Countryside Access team (Thu 18th Sep update)

<Previous posts to the Countryside Access team>

On 15th Aug, I chased Luke for an update:

Fri 15th Aug  (to: luke.dawson@surreycc.gov.uk)

How did you get on with your visit to the Hatches (earlier this week)? I notice the grass has been cut & hedges trimmed back.  It's starting to rain more now so people are chasing me for updates on the improvements to the path.

 ...we then had this email exchange a couple of weeks later:

Tue 9th Sep  (from: luke.dawson@surreycc.gov.uk)
I am writing to provide an update to you. I have met with the contractor and received a price for completion. I have arranged access and will hopefully soon have permission from the Fisheries, once I have spoken with them. It was decided that the surface repair works would be best undertaken once we know if funding will be secured for improvements. The principal reason being, that repairs would need to be substantial as the current surface has been constructed on top of another and so would require a significant repair to last any length of time. 

In terms of time frame, I really hope to see this works completed within the next 6 weeks. I appreciate this short term fix has already taken a long while, but it is dependant on the contractor being available to carry out the scheduled works.

Tue 9th Sep  (to: luke.dawson@surreycc.gov.uk)

Many thanks for the update Luke. So, are those costs for 'temporary repairs' or are these longer term improvements? i.e. were you asked to provide separate quotes temporary improvements (to the worst parts of the path) versus the costs of widening & improving the full length of the path? Presumably these need to be approved at the 3rd Oct Surrey Heath Committee mtg..?

Anyway, it's great to see progress being made & I look forward to any improvements.

Thu 18th Sep  (from: luke.dawson@surreycc.gov.uk)
The price I obtained was for temporary edging out and drainage improvements. My senior colleague has drafted a report for the committee meeting in October. 

I hope that temporary repairs are enough to assist users in the interim

So, the Countryside Access team should hopefully soon have funding approval for temporary improvements to drainage & edging out. The CAT are aiming to complete these works by the end of Oct 14.

Meanwhile, Luke's senior colleague will present a report to the next Surrey Heath Local Committee meeting (on Fri 3rd Oct) on the costs for a more permanent improvement project.