Your local Councillors

The Borough of Epsom and Ewell was created in 1937 and since that time Ewell Court residents have resisted the temptation of party politicians and voted to return Residents’ Association Councillors to represent them on the council. Residents’ Association Councillors are independent of party politics and their commitment is to serving the community in which they live. All our Councillors live in the local area so they know the issues and concerns of our community and will report back on any issues raised either to you personally or through the Committee and General Meetings of Ewell Court Residents’ Association.

Eber Kington

Guy Robbins

Peter O’Donovan

Eber Kington

Surrey County Councillor & Epsom and Ewell Borough Councillor
8 Woodlands Close, Ewell KT19 0BQ
ekington@epsom-ewell.gov.uk T: 8786 7484
Twitter: @EberaKington

Please contact Eber in his capacity as your County Councillor for all SCC issues such as highways, streetlights, education and libraries.

Epsom and Ewell Borough Council Committees:
– Strategy and Resources (Chairman)
– Financial Policy Panel (Chairman)
– Standards Committee

Outside Bodies:
– Chairman of Local Advisory Board – Riverview Children’s Centre
– Member of Appointments Panel, Epsom and Ewell District Scouts

Eber has been your Borough Councillor since 1987.   He lives in Woodland Close and has built a reputation for acting quickly on residents’ concerns, keeping in touch with them as matters progress.   Even if he cannot directly assist with a problem he will find someone who can.   He visits the locations where problems are causing concern, takes photographs as necessary, and follows up on issues until they are resolved or reach their conclusion. He is keen to keep our residential streets green and clean by discouraging parking on verges, supporting the planting of appropriate new trees in the verges where residents request them, and reporting quickly any damage to the street furniture. Over the past four years, through his work as Chairman of the Borough Council’s Strategy and Resources Committee, Eber has ensured that the Council’s finances are on a secure footing with no cuts in services and one of the lowest council tax rates in Surrey. Eber has also been your County Councillor for the last ten years.  He has been a constant critic of SCC inefficiencies and poor financial management and has campaigned against SCC’s decision to switch off our streetlights at night and cut the local highway budget. In addition to his council work, Eber raises funds for local voluntary groups through his involvement with the ECRA and charity Quiz Nights, and every year he provides us with a megaphone running commentary during our annual Duck Race – from the Hogsmill River!

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Guy Robbins

Epsom and Ewell Borough Councillor
32 Courtlands Drive, Ewell
grobbins@epsom-ewell.gov.uk

Epsom and Ewell Borough Council Committees:
– Standards Committee
– Human Resources Panel

Outside Bodies:
– Carers of Epsom
– Governor at West Ewell Infant School and Nursery

Guy’s main focus over the last four years within the council has been health related issues and as well liaising with the local Police. His focus within the local community has been local charities, helping the elderly, local schools and our local library.

As a member of the Health Liaison Panel he has taken the opportunity to question those who provide local health services for our residents. He has campaigned for the proposed new acute unit to be sited at Epsom General Hospital as well as the retention of a 24 hour A&E unit, which should support treatment for all but the most serious cases.

He also continues to oppose the current planned disposal of land and estate buildings at Epsom General Hospital, arguing that any sale will serve to limit the services and options available for the future.

Guy currently has regular meetings with our local Police Community Support Officer from the Epsom & Ewell Safer Neighbourhoods Team, discussing Ewell Court issues and receiving regular updates on Police activity locally.

Along with being a volunteer driver for Age Concern Epsom & Ewell, Guy is also a Trustee on the Executive Board. He is a Governor of West Ewell Primary School Guy and a member of their Finance Committee and the IT Steering Committee.

Guy has supported the Ewell Court House Cinema Club when he has been free and highly recommends it. He a user of our volunteer run library and has been seen act as a judge at the wonderful competitions they run during the year – probably the hardest part of his work over the last four years!

One of his favourite ways of meeting local residents has to be the ECRA Bingo afternoons at Ewell Court House where the biscuits and, dare I say it, the banter are a joy to behold!

