authorities millions of pounds. Misuse, where identified, can lead to a hefty fine. If you think someone is trying to abuse the system, please be courteous and don’t make assumptions. Not all disabilities are immediately obvious but anyone with a genuine BB has gone through a pretty rigorous investigation. You can contact Surrey County Council if you have real concerns.
One more point for the able-bodied – please don’t be tempted to use a disabled space just because it’s empty and you’ll only be a few minutes.
Help by joining the Burpham Community Association today!
Subscriptions are £8 per household or £4 per single occupancy and run from January to December. Join now or renew your membership for 2022.
You can pay by:
Direct Debit – visit our website at www.burphamca.org.uk which has a link to this system – an email to treasurer@burphamca.org.uk giving your details would be helpful.
Online:
Account name: Burpham Community Association.
Sort Code: 40-22-26.
Account Number: 41049194
To help the Treasurer please identify yourself using initials, surname and the first line of your address.
Please contact Liz Turner, our Membership Secretary, if you have any queries. Her email address is membership@burphamca.org.uk
BCA on Facebook & Twitter!
Join the conversation! Open to members and non-members, it’s a great way to stay up-to-date with everything that’s happening in our community.
twitter.com/burpham_c_a
facebook.com/burphamCA/
Guildford Community Lottery
A way for everyone to support local causes and be in with a chance to win prizes of up to £25,000. 50% of all tickets sold from our page go to the BCA!