Election Special

Mandy O'Brien & Rod Ashford discuss recent changes to the rules on Green Belt and the introduction of Grey Belt. (00:05) Intro(00:19) Changes to Planning Law September 2026(00:46) The New Green Belt Rules(02:43) The New Grey Belt Rules(04:15) Chipstead Lane Green Belt(07:10) Banstead Park Road Green Belt(08:43) Merstham Green Belt(10:00) So, Who Makes The Rules?(10:28) But Who Interprets Those Rules?(12:57) Development Needs Intrastructure(13:28) The 5 Year Plan What Went Wrong?(16:00) What About the Doctors, Hospitals & Schools? (17:38) Outro

Mandy O'Brien & Rod Ashford launch Episode 1 of their new Residents Voice Bitesize podcast - 10 minutes or less, of local community news. Please leave us a message in the Comments to let us know what you think.(00:04) Intro(00:21) Who Stole the Village Christmas Lights?(01:38) Local Celebrity Lock-In(03:17) Spooky Goings-On at Shelvers Way(05:17) Outro

Mandy and Rod chat exclusively to the last ever mayor of Reigate and Banstead, councillor Nick Harrison. Plus the local news local people need to know about: Real conversation; Honest opinions; No script.(00:04) - Welcome(00:22) - Intro(00:43) - What does the mayor do? We talk to councillor Nick Harrison about what it's like to be the mayor.(12:13) - Walton on the Hill: does major tree felling signal new development?(13:20) - Should the Council be accountable to residents?(14:53) - Managers investigate complaints about themselves ?(15:48) - Burgh Heath: volunteer gets bill for over £1700 for asking the Council for information about local pond.(17:37) - Local Petitions: putting water out for wildlife; Live music stopped at The Cage in Reigate.(23:06) - Tadworth: armed police on the streets(24:33) - Litter picking.(25:51) - Tadworth: free water butt giveaway.(28:50) - Nanna and grandaughter days.(31:39) - Outro.

Mandy O'Brien and Rod Ashford speaking honestly, discussing the issues local people deserve to know about. Real and raw conversation. Honest opinions. No script.(00:05) - Welcome(00:22) - Intro(00:37) - With local kids using catapults to kill wildlife - who is to blame? And why aren't the Police taking crimes against wildlife seriously? (14:57) - A "Culture of Secrecy?" - Just how far will the local council go to avoid answering residents' questions?(23:55) - Why are Developers putting planning consultation leaflets through your door?(28:31) - Outro

Mandy O'Brien and Rod Ashford take advantage of the great weather and the birds singing to chat about local issues in and around East Surrey.(00:00) - Intro(00:28) - Election Round-Up(01:03) - So Who Exactly Is Running The Council?(02:15) - No You Can't Just Chop Down Our Trees!(06:18) - Free Water Butts(07:30) - Local Ponds - Stop The Catapults*(11:06) - "Use Brown Site Not Green Belt" ePetition(11:29) - Outro* Since recording this episode Surrey Police are now making regular patrols around Burgh Heath pond.

For this Election Special edition of The Residents' Voice, Mandy and Rod sent the same set of 7 questions to all the candidates standing for election on 7th May in the Merstham and Banstead South ward (which includes Lower Kingswood) and the Tadworth Walton and Kingswood ward (which includes Burgh Heath and parts of Preston). All the candidates were then invited to join us for a phone-in to give us their own answers to the questions. (00:00) - Intro (00:27) - It's Not All About Leaflets!(01:31) - Bob Gardner (Conservative)(10:00) - Liam David Tomkins (Reform)(16:53) - Catherine Barrett (Labour)(25:11) Johnny Wolf (Reform)(36:22) - Shasha Khan (Green)(48:20) - Thank You(48:37) - What On Earth Is A Paper Candidate?(51:21) - So Much Better Than Leaflets?(53:41) - Outro

The Residents Voice is the new Podcast from Tadworth Daily News. It's all about local news and views from East Surrey with Mandy and Rod.(00:02) - Start(00:05) - Intro(00:26) - Parishing Cock-Up(01:46) - Council Leadership Let Down(02:50) - Drawing A Line Under Parishes(03:43) - Council Tax, Politics Before People(06:27) - Election Fact Or Fiction?(07:14) - Marbles Pond Update(10:50) - Outro(11:13) - End

Mandy O'Brien asks Cllr Rod Ashford to come back to talk about how the goal posts seem to have moved on the 'Great Asset Giveaway', plus what Article 24 and Neighbourhood Area Committees mean to you..(00:00) - Start(00:05) -Intro(00:14) - Council Asset U Turn(05:42) - What Is Article 24?(07:59) - Don't Get Your NACs in a Twist(12:50) - April 1st is Vesting Day(13:07) - Outro

Mandy O'Brien asks Cllr Rod Ashford to come back and shed a little more light on the Banstead Villages Consultation.(00:00) - Intro (00:20) - Is Time Really Running Out?(02:07) - A Wake Up Call?(03:00) - The Truth About Costs(05:46) - We Are Not Alone(09:01) - Outro

Mandy O'Brien asks Cllr Rod Ashford the questions everyone is asking about the Banstead Villages Consultation.