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Peter O’Donovan
Epsom and Ewell Borough Councillor
24 Danetree Road, West Ewell KT19 9RZ
po’donovan@epsom-ewell.gov.uk

Epsom and Ewell Borough Council Committees:
– Environment Committee (Vice Chairman)
– Planning Committee
– Licensing Hearings Panel

During his time as a councillor Peter has focused on Planning and Environmental issues.  He has been on the Planning Committee since he was elected in 2015 and regularly gives advice on the planning process to residents who understandably are not always sure how they can find out about, or object to, or support a particular development in their locality. He also liaises with the planning department whenever any contentious planning applications in Ewell Court Ward are received, bringing some of applications to the full planning committee for decision.  Peter also writes regularly in the Courtier on some of the bigger and sometimes more contentious planning applications in Ewell Court or the Borough, keeping us up-to-date with key planning issues as they develop.

As Vice Chairman of the Environment Committee Peter was heavily involved in the introduction of Simply Weekly, the new weekly domestic recycling and waste collection service introduced in 2018.  As other councils move to fortnightly and even monthly collections, the service in Epsom and Ewell is not only more frequent but has led to an increase in the recycling rate comparing favourably to the downward trend in much of Surrey.   He took over as Chairman of the Environment Committee in May 2018 and continues to oversee the car parks, waste and grass cutting to name a few areas.

And of course, Peter is also a regular wader and duck “pusher” in the Hogsmill River during the annual ECRA Duck Race!

If you wish to contact Peter or Guy by telephone, please do so via the EEBC Contact Centre on 01372 732000.

Epsom and Ewell Borough Council

Over the past four years Epsom and Ewell Borough Council has been led by Residents’ Association councillors, including your Ewell Court ward RA councillors Eber Kington, Peter O’Donovan and Guy Robbins.  Below are some of their policy initiatives and successes.

A Green Borough – Your RA councillors:

► Introduced the Simply Weekly recycling service in 2018 which, against the trend across Surrey, has seen a rise in the % of recycling by residents

► Commissioned an independent study of the Green Belt which confirmed that the vast majority of our Green Belt is performing well and needs to be protected

► With the support of the Friends of Ewell Court Park and the Park Rangers, ensured the continuation of Green Flag status for Ewell Court Park

A Safe Place to Live – The RA led Borough Council has:

► Obtained an injunction protecting 56 borough council owned sites from being occupied by unauthorised encampments

► Worked with TfL to check licensed vehicles & Uber cars at night to ensure residents travel in safe vehicles driven by fully compliant drivers

► Worked with the Environmental Agency & the Police on waste-carrying vehicles as part of a move against fly-tipping

► Introduced Alcohol Control Public Spaces Protection Orders to deal with alcohol related nuisance & anti-social behaviour in parts of Epsom and Ewell

► Upgraded CCTV, improve security against fly-tipping at more vulnerable green sites, and equipped the Rangers with radios with GPS tracking & body worn cameras

Family Friendly Policies.  Your RA councillors have:

► Provided £500k to support a South Western Trains bid to make Stoneleigh Station step free and accessible to all, including those with disabilities and parents with young children and buggies

► Upgraded Depot Road car park with additional child dedicated spaces and new pay machines that take credit/debit cards and upgraded lighting to improve safety

► Funded a new outdoor table tennis facility in Auriol Park and have continued to upgrade children’s playgrounds across the borough

A Thriving, Prosperous Community – Championing our local High Streets.  Your RA councillors:

► Committed £2.25 million of CIL money (a levy on developers) to redevelop Epsom’s market area, support our High Street and upgrade Epsom’s status as a town in which to shop, eat and do business

► Introduced the Business Improvement Fund providing grants up to £10k enabling small business to improve their shop frontage

► Provided a temporary home in the Town Hall for Epsom Post Office when it unexpectedly closed in 2017

► Supported Epsom businesses (financially/administratively) throughout their successful bid to establish the Business Improvement District which will see an additional £1.5 million invested in our town centre

A Healthy Community. Your RA councillors have:

► Been at the forefront in opposing the sale of EGH land unless it is used for social care or health related purposes

► Campaigned for any new acute unit agreed by the Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust be sited at Epsom General Hospital

► Funded new Routecall buses, and new mobility scooters for the shop mobility scheme in Epsom town centre

► Funded a £70k refurbishment of the Longmead Social Centre

► Reduced homelessness levels by 37% to its lowest figure for several years

Sound Financial Management – Your RA councillors have:

► Made no cuts to services over the last four years

► Maintained one of the lowest council tax rates in Surrey

► Received annual audit reports from the Councils independent External Auditors for almost twenty years that show that the council’s finances and accounts are of a high standard with no concerns or errors