Health in Runnymede

One of the only down-sides to being a councillor is the vast amount of post the job generates, not in terms of genuine enquiries and requests for help from constituents but in the form of pointless glossy brochures advertising housing developments, political conferences and bizarre government initiatives which have very little to do with Runnymede. Knowing the vast amount of paper I have personally thrown away over the past thirteen months, the total amount of paper wasted by councillors up and down the country must run into millions of pages.

Anyway, I am rambling. Finally, a glossy publication has arrived in my postbag which is both interesting and informative. Entitled, the “Runnymede NHS Health Profile 2008”, it provides many interesting and surprising statistics I thought it may be worth sharing on this blog.

Some observations in the report did not come as a surprise:

- The health of Runnymede residents is better than the English average with high life expectancy.

- Deaths from smoking-related illnesses are lower than the national average and have shown a downward trajectory over the past few years.

- The level of tooth decay is low.

- Healthy eating levels (seemingly despite my best efforts…) are high.

- Only one in six people are classed as “binge drinkers”

Some observations, however, did:

- Spread across the Borough, the male life expectancy between the most affluent and deprived ward is 4.3 years.

- Despite poverty levels being a long way below the national average, 1,600 children live in what are classed as “low income households”.

- One in five adults is classed as obese.

When compared to the rest of the country, ten of the fourteen wards in the Borough are in the least deprived fifth of the country with Egham Hythe, Thorpe, Chertsey St Ann’s and part of Chertsey Meads falling into the lowest two fifths.

Inside the Borough, both Englefield Green East and West are classed as being in the bottom two fifths of the Borough in terms of comparative deprivation. The two least deprived wards are (predictably) Virginia Water and (surprisingly) Egham Town whilst the most “deprived” are Egham Hythe and parts of Thorpe, Chertsey St Anns and Chertsey Meads.

Therefore, if you live in Virginia Water or Egham Town and are a man you can expect to live to 80 and if you are a woman you will reach the Methuselah-like age of 85. Conversely, the residents of Egham Hythe, Thorpe, Chertsey St Anns and Chertsey Meads can expect to live to 76 if male and 82 if female. The figures for the two Englefield Green wards are 80 and 83 years for males and females respectively.

The take-up of free school meals in Runnymede is low with only 590 children (560 white, 20 mixed and 10 Asian) receiving them each day.

The Borough is “significantly better” than the English average in terms of deprivation, children in poverty, homelessness, violent crime, child tooth decay at age 5, teenage pregnancy (under eighteen), adults who smoke, binge drinking adults, numbers of smokers, healthy eating adults, obese adults, under 15s ‘not in good health’, incapacity benefits for mental illness, deaths from smoking and life expectancy.

I’m sure I’m not alone in thinking that the NHS’ calculation that binge drinking levels are lower than the national average strange given newspaper reports last year which placed the Borough at the top of the national ‘binge drinking league. More here…

The Borough is “not significantly better” than the English average in terms of: GCSE achievement (5 A*s to C), which is surely of particular concern, physically active children, physically adults, infant deaths, roads injuries and deaths and early deaths from heart disease, strokes and cancer.

Whilst these figures are a million miles away from being scientific, they do provide an interesting general overview of the Borough, where we are succeeding and most importantly, where we’re failing.

It is clearly not acceptable that a Borough whose wards are overwhelmingly found in the bottom fifth in terms of deprivation records GCSE scores – 61.1% securing 5 A* to C grades – that are “not significantly different” from the English national average of 60.1%. I’d be fascinated if someone was able to give me a rational explanation for why this is.

That said, the 2008 NHS Health Profile for Runnymede suggests that we are, in general, both a healthy and wealthy Borough.

Rubbish collection days set to change across Runnymede

As from Monday 30 June many Runnymede residents will have a change in the weekday their wheeled bin of household refuse is collected.

