Members of the Executive will consider three detailed proposals relating to Thameswey Housing Ltd (THL), Thameswey Energy Ltd (TEL) and Victoria Square Woking Ltd (VSWL). 

The reports are a key aspect of the council’s Company Divestment Strategy, and its wider Improvement and Recovery Plan, which aim to simplify company structures, dispose of commercial and residential assets and reduce the council’s historic borrowing.

The event brings together many local charities and community organisations, offering visitors the chance to learn more about the vital services they provide and how volunteering can help make a big difference. 

The caterpillars are active between late spring and early summer and are most commonly found on oak trees. They are identifiable by their distinctive nose-to-tail ‘procession’ movement and the silky white nests found on trunks and branches.

Whilst small, these caterpillars can cause irritation. Their tiny hairs contain toxins that may lead to itchy skin rashes, sore throats, breathing difficulties and eye irritation if touched or inhaled.

Residents are advised to:

Following elections earlier this month to the new West Surrey council, councillors came together at its inaugural meeting to begin preparations for the new authority.

The Shadow Authority replaces the previous Joint Committees and will lead the transition to a single unitary council for West Surrey. In the meantime, existing councils will continue to run services smoothly while plans for the future strategy and operating model for the council are developed.

At its first meeting Cllr Paul Follows was agreed as Leader of West Surrey Shadow Council. He said:

Born and raised in Devon, Cllr Leach has lived in Woking since the 1980s and is a long-standing member of the local community. 

He brings extensive professional and voluntary experience to his new role and is looking forward to a year of civic engagements, meeting local people and celebrating the borough’s rich voluntary sector.

Before becoming a councillor for the first time in 2004, Cllr Leach enjoyed a varied civil service career and delivered freelance training within the public and private sector.

As a lifelong resident, Jim has dedicated decades of support to the village and has been at the heart of Byfleet Heritage Society since its inception in 1996, serving as Chairman for over 20 years.

He is a talented author and local historian, having published two editions of Byfleet and the Great War. His deep-rooted passion for local history and the railway network has also been valuable to the Society.

Since January, the Joint Committees have met monthly, putting foundations in place for a well-managed transition and providing stability during a period of change. After the shadow councils hold their inaugural meetings on 20 and 21 May, the Joint Committees will dissolve and their transition responsibilities will sit with the shadow councils moving forwards.  

The final Joint Committee meetings included discussions on items for the new shadow authorities to consider at their first meetings:  

The facility officially opened on Monday 11 May and features 16 specialist Reformer beds. 

Local council representatives, Cllr Ellen Nicholson, Woking Borough Council’s Portfolio Holder; Tim Fleming, Head of Leisure and Communities at Woking Borough Council, and Rob Leach, Deputy Mayor of Woking, and invited members attended the launch, taking part in a special VIP session to be among the first to experience the new Reformer studio.

The full political make-up of the new West Surrey Council is:

The result means that the plan will now be presented to councillors for adoption later in the year. 

See the full result.

The Byfleet Neighbourhood Plan sets out a range of locally developed planning policies covering areas such as design, the village centre, employment sites, trees and woodland, flood management, local green spaces and heritage.

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The election will be the first for the new West Surrey Council, giving residents the opportunity to shape how local services are run and how decisions affecting their communities are made.

Voting in person

Residents voting in person will have already received their poll cards through the post, which contains details of their designated polling station. 

Please check carefully before heading out to vote in case the polling station has changed. Polling stations are open from 7am until 10pm.