David BellchamberIt is with the great sadness that we report that David Bellchamber, a much respected trustee and friend of Cobham Heritage, passed away in the early hours on Thursday 29th July 2021.
He had been ill for some time and in recent months he had been in and out of hospital a number of times.
There was no one more committed to the community than David. His was the life of constant public service; he was very clever and always a wise counsel to so many. He quietly got on with everything and no matter how complex the issue he never let anyone down despite his phenomenal workload.
He will be so sorely missed by so many people and so many organisations. David was total goodness and there was not a grain of malice in him - always concerned for others. But at least he lived to see a Liberal Democrat councillor in Cobham. He leaves a massive chasm in the whole of Elmbridge as he was involved in so many different things. Cobham will not be the same place without him.
Our thoughts are very much with his wife Sue and their family and we send our deepest condolences.
The Cobham Conservation and Heritage Trust, Trustees
You may have read that the boundary commission is proposing boundary changes to the Esher and Walton parliamentary constituency because it is too large in size. The proposals so far as they affect Cobham and its surrounding villages, apart from meeting a numbers game, are devoid of any logic or sense and could materially disadvantage us. You can comment on the proposals until 2nd August 2021 and you can read about the proposals and make representations here: South East | BCE Consultation Portal (bcereviews.org.uk).
The proposals, in essence, split off Cobham (including Downside) west of the middle of the lower part of Fairmile lane and Tilt Road into a long thin constituency of Weybridge and Chertsey. The rest of Cobham and Stoke D’Abernon stays with the Esher and Walton constituency.
The grey area shown on the map is currently part of the Esher and Walton Parliamentary Constituency area. Click on the Proposed Boundary Change tab above to see how this might change.
The grey area shown on the map would move into the Weybridge and Chertsey Parliamentary Constituency area. Other boundary changes are also being made in the north of the Weybridge and Chertsey area near Walton Bridge and Staines.
The boundary commission state that when they rearrange boundaries:
As far as possible, we try to have regard to local ties, geographic factors, local government boundaries (as they were known on 1 December 2020), existing constituencies, and minimising disruption caused by the proposed change.
They have failed us wholly on these tests other than ward boundaries which have little relevance in this part of Elmbridge.
If you live in Stoke D’Abernon, your schools, doctors and all your other local services are likely to be in another parliamentary constituency.
If you live in Cobham we will become an orphan and outlying ward, with little say, in a long narrow developed belt comprising Weybridge, Chertsey and Egham with which we have little in common. We shall be split away from the adjoining settlements of Stoke D’Abernon and Oxshott with whom we have much in common and have coalesced for centuries. Our rail station will be in another constituency. The boundary will split a previously cohesive settlement dividing it into two going down the middle of residential roads. The proposed boundary wholly ignores natural geographical factors. There could be implications for future realignments.
We encourage you all to read through the proposals and make representations before 2nd August 2021 using this link www.bcereviews.org.uk.
Due to the latest government extension of step 3 COVID restrictions until at least 19th July 2021, the organising committee have reluctantly decided that Cobham Heritage Day 2021 will not go ahead.
