SURVEYS LAUNCHED TO IDENTIFY RESIDENT’S VIEWS
CANCER DANGERS FROM ARTIFICIAL PITCHES HIGHLIGHTED
26TH SEPTEMBER DEADLINE FOR RESIDENTS TO COMPLETE PETITION
The Ashtead Independents’ , together with other increasingly concerned residents, are pushing hard this week to collect 800 signatures to get Ashtead residents’ views on the proposals to fence off part of the Queen Elizabeth II Recreation Grounds for an artificial football pitch.
Two different initiatives have been started by residents in order to gather views to present to the Council before a final decision on the proposals (see our article Ashtead’s Recreation Ground Under Threat).
The first initiative is a petition organized by resident Steve Kershaw, who organized a public meeting on the issue at St Georges’ Church on 24 August. This aims to get the issue taken out of the hands of the Liberal Democrat Cabinet and brought to a full Council meeting for decision on 11 October. This requires a minimum of 800 signatures, include details of the signatories, and must be in his hands ready to submit by 26 September. If you feel there should be such an open debate, print off and sign the attached (ideally getting other electors to assign) and return the hard copy (not scans) to either Mr Kershaw or one of your Ashtead Independent Councillors before 26 September. Full details of for contacting your local councillors can be found here.
The second initiative is a leaflet prepared by former Epsom & Ewell Councillor Tina Mountain which is being distributed to all households asking that you complete an online survey (https://s.surveyplanet.com/5vuzpb7m) and also e-mail Chris Grayling MP (chris.grayling.mp@parliament.uk) with a “yes” (support the development) or “no” (against the development). This will inform the Cabinet, but not mean the issue is debated at Council.
Please consider responding to both these initiatives as the Ashtead Independents consider that a decision affecting so many residents should not be taken without a fuller consultation and debate.
Since greater scrutiny is being put on the Football Club’s plans, a number of councillors and residents are highlighting in the increasingly concerns about the potential dangers to health of the use of artificial turf. Much of those concerns are documented in articles from respected publications which can be seen HERE.