Chipstead Village

Surrey

The Chipstead Residents Association

The Chipstead Residents Association (CRA) is a non-political voluntary organisation whose aim is to represent the residents of Chipstead by having healthy relationships with policymakers and ensuring we protect our village and its residents.

Acting as a resource for residents to discover the latest news, traffic, village events, major planning applications, local groups, and societies through a monthly newsletter.


 

Join the CRA

A widening membership of Chipstead residents on the CRA enables us to work together with one voice, and have greater impact on county and borough councils as well as the police and transport authorities for the benefit of the entire village.

We encourage Chipstead residents to join the CRA to support the work we do and contribute to future endeavours. If you would like to become a member, simply add your details using the following link. The membership subscription is a minimum of £10.00 p.a. which is paid via our payment partner, Go Cardless. When you sign up you will receive an email confirming the amount and frequency of the payments by direct debit.

If you need assistance with membership, please contact our General Secretary at secretarychipsteadra@gmail.com

 

CRA Mailing list

If you do not already, you may wish to receive CRA newsletters; please sign up to the mailing list using the link below. It is our policy to maintain strict confidentiality of email addresses. You do not have to be a paying member of the CRA to receive newsletters.

 

CRA AGM

The 2024 AGM will be announced in due course.

You can read the full minutes of the 2023 meeting by following this link - 2023 CRA AGM Minutes 

 

CHAIR’S REVIEW 2022/23

Thankfully the past year has been significantly easier in terms of face to face meetings since the pandemic has eased and a new normality has ensued.

We have had a good year with a wide range of activities spanning environment, traffic and community get togethers, which I shall detail later on.

In terms of the committee we have, again had some changes. We have sadly said goodbye to Ron Akhurst, James Reeves, Becky Keilty and Steve Knight, who we thank wholeheartedly for their work over the last numerous years especially in terms of Ron Akhurst who has served the village for many many years. I would like to thank them for all their hard work and efforts over their time on the CRA.

I am also very saddened that Sarah Barham, who has worked tirelessly over the past nearly 4 years as Secretary has decided to pursue other voluntary opportunities. She has been instrumental in the modernisation of the CRA, the cleaning of the databases, the refreshing of the membership fee collection process and the management of the meetings and actions log and of course the management of your truly. Without her the CRA would not be the same. A special thanks to Sarah.

There are also thankfully a number of new faces on the committee which I am pleased to be able to introduce to you at the meeting. Debbie Ratcliffe (Membership), Amanda Davies, (Traffic), James and Lauren Tarbit who are new to the village and taking on the secretariat together, we welcome them all.

That does still leave a few gaps - we are keen to welcome people to join the committee. The main “roles'' or portfolios that are vacant are Funding Applications, Police Liaison & Events. Please get in touch with me (chairchipsteadra@gmail.com) if you have any questions about any of these roles and how you can help.

The main activities carried out by the CRA over the past 12 months have been:

MEMBERSHIP - Completion of a Welcome Pack for new residents - this has now been implemented by Debbie and new residents receive a postcard welcoming them to the Village with an invitation to join the CRA.

WEBSITE & NEWSLETTER - Continued building of the Chipstead Village Facebook page now at 1600 followers up from 1200. The facebook Chipstead Residents’ Group is at 1200 members, up from 500 last year. This continues to be a useful and active group - for both small local businesses and also as an electronic community notice board for lost dogs, events and requests for help.

ENVIRONMENT - 6 trees have been successfully planted on Outwood Lane. 6 more trees successfully approved for planting on SCC land. Stagbury Triangle; Mountain Ash Meads, opposite White Hart; Cherry Junction How Land, High Rd and Coulsdon Lane; Mountain Ash Junction Hazelwood and Outwood Lane; Lime Vincent Close; Cherry. Work already completed in removing existing nearly dead tree in front of Holly Lodge, which is ugly and half dead. Replace with 1 / 2 trees to the west but without blocking light to the two houses there. Likely copper beech or cherry blossom. Picnic bench has been installed at the Elmore pond. 4 new benches installed at the Meads, replacing old and decrepit ones.

TRAFFIC - The CRA has worked extensively with Luke Bennett, our Country Councillor, to develop a petition to reduce the speed limit on High Road. Amanda Davis has reinvigorated the traffic action section of the RA and has already made an impact, with over 700 signatures on the aforementioned petition.

