Local councillors George Potter and Jane Tyson write their regular update for Burpham residents:

Improvement Plan

GBC has marked one year of progress on its cross-council Improvement Plan, with Year 1 focused on shoring up the basics (governance, tenant engagement, decision-making). Year 2 shifts to improving residents’ day-to-day experience of services. An update went to Full Council on 29 July.

Community Governance Review

The Council has launched a Community Governance Review (CGR) for the unparished urban area of Guildford to look at options for local representation and empowerment.

These are landing across Guildford from the council. It’s a 12 page booklet asking you for your views on the future of community representation in Guildford. In particular, it’s asking whether we want a town/parish council to represent Guildford once the borough council is abolished.

This is the link to the online version of the survey: www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/GuildfordCGR-2025 We would very much recommend and urge everyone to respond to give your support for a town council for Guildford. A town council can run local community buildings, maintain parks and playgrounds and allotments, manage public toilets, and help organise and fund public events as well as the local arts and charity sector, if that’s what people vote for it to do at the ballot box.

The alternative to having a parish council is either a powerless unelected ‘neighbourhood committee’ or simply no local voice or resources at all when we’re merged into a new super council, a council which will be saddled with Woking’s debt and forced to cut public services to pay for it.

If that happens we’ll be powerless if the council decides to close our local community facilities or defund the Yvonne Arnaud or shut down sports facilities on the grounds of cost. But at least if we have a local town council then we’ll have the power to do something about it – not least by transferring valued council community assets to it so that they’re beyond the reach of any fire sale of assets to pay off debt.

We know something like this can sound very technical and dry and irrelevant, but it really will make a tangible difference to all our lives for years to come.

We are happy to answer any questions at our drop-ins, on our social media posts in the local Facebook group, or via email.

Leisure Operating Contract

Following a competitive process, Freedom Leisure has been re-awarded the contract to operate Guildford Spectrum, Guildford Lido and Ash Manor Sports Centre for the next ten years. The partnership includes investment across facilities; proposals highlighted by the Council and local media include upgrades to the facilities, a 24-hour gym at Spectrum and longer Lido seasons including some outdoor winter swimming opportunities.

Burpham Village Fair

A huge thank-you to everyone who helped make the Burpham Village Fair on Saturday 12 July such a success at Sutherland Memorial Park. It was brilliant to see so many neighbours, stalls and community groups out in force. There’s a couple of videos courtesy of our sponsors Burpham Seymours over on the Burpham Village Fair Facebook page.

General Update

To keep up to date with all the important local issues you can sign up to the council’s ‘About Guildford’ newsletter here: guildford.gov.uk/aboutguildford

Drop-in Sessions

First Saturday of Each Month
10am to 11:30am

Our monthly drop-ins are at the Burpham community cafe at Sutherland Memorial Hall. Please pop by to raise a local issue or just enjoy a warm drink, homemade cake and a friendly chat.