The Borough Council is reorganising the refuse collection programme so that each crew has ownership of an area in the Borough so as to reduce mileages and the amount of fuel used. Another aim of the rerouting is to deal with restricted access problems due to on-street parking in the Borough.

Englefield Green’s rubbish will be collected on Thursday.

If you would like to view the entire list of streets in the Borough and the days on which their rubbish will be collected, please click here.  For some reason, Englefield Green addresses appear to have been classified as being in Egham.

The collection day for recyclable items is unchanged.

Cricket Club Events

At the Englefield Green committee on Tuesday evening (more on which I will write later), Englefield Green Cricket Club was granted permission to hold the following three events on The Green in the coming weeks and months:

►Sunday 13 July, 2.00pm to 9.00pm – ‘Jamaica Style’ cricket match.

►Sunday 29 September, noon to 11.00pm – Club Day.

►25 June, 2 July, 9 July, 16 July, 23 July, 31 July, 6 August, 20 August, 5.00pm to 9.00pm – ‘Twenty20′ cricket matches.

If you haven’t been out on The Green recently on a summer day then do; a more ideal picture of a traditional English village community you will struggle to find anywhere else.

Heathrow expansion, again…

I hate to disagree with my on party but on this case, I think the national party have got the ‘corporate position’ wrong when it comes to the expansion of Heathrow airport.

My own view, which I appear to share with the majority of my colleagues on the neighbouring Spelthorne Borough Council (in which part of the airport is located) was outlined here some months ago.

As always, however, it’s worth pointing out that the Borough Council has no power over whether or not a third runway will be constructed or the right to demand the infrastructure improvements which the local area will require if, as I hope, Heathrow expansion goes ahead.  Whilst I do feel the expansion of the airport is neccessary, my support is by no means unconditional.

The website of the pro-expansion Future Heathrow group can be found here whilst the website of HACAN Clearskies can be found here.

The Future of the Thames Basin Heathland

I thought you may be interested in a report from my colleague Cllr Tim Dodds from Surrey Heath Borough Council regarding the the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England’s recent meeting on the future of the Thames Basin heathland. Living so close to the heathland, the points raised at the meeting will be of interest to local residents.

Tim’s blog, which is well worth a flick through, is the benchmark for exactly what a councillor’s blog should look like – and one I can only dream of matching.

His post can be found by clicking here.

For full information on the Thames Basin Heaths, its designated areas and legislation background please click here to view Runnymede Borough Council’s briefing document.

Englefield Green Village Fair

I have just returned home, very sun-burned, from the successful Englefield Green Village Fair.

Congratulations – and thank you – to everyone who worked so hard to make the day so enjoyable! Aside from the scores of volunteers who made sure everything ran smoothly, a special thanks must also be extended to the many local businesses who donated raffle prizes, organised teams for the Tug-of-War competitions and provided the vital financial sponsorship for the event to go ahead.

Whilst we all enjoy seeing Cricket on The Green, it is wonderful to see this fantastic open space being used by the whole community.

It’s events like this that remind us just how lucky we are to be part of such a vibrant community.

Egham Waitrose / Redevelopment Proposals

As you may have seen in the local press, Liberty Properties have published proposals for the redevelopment of Egham, including a new Waitrose and Travelodge. At this early stage, I think the proposals are looking hugely encouraging.

I know that many Englefield Green residents, dissatisfied with the present shops in Egham High Street, presently travel much further afield in order to their shopping. This new facility will provide a fantastic boost to the town, not only in terms of the 200 jobs it will bring to Egham but also in the refurbishment of the Town Centre.

I am please to see that Mark Adams, the Chairman of the Egham Chamber of Commerce, has spoken in such encouraging terms about the project.

For some background on the history of the project, please click here and here.

The outline plans of the building and location are as follows:

The ‘artists impression’ of how the site may look, from the existing High Street and Church Road streetscene, is as follows:

Please do let me know if you have any questions about the development and I would be delighted to forward them on to the developers.