11/9/2003

Local News

Council in new steps to move

At a parish council meeting on Monday, it was announced that groundsman Derek Broughton and his assistant Mick Cox will have their jobs terminated on October 31 and clerk Sue Curry has resigned from her post.
Chairman Cllr Geoff Marlow said staff had been advised in July their jobs were likely to be terminated.
The parish council resolved to ask Woking Borough Council and cleaning contractors Serco to offer jobs to the groundsmen if they wished.
Former chairman Sue Kittelsen has criticised the parish council’s actions in a letter to the News and Mail.
She said: “I am appalled at the treatment meted out to the Byfleet Parish Council staff by the new parish council, especially to Derek Broughton.
“Derek has worked for the people of Byfleet for a considerable time, during which he has produced some outstanding work.
“He has won many commendations, the most recent being a second place in Woking in Bloom for his work on the village hall garden.
“How has he been repaid for his dedication and loyalty? He has been given notice just three years before he is due to retire.
“Everyone who voted for the abolition of our parish council must take equal responsibility with the new parish council for their actions and I hope the 40p per week they may eventually save if abolition is successful is worth it.”
The parish council passed a number of unanimous votes to opt out of services in the village.
Cllr Mary Bridgeman proposed the parish council “becomes non-operational as soon as possible”.
Councillors agreed to opt out of the parish council offices at the village hall.
They planned to give six months notice to the village trustees and vacate by March 24, 2004.
All spending will be stopped but running costs will be met in order to keep the council going by name.
Equipment will be disposed of and Woking Borough Council will be asked if it can house old parish council files before the move from the village hall.
Ground maintenance with Woking Borough Council will also be terminated after one month’s notice is served.
Commenting on the meeting, former parish councillor Ozzie Knights said: “If you go through all the channels and abolition is the result we will accept that, but abolition isn’t a foregone conclusion.”
The review of parish arrangements in Byfleet is underway and Woking Borough Council held an initial consultation period from August 14 to September 5.
The council’s executive will consider the outcome at a meeting on October 2.
The next step would be for the borough council to decide what recommendations it proposed to make, if any, to the Secretary of State.
If recommendations for change were to be proposed, a second consultation period would be carried out over October and November.
Finally, on December 11, the borough council would come to a decision whether to proceed with abolition or not

First printed in: Byfleet News and Mail