EVENTS - A very successful Platinum Jubilee Picnic on the Meads with over 600 tickets sold, Live 8-piece jazz/swing band, food stalls, beer tent, cakes stand. (This was a learning opportunity for everyone and I would like to thank Becky Keilty and Cat Knight especially for all their hard work in putting together that event.) The CRA worked with the Chipstead Flower Show team to put on a “Fabulous & Floral After Party” last year which was successful and raised over £700 for the CRA.

PLANNING - Angela has been pivotal in ensuring everything that can be done has been done in terms of ensuring Chipstead’s planning applications are reviewed, commented on and communicated via the planning page on the Chipstead Village website.

CVPS - Worked closely with the CVPS to help them publicise the annual Easter Egg Hunt at the Grove and to automate the ticket selling process. In addition, I am part of a newly formed group of Chairs of Local RAs to try and alleviate duplicating work.

Thank you to everyone who has worked so hard over the last 12 months - I look forward to working with you in the future.

Lasty, I would like to thank Robert Collier for auditing the accounts.

Catherine Tulley – Chair

 

You can additionally view the minutes from the 2022 AGM here, and the 2021 AGM, here.

 

More about the CRA

The CRA is managed by a Committee of up to 15 members who attend monthly meetings. Three ward councillors from the Borough of Reigate and Banstead, and one councillor from the Surrey County Council regularly attend these meetings. The Committee includes a number of professionals from disciplines such as town and country planning, highway planning, financial services, architecture and engineering, who are able to offer expert opinion. The committee is thus well structured to provide an effective voice on behalf of Chipstead when making representations to local authorities, utilities, transport operators, service providers, property developers and other organisations which operate locally.

In order to keep abreast of local developments and opinion, the CRA regularly invites representatives from local organisations such as the Police, local businesses, sports clubs and churches to the monthly meetings. This provides an excellent opportunity for these organisations to present their opinions, hear the views of the committee and agree appropriate action. The CRA also works closely with the Chipstead Village Preservation Society (CVPS), a registered charity, whose distinct yet complementary objectives are:

To protect, preserve and enhance for the benefit of the public generally, and especially for the inhabitants of Chipstead, land and buildings of beauty or historic interest and amenities (including the Peter Aubertin Hall) in, or in the vicinity of, Chipstead, and to promote such protection, preservation and enhancement.

The village is fortunate to have the CVPS which does have substantial funds available for providing vital financial support to many village organisations and valuable funding to preserve village infrastructure, so long as the purposes to which they are put are consistent with the CVPS's charitable status and purposes.


Law and Order

The CRA maintains a close relationship with the Surrey Police force. The Surrey Police regularly exchange security information with the CRA about crime in the neighbourhood, and Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) attend some of the monthly CRA meetings. Security information received is disseminated to members via the confidential Emailing system.

The CRA also support the national Neighbourhood Watch scheme, and Neighbourhood Watch officers receive security information from the Surrey Police via Email and bulletins. The Surrey Police also organise regular 'beat panel' meetings in the PA Hall where residents are invited to meet the police and discuss security issues.


Communications

CRA NoticeboardSt Margaret's Church magazine

Good communication with Chipstead residents is an important part of village life. To achieve this aim, the CRA and CVPS have jointly developed this website to disseminate topical information and collect local opinion. The CRA has also set up a confidential Emailing system which is used to distribute monthly Newsletters to Chipstead residents. These Newsletters provide current news and information on village events, planning issues, security information, etc. Join the email distribution list for the newsletter here.

St Margaret's Church publishes a monthly magazine which includes many excellent articles of local interest. The 'Voice of Chipstead' is a quarterly magazine with topical articles and information on local businesses. The CVPS has erected notice boards at strategic points around the parish for use by village organisations.

 


 

A history of the CRA

CRA Rule Book

The CRA was formed in 1945 as a non-political and non-sectarian organisation, with the following objectives stated in the published Rule Book:

The above rules provide the CRA with a unique mandate to represent villagers' views, made possible by virtue of the fact that the overwhelming majority of residents are members of the Association. The CRA is funded entirely by residents' annual subscriptions.

Major developments on adjacent land can have a significant and permanent impact on the quality of life in the village, and one of the most important CRA activities has been a vigorous involvement in all major public enquires directly affecting the village. In this regard, it is essential that the CRA be truly representative of the aspirations of all Chipstead residents, and is in a position to submit evidence to enquiries that cannot be easily dismissed as minority interest. The CRA therefore strongly encourages all Chipstead residents to become members, and perhaps offer time and skills towards the committee's valuable work.