Tandridge District Council

Tandridge District Council has begun consultation with 105 members of staff at risk of redundancy as part of its "radical transformation programme".

There will be 96 positions available as the restructuring takes place so only a handful are likely to lose their jobs.

The borough council is hoping to encourage as many people as possible to access its services online.

The restructure will include a "locality services team" which will "work closely with residents, ward councillors, parishes and the voluntary sector, resolving local issues and enabling communities to be more resilient", the council said.

It comes after 66 members of staff were put at risk of redundancy in an earlier phase of the transformation. This resulted in seven people being made compulsorily redundant and another six opting for retirement or to leave the council voluntarily.

Police have called for the speed limit to go up on the A25 Godstone Road in Bletchingley from 30mph to 40mph because drivers are "criminalising themselves".

Surrey and Tandridge councillors will consider the concerns on Friday.

Papers outlining the proposal said: "The speed limit on this section of the A25 has been set too low. If a speed limit is set too low and is ignored then this can result in the majority of drivers criminalising themselves."

The speed limit in Bletchingly had gone from 50mph to 30mph but Surrey Police said the change had not been effective.

BBC

There's anger in South Godstone after Tandridge District Council chose the area for a new so-called "garden community" of 4,000 extra homes.

Council leader Martin Fisher told BBC Surrey the site is more likely to be delivered than developing Blindley Heath or Redhill Aerodrome.

The council's promising three new schools and improvements to the A22 and Godstone train station.

Critics say the greenbelt should be protected.

Google Maps

Planners have decided the location of a new town in Surrey.

They want to build 4,000 homes at South Godstone.

Tandridge Distric Council had been looking at three potential sites, and has now rejected Redhill Aerodrome and Blindley Heath for the "Garden Village".

In an open letter Keith Jecks, chairman of the planning policy committee, said: "I am a passionate defender of the Green Belt. Our beautiful district is 94% Green Belt, the highest proportion of any district in the entire country."

But added: "We need to provide for future generations. We need them to keep this district vibrant, thriving and economically successful."

The local plan, released later this month, will suggest the total number of new homes the district can accommodate is around 6,200, less than half the government’s need calculation of 12,900.

Tandridge has previously warned that building at South Godstone would require improvements to the A22 and Godstone railway station.

Ukip now has no councillors in Surrey after losing their single remaining seats on Mole Valley, and Reigate and Banstead councils.

Correction 13 July 2018: An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported that UKIP fielded no candidates in either Tandridge, Runnymede, Woking or Elmbridge.

The Conservative Party lost seats in Tandridge but held on to power.

You can read the full story here.

BBC

In the local elections it's been a bad night for the Conservatives in Tandridge.

The party lost eight councillors to the Liberal Democrats and Residents Groups.

The Tories still control the district council, but only by one seat.

The loss is being partly blamed on opposition to plans to build a garden village of thousands of new homes.

We've obviously lost a significant chunk of our majority which means on the council we would have to work differently, but the issues of housing still remain and that is how can we build more houses for the community but at the same time make sure it's consistent with our local area.

We can't say we wouldn't build, but that is the issue at this election."

Border Force officers at Gatwick seized £220,000 worth of cocaine.

On 19 April, officers in the North Terminal stopped and searched a passenger travelling from Jamaica.

Officers searched the man's suitcases and found the cocaine hidden in four tins of hot chocolate.

The contents of one of the tins was tested and proved positive for cocaine.

A British national was arrested and the investigation passed to the National Crime Agency. He was later released under investigation while enquiries continue.